Honouring seniors like each day is National Seniors Day

For National Seniors Day, the New Democratic Party of Canada today honours the women and men who have contributed so much to making Canada a strong nation and who have built our great country based on values of equality, dignity and compassion.

“Canada is a better country because of the incredible sacrifices that seniors have made to raise families; defend and share our values; as well as build the institutions and services that benefit all Canadians,” said NDP Critic for Seniors, Irene Mathyssen (London–Fanshawe). “That’s why Tom Mulcair recently announced our plan to support more seniors with healthy and secure retirements, now and for future generations.”

The NDP’s commitments will make a real difference and have a positive impact on the lives of Canadian seniors. Our plan is fully costed and will help to:

• Create more than 40,000 homecare support spaces and provide more nursing home beds and better palliative end-of-life care;
• Establish a national Alzheimer’s and Dementia Strategy that supports screening, early diagnosis and more research;
• Recruit 7,000 health providers and build 200 more medical clinics;
• Introduce universal comprehensive public drug coverage;
• Rollback the age of eligibility for Old Age Security from 67 to 65;
• Work with provinces to strengthen CPP and QPP benefits;
• Ensure your promised pension is your pension;
• Protect pension-income splitting for seniors and adjust rules for RRIF withdrawals to give retirees more flexibility with their finances;
• Help lift thousands of seniors out of poverty with new funding for the GIS;
• Honour our veterans and show them the respect they deserve including a commitment to reopen veteran’s affairs offices and update and improve the Veterans Charter.

“New Democrats understand the importance of taking steps today to ensure that no senior grows old in poverty and isolation,” said Mathyssen. “The NDP is the only party with a national seniors’ strategy designed to boost seniors’ financial security and improve their quality of life.”

An NDP government will understand the needs of Canadian seniors so that they can feel secure in retirement and live in dignity.