ACER-CART appeals to Prime Minister Mark Carney for a full-time Minister of Seniors

May 28, 2025

The Right Honourable Mark Carney

Office of the Prime Minister

80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0A2

Re: Secretary of State for Seniors

Dear Prime Minister Carney:

The Association canadienne des enseignantes et enseignants retraités/Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (ACER-CART) wishes to express our profound disappointment and concern following your government’s decision to eliminate the standalone Minister of Seniors position in the recently announced cabinet.

As the voice of retired teachers in Canada, representing 92,533 members in 11 member organizations, we are deeply concerned about the downgrading of this portfolio to a Secretary of State position.

Since June 2018, the Minister of Seniors has been a vital advocate at the cabinet level, ensuring seniors’ issues received dedicated attention at the highest level of government–a role for which ACER-CART and its members have advocated for over a decade. In fact, the first Minister of Seniors, Honourable Filomena Tassi, addressed our Annual General Meeting in Ottawa in June 2019.

The Secretary of State position, which is not a full cabinet post, raises serious questions about your government’s commitment to addressing the unique and urgent needs of Canada’s ageing population.

According to documents from your office, Secretaries of State provide leadership on specific issues within a broader ministerial portfolio and may participate in cabinet or committee meetings when relevant topics arise. However, they are not full members of the cabinet, which therefore limits their influence and ability to champion seniors’ priorities directly at the decision-making table.

ACER-CART calls upon your government to seriously reconsider this decision and restore a dedicated full-time Minister of Seniors. Seniors deserve and expect a strong voice in the cabinet to address critical issues such as health care, financial security, long-term care, pharmacare and the fight against ageism.

ACER-CART urges your government to reaffirm your commitment to Canada’s seniors, who voted in very large numbers in the April 28, 2025, federal election, and ensure their interests remain a top priority in all government policy decisions.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Berryman

President ACER-CART