Mr. Speaker, on June 15, Canada will join countries around the world in marking the fifth annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
I am pleased to say that also on June 15 there will be an International Elder Abuse Awareness Conference in Toronto. The conference will feature presentations on elder abuse initiatives across Canada and around the world. It will also focus partially on youth and intergenerational activities that promote awareness of elder abuse.
Taking action against this very serious issue begins with education, by teaching all Canadians to recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and where to go for help, and empowerment, by encouraging older Canadians to speak up, individually and collectively.
We are taking steps on these two fundamentals. In budget 2008, we committed $13 million over three years to help raise awareness about elder abuse and to aid seniors and all Canadians in dealing with this issue.
As part of the initiative, we launched a national elder abuse awareness campaign in 2009. The “Elder abuse, it is time to face the reality” campaign reached out to Canadians of all ages through television, print, and the Internet.
As members know, the priority of this government is always the safety and security of Canadians. Therefore, we see the issue of elder abuse as a very serious one. That is why I am pleased to announce that we will be launching a new phase of the elder abuse awareness campaign across the country in the fall.
The campaign aims to help seniors, as well as all Canadians, recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and exploitation in all its forms—physical, financial, sexual, psychological, and neglect—and to provide important information on the support that is available.
Furthermore, budget 2010 provides an additional $10 million over two years to the new horizons for seniors program, bringing the program total for the next two years to $80 million. This enhanced funding will support projects that focus on volunteering among seniors and on raising awareness about the financial exploitation of seniors.
The new horizons for seniors program also has an elder abuse awareness funding component. Through this funding, new educational and awareness resources about elder abuse will be available. These will again help improve quality of life, safety, and security for seniors and will enable non-profit organizations and coalitions to raise awareness on a national or regional level.
As the Minister of State for Seniors, I am proud of the work this government is doing to empower older Canadians. On June 15, I encourage all Canadians to focus on ways to join in the fight against elder abuse.