Michael Burton/Oakville.com
Justin Trudeau visits the Habitat for Humanity job site in Oakville.
Justin Trudeau hit the nail on the head alongside Habitat for Humanity this past Thursday. Trudeau stopped by to say a few words to residents and those contributing to the build of two houses in Oakville – located at Elmwood and Margaret Streets.
Two multi-level homes are being constructed – with $100,000 and new appliances being donated by Whirlpool Canada. The project started in July and will be completed in October.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Warren Elliot said – a Burlington resident who has volunteered his own time for the last ten years.
“That’s the one thing about Habitat for Humanity, you meet a lot of people who are interested in helping out. And we’re interested in showing people how to do these things.”
“When they go away from the site, they feel like they’ve accomplished something,” Elliot said.
“This is our first time for Habitat for Humanity in Oakville. We’re delighted at all the help we’ve been seeing,” said Anne Swarbrick – Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity.
Swarbrick thanked the many sponsors and volunteers that have made this project in Oakville possible.
“We can’t say enough for the kind of leadership shown by personalities and public figures like Mr. Trudeau,” she said.
Michael Burton/Oakville.com
Justin Trudeau assists with some construction at the Habitat for Humanity job site in Oakville.
Justin Trudeau assisted Warren Elliot in some construction – joking with the audience that workers should double-check some of the hammer work he had done.
“The work that Habitat for Humanity has been doing, decades of engaging people with something so basic and so constructive as building homes for people who need them,” Trudeau said, “for me its one of those symbols that we have to remember as we move forward in the 21st century.”
“Our community, our society, our country and our world can only be built if everyone pitches in. The fact that it is manpower, people who are not construction workers, giving up their time to build and shape the world around them. It’s a lesson that we need to remember.”
“What we need to do is demonstrate to every single Canadian, that everyone has an opportunity to contribute to their fullest. To making our society work, to making our country prosper, and making sure that everyone gets a chance to succeed,” Trudeau said in his speech.
“That’s the challenge we are facing, and it’s a challenge people are facing around the world.”
“But here in Canada we have an opportunity and an obligation to get it right.”
“We are extraordinarily lucky in this country, just to live in this country. But with that luck comes that responsibility, and our capacity to give more.”
Stephanie Chiu, a single mother of three is the recipient of the Habitat for Humanity program in Oakville. This program will give her the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty for her family.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity Halton, visit www.habitathalton.ca.
Tags: Habitat for Humanity Halton, Justin Trudeau
About the author: Michael Burton
Michael is journalist with experience in publishing, news writing and the magazine industry. He graduated from Sheridan College and is the former editor of TRAVIS magazine.
Follow
Subscribe