Message From Tony
Monday September 30th will mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
When I took the Personal Pledge of Reconciliation, I made a commitment to learn about the history, the culture, and the challenges faced by Indigenous People living in Canada. Saturday September 30th is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities.
September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day. It was started in 2013 by a remarkable and courageous woman – Phyllis Webstad. It is the story of a young child, wearing a new orange shirt given by her grandmother, to wear on her first day of school. On arrival, she was stripped of her new shirt by the Mission Oblates, making Phyllis’ story – and her shirt – symbolic of the stripping away of respect and culture, and the tragic story of residential schools.
Public commemoration of the painful history, and ongoing impacts of residential schools, is a vital component of the reconciliation process. I encourage all Canadians to show their support and respect in honouring the Indigenous children who were taken from their families and sent to these schools.
Progress on the calls to action is a process – one that requires patience and time but also a commitment to advancing real progress until all the calls to action are completed. Progress is dependent on the will of Indigenous Peoples and governments working together as full partners. Of the 94 Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the federal government is directly or jointly accountable for 76 of the calls to action. Some of the calls to action that have been completed include (94) Replace the Oath of Citizenship with a new oath with Indigenous content; (41) Appoint a national inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; (15) Appoint an Indigenous Languages Commissioner; (41) Acknowledge Indigenous Rights include Indigenous Language Rights and (80) Establish a statutory holiday, “National Day for Truth and Reconciliation”.
Progress yes, but there is much more to be done. Some calls to action are deemed to be complete, or in progress but not all groups agree with our assessment. I encourage you to follow progress on the calls to action. There are many websites that provide thoughtful analysis.
We need to continue to work on a lasting relationship that respects the knowledge, the values, and the vision of Indigenous People. There is much to be learned. Our country can only benefit from a renewed relationship of truth, trust, and real progress on all the Calls to Action.
Honouring the late Fire Chief Ian Laing
Fire Chief Ian Laing was the consummate fire fighter — dedicated, proud of his chosen career, and absolute in his resolve to provide his community with the best service. I know he took great pride in the building and opening of Station 4-5, and I was honoured to join Central York Fire Services (CYFS) to name the station in honour of Fire Chief Ian Laing.
His legacy will continue through the unwavering commitment to excellence he shared with his colleagues, including Rocco Volpe, who has been named as the new Fire Chief. Rocco has been leading CYFS exceptionally well as Acting Fire Chief and I know he will continue to do so in his new position.
Following this commemorative event, I was also pleased to join the CYFS for their annual open house to learn more about the work that goes into protecting Newmarket-Aurora. Thank you to for your ongoing commitment to ensure that our loved ones are safe.
Apply for the Newmarket-Aurora Youth Council
Are you:
- a resident of Newmarket-Aurora?
- aged 15-25?
- interested in politics?
If you said yes to all three, then I encourage you to apply for the 2024-25 Newmarket-Aurora Youth Council (NAYC). The Council meets monthly to provide insight on issues important to them. They also learn more about Parliament and what an MP does, while meeting other young leaders from across the community, as well as occasionally sitting down with a government official.
Over the past year, I’ve been pleased to meet with my Youth Council to visit long-term care facilities, write Valentine’s cards for Veterans in our community, create a 2024 Pre-Budget submission, and advocate for a National School Food Program.
The NAYC is non-partisan and all youth from Newmarket-Aurora are welcome. If you are unsure whether you reside in the riding, you can enter your postal code on this website. Applications are due on October 9th, 2024, at 11:59 EST.
Growing our communities responsibly
In response to labour shortages and the aftershocks of the pandemic, the federal government took steps to meet the urgent needs of businesses and support our economic recovery. We needed these measures to maintain a strong economy and avoid a recession. Since then, the labour market has changed – and we are adapting to that change.
That’s why we’ve introduced new measures today to make temporary resident levels in Canada more sustainable and predictable:
- New caps on international students for 2025 and 2026;
- New requirements for Post-Graduate Work Permits to better align with immigration goals and labour market needs;
- More stringent rules on spousal work permits for students and temporary workers; and
- Empowering our officers and immigration system to detect fraud, catch non-genuine visitors to Canada, and reinforce system integrity.
This is in addition to measures already announced by Minister Miller earlier this year, including our plan to reduce the share of temporary residents in the Canadian population from 6.5% to 5% by 2026. The full plan will be introduced as part of the Immigration Levels Plan by November 1 this Fall.
Our government will continue growing the economy — and our communities — responsibly.
Rail Safety Week
Every year, more than 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured by incidents stemming from unsafe behaviour near railway tracks and trains. All of these incidents and deaths are preventable. By looking out for each other and working together, we can help keep our communities safe and prevent injuries and fatalities on or near railway property.
During Rail Safety Week, we raise awareness of the dangers of being on or near railways and how we can stay safe around rail property. Here are tips to “be rail smart”:
- Stay off tracks and railway property.
- Stay alert, avoid distractions.
- Know and obey railways signs and signals.
- Be aware of other road users.
- Leave your vehicle if stuck on the tracks.
Deaths and injuries caused by railway incidents are 100% preventable. I encourage everyone in Newmarket-Aurora to learn more about the safety tips for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and more here.
