Mona Fortier

Newsletter,February 26th

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

Dear neighbours,
We have had a beautiful winter, despite these unprecedented times. It has been heartening to see people out embracing the season, while finding ways to keep active and connected.. Like you, I have enjoyed getting out while respecting Ottawa Public Health Guidelines, exploring different parts of the riding, such as last weekend when I walked through Lindenlea and New Edinburgh,.

I do want to acknowledge that each person has a unique circumstance, and many people are really struggling. Know that services are available through the Ottawa Mental Health Crisis Line: 613-722-6914, if you need them.

We have been very busy in our office responding to the questions, concerns and ideas from residents. Keep them coming! And do remember, Spring will be here before we know it.

Stay healthy, stay safe, stay connected,
Mona

A MESSAGE FROM THE YOUTH COUNCIL
Dear neighbours,

We hope you and your family are well this February and are enjoying the numerous outdoor activities the city of Ottawa has to offer despite the pandemic, including skating on the Rideau canal and of course enjoying our parks and outdoor spaces. Despite the groundhog days we’ve been living, we’re slowly but surely reopening activities and businesses across the province and country and we're also pleased that vaccine delivery to Canada has resumed.

This month, the Ottawa-Vanier Youth Council focussed its discussions on Black History Month and the numerous challenges, experiences, and ambitions of the black community here in Ottawa and from coast to coast. Our incredible team put together a panel which shed a light on some of the most important debates affecting BIPOC.

Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Black Caucus Chair Greg Fergus talked about the struggle to tell the stories of black Canadians in our schools and our history books, an argument repeated by Rawlson King, our first black city councillor in Ottawa history. It’s also a sentiment Warsama Abdourahman Aden echoed in telling the story of his family and why his family came to Canada. As a school councillor and as former Vice-President of France Jeunesse Public Elementary School, he talked about putting forward real measures to counter discrimination and educating coming generations about tolerance and the benefits of representation. Finally, Luckner Thermonvil – founder of the Ottawa Black Business Alliance – came on to discuss the importance of creating spaces for diversity to thrive both in the social and financial realm, encouraging entrepreneurship in our city and in his community.

By the end of our conversation, we all agreed we have to continue our fight against racism and discrimination all the while valuing the richness and beauty of black history – synonym of Canadian history. We were also all-in agreement that this conversation needed a sequel, and we look forward to speaking again with these inspiring figures in Ottawa-Vanier and our community to see how we can continue to push our country and our society forward.

Happy February! Stay safe, wash your hands, practice social distancing, wear a mask and download the COVID-Alert app! Let’s continue to encourage and support our beautiful diverse community together!

Your Ottawa-Vanier Youth Council

COVID-19 UPDATE
Good news for indigenous seniors! Last week, hundreds of indigenous seniors started receiving their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Wabano Centre, here in Ottawa, with the help of Ottawa Public Health. We will remain there for Canadians through the pandemic. Everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be able to do so by the end of September.

Although many parts of Canada have started to loosen restrictions, the spread of COVID-19 variants threaten to undo all of our hard work if we’re not careful. That’s why it’s as important as ever to avoid all nonessential travel both abroad and within Canada, follow local public health orders and use the COVID Alert application. Together, we can stop the chain of infection and protect our vulnerable populations.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA UNVEILS PLAN TO MODERNIZE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT
Last week, with the English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada document, we announced concrete measures to strengthen the Official Languages Act for all communities across our country. The realities of our official language minorities, of which I am a part, are no longer what they were 50 years ago, and it is essential to promote and protect the French language.
The reform, with the modernization of the OLA as its cornerstone, responds to the cry from the heart of the communities to ensure their future, while adding new measures to increase the rate of bilingualism in the country and protect the French language, including in Quebec. We will do this through a number of measures, such as:

Improving access to French immersion across Canada;
Supporting the vitality of minority language institutions in key sectors such as immigration and education;
Protecting and promoting the use of French across Canada, including in Quebec, by providing new rights regarding language of work and service in businesses under federal jurisdiction in Quebec and in other regions of the country with a strong Francophone presence; and,
Strengthening the example of bilingualism set by the Government of Canada through, among other things, the appointment of bilingual judges to the Supreme Court and the improvement of the support offered to federal public servants in learning their second official language.

More than ever, the Government of Canada intends to do its part in its areas of jurisdiction to provide Canadians with legislation that meets the challenges of the 21st century and the linguistic reality in which they find themselves.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROUNDTABLE
Thank you to the leaders and entrepreneurs of the African and North African community of Ottawa-Vanier for participating to the Black History Month town hall! We will keep working hard together, during this pandemic and beyond, to keep our community vibrant, diverse and inclusive. Your inputs are crucial, and your success is essential to Canada’s economic recovery. There is still much more that needs to be done to achieve equity and address anti-Black racism across the country.

THE LOWERTOWN COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE
Thank you to the Lower Town Community Resource Centre in partnership with the Ottawa Mission and Ottawa Community Housing, who serve free nutritious meals every Saturday in our community of Ottawa-Vanier for all who need them.
For more details, contact the Community House at 613 562 2925.

COVID-19 POP-UP TESTING SITE AT VANIER COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRE

The COVID-19 Pop-Up Testing Site at Vanier Community Service Centre is a temporary out-of-hospital clinic that was opened to serve the residents of Ottawa-Vanier.

This site is intended to provide services to residents who face barriers to access other screening sites and also includes access to other social resources such as food, housing and health education.
Residents who meet the testing criteria and who don't have a car, experience language barriers, or who need additional supports to self-isolate are encouraged to book an appointment by calling 613-288-5353. This number is answered from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. This number is not available over the weekend.
The site is located at 270 Marier Avenue, Ottawa , and open every Tuesday and Thursday between 11:30 am and 6 pm.
If you ever know someone in our community of Ottawa-Vanier who needs their services, please share this information with them. It’s by continuing to work together that we will be able to fight this pandemic.

Have a great weekend!