CWL Seniors Advocate Initiative

Alberta/Mackenzie Provincial CWL Vision for an Independent Seniors Advocate

The CWL journey to lobby for an Independent Seniors Advocate began with a CWL provincial initiative back in 2015 calling members to sign a petition.

The petition read:

Urge the Alberta Provincial Government to amend the Alberta Health Act to ensure that the Seniors Advocate is an Officer of the Legislature and therefore independent.

We asked the CWL members to begin a grassroots movement through the MLA’s. At that time, there was a seniors advocate, but he was accountable to the Minister of Health and there was no separate office. Because there was no separate office when a government changes, the position is at the mercy of the new government.

Alberta Independent Officers of the Legislature are impartial, non-partisan officers that operate independently from the Alberta government, political parties and individual elected officials, and are responsible to the legislative assembly. The officers carry out duties assigned by the statues and report to the Assembly through the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices.

Alberta has 7 Officers of the Legislature:

Auditor General
Chief Electoral Officer
Child and Youth Advocate
Ethics Commissioner
Information and Privacy Commissioner
Alberta Ombudsman
Public Interest Commissioner

(Source: Government of Alberta)

This CWL Call to Action sees the work of the advocate and her/his office as one that monitors and analyzes senior services as well as a resource for seniors looking for information on a variety of issues. Because seniors’ issues cross so many different ministries (health, finance, housing, social development transportation, housing, etc.) it seems necessary to have someone co-ordinate across all the ministries.

It would be the first stop for any senior or caregiver to get the necessary information they require be it health, housing, financial abuse, etc. related. It would also have the authority to investigate complaints such as inadequate care in nursing homes or abuse, etc. It would make recommendations to the government through the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices.

Background

In 2013, the idea of having a Seniors Advocate to address seniors’ issues arose out of the news that New Brunswick created a Seniors Advocate position. BC and Newfoundland have since created similar positions.

Within Alberta, Kerry Towle, a member of the Wild Rose party presented a private members bill, Bill C 208, titled the “Seniors Advocate Act” in the Fall of 2013. Unfortunately, the Bill died in the Legislature in December of 2013.

In January 2014, the Alberta Government formed the Health Care Advocate Office which included a Health Care Advocate, a Mental Health Care Advocate and a Seniors Advocate. All of these offices reported to the Minister of Health. This did not meet the criteria of our initiative: the CWL was specifically asking for an Independent Officer of the Legislature. This would mean that the Seniors Advocate would report to the Legislature and not to a Minister of the Legislature. The office, being independent, would survive a change in government and could continue with its mandate to serve the seniors in Alberta.

The following initiative was presented at the ABMK CWL convention in June 2014 and was adopted as a provincial initiative:

The Alberta Mackenzie Provincial Council of the Catholic Women’s League (ABMK CWL) wishes of their constituents to “Urge the Alberta Provincial Government to amend the Alberta Health Act to ensure that the Seniors Advocate is an Officer of the Legislature and therefore Independent”

In September of 2014, Jim Prentice became the new Premier with the Conservative Party and formed the Ministry of Seniors with Jeff Johnson as the Minister. The CWL put its petition on hold while it awaited the guidelines of this new ministry. Since the guidelines did not include independent accountability, the petition was circulated in all constituencies that had CWL councils. Over 4000 signatures were collected, and were sent to the ABMK CWL Provincial Council.

In 2015, a provincial election was called and the NDP under Rachel Notley formed the new Alberta government.

April 2016 saw the ABMK CWL President and some standing committee chairs meet with the NDP Minister of Seniors and Housing, Lori Sigurdson. She did appoint a seniors advocate, but the position was again not independent of the government.

In October 2018 the NDP was defeated by the UCP government, the UPC eliminated the seniors advocate position.

In 2020, the ABMK Provincial Council met with the UPC regarding the Seniors Advocate. While they did listen to us, no change was made to the existing ministries. Letters continue to be written with no indication of reversing their decision.

2022 Call to Action

Sample Letter

Dear MLA (see How to address dignitaries for the appropriate way to address your MLA depending on his or her position)

I’m writing to you as a member of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada and a member of your constituency.

Over the past two years we have seen the terrible effects of Covid-19 and its variants on seniors in our country. Too many have died due to inadequate care, not to mention the isolation they have had to endure. Separation from their loved ones has played havoc on their mental health. As we know, Covid-19 is not the only challenge our seniors face. Many are worried about their futures including MAiD (medical assistance in dying) as a proposed solution for their problems. Will their individual values and faith positions be respected? Will they receive the health care they deserve? Does Alberta intend to follow the lead of British Columbia and start to push MAiD in seniors’ and palliative care facilities? MAiD is not health care. As well, many seniors have challenges with housing, ageism, finances and mental, physical and emotional abuse. They need to have at the legislative level a person who can advocate on their behalf, namely an independent seniors advocate. They need someone to turn to when they become frustrated with their care or lack of it.

In September 2015, the Alberta/Mackenzie Provincial Council of the Catholic Women’s League began an initiative to have the sitting government appoint a seniors advocate who would be an independent officer of the legislature. This position being an officer of the Legislature and independent of the government, would have the ability to continue the work of advocacy on behalf of seniors after a change in government. In 2016 our president and members of the council met with the newly elected NDP government and presented our letters and petitions. They listened very carefully to our concerns. As a result, the then Housing and Seniors Minister, Lori Sigurdson appointed a seniors advocate although not an independent officer. The position did not survive a change in government.

An article titled “The Case for Seniors Advocates” in the Fall 2021 issue of Sage, a publication of the National Association of Federal Retirees advocated for seniors advocates in all provinces. In the article, they state that there is a difference between seniors ministers and seniors advocates. Ministers serve policy and political interests while advocates serve public interests. British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador all have seniors advocates and, up until 2019, so did Alberta. On April 16, 2021, the Edmonton Journal carried an article entitled “Opposition calls for Seniors Advocate”. Clearly the interest is there for a seniors advocate. The UCP abolished the Seniors Advocate in December 2019. If the position had not been abolished our vulnerable seniors and their caregivers could have had more timely and effective help, instead of the mayhem that unfolded in seniors care.

This is where you come in. It’s time to do something really positive for Alberta. This is an issue which crosses all party interests. Appointing an Independent Seniors Advocate is the right thing to do for the citizens of Alberta. Alberta needs to show leadership with this issue and meet the needs of its most vulnerable citizens.

Sincerely,

2017 Update Report

2014/2015 Original CWL Initiative