Mona Fortier
Hon. Mona Fortier
Member of Parliament for Ottawa—Vanier
Newsletter
March 1, 2024
A word from your MP

My sincere condolences to the Mulroney family and all Canadians. The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney was a passionate advocate for democracy and Canadian unity.  A class act and an exemplary parliamentarian.

The 2 weeks are constituency weeks, and I'll be out in the constituency addressing your needs. On February 29th, we unanimously approved the amendments to Bill C-35 proposed by the Senate. Bill C-35 guarantees families have access to affordable, inclusive, and high-quality learning and childcare services while supporting the rights of linguistic minorities. The proposed amendments create an obligation for the Government of Canada to maintain long-term funding for early learning childcare programs and services specifically for official language minority communities. This will help ensure the continued health of francophone early childhood services and minority communities throughout the country.

Last Friday, at my previous Ottawa-Vanier Seniors Council meeting, I had the pleasure of announcing a funding of $621,780 for the Social Planning Council of Ottawa as part of the Aging well at home initiative. With this amount, they will be able to provide more services to seniors who choose to stay in their homes. Additionally, my team and I were present at the information fair at the Guigues Services Center to showcase the services offered by the federal government to support our seniors! The Guigues Services Center specializes in French-language services and is an important hub for many seniors in Ottawa-Vanier.


Last weekend, I was proud to show my support for Ukraine, as their fight against the illegal Russian invasion has now dragged on for 2 years. The bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people is truly remarkable and inspiring. I’m proud to be a part of the government that recognizes the importance of standing by Ukraine’s side, however long it may take. 


Finally, I was pleased to visit the Andy Carswell veterans house in the Wateridge Village with my colleague, Chad Collins MP for Hamilton East - Stoney Creek, and former president of CityHousing Hamilton, the largest social housing provider in Hamilton. As a purpose built home for homeless veterans or at risk veterans, it is the first of its kind in Canada. To address the needs of veterans of Canada, more homes of this kind are needed across the nation. 


Reduced Telecom Prices

Our government is committed to ensuring that Canadians benefit from more affordable cell plans. Despite challenges such as misinformation and market complexity, recent studies and data indicate a positive trend.

StatsCan reports a 40% decrease in wireless prices since 2019, with a 22.6% reduction in the past year. Minister Champagne's 25% price reduction target for introductory and medium-use plans was achieved three months ahead of schedule in December 2021. The Rogers Shaw merger introduced a 4th player, and Minister Champagne's conditions on Videotron have led to plans 50% cheaper than benchmarks. Check out the pricing study and use the WhistleOut website to find better deals.

Our government remains dedicated to enhancing competition so that Canadians get the best value for their cellular services.

Canada to provide support for Sudanese nationals

Canada continues to call for an end to violence in Sudan and remains deeply concerned for the safety of people in the country. We are working to help those seeking safety in Canada, including Sudanese nationals already in Canada who may not wish to return home at this time.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced more details of these special measures to support Sudanese nationals in Canada temporarily.

As of April 30, 2023, Sudanese nationals in Canada can apply to extend their stay or change their status as a visitor, student or temporary worker free of charge. This includes free open work permits that provide access to the labour market and greater flexibility to support themselves while they are in Canada. These measures will help protect the Sudanese population already in Canada, keep families together and give them a safe place to stay.

For more information on this program, eligibility and how to apply, click here. 
 

Get involved in Hôpital Montfort’s 2024-2028 strategic planning community consultations and public lectures

Our hospital, Montfort, is holding community consultations and public lectures to help develop its next strategic plan. It’s a very innovative process in which I plan to participate. I strongly encourage you to do the same. Their new strategic plan, to be launched in November, will articulate approximately five key goals and 15 outcomes to be achieved by October 2028 which will mark Montfort’s 75th anniversary. 

It’s your chance to have your say about the future of our hospital and of health care, teaching and research in our community.

Laptops will be provided at these events in small groups of two to three people. Four or five questions will be asked at the sessions to help Montfort make choices. Everyone will discuss and enter their ideas, see everyone’s ideas and vote on everyone’s ideas. At the end of the two-hour sessions, participants will see on one slide the consensus from the group. It’s a very engaging, fun and interactive process.

Tuesday, March 12th, 6-8 pm, Camille Piché Community Centre, 8 Blais Street, Embrun (in French and English)
Monday, March 18th, 6-8 pm, RiverRock Inn, 2808 Chamberland Street, Rockland (in French and English)
Tuesday, March 19th, 6-8 pm, Ray Friel Recreation Complex, 1585 Tenth Line Road, Orléans (in French and English)
Tuesday, April 23rd, 6-8 pm, Hôpital Montfort, 713 Montreal Road, Ottawa (in French and English)

Montfort will also hold thought-provoking public lecture series to inform its strategic choices. These will include prominent guest speakers: 

Tuesday, April 9th, 9-10 am, Dr Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health at Ottawa Public Health (in French and English)
Wednesday, April 10th, 4-5 pm, Matt Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health (in English only)
 

Canadian Dental Care Plan
 
The new federal dental care program represents a significant step forward in ensuring accessibility to dental care for all Canadians without necessary insurance coverage. Once fully implemented, the CDCP aims to bridge the gap for up to 9 million uninsured Canadians with an adjusted family income below $90,000.

To ensure a smooth rollout given the anticipated demand, the plan will be implemented in phases.

Individuals aged 87 and older: Since December 2023
Individuals aged 77 to 86: Since January 2024
Individuals aged 72 to 76: Since February 2024
Individuals aged 70 to 71:  March 2024
Individuals aged 65 to 69: Starting May 2024
Adults with a valid certificate for the Disability Tax Credit: Starting June 2024
Children under 18: Starting June 2024
All other eligible residents of Canada: Starting 2025

Please click here for more information.

In the community

 
Sugar Festival 

After a resounding success last year, the Vanier Sugar Festival is back and will take place from March 18 to 24, 2024 in Richelieu Park.

A flagship event in the Museopark’s public programming, the Vanier Sugar Festival celebrates the traditions of the sugar season, while allowing visitors to reconnect with or learn about artisanal maple syrup production in the country’s only urban sugar shack!

Visitors will be happy – and hopefully numerous – to reconnect with this 39-year-old neighborhood tradition.

For more information, click here. 
 
 



Mark your calendars!
Sunday, March 24, 2024
More information to follow.
Main office - Ottawa-Vanier
233 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1L 6C7

Telephone:
613-998-1860

Fax:
613-947-7963
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Hill Office
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Telephone:
613-992-4766

Fax:
613-992-6448
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