Report from Parliament Hill:

Dear Constituents

Eric Melillo - MP, Kenora Riding

Dear Constituents,
I’ve been working from the riding for the last few weeks, meeting with constituents so I can better represent you in Ottawa.
Honouring our Heroes
I had the honour of attending Remembrance Day events in the riding on Wednesday, dropping off a wreath at the Ear Falls Legion before attending the Remembrance ceremony in Red Lake. These somber events are an annual reminder of those who have sacrificed and lost their lives for our freedom, the importance of preserving their legacies, and the need to support Canada’s veterans.
Listening to You
Later in the week, I hosted a meeting with a small group of faith leaders in Redditt, discussing a wide range of topics impacting their communities.
And I’ve been having many productive meetings with stakeholders on issues such as environmental conservation, the challenges and opportunities facing Indigenous communities, and healthcare and housing in the North.
I also appreciated the opportunity to join the University of Winnipeg Conservatives for their AGM last week. It’s always inspiring to hear from politically active youth, and I appreciated the insightful discussion.
Standing up for small business
The Conservative Party is still fighting for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
On Thursday, I sent a letter to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, urging her to repeal the escalator tax on alcohol. This automatic yearly increase in excise taxes on beer, wine, and spirits is hurting Canada’s restaurants, bars, and breweries at a time when many are struggling to stay afloat. As governments across Canada are stepping up to support businesses, the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on their products.
Our Party is also holding the Liberals to account on their flawed economic response to this pandemic. The Liberal government recently updated their flawed commercial rent relief program – but the new policy actually requires businesses who cannot afford rent payments to pay their rent upfront before applying! This is absurd, and I’m calling on the government to fix their mistake.
Working for You
As always, if there is anything my office can assist you with, or if you would like to arrange a meeting, please call me at 807-468-2170 (Kenora) or 807-223-2182 (Dryden) or contact me by email at eric.melillo@parl.gc.ca. 

Sincerely,
Eric Melillo
Member of Parliament