This isn’t the retirement she planned.
Monica Murphy, 77-year-old Prince George resident, lines up at the food bank every week and only shops at the thrift stores because she’s on a fixed income, just like most Canadian seniors.
“Last week there were 80 people in the food-bank line up and – there are wonderful people at the food bank – but with my health issues it’s a bit of a hardship to wait so long,” Murphy said. “A lot of people who are on a fixed income are struggling to make ends meet and I’m one of them.”
Murphy is not alone as a report from the BC Seniors Advocate reported a 78 per cent increase in food-bank use by seniors over the last five years.
Murphy said she’s squeaking by at the end of each month as she waits for her next pension cheque to come. It’s nothing new, she’s lived like this for a very long time and is often humbled by having to ask for help from various organizations. She was quick to say she’s always treated with respect that keeps her dignity intact but it’s still a difficult ask.
Murphy was spurred to take action when she heard about the Seniors’ Tin Cup protest held the morning of March 21 in front of the local MPs office on Third Avenue in downtown Prince George.
Murphy joined a small but mighty – and peaceful – group that gathered with signs that said ‘seniors deserve respect’, ‘end senior poverty’, ‘we are tired of being poor’.
Murphy’s sign said ‘pensions are too low’.
The small Prince George contingent led by organizer Ken Aitchison joined the call to government for pension reform so that low-income seniors can reach Canada’s poverty line of about $25,000 a year. Most live on about $17,000 a year.
“So many seniors are on fixed incomes, living below the poverty line, they can’t make ends meet and a light needs to be shone on that,” Natalie Mcquary, peaceful protester, said. “I know people who, after retirement, feel they have to go back to work to survive. These people have raised families and worked all their lives and to be struggling in their golden years isn’t right.”
The Prince George demonstration took place on March 21 in conjunction with similar events around the province including Terrace, Kamloops, Vernon, White Rock, Vancouver and Ladysmith.
Carol Fawcett, a Vernon senior started the grassroots group called Tin Cup, Seniors Rights Matter, in partnership with Sharon Elliot in Vancouver.
“There’s a lot of seniors living below the poverty line and that’s not really fair,” Aitchison said. “Because of circumstances beyond their control seniors are suffering.”
Aitchison added many seniors’ incomes are so low they are forced to make tough choices between getting their medications or groceries each month.
“We’re hoping to bring some attention to the situation,” Aitchison said.
For more information about Tin Cup visit https://www.seniorstincup.org/wp/.
