Adam van Koeverden

Today is #WorldDiabetesDay, so I’m wearing blue, in support of my friends Chloe & Scout and everyone living with Diabetes. Diabetes Canada JDRF Canada... Together, we will #EndDiabetes #WearBlue #WearBlueForChloe #DiabetesAwarenessMonth

Attention local businesses. This morning our government announced a new & vastly improved Commercial Rent Subsidy program. Canadian businesses, non-profit organizations, or charities who have seen a drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of their commercial rent or property expenses, starting on September 27, 2020, until June 2021.... Important note: this program is retroactive to Sept 27th. Please be in touch if you have any questions. [email protected] Learn more and apply here: https://www.canada.ca//services/subsidy/emergency-rent-sub

High-Speed Home Internet is the goal, and the Universal Broadband Fund is how we are going to get there. I think I accidentally said million in the clip but it's $1.75Billion to connect every home, regardless of where they live to high-speed broadband. Thank you to Ministers Maryam Monsef and Navdeep Bains for the announcement this week. https://youtu.be/G3pvmmTIpjQ

Every deserves a safe and affordable place to call . That is why we are working hard to ensure Canadians have a roof over their head. Tomorrow, on #NationalHousingDay, we want to ask - what does #housing mean to you?

Today I attended Virtual Parliamentary Diwali to light a candle and observe this auspicious day in celebration of the triumph of light over darkness. It brought... me back to last year, where we came together to celebrate here in Milton. I felt truly embraced by the local community, and really enjoyed the chance to learn about an important cultural day. It’s my ambition to represent every Miltonian, and coming together in celebration is the best way to get to know each other better. Sadly that’s been hard in 2020, but I’m looking forward to better, lighter days ahead. This year has been tough for many people, but I want to send some light out to all of my friends and neighbours - Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Newar Buddhists, and everyone celebrating the victory of light over darkness... it will get better because we will work together! The good will always triumph. All my best for a happy Diwali!

I really want to thank the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna for prioritizing transit and coming to Milton to announce a historic $3.9M for Milton’s new Transit Operations Facility today. Once completed, this building will support our fleet’s storage and servicing needs. Making sure Miltonians can get around town safely and affordably - thank you to all levels of government and Town of Milton staff for making today possible.

Covid-19 has impacted us all but it’s especially hurt our hospitality sector. Our government has shown that we are here to help and support our local businesses through the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the creation of the Commercial Rent Assistance Program, and the expansion of the Canada Emergency Business Account. But we can and should do more ... I was happy to shout out some of my favourite local restaurants in the house including EddieO's Pourhouse and Kitchen The Rad Brothers Sports Bar and Tap House Brydens Milton Caribbean Vibes Milton Thai House Cuisine 3 The Green Eatery Grill Daddy Family Restaurant Naan Guys Paramount Fine Foods Milton, it’s up to us. Order in, get take out, buy a gift card, buy local, shop local, and eat local!

Min. Catherine McKenna and I are pleased to announce $3.9 million in federal funding for the Town of Milton as part of the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream

Issuing a friendly challenge to my friends at Canoe Kayak Canada (and everyone really) to download the Covid ALERT app! Free Safe & Secure Exposure notifications ... Very in style / Hip* (*Just ask Arkells) Click this to download! https://www.canada.ca//coronavirus-diseas/covid-alert.html

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, Rob Oliphant MP!! Milton! Don Valley West has issued a little challenge... they think they can get more of their friends and neighbours to download the COVID-19 app than we can. How do we win?... Go here and download the app: https://www.canada.ca//coronavirus-diseas/covid-alert.html Then like or love and share this post, and show Don Valley West that NOBODY SOCIAL MEDIAS BETTER THAN #MILTON SOCIAL MEDIAS! Friendly reminders: Wash up: Mask up: Stay apart: Download:

That Erin O’Toole seconded Rempel Garner’s motion casts similar doubt on the new Conservative leader’s own judgment. We want Parliament to work, Canadians are counting on us. It’s too bad the opposition would rather play games. via Karina Gould

It was a beautiful morning at Milton Evergreen Cemetery. A shortened but very meaningful ceremony to honour and commemorate our veterans and the sacrifices they... made for us, our freedoms, and our country. Summertime temperatures today. Last year, if you recall we got a huge, wet snowfall. The centre photo below with my friend Mark Phillips does a good job telling that story. Thank you to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch # 136 - Milton for, as always, putting on such a wonderful ceremony and honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and protected our freedom. Thank you. #WeRemember #CanadaRemembers #LestWeForget

Chilly autumn days like today are made for Hot Soup! I delivered a trunk load of soup kits this morning as part of Home Suite Hope and Food For Life’s Empty Bowls at Home program. In place of a gala or an in-person event this year, soup kits were purchased and proceeds support disadvantaged single parent households with fresh food & literacy. Thank you to everyone in Town who purchased a kit! If you’d like to learn more about Food for Life and Home Suite Hope and how you can... support them, click the link below! https://www.homesuitehope.org https://foodforlife.ca

On Friday I stood in the house to thank my friend MP Jaime Battiste for teaching us all about Mi'kmaq by sharing the video at the bottom of his post. If you’re like me, you probably didn’t learn anything about Treaties in school. Truth & Reconciliation includes education - it’s a great video that I’d encourage everyone to watch!

Staying home doesn’t mean staying safe for women & kids affected by domestic violence. I was proud to acknowledge Halton Women’s Place & thank everyone who part...icipated in this year’s #HopeInHighHeels event today in the House. I want to thank a few local fundraising champions - Raheem the Dream, Councillor Mike Cluett, Unifor’s Jerry Dias, Team Fire Power CrossFit (I’m still sore), and everyone out there who donated! Together, we can end men’s violence against women.

Closing out #SmallBusinessWeek with recognizing my friend Melani Bastians’ latest restaurant, Caribbean Vibes Milton! Located on Main Street in Downtown Milton, Caribbean Vibes is home to some of the best and authentic jerk chicken, plantains and wings! I’m always happy to share a local business and especially ones that represent our town’s diaspora! So come on out for your Friday dinner or weekend lunch and help support our local restaurants! And if you have a local busines...s you’d like me to highlight, send an email to our office at [email protected] See more

Today, PM Justin Trudeau & Min. Navdeep Bains announced funding that will help secure 5,400 well-paying middle class jobs to produce electric vehicles in Oakville & across Canada. That means well-paying, environmentally friendly local jobs for Miltonians! Our economy strengthens when we make investments in a sustainable future.

As part of the Emergency Fund for Food Security launched back in April, $40,449 will be donated to the Milton Salvation Army Khi Community to use towards their food bank. $7,203 is being funded in the way of pre-packaged foods. The Salvation Army has always been there to support local families and people in need, and COVID-19 has only added to the considerable demands on their staff and volunteers. Our government’s Emergency Fund for Food Security has been there to assist t...he organizations that support our most vulnerable neighbours from the start. This pandemic has been exceedingly difficult for so many Canadians, but with incredible support from community serving organizations like the Salvation Army here in Milton, families have had access to the food and supplies they need. I want to thank them for their hard work and generosity, and for everything they do to ensure local families are food secure. See more

We promised to take swift and decisive action on plastic waste and pollution, and we have. As someone who spent more than half my life on the water - I can’t st...ress how important this is. You can’t just throw it away, there is no away. https://www.cbc.ca/n/politics/single-use-plastics-1.5753327

Fighting COVID-19 and supporting Canadians isn't a politically partisan issue, and while we may disagree occasionally, we are working together to support our neighbours. Regardless of where you live in Canada or how you vote, team work is key and we all have a role to play in stopping COVID-19. We are all on #TeamCanada Thanks to my friends and colleagues, MPs Scott the MP Aitchison, (CPC), Laurel Collins, MP for Victoria (NDP), and @Jenica Atwin MP for Fredricton (Green)... :)

Thank you to the Milton Muslim Community for bringing us together to celebrate and acknowledge Islamic History Month. I've learned so much thanks to the community's generosity and giving spirit. Diversity is our strength here in Milton and across Canada. It's something we celebrate and champion, because it makes our communities stronger, more compassionate, more resilient inclusive and welcoming to all.... Thank you for all of your great work.

In 2007, the Parliament of Canada proclaimed October Canadian Islamic History Month in recognition of the significant contributions the Muslim community has made to Canadian society. Here in Milton - we came together to acknowledge and celebrate Islamic Heritage month at Townhall. It was meant to be outside, but it was raining heavily - all health precautions were observed and the Halton Police were in friendly attendance in recognition of their Diversity & Inclusion work. I’...ve learned a lot about Islam over the last couple years, and it’s thanks to the spirited generosity of the Muslim community here in Milton. Thank you for welcoming me into your homes, to your Masjid for Jummah prayers, to your events and for sharing your faith with me. I am grateful. To my Muslim friends and neighbours, As-salamu alaykum - happy Islamic Heritage Month. To my non-Muslim friends, it’s a good opportunity to learn something about Islam. The infographics posted on the Muslim Advisory Council of Canada’s Facebook are a great resource.

FIVE ways to stay healthy and safe from COVID-19, no matter where you are: WEAR A MASK WASH YOUR HANDS STAY AT HOME... KEEP YOUR DISTANCE DOWNLOAD THE APP (you can get the app here: https://bit.ly/2GwBRjq)

A year ago tonight, Miltonians Chose Forward and for the past 365 days it’s been my privilege to serve my neighbours as their representative in the House of Commons. I got involved in public service to help people, and 2020 has brought forth an unprecedented need for support and service from the government. This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for Canadians and the world over, but the chance to help out has been the honour of a lifetime. Thank you for your trust an...d confidence, we have accomplished a lot over this tough year, but there is much more work to do. You can continue to count on me and my team to support you, your family and our community as we work together to Build Back Better. **(Celebrating this one year anniversary should not indicate I’m in favour of an election anytime soon - I am not!)**

What we’re doing organizationally is committing voluntarily to engage the Ontario Human Rights Commission with a roadmap for systemic change and that systemic racism exists in all systems, exists in policing. Inspiring leadership from Chief of Peel Police, Nish Duraiappah. https://www.cp24.com//peel-police-sign-historic-agreement-

Milton - you sent me to Ottawa to ensure your voices are heard in Parliament. It’s been a challenging year for Canadians, but important local issues persist and... continue to require advocacy and support. I’ve spent time on the phone and zoom with my colleagues in federal government, active members of the community advocacy groups, and local government managers discussing our community’s collective opinion on the proposed location for the CN Intermodal Terminal - and I’m confident that I’ve done my very best to amplify that Milton Says No. Yesterday, I presented a petition to that effect, from my neighbours and signed by me as your Member of Parliament, to reinforce that the government refuse this application. Milton Says No

Happy to join Milton’s Nigerian community, the Nigerian Association of Milton and the Association today to celebrate 60 years of independence! The voices of th...e local Nigerian community have been incredibly powerful. From providing insight and advice at our Black Community Townhalls, to sharing their culture with us during Black History month, to their generous support of the Milton District Hospital Foundation and their commitment to fighting local food insecurity with food drives and deliveries - Milton’s Nigerian diaspora makes a huge positive impact on our community. It’s events and communities like these that make Milton the best place to call home! Happy 60th Nigeria!

The news out of Nova Scotia this week is infuriating. Those responsible must be held to account for their actions, the RCMP must do more. The Mi'kmaw fisher’s treaty rights are irrefutable. The hatred, violence and racism they’ve been subjected to has got to stop immediately.

MCRC - Milton Community Resource Centre and United Way Halton & Hamilton are an incredible force to be reckoned with here in Milton - the support they are providing to families is essential. The support and empowering programming they're providing young women and girls though their SHE CAN! initiative is amazing. Their Infant Food Bank has offering critical support for Milton's tiniest newcomers since long before this pandemic, but the need has grown because of it. I'm so proud that our government's Emergency Community Support Funding is having a positive impact locally, and I'm so inspired by the hard-working teams from the United Way & MCRC. YOU ARE AMAZING, WE APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU!!

Today on #NationalSeniorsDay we recognize and thank Seniors for their innumerable contributions to our amazing country. They are role models in our communities, always ready to share their stories and wisdom and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. (Photo from 2019)

Our government has promised to do whatever it takes to support Canadians and businesses through this pandemic, for as long as it lasts. To rebuild from job losses and strengthen our economy, we will launch a campaign to create more than a million jobs, extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to next summer, rebuild an EI system that works for all Canadians, and introduce further support for industries that have been hit the hardest, including travel and tourism, hospitality..., and cultural industries like the performing arts. The pandemic has also deepened pre-existing inequalities affecting women, who largely shoulder the burden of unpaid care work at home. To combat this challenge, we will be creating a new action plan to help more women get back into the workforce and ensure a feminist intersectional response to our economic recovery. We entered this crisis in an excellent fiscal position, and we intend to use our strengths to help Canadians, businesses, and our entire economy weather this storm and come out of it stronger than ever before.

#HikeForHospice today because everyone deserves dignified end of life care. A big thank you to Townsend Smith Hospice Foundation for all of your hard work! Thanks to the hikers and the volunteers and everyone making a donation! You can do that here: https://www.canadahelps.org//p2p/virtualhikeforhospice2020/

Been a busy #Milton morning! 9am - met up with Halton Environmental Network and Sustainable Milton and volunteers for our neighbourhood clean up. 100lbs of tras...h including an old satellite dish?! 11am - Visited Raheem the Dream to congratulate him on all the money and awareness he’s raised for Halton Women’s Place. Shot some hoops and talked about our goals! You the Champ, Raheem! 11:30am - Dropped into the Burpees for Halton Women’s Place challenge at Reebok FirePower CrossFit! Joined the crew, did 120 burpees for the cause! Speak up and raise awareness around Men’s Violence Against Women. It has to stop! Noon - Got back to my office to meet JR - the artist working on the Arts Milton Culture Days mural we sponsored in partnership with Halton PFLAG on the wall of our office. Now I’m in a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Youth Council on Zoom. After this I’ll grab lunch and do my Hike for Hospice in support of Townsend Smith Hospice Foundation! Wear a mask, no high-fives, stay safe and healthy! Enjoy the beauty weather, Milton!

Closer to a vaccine everyday.

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COVID-19 has meant delays on a variety of immigration claims and issues, and people have been exceedingly patient in waiting for a resolution. Today, we are proud to announce that we are speeding up the process and accelerating claims. With these initiatives, IRCC aims to accelerate, prioritize and finalize approximately 6,000 spousal applications each month from October until December 2020. Combined with processing to date, this rate will lead to about 49,000 decisions by the end of this year.