Press Release: Missed Opportunities for an aging population

For Immediate Release

Toronto, Ontario – September 30, 2002: While CARP applauds the Federal Government for its ambitious and comprehensive agenda, what was sorely missing in the Throne Speech today were opportunities to work with older Canadians.

In fact, the only reference to the aging population was to justify increased immigration. Not that CARP is against increased immigration, but surely doing away with mandatory retirement would at least partially alleviate future employment shortages. Moreover, while the Throne Speech rightfully referred to the need for an employment strategy for youth and persons with disabilities, there was no comparable plan for older workers –including retraining.

On the other hand, long overdue public pension reform, particularly regarding Guaranteed Income Supplement, is obviously not even on the Government’s radar screen.

The Government is prepared to invest in a program for younger Canadians to clean up the environment. However, as CARP has been promoting over the past few years, why not include older Canadians in this initiative – as is done in the USA?

Canada is on the cusp of the greatest demographic revolution of its history. There are already a lot of seniors and over the next 30 years there will be many more. These Canadians have a great deal to contribute. They deserve to be engaged, for their own well-being and for the benefit of society.

CARP is Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus with 400,000 members across the country. The Association’s mandate is to promote the rights and quality of life for older Canadians.

For further information and to arrange interviews:
Judy Cutler, Director of Communications
(416) 363-8748 ext. 241
[email protected]