Isobel Mackenzie, left, and <\/i>Selina Robinson will be honoured at Jewish Seniors Alliance\u2019s AGM Nov. 3.<\/i><\/p>\n
The Jewish Seniors Alliance of Greater Vancouver\u2019s annual general meeting on Nov. 3 will serve as an opportunity to welcome the organization\u2019s first-ever executive director, Jeff Moss, and to honour two prominent women in provincial politics who have been dedicated to seniors throughout their careers: Selina Robinson and Isobel Mackenzie.<\/p>\n
JSA chair Tammi Belfer will introduce Moss, whose hiring marks a significant change in the alliance\u2019s 21-year history. The shift, she said, will enable the board of directors to focus on policy-making and high-level planning, while collaborating with the new executive director and staff on implementation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis transition is a gradual process, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to each board member for their years of unpaid work,\u201d said Belfer. \u201cTogether with our executive director, we can now strategically plan every event, raise much-needed funds, and improve and expand our services to our ultimate clients \u2013 the seniors of Greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the entire province.\u201d<\/p>\n Moss told the Independent<\/i> that he is looking forward to his first AGM as executive director, a job he started in July, and that, in his new position, he plans to recognize the past and look ahead to the future of the \u201cmodern, inclusive and dynamic charity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am pleased to work alongside our incredible community partners, with the support of our generous donors, a committed board and motivated staff,\u201d he said. \u201cI look forward to continuing to build on our strong reputation for positively impacting the lives of lonely and isolated seniors.\u201d<\/p>\n Belfer praised Moss as JSA prepares for its move away from an operational board, noting that the coming year will not be an easy one, but it will be exciting.<\/p>\n \u201cJeff and I form a great partnership and I hope, together, we bring the name and extreme value of JSA to the forefront of all seniors. This population is growing and the need is increasing. Vancouver and BC can count on us to be there for seniors. We are seniors stronger together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cJeff\u2019s caring nature and strong management skills are the exact combination we need for our first executive director,\u201d she added. \u201cWhen he reaches out to you, make a point of meeting with him \u2013 you are in for a treat.\u201d<\/p>\n Robinson, who has been the member of the legislative assembly for Coquitlam-Maillardville since 2013, is not running for reelection on Oct. 19. She made the decision to retire for several reasons (jewishindependent.ca\/the-aftermath-of-resignation) and is in the final stages of writing a memoir, which is set for release in November.<\/p>\n Before gaining a seat in the legislature, Robinson worked as a family therapist and was a city councilor in Coquitlam for two terms. Her career includes having been associate executive director of Vancouver\u2019s Jewish Family Service Agency. As an MLA, she served as opposition critic on seniors, mental health and addictions, and other issues. In government, she served as minister of municipal affairs\u00a0and housing, and as British Columbia\u2019s finance minister. She was minister of post-secondary education and future skills until earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cRepresenting people in my community and being their voice in government has been the greatest honour, and having JSA acknowledge that work warms my heart,\u201d Robinson told the Independent<\/i>. \u201cThank you, JSA, for being such great partners.<\/p>\n \u201cJewish Seniors Alliance understands that, in order to have a strong community, you need to make sure that the community has what it needs,\u201d she said. \u201cJSA engages Jewish seniors to provide them with services and supports, and to better understand their needs so that they can advocate for resources to better meet those needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Mackenzie \u2013 who is nominated for a term this year on JSA\u2019s board of directors \u2013 served for 10 years under both Liberal and NDP governments as the province\u2019s first seniors advocate, before her retirement earlier this year. Her efforts won her widespread plaudits and dispelled initial skepticism concerning the effectiveness of the new office.<\/p>\n In a piece for the Orca<\/em> in March, shortly after it was announced that Mackenzie would leave her role as seniors advocate, political commentator Rob Shaw wrote, \u201cShe left widely respected by all sides at the legislature, inside the Ministry of Health and even amongst the seniors care groups she has occasionally clashed with in her reports.<\/p>\n \u201cMackenzie\u2019s work highlighting care hour shortages in long-term care homes, first-bed refusal policy problems, partners split up in assisted living, consent and admission concerns, and the underperformance of private long-term care facilities using public funding have all led to government reforms. She created a useful and relevant database on care homes. And she\u2019s still fighting for a hike to the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) rates.\u201d<\/p>\n In the 1990s, long before she became the province\u2019s seniors advocate, Mackenzie was chief executive officer of the provincial nonprofit Beacon Community Services, where she led a new model of dementia care that has become a national best practice, and established safety accreditation for home-care workers.<\/p>\n