McGuinty, Watson Get The Senior Vote

So why did the City of Ottawa organize a seniors summit and a number of community meetings on the problems of aging?

Well first because it is an important issue. The aging population is one of the great problems Canada will face as the boomer demographic bulge reaches its high care years. That’s reflected in health care, slowed spending, housing affordability and the departure of experienced workers en masse from the workforce.

But secondly, it’s about votes. Mayor Jim Watson told me shortly after the last municipal election that he is running in the next municipal election. And caring for seniors is of vital interest to seniors who need care. Doing something about seniors’ welfare, or at least looking like you are for these summits so far are just talk, is vital to Watson’s re-election chances. Seniors will be watching to see if these meetings are just talk and no action.

In the provincial campaign, Premier Dalton McGuinty is promising property-tax-increase deferrals to seniors until their house is sold. Critics have been very tough on this measure saying it will be very expensive. And that’s true, except that cities do eventually get their taxes when the house is sold. But what is likely to be more expensive is forcing seniors out of their homes due to high property taxes and enlisting the state to take care of them.

Short-sighted people only see the immediate effect on the municipal balance sheet. Far-sighted people see the cost savings of keeping seniors in their homes and not in the care and health-care system plus the fact that the revenue is eventually collected.

And people with hearts recognize that happiness and quality of life are bettered by seniors remaining in the homes they love, where they raised their children, repaired the leaks, mowed the lawn and brought a sense of community and belonging to a neighbourhood.

If myopic young and middle-aged voters were being forced from their homes by rising property taxes, then it would be a crisis. If it happens to seniors, it’s just a nuisance.

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E-mail Ken Gray at kengray20@gmail.com Gray welcomes these e-mails for possible publication in The Bulldog.

Ken Gray is an Ottawa journalist who was the Citizen’s city editorial page editor, municipal affairs reporter and a member of the newspaper’s editorial board. He writes a weekly column Wednesdays in the Citizen. During the early ’90s, he edited the Southam News-Toronto Star First Edition, one of the first new media ventures in Canada. For more than three decades, he has worked in many posts from reporter to senior editor at the Montreal Gazette, the Winnipeg Free Press, the London Free Press, the Regina Leader-Post and the Citizen. As well, Gray founded and taught a course in media law and municipal government at Algonquin College. He earned a master’s journalism degree and a honours bachelor’s history degree at the University of Western Ontario in the 1970s.

Ottawa’s Community Associations

Federation of Citizens’ Associations of Ottawa-Carleton, Alta Vista, Beacon Hill , Beaverbrook Kanata , Bellwood, Blackburn Hamlet, Briarbrook Morgan’s Grant, Bridlewood, Canterbury, Cardinal Creek , Carleton Heights, Carlington, Carlingwood, Carlsbad Springs , Cedarhill, Central Park , Centrepointe, Centretown, Chapel Hill South, Civic Hospital Neighbourhood , Constance & Buckhams Bay, Copeland Park , Country Place , Crystal Beach/Lakeview , Cumberland Village, Dalhousie, Dow’s Lake , Dunrobin, Faircrest Heights, Fairlea, Fallingbrook, Findlay Creek, Fitzroy Harbour , Galetta, General Burns, Glabar Park, Glebe, Glen Cairn , Glens, Greely, Half Moon Bay , Hampton Iona , Havenlea-Chapman Mills, Hearts Desire , Heron Park, Highland Park , Hintonburg , Hunt Club, Huntley, Island Park , Kanata Lakes , Kanata Town Centre, Kars, Katimavik-Hazeldean, Kinburn, Leslie Park , Lincoln Heights-Parkway, Lindenlea, Lowertown, Manor Park, Manotick, March Rural, McKellar Park , Munster Hamlet , Navan, New Edinburgh, Nicolls Island, North Gower , Old Ottawa South , Orchard Estates , Osgoode, Ottawa East, Community Council of Overbrook, Portobello South, Qualicum-Graham Park , Queensway Terrace North, Queenswood Heights, Riverside Park, Riverside South, Riverview Park, Rockcliffe Park , Rockcliffe Mews/Carson Grove, Rothwell Heights, Sandy Hill , Sarsfield, South Keys Greenboro, Southpointe, Stittsville, Stonebridge, Tanglewood-Hillsdale, Trend-Arlington, Vanier, Vars, West Barrhaven, Wellington Village , Westboro, Westboro Beach, Westcliffe Estates, Whitehaven, Woodpark

City Organizations

Citizens for safe cycling, Greenspace Alliance