Dear friends,

April 24th marked the beginning of Ramadan.  I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone observing a blessed and peaceful Ramadan. I know this year will be difficult and instead of going to the Mosque or having large iftars with family and friends, the holiday will be different as we continue to practice physical distancing to flatten the curve of Covid-19.

Sadly, today marks one week since the horrific events that transpired in Nova Scotia last Sunday. My heart is hurting and I am deeply saddened over the 22 lives that were cruelly and needlessly stolen. Burlington stands in solidarity with all Nova Scotians as we mourn and condemn this heinous act.

In addition to measures already put in place, our government announced additional supports for students and rent for businesses to help ensure we are protecting not only the health of Canadians but economic well-being of individuals and businesses as well. We have also launched a platform to connected job seekers with farms who are looking for employers. Keep reading below to learn about these initiatives and others of our governments response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Each Friday at 7pm, Burlingtonians have been gathering on their front doorsteps and porches to thank healthcare and front line workers for the tireless service that they have been putting in over recent weeks. In addition to our emergency services, there are a lot of people who are still going into work everyday to make sure our lights are on, there is food on our tables, and that the economy is still running. If you can, I encourage you to participate to acknowledge this hard work that is taking place to ensure that we can stay home and do our part to flatten the curve. 

It is also great to see kids getting involved in lifting the spirits of our community. Throughout Burlington, kids have been painting rocks with inspirational messages and leaving them along our community's sidewalks and bicycle paths. While we may not be able to pause and have a friendly conversation with our neighbours during physical distancing, these messages have been a nice addition to my daily strolls and I encourage you to take the time to read them should you see them on your walk.. 

The will and determination of Burlingtonians to help one another through COVID-19 continues to amaze me. While the Burlington Food Bank continues to have an increase in users and demand, so too does the number of donations and support the organization is receiving from local residents who are eager to help. Just this past week, with the expected delivery of a large shipment of supplies, in order to keep space for physical distancing, the Food Bank turned to the community for assistance in finding more space. This call for help was answered by Access Storage who has kindly provided additional space for our Food Bank. 

As we continue to progress through the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations such as the Burlington Food Bank and Food for Life can still use our support. If you are able, I encourage you to donate to organizations that serve our community. Every little bit helps!
 
From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you for taking these measures seriously. We are starting to see a flattening of the curve which is a good thing, but it means that we must continue along this path to ensure we do not see a change in the progress we are making.

We are making these sacrifices to save lives. Let's stay positive and let's stay connected. 

Sincerely,

Hon. Karina Gould
Member of Parliament
Burlington