C-685
Second Session, Forty-first Parliament,
62-63-64 Elizabeth II, 2013-2014-2015
HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA
BILL C-685
An Act to amend the Celebrating Canada’s Seniors Act (living situation of seniors)
first reading, June 4, 2015
Mr. Hyer
412235
SUMMARY
The purpose of this enactment is to amend the Celebrating Canada’s Seniors Act in order to require the Minister of State (Seniors) to prepare an annual report on the living situation of seniors in Canada.
Available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address:http://www.parl.gc.ca
2nd Session, 41st Parliament,
62-63-64 Elizabeth II, 2013-2014-2015
house of commons of canada
BILL C-685
An Act to amend the Celebrating Canada’s Seniors Act (living situation of seniors)
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
SHORT TITLE
Short title
1. This Act may be cited as the Respecting Seniors Act.
2010, c. 13
CELEBRATING CANADA'S SENIORS ACT
2. The long title of the Celebrating Canada’s Seniors Act is replaced by the following:
An Act to promote respect for seniors in Canada
3. The preamble to the Act is amended by adding the following after the third paragraph:
Whereas it is important to recognize that seniors, regardless of their socio-economic or cultural status, or their state of mental or physical health, are valued members of Canadian society who should benefit from freedom, independence and dignity in managing their own lives where possible and should be protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation;
Whereas many seniors live on a fixed income;
Whereas seniors have specific physical and mental health needs, including the need for long-term care;
4. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 3:
REPORT ON SENIORS IN CANADA
Annual report
4. The Minister of State (Seniors) or, if there is no Minister of State (Seniors), the Minister of Employment and Social Development must prepare and lay or cause to be laid before each House of Parliament an annual report for the previous year providing a comprehensive view of the living situation of seniors in Canada, including not only an overview of the issues they face, such as a lack of autonomy, a lack of dignity and respect in the way they are treated, abuse and exploitation, but also the following:
(a) an overview of seniors’ standard of living and quality of life, taking into account income security, pension stability and indexed public income support;
(b) statistics on the number of seniors who choose to work beyond the age of 65 years and are able to do so, and on those who have access to education and training;
(c) statistics on whether seniors have access to affordable, accessible and secure housing that costs less than 30% of their household income;
(d) statistics on seniors’ access to universal and culturally sensitive health care, including primary care, dental care, home care, palliative care, long-term care and pharmacare;
(e) an update on the progress made by the federal government in ensuring that seniors have an adequate standard of living and quality of life;
(f) an exploration of ways to assist families of seniors and any other caregivers; and
(g) an exploration of, and proposals on, how the activities of all levels of government can be harmonized to ensure that the needs of seniors are met in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons
