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Weekly Update From Eric Melillo

Dryden, ON, Canada / CKDR
Mike Ebbeling
Jun 29, 2020 | 7:42 AM


Weekly Update From Eric Melillo

Kenora MP Eric Melillo believes the COVID-19 scare on local first nations is being handled appropriately.

Melillo says health officials are taking very seriously the six cases reported this past week.

“Continuing to monitor the situation. I’ve been in touch with local officials as well as with the Department of Health and Indigenous Services to make sure that the resources are there that these communities need in order to respond to this crisis.”

Melillo says health officials and communities are treating the outbreak responsibly and safely.

He stresses as long as people are behaving in a safe and responsible way, there’s no reason we can’t open our economy up, despite the extra cases.

Melillo recently raised the coronavirus response issue with Treaty #3 Grand Chief Francis Kavanaugh.

To here more from Eric Melillo on that meeting, conversations with Kenora District Services Board Chief Administrative Officer Henry Wall on homelessness as well as Summer meetings with constituents, listen to the Audio link below.

Here is the weekly report from Kenora MP Eric Melillo

Dear Constituents,

Lately I’ve been busy meeting with local business owners, volunteers, and community leaders across the Kenora riding.
I’ve had many valuable conversations with local tourism operators over the past few months. Recently, I had the chance to meet with some of them in-person in Dryden to reiterate my support.

Tourism operations are in a particularly precarious position during this crisis, due to high start-up and maintenance costs and their reliance on cross-border tourists. Their situation has been worsened by lack of clarity on re-opening dates and by the insufficient federal response.

Since this crisis began, I’ve been advocating for measures to support our tourism industry, including direct funding and grants from the federal government, as well as more concrete information about when we can expect the Canada-US border to re-open.
I was also happy to speak to Grand Council Treaty 3 Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh about issues facing Indigenous constituents, including COVID-19 response, community policing, and support for First Nations businesses.

Additionally, I had a productive discussion with representatives from the Kenora District Services Board to discuss how the government can work to address housing security, homelessness, and technological divides that hinder access to social services.

The current crisis is having a disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable, underscoring the need for more infrastructure investments in our region. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with constituents, stakeholders, and my colleagues from all parties to get action on these important files.

I truly appreciate hearing from my constituents about issues that affect their lives. Your feedback helps me serve you better in Parliament.

As always, if there is anything my office can assist you with, or a cause you would like me to take up in Ottawa, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 807-468-2170 or by email at eric.melillo@parl.gc.ca.

Sincerely,

Eric Melillo

Member of Parliament – Kenora riding