In a National Seniors Day letter to the Federal Retirees community, Association president Roy Goodall celebrates the achievements and contributions of older Canadians.
There is a lot to celebrate as we mark National Seniors Day on Oct. 1.
A new seniors minister, who has experience supporting veterans and has proven he can get results in previous portfolios, a promise of pharmacare progress during the Parliamentary session that started two weeks ago, a Canadian campaign against ageism that’s getting traction at the United Nations and a group of spirited volunteers who are making a difference for seniors across the country and in their communities, thanks to their multifaceted volunteer work.
As president of the National Association of Federal Retirees, I like to celebrate our victories and also look at what we can do in the future. For our organization, this year’s agenda will be full, with outreach to Seniors Minister Seamus O’Regan, with whom we’re keen to meet and also witness how he will influence government policy on behalf of Canada’s older adults. A full 25 per cent of the constituents in his St. John’s, N.L., riding are seniors so he’s familiar with their issues. In our dealings with government and Minister O’Regan, we will be seeking his support to secure mandatory standards for long-term care, more funding for Canadians to age in place, more formal support for caregivers and a resolution to the Phoenix issue, which affects federal pensioners as well as federal employees. We’ll also be watching for the long-promised Safe Long-Term Care Act and we’ll be looking to him to establish a national definition of elder abuse as well as related offences and penalties under the Criminal Code.
Having just come through COVID and seen the deplorable conditions in which we allowed some of society’s most vulnerable to live, health care and long-term care are high on our radar. Canada’s system needs work and we are keen to be part of the solution.
Meanwhile, we’re hopeful for a resolution to the problems plaguing some of the 1.7 million federal public servants, retirees and their dependents due to the transition of their health coverage from Sun Life to Canada Life. The transition has not been seamless and we are working to resolve the issues faced by thousands of our members, some of whom fear they’ll end up paying out of pocket for costly prescriptions or treatments.
Financial means are also critical for seniors who worked hard to a secure their retirement. We will be looking to secure defined benefit pensions for more Canadians while also protecting the ones that exist, including the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Financial pressures and the current housing crisis in Canada are creating problems for many of our members who don’t have much, if any, disposable income once they’ve paid the bills.
Those are all items that are on our advocacy agenda, and we look forward to being part of the solution for them. But in the meantime, we take pause to celebrate the accomplishments of seniors across the country.
Seniors contribute to the economy in profound ways. In fact, they do unpaid work all the time. They babysit grandchildren and provide home care for their spouses, relatives and friends. Some also continue to do paid work such as working in the service industry, or in retail sales — jobs that others can’t or won’t do.
They also give generously of their time in the form of volunteering, and can do so because people are living longer and better than they ever have before. Seniors have developed valuable skills over long careers and are happy to share them to the benefit of charitable and community organizations, some of which would be hard pressed to operate without their dedication. They also understand the importance of charitable giving and make more donations per capita than any other demographic group in the country.
On this day, we at the Association — which is celebrating 60 years of existence in 2023 — celebrate all Canadian seniors.