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Hello Davenport friends and neighbours!
International news has been top of mind for me this week. As Chair of the Canada NATO Parliamentary Association – I led a delegation to Bulgaria to discuss the top security and defence issues of NATO. How to shift our strategy to better support Ukraine was top of mind, and we had a discussion about the top issues to be debated at the Washington NATO Summit coming up in July.
Lots of other international news that I also want to note — Canadian Foreign Minister Joly announced that Canada would support Ukraine using NATO allies’ weapons against legitimate military targets in Russia, Trump is a convicted felon after the jury unanimously found him guilty on all 34 charges, and the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza continues to have devastating consequences.
Many Davenport residents are struggling with the tragic human toll of the ongoing attacks in the Israel-Hamas war. It is a complex, dynamic, and highly charged situation. I understand that tensions are high as the circumstances in Gaza continue to worsen. Sadly, for the fourth time, my constituency office was vandalised – this time with threatening language marking the front of my office.
In a democracy, protests can be messy and even ugly, but they are a critical right. With that being said, what happened at my office this week crossed the line. Stating that “Toronto will [burn] too” is particularly troublesome. This language threatens the sense of safety in my office and impacts how we serve the residents of Davenport.
My office has ensured that we are open to all voices, and we continue to engage with those who disagree with or challenge Canada’s approach — whether by email, phone, and/or meetings. I will step up my commitment to being responsive to the community on an ongoing basis, for example through regular meetings with representative groups, so they can hear directly from me on issues that are top of mind and I can hear directly from the community.
Turning to local news — today was a historic day for Terra Nova, a seniors independent living community in Davenport with a large number of Portuguese seniors. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland came for a visit to talk about investments in the health care system, and the new national dental care and Pharmacare program(s). This was the first time a federal minister visited the community; and we also had a chance to say thank you to outgoing Terra Nova manager Anabela Silva for her 35 years of tireless service and love for the Terra Nova community.
On Parliament Hill, I spoke in the House of Commons on the Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64) which is rapidly advancing in the House; on the opposition day motion on carbon pricing; and I asked a question to Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault regarding the PBO’s admission that he had made an error in his original analysis on the effects of the carbon tax.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the carbon tax and there are many Davenport residents who do not know what the truth is. Many have expressed frustration because they believe carbon pricing is costing them more, a concern that is based largely on the aforementioned report — a report that is quoted by both Liberals and Conservatives to support their messages. The PBO recently announced that he made an error in his carbon pricing analysis and that he will be correcting it. It is so important to make sure that Canadians are given accurate and complete information.
Finally, I want to end off by saying there is a troubling rise in hate speech and racism. I have said it before and I say it again now: I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia in the strongest possible terms. There is no room in our country for any form of discrimination.
It looks like it will be a beautiful weekend — a great opportunity to enjoy the many events, and outdoor cafes and restaurants in our constituency. Have a wonderful weekend and please do not hesitate to contact me should there be anything with which my team or I can help you.
As always, it is a true honour and pleasure to serve you.
My very best regards,
Julie Dzerowicz
Member of Parliament – Davenport