Dear community,
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my constituents! Hopefully all of you are able to take a well deserved break and celebrate with your families, whether of choice or of origin. I hope that you have a lot to be thankful for, and also consider how you can help those who are still struggling.
Please also take a moment to remember whose land we are on, today and everyday.
As ICA agencies continue their lock out of ACTRA commercial workers, so must our solidarity with the impacted performers.
Earlier this week, I issued a statement calling on the Premier to put an immediate end to the harmful lockout and get these talented Ontarians back to work! It’s as simple as passing your Ontario NDP’s Bill 90: Anti Scab Labour Act, which would prohibit profit-driven employers from hiring non-union workers as means to workaround respecting collective agreements and the rights of workers.
Read the full statement here. To learn more about the lock out and how you can stand in solidarity with locked out workers, many who call Toronto—St. Paul’s home, click here.
Yesterday, I met with the incredible folks of The Endometriosis Network Canada (TENC). For over a year, their group has worked to develop a workable curriculum to educate students and teachers on the debilitating illness; one in which 1 of every 10 people who menstruate suffers from. But, despite its prevalence, there are many gaps in understanding that make its diagnosis and subsequent treatment for far too many of those living with the condition.
Thank you, TENC team, for your incredible advocacy to see the end to endometriosis in our lifetime. Learn more about their work and find resources here.
I’m also looking forward to joining Endometriosis Events’ rally at Queen’s Park on October 14th, starting at 11AM. A big thank you to our St. Paul’s community members, Tami and Leah, for their heartwork in organizing the event.
Click here for full details or to RSVP. I hope to see you there!
Make sure you mark your calendars for a spooky Comedy Cabaret at Bloom Bar Studio featuring yours truly!
Do you have some tools that need sharpening? Our friends at Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard are hosting a tool sharpening workshop on October 7th! See their message below.
Hope you're all doing well. Exciting news - we're doing a tool sharpening session at Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard this weekend! If you've got hand pruners or loppers that need a bit of TLC, bring them over. We are happy to clean, oil and sharpen them for you, free of charge.
Just pop over to the harvest table at Ben Nobleman Park on Saturday October 7, between 10 and 11 am. We're excited to give your tools a new edge and to catch up with you in the park!
Please Note if it rains, the tool sharpening event will be cancelled.
Looking for a new tree or bush for your yard? Look no further! See below for an exciting opportunity organized by our friends at OVCO!
See below for a fellowship opportunity for BIPOC community members! More information can be found HERE.
Each year across Ontario, thousands of lives are lost to overdoses. We need every level of government to prioritize implementing harm reduction strategies to combat these senseless deaths, and you can help.
As many of you know, Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, and these kits are FREE with training at participating pharmacies across the city. Together, we can prevent unnecessary deaths and work toward a more compassionate society that is safe safe for everyone.
Find a pharmacy with Naloxone kits near you, and make sure you can recognize the signs of an overdose.
In Solidarity, 
Jill Andrew
Toronto-St. Paul's
