LEBANON MATCHING FUND
I extend my deepest sympathies to those affected by the devastating Beirut explosion. Following the tragic explosion on August 4th in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, our government provided up to $30 million in humanitarian assistance to help the Lebanese people.
This includes an initial $1.5 million that will flow immediately to trusted humanitarian partners on the ground, such as the Lebanese Red Cross through the Canadian Red Cross Society, to provide safe shelter. drinking water, medicines and basic necessities for those in need. This initial contribution will help meet the immediate and most urgent needs of those whose daily lives have been devastated by this explosion.
In addition, we continue to monitor the situation closely and are in contact with officials in Lebanon and organizations on the ground to better understand the needs of those affected by the explosion.
Friends and relatives of Canadian citizens in Lebanon can contact Global Affairs Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre, at 613-996-8885 or 1-800-387-3124 or send an email to sos @ international.gc.ca. Canadian citizens in Lebanon requiring emergency consular assistance should contact the Canadian Embassy in Beirut at 961 (4) 726-700 or [email protected]
CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government introduced the Canada Emergency wage subsidy to help keep Canadians their payroll. Last month, to protect even more jobs in Canada, we passed new legislation to better target the subsidy and make it more accessible to more employers. This includes:
• Program extension until December 19th , 2020,
• Making the subsidy available to a wider range of employers,
• Introducing a top-up subsidy of up to an additional 25% for employers that have been hit hardest by the crisis.
In addition, an updated and improved online calculator was put in place earlier this month to help small and large employers prepare to apply.
You can find the calculator on the Canada emergency wage subsidy web page.
NEW CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL
I am proud to announce that one of the 25 youth selected to form the new Canadian Youth Farm Council is from our riding of Ottawa-Vanier.
It is with great honour that I would like to extend my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Guillaume Pasquier on his new role on the Canadian agricultural youth Council. I am confident that his participation on this council will be a great asset to our Ottawa-Vanier community. The Canadian agricultural youth council will have the opportunity to make suggestions on government priorities, propose solutions to issues that matter to them, while developing leadership skills and building professional relationships.
Council members will provide input on a variety of topics, such as: how the sector is adapting to COVID-19, business risk management programs, sustainable agriculture, market diversification, labour, intergenerational farm transfers, mental health, etc.
Young Canadians are dynamic, engaged and passionate about the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector and giving them a voice is an important commitment of our government.
COVID ALERT APP.
While Canada has made great strides since March to slow the spread of COVID-19, we are not out of the woods yet. As we slowly and safely reopen our economy, we must continue to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians by finding solutions to trace the virus and limit its spread. That’s why our government is working closely with provinces and territories to create the COVID-Alert app, which was officially launched in Ontario earlier this month.
The COVID Alert app is designed to inform users of potential exposure to people who have tested positive for COVID-19. It is completely free and voluntary, and it uses strict measures to protect all data collected. Users who test positive for COVID-19 will receive a temporary one-time use code from their health authority for entry into the application. Once the temporary code is entered, the application will alert other users who may have been in close contact with this person.
While it is currently only available in Ontario, it will be available in other provinces in the coming weeks so that all Canadians can download it immediately.
Our Government will continue to work closely with provinces, territories and other partners to protect the health of Canadians and better contain the spread of COVID-19.
You can Download it here !
