Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

On October 2, 2017, Alice Wong asked a question during Question Period. The topic was on Seniors.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in celebration of National Seniors Day, I visited many seniors homes, talking and listening to their concerns.

One concern of seniors is identity theft. In light of a major security breach in a credit agency, when will the Liberal government take action to stop identity theft of our vulnerable seniors?

(1500)

Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the importance of seniors is not only very clear in our mandate letter, but it has also been very clear in our actions since April 2016. We increased by almost $1,000 the guaranteed income supplement for 900,000 vulnerable seniors. We brought the age of eligibly for old age security back to 65 years old, which is preventing 100,000 vulnerable seniors from falling into severe poverty. We have launched, and will be launching again, important investments in housing, in health care, and all sorts of things that will produce—

On June 19, 2017, Alice Wong made a statement in the House of Commons on the topic of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, each year June 15 marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Elder abuse is an important human rights issue we all can bring awareness to, and help ensure that older generations have a right to live a life of dignity. This means a life free from all forms of abuse, including financial and physical abuse, as well as material exploitation, which can lead to significant emotional and mental suffering.

This issue is particularly close to my heart, and in my role as former Minister of State for Seniors, I am incredibly proud of the legislation my colleagues and I created to help end elder abuse.

I am disappointed by this current government’s lack of focus on this issue, in particular their decision to abolish the Minister of State for Seniors portfolio. I hope to see all my colleagues and all Canadians fight to end this devastating form of abuse.

On October 18, 2016, Alice Wong presented a petition in the House of Commons, one concerning a national strategy for seniors (Petition No. 421-00771).

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition today regarding a national seniors strategy for Canada.

The petitioners call on the government to appoint a minister for seniors and to develop a national strategy for seniors.

July 28, 2015
Toronto, Ontario
Employment and Social Development Canada

Good afternoon everyone.

I would like to start off by thanking MaRS Discovery District for having us today. I also want to thank Mr. Goldthorp from Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation of Toronto and Ms. McEwen from Innoweave for their remarks and partnership with us for this exciting announcement. And of course, thank you to Dr. Andrew Wister, and his colleagues from the National Seniors Council, for setting the stage for today’s announcement.

I am delighted to be here today to share some good news for seniors in the Greater Toronto Area.

As Minister of State for Seniors, it is my duty to work with partners from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to address seniors’ issues under the federal purview.

When we talk about older Canadians, it is easy to get stuck on the word “seniors.”

We must remember who they really are.

They are the Canadians who shaped the country we know today. It is all too easy to take them and their contribution to Canada for granted.  We are indebted to them.

In their time, they were the stewards of our country. They built it and preserved it, and held it in trust for this generation, just as we do now for generations to come. We owe them a debt of gratitude and respect.

I am delighted to be making this announcement today. And I would like to take a moment to put today’s announcement in the context of the work that we have done over the past four years.  Many of our files have built upon each other.  And in a sense, the place where we find ourselves today in the area of seniors policy after four years can be regarded as a natural progression from where we began.

Information

First, information: it is critical.

Very early on we heard from Canadians that many citizens are confused about what the different levels of government do, and are struggling to access needed, basic information.

In response, we developed the Information for Seniors and Information for Caregiver web portals which are located at Canada.ca/Seniors.

Using an interactive map of Canada, these two web portals provide links to federal, provincial and municipal programs and services.

This was done collaboratively with my colleagues, the Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting with on four occasions over the past four years.

Seniors policy

The interactive map and portals we created at Canada.ca/seniors illustrate visually something important about the nature of seniors and aging as an area of public policy analysis.

Seniors policy is inherently interdisciplinary.

Issues affecting Canadian seniors fall within the scope of many federal departments and agencies.

While the Office of the Minister of State for Seniors is located within Employment and Social Development Canada—part of my job is to work collaboratively with other federal cabinet ministers with respect to issues affecting Canada’s seniors.

I have found that to do the work of Seniors Policy, one of the basic requirements is to bring together information and perspectives relevant to seniors from across all of government, and assess it holistically.

Sometimes this work requires mediating complex relationships that exist within and between these larger departments and agencies across government.  This can be a difficult task for public officials working in the area of seniors policy.

Depending on the issue, the relevant expertise and policy authorities may reside in another department altogether, while the holistic mandate to do seniors policy analysis is located at Employment and Social Development Canada.

This presents challenges and calls for collaborative approaches to doing the work of seniors policy.

Last year we published the Government of Canada – Action for Seniors report. The premise of this report was simple. Gather together, in one document, the various activities of the federal government that pertain, in one way or another, to seniors. We are very pleased with the result.

Employment and Social Development Canada chairs an interdepartmental committee which brings together representatives from over  23 federal departments and agencies and serves as a focal point for the wide range of disciplines affected by seniors’ issues. It was the work of that table that allowed us to produce the Action for Seniors report.

The Report has been warmly received by Canadians. But, separate from the report itself, I would add that the process of producing the report was helpful for us as it provided a focal point for a comprehensive examination of seniors policy federally.

So, the lesson I learned is that seniors policy is interdisciplinary, comprised of many sources from across government, and that to address seniors’ issues, effort is required to bring together and assess all of the relevant inputs within government.

This is not an easy task, but in my view, it is an essential one.

I am also pleased to announce that a new centre of expertise in the area of Elder Law within Employment and Social Development  Canada is now under development.

Currently, the area of Elder Law touches upon many areas of law, including wills, estates, trusts, substitute decision making, estate planning, health care, consent law, long term care and other housing laws, consumer law, criminal law, real estate, pensions and benefits, veterans and more.  We are also in the midst of the biggest intergenerational transfer of wealth in Canadian history, which will affect the law of business associations and in particular small businesses.

The development of legal and policy expertise in the area of Elder Law will be an essential element to the Government’s ongoing work in the area of seniors policy in the years ahead.

It will also provide a useful point of contact federally for the growing number of dedicated legal practitioners in this growing area of law.

Social isolation

In 2014, I was pleased to appoint Dr. Andrew Wister as Chair of the National Seniors Council.

In November of last year, the National Seniors Council released its report entitled “Report on the Social Isolation of Seniors.” This report was particularly significant in bringing to light the issue of social isolation among Canada’s seniors.

Social isolation can be defined as “a low quantity and quality of contact with others.” Social isolation is different than loneliness, which is the subjective perception of a lack of interaction or contact with others. Rather, a situation of social isolation involves few social contacts and few social roles, as well as the absence of mutually rewarding relationships.

The impact of social isolation on seniors is very troubling. Some of the key findings of the report illustrate the unique challenges and risks that social isolation can place upon seniors.

Social isolation can cause a lack of social cohesion and risks the permanent loss of the valuable social contributions that seniors make to their communities.

Socially isolated seniors are more likely to be at risk of harms such as elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud.

They are also more likely to experience mental health challenges such as depression, social anxiety, loneliness and addictions. Social isolation is correlated to dementia, as well.

On the other hand, it is clear that quality contact with a community or a network of support can have a profound impact on the livelihood, mental and physical health and well-being of seniors, as well as the prosperity of local communities.

The report of the National Seniors Council identified a number of measures that may help to reduce the social isolation of seniors.

One of the primary recommendations was for the federal government to assist with the collective capacity-building of organizations to address the social isolation of seniors.

This report has in turn led us to consider new and innovative ways the New Horizons for Seniors Program might support the work of a wide variety of organizations in attempting to address this complex issue.

And that brings us to today, here at MaRS Discovery District. We chose MaRS for today’s announcement because it exemplifies what innovation and collaboration can achieve.

Since MaRS was established in 2005, it has sought to contribute to social prosperity by catalyzing partnership and innovative thought.  MaRS represents the intersections of innovation and partnership. Bringing together corporate, small  business, government, academic and research  sectors, MaRS works to equip organizations with innovative methodologies and strategic partnerships to help maximize organizations’ societal impact.

The recent call for proposals for pan-Canadian projects supports social innovation principles and signifies a dynamic new way of addressing issues like social isolation among seniors.

This approach calls for various groups, such as local governments, businesses, community organizations and academics, to come together to collectively solve specific challenges faced by seniors.

For this call for proposals, we partnered with the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and its Innoweave initiative.

Organizations applying for funding were asked to develop an impact plan encompassing a group of projects that would tackle social isolation through their collective efforts focused in a particular geographic area.

With over 200 project proposals received, I was very pleased to see such an overwhelming response to this call.

Today I am pleased to announce the first successful proposal of many.  I want to be very clear to the many other applicants that decisions on all applications will be taken in due course.

So, I am delighted to announce funding of close to a combined $3.7 million for six Toronto organizations who will join forces to create the ENRICHES Collective Impact Plan.

ENRICHES stands for Engagement to Reduce Isolation of Caregivers at Home and Enhancing Seniors.

These organizations will be sharing their insights and expertise and focusing their collective efforts on achieving integrated project goals.

As project partners, they will enhance the GTA community’s capacity to reduce social isolation among seniors who are also caregivers.

Seniors who are caregivers—often to their spouse—are often at great risk of social isolation. Isolation can set in gradually, sometimes without notice.

Together, with a common vision, these partners will work to identify caregiving seniors who are at risk of social isolation. ENRICHES will help to assist caregiving seniors and seek to prevent social isolation through awareness-raising of key risks, public outreach, educational programming and targeted outreach among diverse communities across the GTA.

The overall impact of their concerted efforts will have far-reaching benefits for local seniors and for the existing network of other GTA seniors-serving organizations.

Project partners include the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation of Toronto; the Sinai Health System – The Reitman Centre; WoodGreen Community Services; the Alzheimer Society of Toronto; the Canadian Mental Health Association; and North York Community House.

These organizations have a vested interest in addressing the needs of seniors and in supporting isolated caregivers who are seniors—seniors who face the complex challenges of loneliness and isolation that the tremendous responsibility of caregiving can bring.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is just the beginning. In the months to come, other projects from across Canada submitted during the recent Call will be receiving funding.

Over the next 5 years, these pan-Canadian New Horizons projects will focus on measurably reducing social isolation among seniors and will have a tangible impact on older Canadians through creating social connections, strengthening social bonds and building a sense of community.

The Government of Canada has also adopted this approach of innovation and collaboration, working with the private sector, communities and not-for-profit organizations over the past four years on a number of initiatives to enhance the lives of seniors.

Working with the private sector

Last June I launched the Canadian Employer Panel for Caregivers. The panel consisted of representatives from small-, medium- and large-size businesses across the country, including Johnson & Johnson, Ernst & Young and Home Depot.

The panel was launched with the goal of starting a national discussion on employee caregivers in the work place. There are currently 6.1 million Canadians, or 35 percent of our work force providing care to a family member or friend. The Conference Board of Canada estimates the annual cost of lost productivity to Canadian employers due to caregiving responsibilities is close to $1.3 billion.

The Panel consulted with businesses of all sizes across the country on the issue and their work culminated in the release of an excellent report entitled, “When Work and Caregiving Collide” in January of this year.

The report contains their findings, with practical resources that companies of all sizes can use in assessing the business impact of caregiving and how flexible workplace practices can help them retain their best and brightest talent.

Today’s project announcement tackles the issue of caregiving from a different perspective—for the isolation that it can produce.

Working with provinces

Through the Forum of Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, we’re doing a tremendous amount of work to address social isolation.

Collaboration is key.

Through this forum, not only do we share promising approaches, but we’re also encouraging organizations and communities to work together to engage socially isolated seniors through innovative projects and help reduce and prevent social isolation.

Working with communities

I would also like to touch on the issue of homeless seniors in the context of the need for innovative approaches to complex problems.

Homelessness among the elderly is troubling, particularly for those with mental illness or impairment who may be incapable of applying for Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) benefits.

Last Friday, I announced the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program.  Our Government is committed to ensuring that homeless seniors receive the CPP, OAS and GIS benefits they are eligible for.

We are working closely with front-line organizations to reach and support Canada’s most vulnerable seniors.

Thanks to this program, community organizations, such as the Salvation Army, can apply to act as third-party administrators of these benefits for homeless seniors.

A third-party administrator could be a non-profit or registered charitable organization, or a municipality.

As a third-party administrator, qualified organizations and municipalities can apply for and receive CPP and OAS benefits on behalf of a senior they serve and represent, to use the benefits in the best interest of that person.

Those without a home should not have to, and no longer will have to, lose out on this income.

Through this innovative program, by working collaboratively with non-profit and charitable organizations and municipalities to deliver these benefits, we’re doing all we can to make sure no one falls through the cracks.

Conclusion

I am grateful for your patience today in allowing me to take a little extra time to place today’s announcement in context.

I have tried in a short span of time to summarize four years of work:

• our information for seniors and information for caregiver web portals;
• our ongoing work in developing a methodology for seniors policy analysis that recognizes that it is an inherently interdisciplinary area of public policy, which requires the hard work of holistic analysis from across all of government in order to be coherent;
• the development of social isolation as a focus of our work over the next 5 years, which is reflected in the NHSP program and our partnership with J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and Innoweave, as well as the work of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors, and of course the work and report of the National Seniors Council, which in many respects represents the foundation of much of this work;
• the work of the Canadian Employers Panel for Caregivers;
• the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program;
• and, of course today’s wonderful announcement of ENRICHES, which will be led by Mount Sinai Hospital, and its partners.

We are on the cusp of the most profound demographic shift in Canadian history. What unites all of this work is the need to take a holistic approach to seniors issues that unites many subject areas and disciplines, and people engaged in this work in many different ways; and working together, to think and act with creativity and with innovation, and with the determination to tackle the challenges that lie ahead for all of us.

It has been my very great privilege to do this work.

Thank you.

July 24, 2015                            Ottawa, Ontario             Employment and Social Development Canada

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), was pleased today to highlight the Government of Canada’s ongoing efforts with organizations such as The Salvation Army, to help improve the lives of seniors across the country.

Through programs such as the new Supporting Homeless Seniors Program, the Government of Canada is committed to helping vulnerable seniors—particularly those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and who are incapable of managing their own affairs—to receive the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) benefits for which they are eligible.

The Government is undertaking targeted efforts, working closely with municipalities, community organizations and front-line outreach and service providers, to increase their capacity to assist seniors who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Through the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program, community organizations that are non-profit or registered charitable organizations and municipalities can apply to act as third-party administrators of CPP and/or OAS benefits for homeless seniors. As a third-party administrator, qualified individuals and organizations can apply for and receive CPP and/or OAS benefits on behalf of the senior they serve and represent, and then pay out the benefits in the best interest of that person.

The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people, including seniors in over 400 communities across Canada. They offer assistance to seniors, tending to the basic necessities of life, which includes providing shelter for those who are homeless, as well as other supports and services for homeless, vulnerable seniors.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada is committed to the well-being of Canada’s seniors by working with all levels of government, seniors’ organizations and stakeholders to develop policies and programs that support seniors.
• The Supporting Homeless Seniors Program builds on other activities the Government has undertaken to support vulnerable seniors, who are often socially isolated. Ongoing initiatives include:
  • The New Horizons for Seniors Program, which funds projects that will help prevent and reduce social isolation among seniors; and,
  • The Homelessness Partnering Strategy, a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness by providing direct support and funding to 61 designated communities, as well as Aboriginal, rural and remote communities across Canada.
• Social isolation is commonly defined as a low quantity and quality of contact with others. Social isolation involves a situation of few social contacts, few social roles and the absence of mutually rewarding relationships.

Quotes

“Through the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that homeless seniors receive the CPP and OAS benefits for which they are eligible. We are working closely with front-line organizations to reach and support Canada’s most vulnerable seniors.”

– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

“The Salvation Army is excited about the targeted efforts the Government has taken to assist one of our often-forgotten assets: our aging Canadians, a growing community in Canada that is increasingly marginalized and in need of assistance.”

– Tony Brushett, Assistant Executive Director, The Salvation Army, Ottawa Booth Centre

“In Ottawa more than 9,000 seniors live in poverty and 6% don’t receive the support they need. With an aging population, these numbers are expected to increase in Canada. Today’s announcement will go a long way to support the most vulnerable seniors in our communities by helping to increase access to financial resources that are critical for those seniors who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.”

– Carole Gagnon, Vice President, Community Investment, United Way Ottawa

“As a current funder of a voluntary Trusteeship program, the City of Windsor is very supportive of the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program. The proposed changes will provide easier access to financial management, coaching and vital income supports that allow individuals and families who are at risk to obtain housing and remain housed.”

–Community Development and Health Services, City of Windsor

“Through the provisions of the Supporting Homeless Seniors Program, the Trusteeship program administered by the City of Brantford is better able to assist homeless seniors with managing their income in a concerted effort to address homelessness and to prevent the risk of homelessness.  The program provides us with a greater capacity to assist older adults in our community who are vulnerable and at higher risk of homelessness.” 

– Jo Atanas, City of Brantford General Manager, Social Services

Associated Links

Supporting Homeless Seniors Program
Canada.ca/Seniors
Homelessness Partnering Strategy
Housing First

Backgrounder

Supporting Homeless Seniors Program  

The Government of Canada is committed to reaching homeless seniors and ensuring they receive the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) benefits for which they are eligible.

Non-profit and registered charitable organizations and municipalities can apply to act as administrators of CPP and/or OAS benefits for seniors who are homeless, or at imminent risk of being homeless, and who are incapable of managing their own affairs. This will apply only in cases where the Minister of Employment and Social Development is not aware of the existence of another person or agency already authorized to manage the individual’s financial affairs.

To find out if an organization or municipality qualifies as a third-party administrator, or to apply to become one, visit servicecanada.gc.ca.

Canada’s public pensions

Canada’s public pensions have played a major role in reducing the incidence of low income among seniors, from 21.4 percent in 1980 to 5.2 percent in 2011. Canada now has one of the lowest rates of low income among seniors in the world.

The CPP is a stable, well-designed plan that is portable from province to province and fiscally sustainable over the long run. The Chief Actuary of Canada has confirmed that the CPP is financially sound and is fully sustainable for generations to come.

The OAS program is funded through general tax revenues and provides a basic monthly income for Canadian seniors. The Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowances provide additional income to low-income pensioners, their spouses or common-law partners, and eligible survivors.

New Horizons for Seniors Program

The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and their communities. Through the NHSP, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others.

The objectives of the NHSP are:

• promoting volunteerism among seniors;
• engaging seniors in the community through mentoring of others;
• expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse;
• supporting social participation and inclusion of seniors; and
• providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors.

NHSP funding supports community-based and pan-Canadian projects that help to keep Canadian seniors active, engaged and informed. Recent NHSP calls for proposals for both community-based projects and pan-Canadian projects closed on July 10, 2015.

Community-based projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) that enable seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others, and help communities increase their capacity to address local issues, are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year, per organization.

Pan-Canadian projects test and share best practices across the country, and replicate interventions that have worked well in addressing seniors’ issues. The Pan-Canadian 2015-2016 call for proposals focuses on projects that help to reduce social isolation among seniors. Previous calls for proposals have focused on increasing the awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse. Pan-Canadian projects may be funded between $150,000 and $750,000, for up to a maximum of three years.

For more information on the NHSP, visit Canada.ca/Seniors.

Homelessness Partnering Strategy

The Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) is a unique community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness by providing direct support and funding to 61 designated communities in all provinces and territories, as well as to Aboriginal, rural and remote communities across Canada, to help them address homelessness.

Economic Action Plan 2013 renewed the HPS with nearly $600 million in total funding over five years, ending in March 2019, using a Housing First approach.

Until recently, the most common way to deal with homelessness has been a “crisis-based” model—not just in Canada, but in many developed countries. This model involves relying heavily on shelters and other emergency interventions. Typically, individuals must first participate in a series of treatments and demonstrate sobriety before they are offered housing. This approach has been costly and not effective for the long term.

Without stable housing, it is much more difficult to participate in treatment programs and manage mental and physical health issues. This leads to high costs for emergency housing, hospitalization, shelters, prisons and a host of other crisis services.

Housing First, on the other hand, involves ensuring individuals have immediate housing before providing the necessary supports to help them stabilize their lives. Experiences in other countries have demonstrated that this approach shows great promise.

In 2008 the Government invested $110 million in the Mental Health Commission of Canada to undertake our own landmark study. The results demonstrated that:

• Housing First rapidly ends homelessness and leads to other positive outcomes for quality of life;
• it is a sound financial investment that can lead to significant cost savings. Every $10 invested in Housing First services led to an average savings to government of $21.72 for participants who used emergency and social services the most; and
• it works in the long term. Over the course of the study, participants in the Housing First group spent an average of 73 percent of their time in stable housing, compared to 32 percent for the group receiving usual care.

Overall, the project demonstrated that the Housing First approach can reduce the economic and social costs of homelessness, such as those related to health care and the justice system. In addition, those who received both housing and supportive services showed more signs of recovery than those who did not.

June 19, 2015 – Vancouver, British Columbia and Edmonton, Alberta – Employment and Social Development Canada

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) and the Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance), officially launched today a faster and easier online application for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). It allows retirees to complete and submit their CPP retirement pension application entirely online in just a few clicks, replacing the online process which required claimants to complete a long and cumbersome application online, and print and mail a signed signature page.

This is part of the Harper Government’s efforts to continually improve Canadians’ access to the benefits and services they need.

Quick Facts

• The My CPP Retirement online application, available within My Service Canada Account, is a complete and secure end-to-end self-serve online process that allows clients to quickly and easily apply for their CPP retirement pension.
• It uses existing departmental information that Service Canada already has on file (i.e. name, address and telephone number) to pre-populate the fields, streamlining and accelerating the application process and creating efficiencies for the Department and Canadians.
• It is recommended that claimants apply 6 months before they want their retirement pension to begin; however, not more than 12 months ahead of time.
• Both the Canadian Retirement Income Calculator and the CPP Statement of Contributions are tools that can help claimants determine the best time to start their retirement pension and get an estimate of how much they might receive.
• Clients can still apply by completing the paper application form or by visiting a Service Canada Centre.
• In fiscal year 2014–15, Service Canada processed approximately 280,000 new CPP retirement pension applications.

Quotes

“The Harper Government is committed to providing modern, accessible and convenient online services to Canadians while generating administrative efficiencies through process automation. This new online application makes applying for the CPP retirement pension easier for Canadians.”

– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

“Our Government is taking major steps to simplify and modernize the CPP application process. Now, more than ever, Canadians can access benefits online in a timely and secure manner.”

– The Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of States (Finance)

Associated Links

Canada Pension Plan Retirement Pension

My Service Canada Account

Canadian Retirement Income Calculator

Personal Access Code

Seniors.gc.ca

June 15, 2015 Ottawa, Ontario Employment and Social Development Canada

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), today announced New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) funding worth $25,000 to HelpAge Canada for their Seen Your Citizen? project. Minister Wong also marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).

Seen Your Citizen? is a community-based project dedicated to supporting social participation and inclusion of seniors. This project aims to raise awareness of agism and stereotyping among generations.

To mark the 10th World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Government of Canada is proud to recognize the work being done here and around the world to raise awareness of elder abuse and help seniors protect themselves from its many forms.

The Government of Canada continues to address elder abuse by supporting a range of measures that help protect seniors from all forms of abuse. The New Horizons for Seniors Program seeks to expand awareness of elder abuse by funding community-based projects.

Through a new NHSP call for proposals for pan-Canadian projects the Government also aims to reduce the social isolation of seniors, which may impact up to 30 percent of Canadian seniors. Social isolation can increase vulnerability and put Canadian seniors at risk of elder abuse.

Quick facts

• June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It was first launched by the World Health Organization and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2006 to bring attention to the abuse and neglect that some older adults experience and how abuse can be prevented. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011.
• The annual NHSP Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects is open until July 10, 2015. Through the call, organizations are being invited to apply for funding of up to $25,000 for projects that help empower seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others and support communities by increasing their capacity to address local issues.
• The NHSP Call for Proposals for Pan-Canadian Projects is also open until July 10, 2015. Pan Canadian projects that receive funding will focus on addressing social isolation among seniors in Canada.
• Since 2006, the NHSP has funded nearly 15,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, representing a total Government of Canada investment of $350 million.
• Since 2006, $2.8 billion in annual tax relief has been provided to seniors and pensioners.
• For a wide range of information for seniors, including details on elder abuse awareness, please visit Canada.ca/Seniors.
• The Government of Canada released the Government of Canada – Action for Seniors report in September 2014. The report is a new information resource highlighting federal programs and services that can be accessed by seniors, their families and caregivers. It was created in collaboration with more than 22 federal departments and agencies. The report can be found on Canada.ca/Seniors.
• Today’s announcement is one example of what the Government is doing to improve Canadians’ lives. To help families prosper, the Government is also enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), introducing the Family Tax Cut and making improvements to the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit.
• The UCCB would increase to up to $1,920 per year for children under the age of 6, and parents would receive a benefit of up to $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17.
• The proposed enhancements to the UCCB would provide $160 per month for each child under the age of 6 and $60 per month for each child aged 6 through 17.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is committed to protecting seniors from elder abuse in all its forms. Eye-opening and perspective-changing activities conducted by organizations such as the HelpAge Canada will help foster a revitalized appreciation of the important role seniors play in our communities and a renewed respect for what they have achieved.”

– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

“Everywhere across Canada the message is the same: Social isolation of seniors is becoming a deep concern. It renders seniors more vulnerable. HelpAge Canada is dedicated to addressing it. We are pleased to have received support from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for the Seen Your Citizen? project that fights agism and helps seniors share their life experience.”

– Jacques Bertrand, Director General, HelpAge Canada

Associated Links

• Canada.ca/Seniors
• Funding: New Horizons for Seniors Program
• Innoweave Seniors SI initiative
• National Seniors Council
• Canada.ca/taxsavings
• Economic Action Plan 2015
• Backgrounder on new measures: Helping Families Prosper

June 11, 2015– Ottawa, Ontario – Employment and Social Development Canada

Today, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), highlighted the Government of Canada’s work to tackle issues facing Canadians caring for family members, including seniors, at the Families in Canada Conference 2015. The conference, hosted by the Vanier Institute of the Family, is an important opportunity to converse with leaders from diverse professions, disciplines and backgrounds, all of whom bring their unique perspectives to discuss the issues and experiences faced by families today.

In her remarks, Minister Wong highlighted the measures the Government has taken to address the challenges that Canadians face in providing care for children, family members with disabilities or serious illnesses and injuries, and seniors, including those at end of life. Minister Wong highlighted the Canadian Employers for Caregivers Plan as well as the report released by the Employer Panel for Caregivers earlier this year. The report illustrates best practices for employers to help their employees balance work and caregiving responsibilities.

Minister Wong also spoke about the recent launch of two calls for proposals for the New Horizons for Seniors Program. These calls provide opportunities for organizations to run projects that could address issues of care related to the social isolation of seniors.

The Government has proposed additional measures to help make life more affordable for Canadian families. The new measures include enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), introducing the Family Tax Cut and making improvements to the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit. Under the proposed enhancements to the UCCB, families would receive $160 per month (up to $1,920 per year) for each child under the age of 6, and $60 per month (up to $720 per year) for each child aged 6 through 17.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada recognizes the important role of unpaid family caregivers and offers them a variety of supports, including the Family Caregiver Tax Credit, Employment Insurance compassionate care benefits, the Canadian Employers for Caregivers Plan and an Information for Caregivers portal on Canada.ca/Seniors.
• There are currently 6.1 million employed Canadians, or 35 percent of our workforce, providing care to a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, a physical or mental disability, or problems related to aging.
• Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide an additional $37 million annually to extend Employment Insurance compassionate care benefits from six weeks to six months, which may be taken within an expanded period of 52 weeks (one year). This measure will come into effect on January 3, 2016.

Quote

“I would like to congratulate the Vanier Institute of the Family on hosting the Families in Canada Conference 2015 during their 50th anniversary year. It is with opportunities like these that we can come together to share our knowledge and experience in our efforts to better meet the needs of Canadian families.”

– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

Associated Links

Information for Caregivers

Canada.ca/Seniors

When Work and Caregiving Collide: How Employers Can Support Their Employees Who Are Caregivers

New Horizons for Seniors Program

Family Tax Cut and the Universal Child Care Benefit

Employment Insurance compassionate care benefits

Canada Labour Code

10^th Annual NICE Knowledge Exchange

Toronto, Ontario

May 28, 2015

Thank you for that kind introduction.

It is an honour to be here with you again this year. And to share the same podium with such an impressive group of experts in the field of aging.

I would like to acknowledge my provincial counterpart who also joins us today, the Honourable Mario Sergio.

I would also like to congratulate NICE on hosting its 10^th Knowledge Exchange.

I wanted to take the opportunity today to talk briefly about some of the things that I have learned over the past 4 years as the Minister of State for Seniors. It has been a lesson for me in the importance of collaboration and working together.

Information

First, information; it is critical.

Very early on we heard from Canadians that many citizens are confused about what the different levels of government do, and are struggling to access needed, basic information.

In response, we developed the Information for Seniors and Information for Caregiver web portals which are located at Canada.ca/Seniors.

Using an interactive map of Canada, these two web portals provide links directly to federal, provincial and municipal programs and services.

This was done collaboratively with my colleagues, the Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Seniors in 2012, who I have had the pleasure of meeting with on four occasions over the past 4 years.

Canada.ca/Seniors also provides links to the United Way’s excellent 211 information service in those provinces where it is currently available. 211 is an information referral service available online or via telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in over 100 languages, and provides information to citizens from all levels of government as well as a variety of community organizations. I highly recommend this excellent resource.

Social Isolation

In 2014, I was pleased to appoint Professor Andrew Wister as Chair of the National Seniors Council.

In November of last year, the National Seniors Council released its report entitled “Report on the Social Isolation of Seniors”. This report was particularly significant in bringing to light the issue of social isolation among Canada’s seniors.

Social isolation can be defined as “a low quantity and quality of contact with others”. Social isolation is different than loneliness, which is the subjective perception of a lack of interaction or contact with others. Rather, a situation of social isolation involves few social contacts and few social roles, as well as the absence of mutually rewarding relationships.

The impact of social isolation on seniors is very troubling. Some of the key findings of the report illustrate the unique challenges and risks that social isolation can place upon seniors.

Social isolation can cause a lack of social cohesion and risks the permanent loss of the valuable social contributions that seniors make to their communities.

Socially isolated seniors are more likely to be at risk of harms such as elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud.

They are also more likely to experience mental health challenges such as depression, social anxiety, loneliness and addictions. Social isolation is correlated to dementia, as well.

On the other hand, it is clear that quality contact with a community or a network of support can have a profound impact on the livelihood, mental and physical health and well-being of seniors as well as the prosperity of local communities.

The report of the National Seniors Council identified a number of measures that may help to reduce the social isolation of seniors. These include public awareness, the promotion and improved accessibility of information, services and programs for seniors, and continued research into this complex issue.

And a final recommendation from the Council’s 2014 report was for the Federal Government to assist with the collective capacity-building of organizations to address the social isolation of seniors with social innovation.

This report has in turn led us to consider how the New Horizons for Seniors Program might support the work of a wide variety of organizations in attempting to address this complex issue.

I am pleased to announce that the new theme for the Pan-Canadian New Horizons for Seniors program is social isolation. The call-for-proposals will be launched tomorrow, together with the call-for-proposals for Community-Based grants. You are most welcome to join me tomorrow at 11:00AM at the Mon Sheong Home for the Aged on D’Arcy Street for the launch.

Over the next 5 years, the Pan-Canadian New Horizons stream will focus upon reducing the social isolation of seniors, not in theory, but in the real lives of seniors in Canadian communities.

Collaboration and innovation are at the core of what we are aiming for. As such, the Government will be partnering with the McConnell Family Foundation of Canada, and their Innoweave initiative to help build partnerships, and spur innovative ideas among organizations that apply.

Successful applicants must demonstrate an ability to plan and work collaboratively with other organizations in a particular region or community.

For information on the application process please visit Canada.ca/Seniors.

Caregiving

Over the past four years I have also found that supporting caregivers is a matter that goes hand-in-hand with supporting seniors.

Last June I launched the Canadian Employer Panel for Caregivers. The panel consisted of representatives from small, medium and large size businesses across the country, including Johnson & Johnson, Ernst & Young and Home Depot.

The annual cost of lost productivity to Canadian employers due to caregiving responsibilities is estimated at $1.3 billion dollars annually.

The Panel found that of the estimated 6 million Canadians that provide unpaid, informal care while working, most were providing care to seniors, and most were themselves over the age of 45.

Many of the same people who provide essential care for seniors are also some of the best and brightest participants in the labour force, often possessing deep company and industry knowledge.

The Panel discovered that while many employers across Canada are aware of caregiving responsibilities among their employee base, few are aware of the magnitude of their caregiving responsibilities.

A danger for the labour force is that some employed caregivers may elect to leave work early to provide care to a loved one, typically an aging parent.

The Panel’s work culminated in the release of an excellent report titled, “When Work and Caregiving Collide – How Employers can Support their Employees who are Caregiving”, in January of this year. The report contains their findings, with practical resources that companies of all sizes can use in assessing the business impact of caregiving and how flexible workplace practices can help them retain their best and brightest talent.

Seniors and Homelessness

I would also like to comment briefly on the issue of seniors and homelessness.

Homelessness among the elderly is troubling, particularly for those with mental illness or impairment, who may be incapable of applying for Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and  Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). On the front lines of servicing this community are municipalities and charitable or non-profit organizations.

In January, 2015, the Government announced that municipalities and charitable or non-profit organizations may apply to administer CPP and OAS/GIS benefits on behalf of a senior who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and who is suffering from some degree of mental impairment or incapability.

Friends, it is a sad irony that these most vulnerable seniors may not have the benefit of the CPP, OAS and GIS benefits to which they are entitled by law – benefits that could make a tremendous difference in their lives.

I sincerely hope that those cities and organizations working on the front lines of outreach and service delivery collaborate with us towards this common objective. We are trying hard to reach out to relevant municipalities and organizations and I would note that we have an information booth today which is devoted largely to this initiative.

Seniors Policy

Finally, I want to comment briefly on the nature of seniors as an area of public policy analysis.

Seniors policy is inherently interdisciplinary.

Issues affecting Canadian seniors fall within the scope of many federal departments and agencies.

While the Office of the Minister of State is located within Employment and Social Development Canada – part of my job is to work collaboratively with other Federal Cabinet Ministers – most of them in much larger departments – with respect to issues affecting Canada’s seniors.

I have found that to do the work of Seniors Policy, one of the basic requirements is to bring together information and perspectives from across the whole of government relevant to seniors and assess it holistically.

Sometimes this work requires mediating complex relationships that exist within and between these larger departments and agencies across government. This can be a difficult task for public officials working the area of Seniors Policy. Depending on the issue, the relevant expertise and policy authorities may reside in another department altogether. This presents challenges and calls for collaborative approaches to doing the work of Seniors Policy.

Last year we published the Government of Canada: Action for Seniors report. The premise of this report was simple. Gather together, in one document, the various activities of the Federal Government that pertain, in one way or another, to seniors. We are very pleased with the result.

Employment and Social Development Canada chairs an interdepartmental committee which brings together 22 Federal departments and agencies and serves as a focal point for the wide range of disciplines affected by seniors’ issues. It was the work of that table that allowed us to produce the Action for Seniors report.

The Report has been warmly received by Canadians. But – separate from the report itself – I would add that the process of producing the report was helpful for us as it provided a focal point for a comprehensive examination of seniors policy federally.

So, the lesson I learned is that seniors policy is interdisciplinary, comprised of many sources from across government, and that to address seniors issues, effort is required to bring together and assess all of the relevant inputs within government. This is not an easy task, but in my view, it is an essential one.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share some of these observations with you.

It is always such a pleasure to be here at NICE. I look forward to the rest of the morning. Thank you very much.