[maple_leaf_eh]

A relative had health problems force his retirement from the public service. He'd done shifts, worked in offices, been on project teams, and had many differing responsibilities, but all within the single pension scheme. His reward was the shock of not having a steady place to go in the mornings and the change of self-identity. However, he always had other irons in the fire. Some he had to give up due to the exertion required; others filled in the extra time. What does he do now? Three pursuits, two paid and one purely humanitarian. And, he still worries about his taxes.

I intend to keep doing what I like as long as I stay fit and engaged. What to do afterwards is daunting, but the pay and benefits where I am are the reward for low pay and uncertainty many years ago.

So, on the legal level, in Canada there is no longer a mandatory retirement age. There are some fields which have successfully instituted realistic job performance standards, such as police, firefighters and military. Others have holdover rules, like judges having to retire at age 75 and commercial pilots at age 65. But many industries rely on older workers and third (or fourth) career'ers, like my neighbour the former college professor who became a priest in his 70's!