29 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, Octover 6, 2022 | *Some conditions may apply. m a d e f o r s e n i o r s With over 200 fully-prepared frozen meals and free delivery*, why not start a new tradition tonight? Call today for your FREE menu! Locally Owned by Neil & Emily Ogilvie 1-855-444-0650 | HeartToHomeMeals.ca tonight…taste a new tradition. UPCOMING LAKESHORE TOURS GETAWAYS 905-623-1511 info@lakeshoretours.ca www.lakeshoretours.ca Ont. Reg. #50024799 ATLANTIC CITY Test your luck at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City October 17 to 20, 2022 | Double Rates from $759.00 FLORIDA LONG STAY Spend 1 or 2 months in sunny Bradenton at the Shorewalk Villas March and/or April, 2023 | Double Rates from $4,549.00 PORTUGAL LONG STAY Spend 3 relaxing weeks in Portugal's Algarve region March 7 to 29, 2023 | Double Rates from $3499.00 YELLOWKNIFE NORTHERN LIGHTS Head north to view one of Earth's greatest natural wonders February 26 - March 3, 2023 | Double Rates from $5,295.00 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS MONTREAL ROADTRIP The Bell Centre will be rocking for this original six matchup January 21 to 22, 2023 | Double Rates from $699.00 ROCKY MOUNTAINEER (NEW) The majesty of the Rockies meets luxury train travel August 15 to 23, 2023 | Double Rates from $7495.00 ARIZONA & THE GREAT SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP (COMING SOON) Escape the winter on this 21-day bus tour across 12 states February, 2023 | Contact us to pre-book your space! Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy on Sept. 27 in Ajax announced an additional $6.9M in funding over three years to enhance the Investing in Women's Future program. It currently supports 23 women's centres across Ontario, including The Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham, spearheaded by Esther Enyolu. Jason Liebregts/Metroland INVESTING IN THE FUTURE First responders in Durham Region have issued a united appeal for local politicians to address what they say is an ongoing staffing crisis that jeopardizes community safety. Representatives of Durham firefighters, police officers and paramedics signed onto the statement. The message calls on residents preparing to vote in municipal elections to ask candidates what they plan to do to address the issue. "If there's one thing citizens expect their elected officials to do, it's to keep them and their families safe," says the statement, dated Sept. 29 and posted to Twitter. "Whether it is increased response times, 'code zeros' when no ambulances are available, fire trucks out of service, or police and 911 call takers operating at minimum staffing levels, these unnecessary risks are not acceptable," the statement says. The letter is signed by representatives of firefighters in Whitby, Scugog, Oshawa, Pickering and Clarington, as well as Region of Durham paramedics and Durham regional police. Among the signatories to the letter was Peter Dyson, president of the Oshawa Professional Firefighters Association. He said the united front presented by first responders is in response to chronic understaffing among regional emergency services. "I think it's about time we all started working together," he said. "The lack of resources is affecting all emergency services across the region." Dyson said as residents prepare to vote for local and regional councillors, the issue of proper funding for emergency services ought to be among their priorities. That's why first responders have chosen this time to release their statement, he said. The issue becomes more pressing as the population of the region grows, he added. "We encourage people to ask their candidates where they stand on this, and how they are going to (address) it," Dyson said. In a recent interview Stephanie Taylor, president of CUPE Local 1764 representing the region's paramedics, said understaffing is a chronic issue that regularly affects the ability of the service to respond to calls. All levels of government need to work together to address the issue, she said. "We need more funding," Taylor said. "That's the only way to address this." FIRST RESPONDERS UNITED IN FUNDING CALL JEFF MITCHELL jmitchell@ durhamregion.com NEWS