About Seniors

By Denise Savoie

Once again, the James Bay Art walk was a great success and demonstrated the unbelievable wealth of artistic talent we have here in Victoria. I had the opportunity to see a great deal of work and meet people along the walk, crossing paths again and again on the way to different studios. Thank you to all the volunteers and artists who make this event possible every year!

Every time I attend events and speak with people in James Bay, I am reminded of the remarkably vibrant and dynamic senior community that exists here. Organizations like James Bay New Horizons provide incredible services that enrich lives and help people deal with challenges.

In my office we often help seniors navigate complex government services that have mostly moved to online service delivery or delivery through baffling automated 1-800 numbers. It is increasingly difficult to access information and address problems with pensions, Old Age Security, and other government programs.

To help fill this critical need, Saanich Silver Threads has launched the Senior Mentoring Program that pairs seniors with volunteers to help them find information and complete forms. Silver Threads has trained volunteers throughout the Greater Victoria area. If you think this program could be helpful to you or someone you know, please contact their centre at (250) 382-3151. Seniors deserve a good quality of life and independence, and I think the Senior Mentoring Program will go a long way to help provide that.

Of all the seniors issues we deal with in our office, pension issues are by far the most prevalent. Studies indicate that tens of thousands of people in Canada are not collecting benefits to which they are entitled. Recently I read an article in the Times Colonist about a man who had failed to collect his Canada Pension Plan for 20 years. Despite paying into CPP his whole life, he and others like him are only permitted to claim 11 months of retroactive payments. His son is now doing everything he can to get the word out so people like his father are not denied the money that they earned during their working lives and had set aside for their retirement.

To help rectify this situation my colleague in Ottawa, New Democrat MP Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain), has introduced Bill C-478, a private member's bill that would extend full retroactive CPP benefits to anyone applying after the age of 70 to their 70th Birthday. The intent of Bill C-478 is to make sure seniors can access the benefits that are rightfully theirs and to help the more than one quarter of a million Canadian seniors who live in poverty. If you would like to show your support for this bill or have any questions please contact my office and we will provide you with more information.

Another part of my work with seniors is working on issues with respect to seniors care. Over the next few months I would like to hear from you, and have a dialogue about the state of seniors care and improvements that could be made. As I head back to Ottawa for the fall session of Parliament, I will bring your ideas and concerns with me. All the best.