Article
The Silk Painter
Today, I met a 72-year-old woman whose story touched my heart deeply. She recently lost her husband, and now, instead of enjoying a peaceful retirement, she is searching for a job to survive.
Before coming to Canada, she was a talented artist who used to paint beautiful saris, some four metres long. Her hands created beauty, her work reflected her culture, and her life was filled with skill, creativity, and dignity.
She came to Canada with hopes for a better life. But the harsh Canadian winters brought her tremendous physical pain and suffering. Through those difficult years, her strong, hardworking husband earned a living and supported their family.
Now he is gone.
At 72 years old, she is facing grief, loneliness, financial uncertainty, and the pressure to find employment.
Where are those responsible for honouring and protecting our elderly people?
Where are our governments, our institutions, and our social support systems when a woman who has contributed so much to her family and community finds herself struggling to survive?
How can we celebrate Toronto as a prosperous, inclusive city while elderly women are left worrying about their next meal, their rent, and their future?
Her trust is one more reason I am running to become the next Mayor of Toronto, because there are many others like her whose voices deserve to be heard.
Her trust is a responsibility, not a political opportunity.
Our seniors are not a burden on society. They are our history, our wisdom, our artists, our mothers, our fathers, and the people who helped build our communities.
They deserve affordable housing, accessible healthcare, reliable financial support, protection from isolation, and a city where they can live safely and independently. As mayor, I will fight for homes people can afford, make transit free, and work toward property taxes geared to income, so no senior has to choose between rent and food.
No woman should have to lose her financial security when she loses her husband. No senior should be forced into employment out of desperation.
I want a Toronto where our elderly are respected, valued, safe, and never forgotten.
To this beautiful, courageous woman: Thank you for trusting me with your story. Your pain deserves to be heard, your talents deserve to be celebrated, and your dignity deserves to be protected.
A city that cannot honour its elderly must question what progress truly means.
We all need to help this Canadian senior and many others like her, whose husbands gave their lives to building this city. She deserves to be honoured and to live in dignity. This woman could be your mother, your sister or your neighbour. She could be you when you reach her age.
Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam, PhD, P.Eng.
Candidate for Mayor of Toronto
Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam is an engineer, educator and independent candidate for Mayor of Toronto. Her full platform is at bahira.ca.
Toronto needs an engineer. Vote Bahira.
On October 26, vote Bahira Abdulsalam for Mayor of Toronto.
Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam, PhD, P.Eng.
Independent Candidate for Mayor of Toronto
bahira.ca
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