Timmins politicians on what they are looking forward to when pandemic restrictions lift
The pandemic has forced everyone to pivot from their usual routines, including politicians.
Timmins Member of Provincial Parliament (NDP), Gilles Bisson and Timmins-James Bay Member of Parliament (NDP), Charlie Angus said they might even have more work than usual, but the focus is different as they are helping constituents weather the lockdowns.
"When someone doesn’t know how they’re going to pay their rent and they can’t get their record of employment because they’ve been unable to go to work because of OMICRON, that’s what we do," said Angus.
"I lot of what I have has to do with the small business community, especially in this last lockdown, a fair amount of work with them to try and plug them into grant program and the energy rebate programs," said Bisson.
They said they are both looking forward to moving projects ahead that they've been working on since before the pandemic began.
Bisson said he expects construction on the $75-million redevelopment of the Golden Manor nursing home to begin sometime this spring and he also wants to work on improving home care in the area.
"There’s not enough emphasis on to make sure people are able to live at home independently without having to go into an institution," he said.
And Angus said he's going to be doing research on bringing the nation up to speed on its commitment to dealing with climate change.
"Canada is going to impose an emissions cap, that’s our international obligation. I’ve pushed for studies: how does an emissions cap work on big industries like oil and gas?"
Angus added he's also excited to get back to a project that started in January 2020, on establishing an art centre in Timmins; and Bisson is getting ready to run in the spring election. If he wins, he'll be entering his 32nd year as an MPP.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.