I hope you’re enjoying these last few weeks left of summer! As families begin preparing for back to school, I’m wishing all those returning and beginning a great academic year ahead.
It has been a wonderful summer, but it’s not over yet! Like many of you, I’m squeezing in as much as possible to enjoy the great weather we have left. In the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting with neighbours, attending community gatherings, spending time with our seniors, and preparing for my return to Parliament.
I wanted to share a few things I’ve been up to, and some important updates from our government. As always, do not hesitate to contact my office with questions, concerns or requests related to federal matters at (416) 781-5583 or write to us at [email protected].
Hon. Marco Mendicino, P.C.
Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence
Community Updates
Christie Pits
Wednesday was the 90th Anniversary of the Christie Pits riot. On August 16th, 1933, Canada saw its largest race riot at a baseball game in the park sparked by a violent act of antisemitism. To mark this anniversary and honour the Jewish and Italian Canadians who fought back against this injustice, I played in a commemorative baseball game with friends.
Thank you to all those who came out to show support for this event and to reaffirm our pledge to fight against antisemitism and all forms of hate. A special thank you to our Councillor and Deputy Mayor, Mike Colle and all organizers for putting together a great event.
Visiting our Seniors
It’s always a pleasure to spend time with our community’s seniors and discuss local issues. It was great to stop in next door to visit my neighbours while they enjoyed enjoyed a fantastic lunch with music and dancing organized by the Health Promotion & Outreach Program for Seniors. Thank you for having me!
The Toronto Raptor’s 2nd Annual Youth Summit
Earlier this week the Toronto Raptors held their Second Annual Youth Summit on community safety. I, alongside my colleague the Hon. Marci Ien, Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth, had the opportunity to chat with young people from communities around the city, including a group from our very own Lawrence Heights who came down to participate.
Youth were clear about the challenges they are facing and the safety needs in their communities. More housing, community centres and public spaces, recreational and career opportunities, and mental health supports are just a few among some of the most important tools they identified to build safer communities.
Supporting Local Businesses - Bistro on Avenue!
I always love getting to enjoy our local hot spots in EgLaw, and one of my many favourites is Bistro on Avenue! Huge thanks to Cindy and Lou for hosting me and my team for a delicious lunch. We also took the opportunity to wish Lou a very happy 85th birthday!
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and keep our main streets vibrant. I encourage everyone to visit and support local the many great businesses in our area.
Ontario Caucus Retreat
This week the Ontario Liberal Caucus met for our annual meeting to discuss our work and priorities ahead of returning to Parliament next month.
I had the opportunity to bring EgLaw’s priorities to the table. Whether it’s making life more affordable, keeping our community safe, fighting climate change, getting more housing built, and more - our government is committed to building a better Canada.
Community Updates
2 Billion Trees - Exceeding Planting Goals
Trees play a crucial role in our fight against climate change. They capture and store carbon, reduce the risk of wildfires and floods, protect biodiversity, and help to restore disaster-struck areas. As part of our government’s commitment to fighting against climate change, we are planting two billion trees across the country.
Since the 2 Billion Trees program was launched in 2021, our government has supported the planting of over 110 million trees. This is great news because it means that we have exceeded our goal to plant 90 million trees in the first two years of the program, putting us on track to plant two billion.
Read more about the program and the impact two billion trees will have here.
A Cleaner, More Affordable and Reliable Grid
Electricity powers our lives. As our world begins to shift toward cleaner energy and our need for electricity increases, we must have a reliable electricity system. To help Canada reach a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, the federal government recently announced draft Clean Electricity Regulations.
We are not starting from scratch. Canada’s electricity grid is one of the cleanest in the world, with 84% of our electricity being generated from non-emitting sources like hydro, nuclear and wind. These new regulations will help to decarbonize the remainder of our grid while meeting the increasing demand for electricity and cutting over 340 megatonnes of greenhouse gas pollution between 2024 and 2050.
Read more about what these draft regulations will mean for our planet, affordability and economic opportunity here.
Available Now: Tax-Free First Home Savings Account
To help with the costs of purchasing a first home, Canadians can now open a Tax-Free First Home Savings Account (FHSA) to save up to $40,000, untaxed, to help with the costs of purchasing a first home. The First Home Savings Account is currently available at the following financial institutions:
TD
CIBC
RBC
Scotiabank
Wealthsimple
Questrade
EQ Bank
With more to come soon! Read more about the FHSA and how it works here.
Addressing Labour Shortages and Protecting Temporary Foreign Workers
With increasing labour and skills shortages, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill essential jobs. To address the needs of employers and critical sectors, we are simplifying the hiring process and reducing the administrative burden on repeat employers who demonstrate the highest standards of worker protection when hiring Temporary Foreign Workers.
This 3-year program will cut red tape, address labour shortages, protect workers, and improve the Temporary Foreign Worker program. Read more here.
Accepting Applications: Community Projects for Seniors
The 2023-24 call for proposals for community-based projects through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) has officially launched!
Applications are now open, and funding will be awarded to organizations that support seniors in various capacities. Projects should support our key priorities for seniors in order to receive funding:
Healthy aging
Preventing elder abuse
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Financial security
Applications are open online until September 14th. You can find details on how to apply here.
Lawrence Heights and Neptune Back to School Event
Calling all families in the Lawrence Heights area! On August 30th from 3:00 - 8:00 PM, families can secure a backpack for children heading back to school at the Lawrence Heights Back to School Event. There will also be a small business owned market.
Children must be between the ages of 4 - 16 years, and be Lawrence Heights and Neptune residents. Registration is required by Monday.
Make sure to stop by this event at the end of the month!
Taste of Manila
Taste of Manila is celebrating its 10th year! Starting tomorrow and going all weekend, the Filipino community will be gathering at Bathurst and Wilson for some good food, music and dancing.
My team and I are so excited to join the community at this event tomorrow. It will be a pleasure to join organizers and other representatives for the opening ceremonies. My office, in partnership with Minister Saks’ office, will also be hosting a tent on the Saturday - make sure to look out for the EgLaw team and come by to say hi!
Ferragosto at the Columbus Centre
Come celebrate summer and commemorate Ferragosto with our amazing Italian community members at the Columbus Centre this Sunday!
