Happy Diwali!🎇🌌

Hi <<First Name>>,

This week, I'm wishing Happy Diwali to those celebrating around the world!

The festival of lights is a wonderful time to spend with family and friends. As this event is celebrated all over the world, the sky will be filled with shimmering lights, diyas, and lanterns. This holiday, also known as Deepawali, is a highly momentous occasion that is celebrated with cheer and delight. Diwali represents goodwill and happiness. People dress up in beautiful, traditional attire and look their absolute best while donning accessories or jewellery. Delicious dinners and sweets are prepared, making Diwali even more enjoyable. Sweets with a fresh scent tempt the senses, and people exchange presents on this occasion.

May your week be filled with candles, prayers sweets, happiness, and much more.

We all know someone, whether it’s a friend, a loved one, or a neighbour, who faces unique challenges to leading a healthy and happy life. And we all know how difficult it is to watch someone you care about come up against barriers when they try to access the services they need. I know how much people in our community care about each other and that’s why I want to tell you about some of the recent steps we have taken to remove barriers for people, so they can access the care they need when they need it.

Improved system for children and youth with support needs

Last week, we announced a new service system for children and youth with disabilities or neurodiversity. Under the new system, children, youth and their families will have access to new one-stop family connections hubs where they can get the services they need as soon as they need them, without having to wait for a diagnosis. Services at the hubs will include speech-language, occupational and physical therapists, behaviour consultants and interventionists, as well as other staff and programs, as needed.

Under the current fragmented system, children and youth with Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, and brain injuries aren’t qualifying for the supports they need to thrive. And even when they do qualify, many children and youth are not able to access supports and families are left waiting. The family connection hubs will put kids, and their needs, at the centre. The first two family connection hubs will open in 2023, in the Northwest and in Kelowna, followed by up to 40 more hubs throughout the province in 2024. Families who are currently receiving individualized autism funding will be supported throughout the transition to this new system. For more on this important announcement, click here.

Decriminalizing people who use illicit drugs

All people deserve quality health care, and that’s why we have been working across our government to transform the way people access services. For people living with addiction or substance use issues, shame, fear and stigma can keep them from reaching out for the help they need. This week, B.C. applied for an exemption from Health Canada to remove criminal penalties for people who possess small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. Substance use and addiction are health care issues, not criminal ones. By decriminalizing people who use drugs, we can help reduce the shame and fear that prevents them from accessing treatment and support. You can learn more about this step here.

Decriminalization is just one part of our plan to build a stronger system of mental health and substance use care for people, no matter where they are in their journey. Since 2017, we’ve rapidly increased the number of treatment and recovery beds for youth and adults, and we’ve doubled the number of supervised consumption sites. We’ve also made large, systemic changes, including developing first-in-Canada solutions like nurse prescribing and safer supply.

After making cuts to important services for more than a decade, the previous government left British Columbians with an underfunded, patchwork system of care for children and youth who are neurodiverse or have a disability, and for people living with mental health and substance use challenges. Our government knows that every person in this province deserves high-quality care and that’s why we are taking action to ensure that services are available and accessible when and where people need them.

Government taking action on old-growth deferrals

Decades of inaction have left some of B.C.’s oldest trees at risk. Our government is taking action to take better care of our old-growth forests.

We’ve announced our plan to work with First Nations to defer the harvest of 2.6 million hectares of B.C.’s most ancient, rare, and large stands of old-growth. That’s the equivalent of 6,400 Stanley Parks.

Our new vision will mean a B.C. where forestry communities have a sustainable future with new opportunities, Indigenous peoples are meaningful partners, and we take care of our oldest forests for generations to come.

For more info: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FLNRO0068-002088

Land Owner Transparency Registry filing deadline extended

Our government is extending the deadline for pre-existing owners to file with the Land Owner Transparency Registry.

This will give reporting bodies with an interest in land more time to file a transparency report without incurring penalties.

For more details: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FIN0057-002082

I'm here for you

if you have any questions or concerns about any provincial issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help you.

My office can be reached at (604) 775-0565 or Anne.Kang.MLA@leg.bc.ca.

Sincerely,

Anne Kang, MLA
Burnaby-Deer Lake

Got friends and family who would love to learn more about retirement planning, but only speak Chinese?

We are still accepting more registrations!

Join me and Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia - CPABC this upcoming Mandarin retirement planning session next Wednesday, Nov 10 will talk about how to plan for and manage your finances in retirement.
Send them the Zoom link for registration today! bit.ly/3mJsHl2

舒適休閒的退休⽣活不是夢！

參加免費【退休財務管理】中文網上講座。由我本拿⽐⿅湖區省議員康安禮Anne Kang 和卑詩特許專業會計師協會合辦，安排特許專業會計師提供專業、中⽴的常⽤退休理財策略，教你規劃退休財務，管理退休財富。
下星期三, 11 月 10 號上午10-11:30 Zoom線上見!
請到 https://bit.ly/3mJsHl2 註冊!

From now until February 28, 2022, your Legislative Assembly is accepting page poetry and spoken word submissions from K-12 students in BC!

Please share and encourage your brilliant kids to apply. I look forward to all the submissions!

For more information, please visit https://democracyandme.ca/

Volunteer Recognition

After a long hiatus, we are back with our Friday Volunteer Feature!

We are extremely grateful to all our volunteers who continue to selflessly give their time to support the constituents of Burnaby-Deer Lake.

This week we are excited to feature Mahlet Bereket-- a recent volunteer at the Burnaby-Deer Lake Constituency Office.

Mahlet is a senior at UBC, majoring in Political Science. She was born in Vancouver to Ethiopian parents and has strong ties to her heritage. She is currently the Treasurer of the UBC Law and Society Chats Club and is an Intern for Access Pro Bono Law Society. When she isn't volunteering, she enjoys going to the gym, cooking, reading, and watching F1.

Mahlet was first introduced to me by her father, Bereket, an active member of the community and a friend of mine. Given her aspiration to be a lawyer, she wanted to get a better understanding of how our provincial government works and the ways in which she could contribute to its efficacy

Here is what Mahlet had to say about her experience as a volunteer:

“The most rewarding part of volunteering at the Burnaby- Deer Lake Constituency Office is knowing that I can give back, not only to my community but to communities across B.C. Helping people move forward through a tough time, using resources available to us, can lead to a positive impact in an otherwise bleak situation. I enjoy knowing that I am making a small, but significant difference in another person’s life. Giving people, unconditional, positive regard often means I get that back in return, which is rather nice!”

Thank you, Mahlet, for your commitment to the constituents of Burnaby-Deet Lake. Your support and dedication are sincerely appreciated!

COVID-19 updates from the BC Centre for Disease Control

Total vaccine doses administered in B.C. are 8,295,846.

There are currently 4,451 active cases in British Columbia as of November 5th, 2021. A total of 200,749 people who tested positive have recovered.

As of today, there have been more than 4,347,349 completed tests. Our province has adjusted testing to 830,427 people per 1,000,000.

For more information, please visit BCCDC's website

COVID Resources

For medical info, visit covid-19.bccdc.ca or call 811
For vaccination info, visit gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated
For financial supports for people and businesses, visit this page .
For PHO orders and guidance, visit this page.
For seniors looking for additional support, or for those looking to support seniors, call 211 or visit bc211.ca
For virtual mental health resources, click here.  

Were you forwarded this email?
Click here to subscribe to MLA Anne Kang's newsletter! We'll send you information about our community and let you know about events in the riding.