Lisa Hepfner

Hello Hamilton Mountain!

February 2, 2022

Welcome to our blog! In this space we’ll keep you updated on goings-on at our constituency office and throughout the riding.

I know many of you have had questions about … everything! And I want to answer them. So, let’s get started!

Right after the election (which feels like eons ago), I jumped right into some preliminary training sessions and set off to find a new office space from where we could best serve the community. We were fortunate to find a spot in the Eleanor neighbourhood on Upper Gage and Stone Church, which is on bus routes, close to the Linc and within walking distance of so many great neighbourhoods and businesses. You might be familiar with Jug City Convenience Store at 1394 Upper Gage? We’re right next door.

As with any move, getting in and getting settled took some time, which I know was frustrating for many of you whose urgent immigration, EI and CPP issues couldn’t wait for our phones to get installed and internet hooked up. Thankfully, we managed some of the more time-sensitive issues that came through, escalating some to the appropriate Minister’s offices.

On November 5, with my family around me, I was sworn in to become your Member of Parliament and we hit the ground running, meeting with local and national stakeholders, constituents, working on cases, setting up our offices in Ottawa and Hamilton.

In Ottawa I sit on two committees and one sub-committee: the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the Sub-Committee for Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Committees provide us the opportunity to examine specific matters of national interest in greater depth than is possible in the House of Commons.

Both these committees are well aligned with my career experience and interests. In the Heritage Committee, for instance, we examine issues related to the arts, sport, culture, Indigenous culture and media. And my career in media directly informs my contributions to those conversations. The Ethics Committee studies matters related to conflict of interest and ethical conduct, lobbying, and access to information, which are also areas in which I am well versed.

You might be wondering about the role of the MP in the community and that’s a fair question. The short answer is, I advocate for you and the issues that matter most to you in the House of Commons. What does that look like? Well, I meet with constituents and local stakeholders and learn about the issues that are impacting your lives the most. And those conversations inform the work I do in committees and in the House of Commons.

Since taking office, we have closed nearly 300 cases and supported constituents with their permanent residency applications, questions about Guaranteed Income, EI, CPP and accessing information about other government programs.

We also connect organizations, businesses and individuals to federal funding opportunities. Not sure what that means? Please check out the links below for updates and opportunities from just a few government departments:

Funding for Culture, history and sport
Employment and Social Development Canada
FedDev Ontario - Funding for Southern Ontario organizations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Women and Gender Equality

And as always, please continue to email your requests, questions and concerns to [email protected]

Mon:	9 - 5
Tue:	9 - 5
Wed:	9 - 5
Thu:	9 - 5
Fri:	9 - 5
Sat:	Closed
Sun:	Closed