Good afternoon, everyone. I'm very happy to join you in Montréal during Caregivers' Week.

I know that you are here because you care about people's well-being, because you feel passionately about the issues and because you want to make a difference. Let me say that I know you have already made a difference.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge the Professionals Networking for Caregivers for their active involvement in ensuring this event happened. The network plays an important role in raising awareness about the needs of Canadian caregivers. I want you to know that I appreciate your dedication and your efforts. Your work does not go unnoticed. I know you always go the extra mile. Thank you for your participation at this event.

I've worked with many of you over the past year and I've listened carefully to what you have said. I have also been working with my provincial counterparts and officials, many of whom are here, to figure out how we can achieve our common goals together. In December 2003, as was mentioned, the Prime Minister asked me to lead the task force on seniors. In May of 2004, I presented him with the task force's report on active living and dignity for seniors. In the last federal election after that, Prime Minister Martin promised to give caregivers a voice in cabinet. He made good on that promise by asking me to implement the task force report and by naming me Minister of State responsible for Families and Caregivers.

I was honoured to accept this great challenge, since the opportunity to help the most vulnerable members of our society was one of the reasons I entered politics. My role as Minister of State responsible for Families and Caregivers strikes close to home. I know from personal experience some of the challenges and rewards of caregiving. I also know, from my role as minister, that the context of caregiving is rapidly changing.

When I became minister, I set out to address challenges influencing caregiving in the 21st century. I wanted to provide the answers to the caregiving community to address their concerns and priorities. I was convinced that by working together we could develop sustainable solutions. That's why I held roundtable discussions since January beginning in Ottawa with experts and national organizations and continuing with regional stakeholders in Atlantic Canada, the prairies, Ontario, British Columbia, Yukon, and most recently the National Conference on Caregiving in Aylmer, Quebec.

A number of groups took part, such as caregiver organizations, university think tanks, and groups representing seniors, people with disabilities, Aboriginal people, and linguistic and ethnic communities.

Not only have we held regional discussions, met with provincial ministers and non-governmental organizations, we've also hosted Web consultations to ensure everyone has a say in the process. It was an eye-opening experience and I want you to know that I listened to what many of you here today had to say. I continue to hear what we all know—the growing stress, fatigue, and burnouts, the constant juggling of work and life priorities, the career paths not taken or put on hold. In short, I know about the lengths to which people go to care for their loved ones. As one participant in the Atlantic consultations said, "Caregivers are unpaid not because they are worthless but because they are priceless." That is so true.

Government would not be able to do it without the three million unpaid caregivers who really are our unsung heroes. You can put a price tag on the value of unpaid care at more than $5 billion a year. I understand that was stated earlier today. But how do you measure the value of a friendly voice, a willing ear, or a warm touch? Caregivers offer love and kindness that go far beyond our notions of the bottom line. If our lives are a tapestry, caregivers stitch up the loose threads. Through their dedication and sensitivity they keep people's lives from unraveling.

Last year I visited the Roslyn Carter Institute for Caregiving in Washington. I received a warm welcome and Canada was commended for leading the way on caregiving issues. We are proud of how far we have come but I know more needs to be done and, until we find solutions to all of our challenges, our work will not be done.

There's the impact of health care changes on caregiving, the trend toward early discharge from hospital, the desire of ailing people to stay in their homes for as long as possible, and the increased prevalence of chronic disease. When Minister Dosanjh meets with his provincial counterparts to discuss the $41 billion allocated over 10 years, we want to make sure there's a voice at the table for the unpaid caregiver.

There is also the question of changing demographics. Prime Minister Paul Martin has called our aging population one of the major forces that will exert the greatest influence on our nation in the years ahead. When you consider that unpaid caregivers provide more than 80 percent of all care needed by people with long-term health problems, we obviously have some serious planning to do.

One of the issues I have heard many times is that caregivers are not adequately recognized by society. As everyone in this room is well aware, illness and disability do not discriminate. Anyone can be faced with becoming an instant caregiver. Often this is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week responsibility. When you're suddenly called upon by a family member or friend to provide care, you appreciate the love, work, and commitment involved. We must find ways for all Canadians to celebrate and recognize the caregivers in our society.

Economic security is another common concern. Our money alone is not enough. Governments must work collaboratively with each other as well as with non-governmental organizations and the private sector to find concrete solutions. We must find a strategy similar to Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network that allows the caregivers to find support teams in the community. Society has a responsibility to ensure that our caregivers don't burn out and in turn become care receivers.

This is why the federal government is looking for ways to extend compassionate care leave to help more individuals. Our short-term undertaking is to determine how best to utilize the billion dollars the federal government has marked for the caregiving community. In the last Speech from the Throne, the Government committed to caregivers, and in budget 2005 we delivered on that commitment as a first step by doubling the tax credits for the medical and disability expenses for home-based caregivers to $10,000 a year from $5,000. The federal government is actively engaged on this issue and through New Horizons funding, rent supplements, affordable housing, and senior secretariat, to name a few programs, is endeavoring to eliminate the challenges you face. In the long term, we must find ways to ensure people are not penalized for helping loved ones. I will continue to work with the provincial government and the private sector to make this a reality.

Another theme that has emerged is the challenge of navigating through the health care and social services system to find support. We must work together to eliminate the difficulties people have in knowing where to turn and who to turn to in times of need.

Then there's the question of the respite support. Here is what one participant from Nova Scotia said about caring for her elderly parents who are both seriously ill: "It has been up to me, the only daughter, who is almost 70 years of age, to hold down the fort, so to speak, and yet no one is available to give me a break." On this issue, as the others, I'm working with my provincial counterparts to find solutions.

Finally, there's the issue of strengthening community-based organizations. Many participants in the roundtables who represent these types of grassroots groups stress that they do not have the financial or human resources to meet all the demands for their services. I'm looking forward to hearing your views on how we can move the agenda forward. I know that people in this room have developed interesting and innovative ways to meet the caregiving challenges they face and I know that we can all benefit from learning more about them.

This event prevents a chance for people separated by geography but bound by common cause to come together, a chance to share experiences, to learn about best practices and to help shape policy. I wish you an enjoyable day breaking new ground that will lead to concrete recommendations and positive actions, building the relationships and networks that can strengthen and sustain our work and the caregiving community at large, harness the incredible energy and resources in this room to truly make a difference.

I've been working through the federal, provincial, territorial meetings we had a couple of weeks ago after the caregiving conference and have consensus that we would work together with the provincial ministers because, as we all know, social services are under provincial jurisdiction, but together we can find ways of alleviating some of the pressures. And later today I'm off to Europe where I'm going to be meeting tomorrow night the European Commission. As I travel along I will continue looking for ways of using the resources and how best we can make a difference in people's lives. That is why it's extremely important that we continue dialoguing and working together and there's not going to be a quick fix. I see myself as your advocate and I will continue to do that.

Thank you very much.