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SENIORS: ANSWER TO A DILEMMA - Toronto Election 2010REALLY ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF SENIORS

-By Mark State,
Your[1] 2010 Toronto Mayoralty Candidate

You may wonder why the City of Toronto is slow to respond to Seniors’ needs.

As long as I’ve been aware of CARP (The Canadian Association Of Retired Persons) and other Seniors’ advocates, they have been formulating and submitting lists of the special needs of Seniors to all levels of government, including the city. Seniors’ needs differ through age-related circumstances from those of the general population. But unless those needs are also reflective of the needs of the remainder of the population as well, the level of action on Seniors' issues at the city level has historically been unsatisfactory.

There is a good reason: City Hall is not, in general, a pro-active institution. It is a reactive one.

Special Groups’ needs at the city level are typically not discussed unless a specific issue that includes them is presented in council.

In council’s former and current incarnations, when CARP or any other institution presents a list of their priorities to city hall, the best that can happen is the formation of a committee to "look into", or "address" the needs reflected on that list by “studying” them and “making recommendations”. Any action taken to address those needs becomes minimized; and Seniors, as well as other special interest groups, remain marginalized unless something drastic happens to some unfortunate individual, the disaster hits the media, and city hall (or, for that matter, the Ontario Legislature) sees it as an issue that must be addressed.

THE SOLUTIONis to establish a permanent City Corporation whose purview is Seniors’ concerns, with direct access to the Mayor’s office and the ability to both act independently and place Seniors’ needs before council in the form of bills to be discussed and voted on.

Toronto already has a Housing Corporation, a Hydro Corporation, etc. This would be the Toronto Seniors’ Corporation (TSC) able to correlate all existing Seniors services as members under one serious umbrella commission, rather than a loosely federated group of individual services. The TSC would operate with a board of directors composed of distinguished Seniors, a city councillor in charge of its portfolio, and the Mayor. Eventually, if the TSC acquires assets and investments, such as modern, city-owned Seniors’ residences designed for retirement comfort instead of warehousing, professional management may be hired by the Board. The TSC would be in charge of first response to Seniors’ concerns and representing them to the city and to council.

If the TSC does its job well, it will become a global example; and it will provide Seniors with a means of sharing their perspective and experience in partnership with the rest of the community.

As your[1] 2010 Mayoralty candidate, I made keeping the needs of Seniors current a priority. I recognize that just as our freedom is continually protected by young Canadians wearing the uniform of our country; it was, initially, a precious gift from those people we call Seniors. I recognize that although computers are becoming lightening fast and transportation is becoming greener, it was Seniors who gave those conveniences to us. Seniors put a man on the moon. I and my sister are Seniors, and our 98-year-old mother is a Senior. Seniors’ special concerns are real and important. I have proposed a genuine solution that would ensure they are solidly met.

*footnote: [1]. Definition of the phrase “Your ” Mayor: Toronto’s chief public servant. [Just being “The ” Mayor wasn’t part of my candidacy.] –

Mark State




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MarkState
MarkState 		Latest page update: made by MarkState , Apr 7 2012, 3:51 PM EDT (about this update About This Update MarkState Edited by MarkState

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