Past Events
Health Care for All of All of Just for Some? A Discussion on the Right to Health for Older Persons
ILC-C, participated in the 13th Session of the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) in New York City from April 3 to 6, 2023 and presented a side event on April 4 at 1:15 pm. Canada’s Minister of Seniors, Kamal Khera also participated.
The list of sessions is available here.
See the recorded session here.
The United Nations OHCHR multi-stakeholder meeting on the human rights of older persons was held on 29-30 August 2022.
International Longevity Centre Canada played an active role in the proceedings as shown in the recordings below. Watch Dr. Kiran Rabheru’s key role on the panel in Session 1 and Ms. Margaret Gillis’ question to the panel on Ontario’s Bill 7 in Session 1 (find at 1:19:35). Also see Ms Gillis’ intervention on the human rights of older persons in Session 2 (find at 57:22) and Dr. Rabheru’s intervention in Session 3 (find at 1:36:00)
Older Women Rock the World: the Right to Contribute and those Who Make it Happen
Opportunities for older women to exercise their "right to participate", as well as potential barriers, will be explored by prominent women, political leaders, and experts from around the world. Civil society will make the argument that ageism is exponentially impacted by sexism and that older people, including women, should be protected by an international legal Instrument on the rights of older persons.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Human Rights of Older People: An International Dialogue
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a horrendous impact on older people across the globe. The flagrant violation of human right of older persons is exemplified by, but not limited to, skyrocketing cases of elder abuse, the loss of the right to health, the loss of social protections, the loss of autonomy and the horrific death rates in Long Term Care. The International Longevity Centre of Canada is hosting a side event with eminent aging experts and United Nations Ambassadors to discuss the issue and to look for meaningful responses to protect the human rights of older persons and to ensure that what we have seen in the pandemic never happens again.
Live Well, Learn Well: An International, Inter-sectoral Discussion of Income Security and Lifelong Learning.
The International Longevity Centre-Canada, the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance and the LIFE Research Institute from the University of Ottawa hosted a side event at the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing called Live Well, Learn Well: An International, Inter-sectoral Discussion of Income Security and Lifelong Learning. The panelists discussed the state of income security and lifelong learning at an international level through health, business and human rights perspectives.
The Right to be My Older Self: A North-South Discussion on Long-Term and Palliative Care, Autonomy and Independence
The International Longevity Centre-Canada and the LIFE Research Institute at the University of Ottawa hosted a Side Event at the Open-Ended Working Group called The Right to be My Older Self: A North-South Discussion on Long-Term and Palliative Care, Autonomy and Independence. The speakers discussed the state of long-term and palliative care and also heard about older persons' ability to control autonomy and independence. Once again, ILC-Canada advocated for the UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Ageism & the Rights of Older Persons
At the Side-Event, the International Longevity Centre and the University of Ottawa discussed the devastating impact that ageism has on older people, what is being done about it and what more can be done. We also discussed the merits of a possible Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Engaging an International Exchange on the Positive Aspects of Caring for Older Adults
On July 2-3, 2019, in Ottawa, ILC-Canada and the LIFE Research Institute hosted the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance Working Group Meeting called: Engaging an International Exchange on the Positive Aspects of Caring for Older Adults. The meeting included participants from Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. During these two days of discussions, all countries shared their views, their respective policies and their existing data regarding caregiving. The goal of this event was to identify common messages and develop an international collaborative research proposal.
This meeting was funded by the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance, CIHR and the Canadian Medical Association.
ILC Canada at Age Boom
ILC Canada Research Director Dr. Louise Plouffe spoke at the Age Boom Academy at Columbia University. In conjunction with the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Age Boom was centred on dramatic demographic shifts around the world and the myths that accompany them. Her talk was centred on the myth that cities are for young people only, and related it to Age Friendly Cities protocol which she helped pioneer. Other speakers for the event included Ruth Finkelstein and Ursula Staudinger of the Columbia Aging Center, Linda Fried of the Mailman School of Public Health, John Beard from the World Health Organization and Maurizio Bussolo of The World Bank.
International Longevity Centre Canada Launch
The International Longevity Centre (ILC) Canada official launch was held May 27th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Huguette Labelle Hall on the University of Ottawa campus. Speakers included The Honourable Minister of the State (Seniors) Alice Wong, President of the University of Ottawa Allan Rock, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Hélène Perrault, President of the International Longevity Centre Canada Margaret Gillis and Vice-President of the International Longevity Centre Canada Gloria Gutman.
Mrs. Gillis served as host for the event, giving a brief introduction on the history of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance and the need for an International Longevity Centre in Canada.
President and Vice-Chancellor Allan Rock spoke of the major initiatives within the university before introducing Minister Alice Wong.
Minister Wong discussed past and future government programs centred on improving the lives of older people in Canada.
Dean Hélène Perrault gave a speech on the role the University of Ottawa will play in academic research for the study of gerontology and longevity.
Dr. Gutman presented on the changing demographics of both Canada and the world with a focus on the rise of centenarians and supercentenarians.
The talks ended with a short video by ILC Co-President and President of ILC Brazil Dr. Alexandre Kalache welcoming Canada to the ILC Family.