Thank you for your renewed trust and support!
Dear constituents,
Thank you so much for your renewed trust in me as your Member of Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier, and for your support and kind words before, during and after the election. It’s an honour to serve this community and I look forward to continuing to work with our government, my provincial and municipal colleagues, and with our vibrant community in Ottawa-Vanier and the National Capital Region on progress for all Ottawa residents.
I was honoured to be sworn in on October 19 alongside my family and staff, who have been a source of strength and encouragement since I became a Member of Parliament. Without them and without your confidence, this couldn’t have been possible.
During the campaign, I heard directly from you on the most pressing matters affecting our community and our country today, including the post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, public and active transportation, affordable housing, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and much more.
This election has reminded us we have big issues facing us this year – and our commitment to progressive change has never been stronger. I look forward to taking Ottawa–Vanier’s priorities to Parliament again and continuing to move Canada forward together.
New Responsibilities as President of the Treasury Board
I’m honoured and humbled to be named the new President of the Treasury Board of Canada. I want to thank Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his trust and confidence as well as my family and loved ones for their unwavering, undying support in the last four years.
With this new cabinet, our government is sending a strong message on fighting climate change, championing feminist policies and representation, and doing more on reconciliation, affordable housing, economic development and other key files Canadians talked about and voted on in the last election.
As the House of Commons returns on November 22, I’m looking forward to working with our community and my colleagues to continue advancing Canadians’ priorities.
Thanksgiving Ottawa Mission
It was a pleasure to serve Thanksgiving lunch with the incredible volunteers and staff at Ottawa Mission alongside my colleagues City Councillor Mathieu Fleury and MPP Lucille Collard. It was an opportunity to catch up with many dedicated citizens from the organization as well as those most in need of essential services as the weather gets colder.
This pandemic has shown how important it is to be there for each other despite the challenges and hurdles we’ve faced this past year. The Ottawa Mission is one of countless NGOs and foundations in Ottawa–Vanier doing this work consistently and reliably, putting the care of their members and those they aid first.
To every volunteer from every food bank, community organization and charitable cause that showed up this past year and a half, thank you for everything you do and for inspiring our community to always do more and give back!
Small Business Week
Canada is celebrating our small businesses and entrepreneurs from coast-to-coast-to-coast whose innovation, grit and resilience continues to inspire us after 18 months of the pandemic. I was happy to visit a few SMBs during Small Business Week to purchase local products and encourage their businesses, to check in with them, and to see how they were doing as our economy reopens.
We talked about the Canada Emergency Business Account – an essential program that helped businesses stay afloat this pandemic by helping them make rent and keep employees on the payroll – as well as the Canada Recovery Hiring Program for small businesses to bring workers back into the workforce with more attractive wages and salaries.
As we look forward to putting this pandemic behind us with vaccinations and the implementation of vaccine passports for national and international travel, let’s continue supporting our SMBs and local shop owners as they reopen!
Vaccinations for Children, for Travel, and for Federal Employees
Since the start of the pandemic, our government has committed to keeping every Canadian safe, no matter what it takes. That is why we invested in a diverse portfolio of vaccines, which now places our country ahead of many others in both first and second doses administered relative to population, and the efforts of Canadians in the past year are paying off.
Through our campaign to combat vaccine hesitancy and encourage vaccinations, Canadians have done their part, gotten their shots and complied with public health measures. As we look forward to a more normal winter and a post-pandemic economic recovery next year, we’re moving forward with three important measures that will further protect Canadians and accelerate the pace of our recovery.
In October, our government announced that, pending Health Canada's approval, Canada has reserved enough vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 to be immunized by the end of the year.
In addition, federal public service employees were asked to confirm their immunization status and, as of November 3, 99.7% of public servants had confirmed it. As Canada's largest employer, our government is showing leadership – we know that having a fully vaccinated workforce means that not only are worksites safer, so are the communities where this large population lives and works.
Finally, by the end of October, everyone 12 years of age or older who travels by air or rail in Canada will be required to show proof of vaccination. For a period of one month, until the end of November, travellers without proof of vaccination will be able to take a rapid PCR test. Following that deadline, only a proof of double vaccination (unless you have a medical exemption) will be valid in order to take the train or the plane in Canada.
With these three public health measures, we’re ensuring Canadians have access to the only fully effective tool to combat the virus at home, while encouraging vaccinations for public servants, air and train travellers, as well as children who often interact closely in school and other public settings. As our economy reopens, we are reaching an important turning point in the fight against COVID-19.
New Lockdown Support for Businesses
While we’ve recuperated many jobs lost since the start of the pandemic – keeping with our commitment of creating over 1 million jobs before the end of the year, some areas of the country and economy continue to need targeted support.
Our government is taking targeted action to create jobs and spur economic growth, which we very much hope and believe is the final pivot in delivering the support needed to ensure a robust recovery – for everyone. To make sure that businesses that are still deeply affected by the pandemic get the support they need, we are extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7, 2022, for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10% and increasing the subsidy rate to 50%.
We’re also creating two new benefits for the hardest hit sectors of our economy. The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program will provide a subsidy rate of up to 75% through the wage and rent subsidy programs to hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and restaurants. The Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program will provide support through the wage and rent subsidy programs to other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50%.
To make sure communities facing possible lockdowns have the support they need as they recover and do their part to keep their citizens safe, our government is also establishing the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB). The CWLB will provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers should they be unable to work due to a local lockdown anytime between October 24, 2021, and May 7, 2022.
We are also extending the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increasing the maximum duration of benefits by two weeks – extending the caregiving benefit from 42 weeks to 44 weeks and the sickness benefit from 4 weeks to 6 weeks.
With these changes, our government is supporting the hardest-hit sectors and those who are affected by the virus while recognizing that broad-based assistance is no longer needed. These changes will continue to prioritize job creation and a strong economic recovery and fulfill our commitment to keeping Canadians safe this pandemic with important and targeted support.
16th Edition of the Snowflakes Breakfast Food Bank at Vanier Community Service Centre
On Friday, December 3, 2021, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. the Vanier Community Service Centre will be hosting a food drive and telethon featuring a continental breakfast and local stands with products from Ottawa.
With musical performances by Terry McCann, Les trois voix du CPC, Danièle Vallée & Jean Cloutier, and Aspects & Illyah Rose, the event will be an entertaining opportunity to give back to those who need it most.
Sign up at www.dejeunerdesflocons.com to buy your ticket, which includes car service!
Page Program at the House of Commons
The House of Commons Page Program is back this year, and students from across Ottawa–Vanier can apply to be a part of this incredible learning experience working in the halls of Parliament!
Each year, the House of Commons recruits 40 bilingual students graduating from high schools and CEGEPs from across Canada to participate in the House of Commons Page Program. Pages work directly on the floor of the House and are responsible for a wide range of tasks related to chamber activities.
This provides them with the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of Parliament by playing a role in the rich traditions of the Canadian parliamentary system. The recruitment campaign for the 2022–2023 academic year is taking place from September 27, 2021, to November 7, 2021.
The Page Program has undergone an exciting transformation in the past year. To be considered, candidates must now submit a curriculum vitae (maximum of two pages), a cover letter that includes detailed examples clearly demonstrating how they meet the education, experience and asset prerequisites listed on the notice of job opportunity, and proof of enrollment confirming their student status (e.g., unofficial transcript, official transcript or report card from a high school or CEGEP).
To be selected, candidates must be starting full‑time or part-time post-secondary studies in September 2022 at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Saint Paul University, Université du Québec en Outaouais, or with our new institutional partners La Cité or Algonquin College. Successful candidates will be required to reside in the National Capital Region during their year of employment as a page.
There’s an exciting opportunity waiting for you in the House of Commons next year! Sign up now on http://www.ourcommons.ca/About/PageProgram/Index-e.html.
Montfort Hospital and Wabano Centre collaborate to improve Indigenous health care
Two organizations in Ottawa-Vanier are stepping up and working together to improve services and better meet the needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
The Montfort Hospital and the Wabano Centre signed a memorandum of understanding this week to work together and find the existing gaps in the health care system that affect the Indigenous populations in order to improve it and make it more inclusive.
Thank you for your work and bravo!
