Martin C. Barry
In a bid to support groups dedicated to improving the well-being and continuing development of Laval’s senior citizens, Quebec Minister for Senior Citizens Francine Charbonneau last week announced $318,000 in subsidies to four groups in Laval that provide assistance to seniors.
Grants to five groups
Charbonneau, who is the MNA for Mille-Îles as well as Minister for the Laval Region, made the announcement at the Pavillon du Bois Papineau in Auteuil on Feb. 27. Sainte-Rose MNA Jean Habel was present. Charbonneau told the Laval News that her ministry wants to make sure the organizations receiving the subsidies have enough resources to do their work on behalf of the seniors.
The four organizations receiving the sums under the provincial government’s Québec ami des aînés (QADA) program are DIRA-Laval ($82,180), La Société Alzheimer de Laval ($76,950), Groupe Promo-Santé ($66,350) and le Comité lavallois en abus et violence envers les aînés (CLAVA) ($77,756).
$11 million province-wide
Another group, the Association pour aînés résidant à Laval, is receiving $15,000 under the Initiatives de travail de milieu auprès des aînés en situation de vulnerabilité (ITMAV). The subsidies are part of an $11 million funding package announced earlier in February for more than 100 similar projects supporting the needs of senior citizens across the province.
“If the organizations here this morning were chosen it’s because their proposals were well thought out and taken seriously,” Charbonneau said while addressing the recipients. Referring to a specific type of intervention done for seniors by one of the five groups, Charbonneau noted that members of the National Assembly have begun detailed work on the proposed Bill 115 involving measures to deal with the abuse of senior citizens.
New law to safeguard seniors
“This will be the first law in Quebec to specifically deal with abuse wherever they might be, whether it’s in a private or public residence or in a health establishment,” said Charbonneau. “As you all know as well as myself since you all deal with senior citizens, abuse is something very undesireable.
“It’s not something we want to deal with, but unfortunately it must be dealt with,” she continued. “Let’s hope that this draft bill advances quickly and Quebec has a policy so there is less and less abuse of our senior citizens.”
