VICTORIA – After a long delay and relentless public pressure, the B.C. Liberals have finally announced that they’ve posted the job for the much-needed seniors advocate.

The job posting couldn’t have come soon enough, as seniors in our province need an advocate more than ever. The B.C. Liberals’ uncaring cuts and fee increases are making life harder for B.C. seniors.

Here are just a few of the recent failures of the B.C. Liberals on caring for seniors:

Cuts to discounts on B.C. Ferries

• The B.C. Liberals showed they care more about gambling and slot machines than affordability for seniors when they announced on Monday that seniors fare discounts at B.C. Ferries would be slashed.

Christy Clark’s wheelchair tax

• Immediately after the election, Premier Clark implemented an uncaring wheelchair tax on seniors who rely on them for their mobility and quality of life.

Midnight hospital discharges

• Health minister Terry Lake and Premier Christy Clark refused to take responsibility and claimed nothing went wrong when a Delta hospital discharged a 90-year-old blind woman from the emergency room in the middle of the night.

Failure to act on Ombudsperson report

• Despite a scathing report from B.C.’s Ombudsperson on the state of seniors health, the B.C. Liberals have failed to improve home support, assisted living or residential care and instead largely ignored the report’s 176 recommendations.

Quote from New Democrat critic for seniors Katrine Conroy:

“Seniors deserve better than the uncaring treatment they’re getting under the B.C. Liberals. Our province needs an advocate now more than ever that will stand up, hold the government to account and demand better care for B.C. seniors.”