ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Dear Ms. Moore-Parsons,
First of all, thank you for your questions and thank you for speaking up on behalf of all seniors of the province. It is indeed an honour for me as leader of the NL Alliance and Candidate for the District of Mount Scio to be a part of this conversation. We are so excited to be on the ballot and be able to offer the people of NL a viable alternative in this election. Given the timing of this election, NL Alliance will not have enough candidates to form government this time around, but we will be a strong voice for the people of this great province. We will work with others who get elected to continue to advocate for our seniors.
From the announcement of NL Alliance on November 14, 2018, seniors of our province have been one of our top priorities. We have heard from many seniors, advocacy groups for seniors, workers from senior’s homes, and many family members who are very concerned about the issues that you raise, as well as many others.
It would not be prudent of me to make any financial promises without having access to the true financial position we are in as a province. NL Alliance will not give anyone false or misleading responses. However, we want you to know that we are very concerned about the serious issues our seniors are facing. We are committed to helping those who have built this province, and we believe that our seniors deserve and must be able to live comfortably in the safest environment,with dignity.
I know first hand the challenges facing the seniors of this province. My mother and mother in-law are both living in personal care homes. Every time I visit or call them I ask questions to ensure they are cared for and are living comfortably. It is our duty to listen, support, and care for our seniors in whatever capacity we can. As an elected member of the House of Assembly I will be your voice. Each candidate on the ballot for NL Alliance holds the same commitment to our seniors.
I am very aware that most seniors receive OAS, however this does not allow them any extra monies to be able to afford many of the essential things needed to live a normal life. Once the cost of living is taken care of there are no monies left for a little extra spending money, or unplanned expenses that may arise. In many cases, seniors depend on family members for expenses not covered by OAS, and this puts an extra strain on everyone involved.
NL Alliance acknowledges our seniors have worked their whole lives to provide for their families while being contributing members of our communities and province. Many who were not working outside the home were caring for families and working hard to maintain a healthy household. We feel our seniors have paid their dues and in their senior years we must commit to caring for them in whatever way we can. If there is something needed to live a normal life with dignity, then our governments, both Federal and Provincial, should work together with the seniors to ensure they receive any support possible. Seniors should not have the worry of whether or not they can have the basic necessities such as eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, etc. that enables one to live normal everyday lives. I realize we are in a financial crisis right now, but we must work together with seniors, families of seniors, as well as other agencies to ensure essentials are available to those solely depending on their monthly OAS payment. To those who are on fixed incomes these are real needs and we MUST do whatever we can to help our seniors get them.
We respect all of our seniors, and we thank each and every one for their hard work and we want to let you know that we care! NL Alliance stands by their commitment to work with and for the seniors of this province to ensure they are provided with the necessities of life, enabling them to live comfortable lives in safe and caring environments of their choice, with dignity and pride.
Kindest regards,
Graydon Pelley
NL Alliance leader
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