Newsletter - Mar. 04, 2023
On February 24th, we marked the sombre one-year anniversary of Putin's brutal full scale invasion of Ukraine. At every step of its illegal and unjustifiable war, Russia has been proven wrong. Kyiv did not fall. Europe did not freeze in the dark. NATO did not fracture. And we will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
One year later, Ukrainians continue to relentlessly defend their homeland. As we marked the occasion, we announced that we will send four more Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, bringing our total donation to eight. Along with the additional tanks, Canada will also provide an armoured recovery vehicle and over 5,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition.
During the last year, Canada and its allies and partners have stood with Ukraine and worked to mitigate the impact of Russia’s illegal war. Canada has committed over $5 billion in financial, humanitarian, development, military, peace and stabilization and other support for Ukraine.
Canada’s military assistance to Ukraine in the past year includes donations of armoured vehicles, battle tanks, combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, artillery, small arms, drone cameras and an air defence system. Canadian Armed Forces personnel have been assisting with the delivery of military aid and training Ukrainians through Operation UNIFIER. Since 2015, the Canadian Armed Forces has trained over 35,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Our commitment to Ukraine will not waver.
Slava Ukraini.
Delivery of Oakville Transit Electric Buses
Countless members of our community rely on Oakville Transit to get to work, to school, or to get their groceries.
To ensure that Oakville residents can continue to rely on our public transit in the years to come - we announced in 2020 an investment of nearly $5.3 million to support Oakville Transit to not only replace 18 specialized diesel buses with specialized battery-electric buses, but to also expand that fleet with the purchase of nine additional vehicles so that our public transit can serve more people, more effectively.
Last week, we marked the first delivery of these new innovative buses. These new buses will modernize the fleet, improving the quality, capacity and safety of Oakville Transit’s on-demand service while reducing emissions that are harmful to the environment and our health.
We will keep working collaboratively to deliver meaningful investments in infrastructure projects in Oakville and across Canada.
Investing in a Thriving and Resilient Oakville.
On Monday February 27th, I was thrilled to announce that through the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative, we are investing over $186,000 between Food for Life, OakvilleReady, and the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. This funding will go toward expanding their service delivery, as well as creating new public spaces for our community.
In addition to these projects funded through the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative - I was happy to announce that YMCA Oakville will be receiving $154,000 over the next two years. This funding will support the scale-up and expansion of the Y Mind mental health program here at the Oakville YMCA.
These projects are testament to how innovative, local solutions can benefit Canadians and strengthen our communities. They will create good jobs, promote economic growth and makes our Oakville and Halton communities more resilient, vibrant and open.
Thriving and resilient public spaces are essential for our well being. We will continue to work to enable healthy living, improve mental health resources, create jobs, and deliver results for Oakville and Halton.
A New Deal for Health Care in Canada
For far too many Canadians, our public health care system is not living up to its promise. Between long wait times, a shortage of family doctors, reduced hours at clinics and hospitals, and a lack of mental health care, Canadians are rightfully worried about their access to health care.
That’s why we’re investing $198.6 billion over the next 10 years to improve health care for Canadians.
On February 23, we announced an agreement in principle with Ontario to invest nearly $74 billion in public health care over the next decade. This includes an immediate $776 million to address urgent needs in our hospitals.
We are also attaching conditions to these agreements so that we know this funding will go towards improving the delivery of our public health care. These include:
Hiring more doctors and nurse practitioners.
Increasing wages and supporting those who power our health care system and reduce backlogs.
Fully integrating mental health into our public, universal health care system.
And ensuring your health information is available to you and your health providers – so you get the best quality care.
A resilient, universal public health care system is at the core of our values. We will always stand up to protect, defend, and enhance it. Through these new investments, we are strengthening our system so that Canadians can continue to rely on it in the decades to come.
An Evening in Solidarity with the Victims of the Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
The loss of life and destruction after the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria are devastating. On Tuesday, our community gathered at Oakville Town Hall for a vigil in solidarity with the victims and their loved ones.
There, I reaffirmed our commitment to helping the victims. To date, we have committed over $50 million in relief and we will continue to look at ways we can support those affected at this difficult time. Thank you to the community leaders and relief partners like the White Helmets for your incredible relief efforts on the ground.
Halton Women's Place Superstar Gala
I am so thankful for the important work that Halton Women's Place does for our Oakville community. I was thrilled to join them last weekend for their annual Superstar Gala. Working together, we can end the cycle of gender based violence and build a safer Canada for all.
Meeting with President of Ford
On Feb 23rd, I was pleased to meet with President & CEO of Ford Canada, Bev Goodman.
Oakville’s Ford Assembly Plant is the cornerstone of our local economy & will be a global leader in the electric vehicle market. Together, we continue to secure good jobs and build a clean future for Canada.
Coldest Night of the Year
On February 25th, we marked the 10th annual Canada-wide Coldest Night of the Year. I joined my Oakville Youth Council who walked in support of FrontLine Outreach and those must vulnerable in our Oakville community. I am so grateful for their dedication and commitment.