Mr. Speaker, the Alliance of Seniors to Protect Canada's Social Programs represents 25 organizations with a combined membership of over 500,000 seniors.
The alliance has declared Toronto the most diverse city in the world. It has noted that seniors reflect this diversity racially, ethnically and culturally. Many seniors who are immigrants are socially isolated due to limited language skills, cultural inhibitions and discrimination. This makes accessibility to social programs and services more difficult particularly in the areas of health, community care access, housing and education.
The Government of Canada and the Alliance of Seniors to Protect Canada's Social Programs recognize the importance of funding for health care, the specific needs of seniors, and the special linguistic and cultural requirements of minority communities.
We are committed to working with seniors toward programs and services consistent with cultural backgrounds and needs of our diverse and aging population. Together we will maintain and enhance Canada's social programs in keeping with Canada's reputation as the best country in the world in which to live.