The Editor,
With more than 171,000 members nationally including 60,000 veterans and their families, the National Association of Federal Retirees has advocated for improvements to the financial security, health and well-being of its members and by extension all Canadians.
Our interest is that all parties in this election prioritize building a future that supports and protects Canadians as they age, and that the next federal government develop a robust plan to enable a healthy, active and financially secure retirement – it’s good for Canadians, for our communities, and for the economy.
Specifically, from our perspective, the next federal government needs to:
— Guarantee retirement income security and ensure that essential expenses such as housing, health care and daily living costs remain relatively stable and reliable. Changes in international trade may likely lead to an increase in the cost of living which will result in putting more pressure on Canadians on fixed incomes such as pensions, old age security or personal retirement savings.
— Set a long-term plan to ensure quality of life in retirement and a positive and healthy aging experience for all Canadians. Older Canadians need to age with dignity in the place of their choosing.
— Ensure older Canadians have a reliable healthcare system to provide care as their needs evolve. This includes a need for the implementation of national standards for long-term care, home and community care as well as continued progress and sustainable funding for the implementation of national pharmacare.
— Rebuild trust with Canada’s Armed Forces and RCMP veterans by developing a supportive, safe and reliable social infrastructure to support a positive release from service.
The timing of this election is particularly significant as Canadians grapple with economic challenges, including rising living costs and trade uncertainties with key partners. These issues disproportionately affect older Canadians living on fixed incomes and/or whose health care needs are likely to increase over time. Consequently, Canadians need a federal government that is focused on economic security in retirement and a positive, healthy aging experience for all.
Claude Bourget
Cornwall and District Branch
National Association of Federal Retirees
Government should support our companies
The Editor,
In regards to the Trump tariffs, people are starting to make sure that they support Canadian companies.
It’s too bad it took them so long to figures this out and maybe the old Canadian company, Hudson`s Bay, would not be closing, nor would Zellers have closed.
Our government should have been putting Canadian companies first, instead of letting them move to other countries.
It’s a shame for this oldest Canadian company to close all its stores, with no help from the government, who claims to want people to “buy Canadian.”
C. Campbell, Cornwall
