Dear Nickel Belt-Greater Sudbury,

Tax season is in full swing. Please be extra cautious as fraudsters are looking to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Remember the Canada Revenue Agency will never:

• demand immediate payment by:
  - Interac e-transfer
  - Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin)
  - Prepaid credit cards
  - Gift card from retailers such as iTunes, Amazon, or others
• ask you for a fee to speak with a contact centre agen
• set up a meeting in a public place to take a payment from you
• use aggressive language or threaten you with arrest, deportation or sending the police
• leave voicemails that are threatening you, or that include your personal or financial information
• send you an email or text message with a link claiming you have a refund
• email or text you a link asking you to click on it or fill in an online form with personal or financial details
• use text messages or instant messaging such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to start a conversation with you about your taxes, benefits, or My Account

To report a scam call the Canadian Antifraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. If you think you may be the victim of fraud contact all the following: your local police service, your financial institution and credit reporting agencies. If you suspect your CRA account is compromised call them directly at 1-833-995-2336.

Stay safe and stay aware Nickel Belt! Here’s a look at what took place in February.

Press Releases and funding opportunities

• Federal government supports construction of over 300 homes in Greater Sudbury
• Government of Canada investing $5 million to support the development of the electric vehicle supply chain in Northern Ontario
• Bill C-35 further support Federal government initiatives for children and families
• Government of Canada invests in renovations at Collège Boréal’s Nipissing Campus in Sturgeon Falls

Community Engagement

• The 2nd annual “Rolly’s Winter Games” presented by Cafe-Musique Rayside-Balfour in honour of Roland Dutrisac
• MP Serré attended the 50^th anniversary celebration of the Friendship Club in Verner
• MP Serré participated in a farewell event honouring Nancy and Rogers who owned the Valu-mart in Dowling to thank them for their unwavering community support
• MP Serré met with Board members Frédéric Deschenes, Christian Lacroix, Joël Gagnon et Paul Muamba of the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité RDÉE Canada
• MP Serré stood in the House of Commons to deliver a declaration on Federal supports for Northern Ontario and Fednor’s contributions
• MP Serré welcomed the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue where they took part in various engagements such as:
• A $564,000 funding announcement to support the Nipissing Campus of Collège Boreal in Sturgeon Falls
• A meeting with students at Northern Secondary School and École Secondaire publique Nipissing Ouest
• A meeting with the United Way North-Eastern Ontario and the Sudbury Community Service Centre pertaining to Community Volunteer Income Tax Clinics and the program’s importance for vulnerable individual’s access to crucial benefits they may be entitled to
• A meeting with Chief Roque (Wahnapitae First Nation,) Chief Jennifer Constant (Mattagami First Nation,) and other First Nation representatives to further discuss concerns and priorities in their communities
• A meeting with members of the Northern Ontario Black Entrepreneur Empowerment Program administrators
• 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.
• MP Serré continues his role as president of the Canadian section of ParlAmericas- which includes meetings with Ambassadors from Latin American countries and the Caribbean to exchange ideas on democratic processes and best practices in multiple sectors including mining

Other notable national news:

Liberals and New Democrats reach a deal on pharmacare
Canada Dental Benefit
Canada Carbon Rebate 
Support for anti-scab legislation marks important progress for workers’ rights