Safeguard wellbeing for all generations toolkit
Calling on governments to enact legislation to safeguard wellbeing for all generations is right up our alley here at Generation Squeeze. We don’t just respond to crises. We strive to reshape the systems that create them.
A new legal framework to ensure all generations are treated fairly is an ambitious systems-change goal with potential to affect millions - not just today, but for generations to come. We won't achieve this goal overnight, but just like you, we're patient when it comes to working towards the big payoff.
Here are 6 top ways you can help nudge the system to change in the direction we want, to build a Canada in which present and future generations can thrive.
1. Join us in calling on governments to enact legislation to safeguard for all generations
Together we’ve made a great deal of progress securing a more generationally fair Canada. Now, it’s time to protect these advances by ensuring that Canadians are able to hold governments accountable for the wellbeing of present and future generations.
To achieve this goal, generational fairness must be securely embedded in government processes and institutions, so that it becomes a guiding principle for all decisions – not a passing fancy that can be discarded when expedient for the government of the day. The starting point is legislation.
2. Raise your voice to your elected reps
Elected representatives respond to people who organize and show up. The volume of outreach they receive on any given topic is one metric they use to understand what Canadians care about. So let’s make sure they know that we care about protecting all generations in law. You can use the tools below to contact your local Member of Parliament and your provincial or territorial elected representative.
Contact your Member of Parliament
Contact your provincial or territorial elected representative
3. Use all available levers to reach decision-makers
There are many different places we can bring our message about the urgency of legislation to support long-term wellbeing for all generations. We can amplify pressure by using them all.
- Federal and provincial Ministers responsible for key portfolios like child care, housing, poverty reduction, education and postsecondary can use a generational lens to demonstrate how funding for these priorities is falling behind, to help win more resources for their portfolios at Treasury and Cabinet.
- The federal Finance Minister has tasked all departments to find cost savings. Bringing a generational lens to policy and spending decisions is a key tool for this task. For example, our analysis of the outdated Old Age Security program confirms that it’s no longer fit-for-purpose – and that a redesign could free up funds for other priorities (like eliminating seniors poverty, investing in post-secondary education, reducing the deficit, or beefing up national defence).
- The Prime Minister recognized in his election platform that young Canadians face “intergenerational unfairness” and that Canada needs to “restore the bargain that allowed other generations of Canadians to succeed.” Let’s remind him that legislation to safeguard the wellbeing of all generations - today and in the future - is one concrete way to deliver on this commitment.
4. Call on the Quality of Life Cabinet Committee to think long-term about wellbeing
Ottawa has a newly minted Cabinet Committee responsible for growing “the overall quality of life and well-being of Canadians.” Now’s our chance to make sure that the Ministers on this committee look beyond the short-term. Members must also prioritize the impact of the critical economic, trade, defense, and environmental decisions being made right now on younger and future generations of Canadians.
5. Make noise on social media
Spread the word across your platforms to help spark dialogue about why we need to legislation to hold governments to account for safeguarding wellbeing for all generations.
👉 Click here to share our call to enact legislation to safeguard wellbeing for all generations 👈
6. Engage traditional media
Get your voice out there by penning an op ed or letter to the editor for a local or national paper. These are a simple yet powerful ways to engage in public discourse, and promote the idea that governments should think long-term about securing wellbeing for all generations. They help raise awareness, influence public opinion, and provide cover for governments to act. Our campaign website already gives you a leg up on key messages you can use or adapt. Reach out to us if you'd like more resources.
Op-Ed
- Length: 500–700 words
- Purpose: Express your view on a newsworthy issue. Wellbeing legislation connects with many issues, like the growing costs of extreme weather, who will shoulder the burden rising deficits, or growing mental ill health among young people.
- Where to Submit: Local or national newspapers
Letter to Editor
- Length: 150–250 words (varies)
- Purpose: Respond to a specific published article, referencing it directly.
- Where to Submit: Same newspaper that published the article
Writing Tips
🎯 Start with a hook. Grab the reader’s attention in the first sentence.
❤️ Be personal. Use your own story or experience to illustrate why protecting wellbeing for all generations matters to you.
🎯 Keep it focused. Make one clear argument rather than trying to cover everything.
⏳ Stay concise. Stick to the word limit.
💥 End with impact. Leave readers with a call to action or a powerful final thought.
🏡 Localize your message. Local stories often get picked up more readily and resonate strongly with nearby readers.