August Newsletter
Your Community Newsletter
A Message from Your Member of Parliament
Dear Corey,
This summer has been very different than past years for the constituents of Saskatoon—University. We must remain vigilant and help to facilitate the continued re-opening of both Saskatchewan and Canada.
As the August long weekend approaches, I encourage you to explore all that our province has to offer. To give constituents another reason to head outside, my office is involved in a fishing contest hosted by the Conservative Party of Canada Hunting and Angling Caucus. To participate, contact my office to request a complimentary fishing lure. Then, post your catch to social media using the hashtag #TheBiggestCHAC. The entries will be judged and there are prizes to be won. May the best catch win!
On Tuesday August 18th at 7 PM, I will be hosting a joint Zoom town hall meeting to discuss recent changes to firearms legislation. Joining me on the call is MP Glen Motz, Opposition Associate Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. To participate, call my office to receive an invite.
Earlier this summer, I sent a mailer regarding COVID-19 resources and requested feedback on your top concerns in our riding. Based on your input, the economy, rising government debt, and the carbon tax are the biggest concerns and to view a complete list of the responses, click here.
Your responses that you submitted will assist me in my parliamentary work and will allow me to advocate on behalf of Saskatoon—University.
This fall, I look forward to accepting applications for my first Youth Advisory Council. The Council will be open to students from grades 9 to 12 as well as post-secondary students. Look for further details in my upcoming newsletter and online.
Happy Saskatchewan Day,
Corey Tochor
Member of Parliament, Saskatoon—University
From the Mailbox
From the correspondence I received in July, here are the top concerns:
For a complete list of concerns my office received this month, click here.
July’s Poll
Do you think face masks should be made mandatory in public places where physical distancing is not always possible?
Results:
Yes: 72% (118 votes)
No: 27.5% (45 votes)
Undecided: 0.5% (1 vote)
August’s Poll
Do you think the Canada-US border should remain closed?
To answer the poll, click here.
On the Hill
On June 25th, the federal government, in partnership with the WE Charity, launched the Canada Student Service Grant. The grant was intended to serve as an opportunity for post-secondary and newly-graduated students to volunteer with registered non-profit organizations who provide services to their communities. In exchange, the program offered students an opportunity to receive grants between $1,000 to $5,000. Questions have arisen regarding the rationale behind the selection of WE Charity as the responsible partner for distribution, including ties between high-profile members of the Trudeau Government and WE Charity. As a result, an Ethics investigation has been launched into the matter, and the program has been put on hold. For more information, click here.
On July 8th, Finance Minister Bill Morneau unveiled a formal economic and fiscal ‘snapshot’. COVID-19 and the subsequent shutdown have had significant impacts on the Canadian economy. As a result, it was announced that the Canadian deficit would rise to $343.2 billion this year, with the federal debt exceeding $1.2 trillion by the end of the 2020¬¬¬-21 fiscal year.
In the Community
On July 9th, I attended the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Saskatoon Tribal Council and the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation.
This agreement is intended to enhance educational opportunities for youth and provide them with the knowledge and skills to safely and responsibly hunt, trap and fish.
Community Profile
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) and ZYUS Life Sciences are two organizations within Saskatoon—University contributing to COVID-19 research.
VIDO-Intervac at the University of Saskatchewan has some of the most advanced containment infrastructure in the world. The organization specializes in infectious diseases that can be transmitted between animals to humans. Since January, researchers at VIDO-InterVac have been working on developing vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19 and they are one of the few organizations in the world to have developed and tested candidate vaccine in animal models. They are working towards entering human clinical trials by the end of 2020. For more information about VIDO-InterVac, click here.
Paul Hodgson, Associate Director of Business Development toured me around VIDO-InterVac in February 2020
ZYUS Life Sciences Inc., located at Innovation Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus, is focused on the development of phyto-therapeutics including cannabinoid and protein-based formulations. ZYUS is leveraging its proprietary bio-technology platform to assist in COVID-19 vaccine research. More information about ZYUS Life Sciences Inc. can be found here.
Brent Zettl, CEO and President of Zyus Life Sciences Inc. showing me the extraction room of their facility this past winter
Government Tips
2-1-1
This 24/7 helpline connects individuals to relevant services and agencies. For more information, click here.
Passport Assistance
If you require urgent passport and travel documents, click here. Once you submit the contact form, an agent will contact you within 2 to 3 business days.
Get in Touch
Phone: 306-975-6133
Website: coreytochormp.ca
Email: corey.tochor@parl.gc.ca
Instagram: @corey.tochormp
Twitter: @ctochor
Facebook: @ctochor
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