Yasir Naqvi, MP Ottawa Centre
It has been a busy but productive winter session in the House of Commons. The following is a brief update on some key legislation and programs that are important to our community.
Many Ottawa Centre residents have been engaged in the discussion relating to online harms. Kids deserve safe environments to learn and play, whether they are at school, on the playground, or online. In addition, we cannot tolerate distribution of hateful material online.
After much consultation, the federal government has tabled the Online Harms Act to make online spaces safer, and hold web giants more accountable for the harmful content they host. This bill will create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from the proliferation of online hate and other types of harmful content, including intimate images shared without consent.
Historic pharmacare framework
Additionally, we announced historic pharmacare legislation that creates a framework to establish national universal pharmacare for Canadians. It is a giant step forward in delivering better healthcare to Canadians. This plan starts with free coverage for contraception and diabetes medications. It will support nine million Canadian women, and it will include diabetes coverage for 3.7 million Canadians. We believe that everyone deserves quality care, no matter how much they make. We are investing in a healthier Canada, because things get better when you do more for Canadians, not less.
Dental Care also transformative
The Canadian Dental Care Plan is also a transformative investment that will help Canadians who are unable to access quality dental care because of their income or insurance. To find out if you are eligible to apply, visit Canada.ca/dental. Already, over one million seniors have been approved for the Canadian Dental Care Plan! Additionally, dental care providers can now confirm their participation in the program as well.
And lastly, the federal government tabled Budget 2024 on April 16. I am grateful to hundreds of constituents who have send their thoughts and ideas as part of our community’s pre-budget consultation. I am confident that the upcoming budget will reflect our community’s priorities on fighting climate change, building more homes, making life affordable, delivering quality healthcare, and creating good paying jobs.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my team if you have any questions on government programs or need assistance. We are here to help.