BC FORUM News - From The Advocate Summer 2015

Taking action on retirement security for working people

Canada’s NDP has made a firm commitment to improve retirement income security for working individuals and families.

Jenny Kwan – who recently won the party’s nomination to fill the very large shoes of retiring MP Libby Davies – told delegates to the BC FORUM annual general meeting on June 17 that issues affecting seniors and their families will be priorities for an NDP government.

“Thomas Mulcair and the NDP have made a commitment. We will bring back the pension age to 65 so that people can actually retire and enjoy the fruits of their labour in all the years of their working lives,” said Kwan.

“Related to that, we know and understand that you seriously need to see the pensions dollars increase to keep up with inflation. You’ve fallen so behind that it’s indecent, really, it’s indecent,” she said.

“Addressing that is also part of the federal NDP program.” In a wide-ranging speech, Kwan also touched on the need to improve public health care, better access to home support services, affordable and appropriate housing, and the tragedy of murdered and missing Aboriginal women in Canada.

She strongly criticized both Conservative and Liberal federal governments for their lack of commitment to health care.

Noting the Harper government’s failure to renew the health accord with the provinces, Kwan said this will cost provincial governments $36 billion in funding for Medicare.

“That is a heck of a hit.

“This is Harper, but it was started by the federal Liberals. The federal Liberals, when Paul Martin was there, started the federal transfer payment cuts.

“Many of you will remember that the NDP were in government in B.C. then, and the federal government’s transfer payment cuts hit us hard in health care and social services.

“Now this is being carried on by the Harper government to the tune of some $36 billion,” she said.

“Health care is absolutely critical, so remind people about that when you get out to talk to people about the importance of voting and the future of our health care system.”

Kwan said affordable housing is also a major platform item for the NDP.

“The federal government in 1993 – the federal Liberals once again – actually cancelled the national housing program. Had the government not cancelled that program, there would have been an additional 600,000 units of affordable housing across this country, housing that we now don’t have,” she said.

Under the Conservatives, thousands of Canadians will be harshly affected by Harper’s elimination of federal support for co-op and nonprofit housing, she added.

Canada’s NDP has announced a series of measures to encourage the construction of up to 10,000 affordable rental units each year, as well as renewed support for co-op and nonprofit housing.

“We have the full spectrum of the housing equation that we’re going to bring forward (as soon as we) elect Tom Mulcair as the first NDP prime minister in this country.”