Karen Ludwig June 2017, Volume 5

Karen.Ludwig@parl.gc.ca

www.karenludwigmp.ca CONSTITUENCY OFFICE

Tel: 1.888.350.4734

Facebook: @karenludwigNB

Member of Parliament • New Brunswick Southwest

49 King Street

St. Stephen, NB E3L 2C1

Our Constituency Office:

49 King Street, St. Stephen, NB E3L 2C1

Telephone: 506.466.3928

Toll-free: 1.888.350.4734

Email: Karen.Ludwig@parl.gc.ca

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MESSAGE FROM YOUR MP

In March, Budget 2017 was delivered in the

House of Commons and builds on our plan

to grow the middle class, help strengthen

our communities, increase opportunities for

all Canadians and future generations.

This spring, I was pleased to hold my first

"Trade and Opportunities Luncheon", where

I and key international business agencies,

spoke with our local NBSW business

community on how to expand and increase

employment opportunities through

exports.

In May, I attended the Can/Am Border

Trade Alliance Conference where we

focused on improving the efficient and safe

flow of people and goods across the

Canada/USA border crossings. Canada and

the USA share the most open border in the

world and approximately 400,000 people

and 30,000 trucks cross the international

border daily. With $2.4 billion in daily

trade, Canada and the USA demonstrate

the largest trading partnership in the world.

As a member of the Standing Committee

for International Trade, in June I will have

meetings in Chicago, Detroit, and

Washington with Governors, Chambers of

Commerce, business leaders, and Congress

members. Strengthening relationships and

trade opportunities in North America is our

priority.

With Canada Day only weeks away, I am so

looking forward to seeing our communities

come together to celebrate Canada's 150th

anniversary of confederation. Throughout

New Brunswick Southwest, so many events

have been inspired by innovative ideas for

rediscovering Canadian history.

As your representative in the House of

Commons, one of my most important

duties is listening to you through

community events and at my town

halls. To date, we have hosted a total of 19

town halls across NBSW!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

#BUDGET2017

On March 22, 2017, Minister of Finance Bill

Morneau unveiled Budget 2017. I am

proud to support this budget that works

for Canadians, and continues to strengthen

the middle class.

Budget 2017 puts Canada’s skilled,

talented, and creative people at the heart

of a more innovative future economy – one

that will create middle class jobs today and

tomorrow. Some key highlights include:

Creating a new Strategic Innovation

Fund in order to attract, support, and

grow Canadian business in dynamic

and emerging sectors through an

investment of $1.26 billion over five

years. This is in addition to the $325

million fund recently announced to

support innovation through the Atlantic

Fisheries Fund.

Investing in the unique infrastructure

needs of rural and northern

communities by investing $2 billion

over 11 years.

Supporting trade and transportation

corridor projects, including on the east

coast, through an investment of $10.1

billion over 11 years.

Making home internet more affordable

for low-income families, and providing

them with computers under an

Affordable Access program, with an

investment of $13.2 million over 5

years. This is in addition to the $500

million announced in Budget 2016 to

support the expansion of high-speed

internet for rural communities.

Through these steps and more, we are

committed to working for all Canadians.

Visit budget.gc.ca for more details.

SOFTWOOD LUMBER

Our government has been clear: we plan

on fighting the new tariffs that have been

imposed on our softwood lumber

industry.

The softwood lumber industry is a major

driver of both jobs and the economy of

New Brunswick. New Brunswick has 29

saw mills, and many of these businesses

are major employers in our rural

communities.

Softwood lumber is used in the

manufacturing of such goods as pellets,

pallets, pulp and paper, tissue, particle

board, power plants, fencing, lattice,

house siding, trusses, molding, decking,

trim, packaging, and much more.

Duties on softwood lumber exported

from Canada to the United States will put

jobs and communities at risk on both

sides of the border.

The softwood lumber industry provides

12,000 direct jobs in Atlantic Canada, and

the Canadian forest industry employs

more than 200,000 Canadians in more

than 170 rural and Indigenous

communities across the country. The

residential construction industry in the

US employs 3.8 million Americans, and

duties could jeopardize as many as 8,000

American jobs.

New Brunswick's softwood lumber

industry is an exceptionally well managed

forest industry, and is not unfairly

subsidized. The Government of Canada

strongly believes the historic exclusion

from duties on softwood lumber exports,

which has been in effect for the past 35

years, should remain.

The federal and provincial governments,

along with the New Brunswick lumber

producers, are committed to working

together for the best outcomes for our

communities and businesses both in the

short and long term.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REPORT

I was proud to join my colleagues on the Standing

Committee on the Status of Women in submitting our

report to the House of Commons, “Taking Action to End

Violence Against Young Women and Girls in Canada.”

In our report, we made 45 recommendations to the

government, including that they resume tracking the

national rate at which sexual-assault allegations are

dismissed as “unfounded.”

Violence is a part of the daily lives of far too many young

women and girls. I am proud of the work our

government is doing and continues to do. Budget 2017

includes many of our Committee’s recommendations,

including the establishment of a new national strategy to

address gender-based violence.

THE LAUNCHING OF THE

ATLANTIC FISHERIES FUND

How proud I am to be part of a

government that is working with the

provinces to establish an Atlantic

Fisheries Fund! Working together, we

can advance a more sustainable and

prosperous fish and seafood sector.

The fish and seafood sector is integral to

the economic and social fabric of

thousands of coastal communities across

Canada including New Brunswick

Southwest and overall generates $2.3

billion (GDP) for the national economy.

I was pleased to participate in the

announcement of this $325-million

Fund.

The Fund will encourage innovative ways

to harvest, process and deliver the

highest quality and sustainably sourced

fish and seafood products from Canada’s

wild capture and aquaculture fisheries. It

is based on Partnerships, Innovation and

Knowledge-sharing.

The federal and provincial governments

will work with industry, unions,

Indigenous communities, scientists, and

other experts in the fish and seafood

sector to help identify priorities for

investments, project possibilities, and

potential partnerships.

Let`s look to the future of the fish and

seafood industry and take the necessary

steps to transform and drive innovation

in this sector so it’s positioned for even

greater success.

Funding for this new initiative is in

addition to existing federally funded

programs.

OUT AND ABOUT IN NEW BRUNSWICK SOUTHWEST

In New York, representing Canada at

the United Nations Convention on the

Status of Women.

I was so proud to have Sarah

Alston, from Grand Bay-Westfield,

New Brunswick take my seat in

the House of Commons as our

ridings “Daughter of the Vote”!

At the announcement of the $325 million Atlantic

Fisheries Fund. Great opportunities for New Brunswick!

With the Honourable Minister Dominic LeBlanc, NB

Southwest MP Karen Ludwig, and Deputy Premier

Stephen Horsman.

At the St. Stephen Aces Hockey game

against the Campbellton Tigers. Great

to see the Aces get a big win, and have

the chance to ‘drop the puck’!

Always a pleasure to see F/L

James A. Stewart, ONB, DFC, CA

(Ret.). Here we are at the 100th

anniversary of the Battle of Vimy

Ridge

So happy to be joined by Sgt. Kevin MacIntyre and the

161 C.K. Beverage Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in

Ottawa. Planning a trip to Ottawa? My office can help you

book tours and reserve seats in the House of Commons for

Question Period. Call 1-888-350-4734 or email us at

Karen.Ludwig@parl.gc.ca for details!

Our Government recently increased this Award to a maximum of $360,000, retroactively,

and all recipients are eligible. Through this increase, we will be paying $700 million to Veterans.

19,000 Veterans still have not received their payment.

Why?: Their banking information or address are not up to date with Veterans Affairs Canada.

Make sure Veterans Affairs Canada has your current information so that you can get yours!

Call 1-866-522-2122 or visit www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/e_services

www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/e_services 1-866-522-2122 Update Your Information:

Are you a Veteran?

Are you a Veteran who received the Disability Award for a service related illness or injury?

Karen Ludwig, MP, New Brunswick Southwest

As your Member of Parliament, one of the most important parts of my job is to listen and engage with all residents of New

Brunswick Southwest. Please use this form for feedback, or to tell me what issues are important to you.

Name: Phone:

Address: Email:

To return survey: 1) Cut along the dotted line 2) Place in envelope to Karen Ludwig,

MP, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6 4) Mail, no postage is required!

Lyme Disease Roundtable

I was proud to Co-Chair the second Parliamentary Roundtable on Lyme

disease, with Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands ). We were joined by

Senators and Members of Parliament from all parties, and heard

testimony from both Lyme disease patients, advocates, and experts.

The goal of the roundtable was to give parliamentarians the

opportunity to listen and share the experiences of constituents battling

the illness, while raising awareness for the disease on the Hill.

Upcoming Town Halls

As of the end of June, I will have

hosted 19 Town Halls in New

Brunswick Southwest! My goal is to

hear from as many of my

constituents as possible, and one of

the best ways to do that is by

meeting with as many people in

our riding as possible.

These Town Halls are an

opportunity for me to learn what

issues are most important to you!

For details on my upcoming Town

Halls, visit karenludwigmp.ca, or

call us at 1-888-350-4734.

See you at my next Town Hall!

As an active member of the House

of Commons Standing Committee

on International Trade I like to

focus on the positive.

I had the pleasure to co-host with

the St. Stephen Chamber of

Commerce a Trade and

Opportunities Workshop for potential

exporters. The workshop was attended by

many business people who heard from

representatives of numerous boards,

organizations and agencies in the export

business. Participating in the workshop were

representatives of the Export Development

Corporation (EDC), the Atlantic Canada

Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Business

Development Bank of Canada (BDBC), the

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters

(CME), Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB)

and many others.

Our business success in markets abroad –

and trade in general – is essential for

Canada. Trade has helped build this country

into a top 10 global economy and New

Brunswick is well-placed for its piece of the

pie.

Experts at the workshop all agreed: Trade

raises living standards and increases

prosperity.

Let me thank all those who came out to

participate and learn more about the

opportunities arising from trade.

Trade and

Opportunities

Marine Protected Areas (MPA)

I brought concerns to the Minister’s Office regarding MPAs in NBSW. Consultation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada

(DFO) on the draft design of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) network planning in the Scotian Shelf Bioregion which in-

cludes the Bay of Fundy, will continue into 2018 prior to finalization.

The MPAs network design will identify a range of areas for future implementation, including those for meeting Cana-

da's marine conservation target for protecting 10 percent of marine and coastal areas by 2020. Some areas will even-

tually become MPAs under the Oceans Act, while others will be given legal designations to ensure that their key fea-

tures are protected, such as a migratory bird sanctuary or as an "other effective area-based conservation measure"

under the Fisheries Act (e.g. sensitive benthic area).