June is almost here, and I know that many of you are looking forward to the good weather and good times that summer brings. It is also a time of celebration and recognition for Ontario’s seniors. June is Seniors’ Month.

This year, the theme for Seniors’ Month is Active Living, and the slogan is It’s for Life.
There are activities planned across the province as part of the festivities surrounding Seniors’ Month.

The riding of Haliburton-Victoria-Brock has a much higher number of seniors than the provincial average. Haliburton County has the highest percentage of seniors in the province with 24 percent of the population being over 65. In Kawartha Lakes 19 percent of the population are seniors, and 16 percent of Brock Township is made up of seniors. The provincial average is 12 percent.

With so many seniors in the riding health care is a very big concern, and the delivery of health care throughout the riding will continue to be an important issue as we move to the future. That is why this year’s theme for Seniors’ Month is especially appropriate. Active living is keeping your body and your mind active, in order to enjoy all that life offers.

With a large seniors population, we also have a lot of local services that help to provide supports and information for everything from health care to fitness. We also are home to the President of the United Senior Citizens of Ontario, Judy Muzzi. Our community is fortunate to have so many services that are offered to seniors. These organizations contribute so much to the community and we are very thankful for their services.

This week, I was happy to partner with MP Barry Devolin to host Seniors’ Seminars in Lindsay and Haliburton. They were very well received and had a variety of sessions covering everything from safety and health to gardening. I am encouraged by the response, and would like to continue to offer this type of seminar. Thank you to all of those who attended and participated in Senior's Seminars. Thank you as well to those who conducted the various seminars. I hope to see you again at one of the many local events taking place this summer.

The provincial government has a lot of useful information for seniors on their Seniors’ Secretariat Web Site. This site can help you find out information about health care resources, consumer protection, volunteering, community resources, leisure activities and much more.

I would encourage you to visit my website at www.lauriescottmpp.com. From there you can connect to the link for the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat. If you prefer to speak directly to someone, you can contact your local seniors centre for more information or the Seniors’ INFOline at their Toll-free number: 1-888-910-1999.