Issue 73 – 25, October 19th, 2025
Union Retirees and Seniors Vote
The recent election in Newfoundland and Labrador is over, many seniors and union retirees voted, making their voices heard. More than 40% of the people in the province are 55 years old or older, and the issues facing this aging population are very real and urgent. Seniors are active members of our communities, they may work, volunteer, and help make our neighborhoods better. Supporting them means ensuring they have what they need to live happy, healthy lives.
Seniors vote, from a far it looks like they supported candidates who promised to focus on problems that affect them directly. Comparing the platforms show that the winning party committed to building a healthier future for the aging in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Primary care is essential for maintaining good health and promoting healthy aging. However, many residents in Newfoundland and Labrador face barriers to accessing the care they need, when they need it. Many seniors rely on doctors and health services, in Newfoundland and Labrador, some people can't see a family doctor when they need to. A poll found that three out of ten residents don't have a regular doctor. This can make it harder for older adults to stay healthy and get help quickly when they are sick.
The party that won the election made several important promises to address these issues, including:
Expanding healthcare services: They pledged to fund more nurse practitioner visits, reduce paperwork for doctors, and buy new MRI machines to improve diagnostic services.
They promised to invest $26 million to develop new seniors’ communities and increase the number of long-term care beds, so older adults have safe places to live.
They committed to hiring more mental healthcare workers, expanding mobile mental health crisis teams, and increasing access to mental health services, especially in Labrador.
They promised to fund more seats at the Memorial University School of Nursing, refund tuition for healthcare students who stay and work in the province, and provide job offers early in training to address staff shortages.
They plan to fully cover transportation costs for patients who need to go outside their region for care and reopen emergency rooms in two communities 24 hours a day.
They proposed laws to protect seniors in care homes and create a 10-year plan to ensure enough personal care homes and beds are available.
"While speaking to a local seniors' organization, Wakeham announced a new PC government will invest $26 million to help build vibrant, active, senior’s communities across the province.
'My government will work with communities - just like the one here in Lab west, to help create affordable and independent housing for seniors who prefer to move into a community environment,' said Wakeham 'We want seniors to live healthy, active lives surrounded by their friends in their communities' "
As our population continues to age, more people will vote based on issues that affect their quality of life in retirement. It’s important for leaders to listen and act on these concerns. They need to create policies that ensure all seniors can enjoy their later years with dignity, good health, and financial security.
The election showed that seniors and union retirees are a powerful voting group that cares deeply about issues affecting their lives. As the population ages, these issues will only become more important. It’s up to our leaders to keep their promises and build a future where older adults are supported and valued. Supporting seniors isn’t just good for them, it’s good for our whole community.
Read more - N.L. election results: PCs, Tony Wakeham to form majority
Women and Retirement
The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) work to promote gender equality, analyses data, shares best practices, and develop policies that can help close gender gaps in paid and unpaid work.
The OECD report "Gender Equality in a Changing World: Taking Stock and Moving Forward" (2025). The report speaks to the many challenges women face in their jobs and in saving money for retirement. Compared to men, women often work fewer hours, are more likely to work part-time, and spend more time doing unpaid work like caring for family. These differences can affect how much money women earn and how much they can save for their future. That’s why it’s very important to find ways to help women get better opportunities and close the gap.
Compared to men, women have lower employment rates, are more likely to work part-time, spend fewer hours to paid work, and spend more hours in unpaid work. This negatively affects their earnings, career prospects and social protection entitlements, including pension income.
Differences in women’s and men’s outcomes reflect gender norms and stereotypes around paid and unpaid work, which interact with social, policy and economic environments to disadvantage women in the labour market. These include unequal distributions of family leave, inadequate access to affordable good-quality childcare and out-of-school care, poor access to home care and long-term care for relatives, low pay in traditionally women-dominated sectors, and gendered tax-benefit systems that disadvantage second earners (more commonly women). These are further aggravated by gender-based violence.
To close these gender gaps, governments need to commit to (or advance upon) commitments to work-life balance policies (e.g. early childhood education and childcare, long-term care, paid family leave and flexible working arrangements for all workers) and equal pay and pay transparency policies, among other gender-equality measures.
Women are less likely to have jobs than men. When women have children, their chances of working decrease even more, especially if they have young kids. Women often work fewer hours and spend more time on unpaid work like caring for children, elderly relatives. This means they earn less money and have fewer benefits.
Affordable, good-quality childcare and after-school programs are not always available. Without this help, women might stay home or work part-time, which affects their earnings and savings.
Women usually earn less than men, especially in certain jobs. Even when women work in the same jobs as men, they often get paid less. This makes it harder for women to save for retirement.
Violence and harassment at work or outside can stop women from working or make it difficult to stay employed.
Women tend to retire with less money than men. Many women also care for their aging parents or relatives, which can reduce their earning time and savings.
The report suggests, to help women save more and prepare for retirement, governments and organizations can act:
Make sure there are affordable, high-quality childcare options and paid family leave for both parents. Encourage fathers to take parental leave too, so caregiving is shared equally.
Allow workers to choose flexible hours or work from home. This helps caregivers stay in the workforce.
Enforce rules that require companies to pay men and women equally for the same work. Increase transparency so people can see if there are unfair pay gaps.
Use media campaigns and education to change ideas about what men and women are supposed to do at work and at home.
Take strong actions to prevent violence and harassment, so women can work safely and confidently.
Encourage companies to promote women into leadership roles and to be fair in hiring and pay.
Change policies so women’s retirement savings are not unfairly affected by their lower earnings or career breaks. Make tax systems fairer for second earners, who are often women.
Invest in tools and devices that can reduce unpaid work, like household chores and caring tasks.
Collect more information about gender differences in work and unpaid activities. This helps us understand where to focus efforts.
Women face many barriers that can affect their jobs and savings for retirement. By making better policies and changing stereotypes, we can help women work more equally and save more. This benefits everyone because when women have equal opportunities, families and communities become stronger and more prosperous.
Everyone deserves the chance to participate fully in the workforce and retire with dignity. By addressing the reasons why women face more challenges, society can help close the gaps in work and retirement income. This will ensure that women are better prepared for the future and can enjoy a secure retirement.
Let’s work together to support women so they can enjoy a secure and comfortable retirement in the future. And with organizations like the OECD leading the way, progress is possible.
Read more - Full Report: Gender gaps in paid and unpaid work persist | OECD
24 October: United Nations Day
United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. Celebrated every year, UN Day offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 80 years.
Read more - UN 80th anniversary | United Nations