I feel incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to introduce myself as your new Member of Parliament for London North Centre. I am very excited about the direction in which this government has been moving London, and as your new Member of Parliament—I look forward to contributing to that. The next four years will provide us, together, with the chance to reinvigorate this city with new investment and new jobs.
Prime Minister Harper has set out his priorities for the next four years going forward. We intend to continue on with the hard work that the Conservative Government has undertaken over the last five years in office. Our government will continue to focus on the economy—continuing our economic recovery, keeping taxes low, balancing the budget, and creating jobs.
I am pleased to report that I have officially been sworn in as the Member of Parliament for London North Centre as of Thursday, May 19th, and have set up our constituency office so that we can begin serving the people of London. We have an open door policy at our office, and there will be plenty of open communication with the people of London. (see the end of the article for contact information).
Another exciting event that happened was my appointment as Parlimentary Secretary for the Status of Women. I am looking forward to working with the many groups that provide assistance to women and girls in our 3 program areas: Violence Against Women and Girls, Leadership and Democratic Participation and Economic Prosperity and Security.
Budget 2011
Within the first few days of the House of Commons sitting, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty introduced the 2011 Federal Budget, The Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
This Budget serves as an investment in Canada’s future and will certainly serve to benefit all Londoners.
I was proud to support a Budget that provided an increase in the GIS for Seniors; a tax credit for children’s arts; a family caregiver tax credit; an extension of the ecoenergy retrofit program; elimination of the mandatory retirement age for federally-regulated employees and a tax credit for volunteer firefighters. These are just a few examples of how this Budget will keep our economy on solid ground.
Ending the Postal Work Stoppage
On June 27, Labour Minister Lisa Raitt introduced legislation that would put an end to the Canada Post work stopage.
I heard from seniors who were worried that their pension cheques were not going to arrive in time to pay the bills; from the disabled who required their disability cheques to make ends meet; and small businesses who were unable to pay outstanding invoices or receive payment for work performed.
It truly was unfortunate that the opposition parties felt the need to prolong the debate on this important piece of legislation. At 7:15 AM on Saturday, June 25th, I made a statement in the House of Commons on behalf of the many constituents of mine that demanded the unnecessary extension of the debate come to an end and postal service resume.
Finally, after 58 hours of debate, the House passed Bill C-6 An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of postal services. I was relieved that the Senate moved swiftly to pass the Bill thus proceeding with Royal Assent and the eventual resumption of mail delivery on Tuesday, June 28.
Global Vision Riding Ambassadors
On June 20, I had the pleasure of meeting four outstanding student leaders from the University of Western Ontario who are participants in the Global Vision Riding Ambassador program. This non-partisan initiative provides students the opportunity to interact with various decision makers of all levels of government to ensure that their voices are heard. The group was in Ottawa to interact with Members of Parliament. For more information visit www.globalvision.ca.
Funding Announcements
From the revitalization of Ed Blake Park, TD Sunfest 2011 and research at the University of Western Ontario, I have been pleased to announce our federal government’s funding and support of these various projects.
Constituency Office Now Open
My constituency office is open from 9 AM—5 PM, Monday-Friday to assist you with any federal issue.
The office is located at 546 King Street (at the intersection of King and William with lots of free parking) Phone - 519-663-9777 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
I hope you’ll take the time to contact me to share your thoughts on how we can continue to ensure our community prospers. I look forward to your feedback
Sincerely,
Susan Truppe
Member of Parliament
London North Centre