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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, Ju ly 14 ,2 02 2 | 26 www.concretetrimmings.com CONCRETE FREE ESTIMATES 905-844-5518 1-888-944-5518 uality At Its Best! Call Fernando 1-888-944-5518 www 1-888-944-5518 • DRIVEWAYS • FRENCH CURBS • PATIOS • STEPS • WALKWAYS • GARAGE FLOORS ExposEd aggrEgatE (pebble) ON NOW AT THE BRICK!ON NOW AT THE BRICK! SAVING YOU MORESAVING YOU MORE SAVING YOU MORE For more details shop instore or online at thebrick.com The Ontario govern- ment is building highways and key infrastructure, improving training and working conditions for Ontario's workers and en- suring our businesses have what they need to compete, to expand and create jobs. As your MPP, I am com- mitted to rebuilding a strong economy and sup- porting good paying jobs for everyone in our com- munity and across Onta- rio. This is why I was ho- noured that the premier asked me to take on the im- portant job of parliamen- tary assistant to Ontario's minister of economic de- velopment, job creation and trade. Like so many in our community who have worked in the private sec- tor, I know how important a strong economy is to On- tario's success and pros- perity. Our government is helping attract the indus- tries of the future to our province, such as the new electric vehicle hub that Ford Canada is building in Oakville. We invested $295 mil- lion in this project, and it will secure 3,000 good auto jobs and many more spin- off jobs across the region. This historic investment is part of more than $14 bil- lion in auto investments that the province has at- tracted in the last 18 months -- half of which are for hybrid and electric vehicle production and battery manufacturing. With the reduction in business taxes, such as cutting business property tax rates for 84 per cent of business properties (a $450-million annual sav- ing every year) and in- creasing health tax ex- emptions for 30,000 small businesses, saving them $450 million a year, Onta- rio is positioned to become one of the best places to in- vest and build a business in the world. To do this, we continue to need good entrepre- neurs, the best training and education for employ- ees and the infrastructure and services for business- es to succeed and for peo- ple to learn. Our government is in- vesting $14 billion to build schools, expanding train- ing and our universities. We've cut business taxes, reigned in hydro costs and we're investing $4 billion to bring high-speed inter- net to every community. As your MPP, and in my new role at Queen's Park, I am working on jobs and prosperity for our commu- nity and for our province. If we work together, we will make Ontario the most business-friendly en- vironment in North Amer- ica and beyond, one that creates good jobs for thou- sands of people. Effie Triantafilopoulos is the MPP for Oakville North--Burlington. She can be reached at ef- fie.triantafilopou- los@pc.ola.org. KEEPING OUR ECONOMY MOVING OPINION PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT HELPING ENSURE ONTARIO HAS WAY IT NEEDS TO SUCCEED, WRITES EFFIE TRIANTAFILOPOULOS EFFIE TRIANTAFILOPOULOS Column Now that the Parlia- mentary session has end- ed and the House of Com- mons has risen for the summer, I am back in our community and reflecting on all of the work that my colleagues and I have ac- complished. I am fortunate to have worked with colleagues from all parties to ad- vance legislation and draft important reports on behalf of Oakville North--Burlington, and all Canadians. Along with other ini- tiatives, we were able to pass Keira's Law in the House of Commons, which enhances continu- ing education seminars for judges on matters re- lated to intimate partner violence and coercive con- trol, and Bill C-5, re- forming the criminal jus- tice system. We also moved Bill C-21, our firearms legisla- tion, to committee. I was honoured to serve on the Special Committee on Afghanistan and ta- bled the report "Honour- ing Canada's Legacy in Afghanistan: Responding to the Humanitarian Cri- sis and Helping People Reach Safety." As parliamentary sec- retary to the minister of public safety, I worked with my colleagues on the Public Safety Committee to table two studies -- "A Path Forward: Reducing Gun and Gang Violence in Canada" and "The Rise of Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism." Our government also banned the discredited and cruel practice known as conversion therapy, which entails convincing members of the LGBTQ2 community that their sex- ual orientation or gender expression can and should be altered and us- ing cruel methods in or- der to change them. In all, I made 109 inter- ventions in the House of Commons, and spoke 315 times in committee. Our community of Oakville North-Burling- ton's voice is always my top priority. Every email, phone call and meeting has guided my work. Whether in committee, debates, or in highlight- ing some of the great events, people and mile- stones via statements de- livered in the House of Commons, as well as con- versations had in passing with others, I am proud to represent you. I am looking forward to being home in our com- munity this summer and engaging with you at events around our com- munity and visiting Cana- da Summer Jobs employ- ees at their workplaces. Have a happy and safe summer! Pam Damoff is the MP for Oakville North--Bur- lington, and the parlia- mentary secretary to the minister of public safety. She can be reached at pam.damoff@parl.gc.ca. A PRODUCTIVE TIME FOR PARLIAMENT KEIRA'S LAW AMONG IMPORTANT LEGISLATION PASSED, WRITES PAM DAMOFF PAM DAMOFF Column