Manitoba sets date to establish long-promised seniors' advocate office

The long-promised Manitoba plan to establish an independent seniors' advocate, who would examine health care, social services and other programs that affect older generations, is finally set to go ahead.

But not for several more months.

The government will proclaim legislation on Nov. 1 that will open the door for the advocate to be appointed, said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara on Friday.

"This is an office that seniors and their families have been asking for for years. Seniors can count on this office being in place for them," Asagwara said following Question Period.

An advocate's office was a campaign promise by both the NDP and the Manitoba Liberals in the lead-up to the 2023 election. After forming government, the NDP made it a key commitment in the mandate letter for Asagwara.

Once appointed, the advocate will set up an independent office of the legislature to examine individual complaints, as well as systemic issues faced by seniors and elders, similar to the provincial advocate for children and youth.

The seniors' advocate will also be required to make reports and recommendations to the legislature in a public manner.

The recommendations could be on a wide range of government services, including health care, housing and government programs and supports, Asagwara is cited as saying in a news release from the province.

Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of the Canadian seniors' advocacy organization CanAge, called the announcement "a huge victory for Manitoba seniors," adding CanAge is "very encouraged that this government is starting to put the pieces in place to address the needs of its aging population.

In other provinces where there are already seniors' advocates, "real change has started to happen," she said in an email to CBC News.

Connie Newman, executive director of Manitoba Association of Senior Communities, called the advocate position "a good thing," but not the be-all and end-all.

"The more ears that are on older adult issues [the better]. It should help us all," she said.

But Newman is worried the establishment of the office will make the public and government feel like everything is being taken care of, when "there's a lot of issues out there," and the new office won't solve them all.

"That's my biggest fear," she said, adding she is concerned the office won't be funded enough for the amount of work it will likely face.

Those aged 65-plus "dominate the landscape" in terms of population numbers, she said.

While the advocate can deal with policy issues, it can't solve others faced by seniors, such as the isolation and growing mental health issues many face — or, more simply, general courtesy toward seniors as they learn to live in a society that seems to be forgetting them, said Newman.

"We, as the public have to be nicer. There's things people can do, like helping an older person cross the road," she said.