The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize June as Seniors Month, and June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

As we celebrate our seniors this month, I encourage everyone to also take this opportunity to reflect on our shared responsibility to raise awareness about elder abuse in our society.

Our seniors have always been a source of inspiration, for their resilience and tenacity in the face of tremendous challenges throughout our province’s history.

We look to them for guidance in difficult times, and we draw on their strength and wisdom in our everyday lives, as our communities benefit from the gifts of their time, talents and knowledge.

I extend my sincere appreciation to our community partners, who provide vital supports to seniors throughout the year.

Together, we have been working to help ensure seniors continue to have access to programs, services and supports throughout this public health emergency.

I would especially like to thank SeniorsNL, for the critical supports they continue to provide, including their information and outreach services, which help keep seniors connected to their communities.

The Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, the Newfoundland and Labrador 50+ Federation and the Seniors Coalition, as well as the many 50+ clubs and other local organizations, are also to be commended for the innovative ways they have been supporting seniors during this unprecedented time.

In the spirit of honouring seniors for their contributions to our communities, I am pleased to note that nominations are now open for the 2020 Seniors of Distinction Awards.

I encourage everyone to visit our website to find out more about how they can nominate a senior for this honour, and I also invite all residents of our province to celebrate seniors during this special month.

Thank you.