BC FORUM News

Resolutions debated at BC FORUM’s 2017 AGM

From left, front row, are: BC FORUM Board Member Gord Savard, Resolutions Committee; Board Member Sam Wiese, Chair, Resolutions Committee; BC FORUM Secretary Miriam Olney. Seated behind in the back row are, from left, Treasurer Dan Bradford; Board Member Fred Girling, Resolutions Committee.

June, 2017 - Read the Resolutions below that were presented and debated at BC FORUM’s Annual General Meeting:

Resolution on National Dementia Strategy

Resolution on National Public Drug Plan

National Housing Strategy

Resolution on Age of Eligibility for Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security

Resolution on Bill C-27

Resolution on National Dementia Strategy

Whereas the number of Canadians living with cognitive impairment, including dementia, now stands at 747,000 and will double to 1.4 million by 2031 and

Whereas the combined direct (medical) and indirect (lost earnings) costs of dementia total $33 billion per year and by 2040 will increase to $293 billion per year and

Whereas Canada's health-care system is ill-equipped to deal with the staggering costs

Therefore be it resolved that BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM) work with the National Pensioners Federation (NPF) and Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC) to demand that the Federal Government develop a national dementia plan which will focus on:

* Increasing funding for research into all aspects of dementia

* Promoting earlier diagnosis and intervention

* Strengthening the integration of primary, home and community care

* Enhancing skills and training of the dementia workforce

* Recognizing the needs and improving supports for caregivers

Resolution on National Public Drug Plan

Whereas a National Public Drug Plan would reduce prescription drug spending by a massive 41%, thus saving up to $11.4 billion, and

Whereas Canada remains the only developed country with a universal healthcare system that does not include prescription drug coverage;

Therefore, be it resolved that the BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM) continue to demand that the Federal Government pass legislation to provide a National Public Drug Plan and

Be it finally resolved that the BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM) call upon the Canadian Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Philpott, requesting she take a positive stance towards promoting a National Public Drug Plan and advocate for such a plan to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health Study on the Development of a National Pharmacare Program.

National Housing Strategy

WHEREAS one and a half million Canadians are unable to find adequate, suitable or affordable housing and 250,000 households are in imminent risk as federal social housing operating agreements expire and over 150,000 more families are on waitlists for housing; and

WHEREAS both homeowners and renters face escalating costs and barriers in their search to find affordable housing; and

WHEREAS in some major cities of Canada, the rental vacancy rate is less than 1% and there is a core housing need where seniors are competing for affordable housing; and

WHEREAS with federal operating agreements expiring each year, many citizens face uncertainty and perhaps homelessness and an initiative to increase long-term and significant capital funding would support construction and operation of new social and affordable housing and protect existing social housing;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the federal government secure the future of affordable housing through a dedicated funding program to protect the existing stock of 600,000 social housing units; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a National Housing Strategy be developed that includes incentives to preserve and expand rental housing and co-operative housing, at a cost not to exceed 30% of income, for moderate income earners; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Federal government review the mandate of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to determine how a National Housing Strategy can deliver housing projects with accountability and specific timelines for completion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a partnership with all levels of government is needed to address the serious housing crisis which is due to long-term underinvestment in affordable housing; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM) work with our allies to lobby the federal government and all other levels of government to pass into law provisions for a federal housing strategy and provisions for adequate and affordable housing for all Canadians.

Resolution on Age of Eligibility for Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security

Whereas in early 2017 the Council of Economic Advisors to Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau stated that the ages of eligibility for Old Age Security ( OAS ) and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) "should be recalibrated and increased to meet the Canadian reality of an aging society and a considerably longer life expectancy”: and

Whereas changing the ages of eligibility to OAS and CPP would hurt seniors, put increased pressure on our pension plans, and cause a further downloading of services to the provincial government: and

Whereas the Liberal Party during the 2015 campaign said about changing the ages of eligibility to Old Age Security “This will make our most vulnerable seniors even poorer, and Canadians will have to wait two additional years to collect this much-needed money. It will also pass along costs to provincial governments that will have to support low-income seniors,” and

Whereas half of the seniors in B.C. live on an annual income of $26,000 or less, and any changes to the ages of eligibility for CPP and OAS would plunge many of these seniors into deep poverty,

Be it resolved that the BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM) will continue to:

- oppose changes to the age of eligibility for either/ or and both the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) and

- work with our allies to oppose these changes

Resolution on Bill C-27

Whereas Bill C-27, an Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, represents a dangerous and immediate attack on future and current retirees and defined-benefit (DB) pension plans, and sets up a framework for target-benefit (TB) pension plans in the federal private sector; and

Whereas Bill C-27 invites employers and other plan sponsors to abandon their pension promises to employees and retirees, and allows employers to persuade individuals to surrender their earned DB plans in exchange for less secure, less stable TB plans, thus downloading virtually all risks brought on by market volatility to workers and retirees; and

Whereas Bill C-27 will leave employees at the mercy of employers who want to back out of their pension commitments,

Therefore, be it resolved that the BC Federation of Retire Union Members (BC FORUM) continue to work with the Canadian Labour Congress, the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada, the National Pensioners Federation, the BC Retired Teachers Association, our allies and union affiliates to oppose Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pensions Benefits Standards Act and,

Be it finally resolved that the BC FORUM continue to educate members and the public on the dangers of Bill C-27.