Vancouver Island’s mild climate, natural beauty and relaxed pace of life have made it one of Canada’s retirement capitals.
With that in mind, MP Stephanie McLean, secretary of state for seniors, embarked on a two-day tour of the Island to visit retirement homes and community centres, connecting with older residents to hear their needs and concerns.
Starting in Parksville-Qualicum, with a stop in Nanaimo on Aug. 19, McLean visited Sidney on the morning of Aug. 20 to meet seniors at the SHOAL Centre.
She attended an exercise class and joined a game of ping-pong, saying these moments were a valuable way to connect with constituents.
“It's been a real treat to be able to engage with seniors, find out what's important to them, what services in the community there are,” said the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke MP. “You get a sense of what barriers they might be facing as well, and it helps me find out what's important to them, on the ground, from a grassroots level and also take away what I can to inform my work in Ottawa.”
Having spoken with several folks, McLean highlighted one of the main challenges shared with her by seniors was the growing concern for scams and fraud, which leads to a fear of using technology. She highlighted the importance of financial and technological literacy in combatting this issue.
Another recurring topic throughout her stops revolved around the need for seniors to stay active and maintain social connections.
“A theme that has really been clear is the importance of community and being able to find other seniors to form friendships with, combat social isolation, and to do activities (while) acknowledging that sometimes our abilities are different at a later stage in life,” she said.
Before wrapping up her tour in Saanich, McLean said these local outings help shape her role as a leader, both at home and nationally.
“As the leader for this portfolio, representing seniors across Canada, it's a big job,” she said, acknowledging the diverse needs of this population. “It's… important for me as a British Columbian MP and as a member of the community – myself living in Colwood – to be able to get this on-the-ground information.”
After being elected on April 28, McLean described her journey as an MP so far as a “whirlwind.” Despite the challenges of the new role, she said she’s ready to return to Ottawa to represent Greater Victoria on the national stage.
“There's a learning curve with respect to being part of the federal government,” she said with a smile. “It has been a lot of work setting up offices, but I'm grateful for the support and patience of folks in my riding.”
“I know it hasn't always felt like it's been quick, but… I'm excited to go back to session here in the fall and be able to do some more good work for Canadians.”
