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We were deeply saddened to learn that the founding Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE), Judith Wahl, passed away on May 15 in Toronto, after a short battle with cancer.
Judith will be remembered by all for her fierce advocacy for seniors, her lifetime work on the issues of consent, capacity and substitute decision-making which she fought for until the end, her work in supporting legal clinics throughout Ontario, and her refusal to back down from a fight. Judith was a graduate of the University of Toronto (1974) holding a B.A. with Honours in English Language and Literature, and of Osgoode Hall Law School at York University (1977) with an LL.B. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1979. She articled and spent five years in private practice with the esteemed Toronto law firm Birenbaum, Koffman, Steinberg (now Birenbaum, Steinberg, Landau, Savin & Colraine LLP, founded by the legendary David A. Croll – Canada’s first Jewish senator – and that counted Norman Borins, Stephen Borins, Jerry Birenbaum and Howard Steinberg among its several partners).Judith went on to become the first employee and the founding Executive Director of ACE in 1984. In this role, she set the tone for the work that continues at ACE to this day. Her voice is heard throughout the legal world, whether it be in elder law; health law; consent, capacity and substitute decision-making; long-term care homes; retirement homes; or the many other areas in which she had an impact as Canada’s first elder-law lawyer.
She continued to work on behalf of older adults after her retirement from ACE in 2017, creating Wahl Elder Consulting, and she continued to speak, write and advocate throughout. Judith's visionary leadership transformed a modest legal-aid clinic into a renowned institution with provincial, national, and international recognition for its expertise in elder law. Her unparalleled commitment to safeguarding the rights, interests, dignity and autonomy of older adults has left an indelible mark on the legal and advocacy landscape. Judith's influence extends far beyond the confines of ACE, as evidenced by her pivotal roles in the development of elder law, the development of legislation, and landmark legislative initiatives.
Judith's colleagues at ACE have shared an In Memoriam Announcement that speaks in detail to Judith’s illustrious service to older adults through the development of elder law as a distinct area of legal practice in Canada.
Judith will be missed by all. She made a significant difference in lives of many. Her legacy will live on through the work of ACE, and through her immeasurable contributions to elder law on behalf of seniors everywhere.
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On April 16th 2024, Canada’s Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland introduced the 2024 Budget for the federal government entitled Fairness for Every Generation. While CNPEA applauds the intent of the federal Budget 2024, the commitment to “generational fairness” fell short by putting most of the focus on younger generations, particularly when it comes to housing and employment, and largely omitting older Canadians.
CNPEA was pleased to see some of the announcements, particularly regarding health care and caregiving, such as:
- the commitment to develop a National Caregiving Strategy,
- steps towards helping provinces offer provide home-care options for older people
- the promotion of new rural health care workers (which should benefit the largely older, rural population)
- promises to advance the Safe Long Term Care Act to support new national, long-term care standards
We recognize that more seniors will have access to dental services through the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and Health Canada will receive 1.5 billion over 5 years to initiate the National Pharmacare program.This said, older people in Canada are more than care recipients. The federal government’s commitment to establishing a Safe Long Term Care Act, while important and commendable, does not address the everyday needs of the majority of older people who live independently. They deserve to see their rights to housing, employment, and safety and security addressed specifically, and funded thoroughly.
Noticeably absent from the 2024 Budget are announcements regarding elder abuse prevention and awareness, gender-based violence in later life, or any other form of violence and discrimination against older people. And while several new Criminal Code offences specific to auto thefts were proposed, there is still no sign of the long-promised Criminal Code changes relative to elder abuse which have been on the mandate letter of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for several years now. While we applaud the Federal Budget’s repeated nods to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, we are worried that these efforts do not specifically recognize older people as an equity-deserving group.
This Federal Government failed to acknowledge the needs of Canada's growing aging population and to address them in this new budget. 1 in 5 people in Canada are currently 65 and over and their number is expected to rise to 10.4 million by 2037, with the 75 and over demographic growing at a faster pace. In recent elections, voters aged 65 to 74 had the highest turnout at the polls, something which the Federal government should take more seriously.
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BY MEGAN CREIG
Aura Freedom International recently unveiled a new project titled “GBV in the media.” The project, funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, builds on the organization's previous work which aims to eradicate sex trafficking and all violence against women.
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We feel great sadness to announce the passing of Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks on February 2, 2024. We mourn the loss of a true international trailblazer in the field of elder abuse prevention. Among many other accomplishments, Dr. Podnieks founded Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, as well as our very own organization, CNPEA, and she was a co-founder of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) . She was also the visionary and architect behind World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an official United Nations Day since 2006.
Elizabeth was tireless in her research and advocacy efforts. She was a passionate champion of the rights of older people. Elizabeth inspired and mentored countless academics, not-for-profit leaders, and everyday frontline heroes who are dedicated to ending elder abuse.
Elizabeth was a powerhouse who created the changes she wanted to see in the world, with style and humour. We owe so much to her vision and we will make sure that it lives on in the future. We will honour her memory through our work by promoting the well-being, safety, and inclusion of older people across the world.
We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks.
Elizabeth PODNIEKS Obituary (2024) - Toronto, ON - The Globe and Mail: https://legcy.co/3wqk2wm
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Over the course of 15 months, Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, CNPEA and the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children developed five videos.These short animated videos provide key advice and resources to help anyone recognize, respond and refer when faced with an elder abuse situation. You can watch them all on YouTube and share them easily. These videos are also available in French.
WATCH:
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