Canadian pensions and pension systems get widely varying report cards. For example, in the report OECD Pensions at a Glance, the authors rate Canadian pension systems (including OAS, OAP, and CPP) highly by some criteria, but poorly by others. Canadian systems work well for the disadvantaged, guaranteeing nearly 80 per cent or more of pre-retirement income for those earning half or less of the national average income. By this measure, Canada is in the top eight of the 34 OECD countries. But for Canadians making the national average wage or above, the pension replacement rate in Canada (comparing guaranteed pension income to pre-retirement income) is only about 40 per cent, compared to the OECD average of 59 per cent.

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In New Brunswick, the proportion of seniors increased by 15 per cent over the last five years, while the number of children decreased by four per cent. Fifteen years from now, over 25 per cent of the population of New Brunswick will be 65 years of age or older. It's a similar story across the country. With an aging population, it is more important than ever to have public services that will allow seniors to maintain their independence as long as possible.

Violence against women is a priority for women's groups and the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada. Across Canada and internationally, women are mobilizing to fight back. November 25 is marked each year as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Its origin dates back to 1960 in the Dominican Republic, when the Mirabal sisters were murdered because they were fighting for their rights.

The real meaning of retirement had come to him the first day. When it didn't matter what time he got up he could stay in bed all day. He didn't of course. Those first days all his interests seemed petty, not worth doing. It seemed to him that he had read all the books he wanted to read, heard all the music he wanted to hear. He thought of closing his eyes and turning his face to the wall. That was on the first days and he put on a show of enjoying having nothing to do for Dora's sake. He even said that he was relishing this slack and idle time. She saw through that; she knew him too well.   

- Ruth Rendell, The Vault