When CARP presented its opposition to mandatory retirement, there was panic in some quarters that this could mean delaying the current ages of eligibility for pensions. For CARP this is unacceptable. Choice must be at the core of whether to retire or not. It must be based on ability, never on age. The current ages to access pensions must not be changed, in spite of the views set forth by the Fraser Institute, the OECD, the Conference Board of Canada, a recent article in The National Post by the C.D. Howe Institute, and an editorial on September 28 of this year in The Globe and Mail. Their conclusions are draconian and don't take into account real people in a real world.
CARP believes in the carrot of incentives rather than the stick of enforcement. Canadians are living longer and healthier lives today. It's commonly expressed that today's 65 is the new 45. Therefore, it's a mistake and a waste to buy into ageist myths, stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination. For example, older people are not necessarily frail, slow, or sick. They are able to learn new things. In fact, they bring with them life experience, work expertise, maturity, and a passion for lifelong learning. To quote UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons:
The whole world stands to gain from an empowered older generation, with the potential to make tremendous contributions to the development process and to the work of building more productive, peaceful, and sustainable societies.
This dynamic can and should be harnessed, nurtured, and used for the benefit of individuals, the workplace, and society. Matching the skills of older Canadians with the jobs that have to be filled in broad and creative ways is the way to go. For example, we should recognize that a person can apply a skill set in one field to another field. Of course, this requires vision, imagination, and thinking outside the box, rather than ordinary expectations.
This result can enrich productivity across the country. Of course, in some cases, training, retraining, or upgrading may be necessary. Some skills can and should draw on non-professional experience such as the skills implicit in homemaking. Again, this may necessitate training.
Of those who are frail, either physically or mentally, many are still capable of activity, though it may be limited. For example, they can use modern technology to work from home . Their contribution can be significant for employers and themselves. The young and the old have a lot to exchange, share, and learn from each other in terms of skills, experience, and ideas. Given the opportunities, together they can create a dynamic and productive work force that is effective and efficient.
There are also situations where mentoring, counselling, consulting, and coaching are useful. If done properly, they can enhance the knowledge of both young and old. This could be especially appropriate for those retired Canadians who want to work part-time or on contract. It's no secret that active living and good health go hand in hand. Physically, intellectually, and spiritually, active living is a major determinant of health, physical and mental, and generates savings to the health care system. As well, the individual's quality of life and independence come into play.
Once again, it must be reiterated that we're talking about choice rather than mandatory retirement—choice based on ability, not age.