By: Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West
Happy Natal Day weekend everyone! I hope the August break is fun and restful for you, and that you also find time to observe and reflect upon the occasion of Emancipation Day, which we mark on August 1 for the second time in 2022.
I’ve been really enjoying the chance to spend more time in our riding this summer, helping constituents, connecting with people at community events, announcing local investments, and meeting young people benefitting from the Canada Summer Jobs program, which this year is providing Halifax West employers with $1.4 million to hire over 450 youth in our area.
One project I’m particularly excited about sharing with you is my Platinum Jubilee Community Hero Awards. As many of you know, 2022 marks Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th anniversary on the throne, and to celebrate the occasion I am awarding commemorative Platinum Jubilee pins and certificates to dozens of community leaders from Halifax West. I’m grateful that so many of you put forward nominees, and that I will soon be able to share the full list of recipients with you.
The stories and the testimonials I’ve received from residents who nominated a community hero are inspiring. It’s abundantly clear that, in every corner of the riding, we have residents – both young and old, and new to Halifax West and those with generations of history here – that are making profound impacts. Some examples include folks like Yvonne Noel and Dr. Nicholous Deal, both of whom have put significant time and energy into battling food insecurity in Fairview and Clayton Park and helped families put food on their tables during difficult times. I’m also proud to share that Nova Scotia’s test-to-protect healthcare superhero, Dr. Lisa Barrett, is among this year’s honourees. I am also recognizing longtime community champions like Gina “Ms. G” Jones-Wilson, the trailblazer and mentor who has put more than four decades of heart and hard work into advocating for the Upper Hammonds Plains community, and Stuart and Michelle Poteri whose dedication to the Centennial Arena is unparalleled. Finally, this year’s recipients include accomplished entrepreneurs like Sid Chedrawe, who has advocated for small immigrant business owners for decades, helped launch the Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, and is an active philanthropist and devoted family man.
These are just some of the fine folks I can’t wait to recognize later this month. I encourage you to check out my Facebook page in the coming weeks as I share more about some of our community’s heroes and commend them for making Halifax West an even better place to call home.
