Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

London, Ontario, February 24, 2012—The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), hosted a roundtable event today with local seniors’ organizations from the London area. The event was part of a series of cross-Canada consultations to discuss key issues that matter to seniors in the area.

“The Government of Canada is committed to the well-being of Canadian seniors,” said Minister Wong. “Through these roundtables, the Government of Canada is engaging key stakeholders to discuss elder abuse and other important seniors‑related issues.”

It is estimated that between four and 10 per cent of Canadian seniors experience some form of elder abuse. The Government of Canada is taking action to increase awareness of this issue through its elder abuse awareness campaigns and a component of the New Horizons for Seniors Program that provides grants to increase awareness. The most recent instalment of the elder abuse awareness campaign is running during the month of February.

The outcome of these roundtable discussions will help inform the direction of future government policies and programs on elder abuse and seniors’ issues.

For more information on what the Government of Canada is doing for seniors, visit seniors.gc.ca.

This news release is available in alternative formats on request.

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