Karina Gould
Hon. Karina Gould
Member of Parliament for Burlington
March Update
March 31, 2021

Dear Friends, 

March began with what Minister Anita Anand refers to as “the Big Lift.” With over 5 million vaccines now administered to Canadians, and 3.2 million more arriving this week, Canada is well on it’s way to ensuring that all Canadians who want to get vaccinated will be fully vaccinated by September. I was delighted to see that as of today, Halton residents aged 65 and up can book their vaccine online or via phone at 311.

Last week I visited the vaccine clinic at Joseph Brant Hospital and was so impressed with how well thought out it was to ensure a positive patient experience and how enthusiastic the staff were to be helping administer the largest immunization program in Canadian history.
 

I often reflect on how remarkable it is that in just over a year we went from knowing absolutely nothing about this new virus to having several safe and effective vaccines. Seeing the vaccine clinic, which had already vaccinated over 3,000 Burlington residents at their location alone, gave me a sense of hope that we are turning a corner in our fight against COVID-19.

 

I know there has been much discussion around the increased interval between the 1st and 2nd dose as recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). I want to reassure you that NACI makes their recommendations to the Provincial and Territorial Governments based on the latest science, evidence and data. For more information on who NACI is and what they do, please visit the link here. 

 

While hope is on the horizon, the case numbers in Ontario continue to rise at worrisome levels. I know we are all tired and want to get back to normal, but we need to keep following public health best practices to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

 

I was very pleased to share the news earlier this month that an agreement is in the works between Transport Canada and the Cities of Burlington and Hamilton to come to an arrangement to keep the Burlington Piers open and accessible. There is more work to do, but this is a very positive development for our community.

 

March is also International Women’s Month. I celebrated here in Burlington, in Canada and around the world in a range of virtual events. From Paddy Torsney’s 25th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast, to representing Canada at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women; there is a lot to talk about when it comes to women and gender equality this year.
 

While Canadian women have made important advances, 2020 was in many ways a year of setbacks. One hundred thousand women left the workforce, as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted women-led sectors in much deeper ways than male-dominated sectors.
 

Women have faced the dual burden of trying to work (from home or on the front lines) and simultaneously managing additional care responsibilities of children out of daycare and school for long periods of time.
 

At the same time, we’ve seen unacceptable levels of gender-based violence. Recently, the annual Canadian femicide report documented 169 women and girls that were killed in Canada last year.

 

We need to make 2021 the year of the She-Covery for women in all their diversity.


2020 marked 25 years since the groundbreaking Beijing Conference in which Hillary Clinton declared “Women’s Rights are Human Rights.” It was supposed to be the year of generation equality. We cannot afford to let women’s human rights, economic participation and gender equality slip backwards.
 

We’ve also seen important calls to action to end Anti-Asian Racism in our community. I had the chance to speak with Chinese-Canadians in Burlington last week to hear about their experiences and how we can work together to build a more inclusive country. I remain committed to fighting racism and discrimination, in all of its forms.
 

With April 19th announced for the date of the Federal budget, I will continue to work alongside Minister Freeland to put Canada on a path back to growth in a way that truly works for everyone.



Sincerely, 



Hon. Karina Gould
Member of Parliament 
Burlington

 

 

 

For the full update, click here

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