It is October 1
st and the beginning of Women’s History Month here in Canada. I invite you to check out the new heritage minute from Historica Canada about Aeronautical Engineer,
Elsie MacGill. It is inspiring and a reminder of the ingenuity of all Canadians during challenging times.
In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in cases across the country. As the Prime Minister reminded all of us just a week ago, we need to take back control on the spread of the virus. We cannot let our guard down, we must continue to do our part to limit its spread and protect everyone.
The Federal Government remains steadfast in our commitment to support Canadians during this challenging time. In last week's Speech from the Throne, we unveiled an ambitious plan that will do what is necessary to keep Canadians healthy and safe as we continue to face this global health emergency, while laying the foundation to enable Canadians, and Canadian businesses to flourish once we get through this Pandemic.
We're not there just yet, but the resilience and determination that I have seen right here in Burlington these past few months demonstrates to me that we can get through this second wave and on the road to recovery.
Burlington continues to be a compassionate community. This month, I was thrilled to make a donation at the
Help Feed Our Kids: Back-to-School Drive-Thru Food Drive on September 13th hosted by the Gift of Giving Back and the Appleby Line Street Festival. The Food Drive was a great success and filled four food trucks with donations that will have a direct benefit to our local food banks.
The Burlington Professional Firefighters Association also made a generous donation to the Special Olympians of Burlington with over 110 bottles of hand sanitizer which will allow them to resume their training. Thank you to Dan VanderLelie and the rest of the team. I joined the Special Olympians for their first annual
Virtual Torch Run (pictured above) on September 19th to celebrate 33 years of supporting Special Olympics Athletes and they were very excited about the donation!
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the City of Burlington's 5th telephone town hall where alongside the Mayor and other local leaders I helped answer questions about COVID-19. I was happy to share information on the Disability Tax Credit, the Wellness Together Portal for direct access to mental health supports, and the transition from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to the new
Canada Recovery Benefit – which was passed unanimously through the House of Commons in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
Along with many changes that have been taking place in recent months ushering in a new normal, I was thrilled to participate in the
first virtual vote in the House of Commons on September 28th. I am hopeful that this new measure will ensure that Members of Parliament who are on maternity leave, or are unavailable to be in Ottawa due to an emergency, are able to cast a vote on behalf of their constituents.
This Fall, I encourage you to continue to practice physical distancing, hand washing, and following the recommendations from Public Health Officials. Together, we will get through this challenge. As the Prime Minister has said, we likely won't be gathering for Thanksgiving this year, but we still have a shot at Christmas.
Together, we have the power to get this second wave under control.
Sincerely,
Hon. Karina Gould
Member of Parliament
Burlington
