Thank you, Chair, and thank you to MP Serré, first off, for your presentation and for taking the time and having the commitment to bring motion 106 forward. I think it's something that's very necessary for the country, and the fact that we're going to spend some time now studying this and talking about seniors and their issues is of utmost importance, I think.
To echo my colleague, the numbers are staggering, and I certainly learned that during the campaign of 2015, going door to door. My riding is Saint John—Rothesay in Atlantic Canada, and certainly has the highest percentage of seniors in Canada at 20%. Compare that number with Alberta, which has 12%. So Atlantic Canada is aging, and we know that nationally it's the first time that we have ever had more seniors—I think it's 5.9 million seniors versus 5.8 million people under 14 years of age—so the numbers are staggering and this obviously presents a challenge for governments. As people get older, they need more health care and home care, more government care. I think you'll obviously see the demands on government continuing to grow as time passes.
We certainly have a challenge in front of us, but I think my first question to you, MP Serré, will be about our going door to door and talking to seniors and learning about seniors' issues. There are certainly more single seniors, more single female seniors across this country, but I want to ask you to expand on the need for day programming for seniors. How do you feel the federal government can support this better? What's the best approach?