Bishop Mitrofan visits Ontario Provincial Parliament – Queen’s Park

Bishop Mitrofan visits Ontario Provincial Parliament – Queen’s Park

His Grace Dr. Mitrofan, Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, accompanied by Rev. Fr. Jovan Marjanac, the Diocesan Secretary, paid an official visit to the Ontario Provincial Parliament on Thursday, March 23. The cause for such a visit was the invitation of Mr. Willеm Bouma, MPP for the riding of Brantford-Brant.  Mr. Bouma, a devout Christian, is a staunch defender of faith communities, and played a key role in the designation of places of worship as essential services in Ontario during the global COVID crisis. His Grace Bishop Mitrofan presented MPP Bouma with a studious book on the Christian Heritage of Kosovo, Serbia’s southern province, stressing the constant struggle for maintaining this historic, yet living, cradle of Christianity in the heart of Europe intact.

 

The programme consisted of a tour of the 130-year-old parliament building in Queen’s Park, an official greeting from the members of parliament during Question Period, and, most importantly, a meeting with Orthodox Christian Members of Provincial Parliament Effie Triantafilopoulos (MPP Oakville North-Burlington), Sharef Sabawy (MPP Mississauga-Erin Mills), and Minister of Transportation and Francophone Affairs Caroline Mulroney; as well as Sam Oosterhoff (MPP Niagara West).

 

The agenda being extremely busy for all at Queen’s Park, it being budget day, did not hinder fruitful conversation and a vivid exchange of ideas which will surely lead to further collaboration and benefit for all Serbian-Canadian citizens of Ontario. A special token of gratitude is owed to Mr. Milan Novakovic, as well as Mr. Matthew Novakovic, both Executive Assistants to parliamentarians, and proud parishioners of St. Nicholas Church in Hamilton (Barton). 

His Grace expressed gratitude for MPP Bouma’s hospitality, as well as a blessing for all that toil at Ontario’s Provincial Parliament, particularly those who are Orthodox Christians, and their affiliated colleagues. The Diocesan Administrative Board will soon appoint a committee to regularly maintain communication with Queen’s Park, in particular to explore the realisation of various collaborative projects with the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.