Fight for change

Dear editor:
For the first time in the history of the Fort Frances mill, retirees and their surviving spouses picketed it.
Thirty-four brave retirees walked diligently on Mowat Avenue on Sept. 27, near the mill entrance formerly known as the Fort Frances Hotel, while five disabled retirees sat in their cars offering SRAPEA their full support.
The message being served on Resolute Forest Products Ltd., along with our governing politicians, is clear: the theft of retirees’ pension funds is clearly wrong and is elder abuse of the worst kind.
These retirees and surviving spouses were aged 55-87 yet they were feisty fighters for pension legislative reform, including much-needed changes to the Creditor Protection Act.
SRAPEA executive officers and members are not taking this elder abuse lightly, and will continue to be proactive in carrying our message loud and clearly to everyone willing to listen (elder abuse is wrong and will not be tolerated).
We are determined to attain the legislative changes necessary to protect the lifelong, hard-worked-for savings of all retirees and their surviving spouses.
Wendell Stevens and Ed Haglund will be attending area municipal councils seeking their support on the legislative changes necessary to protect the pensions of employees, retirees, and their surviving spouses.
Their first council meeting is scheduled with the Municipality of Alberton on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
A report will be made on our Facebook page (Rainy River District Seniors Retirees Against Pension Elder Abuse), along with future press releases and letters to the editor.
Local MPP Sarah Campbell, meanwhile, will be at our meeting tonight (Oct. 10) at 7 p.m. at the Sister Kennedy Centre to talk about our pension solvency issues, as well as hydro debt reduction and health care in Fort Frances.
Everyone is invited to attend, including mill employees. Hope to see you all there.
Remember, elder abuse is wrong and, in the case of pension theft, by any corporation and endorsed by special interest politicians, is absolutely criminal.
We are geared up, ready, and willing to fight for change. Are you?
Signed,
Allan T. Bedard
Chairman, SRAPEA
Fort Frances, Ont.