Dear Neighbour,
June is an important month to celebrate Pride, as well as Indigenous and Philippine Heritage.
In this email, you will find updates on:
- Happy Pride!
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day & Indigenous Heritage Month
- Philippine Heritage Month
- Justice Committee
- Upcoming Farmer’s Markets
- Call for Applications for the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund
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Happy Pride!
June is Pride Month, an important time to celebrate the courage and resilience of 2SLGBTQI+ communities throughout the years. Last week, I had the pleasure of joining WoodGreen community service in celebrating 30,000 views for the film “When You Find The One”. This remarkable film, created by Stella Racca and Barb McCutcheon, highlights the importance of creating safe spaces for queer seniors. It tells the compelling stories of senior 2SLGBTQIA+ couples who chose to marry following the law change in 2003, showcasing their enduring love and the challenging journey to recognition. Congratulations to everyone involved in the making of this film! If you would like to watch the trailer for this film, please see here. Happy Pride Month to all!
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Indigenous Peoples’ Day & Indigenous Heritage Month
Today, June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day deeply rooted in the traditions of Indigenous communities. Since its proclamation in 1996 by the Governor General, this day acknowledges the rich cultures, heritage, and significant contributions of Indigenous peoples to our country. Originating from calls by the Assembly of First Nations in 1982 and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1995, this celebration was renamed in 2017 to reflect its inclusive spirit. For more information, please see here.
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June is also Indigenous History Month. This is a chance to recognize and celebrate Indigenous heritage, culture, science and history on Turtle Island. The Indigenous Screen Office has a listing of films produced, directed or written by Indigenous artists which you can find here: Watch Indigenous – ISO-BEA. It is a great resource for finding features, shorts and documentaries by celebrated Indigenous artists.
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Philippine Heritage Month
June is also Philippine Heritage Month, celebrating the traditions, contributions and communities which have enriched Canada since the early 20th century. The Filipino community, one of Canada’s fastest-growing populations, boasts over 900,000 people, making it the third-largest Asian community in the country. On June 12, Filipino communities also celebrated the 126th anniversary of Philippine independence. This is a special month to explore and appreciate Filipino traditions through various cultural activities. Let’s embrace this month to learn, celebrate, and honour the rich Filipino heritage. Mabuhay!
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Justice Committee
I have had many people contact me about the rise in antisemitism in our neighbourhood, broadly in Toronto, and across the country. Last month, I had the opportunity to participate in Justice Committee proceedings on the subject of antisemitism on university campuses. During these proceedings, the presidents of McGill University, Concordia University, University of British Columbia, and University of Toronto testified about the challenges they face in addressing antisemitism on their campuses.
I asked McGill and University of Toronto about their history, into the 1960s, of having quotas on the number of Jewish students accepted to their schools or certain programs. Hearing the testimony from university administrations is an important step in fighting antisemitism on university campuses, but there is still a lot of work to be done. If you would like to look more in-depth at the proceedings, please see here.
There was a companion study on Islamophobia at Justice Committee in which my colleagues participated. I had previously participated, and tabled a study on Systemic Racism and Religious Discrimination, including Islamophobia, in 2017. You can take a look at this year’s proceedings here.
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Upcoming Farmer’s Markets
With the warm weather comes the many farmers’ markets our community has to offer.
Every Tuesday, from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, East York has its farmers’ market at the East York Civic Centre (850 Coxwell Avenue)
Every Saturday, from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Withrow Park has its farmers’ market, at the north end of the park (725 Logan Avenue)
Every Sunday, from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Leslieville has its farmers’ market in Greenwood Park (150 Greenwood Avenue)
Hope to see you there!
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Call for Applications for the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund
The Veteran and Family Well-being Fund is a program by Veterans Affairs Canada designed to support organizations working on projects that enhance the well-being of Canadian Veterans and their families. Grants up to $500,000 and contributions up to $1 million are available per fiscal year. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations (with non-commercial objectives), research institutions, educational institutions, public health and social services institutions, and Indigenous organizations. Example of previously funded projects include suicide prevention research, housing initiatives for homeless Veterans, and innovative projects enhancing Veteran well-being. Applications are due July 12, 2024. For more information, please see here.
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Julie Dabrusin
Member of Parliament for Toronto–Danforth
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MP Julie Dabrusin
1028 Queen St E
Toronto, Ontario M4M 1K4
Canada
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