I don't know if that was to welcome me or to burden me, Mr. Chairman, but I appreciate the support.
Minister, as you know, the Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care issued a report entitled Not to be Forgotten: Care of Vulnerable Canadians. The report included a host of recommendations for combatting elder abuse. In particular it discussed strategies for addressing the problem of elder abuse, and that the vast majority of such cases never make it to a court of law. This legislation, in that sense, will underpin that concern.
Among other things, the report called for better training for legal professionals and law enforcement officers in how to identify and prosecute elder abuse, establishment of special courts for elder abuse as exist for other incidents of family abuse, and the tailoring of the existing court system to make it more amenable to seniors.
Minister, could you share with us if these measures are otherwise being considered by the government? If so, is there a reason they were not referenced in this legislation?