Editor:
The following letter was addressed to MP Patrick Weiler and shared with Coast Reporter.
Baby Boomers and Matures make up 40 per cent of the 24 million Canadians per year who volunteer their time to support their families and communities.
According to the last published report by Statistics Canada, volunteer work in Canada is worth approximately $55B/year.
Canadians volunteered approximately 2.5 billion hours in 2018. This is equivalent to roughly 2.5 million full time jobs.
Senior populations are the most likely to be “top” volunteers and this means they give the most hours. This reflects the fact that they have more time to give.
As a constituent, I respectfully request that you bring these statistics to light in Parliament when considering limiting the proposed $250 benefit to “working” Canadians in 2025.
If we do judge a nation by how they treat their elders, it’s high time that our government acknowledges the wealth of contributions that this demographic provides to their fellow Canadians.
Thank you for your service.
Lynn Blair
