Submitted by
Ken Boshcoff M.P.
When people see me in their communities they often ask why I’m not in Ottawa. The answer is that Parliament sits in the House of Commons about 165 days per year. This is about twice as often as Provincial Legislatures due to the size of our country. So when I’m not in Ottawa, I’m here, home – anywhere from the Manitoba border to the Pigeon River crossing and points between.
Driving this great distance could take you up to 7.5 hours over two time zones, without stopping for coffee. I feel privileged to call “home” a unique collection of 27 communities: 16 municipalities, 11 First Nations. Not to mention smaller communities such as Shebandowan, Upsala, Pinewood, and Dance (these could be roads boards or unincorporated areas).
There are many people to see in a riding this large. Last year I counted 25 visits out to Atikokan, and this year I’m on track for 26. Of course, I am aided by my staff, who serve constituents directly from 4 separate offices and schedule my time to maximize each visit to the west-end of the riding and within Thunder Bay.
The past session of Parliament was quite busy and activities really don’t slow down in the summer. I will be holding constituent meetings, taking part in a full range of agricultural tours, country fairs, fishing tournaments, and dozens of community events. In the coming weeks, I look forward to celebrating Railroad Daze in Rainy River, to speaking with constituents at the bass tournament in Fort Frances, to hosting a booth at the Farm Progress Building at the Emo Fair, and to hearing your concerns during my time at the Hymers Fall Fair at the end of the season. I am always delighted to spend time hearing the stories, accomplishments, and ideas of constituents of all ages.
For the upcoming session of Parliament, my priorities will focus on petitioning the government to enact the recommendations of the Federal Forestry Report, working with the marine and grain industries to rebuilt seaway traffic, continuing to provide assistance to farmers and agriculture, consulting with the health sector to facilitate new projects in our riding, and, of course, to hold town hall sessions to discuss the benefits of the Liberal Green Shift plan.
Should you wish to discuss any of these issues, or should you have concerns about any of the initiatives of the Government of Canada, please do not hesitate to contact one of my offices in Fort Frances, Atikokan, Thunder Bay, or Ottawa, to send me an email through my webpage at www.kenboshcoff.ca, or to log-on to my Facebook page to view interactive archives of my parliamentary work.
I look forward to sharing your thoughts on how we can build a fairer, greener, richer Canada.
