Message From Tony
On October 8th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Prime Minister Trudeau unequivocally condemned Hamas’ large-scale attacks against Israel and expressed his deep condolences to Prime Minister Netanyahu for the hundreds of lives lost. He stated that Canada is gravely concerned about the atrocities that have been committed and is closely monitoring the situation.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Canada stands with Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself. He also expressed his concern about escalation and the loss of civilian life.
The Prime Minister also convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to discuss Hamas’ attacks on Israel. Along with the cabinet ministers, the group considered the latest developments, their concern for the loss of civilian life, and Canada’s close engagement with partners and allies in the international community.
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Building more homes, faster
Since we announced the first deal with London, our government has been working day and night to continue getting shovels in the ground and build more homes at prices Canadian families can afford.
We’re pushing cities to be more ambitious in their plans, too. Last month Minister Fraser met with Toronto’s mayor to negotiate their housing plan and this past Wednesday, he outlined what steps the City of Mississauga should take to help build more homes and to access federal funding. Last Thursday, Vaughan, Ontario passed a housing resolution which will unlock more affordable family sized homes, more housing near transit and more apartments for the people of Vaughan.
We are taking unprecedented action on behalf of Canadians, including by removing the federal GST on the construction of rental apartment buildings, and urging all provinces to follow suit. This will change the equation for home builders to get more affordable rental homes going up, instead of condos that are rented out at higher rates.
But we know we cannot solve the housing crisis alone; we need home builders, not-for-profits, and all levels of government at the table with us on this. We are focused on continuing to deliver federal leadership to drive the change we need at the provincial and municipal levels and solve Canada’s national housing crisis.
Highlighting the Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays
In September, I had the opportunity to attend the Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays, hosted by The Very Useful Theatre Company. This week, I shared with my colleagues the significance of this event for our community and congratulated the hosts, writers, volunteers, sponsors, and actors on their success.
This festival provides audiences with joy, entertainment, and laughter, and supports Inn From the Cold, a not-for-profit that is critical to supporting those in need.
I applaud The Very Useful Theatre Company for their goal to encourage and facilitate the performing arts, and to utilize theatrical performances as fundraising events for charitable organizations in Newmarket.
Removing Barriers to Build More Homes, Faster
In communities across the country, building the housing we need, especially affordable housing, is needlessly difficuly. That’s why the federal government is working with municipalities to break down barriers and build more homes, faster.
I had the opportunity to join the Prime Minister as he announced an agreement with the City of Vaughan to fast track over 1,700 new housing units while incentivizing thousands of additional homes over the next three years.
This agreement, under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), will provide over $59 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need. The HAF is helping cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities.
Our government is making life more affordable for Canadians – and housing is key to that work.
Submit Your Favourite Places in Newmarket-Aurora
Do you have a favourite spot in Newmarket or Aurora? A place to connect with nature or hang out with friends and family? If you would like to share your happy place with others, then we have an opportunity for you.
Each fall my office creates a calendar that we distribute throughout the constituency, and this year’s theme is “favourite places in Newmarket-Aurora.” You can be a part of this by grabbing your camera or phone and snapping a pic of your go-to destination, and sending it along with a brief description (max 15 words).
Here are a few rules:
- Locations must be within the constituency of Newmarket-Aurora
- No low-resolution pics (minimum 2000 pixels wide)
- Photos must be the work of the sender
- Original pics only (no A.I. please)
- Ensure you have consent from all individuals in the photo.
Please submit your photos no later than November 10, 2023.
Call for Proposals for the Substance Use and Addictions Program
Canada is facing an unrelenting toxic drug and overdose crisis. No community has been left untouched. That’s why we are leveraging all the tools at our disposal to work towards an end to this crisis—including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement.
We’ve launched the 2023 National Call for Proposals for the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), which provides time-limited funding for a wide range of innovative and evidence-informed projects.
Projects target a range of substances, including opioids, stimulants, cannabis, alcohol, nicotine, and tobacco.
We will continue to work with all levels of government, partners, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and community organizations across Canada to help end this national public health crisis.
Learn more about eligibility requirements here.
The deadline to apply is November 22, 2023, at 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
