Dear Nickel Belt-Greater Sudbury,

November has arrived! A friendly reminder to turn your clocks back this Sunday November 5^th for Daylight Saving Time. With the official launch of the 2023 Poppy Campaign underway, you will soon find a Remembrance Day mailout in your mailbox. It will include contact details for local Royal Canadian Legion branches, and I encourage each of you to find out more about upcoming Remembrance Day ceremonies happening across various communities throughout the riding.

I’d like to share some of the great things that took place in October!

Press Releases and funding opportunities

• MP Serré announces that the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) pan-Canadian funding stream is now accepting applications
• MP Serré announces a Call for Proposals for Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP)
• MP Serré announces a $750,000 FedNor investment to help Don Poulin Potatoes modernize and expand its operations
• MP Serré shares a letter entitled : Espanola finds support through a collaborative approach
• MP Serré shares Call for Proposals under the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) Mid-sized Projects component
• MP Serré shares that the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Program is now accepting Calls for Proposals
• MP Serré announces a $46,000 FedNor investment to help Boreal Naturals in Markstay purchase new equipment and increase production

Community Engagement

• MP Serré chaired a mining stakeholder meeting in collaboration with MineConnect to discuss Federal government support for the service and supply sector
• MP Serré co-chaired an intergovernmental meeting centered on economic opportunities and challenges in Espanola in the wake of the Domtar closure
• MP Serré met with French River Mayor Gisèle Pageau, concerning local priorities such as affordable housing, seniors housing, road and bridge infrastructure, and more
• MP Serré met with Jett Lafantaisie, Ontario Regional Manager for TD’s Indigenous banking group to discuss collaborative efforts to advance self governance and economic development with Indigenous communities
• MP Serré celebrated small business week by visiting local businesses such as Noëlville’s Home Hardware, Small Pots in Val Caron, and Steve’s Premiere Pizza in Sturgeon Falls
• MP Serré made a declaration in the House of Commons regarding forestry and mining’s importance as economic drivers in Nickel Belt and Northern Ontario- see video here: https://www.facebook.com/MarcSerreMP/posts/755225766413537?mibextid=YxdKMJ
• MP Serré met with Raymond Hatfield, Chair of the Biscotasing Citizens Committee Corporation, to discuss economic development opportunities, concerns around housing and issues related to Canada Post
• MP Serré met with members of the Citizens Climate Lobby to discuss the Federal government’s role in climate action and to further support local conservation efforts
• MP Serré rose in the House of Commons to table a petition calling on the Federal government to move forward immediately with a bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector- see the video here: https://www.facebook.com/MarcSerreMP/posts/758976596038454?mibextid=YxdKMJ
• MP Serré, in his role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages, gave remarks on the Federal government’s role in protecting official languages in minority situations and in educational context at the annual Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones convention
• MP Serré made a $400,000 announcement on behalf of the Honourable Minister Patty Hajdu, Minister responsible for FedNor, to help the ongoing work of the Almaguin Community Economic Development Department
• MP Serré continues to perform his parliamentary duties and parliamentary secretary duties for both his Official Languages role and his Energy and Natural Resources role
• MP Serré continues to meet with staff in his constituency office, residents, stakeholders, municipal leaders, Indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, local entrepreneurs and more, to take the pulse of the priorities of the region.
• Marc continues his role as president of the Canadian section of ParlAmericas

Important Tools and Information for Constituents

Benefits Finder

The Benefits Finder is a tool that can help you find Federal and Provincial Benefits and Services that you may be eligible to receive. It asks a few questions and uses your answers to search. The more questions you answer, the more customized and accurate your results will be. Get started here: https://srv138.services.gc.ca/daf/q?id=8d5429f6-e0ee-4f5d-a6ea-8403a2d476e2&goctemplateculture=en-ca

Passport Information

Here’s what you need to know about passports and travelling abroad.

How to apply for an adult passport in Canada
Global affairs Canada - Information by country and territory

• You can call our office at 1-800-267-4829 to book an appointment to have your passport reviewed in Val Caron or Sturgeon Falls.
• Reviewed passports are sent out for processing once a week on Thursdays.
• The average processing time to receive your passport is approximately 4 to 5 weeks.
• We encourage constituents to apply for their passport  their scheduled trip in case of any delays.
• Alternatively, constituents can visit Service Canada 19 Lisgar Street, in Greater Sudbury for 10 day (+shipping) expedited service. Please note we have received feedback of long wait times for in person services at this location.
• You can also visit the Sturgeon Falls Service Canada Office 225 Holditch Street in the Jean-Jacques Blais Building for regular processing – open Tuesdays 10am to 3pm. (Closed between 12-12:30)

Job opportunity – Constituency Assistant at the Val Caron office

• Marc G. Serré Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, is currently seeking to fill the position of Constituency Assistant in the Val Caron Constituency office. Interested candidates can email their CV to [email protected]
• Read the job description