Every day in Canada should be marked by respect and admiration for the generations of hardworking Canadians who have been so monumental in the development of our nation into the wonderful place it is today.

But on October 1, we will pay special attention to celebrating our senior citizens through various National Seniors Day activities.

I was proud to join my fellow parliamentarians in supporting Bill C-40, An Act to establish National Seniors Day. While this bill currently remains in the Senate and is unlikely to pass before October 1, we are not willing to wait an entire year to celebrate the valuable contributions made by Canadian senior citizens.

Modern-day seniors are a very diverse group who assume many different roles. They are remarkable business leaders, devoted mentors, energetic athletes and exemplary volunteers. In fact, seniors volunteer significantly more hours on average than any other group in Canada.

To show appreciation for Canadian seniors and ensure they have access to the quality of life they deserve, this government has introduced several cost-saving measures to benefit seniors. These include pension income splitting, doubling the Pension Income Credit, increasing the age credit, and reducing minimum RRIF withdrawals.

Budget 2010 also invested an additional $5 million per year in the New Horizons for Seniors Program, bringing the program’s total overall budget to $40 million. This increase in funding will ensure support for programs that encourage seniors to volunteer and mentor other generations, as well as initiatives that aim to increase awareness of financial abuse.

However, we recognize that much still needs to be done. I can assure you that we will continue on our path to work hard to meet the needs of Canadian seniors. We will be continually working with territorial, provincial and municipal partners to develop sustainable ways to improve the quality of life for older Canadians.

The National Seniors Council was established in 2007 to provide advice to the federal government on matters related to the well-being and quality of life for seniors.

Senior citizens play a vital role in this country’s future. It is imperative that we embrace the wisdom of previous generations and learn from their experiences as we continue to build upon what they’ve started in this nation.

Seniors should never take a backseat in society, but on October 1, we can all pause to say an extra loud thank you to the men and women who have built this country.

-30-