Dear Friends,

I want to use this week's newsletter to talk about what is going on across the country, including in our own community. I've been reflecting a lot over these last two weeks as to what I am personally doing every day in the spaces that I occupy to end systemic racism. It is not enough to not be racist, it is not enough to just show up at a March. We have to have some really uncomfortable conversations and we have to do the tough work to address racism.

I have been receiving some criticism for attending the Solidarity March during this pandemic. I appreciate that, and I respect that and I will tell you that I struggled with my decision to go or not. I have been asking everyone to stay home and follow the advice of public health, but at the same time I was outraged by what I was seeing and the fact that this keeps happening and I needed to go and show my support and say that black lives do matter and enough is enough. Recognizing that protesting and freedom of expression are fundamental Canadian rights, the Public Health Agency of Canada did issue guidance on how to assemble in a safe manner during the pandemic with the practice of wearing face coverings and physical distancing as best as possible.

I think of the 8 to 10 thousand people who attended and the organizers who did a great job in making sure that people were prepared. I thought the event was well organized  and participants followed the guidelines of wearing mask and socially distancing. We know that racism doesn't just happen somewhere else, it exists in our community as well. Many of you who probably saw the news this week of a group of young Burlingtonians who were the victims of a racial slur right here in our community. In these times of calling out racial discrimination, it is important to remember that discrimination does take place in our community and while we might not always see it, it is an every day issue for racialized Canadians. The incident that we saw here this week proves that we need to keep doing more.

Since becoming your Member of Parliament, I have been working to build a truly inclusive community here in Burlington but there is clearly more work to be done. We need to acknowledge that there is racism in this community and we need to work hard together to address it and fight it. This is not going to be easy, and it is not going to happen overnight, but we all have a role to play. We can do better, but we have to do so intentionally. It starts with self reflection, being open, and learning to truly accept diversity and inclusion as the path forward. I am more committed than ever to keeping this conversation going and to move on action. One of the main reasons I ran for office was to keep building a country that is not only diverse, but truly inclusive and that is working to rectify the injustices of the past and the present that have led to disparities in different people's abilities to fully realize their potential. For more on this issue, please watch my Facebook Live from Friday.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to stop by the Burlington Centre Farmers Market. It was great to go and see many of the vendors that have participated at the Market for many years and see how they have adapted to ensure a safe shopping experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Burlington Centre Farmers Market will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 2pm and Fridays from 8am to 3pm all summer long.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted countless organizations here in Burlington and many are looking at ways that they will be able to rebound as we slowly return to normal. Burlington's very own Royal Canadian Legion Branch 60 has put together a virtual concert with tribute acts in a Fill Our Fridge event to help the Legion to remain self-sufficient. For more information, please visit the Legion's website at burlingtonlegion.ca.

This week the Province of Ontario announced that some regions are able to move to Phase 2 and that Ontarians are able to gather in groups of ten people or less. While Halton is not quite ready for Phase 2, I encourage you to continue to PACE by Physical Distancing, Avoid touching common surfaces and objects, Clean your hands often, and Extra layer with a non-medical mask or face covering as needed. I know there is still a lot of uncertainty moving forward, let's all keep following the advice of public health, and I know we will get through this together.

Sincerely,

Hon. Karina Gould
Member of Parliament
Burlington

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