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Working Hard for Seniors in Edmonton-Sherwood Park Monday, 01 October 2012 Ottawa, ON, October 1, 2012 – To mark Canada’s National  Seniors Day on October 1st, the Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform) and Member of Parliament (Edmonton–Sherwood Park) met with the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), to discuss issues that are affecting seniors in the Edmonton, Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan area.

“Seniors in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan and across Canada deserve our gratitude and recognition for all the valuable contributions they have made and continue to make within our families,
workplaces and communities,” said Minister Uppal. 

The Government of Canada officially established National Seniors Day in 2010 to provide an occasion for all Canadians to celebrate and appreciate seniors. It coincides with the United Nations International Day of Older Persons.

“The Government of Canada is proud to pay tribute to seniors on this day and is committed to supporting their well-being,” said the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), from Ottawa. “We believe
the well-being of seniors depends on their staying active, staying engaged and staying informed.”  

The annual celebration of National Seniors Day is a great way to help raise awareness about seniors’ contributions and the important roles they play in Canadian Society. The Government of Canada is working hard to help improve the lives of seniors on many fronts.


Backgrounder


The Government of Canada is working hard to help improve the lives of seniors on many fronts. These efforts include:

• introducing a new Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) top-up benefit to help Canada’s most vulnerable seniors in 2011. This was the largest increase in 25 years to the GIS, for the lowest-income seniors. This measure further improves the financial security and well-being of more
  than 680 000 seniors across Canada. It represents an investment of $1.5 billion over five years;

• increasing funding to the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) in Budget 2011 by $5 million, bringing the Program’s annual budget to $45 million. The Program helps seniors use their
  leadership abilities, energy and skills to benefit communities across Canada;

• providing Canadians with close to $76 billion this year through Canada’s public pension system;

• providing $2.5 billion in additional tax relief to seniors and pensioners through measures such as enabling pension income splitting and increasing the Age credit in 2012–13;

• providing $400 million over two years under Canada’s Economic Action Plan for the construction of housing units for low-income seniors;

• supporting positive and active aging through the collaborative Age-Friendly Communities Initiative, Physical Activity Tips for Older Adults, and falls-prevention initiatives;

• appointing a Minister of State (Seniors)—someone who can bring the concerns of older Canadians to the Cabinet table and stand up on their behalf;

• ongoing actions to address elder abuse, which include: awareness campaigns; the NHSP, which funds projects to raise awareness of elder abuse; and recently proposed legislation that would help ensure consistently tough penalties for offences involving the abuse of elderly persons; and

• developing seniors.gc.ca as a central resource for Government of Canada information relating to seniors and seniors’ initiatives.

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