Mr. Speaker, today, June 15, 2007, Canadians join together to recognize the second annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Elder abuse exists in many ugly forms. We know elder abuse exists because we hear about it all the time but many seniors do not report abuse. Many feel isolated and afraid to speak out. As a result, elder abuse remains largely hidden behind closed doors.
This government is reaching out to our seniors population. We are showing Canadians that elder abuse exists, and that there is help available within our communities. In March, the Secretary of State for Seniors, the Minister of Human Resources and the Minister of Health announced the creation of the National Seniors Council. One of the first priorities of this council as announced in budget 2007 is a new horizons for seniors program expansion from $10 million per year to $35 million.
This government will establish programs to educate seniors on elder abuse and fraud. We are actively working with the federal-provincial-territorial group on safety and security for seniors. This group promotes awareness to help crack down on criminals and scam artists who prey on our most vulnerable.
Our government is taking real action to stand up for those who built this country and made it what it is today.