By Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament
Happy Summer everyone! Convocations have started and graduation season will be upon us very soon. As the school year comes to a close, I want to extend my congratulations to all our hard working students on their academic accomplishments over the last nine months. Whether you’re moving on to another school, starting a new degree, or pursuing a career in your field, I wish you great success. Wherever life takes you, remember everyone who’s supported you along your journey!
SUMMER AT A GLANCE
In Halifax West and across HRM, there’s no shortage of fun family activities planned for this summer. Here are some key dates to add to your calendar for July and August:
• Canada Day Celebrations – July 1 Find all kinds of events at hrmcanadaday.ca
• Nova Multifest – July 19-21 – Alderney Landing, Dartmouth
• Halifax Pride Festival – July 18-28 Full schedule and parade route at halifaxpride.com
• Friends of Clayton Park Summer BBQ July 28 – Details coming soon!
• HRM Natal Day Activities – August 2-5 – Learn more at natalday.org
• Fairview Community Association BBQ August 17, 12-4pm – Piercey Field, Fairview
• My MP Summer BBQ – August 24, 11am-3pm – Canada Games Centre
I encourage you to keep up with my Facebook and Instagram pages where I’ll share more details as they become available.
DENTAL CARE PLAN EXPANDING
Since May 1, more than 120,000 seniors have accessed dental care through the Canadian Dental Care Plan. In July, the program will be made easier for providers to navigate, and we expect many more clinics to sign up to take part. What’s even better is that—this month—applications for the plan will open to eligible adults with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate, as well as children under 18. I’ve received wonderful messages already from seniors who’ve finally been able to get to the dentist, without having to worry about the cost, and I’m happy to know that more kids and people with disabilities will soon have that same opportunity. Visit canada.ca/dental to learn more.
FUNDING MORE CHILD CARE SPACES
Some more good news for parents: Last month, we announced that another $20 million in federal funding will be invested in the creation of new child care spaces in underserved communities in Nova Scotia. This is an important step towards our goal of 9,500 new $10/day child care spaces by March 2026.
Thank you for your continued support. I can’t wait to see you out in our community this summer!
