Seniors Virtual Rally for Respect!
Posted June 16, 2021
Posted June 16, 2021
ACORN members had a successful Senior’s Virtual Phone Blitz action for respect on June 10 at 11:00 am! We had 37 participants on zoom, members called The Minister of Seniors Deb Schulte’s office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office , Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office and the local MPs to demand support for seniors! The action was led by Christena, Alejandra and Donna from East York! We had members from all over Canada join!!
The demands were:
- Raise Seniors pensions- CPP, OAS, GIS. GIS (Guaranteed Income Supplement) should be increased (to provide a pension income that allows a reasonable standard of living appropriate to their geographical location.) and also lower the standards to qualify for gis so that all seniors qualify for it.
- A COVID-19 tax credit for seniors that would see $500-per-person or $800-per-couple refundable tax credits to offset increased costs for deliveries, transportation and support services for seniors during COVID-19 (CanAge). Extend the program for all seniors, not just 75 and up.
- Raise funding for Affordable and accessible housing for seniors.
- Raise funding for PSWs for seniors. COVID-19 has exposed the status of long term care homes. We need dedicated Federal funding for seniors’ care conditional on demonstrating that the money goes to improving working conditions as well as meets standards of care. And we need money so seniors can afford PSWs no matter where they live.
- Affordable home internet access for seniors.
More updates to come, as our members keep the pressure on!
