QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Employment and Social Development
Elder Abuse
October 7, 2025
Madam Secretary, Canadians have read with horror the many stories of elder abuse and neglect affecting our seniors. According to your own government, between 4% and 10% of older adults in Canada experience some form of abuse and neglect, in every region and setting, including retirement and long-term care communities.
This issue has touched my own office. One of my staff members lost his father in a retirement residence last winter. Despite living on an assisted-living floor and suffering from dementia and mobility challenges, he was able to leave the building unchecked in the middle of the night and was later found in the parking lot, having died from exposure to temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius. This tragedy is not an isolated incident.
What concrete steps is your government taking to better protect seniors and ensure that elder abuse and neglect, in all its forms, is prevented and addressed across Canada?
Thank you for the question. I am very sorry to hear about what happened in that particular situation.
To be clear, there is no room for any form of violence or abuse.
This summer, when I toured some seniors’ residences and service organizations, we certainly heard concern about abuse. We heard concern about long-term care homes.
When it comes to abuse and violence of that nature, that is a crime. Our criminal justice system will deal with that. It will not be tolerated. That’s why we are taking action to strengthen our bail reform system, investing in law enforcement and taking action to protect victims, ensuring that our justice system puts community safety first.
Last April, every senior in this country chose between a position they could not trust and one in which they could get results. They chose results. They have trusted this government to defend their rights and safety. We are upholding their rights through our justice system to ensure that those who commit criminal acts —
Thank you, Madam Secretary.
You mentioned criminal acts.
In the last Parliament, a private member’s bill proposed making long-term care homes criminally liable in cases of neglect of vulnerable adults occurring on their premises. That bill died on the Order Paper when Parliament dissolved.
Advocates have continued to call for stronger legal accountability to ensure that elder neglect is met with justice.
Madam Secretary, will your government commit to reviving that legislation or introducing a similar measure to hold care facilities accountable?
I’m not familiar with that legislation. I was not part of that government.
In terms of whether or not legislation of that nature would be taken on, unfortunately, that would belong to Minister Fraser. I can’t speak to that.
What I can say is that we are going to be bringing forward legislation that deals with hatred and law reform and ensures we have a bail system in which individuals who are committing acts of violence, domestic violence and forms of abuse against seniors are not able to continue committing those crimes.
