Nova Scotia Chapter: Seniors Turning on Election Heat

Posted on by CARP

Click here to read ‘Cape Breton Chapter: Seniors Turning on Election Heat‘ by Sandra Dunn – Cape Breton Post, September 29, 2015

It’s that time of year when the days and evenings begin to cool and the atmosphere becomes filled with the expectancy of a season of new ventures to peak our interest and keep the conversation lively.

Seniors love to talk politics and it is a well-known fact that older Canadians have the highest turnout of all voters in an election.

Coming up on Thursday, will be an opportunity to join with seniors across the country to celebrate International Day of the Older Person.There will be a flag raising ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Sydney Civic Centre with Mayor Cecil Clarke and Emerson Jessome, president of the Cape Breton Council of Seniors and Pensioners.This event will be part of the national participation ceremonies being held across Canada. There will be special guests and speakers.When speaking about national participation, there will be a similar ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa at 11 a.m. as well as many civil ceremonies across Canada. We will be joined provincially by Port Hawksbury and Halifax, which will celebrate the day as well.

The intention is to remind the federal political parties that seniors vote and issues such as a national pharmacare program and national housing policy must be included in their party’s platform in order to receive support from seniors.

This is the visual portion of the 50+ Senior Organizations Coalition which developed the Seniors Vote Campaign.The National Pensioners Federation-http://www.nationalpensionersfederation.ca- is a great way to keep abreast of policies along with Canadian Association of Retired Persons,http://www.carp.ca/category/advocacy/seniors.The National Federation of Seniors and Pensioners will celebrate its 72nd annual convention beginning today and continuing until Saturday while the Nova Scotia Federation has just completed its 41st convention.The Cape Breton Council of Seniors and Pensioners is affiliated with these organizations which represent the more disadvantaged seniors in our communities. They were founded by seniors who recognized the need to come together to have a voice.

For our October meeting, vice-president Bernie LaRusic will be back from the National Federation of Seniors and Pensioners annual convention with an overview of what is being accomplished on our behalf at the national level.

All are welcome when the Cape Breton Council of Seniors and Pensioners meet Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1:30 p.m. at the Whitney Pier Seniors and Pensioners Club, Breton Street.An important reminder to seniors and pensioners clubs — the council will soon need a new slate of officers. If you are a member in good standing of your club, please give volunteering on the council your consideration.

“When spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion.” — Ethiopian proverb.