Proclamations at September 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
Proclamations are read at the beginning of every regularly-scheduled Burlington City Council meeting.A proclamation is an official announcement issued by the Mayor to recognize exceptional events, groups, people, or achievements in the City of Burlington. The goal of a proclamation is to recognize and celebrate achievements, and to raise public awareness of important issues in Burlington.For more information on how to submit a request for a proclamation, please visit the City’s dedicated Proclamations webpage.
Here are the proclamations that were read during the Sept. 26 Council meeting. Click the links to see a digital copy of the proclamation signed by Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.The Year 2023Burlington's 150th Anniversary: The Year 2023In 1873, the villages of Wellington Square and Port Nelson merged to become the Village of Burlington. In 2023, 150 years later the City of Burlington is a diverse and inclusive community that celebrates its history while embracing its present as a multicultural, metropolitan gem where people, nature, and businesses thrive, and that takes pride in protecting its beautiful natural environments, wide ranging leisure, arts and cultural opportunities, and enhancing its economic sustainability.
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September 2023Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: September 2023Approximately 10,000 children are living with cancer in Canada and 1,500 more are diagnosed every year. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – a time to reflect on how we can better understand and address the needs of children affected by cancer, as well as their families and caregivers.
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Hunger Action Month: September 2023September marks Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign dedicated to raising awareness about hunger and sparking change in our communities.
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Arthritis Awareness Month: September 2023September is Arthritis Awareness Month and the Arthritis Society Canada is using the opportunity to sound the alarm about the seriousness of arthritis.
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Support United Way Month: September 2023Every day, United Way Halton & Hamilton has a profound impact on our community by ensuring an essential network of programs and services work together to achieve lasting, positive change. UWHH is guided by a strong commitment to community, urgent social needs and measurable impact: Courage – through innovation, resilience and collective action to change the odds; Compassion – through empathy, understanding, caring for others and a pledge to serve; Conviction – through visionary leadership, persistence, passion and a commitment to excellence; and Credibility – through integrity, transparency, inclusion, diversity and respect.
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Polycystic Kidney Disease "PKD" Awareness Day: Sept. 4, 2023Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases. It is a chronic, genetic disease causing uncontrolled growth of fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys, often leading to kidney failure. With 66,000 Canadians and millions worldwide living with PKD today, chances are high that you know someone with the disease. The more who know about PKD, the more resources we can dedicate to finding treatments and a cure.
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Burlington 150+ Day: Sept. 9, 2023Sept. 9 marks the day in 1873 when the Village of Burlington formed. So in 2023 on Sept. 9, at City Hall, we not only celebrated our Burlington 150+ anniversary with special flag-raisings and a special proclamation, we also recognized that our city’s history goes beyond 150 years and honoured the diverse Indigenous Peoples who have lived in this area, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
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National Coaches Week: Sept. 16-24, 2023National Coaches Week is a time to celebrate the positive impact coaches have on athletes and their communities across Canada.
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Terry Fox Day: Sept. 17, 2023On April 12, 1980, Terry started his Marathon of Hope. When he stopped running, you started writing. Every Sept. 17, we continue the annual Terry Fox Run surrounded by messages of love, hope and inspiration from Canadians everywhere. The annual Terry Fox Run has become a fall tradition in Canada, with more than 650 communities participating.
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Legion Week: Sept. 17-23, 2023National Legion Week is designed to educate people on the good work their local Legion Branch does in their community. It reinforces the important role Branches play in our shared mission to serve and support our Veterans, as well as contribute to the well-being of so many communities.
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National Forest Week: Sept. 17-23, 2023Each year, National Forest Week (NFW) is celebrated across Canada by many individuals and diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations. During NFW, Canadians are invited to learn more about Canada’s forest heritage and to raise awareness about this valuable and renewable resource. Forests are fundamental to our economy, culture, traditions and history – and to our future. Communities, families and individuals depend on forests for their livelihood and way of life.
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Rail Safety Week: Sept. 18-23, 2023Together, safety partners and individuals help share the rail safety message during Rail Safety Week, to prevent railroad grade crossing and trespass incidents across North America. Together, we can #STOPTrackTragedies. Rail Safety Week is a collaborative effort among Operation Lifesaver, Inc., state Operation Lifesaver programs, and rail safety partners across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Rail Safety Week is spearheaded by Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), Operation Lifesaver Canada and the Mexican Association of Railroads (AMF), making it a true North American effort.
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Test Your Smoke Alarm Day: Sept. 28, 2023Thursday Sept. 28, 2023, is Ontario's first Test Your Smoke Alarm Day! Last year, there were 133 fire fatalities in the province – the most in 20 years. As part of Test Your Smoke Alarm Day, all Ontarians are encouraged to learn more about smoke alarms, fire safety, and home fire escape planning, that can save the lives of you and your loved ones. Most importantly, we want you to test your smoke alarms! Test Your Smoke Alarm Day is an initiative led by the Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal, in partnership with community stakeholders, agencies, and sponsors.
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National British Home Child Day: Sept. 28, 2023More than 100,000 poor and/or orphaned children were emigrated from all areas of the U.K. to Canada between 1869 and 1940 and used as farm labour and domestic servants in our Canadian households. These children became known as British Home Children (BHC). There are an estimated 4 million BHC descendants living in Canada today, many of whom were settled in Halton and the surrounding areas and contributed greatly to the building of our city, including Spencer Smith Park. This year marks the 153rd anniversary of the first party of BHC to arrive on Canadian shores and cities across Canada and the U.K. will be participating in the "Beacons of Light for BHC and Child Migrants Tribute" on September 28th to honour the memory of the BHC and their descendants.
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October 2023Wrongful Conviction Day: Oct. 2, 2023International Wrongful Conviction Day is a day to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful conviction and to recognize the tremendous personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful conviction for innocent people and their families. Wrongful Conviction Day began as an effort of the Innocence Network, an affiliation of organizations dedicated to providing pro-bono legal and investigative services to individuals seeking to prove innocence of crimes for which they have been convicted, working to redress the causes of wrongful convictions, and supporting the exonerated after they are freed. October 2, 2023 marks the Tenth Annual Wrongful Conviction Day.
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Childcare Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day: Oct. 17, 2023Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 is the 23rd annual Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. This day recognizes the commitment, skills and hard work of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and staff who work with young children. Each year, the day is proclaimed by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), municipalities and school boards across Ontario, and is marked by hundreds of child care centres, unions, and allies. This year’s Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day theme is "Worth More"! This Appreciation Day will be important as we continue to navigate the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system and push for it to include decent work and pay for ECEs and child care workers.
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RELATED LINKS:
- Proclamations at July 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at June 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at May 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at April 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at March 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at February 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting
- Proclamations at January 2023 Burlington City Council Meeting