Newsletter

A Word from Your Member of Parliament

Dear residents,

Summer is in full swing, and we’re continuing our work on the ground, meeting with residents, as well as leaders of organizations and businesses across Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester. The past two weeks have been filled with meaningful encounters, celebrations, and visits to various companies and community organizations.

On July 14, I had the pleasure of celebrating France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, at the French Embassy. My thanks to His Excellency Michel Miraillet, Ambassador of France to Canada, Madame Geneviève Quenum-Miraillet, and the entire embassy team for a wonderful evening.

It was a special opportunity to highlight the deep and enduring ties between France and Canada — rooted in shared values, strong friendship, and a vibrant and committed Francophonie.

Thank you to the French Embassy for its warm welcome and for organizing a celebration rich in culture, dialogue, and cooperation — and for contributing to the food drive benefiting Services Entraide Food Bank.

Later in the week, I attended a farewell luncheon in honour of Her Excellency Yuliia Kovaliv, Ambassador of Ukraine. A strong and committed voice for her country, she has been a tireless advocate for the Ukrainian people and a valuable partner to Canada. We wish her every success in her next chapter.

The Lebanese Festival celebrated its 35th year in Ottawa — bigger, brighter, and more delicious than ever! This annual celebration brought the community together around culture and tradition, from July 17 to 20 at St. Elias Cathedral. A vibrant event not to be missed!

I also visited Dominis Engineering, a company located right here in #OttawaVanierGloucester! I met with Bodo and Emmett, who gave me an overview of their impressive work. From design to manufacturing and sourcing of ship propellers, Dominis Engineering is well-positioned to play a key role in Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. Proudly made in Canada!

On Saturday, July 19, we celebrated Canada’s Parks Day. I had the pleasure of taking part in the “Lock and Paddle” event, surrounded by hundreds of enthusiastic paddlers at Hartwell Locks on the Rideau Canal.

Canada’s national parks are true treasures. They offer breathtaking landscapes, unforgettable outdoor adventures, and essential refuges for wildlife. They are places of beauty, learning, and connection.

Good news: thanks to the Canada Strong Pass, admission to many national parks, historic sites, and museums across the country is now free or discounted. It’s a great opportunity to rediscover our heritage gems and support local tourism.

Let’s keep working together to protect these natural wonders that give us so much — in nature, recreation, tourism, and heritage.

Thank you to Parks Canada for organizing a fantastic edition of “Lock and Paddle,” and happy Canada’s Parks Day to all! 🍁

Canada joined our Belgian friends in celebrating Belgium’s National Day! We also bid a warm farewell to Ambassador Patrick Van Gheel, whose dedication and friendship have deepened the ties between our nations. Merci et bon vent, Monsieur l’Ambassadeur!

Over the past two weeks, I visited several organizations and businesses across Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester to meet with youth who found summer jobs through the Canada Summer Jobs program. My visits took me to Tavern on the Hill, with its stunning views, it's a spot I highly recommend you check out this summer! I also had the pleasure of discovering Just Food, an organization supporting sustainable agriculture and food security in our region.

I also visited St. George and St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church, a key gathering place for the community. I met young employees at Ottawa Riverkeeper, an organization dedicated to protecting our waterways. In addition, I toured the Emily Murphy Non-Profit Housing Corporation, which provides affordable housing for young single parents in our community, and the Ottawa Chabad Student Network, which offers support and programming for students. These visits are a wonderful way to see the real, on-the-ground impact of this program.

I’d also like to thank everyone who joined me and my team on Wednesday, July 16 for our annual Canada Summer Jobs BBQ.

Thanks to this program, 430 young people are gaining valuable work experience through placements with more than 130 small businesses and community organizations. We gathered at the Carré de la francophonie, right in the heart of Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester, where I had the chance to speak with many youth about their journeys. The stories I heard at the BBQ and during my visits were full of energy, motivation, and pride in the skills they are building.
 
Over the past few weeks, I’ve also had the chance to visit Ogilvie Villa, Aspira Bearbrook Retirement Living, Beacon Heights Retirement Residence, and Chartwell New Edinburgh Square.

Spending time with our seniors is always a meaningful experience — they have so much wisdom to share and deserve to be heard. Staying connected with them is essential to building a community that is inclusive, respectful, and compassionate.

Today, I also had the pleasure of once again welcoming the young members of the DragonFly group from The School of Dance to Parliament Hill.

The DragonFly program helps these youth build confidence, independence, and essential life skills.

It was inspiring to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they explored Parliament and learned more about Canadian democracy. Thank you for visiting — I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Finally, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to John Geiger, President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, for presenting me with the Society’s lapel pin as a newly inducted Fellow.

It is a tremendous honour and a point of pride for me to receive this recognition. I am delighted to play a part in helping Canadians deepen their understanding and appreciation of our country’s landscapes, peoples, culture, and environmental heritage.

By wearing the compass rose pin, I proudly carry the values of navigation, exploration, and geographic knowledge.

July 21, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, today issued the following statement:

“We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.

“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

“The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.

“We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively.

“We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law. Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a ‘humanitarian city’ are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

“We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s Civil Administration, if implemented, would divide a future Palestinian state in two, marking a flagrant breach of international law, and critically undermine the two-state solution. Meanwhile, settlement building across the West Bank and East Jerusalem has accelerated while settler violence against Palestinians has soared. This must stop.

“We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. Further bloodshed serves no purpose.  We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this.

“We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.”

This statement has been signed by:

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

Click here to learn more. 

We’re here to help

Whether it's passports, immigration, pensions, the Canada Child Benefit, or other government programs, we’re here to help residents of Ottawa–Vanier–Gloucester access the services they need.

📞 Contact us by phone, by email, or visit us during our office hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

National Capital Region Affordable Housing Advisory Committee – Call for Members

Are you an affordable housing provider located in the National Capital Region or an organization that works with vulnerable communities? Perhaps you are an individual with a strong interest and expertise in affordable housing?

If so, we would like to hear from you! 

Canada Lands Company is seeking members to be a part of its newly created Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.

A call for applications is now open until July 31, 2025.

Canada Lands Company’s National Capital Region Affordable Housing Advisory Committee is an advisory body that will meet regularly to engage in an informed dialogue that will result in guidance to achieve affordable housing targets across the region’s portfolio. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee will guide the Company in coordinating partnerships with organizations that build and/or manage affordable housing.

National Capital Region community members and stakeholders alike are invited to complete and submit the application form. All applicants will be notified of the next steps following the application deadline of July 31, 2025.

For more information please contact: [email protected].

 Movie Night in the Park

 Friday, August 1st
 Eastvale Park – 2130 Radford Ct (parking behind 2414 Ogilvie Road)
* Arrive after 7:30 PM |  Movie starts at 8:30 PM

Set sail for an unforgettable summer evening under the stars! Join your neighbours for the annual Movie Night in the Park, featuring the exciting new sequel: Moana 2! 

Hosted by Councillor Tim Tierney, this fun, free, all-ages event is the perfect way to celebrate community. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and your adventurous spirit as Moana takes us on another epic journey across the sea.

 Free popcorn will be served while supplies last.
 Arrive early to grab a good spot and enjoy the evening!

Let’s enjoy a night of laughter, music, and togetherness.
 

See you there — it’ll be oceanic fun for the whole family!

We invite you to our annual barbecue on Sunday, August 17, 2025 from 12 PM to 3 PM at Maison Marie-Louise.

There is no cost, but you must register in person at the reception of Maison Marie-Louise before 12 PM on August 14, 2025. There will be laughter, music, and face painting for the children!

Bring your garden chairs and, of course, your good humor!

Thank you to our sponsors: Saint-Vincent de Paul d'Orléans Desjardins