Issue 49 – 25, May 4, 2025
Canada Post Launches MyMoney Account: A Big Win for Postal Workers and Canadians
Canada Post recently launched its MyMoney Account, a new spending and savings account. This innovative partnership with KOHO Financial Inc. offers Canadians a fresh approach to personal finance, featuring cash back, interest earning potential, and credit building opportunities. Crucially, no minimum balance is required, making it accessible to more Canadians.
While Canada’s six largest banks earn billions in profits, they continue to abandon rural communities by closing bank branches because of low profit margins. Today, there are many rural communities with post offices but no banks or credit unions. And few Indigenous communities are served by local bank branches.
Hundreds of thousands of low-income Canadians don’t have bank accounts at all, about 2 million Canadians rely on predatory payday lenders for basic financial services.
This initiative is a testament to the vision and dedication of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). We applaud CUPW for their advocacy and understanding of the importance of financial inclusion for all Canadians. The launch of MyMoney represents a significant step forward in providing Canadians with more convenient and accessible financial tools.
By partnering with KOHO, Canada Post has created a product that:
Democratizes access to financial services: The absence of minimum balances makes it incredibly accessible to a wider range of Canadians.
Offers flexibility: The ability to earn interest and build credit is an attractive feature for those looking to improve their financial standing.Provides valuable tools: Cash-back options and other features add significant value to everyday banking.
The launch of MyMoney marks a crucial step in Canada Post's evolution beyond its core postal services. It underscores a commitment to community engagement and financial well-being for all Canadians. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) should be commended for their foresight and support of this initiative.
Read More - Canada Post MyMoney Account | Canada Post
Read More - Our Plan - Delivering Community Power
Reclaiming Seniors' Care: A Post-Election challenge for CURC
The recent federal election, while addressing a range of issues, notably overlooked a critical area: the future of seniors' care in Canada. Despite the stark realities the COVID-19 pandemic exposed regarding the vulnerabilities within our long-term care system, the national conversation quickly shifted, leaving many seniors and their advocates feeling unheard and, at times, even blamed for rising costs. This is precisely where the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada can play a vital role in propelling seniors' care onto the national agenda
Canada's healthcare system, fundamentally rooted in the principles of the Canada Health Act, provides a robust foundation for universal access to essential medical care. However, as is rightly noted, this foundation remains incomplete. It has failed to expand coverage to crucial areas such as home care, long-term care, and pharmacological services, creating significant gaps, particularly for seniors with complex, chronic needs. Furthermore, shifts in federal funding mechanisms and the failure to prohibit for-profit services within the publicly funded system have arguably eroded the core principles of accessibility.
Access to necessary care at home and in long-term facilities is increasingly fragmented, the care sector is declining. While "aging in place" is a desirable goal, it often relies heavily on the unpaid labour of family members, disproportionately burdening women and those with limited financial resources.
The election's focus on other economic priorities underscores the need for a deliberate and strategic effort to elevate seniors' care. The Congress of Union Retirees, with its organized membership, collective voice, is uniquely positioned to ignite the conversation:
The most compelling tool is often the human experience. The Congress can gather and share the personal stories of retirees and their families who have been impacted by the deficiencies in seniors' care. Testimonials about protracted waitlists, inadequate home care support, and the complexities of navigating the system can resonate powerfully with policymakers and the public alike.
Rather than broad appeals, the Congress can focus on specific, actionable policy recommendations. This could include advocating for:
Increased and strategically allocated federal funding for home care and long-term care: Demanding that new funds are explicitly tied to clear enforceable standards and measurable outcomes, not simply unconditional transfers.
The prompt implementation and rigorous enforcement of national standards for long-term care: Advocating for the promised Safe Long-Term Care Act to be a robust and effective piece of legislation with meaningful enforcement mechanisms.
Investing in the care workforce: Championing improved wages, benefits, and working conditions to attract and retain qualified care providers, recognizing that the conditions under which care providers work directly impact the quality of care provided.
Expanding publicly funded community care clinics: Promoting integrated care models that offer a comprehensive range of services closer to where seniors live.
Limiting the role of for-profit entities in seniors' care: Highlighting how profit motives can potentially compromise quality and accessibility.
Build Strategic Coalitions: The Congress can collaborate with other seniors' advocacy groups, healthcare unions, and community organizations to forge a united front. A broader coalition can amplify the message and exert greater pressure on policymakers.
Educate and Mobilize Members: Providing members with clear, concise information about the issues and empowering them to act is crucial. This could involve organizing letter-writing campaigns, encouraging contact with elected officials, facilitating participation in rallies or demonstrations, and engaging on social media platforms.
Following the election, the Congress can actively engage with newly elected officials, reinforcing the importance of seniors' care and holding them accountable for their commitments (or lack thereof). This includes participating in town halls, arranging delegations to meet with ministers, and tracking legislative progress.
By employing a multi-faceted approach that integrates personal narratives, targeted advocacy, coalition building, and member mobilization, we can effectively champion the cause of seniors' care and demand the meaningful change that is long overdue. It is time to move beyond assigning blame and work towards a future where all seniors have access to the high-quality, compassionate care they rightfully deserve.
Read more - Carney’s new government must deliver on public health care – Canadian Health Coalition
CURC 15th Constitutional Convention
Now the federal election is over, we are focusing on our platform for union retirees!
The Fifteenth Convention of the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada will take place at the Pan Pacific Toronto, 900 York Mills Rd, Toronto, the convention will be held June 17th, to June 19, 2025. We are now counting down with only 6 weeks until the start of the convention, we are just over 2 weeks for the opportunity to book your room at the rate of $174.00 including parking
.“union retirees getting our elbows up”
This will be our first in person convention in 7 years, we continue rebuild since the covid pandemic. The convention will be an opportunity for local union retire groups and their delegates to set the course for the next 3. We will be debating some structural resolutions, involving more participation of the affiliate in the decision-making process. With a new government in place, we have the opportunity to influence on the issues important to union retirees, Health Care and Affordability, and we will have excellent presenters on those panel who we will be announcing soon.
Be a delegate, participate in building the union retirement movement forward. For more information about the convention please email curc@clcctc.ca .