Weekly column from Kenora MP Eric Melillo:
Dear Constituents,
Last week, I travelled to Ottawa to be officially sworn in as a Member of the 44th Parliament last week. I appreciated having my friends, family, and staff present for this meaningful moment, and I look forward to continuing to serve the riding of Kenora.
Improving mental health for all
Canadians from all walks of life struggle with mental illness, and the pandemic has made everyday life a lot harder. Unfortunately, rural and northern Ontarians who suffer are often especially vulnerable due to insufficient health and social services.
Ensuring access to mental health care is a major priority for the Conservative Party. In this upcoming session of Parliament, I will advocate for the needs of our local communities and ensure that rural and northern residents are not left behind.
Protecting our Allies in Afghanistan
The Conservative Party is once again calling on the government to protect our allies in Afghanistan.
Afghans who aided Canadian forces are in mortal danger under Taliban rule, and around 1700 interpreters and their families have taken refuge safe houses in Kabul. Last week, veterans groups who have been supporting these safe houses through private donations announced that they needed an additional $5 million to keep them open past Friday.
The Conservative Opposition immediately called on the Trudeau government to fill this void.
Afghan interpreters stepped up to help our Armed Forces when we needed them. Now Canada needs to step up and get them out of harm’s way.
Ending Sexual Misconduct in the Military
I was pleased to hear that new Minister of Defence Anita Anand will be accepting recommendations to direct sexual misconduct allegations in the military to civilian authorities. It’s unfortunate that this step – which was recommended in 2015 – was not taken sooner.
No one should be subject to assault or harassment. There is a lot of work to be done to ensure all members of the Canadian Armed Forces are protected from harassment and sexual violence. I will be watching this process closely.
Working for You
As always, if there is anything my office can assist you with, please call me at 807-223-2182 (Dryden) or 807-468-2170 (Kenora) or email me at eric.melillo@parl.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Eric Melillo
Member of Parliament
