Mona Fortier

Newsletter

November 1, 2024

A word from your MP

Dear residents,

I hope you had a wonderful Halloween. Many activities took place in the constituency over the past week, and I want to thank all the organizations and community associations that organized events for families and neighborhoods. It was delightful to see so many colorful costumes and the festive spirit in our neighborhoods.

I also want to highlight that October 31st marked the celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which brings together Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities.

As we begin November, I remain committed to representing you both in the House of Commons and within our constituency. I would like to share some events I participated in over the past week.

Monday morning, alongside Minister Randy Boissonnault and MP Marie-France Lalonde, we announced $12.5M in financial support for community media in official language minority settings.
This funding includes $7.6M for 89 projects that will strengthen the vitality of community media. Additionally, $5M will be allocated to training the next generation of community media professionals, creating 125 paid internships across 98 organizations nationwide!
These investments will support Ottawa Vanier’s community media providers, like Perspectives Vanier and Unique FM 94,5, allowing members of our community to access content in their own language!

Monday afternoon, I had a productive meeting with Sébastien et Christine from the Canadian Craft Brewers Association, an organisation that represents over 1,000 small and independent breweries across Canada! They shared with me their thoughts and ideas on how our government can better support and empower craft breweries, which support tens thousands of jobs, boost tourism, and make a strong contribution to our GDP.

On Tuesday, we received good news regarding dental care, as 4,817 residents of Ottawa-Vanier are now covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Nationwide, more than ONE MILLION Canadians have accessed care through the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). For many of them, this was their first visit to a dental provider in 20 or even 30 years! Additionally, 2.7 million Canadians are approved for care. Our plan is making a real difference in the lives of Canadians by reducing dental care costs, allowing these individuals to access dental care they could not afford before.

Terry Fox once said, “I’m not going to give up. But I might not make it… if I don’t, the Marathon of Hope better continue.” It was heartwarming to see his vision alive and well at the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network reception. Now with 37 members across Canada, this growing network is transforming precision oncology by integrating cutting-edge research and advanced technology to provide targeted treatments and improve the quality of life for those affected by cancer. An invaluable mission that carries Terry’s legacy forward.

There will be many community events this weekend in Ottawa-Vanier, and there is always so much to discover in our community! Whether you want to join a local event or learn more about the government programs and services available to you, you will find information in the rest of this newsletter.

Have a great weekend!

A new President for the ACFO Ottawa!
Congratulations to Bobby Boudreau for your election as President of ACFO Ottawa. Your passion for our community and your commitment to promoting Francophone culture have not gone unnoticed, and I am confident that you will be an inspiring president.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to witness your dedication and determination to advance important causes. Your vision and leadership are exactly what our community needs right now. I am excited to see the initiatives you will implement to strengthen the network and support the members.

I wish you great success in this new chapter. Please feel free to reach out if I can contribute in any way to your projects. Together, we can continue to build a strong and united community.

Click here to learn more. (In French only)

Lebanese Heritage Month

The beginning of November marks the start of the first federally recognized Lebanese Heritage Month. The Government of Canada is proud to acknowledge the rich heritage and contributions of Canadians of Lebanese origin. For generations, Canadians of Lebanese origin have made significant economic, social, cultural, religious, and political contributions, and they continue to be essential to the growth and development of our social, economic, cultural, and political fabric. Happy Lebanese heritage month Ottawa-Vanier!

Amplifying Matching Funds for Lebanon Relief Efforts

The humanitarian situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate. Together, Canadians can make a bigger impact for Lebanon. Canada is matching donations to the Red Cross Canada.

Every dollar doubles support for those in crisis—your contribution will go twice as far.
You can donate here: http://brnw.ch/21wNC6q

CRA Consultation on Service Improvements

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is committed to providing a high-quality service experience for taxpayers and benefit recipients. To deliver on these efforts, the CRA is launching public consultations to hear from individuals, non-professional representatives, and tax intermediaries about their experiences with CRA services.

The CRA service consultations 2024 will play an important role in further understanding the experiences of those who rely on CRA services, and identifying areas where improvements are needed. As the CRA adapts to an ever-changing environment, ensuring our services remain accessible, responsive, and tailored to the evolving needs of clients is our top priority.

Click here to learn more.

How to participate
From September 25 to December 2, 2024, individuals, non-professional representatives, and tax intermediaries have the opportunity to share feedback on their experiences interacting with CRA services through an online questionnaire. The CRA will also hold both in-person and virtual consultation sessions with members of these groups by invitation, allowing for more in-depth discussions.

To participate, click here!

Every voice matters: participate in the online questionnaire to share your feedback and help shape the future of CRA services.
To ensure the privacy of participants and that a wide range of perspectives is captured, the recruitment of participants and reporting will be managed by an independent third party.

Safer Streets. Safer Communities.

Liberals are taking action to create safer streets and communities.

Minister LeBlanc announced that on November 1, 2024, our government will expand the National Crime Prevention Strategy. We are making:

$35.5M available for the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF);
$84M available for the Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF); and,
$4.6M available for the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund (NICPF).

Organized crime is increasingly targeting and recruiting youth. We’re putting an end to that by investing in prevention, protecting young Canadians, and stopping gangs from getting to them.

Click here to learn more.

Call for Applications under National Crime Prevention Strategy

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the launch of the application process for funding under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS). Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding from November 1^st to December 20^th, 2024. An estimated $123.5 million will be available over the next five years.

Organized crime groups and gangs are increasingly recruiting among youth. By investing in prevention, we’re meeting young people where they are so that organized crime groups and gangs can’t get to them in the first place.

This investment will support community-led crime prevention efforts tailored to at-risk and vulnerable youth, particularly Indigenous and racialized youth, youth involved in violence, and youth with repeat contacts with the criminal justice system.

Specifically, funding will be focused on initiatives aimed at stopping crime before it occurs by reducing the risk factors that lead youth to get involved in violent criminal activity, such as gun violence and auto theft.

In addition, an annual $700,000 portion of NCPS funding will be available for projects that focus specifically on preventing bullying and cyber bullying.

By investing to counter crimes and giving every youth the tools to be law abiding and to lead productive lives, we are investing in a safer and more inclusive future for all.

Click here to learn more.

Launch of the Call for Proposals for the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund

The Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, is launching an open call for proposals to allocate $1M under the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund. Community-based organizations can apply for up to $100,000 to support projects that seek to build organizations’ capacity to develop and deliver programs that promote the mental health of Black people in Canada. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 15, 2024.

You can find the full NR here.

This open call for proposals is part of the $4M committed in Budget 2024 for the Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black of Canadians Fund. This funding is designed to support community-based, culturally focused projects that aim to increase health equity and address the underlying determinants of mental health, including anti-Black racism.

You can find more information on eligibility for this open call and how to apply, here.

Please note: Informational webinars will be scheduled to support applicants in completing application materials for the Incubator Stream. An English session will be held on October 29 and a French session on October 30, to access this training please email: [email protected]

In the community

Information Fair For New Canadians

Active Living Discussions and Fun Activities for Senior

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming event titled Active Living Discussions and Fun Activities for Seniors, which will take place on Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, at 2:00 PM. This special event is part of the New Horizons for Seniors program and is designed to help seniors discover enjoyable activities that can enhance social well-being and combat isolation.

The event will feature insightful discussions from experts on active living, along with interactive activities that will inspire you to stay socially and physically engaged. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others, learn about new ways to stay active and share your own experiences in a fun, supportive environment.

Event Details:
•       Date: Saturday, November 2nd, 2024
•       Time: 2:00 PM
•       Location: 435 St. Laurent Blvd, Door 202, K1K 2Z6, Ottawa

We look forward to having you join us for an enjoyable afternoon of learning, sharing, and fun!

Kindly click the link below to register for the event:
https://forms.gle/Q3ACmgLsygDCWKxu9