As the SSAI convention is coming up soon and it's election time for at least the president's job, this may be the last chance I get to write this letter to you. So, I had better make it one that we can all enjoy and remember.
Going around all the clubs the one question that comes up often is, "what has SSAI done for seniors in this province?" Unfortunately there is really no simple answer to that, but to refresh everyone's memory maybe a little history will help. As a group, seniors became aware as far back as 1937 that they had the ability together to remind governments, both provincially and federally, about matters of concern to older people. Health, pensions and affordable housing were topics then and eventually there came changes. Governments of all stripes do not want to be seen as pandering to the wishes of pressure groups, but the truth is they do. Not immediately, but eventually, if they value their careers and futures. SSAI was the initiating force behind some of the benefits seniors enjoy at this time. We continue to lobby both governments on the behalf of seniors across this province and in many cases across Canada. Not all the seniors' lobby groups have the same problems, but eventually we have learned that we could help each other by supporting each other's concerns.
SSAI had a hand in forming the National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation that now is able to use the combined voices of over a million seniors across Canada to discuss matters of concern directly with members of the federal government. Those initial concerns about health, pensions and housing have all been dealt with over the years, but times change and there is always the need to remind the people who pay the piper that what was good in the 2000 is not that great in the 2013. It's just a fact of life and it's just a task that we have to do along with many other seniors and Canadians.
There are those seniors who say they do not have to belong to any organization that lobbies governments on their behalf as they will obtain the benefits anyway. That may be true, but it's a poor excuse for not helping to put pressure on governments where matters of real concern to all seniors are at stake. Every other organization that strives to improve life for individuals and communities face the same problem, people sitting and waiting for someone else to do what is required. The trouble with that is if we all, at some time, choose to just sit and accept status quo there will come a time when it's too late to do whatever is required. We can blame governments, politicians, business people, the rich, the poor, the sick and the young for whatever is wrong, but the real blame will lie squarely on our own shoulders. In most cases we have the power to change whatever is wrong but we just lack the will.
Seniors' centers across the province are facing some of those problems we have talked about. Membership is low in some instances not because there are no seniors, but because some of them refuse to take an active part, not only in doing something for themselves but also for the community they live in. We can change all that by just making a commitment to help in any way we can as seniors.
We have to do something, as the people who know are saying that here will be an increase of 30 per cent in the senior population across Canada. So someone out there in charge of the health of Canadians had better be preparing to build more care homes or preparing to spend money on keeping us healthy. Provincial governments have to do their part in making sure recreation in all its many forms is available to seniors to keep them active and healthy in their later years. The alternative of doing nothing to help that quickly growing segment of society remain a viable part of our communities is just something we do not wish to contemplate. After all, we have paid our taxes and raised our families, we have helped to build the communities we live in and maybe, just maybe, it's time to get a little back from what we have put in.
In the past four years I have truly enjoyed meeting the people I did meet and there have been some very special people, far too many to personally thank. I hope I can say you enjoyed those meetings as much as I did. Lives will go on and we will meet again, of that I am sure.
In the meantime please stay active and stay healthy.
