On June 1, we celebrated Senior’s Month with our first annual Seniors of Distinction Awards. This award is presented to individuals who have made a difference in the lives of seniors and their community.
Congratulations to Mike Cooper, Carol Sernasie, and Jean D’Amelio Swyer, our 2023 recipients.
Below are my comments regarding these individuals, as well as the letters of recommendation from Niagara Centre mayors responsible for their nominations.
Seniors of Distinction Award remarks June 1, 2023
Niagara Centre is situated on treaty land. This land is steeped in the rich history of the First Nations such as the Hatiwendaronk, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
There are many First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples from across Turtle Island who live and work in Niagara today.
We stand with all Indigenous peoples, past and present, in promoting the wise stewardship of the lands on which we live.
Good morning everyone, and thank you for joining us as we begin celebrating Seniors’ Month with our first annual Seniors of Distinction Awards.
This award is presented to individuals who have shown leadership, commitment, selflessness, and who have made a difference in both the lives of seniors and their community. We are proud to recognize three individuals this morning.
If you walk into almost any non-profit or charitable organization, you will very quickly come to understand how important our seniors are to our communities.
They are the faces that deliver meals to the disabled, they prepare meals for the homeless, they prepare pies and cookies and all that good stuff to raise money for their churches, they knit for those who are cold, they coach and pass wisdom onto the young, they run bingos and plan events for those in need of friendship, they advocate for those without a voice and they improve the lives of everyone whose lives they touch.
They are also involved in key organizations in the riding that bring forth seniors issues and make recommendations for change.
They provide inspiration to this member of parliament and provide an example of what public service is, and what that service can mean to others.
They deserve our support and our recognition. That’s why we’re here today. These three individuals have earned the admiration of their communities because of their selflessness, generosity of spirit, and determination to improve the lives of others.
Today, we hold them up as examples of the best of us and lives we should all aspire to duplicate.
Luckily for us, they are not alone, and it has been difficult to narrow our selection down to just three for today’s event, but I’m also quite proud of the fact it was so difficult because that reflects how truly wonderful our communities are and how invested our seniors are in the welfare of those around them.
The federal government certainly appreciates the monumental contributions of our seniors and fully understands their importance in communities from coast to coast to coast.
Since 2015, our Liberal government has been working hard to ensure that seniors are able to retire with the dignity and respect they deserve.
We started by restoring the age of retirement to 65 after the previous government raised it to 67. A change which, by the way, would have taken effect just last month in April 2023.
Since then, we have also:
Most recently in Budget 2023, we introduced a new Grocery rebate to offset the higher cost of food for low-income Canadians, including seniors.
We’ve also introduced a new Dental Care Plan, which will be up and running by the end of the year, and will provide dental care to low-income seniors.
Combined, all of these measures have made a real difference in the lives of seniors, particularly those most in need.
In fact, these policies have led to the lowest poverty rates among seniors in history, and among the lowest rates in the world.
Thank you to everyone who has joined us today to celebrate how important our seniors community is to all of us.
And to our seniors, you have built a better Canada and your decency, hard-work and dedication to the future of our country will always be appreciated.
(Begin to read bios of each individual and present certificate and basket)
And now, onto our recognition for three very special individuals. As I read out your names, please come forward as I read the letters we received from your mayors in nominating you for this award.
Mike Cooper
Thank you for the opportunity to recognize Mike Cooper for the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award.
You may remember “Coop” from a decade ago when he served on the advisory and planning committee for the new arenas and community centre we now know as the Thomas A. Lannan Sports Complex and Vale Health and Wellness Centre.
He was barely a senior then, but he is one now. Mike has retired from his career, but he has not stopped working.
He chairs the board of Port Colborne Public Library. He serves on the Port Colborne Seniors’ Advisory Committee. He is a board member at Port Cares. He volunteers at the Port Thrift charity shop on Charlotte Street at West.
There aren’t many events around Port Colborne where you won’t see him volunteering, including Canal Days, Soup Fest, our annual Christmas parade, at the museum and library.
He is a well-respected individual, instantly likeable. He has a gift to put people at ease, and inspires those around him to participate, to get involved, and to be positive.
I have never heard him say no: instead, he says “let’s do it, let’s make it happen.”
Mike loves Port Colborne, and he loves people. It shows in his service to others, his advocacy for good, and his commitment to enriching the lives of others.
You will not find a more passionate civic booster, or compassionate neighbour. He will be humbled to hear it, but he is absolutely deserving of recognition as a recipient of the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award.
Sincerely, Mayor William C. Steele
Carol Sernasie
As Mayor of the City of Welland, it is a pleasure to offer the name of Ms. Carol Sernasie as a most worthy candidate to receive the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award.
Carol has been, and continues to be, a highly respected member of our community. She advocates on behalf of Niagara’s elderly population.
The compassion, perseverance and enthusiasm which continues to distinguish her life is remarkable.
Ms. Sernasie is currently the Chair of the Welland Senior Citizens Advisory Committee which was instrumental in Welland receiving the Ontario Age-Friendly Community Recognition Award.
Also, Welland was the first in Niagara to receive certification by the World Health Organization Global Age-Friendly Communities.
Carol continues to advocate on matters that impact the quality of life of senior citizens in the City of Welland, enhancing and enriching the health and quality of life of seniors in the community.
It would be most appropriate to bestow the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award to Carol Sernasie.
In fact, I cannot imagine a more worthy candidate.
Sincerely, Mayor Frank Campion
Jean D’Amelio Swyer
As Mayor of the City of Thorold, on behalf of City Council, it gives me great pleasure to nominate lifelong Thorold resident Jean D’Amelio Swyer to be considered for the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award.
I have had the pleasure of working with Jean on issues related to seniors for many years. She has been Chair of our Age Friendly Committee since its inception in 2015 and put Thorold on the map across Niagara and beyond, by achieving numerous important accomplishments in a short period of time.
Jean has made a significant difference within our “Senior Community” raising awareness regarding senior safety, health and wellness, as well as, engaging our senior population to ensure they are active, fit and healthy.
Add to that her work on fundraising initiatives which are essential to fund senior activities, infrastructure, programming and equipment.
Jean’s ongoing efforts and outstanding leadership continue to play an important role in enriching the social and cultural lives of our senior community.
Jean is also an active member of the Age Friendly Niagara Council, the Thorold Senior Citizens Association, as well as Chair of the Niagara Older Adults Alliance.
As you can see, Jean D’Amelio Swyer would be a very deserving recipient of the Niagara Centre MP Senior of Distinction Award.
Sincerely, Mayor Terry Ugulini
That’s our event today. Thank you all for coming and please enjoy the coffee and treats and feel free to stay and chat.
| Mon: | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed to public, by appointment only |
| Tue: | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed to public, by appointment only |
| Wed: | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed to public, by appointment only |
| Thu: | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed to public, by appointment only |
| Fri: | 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed to public, by appointment only |
| Sat: | Closed |
| Sun: | Closed |
