10 May 2024 Newsletter
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Dear Ben, I am pleased to share with you that Toronto Centre elected our federal candidate this past Saturday, Dr. Samantha Green!
Samantha is a beloved and respected family doctor in Regent Park, University of Toronto professor, and a long-time advocate focusing on climate action and social justice. She is deeply connected to Toronto Centre and is raising three energetic children with her husband in Moss Park. I am excited for you to meet Samantha and feel her overflowing joy and commitment to make our communities the best that they can be by investing in our people, neighbourhoods and public services. You can learn more about Samantha here, and watch out for her at our upcoming canvasses and community events. One exciting event that you will certainly catch Samantha at is our upcoming Pride and Politics fundraiser!
The Toronto Centre NDP Riding Association is hosting a joyful Pride & Politics fundraiser at the iconic Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Enjoy captivating drag performances by Messy Margaret and Amora, refreshments, and a chance to celebrate Pride while supporting the Ontario NDP! Join us Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto. I am so excited by the strong NDP energy that is coming out of Toronto Centre right now!
This Mother's Day, I want to honour the incredible mothers in my life, especially my own mother, Mee Ling and my mother-in-law, Maggie. Throughout my wife's treatment, they showed unwavering support by caring for our son daily, allowing Farrah to heal and me to continue working. Even during the most challenging times, their love and presence have been a beacon of strength. They provided our son with care, support, and a safety net, showing us the true meaning of motherhood. So much love also goes to Farrah for being such a wonderful mother to our son; even in the hardest year, you have worked tirelessly to be present for him every day with care and compassion. I cherish our journey as mothers together, and raising our son fills me with hope for building a better world. Happy Mother's Day to everyone celebrating this weekend, and to those who find the day complicated, may you be surrounded by love that brings you ease. Yours in community service, Kristyn
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP, Toronto Centre
Next week, I will likely have the opportunity to debate the underfunding of Ontario’s public elementary and high schools. If this issue affects your family, I want to hear about it and bring your stories to the Conservative government. Reply to this email with your story; I will do my best to incorporate it into my speech!
The bill I am co-sponsoring with MPP Catherine Fife, Lydia's Law, will be debated in the legislature on May 15 at 6 PM. This important legislation seeks to bring accountability and transparency to the handling of sexual assault cases in Ontario. Lydia’s Law is named in honour of Lydia, a survivor of sexual assault who was forced to wait for almost two years to see justice. She does not want other young women to experience this painful delay in justice. You can read more about Lydia’s Law and sign the petition in support here.
This ban imposed by the Speaker is grossly unjust and unfair. The keffiyeh is a cultural piece of clothing like many others. It should be allowed so that Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Ontarians can express their culture in their seat of government. This week, we had a partial win, as the ban was lifted in the legislative precinct, meaning that it can be worn in all parts of the building except for the legislative chamber, including the public, media and Speaker’s galleries. While this is a step in the right direction, many people, including the influential editorial boards of Canada’s largest media outlets, agree that this selective rule is out of step with even the UN and the Israeli parliament. Doug Ford needs to do the right thing and move a government motion to reverse the ban. The Speaker has made it clear that procedurally, a government motion is the only thing that will change his mind. He has told us that an Opposition Day Motion would not change anything, which is frustrating. It is heartbreaking that we have to fight over something so simple and symbolic when Palestinians and Israeli hostages in Rafah are facing air strikes and a ground offensive on a massive scale. Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them children, are now being told to flee the last place in Gaza that they were told was safe. With borders closed and aid trucks blocked, there is nowhere that is ready to receive this massive influx of people already dealing with injuries, hunger, and massive trauma. The next few days are likely to be horrific. Please keep your eyes on Rafa this weekend, and if you can, show up in solidarity at the student encampments at the University of Toronto. The division that the Speaker’s ruling is worsening is a real threat. I am deeply aware of the rising tide of antisemitism, islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian racism in our society — and I am committed to fighting it wherever it appears. I have repeatedly called on the Ontario government to develop a real anti-hate strategy with full funding to combat rising antisemitism, islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian hate. This plan would have been a wonderful thing to unveil on Monday in acknowledgement of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), but instead, this government continued to fail to address hate in Ontairo.
On Thursday, I had the honour of speaking to my colleague MPP Wayne Gates’ motion to establish an Ontario Caregiver Benefit. This benefit would compensate the millions of caregivers in Ontario who provide care on a full-time or part-time basis to a loved one, something that they currently do out of the goodness of their hearts. Currently, this care often comes at a financial cost to the caregiver, most of whom are women. These caregivers sometimes even leave their jobs or cut back on their hours to accommodate their caregiving responsibilities. It’s long past time to provide a benefit for the people who are putting in long hours to make sure loved ones are cared for. During my speaking time, I was able to share my family's story of caregiving. Over the past year, as my wife has gone through cancer treatments, my family has been incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a team of joyful, loving caregivers in the form of our friends and family. They have been indispensable, caring for Farrah, attending appointments with her, spending time with our son, and making sure we have prepared food when there was no time to cook. The MVP in all of this has been my mom, who has stepped up to care for Farrah, my son, and my father, who also received a cancer diagnosis this year. Mom has always been the strongest person in my life, and I am so lucky to have her. You can listen to my speech here. Nova Scotia has a program that offers caregiver benefits. This motion would let Ontario join as a leader in this important initiative.
The Ontario NDP has publicly released nearly 4,000 pages of government records that we believe provide further evidence about the Ford government’s corrupt Greenbelt scheme. Obtained via Freedom of Information request from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the documents reveal Ford government officials covering their tracks and concealing their intentions to give preferential treatment to certain speculators as they planned to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt. The documents also point to officials in the Premier’s office having greater involvement in the Greenbelt scheme than was previously disclosed. On Monday, NDP MPPs questioned the Auditor General and ministry officials at a Public Accounts Committee hearing to review the AG’s special report on the government’s changes to the Greenbelt. The FOI records include the following revelations:
This past Sunday, I attended the Forsythia Festival in Cabbagetown, and it was a massive amount of fun, as it always is! I donned my yellow-est outfit and was thrilled to walk in the parade with our new Federal NDP candidate, Samantha Green and the Cabbagetown community. Happy Forsythia Festival!
Join The 519 during Rainbow Week of Action – together with our communities, allies, and partner organizations serving LGBTQ+ refugees – to amplify our urgent plea for support for LGBTQ+ refugees. It will be held from 11 AM to 1:30 PM at Barbara Hall Park! I will be there to speak, and joined by Fae Johnstone, Executive Director and Co-Owner of Wisdom2Action (W2A), Lisa Duplessis, Director of Programs and Community Services, and Debbie Douglas, Executive Director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).
If you have questions about the event feel free to email [email protected] or visit ArmyofLovers.ca.
Isabella Street is one of Toronto's most rapidly changing streets, with many high-rise towers proposed along its length. Canadian musician Neil Young lived on the street in the 1960s. The opening lyrics to his song Ambulance Blues discuss the neighbourhood and redevelopment of the street in the 1960s "Back in the old folky days The air was magic when we played The riverboat was rockin' in the rain Midnight was the time for the raid Oh, Isabella, proud Isabella They tore you down and plowed you under You're only real with your make-up on How could I see you and stay too long?" The tour will start in front of the ArQuives (34 Isabella Street) at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 11, 2024. This walking tour will cover the history of Isabella Street and then wind its way through the Upper Jarvis and Church-Wellesley Village. Particular focus will be on the area's rich music history (including the neighbourhood haunts and hangs of Neil Young, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, the Rolling Stones, and Gordon Lightfoot). There will also be a focus on the area's 2SLGBTQ+ history and how development is changing the neighbourhood. The tour will last 1½ to 2 hours. The tour will end at Barbara Hall Park where the 519 Church Street Community Centre and Dead Dog Records are hosting a vinyl records swap/sale from 11.00 AM to 3.00 PM. For more information on the sale, please click here.
St James Town Residents Council is very proud to announce their final symposium program & lineup for their St James Town 2024 SUMMIT - Emerging Innovations & Ideas. Join on May 11 from 9 AM to 3 PM for a gathering of some of the most vibrant & dynamic emerging grassroots organizations of current & future game changers in St James Town & Toronto Centre! The event will be held at the Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne Street. Please register via [email protected].
Dates: May 14-19, 2024 Location: Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas St E) The Paprika Festival, is a youth-run performing arts festival celebrating the work of young and emerging artists in the GTA every May in Regent Park. The festival is coming up, running May 14-19 at Daniels Spectrum The entire festival is free / by-donation and designed so that folks can come by any night to hang out, meet other people, do something fun, and then catch a performance. Check out the festival website and see what's going on! Folks can book FREE tickets to any in-person festival performance in Aki Studio directly through the Native Earth Box Office, and reserve your spot for community events in Daniels Spectrum Community Living Room and Terrace via Eventbrite.
Are you a tenant in Toronto Centre who is concerned about your home being demovicted? Want to learn more about demoviction and get involved in the tenants union? Click here to take their survey and get connected with the Toronto Centre Tenants Union!
If you're on the Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Housing Centralized Waiting List (CWL) or need help applying for RGI housing, we have great news for you! Councillor Chris Moise’s office is collaborating with Access to Housing and Housing Help Centres to host MyAccesstoHousingTO Sign-Up Clinics for Ward 13 residents from May 9 to May 31. They are also collaborating with Social Development, Finance & Administration (SDFA) staff on two dates to provide additional services. During these clinics, staff from Access to Housing and Housing Help Centres will be present to assist you with the following:
To best help you, please bring the following if you need help with registering your current application in the MyAccesstoHousingTO online portal:
Additional staff from Social Development & Finance Administration’s Human Services Integration will be on site on Saturday, May 11 at the Wellesley Community Centre and Thursday, May 30 at the Regent Park Community Centre to assist with the following subsidies:
To learn more about the dates for these housing clinics, click here.
Calling all community members in Regent Park! Have a knack for naming streets? TCHC needs your help naming a new street that will be built as part of Phase 4 of the revitalization, connecting Oak Street and Gerrard Street East. Here’s your chance to leave a lasting mark on your neighbourhood! Review the City’s naming guidelines and submit your suggestion with a brief explanation to [email protected] by May 24, 2024. Then join us at our annual Summer Safety Jam for an informal “dotmocracy” vote!
The 519's Health Justice Hub is hosting Workshop Wednesdays on Housing Rights and Tenant Organizing every Wednesday from 6 PM to 7:30 PM. Learn more and register here.
Join Regent Park community members for their Pride Community Block Party on June 14th from 3 PM - 9 PM on Regent Park Boulevard! There will be live music and entertainment, local vendors, crafts and kids activities, ice cream, and a cookie bar!
My First Pride is coming back for its 3rd year! Is this your first time celebrating Pride? Want to make it memorable? Looking to meet new friends? Join Pride Toronto in celebrating with My First Pride, and be a part of one of the world’s largest Pride parades. Pride Toronto’s My First Pride Contingent is a place for anyone celebrating Pride for their first time, and who want to participate in Pride Toronto’s Pride Parade. Whether you’re a newcomer to Canada, or a new member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, find fun, excitement and friends within this welcoming group. Register HERE!
Exciting news: this year's Songs from The Journey is set to grace the stage of The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Koerner Hall on June 21st! As always, the association is committed to ensuring that Regent Park residents have the opportunity to attend. To facilitate this, we're offering complimentary tickets for community members, alongside round-trip transportation between Regent Park and Koerner Hall on Friday, June 21, 2024. The attached flyer provides information on the availability of free tickets for pickup at Daniels Spectrum starting Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
I was thrilled to join Corktown neighbours at the Little Trinity Good Food Market launch at 425 King Street East last week. This program runs every Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM. They offer affordable groceries, which are hard to come by these days. Thank you to Little Trinity Church & FoodShareTO, for teaming up to tackle food insecurity.
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