Ontario's party leaders weigh in seniors' issues

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Comfort Life Media asked Ontario's four leading political parties for responses to four questions critical to Ontario's senior population. All four parties responded, providing a clear comparison of how the parties' platforms affect Ontario's elderly.

Comfort Life media has gathered together answers to four questions critical to Ontario's seniors, from the four major political parties. Four Ontario political parties - the Liberals, PCs, NDP and the Green Party -  were asked four questions critical to Ontario seniors:

1. How do you plan to promote positive aging in Ontario and how will you make Ontario a more age-friendly province?
2. What specific things will you do to make health care more accessible and affordable to seniors?
3. What will you do to increase seniors’ economic well-being including: employment access, adequate pensions, increased affordability of prescription drugs and care, and affordable housing?
4. How will you create supportive infrastructure for seniors in Ontario? Will you establish a cabinet committee on aging and provide financial incentives so that service hubs for seniors can be developed where required?

 
Representatives from each of the four parties answered these questions, with their responses posted on the Comfort Life news blog at http://comfortlife.ca/blog.

"We were very pleased that all four parties provided responses to our questions," said Kathy Barthel, editor of Comfort Life's magazine and website. "Ontario's population of aging baby boomers are obviously a critical demographic. They need to know where each party stands on issues important to them, especially since a majority government can create policy over the next four years."

Each of the parties' responses were lengthy, providing comprehensive insight into how each party plans to appeal to Ontario's seniors.

Some highlights were:

• The Green party's promise to invest $2 billion over 4 years in better, more affordable care for seniors.
• The Liberal's intention to develop an Active Aging Strategy to ensure that the province is prepared to deal with the coming demographic shift.
• The NDP's plan to remove the HST from home heating, hydro and gas to make life more affordable for Ontario seniors.
• The PC's assertion that under their leadership, Ontario’s seniors would receive the highest quality health care services in the country.

 
Much more information is available at http://comfortlife.ca/blog.