This will be our last update before the petition closes on October 22 after our federal election.  We have asked the parties to put caregivers on their agenda, and to a degree have succeeded.  However, the federal minister of seniors has failed to respond.  Other ministers have simply reminded us of what they already do for seniors, and of their new strategy for seniors’ dementia. 

Clearly, against issues like climate change and the conomy, caregivers simply don’t register.  At every opportunity, we are asking candidates how they plan to prepare for the ten million baby-boomers who will begin reaching their 80th birthday in six years.  But as with the climate crisis, we doubt that there will be a great awakening to prompt massive change.  We may just have to wait for all hell to break loose on both counts.

Before calling it a day, however, we must celebrate the fact that we have mustered over 32,500 signatures, and that many organizations like CARP and the CMA are singing our tune.  You can watch the attached video by Zoomer, and listen to radio program by Dr. Brian Goldman, at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/crisis-in-caregiving-1.5299681. 

We are also encouraged to see the launching of provincial initiatives like the Ontario Caregiver Organization, which is dedicated to supporting caregivers (see a previous update) -- even if the federal government is still out to lunch on this important portfolio.  If a minority government is elected, we can only hope that the opposition parties will hold its feet to the fire on commitments to seniors and caregivers.

There will be no further update unless there is a dramatic development, so we encourage supporters to ask candidates what they plan to do for caregivers if they are elected, and to make a final push to get more signatures for this petition by October 21.  After that, it will be sent as soon as possible to the appropriate ministers of the new government.

Thanks for all you have done, and will continue to do, for caregivers!

Salvatore (Sal) Amenta, PhD

Stouffville, Ontario, Canada