Take the Tin Cup Challenge & Write or Email a Letter
We have received permission to publish the following letter of support (see below) that was recently sent to Dan Levitt, the Provincial Advocate for Seniors by one of our Tin Cup supporters. Every voice counts! We ask that you also write your own letter/email, to send to the Prime Minister, your local Member of Parliament, or the Minister responsible for Seniors, and/or your local MP or MLA in your Province. We have provided a sample letter for downloading, but you can also copy and paste from the examples below. Use these letters for inspiration, add your own stories, or write your own. We are very grateful for all of the…
Petition to the Government of Canada
TIME IS RUNNING OUT! WOW! Over 2500 signatures for the Online Petition!HAVE YOU SIGNED YET? Sign the Petition BEFORE September 14, 2024, at 3:57 p.m. (EDT). Sign the official federal petition now to demand changes to pensions for seniors and help lift low income seniors out of poverty. Follow the links to the official petition site. PLEASE NOTE: IT IS A TWO STEP PROCESS – DON’T FORGET THAT AFTER YOU HAVE SIGNED – THERE IS ONE LAST STEP REQUIRED… You will receive an email to validate your identity. You must click the link provided in order to complete the signature process. The petition will remain open until September 14, 2024,…
A Heartfelt Thanks to all who came out in support of the October 5 Rally!
We had a few new communities joining us, included Terrace and Salmon Arm – Welcome! – and so great to see different generations coming out in support of elders. Thanks to all communities, volunteers, and participants who came out in good weather and not-so-good weather to support the October 5 Seniors Tin Cup Rally for fair seniors pensions. A huge thank you to the Businesses in Armstrong and Vernon who donated a prize for the draw held during the Vernon rally (see list below!). Vernon also had Tim Horton’s coffee and doughnuts donated! Much appreciated! Stay tuned for our next rally in 2025 – BUT – we encourage all Seniors…
Seniors Unhoused and The Hidden Homeless
Homelessness and the “Hidden” Homeless It may sound fun at first, to live in your RV or van. But when this becomes a choice between being able to pay rent and still have enough funds to buy food, medications, etc, by giving up your home to live more inexpensively full time in your recreational vehicle, if you are lucky, or car, or truck, if less lucky, then it becomes a different matter. Worst case scenario is living on the streets. We have met these seniors who have had to make this choice at many of our rallies. Homelessness or Unhoused Statistics A disproportionate number of both senior men and women are…
Next Rally Saturday, October 5, 2024, 11 am – Find your community and contact organisers here.
PLEASE NOTE: Some communities, such as Kamloops, will be rallying at an earlier date – Saturday, September 21, 2024. Please check with your local community to be sure. The following communities will be taking part – we will add communities as they come on board: Terrace, Vanderhoof, Williams Lake, Kamloops, White Rock, Ladysmith, Salmon Arm, North Vancouver/Delta, Campbell River, Vernon and Victoria. Find your community and contact organisers here. We will be adding Communities and Organiser Contacts as we go. WE NEED ORGANIZERS FOR ALL COMMUNITIES NOT LISTED BELOW.NEXT RALLY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024 Meet at 10:30 am – RALLY STARTS AT 11:00 am See locations for each Community below.…
Who is the new Minister for Seniors? Find out here
Seamus O’Regan has stepped down from this post, and Steven MacKinnon has been newly appointed as the Minister for Labour and Seniors. We do not know very much about him, as yet, however the Prime Minister’s website has posted his biography and we have made it available here. We will keep you posted when more information becomes available. Link to the CTV Video here to hear Mr. MacKinnon’s initial statements. Link to CPAC full video (27 minutes) of swearing in ceremony and interview (some parts are not translated)… You can contact the Minister directly via email to voice your concerns about seniors pensions and other seniors issues at this email…
Next Rally Thursday, June 27, 2024, 11 am – Find your community and contact organisers here.
Find your community and contact organisers here. We will be adding Communities and Organiser Contacts as we go. WE ARE NEED ORGANIZERS FOR ALL COMMUNITIES NOT LISTED BELOW.NEXT RALLY THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2024 Meet at 10:30 am – RALLY STARTS AT 11:00 am Find out More PLEASE CONTACT CAROLE FAWCETT IF YOU CAN HELP ORGANIZE. We will provide instructions – it’s not that difficult and should not require too much time, other than getting the word out/posters to seniors and other groups/media, and using your own networks of friends and colleagues. VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO WELCOME IN EACH COMMUNITY – help spread the word – MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHTER WORK COMMUNITY…
StatsCan Housing Experiences in Canada Highlights: Challenges Remain for Seniors living in Poverty
We’ve condensed the most recent data report available from November 2023 StatsCan regarding Housing for Seniors living in Poverty. Housing is a Human Right In 2019, Parliament passed the National Housing Strategy Act. The Act recognizes housing as a human right, and commits organizations and governments to reform housing laws, policies and programs from a human rights perspective; and to involve communities in meaningful ways. The Act calls for the “progressive realization” of the right to housing. This means Canada must set specific timelines and goals in its housing strategy that make tangible progress towards the right to housing. It also means Canada must prioritize the most vulnerable groups and…
The Time Has Come the Senior Said: Response to the Federal Budget
Article by Carole Fawcett Are you feeling angry? I would bet that most low-income seniors across this country of ours are also angry. As I stated before, this Boomer is angry. The federal budget left out seniors, (AGAIN!!!) and those with disabilities were left out, with extra money ending at age 64. Do they really think that people can live on OAS, GIS and CPP with any dignity? Do they think it is possible to enjoy even a marginal quality of life when you have less than the national poverty line? Really? It truly boggles the mind. The last increase of any significance was in 2016 and at that time,…
Office of the Seniors Advocate British Columbia 2022 Study
BC Seniors: Falling Further Behind This Report was originally Posted on September 22, 2022 Link to the OSABC website In this report, Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie details the results of a systemic review of the impact of rising costs on B.C. seniors who depend on government pensions and ranks B.C. as the lowest in its financial support for seniors compared to other provinces and territories. The report examines the incomes and expenses of seniors across a broad socio-economic landscape and assesses the effectiveness of government supports, services and subsidies. The report includes findings from a spring 2022 survey of low-income seniors and a consultation with 82 community agencies. Highlights: Recommendations:…