Manitoba seniors’ advocate started young

Manitoba’s first seniors advocate got her start as a teen, working summers at a long-term care home in rural Alberta.

“It was really the place where I started that activism piece — seeing where gaps were and really advocating for some change,” said Leigh Anne Caron, whose job begins today, “like writing letters to the city or town council about having accessible sidewalks. We did things like get the seniors onto a float for the annual parade and other things where they’re more visible.”

She said that experience was pivotal in shaping who she is today.

“Those were my first tangible acts of activism and breaking some rules to really get seniors what they needed,” she said Monday. “There were some dumb rules about not taking some of the seniors on walks by their old homes in the town, and I couldn’t understand why. I think the argument was that it would make them too upset or emotional. So we broke those rules, and they really appreciated that and were able to spend time thinking about those memories and times with their families.

“I learned a lot from them about quiet activism.”

Since then Caron, who turns 49 later this month, has worked in community health as the director of the Women’s Health Clinic and executive director of the Sexual Education Resource Centre while earning a master’s degree in public administration. Her goal was to eventually move away from community health.

“I loved it, but it’s hard working in a situation where you’re not fully funded,” she said. “You need to find grants, and you’re not always sure if your staff will be able to stay.”

Her position at SERC was expiring in 2026 and Caron looked to see where her level of skill, experience and education would be a good fit. She applied to become Manitoba’s first seniors advocate, and was invited to be interviewed by 10 people, including seven MLAs. She was asked to bring a presentation of how she would handle a situation where she had made recommendations and they weren’t being followed.

“My focus was really on how to have a good process and make it really clear and transparent, from the beginning to the end.”

“My focus was really on how to have a good process and make it really clear and transparent, from the beginning to the end,” Caron said.

“I broke down how recommendations should be structured, how they should be smart, specific, measurable and that the communication piece is really important all the way through.”

She was hired by the legislative assembly management commission with a mandate to identify and evaluate systemic problems faced by seniors and make recommendations on a wide range of government services including health care, housing and programs and supports.

“My job as an advocate shouldn’t be managing government,” Caron said. “My job is to make the recommendations and then be accountable to those recommendations.”

The non-partisan independent officer of the legislative assembly is expected to refer matters to the appropriate body for complaint, inquiry or investigation when warranted.

Legislation to establish the seniors advocate was tucked inside the 2024 Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act along with other non-budget items and passed by the NDP majority government last fall.

“My job is to make the recommendations and then be accountable to those recommendations.”

While most bills must be referred to a standing committee for public input, financial bills such as BITSA are referred to the committee of the whole, which is held in the legislative chamber and doesn’t include public presentations. Critics argued that the province should have met with seniors and community organizations for guidance in establishing the seniors advocate.

The province said Manitobans could offer their input online through its EngageMb portal.

The Seniors’ Advocate Act was proclaimed to go into effect on Nov. 1 with a a salary range of $169,839 to $210,086 per year. Caron starts her five-year term Wednesday in a temporary office with support provided by the legislative assembly until she can get set up. She expects to have staff and a website, but didn’t say when that will happen.

A coalition of Manitoba seniors organizations has publicly called on the advocate to form an advisory committee and include them.

Caron said she plans to get to know those who are speaking up publicly and those who aren’t.

“I’m also interested in the voices we haven’t heard from — who the different groups and communities and people are throughout Manitoba,” she said. “Relationship building will take some time.”

Caron said she’s keenly aware of the public scrutiny that comes with the new position.

“I like to be behind the scenes and do the work and get it done,” the married mother of three teens said. “But also I think it’s a really important role.

“We all want what’s best for seniors.”

“I feel a lot of responsibility so I want to do it well.”

Caron said she’ll meeting with the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, Sherry Gott, about her role as an independent officer of the Manitoba legislature ,as well as the seniors advocate for British Columbia, Dan Levitt, one of three Canadian counterparts.

“I’d like to learn from people within the province, and other seniors advocates in the country.”

Calls for a seniors advocate grew louder during the COVID-19 pandemic when the situation at understaffed personal-care homes turned deadly in Canada.

“Seeing what was happening to people who weren’t getting care was heartbreaking,” Caron said.

“I think we all have to work from the shared idea that we’re all working from the same place. We all want what’s best for seniors.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca