Chris Lewis Update March 2022

Private Member's Bill Goes to Second Reading

On February 8, 2022, it was my honour to rise in the House to introduce legislation to amend the Income Tax Act to allow tradespersons to claim travel expenses for work at least 120 kilometers from their residence in the same manner that self-employed individuals can claim.

Last week my Bill went to the second reading.

This is a matter of basic fairness to me. I made a commitment to tradespeople and their representatives in my riding to bring this forward if re-elected.

"Mr. Speaker, by 2025, Canada will need an additional 350,000 tradespeople to fill the void. I look forward to working with parties in this place to pass this important legislation and give the necessary support for our trades across the country when they travel for work.”

Thank you to Sylene Argent for a great article in the Essex Free Press about Bill C-241!

Support for Ukraine

What has happened in Ukraine has devastated families and destroyed communities. I am proud of Canadians in Essex county and across the nation that are doing what they can to help Ukrainians.

This month I met with Carol Guimond, President of the Ukrainian National Federation (UNF), Windsor, and Lesia Nazarewich, President of the Canadian - Ukrainian Congress (CUC), Windsor. I appreciated all of the good insight about the current issues and the historical story that preceded the war we are witnessing today.

The UNF and CUC are collecting clothes and other items to send to Poland to be given to the Ukrainian refugees there and they are accepting donations through www.cufoundation.ca for the humanitarian effort.

I took the photo above to show Canada stands together with Ukraine!!

I also spoke in the House of Commons to raise support for Ukrainian kids.

“As Ukraine continues to be sieged and mothers and children flee to safety in other Countries… it would be easy to suggest that they are alone. They are NOT! Canadians have always been passionate and compassionate when others desperately need help. Now is no different. Chris Profota from Weatherby Canada and the Canadian Shooting Arms and Ammunition Association has graciously stepped up to help.

The Firearms and Sport Communities have recognized that Ukrainian children must not go without food, clothing and diapers. They have donated for raffle many thousands of dollars and created a website to allow Canadians across the country to donate. 100% of all proceeds raised will go directly to feeding and clothing the children affected by the war. Legal Firearms owners are compassionate, and they lead by example when others are in need.

Thank you, Weatherby and CSAAA for your dedication…. I urge everyone to donate as you are able. Gun Owners for Ukrainian Kids! Slava Ukraini! Thank you”

Endorsed by Conservative MP Chris Lewis
https://www.csaaa.org/product/support-ukrainian-kids-sweeps/

Paying Back CERB

I was recently able to ask a question of the government and keep them accountable for CERB. Eligible workers who received CERB are finding out that those who went back to work any time before the end of the CERB program are now expected to pay the two thousand lump sum amount back!!

This puts greater pressure on families when they are already stretched beyond their means. Conservatives strongly supported the CERB in principle. In practice, however, the CERB disincentivized work!!

Meetings in March

Left: Nurses are such an important part of health care and have gone through so much during the pandemic, along with all medical staff.

Thank you to Mike Villeneuve and Lucas Veiga from the Canadian Association of Nurses for helping me understand all the challenges and what we can do to help nurses as we go forward!

Right: Great meeting with Mayor Richard Meloche and Provincial MPP candidate Anthony Leardi in the first week of March. It’s always good to get an update from the Municipal government on how things are going. Great to have all levels of government represented in the same room! Working together ….as it should be!!

Above: Thank you to Catherine Moores and Marianne Patten from the Canada Mink Breeders Association for recently helping me understand the challenges the Mink industry is experiencing in Canada.

Above: It was excellent to join my colleague Pierre Poilievre to meet with the Leaders and Managers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW in Ottawa last night. They are in full support of my Private Members Bill C-241. (A deduction of travel expenses for Tradespeople)

Above: Over the last week, I have been diving into my new role as Shadow Minister for Labour. I look forward to helping the Canadian workforce as much as I can and part of that is working with those workers who come from other nations.

In March, I had a wonderful meeting with the Consul for Mexico, Vanessa Calva Ruiz, from the Mexican Consulate in Leamington.

I was pleased to hear that the Consulate has been helping provide health services to the general public as well as services to the Mexican community in our area. We spoke about many topics but will be organizing more meetings in the coming months. Thank you, Consul Calva, and your team, for your service to Mexico and Canada.

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