GUEST SPEAKER: JENNIFER FRENCH – MEMBER OF PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT FOR OSHAWA
Introduced by Dave Andrews, Jennifer French taught elementary school in Japan and here in Oshawa before becoming our MPP in June 2014. She was re-elected in 2081 and again in 2022, She is the member of the loyal opposition and critic for Infrastructure, Transportation and Highways and is Cahir of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. She actively gives back to her community and has a committed record of fighting for workers rights, being actively involved in EFTO (Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Durham Region Labour Council. She is a strong supporter of our Rotary Club taking a personal interest in the Kids Safety Village, our Reverse Draw , Dinner and Silent Auction, Kids Against Hunger (with her partner Jon) and with our Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup days at Lakeview Park and the Second Marsh. She has made speeches in the Ontario Legislature thanking our Rotary Clubs in Oshawa for their work eradicating Polio, and she hosted “Leading Girls, leading Women, Building Communities” Provincial Awards in 2019 and presented Carolina Rodrigue (Rotaract President) and Rotarian Kim Boarman with these provincial awards.
Jennifer opened her remarks bringing our club up to date with her recent activities. She attended the recent AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) annual general meeting in London Ont, where she saw that many municipalities are having the same challenges: minimum wages not enough to pay housing bills and the backlogs with housing at every stage affecting seniors and young adults alike.
During the last session, she worked with the Minister of Mental Health and was instrumental in introducing a bill that resulted with the Back Door Mission in Oshawa to be the recipient of $1 million for their on site mental health assistance.
In 2018, she introduced the private members bill that resulted in the removal of tolls of highways 412 and 418.
She is introduced a private members bill 15 (fairness for road users) regarding Highway Traffic Act violations and higher penalties and is now working with Minister Mulrooney’s staff at the Committee level.
She has worked closely with Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Tibolo as well.
She is very concerned with health issues and its privatization in Ontario, particularly what is covered and what extras are not covered by clinics, and advises us to be careful and to reach out to her office if we are not sure.
She is concerned with the dental program for seniors and the threshold for those now not covered (because CPP and OAS was recently increased just enough to make this program unattainable for many).
She has received many calls from people in Minden since their emergency room was closed and the closest is now in Haliburton.
As Provincial Committee Chair of Procedure and House Affairs, the rennovations at Queens Park will be part of her portfolio and where the legislature will sit during these vast rennovations. It also includes the disposition of the statues on the grounds of Queen’s Park.
She commented on many issues during the Q and A period regarding education, city vs regional government, and noise at the Oshawa airport
She told us that she has a staff that does case work for individuals all day, and if any of us need her assistance, we should call her office. They are there to help.
Rotarian Bob Stewart thanked Jennfier,
Vice President Hilda closed the meeting at 8:05 pm.
MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER ROTARY EVENTS
SEPT 5 – Regular Weekly Meeting – – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM . Oshawa Golf Club
- Speaker: Steve Barkwell, Chief, Oshawa Fire Department
SEPT 6 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING – 5:30 PM at Linda Porritt’s Office
SEPT 12 - Regular Weekly Meeting – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM . Oshawa Golf Club
- Speaker: Dr. Colin Carrie – MP Oshawa –
His Annual address to our Rotary Club
SEPT 13 – Rotary Leadership Institute – Part One – Week One - on Zoom – 6 PM to 8 PM
SEPT 19 - Regular Weekly Meeting – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM . Oshawa Golf Club
- Speaker: Dan Carter. Mayor of Oshawa –
His Annual Address to our Rotary Club
SEPT 20 – Rotary Leadership Institute – Part One – Week Two - on Zoom – 6 PM to 8 PM
SEPT 23 – Bingo at the Red Barn – 11 AM – Linda P, Dave A., Brady B., Al F.
SEPT 26 - Regular Weekly Meeting – 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM .
NO MEETING AT OSHAWA GOLF CLUB
SPOUSES NIGHT
SEPT 27 – Rotary Leadership Institute – Part One – Week Three - on Zoom – 6 PM to 8 PM
SEPT 28 – Bingo at the Red Barn – 11 AM – Hilda F , Robbie L, Al F, Lennis T
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT, MAKE UP: Go online at www.rotary.org go to the club locator and find a club or clubs near your destination. Or you can add the free App Rotary Club Locator to your phone for instant look up of any club in the world. Please mail or fax your make-ups to Secretary Sue MacKinnon, or give your make-up card to the attendance/registration officer at the next club meeting.