"Generational Fairness Is Why I Am Where I Am Today"
A story from a Gen Squeeze mom and board member and Happy Mother's Day wishes from our team
Happy Mother’s Day, to all the mothers out there! On this special day we are sharing a letter from one of our Gen Squeeze moms. Board Member and Advisor Verena Rossa-Roccor (and her lovely family, pictured below) has been involved with the organization for many years. She wanted to tell you all about why she thinks our work is so important and explain why you should get involved too.
But first, a short video about how we can help moms feel healthy, valued, and supported all year round…
Now take it away, Verena!
I was the first person in my entire extended family to go to university. My grandparents lived through two World Wars, my parents were born in 1945 and 1949, respectively, and grew up in post-war Germany. Within only one generation, my family went from poor, working class to me having (almost) three graduate degrees. You may think that someone had to make great sacrifices for that. But that wasn’t the case. Thanks to a socially progressive system in Germany, my parents were able to build wealth on average salaries, send their three children to tuition-free university, and now live a comfortable life on their pensions. I, therefore, came to appreciate the importance of government social spending for the wellbeing of everyone early on.
Sadly, the positive trajectory that I and my parents enjoyed is far from guaranteed for my own children. We currently (temporarily) live in the US and despite the fact that both my partner and I are highly educated and employed, the costs to raise children take a big chunk out of our income (currently almost 40%). And I am not talking about the $2,000 bassinet or the $1,800 stroller. Those are non-essential luxury goods. What isn’t luxury, in my opinion, is high-quality, affordable and available (!) childcare, paid parental leave for both parents, and affordable (if not free) higher education for everyone. If an equitable society is what we strive for, giving everyone a realistic chance to pursue a career and build their family’s wealth is essential. Canada is getting there, not least due to the $10 a day daycare initiative that was co-championed by Generation Squeeze. But lots remains to be done.
As we all know, our generational contract is not just broken in the social sphere. It is also broken in the natural sphere. My children’s generation will inherit a world where entire countries will become uninhabitable if we stay the course we are currently on. My heart breaks for them and I cannot sit idly by and watch it happen.
In both areas, the gap between what we know should be done and what is actually done is large. And the reason for that isn’t a lack of knowledge or a lack of shared goals. It’s a lack of political will. But thankfully, we live in a democracy. And democracies, flawed as they may be, have one significant advantage: we, the people, have (some) power. But implementing that power is tricky. In my own PhD research, I focus on strategies to influence climate policies. I have learned that one needs to be very strategic if one wants to have an impact. The world of policy and politics is a messy one, governed by relationships, value systems, and stories. In my many years of volunteering for both partisan and non-partisan initiatives, I always thought our strategies fell short of really understanding the essence of what the political system is.
That is why I am thrilled to be a part of Generation Squeeze. This organization has a deep understanding of what it takes to create change. With only a handful employees, the reach and access that Gen Squeeze has is unparalleled. As an organization, we opt into democratic structures and processes – and encourage others to do the same. We are not only aware of the realpolitik that exists within these structures but know how to navigate them. Individuals can’t fix these systemic issues, but collectively, we can. Being part of Gen Squeeze gives me hope that my children’s generation will be able to flourish just as my own generation has. And it gives me hope that we can restore a fair and equitable generational contract.
We’d love to hear your story - you can share it with us here. We bring our supporters' stories to meetings with elected leaders and public officials to illuminate problems and motivate them to take action. Your stories can also help inspire and inform other members of our community.
Have a great rest of the weekend!
I very much liked "the gap between what we know should be done and what is actually done is large. And the reason for that isn’t a lack of knowledge or a lack of shared goals. It’s a lack of political will." I agree. So if we are in agreement that political will is the crux of the problem. We must come to an understanding of what shifts political will. It seems to me, by the general unfairness in spending on older Vs. younger generations in most government budgets, that the politicians understand very much that it is the older (historically larger) segment of the voters that they want to please. They are confident that these people will be returning in droves to the polls and they are happy to keep them more than comfortable in their retirement at the expense of younger and future generations. The older people attend political events, they call their MPs and MLAs, they organize against the high rise buildings in their cherished neighbourhoods. Politicians, as Generation Squeeze has always said "respond to those who organize and show up". We have to find a way to convince people to organize and SHOW UP!! And showing up is more than just voting. The university students, the single moms without childcare, the 30 year olds who can't afford to move out of their parents' home; What will convince them to use their voice? Because when you talk to those people they are frustrated to no end yet doing very little to advocate for their needs and the needs of their children.