The third wave is upon us, and it is an entirely new pandemic with a deadlier, more contagious virus. Laval remains a red zone, and the situation continues to be critical. The provincial government has enacted several preventative measures to try to flatten the curve as much as possible. The curfew in Montreal and Laval will now return to 8:00 pm. Furthermore, mask-wearing is now mandatory outside for people from different households not maintaining a 2-meter distance.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel, as the vaccination campaign is gaining steam in Quebec. Everyone 60 years and older is eligible for a vaccine, and those 55 and over wishing to get the AstraZeneca vaccine may do so at a walk-in vaccination clinic in our riding. For more information on vaccines in Laval, please click here.
On Friday, Statistics Canada shared that Canada gained 303,000 jobs in March, bringing our unemployment rate down to 7.5%, the lowest since February 2020 where we were at record lows (5.7%). This brings us within 300,000 jobs of our target to restore employment to previous levels and shows how our plan to create a million jobs and promote good middle-class job growth is working. While this is good news, many Canadians continue to face unemployment or reduced hours in the wake of new restrictions across many parts of the country. Our government will continue to be there for Canadians every step of the way, no matter what it takes.
The Minister of Seniors is now offering newsletter, sent twice a month, to those who sign up to receive up-to-date information on programs and services for seniors in Canada. You can subscribe by clicking here, and note that you can unsubscribe at any time.
Because more than 22% of the fires recorded in Laval are related to kitchen fires, the Service de sécurité incendie de la Ville de Laval (SSIL) wishes to make citizens of all ages who cook aware of the dangers of distractions through a new campaign. In fact, in 2019, 272 building fires were brought under control by firefighters, 59 of which were due to inadequate supervision of a cooking appliance. For more information, click here.
On Friday, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, peacefully passed away at age 99. Prince Philip maintained a special relationship with the Canadian Armed Forces and over the years became Colonel‑in‑Chief of six Canadian units. In 2011, he was named honorary general of the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, as well as honorary admiral of the Royal Canadian Navy. Canadians are invited to sign and view the virtual book of condolences. My thoughts are with Her Majesty the Queen as well as the entire Royal Family during these tough times.
