INTRODUCTION:
Annette O’Connor and Cliff Boldt will be co-chairing the social concerns committee for 2007/2008.
Thank you for being the Social Concerns contact for you Branch. We will be sending out a report after each Directors meeting and we welcome your comments.
We encourage you to send any suggestions you have for future agenda items.
OBJECTIVES FOR 2007 – 2008:
Review seniors’ concerns raised by the membership.
Prepare information and communicate with the membership and branches about these issues.
Update the list of organizations that could provide speakers to branches on social concerns issues.
Update the directory of information sites for members on social concerns issues.
Encourage BCRTA branches to have a social concerns representative.
SHORT CHANGING OF SENIORS PENSIONS:
For 5 years the OAS and CPP and some private pensions have been short changed if they were tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Government should be paying out what was lost. Canadians were underpaid and many can’t afford to be shortchanged.
Government has changed the rates we are receiving since the error was identified which is good. However, the government refuses to pay the retroactive benefits for CPP and OAS. Government should pay in the same way that they would charge us if we didn’t pay our taxes.
Bill C36 will amend CPP and OAS will provide the retroactivity but you have to apply for this. We need to let members know about this.
We are including a petitions and asking that you circulate it to members and send to Chris Charlton, MP Hamilton Mountain, 129 West Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6.
Websites on this issue: www.unclehughie.com and www.chrischarlton.ca
IDENTITY THEFT:
George Greenwood, the author of the book In Your Good Name! Is an excellent guest speaker. His presentation is a wake up call about identity theft. George has been able to meet with and get the attention of numerous mayors, MLAs and federal Mps including a number of cabinet ministers. George was responsible for the writing of the resolution for legislative change sent by the Surrey Board of Trade to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to possibly be the advocacy subject for the next year proving that one person can make a difference.
The recommendations are:
That the federal government:
1. Make the following amendments to the Criminal Code:
A) Clearly defining “identity theft”.
B) Defining “personal information” for the purposes of specifying offences for identity theft in the Criminal Code.
C) Creating a criminal offense for unlawful possession of individuals” personal information.
D) Creating a criminal offense for possession of multiple pieces of identification for a number of individuals without lawful excuse.
Adopt a more holistic approach to the problem of identity theft by assisting both business and individuals in protecting their personal information.
Increase education for businesses to ensure proper data collection and handling practices.
Ensure that businesses truncate credit card numbers and expiration dates on purchase slips.
Investigate the creation of a government issued “Identity Theft Passport” to quickly and easily verify a victim’s identity.
Web site: www.itcanthappentome.ca
TILMA
We are waiting to see how the BC government will proceed as this is still pending in the house. The UBCM and Saskatewan have taken a position opposing this initiative.
www.canadians.org/DI/issues/TILMA/index.html
THE PETITION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN
Bill C22 wants to increase the age of protection from 14 to 16. This bill is being held up in the Senate.
We are including a petition and asking you to circulate it to your members and send it to the Senate.
MSP PREMIUMS FOR SENIORS
Concern was raised about the MSP premiums for seniors with income below $28 000. Many may not know that a subsidy is available.
We are enclosing an article by Joey Thompson and asking that you make this information available to your members.
See the web site HIBC or call 1 800 663 7100 for more information.
VERI CHIPS
These are being now being used in the USA on patients. Transponders are implanted into the patients with health information. In Canada they are only used on animals. We will monitor the situation.
‘PROTECT YOUR MONEY’
This is an investment fraud prevention seminar for ‘Seniors by Seniors’. This is presented by the BC Coalition to Eliminate Abuse of Seniors (BCCEA) in association with the BC Securities Commission (BCSC).
Learn how to protect your money, whether you are a seasoned or novice investor, by booking this lively one-hour free seminar and find out how to protect your hard earned money from fraud and unsuitable investments.
Seminars can be booked in the lower mainland and other areas of the province. For more information or to book a seminar for your branch please contact:
Mary Martin Sharma, Program Coordinator, BC Coalition to Eliminate Abuse of Seniors, 411 Dunsmuir St. Vancouver, BC, V6B 1X4 1 866 437 1940 Email: ceas@telus.net
NEXT MEETING: November 20, 2007
* * ** * *
Purpose:
Demonstrate
a model of an advocacy process
Demonstrate
a model of an advocacy process
That
can be adapted for use at the local level for any local, provincial, or
federal issue
Demonstrate
a model of an advocacy process
That
can be adapted for use at the local level for any local, provincial, or
federal issue affecting retired educators and seniors
Statement
of Intent
This
model is intended to be non-partisan.
This
model is intended to be non-partisan.
It
IS political as it is impossible to effect change without being political
But
neither supports nor denigrates any political party or group.
Definition
of Advocacy
A
Allow yourself to intervene on matters important to seniors
D
Don't be intimidated
V
Vocalize your concerns to the
appropriate bodies
O
Opinions
on the issue should be included in your advocacy
C
Continue to monitor all aspects of
the issue - advocacy is ongoing
A
Anticipate resistance while striving
for excellence
C
Count on your instincts to
work toward resolution of the issue
Y
You
can make a difference
There
are 4 basic steps in developing an advocacy activity:
Step
1
Define
the issue: what is the
situation for you, where are you now?
Step
2
Define
the desired solution: where do you
want to be when the issue is solved
Step
3
Develop
an action plan, and follow it, making changes only if necessary
Step
4
Decide
how you will know when the desired solution has been achieved
The ISSUE
Home
support for seniors was identified at last year’s meeting as a high priority.
Let’s
apply the 4 steps to the issue
Defining
the issue
The
SOLUTION:
what
you want
Availability
of home support such that seniors can stay in their homes and not in acute
hospital care beds
why
you want this?
Save
the government money
Reduce
use of acute care beds
Research
shows this improves the quality and longevity of our life
ACTION
plan: what you do
Identify
the appropriate people to address about the issue
MLA
MP
Health
Authority
Premier
Minister
of Health
Opposition
health critic
Local
media
Church
groups, service clubs, other community groups
Develop
a position paper outlining your evidence - doesn’t have to be a lengthy
document
Create
letters that can be used as models to send, contact members who will write
and send in letters of their own or using models.
Make
phone calls
Meet
with decision makers
Organize
‘town hall’ meetings
Evaluation:
did you succeed?
Compare
empirical data one year later
Reduction
in hospital beds taken by seniors who could be at home
Visit
seniors at home and talk about the support service level
Increase
in health authority budget for home support
How
did we do?
How
was this session a value to you?
Evaluation
sheets of this presentation are being passed out. Please hand in before you leave
Would
an expanded half day presentation to your branch be of value?
We
appreciated your interest and participation.
* * * *
MEDIA
OPTIONS
1.
Province wide and National Newspapers
Publication
Letters to the Editor
Vancouver Sun
sunletters@png.canwest.com
Vancouver Province
provletters@png.canwest.com
Victoria Times Colonist
letters@tc.canwest.com
National Post
letters@nationalpost.com
Globe & Mail
letters@GlobeAndMail.ca
2. Talk Radio in British Columbia
Saturday
and Sunday
CBC
Radio, Local
Monday through Friday
On the Island
Weekdays
Afternoons
All Points West – outside lower mainland
Afternoon Show
The
Drive, 99.3FM - Prince George
CFAX,
1070AM - South Vancouver Island
CKOV
63 - Kelowna / Okanagan
Regional
District Directors or Mayors and Councilors of Municipalities
*
Check your local phone book or papers.
Provincial
Political Contacts:
For a listing of MLA’s and addresses go to:
http://www.dir.gov.bc.ca/gtds.cgi?showPage=lass&subPageTitle=Legislative+Assembly#LASS
Or call 800-663-7867
*
Premier Gordon Campbell
* Carole James, Leader of the Opposition
*
BC Liberal party web site:
http://www.bcliberals.com/EN/308/
* BC NDP web site
Members
of Parliament, Ottawa
For
a complete listing of MP names and addresses, go to:
Or phone 800-622-6232