IMPORTANT
On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, Joe announced the South Western Ontario Development Program (SWODP).  SWODP funding will be delivered to 22 Community Futures Development Corporations in Southwestern Ontario including Elgin Business Resource Centre with each CFDC receiving $450,000. The first round of applications are due October 20, 2009.  For program details, please contact John Regan, General Manager of the Elgin Business Resource Centre. For more details:
http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/99008

Local News
On Thursday, September 15th, Joe visited the classroom of Ms. Sherry Lalonde. Sherry is the recipient of The Prime Minister’s Award of Excellence.  For more details:  http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/99198  for details on the program visit: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/pmate-ppmee.nsf/eng/Home

The Township of Southwold celebrated the completion of improvements to the local water supply on Friday, October 9th.  Members of council, staff and residents joined together with Joe, MPP Steve Peters and Mayor Jim McIntyre for the official plaque unveiling. http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/98985

Events
Joe on the Road hit the Village of Springfield on Thursday, September 15th hosted by the Springfield Public Library.  Thank you to Marie, Colleen and Carly for their outstanding hospitality and to all of the visitors who came out in the wet snow.
http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/99292

Joe visited grade 5 students at St. Anne’s Catholic Elementary School in St. Thomas. Over 120 children took part in the question and answer period. Thank you to Gary Slaght for organizing the event. http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/99317

National Citizenship week was celebrated this week. Joe joined in festivities at the St. Thomas YWCA with over 40 new and future Canadians. http://www.joeprestonmp.ca/EN/3634/99315


Government Happenings
Minister Ritz was in Russia this week to create ground-breaking new opportunities for agricultural trade and cooperation between the two countries. His mission built on the Joint Statement on Agriculture Cooperation signed in 2007 and Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day’s mission to Russia in June. Minister Ritz and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Victor Zubkov, announced that Russia and Canada agreed to a certificate to open market access for Canadian bone-in beef from animals under 30 months of age.
The 2010 Winter Olympic Medals were officially unveiled in Vancouver, BC.  Each feature a different crop of larger contemporary Aboriginal artworks and are undulating rather than flat — both firsts in Games history.  For more information on this: http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/170092/32566/aqb82n/vancouver-2010-medals-each-a-o.html

Citizen Recognition
The St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce was honoured in British Columbia with the Gold Award for the Best Non-Dues Revenue Project along with the People’s Choice Award by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce for their record-breaking Business After 5 in July, 2009. Congratulations to Bob, Al, Mike, Sue, Susan, Danielle and all of the Chamber’s volunteers and members who made this event a National Success!!
 
Meetings and Delegations
Over the past 2 weeks, Joe has chaired and participated in many local and national meetings. Some meetings included the Minister of FedDev~The Honourable Gary Goodyear to discuss local projects, Bob Wheeler~ Economic Development Manager for St. Thomas, Members of The Elgin Military Museum, The Municipality of Central Elgin, SNAP London and  Diamond Aircraft.  Joe also participated in a roundtable discussion with The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Heritage to discuss the bi-centennial of the War of 1812.