A sizeable swarm of seniors gathered near the Schubert Centre on Thursday, March 21 to protest low pensions in Vernon and across the country.
Chants of 害羞草研究所渙ne, two, three, four, I am sick and tired of being poor,害羞草研究所� echoed through the streets as the nearly 100 individuals marched downtown to express themselves.
Seniors all across Vernon gathered in the downtown core to march for higher pensions on Thursday
害羞草研究所� Vernon Morning Star (@VernonNews)
害羞草研究所淚 am just fed up with hearing about poverty in the city,害羞草研究所� said Carole Fawcett, organizer of the march. 害羞草研究所淥ne woman lived in her car for 14 months, she was 73-years-old. Another one was rent evicted. It was just tiring hearing about all of this.害羞草研究所�
Fawcett was 害羞草研究所渁mazed害羞草研究所� with the amount of individuals who turned out in support, as the march was part of a provincewide Seniors Tin Cup movement. Fawcett previously organized a smaller gathering, in December of 2023.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 so touched to see,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淣ow I just hope the government will do the right thing and raise pensions.害羞草研究所�
According to , 28 per cent of Canada害羞草研究所檚 senior women are living in poverty. If a senior is relying on the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP), Guaranteed Income Supplement and Old Age Security (OAS), the average amount provided from all three is from $18-20,000, which is lower than the Canadian poverty threshold of $25,552.
害羞草研究所淢y wife gets a pension and I get OAS and CPP, and we will get money for our house,害羞草研究所� said Mel Piper, one such individual at the protest. 害羞草研究所淏ut once the money from the house is gone, I am afraid we would be SOL as it wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be enough to support us.害羞草研究所�
The Tin Cup movement was started by Sharon Elliot of Vancouver, who witnessed a woman taking bottles and cans out of a garbage can in a nearby park. The woman, who was clean and neatly dressed, told Elliot that she was doing this as she didn害羞草研究所檛 have enough money to live. Elliot realized that soon seniors would be standing on corners, holding tin cups in order to survive each month.
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