Volunteers with Federal Retirees’ Nova Scotia branches hosted a roundtable to talk to shadow ministers about issues affecting Canadian seniors and their loved ones.
Volunteers and members of Federal Retirees’ Colchester-East Hants and Cumberland branches, along with members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans Association, hosted a roundtable for Shadow Minister for Health, Dr. Stephen Ellis, and Shadow Minister for Seniors, Anna Roberts, in July. Canada’s shadow cabinet — critics with the official opposition party — are responsible for scrutinizing government actions as well as offering alternative policies.
While travelling to the Federal Retirees Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) in June, Mike Devine, president of the Colchester-East Hants branch, crossed paths with Ellis and was invited to join him for a tour of Parliament Hill.
After attending advocacy training at the AMM, Devine was inspired to transform the tour into an advocacy opportunity.
And, as a result, Federal Retirees branches were invited to host Ellis and Roberts at an exclusive roundtable in their home province of Nova Scotia for volunteers and members.
Several Association volunteers and members, from both the Colchester-East Hants and Cumberland branches, as well as Michelle Langille, advocacy program officer (APO) for Nova Scotia, attended the roundtable event.
During this meeting, conversation focused on the Association’s advocacy priorities — retirement income security, a national seniors strategy, veteran well-being and pharmacare. Participants also discussed palliative care and the impact of inflation on older adults.
As part of the roundtable, Federal Retirees volunteers and members highlighted effective local programs, which could potentially be modelled in other areas across the country: Away for the Day (a daily respite program serving members of the community who have dementia or Alzheimer’s), Mentoring Plus (a program which engages older adults as mentors to young people) and the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program (as part of this program, Colchester-East Hants branch member Gary Patterson and his dog visit local long-term care residents).
“I appreciate the work the Colchester-East Hants branch does and has been doing for a number of years to ensure they remain in contact with their elected member of Parliament. These meetings, both in Ottawa and locally, clearly demonstrate the value of building relationships with elected officials,” says Langille.
Interested in hosting a roundtable for your local MPs? Contact your advocacy program officer, or email advocacyteam@federalretirees.ca for help getting started.
About Advocacy Spotlight
Advocacy Spotlight showcases successful initiatives and projects put forward by our dedicated volunteers and supporters.
The National Association of Federal Retirees has a proud history of advocacy on behalf of our members and all retirees. In collaboration with our volunteers and supporters from coast-to-coast, we continue this tradition of strong, smart advocacy campaigns focused on improvements to the financial security, health and well-being of our members and all Canadians. Our success is not only measured in policy changes and legislation. It grows with every meaningful discussion with parliamentarians, and with every email and letter written. Together, we are achieving and surpassing our strategic advocacy goals and targets every day.