MP: Honouring Seniors' Day
By Alex Atamanenko MP
Today Canada celebrates National Seniors’ Day. It is a day to recognize how important seniors are to the fabric of Canada. A day to recognize the work they do in their homes, in their communities and in business.
“Our seniors have built the past and continue to guide us through to the future,” said Atamanenko, MP for BC Southern Interior. “Our lives would be immeasurably poorer without the contribution they have made and continue to make to Canadian society.” National Seniors day was designated last year and coincides with the International Day of the Older Person, a global initiative to recognize the contributions that senior citizens make. This UN initiative calls on governments to do more to address the needs of older persons. NDP Seniors Critics, Irene Mathyssen and Blanchette-Lamothe, have been listening to seniors and meeting with Seniors organizations over the summer and found there is a desperate lack of funding for programs and a very real and legitimate fear that Canada is not prepared for the rapidly rising seniors population. “Clearly there is more work that the federal government can do to improve the lives of seniors,” said Mathyssen. “I cannot think of a better way to recognize the contributions of our seniors to Canada than giving them the opportunity to retire with dignity, the dignity to remain in their homes, their community, with their friends and family.” “It is not enough just to recognize seniors – we must also ensure that seniors in our community have the resources they need to live a comfortable life,” concluded Atamanenko. “My office receives far too many calls from seniors that need more assistance than is currently being provided – that is unacceptable.”
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