Dear Friends;

I hope you are enjoying the summer months and that you are able to take some well-deserved vacation time.

The minority Parliament in Ottawa, now recessed for the summer, produced some legislation important to Canadians but much more needs to be done. When Parliament resumes in the fall, I will be fighting for improved policies and legislation covering foreign takeovers; a complete ban on handguns (further to our 2006 Liberal Party Campaign platform); modifications to Canada's anti-terrorism legislation; policies to improve air quality and achieve reductions in greenhouse gases; and, enhanced measures to counter the increase in counterfeit goods in Canada.

As Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety & National Security, I assisted in the writing of a report - Counterfeit Goods in Canada - a Threat to Public Safety. This report was tabled in the House of Commons in May 2007 and can be located at www.roycullen.com. The Committee recommended sweeping changes and calls for enhanced detection and action on counterfeit goods.

For seniors I have developed a proposal for a seniors-specific cost of living index which would recognize the unique cost pressures facing seniors. This index, if adopted, would be used to annually adjust pensions for elderly Canadians.

Please come and see me at my constituency office before Parliament resumes in mid September and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Hon. Roy Cullen, P.C., M.P.

PERMANENT RESIDENTS NEED VALID PR CARD TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE CANADA

In July 2007, permanent resident cards (PR cards), a vital document for Canadian permanent residents who are travelling back to Canada, will begin expiring. The Government of Canada is advising Canadian permanent residents to check the expiry date on their card to make sure they aren't left in the lurch during the busy summer travel season.

The PR card confirms the holder's permanent resident status in Canada. Permanent residents who travel outside Canada must show the card before boarding commercial transportation (plane, train, boat or bus) when returning to Canada.

Without a valid PR card, permanent residents will not be allowed to board, and will be referred to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate to obtain a permanent resident travel document. This will result in delays and could mean significant additional travel costs.

Permanent residents can obtain a new PR card by completing the application forms available online at www.cic.gc.ca or by calling 1-888-242-2100 (toll-free). Applications are currently being processed within 6-8 weeks of receipt at the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The PR card was introduced for new immigrants to Canada on June 28, 2002, with the implementation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The cards are valid for a five-year period, but in exceptional circumstances, some expire after one year. Permanent residents who have obtained Canadian citizenship no longer need a PR card.

Roy Cullen Writes to Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development on the Topic of the Canada Summer Jobs Program

Dear Friends,

Below you will see a copy of the letter that I wrote to the Hon. Monte Solberg, then Minister of Human Resources and Social Development on the topic of the Canada Summer jobs program. As you may have heard, many organizations within Etobicoke and across Canada were refused funding through this program after many years of federal funding. The purpose of this funding is to enable these organizations to hire local students for summer jobs.

This funding allows for a variety of important summer programs that can only be implemented by hiring summer students to run them. This serves two very important purposes: First it give students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, when it is not always easy for them to find jobs for the summer; and, secondly it allows organizations to provide programs and services for the summer that are extremely important to the community.

As of the writing of this newsletter we have learnt that the Government of Canada has altered its course after a very public national outcry. Most of the affected organizations have now been told that they will receive the same funding as last year. Hopefully by the time you read this newsletter, everyone who has been affected adversely by this, will have had good news.

Hon, Roy Cullen, M.P.

I am writing to you regarding the Canada Summer Jobs Program. It has come to my attention that many local organizations in my riding of Etobicoke North have been refused funding through this program. These include the following organizations:

Braeburn Neighbourhood Place
Canadian Training Institute/Breaking the Cycle
Dejinta Beesha
It's In Me
Kipling Avenue Baptist Church
The Kuriou Foundation
Rexdale Women's Centre
Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke
Somali Youth Association of Toronto
St. Andrew's Church Summer Camp
St. Benedict Church Summer Daze Day Camp
Urban Promise Toronto
West Indian Volunteer Community Support Services

I was very disappointed to learn that these groups have all been refused as they have all been working very effectively in the community for many years. These organizations have met all of the conditions of their previous funding agreements with your Department, and there have been no significant changes to their programs in the past year. They have benefited from the existing Summer Career Placement Program in previous years, and have a proven reputation for providing quality services in the community and providing valuable employment opportunities for local youth. The youth that are hired by these organizations are from this community, and are typically those who face significant barriers to employment.

All of these groups use the student employees funded through this program to provide much needed services in our community. Many of the groups such as Braeburn Neighbourhood Place, It's In Me, Kipling Avenue Baptist Church, The Kuriou Foundation, St. Andrew's Church Summer Camp, St. Benedict Church Summer Daze Day Camp, Urban Promise Toronto, and West Indian Volunteer Community Support Services operate summer camps, which provide a safe environment for local children and youth. These camps especially target children from low-income families, and families that are new to Canada. The Canadian Training Institute/Breaking the Cycle program provides young gang members with the opportunity to leave the gang and develop employment and life skills for the future. Dejinta Beesha, Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke, and Somali Youth Association of Toronto provide important services specifically geared to the Somali-Canadian community. The Rexdale Women's Centre provides a range of services for women in need, especially for newcomers to Canada. Without the support of the Canada Summer Jobs Program, many of these organizations will be forced to scale back their programs and, in some instances, will be forced to cancel their programs entirely for this summer.

As a designated high-need area by the City of Toronto and your Department, I am troubled by the fact that many of the organizations that serve the needs of this community on a daily basis were refused funding. Given the importance of these programs to this community, I urge you and your staff to review the decision to refuse these applications for funding through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Thank you for your immediate attention and assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Hon. Roy Cullen, P.C., M.P., Etobicoke North