John Oliver makes his mark in first sitting of new Parliament

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As the new MP for Oakville, John Oliver had a productive start to his parliamentary career during the initial sitting of Canada’s 42nd Parliament. The House of Commons reconvened on December 3 for the first time since the October 19 election, and it is now adjourned until January 2016.

“I was very pleased to have the opportunity to address the House of Commons on Tuesday, December 8 to express my gratitude to the citizens of Oakville and link our local concerns with the plans laid out in the Speech from the Throne,” said Mr. Oliver. “The new government will introduce a number of measures from the election platform that address Oakvillians’ concerns about job growth and the economic squeeze on the middle class, including new investment in infrastructure and the new Canada Child Benefit for families.”

Another common concern that arose during the recent election campaign was the accessibility and sustainability of health care. During his speech, Mr. Oliver proudly announced the December 13 opening of the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and congratulated the Board of Directors, the CEO and staff for successfully completing this massive project on time and on budget. Mr. Oliver also acknowledged the 28,000 community donors whose generosity made the fundraising goal a reality. The community will benefit from an extensive array of new and expanded patient services offered by this state-of-the-art facility. The federal government’s commitment to playing a leadership role in creating new national strategies that strengthen our universal health care system, in combination with investments such as the new hospital, give a renewed outlook on the future of health care in Oakville.

Mr. Oliver also spoke to the House of Commons about the importance of the auto industry to the community of Oakville and to Canada’s economy. Access to high quality job opportunities is a key concern of the Oakville community, and the auto sector can play a central role in kick-starting job growth locally. Noting that Oakville is home to Ford of Canada’s corporate offices and award-winning assembly plant, in addition to many auto parts manufacturers, Mr. Oliver stated, “Our government is committed to engaging auto manufacturers, workers and stakeholders, including the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council, on matters that have a direct impact on the future of our auto sector.” Mr. Oliver went on to pledge that, as Oakville’s MP, “I am personally committed to working in this House to help ensure the long-term viability of the Canadian automotive sector and our economy.”

In addition to taking an active part in House proceedings, Mr. Oliver chaired the first meeting of the Liberal Auto Caucus in early December. This caucus comprises Liberal MPs from communities in which auto sector companies reside and seeks to represent the sector’s interests in Parliament. Addressing the challenges faced by the auto sector and collaborating on auto innovation are two areas of focus that Mr.Oliver has pledged to pursue during his mandate as MP for Oakville.