BC FORUM News Overview of BC FORUM
Annual General Meeting 2014 “Working together, we can do a lot to affect change in this country,” Diane Wood, President, told activists who gathered June 11 for BC FORUM’s Annual General Meeting. Introducing debate on the volunteer Board of Directors’ report on activities, Wood said the organization has been keeping right-wing governments’ “toes to the fire” and speaking out on the issues that affect older and retired workers and our families. BC FORUM is currently preparing to fully participate in this fall’s municipal elections and the 2015 federal election. The full report from the Board of Directors is available here. Videos of key speeches will be posted soon. Delegates passed four resolutions: 1) Elimination of MSP premiums; 2) Defend public health care and condemn private clinics; 3) Call on the federal government to reverse its plans to cut postal service; 4) Support B.C. teachers in their dispute with the provincial government. In addition to BC FORUM members, the meeting was attended by four BC NDP MLAs: Raj Chouhan, Burnaby-Edmonds; Katrine Conroy, Kootenay West; Kathy Corrigan, Burnaby-Deer Lake; and Jenny Kwan, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. Leaders of the labour movement also attended in force, including Cindy Oliver, President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators; Stephanie Smith, newly-elected President of the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union; and Jim Sinclair, President of the B.C. Federation of Labour. Conroy, the NDP’s spokesperson on seniors’ issues, delivered a keynote speech that covered a wide range of issues, and also took questions from delegates. She noted that B.C. remains the only province that charges MSP premiums to seniors, and that increases in ferry rates, coupled with cuts in service, have hit seniors particularly hard. Conroy noted that the creation of a Seniors’ Advocate position is a real win – following two private members’ bill introduced by the NDP and tenacious lobbying by seniors. However, she added, it is frustrating that the position is not independent of the government and “she will need to hear from all of us.” She also called for improvements in home support and end-of-life care, and the introduction of “dying with dignity” legislation. “We should be allowed to choose the way that we want to die,” said Conroy. Rick Turner, Co-Chair of the B.C. Health Coalition, addressed the crowd on a court case that both threatens the future of Medicare and opens the door to private insurance which could cost up to $15,000 a year. “It’s deplorable, but that’s what we’ll see if (Dr. Brian) Day (operator of a private surgery clinic in Vancouver) is successful,” said Turner. The coalition is intervening in the B.C. Supreme Court case, and is seeking to raise another $220,000 towards the anticipated $550,000 legal costs. BC FORUM made a donation and encourages everyone who supports public health care to do likewise. “We’re going to need your support,” said Turner, calling for people to show up with placards and banners when the case begins on Sept. 8. Jim Sinclair, President of the BCFL, told the delegates that working people and seniors are under attack. There is a relentless push to drive down wages and benefits, he said, through the introduction of two-tier wage scales and two tier pensions. At a time when poverty is going up for old people, all across North America and Europe there is a drive to move from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans – a system that shifts all of the risk to future pensioners. Sinclair highlighted two key issues: “We’re screwing the planet, and inequality is getting worse and worse.” “There’s a federal election coming, and a provincial election down the road. We should be out there now raising the bar,” he said. | 
