Mr. Speaker, in 1990 the UN General Assembly designated October 1 as international senior citizens' day.
As the official opposition critic for senior citizens organizations and as a retired teacher, I would like to emphasize the important role played by seniors throughout the world.
The United Nations has asked the government and non-governmental organizations to contribute to a special UN fund on aging in order to increase public awareness throughout the world.
In a world where work and productivity are the order of the day, senior citizens must not be perceived as a burden on society. Every year, this international day dedicated to senior citizens reminds us that these people have contributed to the development of our society and will continue to do so according to their abilities.
I would like to pay tribute to all senior citizens throughout the world, and especially to those who built this country.