Minister O’Connor presents several deserving individuals Queen’s Diamond Jubilee MedalsJuly 19, 2012,
Parliament Hill, Ontario – The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, MP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip, today presented Ottawa-area deserving individuals with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals.In 2012, Canada will mark the 60th anniversary of the reign of Her Majesty The Queen as Queen of Canada. To celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, a special program is being implemented to honour The Queen’s reign, her service and her dedication to this country, as well as to celebrate Canadian achievements of the last 60 years.
To date, there has only been one Diamond Jubilee celebrated in Canada—that of Queen Victoria in 1897. This anniversary therefore provides a unique opportunity to celebrate our traditions, history, symbols, values and institutions, particularly about the role of the Crown in Canada.
Some 60,000 Diamond Jubilee medals—to match the 60 years of service of Her Majesty—will be given to Canadians throughout the year. This is a legacy that honours Her Majesty and recognizes the service of Canadians from all walks of life and backgrounds who have made significant contributions to their communities. The achievements of younger Canadians who are actively contributing to our future will also be a focus.
“Since 1952, Her Majesty has been steadfast in exemplifying the true meaning of public service. The Diamond Jubilee reminds us of Her Majesty’s service to Canada and the central role of the Crown throughout the decades in our ongoing evolution as a country,” said Minister of State O’Connor. “I encourage all Canadians to get involved in celebrating our sense of belonging to the greater Commonwealth family and expressing our pride in what we have accomplished as Canadians over the past 60 years.”
Recipients’ names and biographical information are attached. More information on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is available online at www.gg.ca/diamondjubilee.
Government of Canada supports jobs and growth on both sides of the Ottawa RiverMay 25, 2012, Quyon, Quebec – The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, MP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip, today announced funding of more than $1 million to help improve the Quyon/Mohr’s Landing ferry crossing for residents, business
Quyon, Quebec – The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, MP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip, today announced funding of more than $1 million to help improve the Quyon/Mohr’s Landing ferry crossing for residents, businesses and tourists in western Quebec and eastern Ontario.The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec (Canada Economic Development) and the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), who were unable to attend the announcement, are pleased to see this project get underway.
“Our government’s first priority remains the economy: creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister of State O’Connor. “I’m pleased that our funding will do just that by helping improve ferry service at this busy Ottawa River crossing, increasing business activity and tourism in the surrounding Ontario and Quebec communities.”
Canada Economic Development is providing up to $600,000 and FedDev Ontario is providing up to $488,827 for the construction of new ferry docking terminals at Quyon, Quebec and Mohr’s Landing, Ontario, approximately 50 kilometres west of Ottawa.
The ferry dock improvements are part of a larger project that also includes replacing two existing propeller-driven ferries with a new larger drive-on and drive-off cable ferry. The new ferry will be able to carry more than 20 vehicles, including tractor trailers, large recreation vehicles and farm equipment.
The costs of the new ferry are being covered by Quyon Ferry Inc, as well as the Quebec Ministry of Transportation.
The improvements are expected to generate an increase in traffic and support tourism in the region, especially to Fitzroy Provincial Park. Businesses and residents will also save time and money as the ferry provides a faster alternative compared to a three hour round trip by land.
“Residents and business owners in eastern Ontario and western Quebec are eagerly awaiting the introduction of the new cable ferry. The new ferry will not only provide increased capacity and faster crossing times, but the electrical propulsion system will provide a quiet and reliable movement of people, vehicles and material,” said Dwight Eastman, the Chairperson of the Mohr’s Landing and Quyon Port Authority
The financial assistance from Canada Economic Development has been granted through the Economic Development Initiative provided for under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013. With its $10.2 million budget over five years, this initiative seeks to foster the economic development of official-language minority communities through a range of activities including innovation, entrepreneurship, partnership and economic diversification. More information is available at
www.dec-ced.gc.ca.The FedDev Ontario funding comes from its Prosperity Initiative, which encourages businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario to undertake projects resulting in a more productive, diversified, and competitive economy. More information is available at www.feddevontario.gc.ca.
Minister Gordon O’Connor Announces Funding to Honour Veterans in OntarioMay 24, 2012,
Ottawa – On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Gordon O’Connor, Minister of State and Member of Parliament for Carleton–Mississippi Mills, today announced up to $52,000 in support for two projects in Ontario to honour Veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.“It is our sacred duty to remember and honour our Veterans and the brave men and women in uniform who serve Canada so selflessly,” said Minister Blaney. “Building and restoring war memorials can inspire a renewed sense of remembrance in a community. This is why our Government is proud to support projects that help honour the sacrifices of our Veterans and our service men and women.”
“On behalf of our Government, I am pleased to announce funding for these important projects in West Carleton and Dunrobin, Ontario,” said Minister O’Connor. “These contributions will ensure these communities have places of remembrance that will allow future generations to reflect upon the sacrifices and accomplishments of their local heroes.”
The Carp Business Improvement Area will receive funding of up to $50,000 through the Community War Memorial Program, to construct the West Carleton Cenotaph that will commemorate the men and women of the West Carleton area who died in the First and Second World Wars and later conflicts, and those who have enlisted and stood up for Canada. The new monument will be a black granite structure with a sitting bronze soldier placed in the front, alongside two plaques that will bear approximately 50 inscribed names. The project will also involve the construction of a new seating area for visitors.
St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Dunrobin, Ontario, will receive up to $2,000 through the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program to restore the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Cairn, located on the church grounds. Built between 1950 and 1954, this memorial is dedicated to the local community members who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The restoration work includes removing and repointing the mortar, repairing the base of the monument and recapping it with reinforced concrete.
Through the Community War Memorial Program and the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program, our Government is fulfilling its commitment to further commemorate the courage and sacrifices of our Veterans and members of our armed forces by partnering with community groups and local organizations to build new cenotaphs and monuments and restore existing ones.
Applications to these programs can be submitted at any time during the year and are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Interested non-profit groups and other organizations may be eligible for funding to build new memorials or to make major additions to existing ones. For more information, please visit veterans.gc.ca.
Harper Government Launches New Energy-Efficiency Standard for Canadian HomesFebruary 17, 2012, Ottawa — A new standard for energy efficiency aims at lowering Canadians’ energy costs for new homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions..jpg)
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Ottawa — A new standard for energy efficiency aims at lowering Canadians’ energy costs for new homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, Minister of State and MP for Carleton–Mississippi Mills, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, and Ron Olson, President of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, launched the new 2012 R-2000 Standard today.“Our Government is committed to new standards that promote energy efficiency, save Canadians money, create jobs and strengthen the economy,” said Minister O’Connor. “Today’s announcement is the result of our successful collaboration with industry to continually improve residential building standards.”
The new standard includes measures to reduce water consumption and improve insulation and ventilation. Homes built to this standard will be 50 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to the 2005 R-2000 standard.
“R-2000 continues to play a pivotal role in making Canada a world leader in energy-efficient housing technology,” said Mr. Olson. “The 2012 R-2000 Standard is an important milestone that will keep the Canadian home building industry at the forefront of building homes that are better for the environment, better for our communities and better for the people who live in them.”
Over the past 30 years, R-2000 has been key to encouraging, recognizing and supporting innovation in energy efficiency for residential housing. All R-2000 homes are constructed by licensed and trained builders; evaluated, inspected and tested by independent third-party inspectors; and certified by the Government of Canada.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association, representing the residential construction industry with more than 8,000 member firms across the country, has been an active participant in the delivery of the R-2000 initiative since its inception. The launch took place in Ottawa at Canada’s first home built to the new standard, unveiled by Urbandale Construction.
“Urbandale is proud to be able to offer our customers homes built to Canada’s highest building standard,” said Matthew Sachs, General Manager of Urbandale Construction.
The new 2012 R-2000 Standard was published by Natural Resources Canada in February 2012, and all R-2000 builders will follow the new specifications as of July 2012. The demonstration home at 80 Equestrian in Bridlewood will be open to the public for viewings from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
