Sophie Kiwala, MPP

Sophie Kiwala, MPP
Hosting a public event? Add it to my Community Calendar:
sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca/CommunityCalendar
Reducing Stigma, Raising Awareness
Sophie
Kiwala, MPP
Saturday, April 11, 2015
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
A Strong Voice for
cordially invites you to a public town hall on
Mental Health:
Memorial Hall, City Hall
216 Ontario St, Kingston, K7L 2Z3
Free Admission For more pictures and stories visit my Facebook page!
Photo credit: M.Manor/KGH
Sod Turning marks the start of An insightful tour of KGH’s main Meeting constituents in the
an accessibility project at Edith laboratory and Gastrointestinal traditional receiving line at the
Rankin Memorial Church.
annual New Year’s Levée.
Diseases Research Unit.
Spring/Summer 2015
sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca/Event
With local PTSD expert
and documentary filmmaker at “Soldier’s
Children” - a powerful
movie about children in
military families living
with PTSD.
Our military are often
called upon to face great
danger in defence of
the freedoms we hold
dear. Their families share
the same courageous
commitment.
At Kingston’s Black
History Month launch
with special guest CBC’s
Adrian Harewood.
On October 23, 2014, my Private Member’s
Motion to support the call for a national
public inquiry into missing and murdered
Aboriginal women and girls received
unanimous support. I have written to
members in all other legislatures urging
them to pass a similar motion. Until justice
is done, I will continue to raise awareness.
I was recently honoured with a recital of
the ‘Strong Woman Song’ by the Kingston
Aboriginal grandmothers in recognition of
my commitment to these issues.
Dear Friends,
Presenting a plaque after my
remarks on a motion to mark
Sir John A’s Bicentennial.
Bundled up with the hardy on
the Wolfe Island ferry, on my
way to meet with Islanders.
I was happy to hear from business and
union leaders at a public consultation
in Kingston on Ontario’s Retirement
Pension Plan (ORPP) held by Associate
Minister of Finance Mitzie Hunter.
While I support a CPP enhancement,
federal inaction has forced us to
look at options for the two-thirds of
Ontario workers who do not currently
have access to a workplace pension
plan. Read my blog post on the ORPP.
Submit your feedback to
ORPP@ontario.ca and/or by
contacting my office.
Special Recognition
If you would like to request a certificate to
celebrate a birthday, anniversary, special
occasion or achievement, please visit
sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca/RecognitionScroll
or call my constituency office.
At the citizenship ceremony,
welcoming new Canadians to
our city and our province.
Enjoying a tour of the
vibrant Kingston Seniors
Association Centre.
Honoured to speak at the grand
Vigil for the murdered
opening of the Tett Centre for children’s families and for all the
Creativity and Learning.
people of Peshawar, Pakistan.
In January, the DN CLass Ice Yachting World Championships was Great questions at Archbishop
based at Kingston Yacht Club (KYC). Over 100 participants from O’Sullivan School. I would be
more than 15 countries competed. Special thanks are due to KYC
thrilled to visit your school!
and KEDCO for helping make this unique event a great success.
Please contact my office to
make the arrangements.
Constituency Office
2-303 Bagot Street
skiwala.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
LaSalle Mews
www.sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca
Kingston, ON K7K 5W7
fb.me/SKiwala
Tel 613-547-2385 | Fax 613-547-5001
@SophieKiwala
My staff and I are here to assist you. Please feel free to
contact us with any questions, comments or concerns.
Presenting greeting to the IndiaCanada Association of Kingston.
Kingston & the Islands
To help minimize our environmental footprint, sign up for
electronic updates at eepurl.com/8zRgv or by contacting my office.
Since my last newsletter, my colleagues and I
have completed a very productive fall session in
the Legislature, passing nine bills and introducing
another ten. In the broad sense, our priority
has been to strengthen the economy. I have
enjoyed working on the Estimates and General
Government Committees and in particular the
lively interchange between stakeholders and all
three parties on the various bills.
I am pleased to inform you about some of the
government programs we’ve been working on,
and to include a few photographs from some of
my local community engagements. Une édition
française sera bientôt disponible sur mon site web.
Since the Legislature rose in December, I have
had the opportunity to visit many of our
excellent health care, social, academic and
artistic service providers. I have been so
incredibly impressed by the knowledge
and enthusiasm of our community
leaders and the dedication and hard
work of their staff. No wonder Kingston
consistently ranks as one of the best
places to live in Canada!
Merci, Meegwetch, Thank you.
Sophie Kiwala, MPP
Kingston and Islands
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Photo credit:
M.Manor/KGH
Creating Jobs
Kingston is a vibrant hub of research excellence and
innovation. Ontario’s Jobs and Prosperity Fund provides
$2.5 billion over 10 years to foster a more dynamic business
climate, strengthen strategic sectors and grow exports.
Through the saveONenergy RETROFIT PROGRAM, KGH projects annual savings of
$800,000 in energy costs, putting money where it matters most - towards patient care.
Clean and Reliable Electricity
Our Conservation First strategy helps to better manage
energy costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions and avoid
building costly new power generation. Take advantage of
energy-saving measures and rebates at saveonenergy.ca.
Ontario has eliminated coal-fired electricity generation
in North America’s single largest climate change initiative equivalent to taking 7 million cars off our roads, saving
$4 billion in health and environmental costs and preventing
668 premature deaths per year.
Since its creation in 2008, the Eastern Ontario
Development Fund has provided nearly $7 million to
expand economic activity in Kingston and the Islands,
creating and sustaining 1,129 local jobs.
The Youth Jobs Strategy connects youth with the tools,
experience and entrepreneurial support they need to find
employment or start their own business. Since its launch in
2013, the program has already helped over 26,000 youth
find or retain employment in Ontario.
Through the Aboriginal Economic Development Fund,
Ontario is providing new employment, training and
business opportunities for Aboriginal people.
Get More Money Back
The April 30, 2015 deadline for filing your 2014 personal income
tax return is fast approaching. Find out about the many Ontario
tax credits, benefits, and grants available to help you keep more
of your hard-earned money at www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/taxcredits.
Free Tax Clinics in Kingston
To determine your eligibility and book an appointment, contact:
Salvation Army at 613-507-4151
Immigrant Services Kingston and Area at 613-544-4661
Street Health at 613-549-1440
In the next phase of the Action Plan for Health Care, Ontario
is committed to providing faster access to care; improving
community care coordination and integration; and making
quality-based decisions to sustain the system for generations.
The most comprehensive newborn screening program in
Canada, from 2 diseases 10 years ago to 29 today.
There are 22 publicly-funded vaccines, up from 8 in 2003.
70,000 more young Ontarians became eligible for dental
care through Healthy Smiles Ontario.
Investing $75 million this year to provide more in-home
nursing visits within the five-day wait target, more carehours for people with complex needs, and more training for
PSWs to care for people with conditions like dementia.
Since 2005, reduced wait times for general surgery at KGH
by 190 days (50%) thanks to Ontario’s Wait Time Strategy.
2015 PanAm/ParapanAm Games
7,600 athletes. 41 countries. 51 sports. The TO2015 Games
is the largest international multi-sport event ever hosted
in Canada, taking place July 10 to 26 and August 7 to 15.
Our clean energy commitment has attracted $24 billion in
private investment and created 42,000 jobs. Ontario now
boasts 2,700 clean-tech firms, employing 76,000 people.
We are removing the Debt Retirement Charge from
residential electricity bills after December 31, 2015, two
years earlier than planned.
Putting Patients First
Honouring the Bangladeshi martyrs and celebrating International Mother Language Day
with Kingston’s wonderful Bangladeshi-Canadian community.
Protecting Our Environment
If passed, the strengthened Great Lakes Protection Act
would help fight climate change, reduce harmful algal
blooms, and protect wetlands and coastal areas.
Celebration Zone: free live performances, celebrity and
athlete appearances, culinary tastings, Franco-Ontarian
and Latino-Hispanic/Caribbean showcases and much more!
PrideHouseTO aims to make this Games the most LGBTQinclusive multi-sport games in history.
Tickets start as low as $20 at toronto2015.org/tickets.
Implementing stronger protection for marine mammals.
Working with industry to move away from the ubiquitous
use of ‘neonics’ pesticides and protect pollinator health.
The Invasive Species Act addresses the serious threat of
species such as zebra mussels and garlic mustard. Learn
more at sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca/News/10248.
Join the discussion! Share your feedback on the Climate
Change Discussion paper, which sets responsible climate
change goals, while fostering economic growth.
Read more on my website at
sophiekiwala.onmpp.ca