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i so to speak, on a pension of $80.00 per month.

9 or Hospitalization. Our wives and mothers also passed.' ‘ the time, about 16 hours a day amusing themselves, rust- ' ling wood, carrying water, washing clothes, patching,

L money, and mur‘é‘inoney; stage strike after strike; think-

_ _. “a.-. ——

‘ Certainly not. we have produced our family and are " treated now just as animals and should be disposed of.

' Gavernment pleading for more money and fringe bene-

. old folk to live on. Prime ‘Minister Trudeau made the

. between the underclothes man and Playboys. Conse-

' to build an igloo; lawyers explaining to‘the farmer how ‘ to milk a cow; doctors telling the fishermen how to gut

‘ let’s look at some of “the sinful things that might happen _ . , if the old folks

‘ call a taxi, or, he might jump right off the deep end and

' you reach 70 - 80

, serious setback? Did your crop ever dry Out, freeze out

939800.012

All kinds of men and women, all Nationalities, all colours, friends and foe, rich and poor, are forced to join the same lodge, which I will call the Senior Citizens of Canada - really a very unstable group as to health - kind of here today and, gone tamorrow. Government says we are too old to work so they put us out to pasture,

you, what did you do? Did you simply quit trying or did you get up and try again? Just because we are over 65 years of age, do we have to be told by a group of dicta- tors what our standard of living is? These men were put in office to run a rich country such as Canada, and to treat all nationalities, yOung and old alike and, to give every person their just dues. Now we have the same heart that we started with although it doesn’t beat as strong and the air we breathe isn’t. as pure, but we don’t have to lay down and die. We have to make Mr. Trudeau and Company realize that the old people of Canada are very much alive and, that we demand a little larger piece of the pie that we made. Now every tradesman in Cana- da from Doctors, School Teachers, Garbage men, Airmen, you say it and they have been on strike. They all want more money, fringe benefits, more pensions and, do they get it? Of course they do. Do they ever think abOut hurt- : ing thousands of innocent people? They don’t giVe this a thought as long as they get more money, holidays, etc. There is a way for the old folks to hit back, and one way only. This is the only thing the Government recog- nizes. That is Strike Action. How can old broken down men and women strike? They have no money to travel ' or advertise. This is the way. We can run a picket line ; around every Government works yard. Public works and Municipal. We will stop work on every highway and every ‘ street in Canada. Tie everything up but the garbage trucks. The men who work out of these yards are Union men, also mostly local. I don’t think they will run us down or cross the picket line. Now, we the Senior Citi- zens of Canada from Vancouver Island to Prince Edward ‘ Island, from the USA. border to the Arctic Ocean - Let us band together - Indians and Eskimos and Whites. We . ask the Whole—hearted support from all YOuth Organiza- tions and, especially the Student Councils who are so active and are so sympathetic toward their grandparents. They will need your help on the picket line. May we ask all citizens to give us their whole—hearted support: To the people who have made your'living what it is today. We are tired of begging, tired of skimping and doing without. We demand that:

0 Each and every Senior Citizen residing in Canada for a period of 5 years are entitled to a warm home, or roam, enough money to provide‘adequate food and clothing, a telephone and a TV. if desirable. v

0 That each and every one of us have the same op- portunity to enter a rest home, nursing home, Senior Citizen housing project, or hospital @ $1.00 per day - whether he be the Doctor’s Uncle or the Mayor’s Mother-' in—law, or any of the nationalities we have in Canada, supervised by Provincial appointed board.

0 That each and every Senior Citizen shall have a me- dical card entitling them to free dentures - hearing aids - eye glasses and prescription drugs, also Medical Doc- tors, Chiropractor and Physiotherapy.

0 That each and every one shall be exempt from school tax, whether on home or trailer.

0 We demand an untaxable incorne of $250.00 per month for every Senior Citizen who has resided in Ca- nada for at least 5 years. . f

It is quite true that a very few don’t need a pensio raise. There are also a few who will still hoard their nickels, but the most of us, if we know that we will re- ceive $250.00 pension, plus free medical card, we will spend it. This will help the economy of the country im- mensely. ' ,

‘ As we are the poorest organization in Canada We can't afford TV or Radio coverage. We want this letter to reach every Senior Citizen in Canada. How? Go back . to the chain letter system. As soon as you receive or read this letter don’t hesitate, have it typed or photocopied , and send it to at least 3 friends or relatives in another 7 - province. This puts a big load on many shoulders and will reach each community in Canada. On Monday, Feb- ruary 28th, 1972, we sen tPrime Minister Trudeau. a‘ registered letter stating our demands with a strike date of May 1, 1972. Also follow this up with a letter each Monday with a list or the different groups supporting this movement. Phone or write your support to Box 2033, Merritt, BC. or phone 378-2969. When writing for infor- mation, please enclose postage. Our local papers are printing this letter and will keep abreast of develop- ments and show new members each week.

These papers are the Merrittonian, The Merritt fier- ald and the Chase Shuswap Weekly, published each week. Let us see how many thousands of names they will print.

We are sending 1,000 letters across Canada. Small

Now, we have worked many,- many years when wages were $1.00 per day, or sometimes $30.00 per month and board. We had to work ten hours per day, six days a week. In many cases, a couple of hours of chores before breakfast and also after supper. There was no Unem- ployment Insurance, no Compensation, no Welfare, Relief

darning and knitting, also scrubbing wood floors. And don’t forget the 2 holer at the end of a well-worn path abput 100 yards behind the house, with the T. Eaton ca- talogue nailed on the wall. That had to be kept clean summer and winter. Also, there was making, washing dishes, up with sick children at night and even serving as midwife when needed and, of course, taking part in community wark and entertainment. Now we have to face the facts. The children we raised and educated the best way we eonldhhave forgotten all about us. They want

ing only of themselves. .Each time they strike, up so consumer goods. They are paid more in one day than we received in one month and, still are not satisfied. Did anyone ever hear one word the strikers‘have uttered, making a plea for Mother and Father or Grandparents?

We have sent letters by the thOusands to our Dominion

fits. We did get answers from Right Honourable Benson and Munro, stating that $30.00 per week was ample for ~

statement on radio that if hewere re-elected, he ,w0uld not promise fur‘thefald for thousand over. But, we all know the Federal member's took a raise from $6,000.00 per year and up, plus free transportation and a healthy expense account. Now, just who made this wonderful country - Canada. Did Trudeau and his Playboy friends? Or was it the solid hard working men and women? Who squanders our money? Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Sharp take Turns giving it to foreign aid — 50 million here and 100 billion there. An atomic reactor here - a new colony there. Some outright gifts - Some 50 years without in- terest. They also sink hundreds of millions in ships and planes only to find they are no good. We can only vote for the rich to govern us, as the same rich make sure that one of them is put on the ballot. We have the choice

quently, we end with a playboy telling the Eskimo how

a fish.'The oil man how to run a sawmill and Mr. Munro telling the Senior Citizens how to stretch one dollar into ten. ‘

Mr. Trudeau and his buddies think _it would be very sinful to allow the old folks of Canada a decent allow- ance - they wouldn’t have the money to squander. They wouldn’t get the red carpet rolled out for them in the foreign lands so often. It would unbalance the whole Commonwealth - there wouldn’t be enough T-bone steaks to go around. It would simply be too terrible a thing for the old man and woman not to have to worry about paying taxes, insurance, rent, water, telephone, heat, medicine and cablevision and a few clothes along with the tea and bread we are supposed to live on. Now,

got $250.00 per month. Grandpa might‘ take Grandma to a picture show - Lord, he might even

take her out for dinner and have a Tom Collins first. He might hire a teenager to mow his lawn, shovel the snow off the walk, or pull a few weeds etc. They might even go on a short trip.

Mr. Trudeau, you will have a rude awakening when - 90 years old. Your back and legs won’t [be quite as limber as of today. The ski hill will look long and steep. _

Here is a question forevery Senior Citizen in Cana- da to answer to themselves. I

Did you at any time in your life suffer a defeat, a

or ball out? Did your house ever burn down, losing all?

Did your sawmill burn down. your boat capsize, or did you lose your nets? Did your mine cave in, or disaster a t you in your line of business? If this ever happened to

donations gratefully received. Geo. E. Turner, President R. S. Murra, Vice President ’