Government benefits need to be boosted to avoid senior poverty: Carole Fawcett
Martin Biefer, Senior Pension Writer, Avery & Kerr Communications For Carole Fawcett of Vernon, BC, it’s time for seniors across Canada to let governments of all stripes know that the current retirement benefits available to older Canadians aren’t sufficient – and many seniors are facing poverty in their golden years. Fawcett, a freelance writer and editor and a retired counsellor, spoke recently to Save with SPP by telephone and email. She agrees that government programs like the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement were, when first created, “expected to `supplement’ the pensions that people would get from their job when they retired.” “People used to…
Boomer Anger
© Carole Fawcett This Boomer is angry. I am 75 years old and my pension is less than someone who works 40 hours a week for the minimum wage and this is combined for both OAS and CPP (with the supplement). How disrespectful and minimizing is that? I’m tired of the tokenistic pat on the head with a pitiful pension. A lot of us fall into this category and it wasn’t because we planned badly, sometimes life gets in the way. Before I go further I want to say that a lot of Boomers (seniors) are in the same (or worse) position. But I’m kind of tired of it…
Global News Television, Carole’s Vernon protest:
A B.C. woman took to the streets of downtown Vernon Thursday to raise awareness about poverty among seniors. The writer and former counsellor says low income older adults are struggling to get by on government assistance. Experts say seniors are among those most impacted by inflation. Aaron McArthur reports. – Dec 28, 2023 ...
CTV News Interview with Sharon Elliot
Sharon Elliott was employed up until a few months ago. At 74 years old, Elliott was working part-time to pay for her expenses until a spinal injury pushed her to retire. The loss of income, paired with expensive health-care treatments, forced her to face a new reality. “By the time I paid for those services, there was no money left for food,” she said...
Castanet Interview with Carole
Castanet YouTube video and interview of Carole’s protest in Vernon, December 2023. Pictured: Heather Fullager joins march in December 2023 Watch video below!
