CARP takes to The Hill - Event in Ottawa Brings Together CARP, Zoomer Media, Chapter Members, and Politicians
Official advocacy business has brought CARP to Ottawa on many occasions, but an event co-hosted this week by CARP Advocacy, Community, Zoomer Media, and the Ottawa Chapter formally introduced CARP to The Hill.
Numerous MPs, Senators, and media attended the event, hosted on Centre Block, as Moses Znaimer, President of Zoomer Media and CARP, Susan Eng, VP of Advocacy, and Ross Mayot, VP of Community, brought together parliamentarians and senators of all political stripes to talk about the issues that matter to older Canadians.
With participation from the different departments that comprise CARP and Zoomer Media, and with the local participation of the Ottawa Chapter, parliamentarians witnessed first hand the mobilization of the many resources at CARP’s disposal. In addition to Zoomer Media, which includes a growing network of television and radio stations and internet sites, CARP is increasingly able to count on the organization of its members at the local level, many of whom attended the event. Read more
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CARP Pre-Budget Presentation before the Federal Finance Committee
On October 5th 2010 Susan Eng was in Ottawa to present CARP's pre-budget recommendations to the Federal Finance Committee:
"CARP is calling for better support for older Canadians in the next federal budget, including increased OAS, GIS, specific support for older women, and, of course, caregiver support. The financial insecurity brought on by the economic downturn is particularly challenging for today's retirees, who have limited opportunity to recover."
To read the entire Hansard transcript of her presentation, please click here
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Judy Sgro's Urgent Appeal to CARP Members: Help Sick/Disabled Nortel Beneficiaries
Judy Sgro has written an urgent appeal to CARP members urging them to support a bill that would give Disabled and sick Nortel Employees and Pensioners hope of seeing their benefits restored. To read Ms. Sgro's letter, please click here
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Bill S-216 promises to move sufferers of Long-term Disabilities up the creditors List in Bankruptcy Proceedings
In March of this year, Senator Art Eggleton’s Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act in order to protect beneficiaries of long-term disability benefits plans, passed onto second reading and amendment.
In speaking to the senate, the Senator explained the importance of the proposed bill: “[Bill S-216] is about long-term disability, LTD, and that only. Second, the bill is not only about Nortel, although that situation precipitated this bill. It is about employees now and in the future, in similar circumstances with respect to LTD plans.
Read more
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Ontario Pension Reforms: Phase Two
In September, CARP Action Online reported on pension reforms by the Ontario government aimed at correcting the balance between the interests of employers and employees. This week, the McGuinty government has moved forward with a new Bill that further attempts to address the concerns of workers, retirees, and employees, in what the government is calling the Second Phase of pension modernization.
Bill 120, An Act to Amend the Pension Benefits Act and the Pension Benefits Amendment Act, 2010, which underwent first reading this week, builds on the previous government announcements. Read more
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Seniors symposium puts focus on healthy aging
For almost two decades, the Seniors’ Wellness Society has sponsored the annual seniors symposium, with no plans of stopping anytime soon.
Sandra Dean, president of the Wellness Society, said it’s an amazing feat for a society to keep such a big event going. Read more
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Seniors' clout seen in Calgary vote
One Calgary mayoral candidate says seniors are politically engaged and can influence elections beyond their numbers.
Wayne Stewart, a senior himself, said a recent mayoral candidates forum is proof of the power of the senior. More than 300 people attended the event, which was sponsored by the Canadian Association of Retired Persons. Stewart, 68, called seniors a "powerful voting voice."
"Because they vote in higher numbers than most other age groups," he said. "They are concerned and, you know, the interesting thing is that seniors are just as concerned about the future as any other age group." Read more
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Have you got your ticket for the CARP Conference?
Billed as a “mini ideaCity”, this one day conference hosted by Moses Znaimer presents some of the leading minds and practitioners in the fields of healthy aging, wellness and longevity. Read more
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Don’t forget the Zoomer Shows in Toronto and Vancouver
The third annual Zoomer Show in Toronto will take place on the 30th and 31st October at The Direct Energy Centre on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. The first annual Zoomer Show in Vancouver takes place the 27th and 28th November at the Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place Vancouver, British Columbia. Read more
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CARP Talks to Politicians - Politicians Talk back
October 22, 2010 – Advocating for issues that matter to all Canadians as we age requires talking directly to political leaders. CARP advocacy did just that this week in Ottawa. Over two full days of meetings and videotaped interviews, Advocacy Vice President Susan Eng engaged MPs, party leaders, senators, and cabinet level government officials on the issues that matter to all older Canadians.
“Our essential message to the Parliamentarians is that older Canadians, like CARP members, are the most politically engaged voters,” Eng said. “So, if they address the issues that resonate with us, it could pay off at the ballot box. We’ve been saying this in the media all along and now it was time to bring that message right to Parliament Hill.” Read more
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Dementia Poll Report
Three quarters of members agree with the Liberal Party policy of caregiver support consisting of tax credits and EI benefits worth $1 billion a year, the plurality believe that reduced hospital and nursing home stays will cover the cost of the program and the vast majority think a caregiver support policy is an important priority, even in the face of the many other issues the government faces. Read more
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University of Calgary's School of Public Policy supports CARP's Universal Pension Plan
A study released by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy strongly supports CARP’s universal pension plan (UPP), and other large, mandatory defined benefit plans that are durable and provide adequate savings coverage at low cost.
Expanding Canada Pension Plan Retirement Benefits, written by Jonathan Kesselman, professor and Canada Research Chair in Public Finance at Simon Fraser University, compares a range of retirement savings vehicles, including the CPP, various types of occupational plans, and CARP’s UPP. Read more
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A Wolf on Your Doorstep: Energy Contracts and Home Heating Scams
We can’t tell you how many complaints CARP has received about door-to-door energy sales tactics. When a salesperson comes to your door selling an energy product – be it a fixed-rate energy contract or water heaters and furnaces, you need to be on your guard. We have heard from people who have been scammed in a number of ways that might surprise you, but a simple internet search will turn up hundreds of similar stories. Here are a few of the tactics we've heard of through membersRead more
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Caveat Emptor: Ideas for an investor friendly financial industry in Canada
by Peter Benedek, CFP, PhD
There is now consensus that Canada needs a major overhaul of its retirement income system. One of the key enablers of this overhaul is a more investor friendly financial industry. Let’s look at three changes which would go a long way to a achieve this: fiduciary responsibility, low-cost asset management with decoupled fee-only advice, and mutual rather than public financial corporate organizations driven by customers’ best interests. Read more
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Elder abuse and investing – the background
by Ken Kivenko
Over the past ten years, I’ve been involved with reviewing the state of the investment industry and have come across many unfortunate situations that have not ended well for the investors and involved. During this time I’ve come to realize that seniors are ideal targets for wrongdoers because they‘ve accumulated considerable assets and have unique vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the unscrupulous. Read more
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Caregiver's Diary: Driven To Distraction
In the aftermath of my Mother’s death, while awaiting her memorial service, my wife reported that problems had cropped up in her family. My wife’s father has lived in a retirement home in Mississauga for 7 years. A widower, he is hale and hardy, and unlike my own father, extremely capable in the kitchen, but now chooses to have his meals prepared in a central dining room. Other than that, he is completely independent, still belongs to a golf club at the age of 88 and – most importantly – still drives his big white Cadillac. Read more
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Financial Elder Abuse: A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry
Are you concerned about having enough money for your retirement? That could make you a prime target for investment fraud.
Financial abuse of older people is increasing as more seniors are being lured into investments that are unsuitable (inappropriate) or outright frauds. Read more
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