In Praise of Special Interests

On March 5 I gave the following statement in the legislature:

I want to take this time to recognize all the rabble-rousers and professional protesters and people with special interests - like parents and senior citizens and teachers and doctors - who are outside today to let us know about the special interests that they have. People who are interested in democracy - I know this from the signs that I was reading - freedom of the press, affordable energy, public consultation, labour rights for workers, and climate justice. I just want to say that a couple of the signs that I read were very important, and I would like to quote from them. If I need to table the photograph of them, I will. "No consultation, no warning, no mandate. Now who's putting the no in Nova Scotia?" That was one - that's my favourite. Another one says, "My mom says we're all special," which is pretty great too. Speaker, people are showing up today to let this government know that they want transparency and they want democracy in this province. We are very grateful they're here.

Why Won't this Government Make Energy More Affordable for Nova Scotians?

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Speaker, the Nova Scotia Energy Poverty Task Force, which included government representatives, delivered a four-step solution to address energy affordability last Spring, yet this government has refused to act on the report's recommendations. Why is this government refusing to make energy more affordable for Nova Scotians?

HON. TREVOR BOUDREAU: Absolutely, we understand that there are challenges with cost of living that Nova Scotians face. As a government, we've invested significantly in supporting Nova Scotians with respect to energy poverty. Over $250 million has been invested in energy efficiency programs. Just as an example, it's provided deep energy retrofits for 1,350 Mi'kmaw homes and over 2,800 public housing units. We'll continue to look at ways to support Nova Scotians. I'm very proud of the work that we've done and the work that was done by my predecessor. We'll continue to always look out for Nova Scotians.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Programs like HARP, the HEAT Fund, and the Seniors Care Grant are targeted programs that the government has talked about in this conversation before. They provide support to a few Nova Scotians who have to jump through hoops to get the support. What we need is a universal program that ensures that all Nova Scotians can afford to pay their energy bills, especially as we face the unknown times coming because of these tariffs. When will this government deliver real energy affordability for all Nova Scotians?

TREVOR BOUDREAU: As I've said before, and I'll say again, and I'll repeat it over and over again: We always are looking out for the best interest of Nova Scotians. As I've said, and I'll keep reiterating, we've invested a significant amount of money in efficiency programming and in other programming as well. Just to give Nova Scotians an idea of what these investments in efficiency programming have done: We've saved over $180 million a year for Nova Scotians on their energy bills. These are important investments. We'll continue to look at what we can do in the future to support Nova Scotians.

Federal money is on the table. Why not provide free birth control for Nova Scotians?

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Manitoba has made history as the first province to sign the federal pharmacare agreement. Manitoba will now get $219 million over the next four years to cover medications like birth control. Providing free birth control would save Nova Scotians money. It would help address the gender-based violence epidemic. We have reminded this government about this opportunity countless times but we have yet to see any action. Why is Nova Scotia dragging its feet on signing this deal and giving Nova Scotians access to the medications they need?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : Again, I'll answer the question that we are in active negotiations with the federal government regarding the deal. We need to make sure that this is a financially sustainable approach. We appreciate the opportunity that is before us, but we also have economic realities here that we need to ensure that if that money sunsets - and we expect that after three to five years it will - that we are going to have the capacity to continue to provide the same amount of coverage. In order to do that, we need to look at how we look at the natural resources in this province, how we generate economic development, how we do all of these things; but the Opposition have had nothing good to say about it since we started. I am very committed to looking at this deal and negotiating, but we need to look at the economic opportunities in this province.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : I know the minister knows this, but reproductive health is an economic opportunity for Nova Scotians. It's all connected. Manitoba didn't wait for the federal money to come in. The province started covering birth control in the Fall because it knew it was the right thing to do, and it was economically sound. We are telling the government that there is money for them on the table right now and every day they delay, Nova Scotians are forced to spend more of their own money to cover this medication. My question is: Will the government ensure that Nova Scotians will have access to the medications they need?

MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : Again, there are a number of ways that people can access birth control through this province. We've talked about them before. Certainly if there is a financial barrier, through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development people have access to birth control. We have the Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program. Some people have private insurance - all these different ways to support people who require birth control. We are actively negotiating with the federal government. We cannot rush this negotiation. We cannot get a bad deal for Nova Scotians. We've seen that in the past with other deals when they've been rushed. We need to take our time. We need to ensure that we're doing the right things, that there is economic stability moving forward when and if that money sunsets, which we expect it will.

Free access to birth control would reduce reproductive coercion


SUSAN LEBLANC « » : The Transition House Association of Nova Scotia recently released a research brief, Reproductive Coercion and Intimate Partner Violence, and I'll table it. This is a form of gender-based violence that involves controlling another person's reproductive rights. The document recommends implementing access to universal, no-cost coverage of prescription contraception. Knowing that having free access to birth control can reduce reproductive coercion in this province, why does this government refuse to provide free birth control to its citizens?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : We currently have programs that are available to people who are seeking birth control. We have our Family Pharmacare Program, people who also have private insurance. There are also some individuals who require additional support and through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development there are opportunities for people to access birth control. We know it's an important issue. We'll continue to work throughout government to best understand how to serve Nova Scotians.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : All of those things are true but there are lots of people who are still falling through the cracks. That is why there is a massive call across the province and across the country for barrier-free, complete access to free birth control, so that the people who don't have those opportunities are able to access birth control. There's federal funding on the table right now to provide free birth control for all Nova Scotians. This is an important and simple step for us to take to help reduce the impacts of reproductive coercion in this country. We have yet to hear a good reason as to why the government has not taken this step. I'll ask again: Why won't this government work with the feds to provide Nova Scotians with free birth control to help address the epidemic of gender-based violence?

MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : We really are currently in negotiations with the federal government. The two departments are speaking about how best to serve Nova Scotians, what the negotiations may look like. It's not a straightforward negotiation. We have to make sure that it is a program that is sustainable when the money sunsets. It's great to get the money upfront, but eventually that money will go away. We need to make sure that we make the appropriate choices. We need to make sure that it's financially sustainable moving forward when the money sunsets. We continue to be in active negotiations. I'm very hopeful that we'll have more information soon.

Address the root causes of gender-based violence

SUSAN LEBLANC: New Leaf is a program that addresses the root causes of gender-based violence. It provides group counselling and support for abusive men who want to stop hurting their loved ones. When we talk about gender-based violence prevention, these are the programs we need, but New Leaf is struggling to keep up with demand, and they need more funding to provide this vital service - and I can table an article about that. When will this government commit to providing stable core funding for groups like New Leaf to prevent gender-based violence?

HON. SCOTT ARMSTRONG: We know that any incident of intimate partner violence is one too many, and across government we are investing and making great strides in supporting groups across this province to intervene before incidents happen. New Leaf is a great example of that. Our department supports New Leaf. Over several years, our funding has been increased. They have a proposal in. We're reviewing that proposal, and there will be more to say on this later.

SUSAN LEBLANC: I am glad to hear that a proposal is under way, but what is needed is what was recommended by the Mass Casualty Commission - stable core funding for organizations that address and prevent gender-based violence. This type of funding would mean that groups like New Leaf don't have to keep putting proposals in. They don't have to keep wondering if they will be able to continue next year or the year after. Supporting groups like New Leaf - which focus on interventions for men - will help address the root causes of gender-based violence. My question is: Why won't this government commit to a funding model that will ensure important programs like New Leaf can continue year after year after year?

THE SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Justice.

HON. BECKY DRUHAN: My colleagues and I are eagerly wanting to answer this question because we are working cross-department. I do want to say that we recognize the need for core funding, and we have, in fact, started increasing core funding. That took place last year with respect to the transition houses - the largest increase in core funding in decades - and that was a significant investment. We're continuing to assess that. I wanted to draw the member's attention to the work that we are doing around supporting men, because this is an incredibly important issue, and we heard from Tod Augusta Scott - who is a leader in this field - in an article from the Halifax Examiner, and he said: ". . . while more money is always welcome for programs, including those for men, Nova Scotia is a leader nationally on this issue."

Why isn't the government doing more to help Nova Scotians who are struggling to keep the lights on?

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Nova Scotia Power customers are dealing with yet another power rate increase of 2.4 per cent. Across this province, Nova Scotians are finding it increasingly difficult to afford housing, food, and other essentials, and now they have to deal with yet another price increase. My question is for the Minister of Energy: Why isn't the government doing more to help Nova Scotians who are struggling to keep the lights on?

HON. TREVOR BOUDREAU: We know that when energy bills or power bills come in and Nova Scotians see a rise, they have concerns, and it's a challenge for people, and we recognize that, and as a government, we've taken some significant investments to make sure that we support Nova Scotians. There was a report last week that said there was a 2.4 per cent increase that happened through Nova Scotia Power, and I just want to read from that, and I'll table this, but we provided a bailout. We negotiated a $500 million loan guarantee from the federal government to support Nova Scotians, and without that bailout, the utility said it would have raised average rates 19.2 per cent this year, not 2.4.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Well, I'm glad the minister understands that it is a struggle for many, many Nova Scotians to pay their power bills. I have an idea. It's not mine, actually. The province is one of the provinces with the highest rate of energy poverty, but the Energy Poverty Task Force has laid out a plan to address the issue. We don't need to continually get bailouts. We have another idea: The plan includes an arrears forgiveness program and rate discounts for lower-income Nova Scotians, among other things. In case a reminder is needed, the department received this task force recommendation in April of last year. Why hasn't the government implemented the recommendations to help lift more Nova Scotians out of energy poverty?

TREVOR BOUDREAU: We've created a number of different programs to support Nova Scotians and ratepayers here in Nova Scotia to support them with their challenges with their energy bills. I can think of the HARP program, $600 a year to support Nova Scotians. I think of the HEAT Fund, again to support Nova Scotians who are struggling with energy poverty. I think of the Seniors Care Grant - $750 a year - and I think of the investments in this budget to reduce taxes, to put more money in people's pockets, to support Nova Scotians when these are challenging times that they face.

Why is there no funding for birth control in the budget?

Yesterday I asked the Minister of Health why this year‘s budget didn’t include funding for free birth control. Below is our exchange:

SUSAN LEBLANC
: Speaker, programs that offer free birth control have been shown to be revenue-positive, even in provinces that are funding these medications independently. The cost of providing free birth control is considerably lower than the costs associated with unintended pregnancy, and I can table that. Reproductive rights include access to birth control, and at a time when Nova Scotians are struggling financially, eliminating barriers to birth control is key to ensuring equal access and choice.

My question is for the Minister of Health and Wellness: Why is there no funding for birth control in the budget tabled yesterday?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON : Certainly, we currently have a number of programs in Nova Scotia. We offer support through the Family Pharmacare Program. Also, for those who have financial challenges, through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, there is opportunity to cover birth control, as well as a variety of other ways. We appreciate the question. There has been a lot of advocacy done in regard to birth control. We continue to look at the program available through the federal government and negotiate our deals. Perhaps, there will be more to say in the future.

SUSAN LEBLANC: We need barrier-free access to birth control now. Another initiative that is good for women's health and good for our health care system is take-home HPV test kits. But again, there was no money in the budget for this. This is despite the fact that Nova Scotia Health Authority has said, "We are actively planning the introduction of HPV cell screening, but I understand that this program has not been funded yet by the government." I'll table that. My question for the minister is: Where is the funding for the take-home HPV test kits?

MICHELLE THOMPSON : Again, we are looking at a program for take-home HPV kits. We're working with clinicians to understand how best to roll out that program. There's nothing being held back. That program is not fully realized yet. We are working with the clinicians, who will look at that program and understand how it's best suited to the Nova Scotian environment.

When will this government help make home heating and power bills affordable for all Nova Scotians?

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Energy. A recent study in Bridgewater found that 31 per cent of people were cutting back on groceries to pay for utilities, and 18 per cent of people were cutting back on utilities to pay for groceries. That is nearly 50 per cent of folks stuck in a heat or eat dilemma. My question to the minister is: Can the minister tell us what he expects people in Bridgewater and all of Nova Scotia to do? Should they heat or should they eat?

HON. TREVOR BOUDREAU: We recognize that the cost of living has certainly put an impact on Nova Scotians' ability to pay for things. That's why we've taken unprecedented steps as a government to make sure that Nova Scotians have the support they need. I think of a number of different programs we have with respect to supporting people with energy poverty. I think of the HEAT Fund and I think of the HARP. I also think of the Seniors Care Grant that provides $750 for Nova Scotia seniors who are struggling. We will continue to do what we can to support Nova Scotians. They know that and this government is here for them.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Perhaps in Estimates the minister and I can debate the definition of "unprecedented," because those programs that he just listed are (1) not unprecedented and (2) not enough money. No one should be forced to decide between heating their home and buying groceries. I said in the last question that that's what people are doing. Nova Scotians deserve a government that will step up and take the necessary actions to alleviate the stress that comes with tight budgets and increasing costs. My question to the minister is: When will this government take concrete steps to make home heating and power bills affordable for all Nova Scotians?

TREVOR BOUDREAU: This gives me an opportunity to talk about the unprecedented, extraordinary actions we've taken to support Nova Scotians with efficiency programming. Over $250 million has been allotted for efficiency programs in this province. Nova Scotians have been applying to those programs in droves. Nine times the number of people have been applying for those because of that program that we provided. Part of that program is providing heat pumps to Nova Scotians. Those heat pumps will help people get off oil and will save people up to $1,500 a year. We are here for Nova Scotians and will continue to be.

Why was the residential tenancies enforcement unit scrapped?

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : In January of last year, the Department of Service Nova Scotia responded to an inquiry from the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia about how a potential compliance and enforcement unit would impact landlords. This spurred internal communication, with one department representative recognizing that the unit would predominantly be landlord-based, meaning it would have predominantly protected tenants against such things as unlawful convictions. My question to the minister is: Why was the enforcement unit scrapped when it would have clearly met the needs of tenants?

HON. JILL BALSER « » : I know my predecessor in his time as minister did bring forward some changes to the Residential Tenancies Program. I know that a report was commissioned to look at what a compliance and enforcement unit could look like here in the province. At that time, the government made the decision not to move forward, knowing that we have a Residential Tenancies Program in place that provides equity, respect, and balance to the needs of both tenants and landlords. We want to make sure that all Nova Scotians know that that Residential Tenancies Program is there to help them in their time of need. We're going to continue to utilize that program and make positive changes to it as needed.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : When it came down to the creation of a residential tenancies enforcement unit, the former Minister of Service Nova Scotia concluded that it would not meet the needs of tenants and landlords. My question to the current minister is: Can the minister explain which specific needs would not have been met by a compliance and enforcement unit? When will she table a new program that will meet the needs of both tenants and landlords?

JILL BALSER « » : I want to recognize that we do have a Residential Tenancies Program in place to support the needs of both tenants and landlords. We know that Nova Scotians need to be able to reach out to a program in their time of need and one that is efficient and is going to find a resolution in their time of need quickly. Recognizing that the report was commissioned to look at a compliance and enforcement unit, we made the decision not to move forward, knowing that there is an opportunity to improve the existing program, which we are doing. We want to make sure that Nova Scotians know that that program is there in their time of need. We want to make sure we are improving communication and tenants know they can use that program when they need it.

When will Nova Scotians get support to be able to afford their energy bills?

gling to pay their energy bills, the highest proportion in Canada. I will table that. The Nova Scotia Energy Poverty Task Force, which includes government representatives, delivered a four-step solution to address this problem last Spring. I will table that. My question to the Minister of Energy is: Can the minister please explain why we have seen no action to make the changes that Nova Scotians need to be able to afford their energy bills?

HON. TREVOR BOUDREAU: Speaker, our government has taken extraordinary measures to avoid increases in power rates. I can think of a number of different initiatives. I can think of Bill No. 212, which limited the ability of the NSUARB to allow for increases by Nova Scotia Power. I can think of the $117 million investment that our government made to pay off the fuel adjustment mechanism for making sure that Nova Scotians didn't have a 7 per cent increase in power rates.

We also negotiated a $500 million agreement with the federal government to make sure that Nova Scotians didn't have a 19 per cent increase in power rates. We're doing what we can, and we'll continue to do what we can.

SUSAN LEBLANC « » : This government's commitment to keep future increases within the national average will not help Nova Scotians who are already struggling with the current rates. Any increase will simply add to their financial stress. What is really needed is the four-step solution previously put forward that includes bill affordability, arrears management, crisis intervention, and support to make homes more energy-efficient. When will this government deliver the solutions that Nova Scotians deserve?

TREVOR BOUDREAU: Nova Scotians already have access to programs within those four realms that the member is speaking about. But just as an aside, this government has invested in a number of different ways to support Nova Scotians with the cost of living. In particular, with respect to energy, I think of the Heating Assistance Rebate Program - $600. I think of the HEAT Fund program that is distributed by the Salvation Army that we work on very hard, as well as diversion funding through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development for people on income assistance. We know that Nova Scotians need support, and we'll be that government to be there for them.

Introducing the Steve Estey Act

A picture of An Act to Amend Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2011, the Elections Act, Respecting Expenses Incurred in Relation to Disability.

On September I was happy to introduce a bill that will make it easier for people with disabilities to run in elections; the Steve Estey Act. It was inspired by Steve’s experience of being a person with a hearing impairment running in a provincial election. I was also very happy to welcome Steve’s family: wife Ann McRae, mother Dee Estey, and sister Jane Estey to the legislature to witness its tabling.

The Need for Real Rent Control

On September 20 - the last day of the Fall 2024 legislative session - I said the following about the Houston government’s legislation that: failed to implement real rent control, made it easier for landlords to evict renters, left the fixed-term lease loophole, and extended a rent cap higher than any other in Canada, and more than double the rate of inflation. Here is what I said:

The situation for renters in Dartmouth North, in HRM, and across the province is getting more and more dire. Rents are incredibly high. We're hearing about studio apartments going for $1,700, and one-bedrooms are over $2,000. These are not luxury apartments.

The fact is that most incomes are nowhere near adequate to pay these prices, and it results in people being evicted for non-payment, defaulting on their power bills or other loans, not taking the medications they need, not eating enough and getting sick, or experiencing crippling anxiety and fear about all or any of the above.

People contact me every single day for help with housing. They can't afford where they're living. They're living with an abuser, and there's nowhere to escape to. Their landlord is moving into their unit, and they have to get out. Their power has been cut off. The list goes on and on.

Let me be clear: These are not calls that I get once a month, every couple of weeks, or even every couple of days. These calls come in every day, and most days there are more than one. People need help, and they need it now.

Yes, supply will help a little, but supply is coming in years and not days or months, and there is no guarantee of what the rents of all these buildings will be. People need housing that is adequate and that they can afford. There are some solutions to this that the government is at best ignoring and at worst working against.

We need a system of rent control where the rent is tied to the unit and not the tenant. This Bill does not do this. We need a system where there is no financial incentive for the use of fixed-term leases so they would be used for the intended purpose instead of for landlords to skirt the rent cap, as we heard about in Law Amendments Committee. This Bill does not have that.

Instead, it provides a pathway to homelessness, which, by the way, quadrupled in HRM since this government came to office. We need a system where there would be no financial incentive to make buildings pet-free when they were always pet-friendly; no need to charge for storage lockers when they always had been included in the rent; and no need to renovict tenants when there is nothing more than a cosmetic improvement needed to do to a unit or building. This Bill does not have this.

If not fair or affordable, the rent cap will give some predictability to renters for the next couple of years, but what happens then? This government is determined to return our rental market to a scenario where there is no control at all. We need this Bill to legislate permanent rental control tied to the unit and not the tenant.

The opportunity to bring this Bill forward could have done so much good, but it actually does the opposite. It will not help the housing and homelessness crisis, and in fact, it will probably make it worse for all these reasons I have laid out. For the tens of thousands of renters I represent in Dartmouth North, I cannot support this Bill.

Why won’t the Health Minister help Jennifer Brady get the care she needs?

On September 19th I asked the Minister of Health if she would end the government’s legal battle against Jennifer Brady and allow Ms. Brady to receive the care she needs. Jennifer Brady has a debilitating lymphedema, and there is no treatment currently available in Nova Scotia. The department of health is saying it won’t cover out of province expenses without a specialist referral made in the province, but no specialist exists here. Jennifer has applied for medically assisted death earlier this year. We must not allow Jennifer Brady to die or live in pain when treatment is available. Below is our full exchange:

SUSAN LEBLANC : Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Wellness. The minister's department has been fighting Jennifer Brady in court for two years over a procedure that is covered by MSI. My question is: Why? Ms. Brady has debilitating lymphedema and there is no treatment currently available in Nova Scotia. The department is saying it won't cover out-of-province expenses without a specialist's referral made in the province, but no specialist exists here. Will the minister end this legal battle and allow Jennifer Brady to receive the care she needs?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON: I certainly know that this is a very difficult situation for Ms. Brady. This matter is before the courts, and I will not comment.

SUSAN LEBLANC: The matter is in the courts; it's also on national news as Ms. Brady has shared her story with the CBC. Without access to the care she needs, Ms. Brady applied for MAID earlier this year. The head clinician who reviewed her application found that it met all criteria except that the condition cannot be treated. There is treatment available. As the clinician told the minister's department in his letter: Your office can make that happen. We know it is within the minister's ability to help Ms. Brady and many others like her. Will she do that?

MICHELLE THOMPSON: Again, I appreciate that this is a very difficult situation. Ms. Brady is free to share her personal health information. I, however, am not, and so I will not be able to comment any further on this situation.

The Government Must Address Energy Poverty

On September 17 I asked the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables what the Houston government’s plan is to address energy poverty. Below is our exchange:

SUSAN LEBLANC: My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. Nova Scotia has one of the highest rates of energy poverty in the country, with about 43 per cent of households paying more on energy than they can afford. Earlier this year, this department was involved in the development of a report that called for and designed a program to ensure people can afford the electricity they need. I will table that report. Does the minister support the findings of this report? What is the minister's plan to address energy poverty?

HON. TORY RUSHTON: I'm not sure what report got tabled, so I'll have a look at that because there have been a few reports on this. Some were government reports, some were independent reports. I will have a look at the report. What I can say is the Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force did make a recommendation - Recommendation No. 12 - to look at what Ontario is doing for affordability. We have looked at what Ontario is doing. We started that process - task force Recommendation No. 12. We're comparing what's going on in that jurisdiction to what we're doing in our jurisdiction. We're still looking at that.

What I can say is that $250 million has been invested since we've taken government on energy affordability and different forms of energy. We'll continue that. We'll also look at other alternatives. We have found out from working with other jurisdictions that we're doing a lot that other jurisdictions aren't.

SUSAN LEBLANC: I'll just reiterate the fact that we have one of the highest rates of energy poverty. Whatever we're doing, we're not doing enough: 43 per cent of households are living in energy poverty.

Thank you to the minister for bringing up Recommendation No. 12. This was actually the second report. The report that I just tabled was the second report from last year that called for decisive action on energy affordability. The final report from the Nova Scotia Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force, which I'm sure the minister is familiar with, also directed this government to "determine the best way to deliver a 'Made in Nova Scotia' suite of programs" - Recommendation No. 12 - "to help with residential electricity costs."

Has the government accepted this recommendation? When will Nova Scotians see programs to lower their energy bills in place?

TORY RUSHTON: I just had a look at that report. That’s actually an independent report. That wasn’t a government report. That was an independent body report. What I can say is looking back over the last couple of decades, the highest rates actually increased under the NDP government. What we have done is $250 million investment of this province’s money for affordability. We also looked at the fuel adjustment mechanism that was going to be put into place to add nearly a double-digit increase for all ratepayers. Since October, we’ve been negotiating with the federal government. Yesterday they helped us out: $500 million so the rates in Nova Scotia won’t go up this year.

Declaring Intimate Partner Violence an Epidemic

Koren Beaman (UNIFOR), MLA Susan Leblanc, Jennifer Murray (UNIFOR), and MLA Claudia Chender after the passage of the NDP bill to declare Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic.

Being present to pass a bill declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic in Nova Scotia was one of the proudest moments I have experienced as an MLA. IPV is everywhere: in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, friend groups and families. People often suffer in shame, in silence and in fear. This bill declares this, affirms survivors, and will be a step in providing the essential supports necessary so survivors can thrive and the violence can end. I was especially moved by the work Koren Beaman has done to support people experiencing intimate partner violence and in getting this bill to the floor of the legislature and passed in one day. Koren is a courageous force.

For more information about the bill and how it came to pass, read this article.

Recognizing Koren Beaman

The Nova Scotia Government would not have recognized Intimate Partner Violence as an epidemic without resident Koren Beaman and her Unifor Canada colleagues. This is what I said about Koren in the Nova Scotia Legislature:

I rise today to recognize a truly inspiring member of the Dartmouth North community: Koren Beaman. Over several years, I have watched Koren lead in the essential work of advocating for and winning paid leave for people facing intimate partner violence and have been constantly impressed by her steadfast commitment to supports for women. As a Unifor women’s advocate, she connects women in her workplace with community resources and mental health support and provides an open door for anyone facing harassment or violence at work or at home. As such, she is known to her colleagues at the Irving Shipyard as the shipyard mom because of how she takes care of everyone there. I’m very grateful for the work Koren does for women facing intimate partner violence. I ask the House to join me in thanking her for her dedication and tenacity.

Asking Government about Seniors Pharmacare

I asked the Minister of Health and Wellness what the government was doing to ensure seniors can afford the prescriptions they need. Here is our full exchange.

SUSAN LEBLANC: Speaker, last week, the Minister of Health and Wellness stated that this government is very focused on the Seniors’ Pharmacare Program, and I will table that. Despite this focus, the number of late enrolment penalties being applied are rising at a startling pace. Last year, there were over 2,500 late enrolment penalties compared to just 1,452 three years earlier. These penalties are, in part, because seniors can’t afford Pharmacare. What is the minister doing to ensure seniors can afford the prescriptions that they need?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON: We are very watchful of our Pharmacare programs. We certainly know that there are seniors we work with on a regular basis to support them in having access to medications. Over the last three years, we have absorbed over $9 million, not only in additional medications added to the formulary but also in order to keep completely the same our co-pay and premium payments. We know that some seniors are experiencing cost of living issues, which is why we’ve introduced the Seniors Care Grant. We are looking at innovative ways to support seniors, not only through the Pharmacare program but through other programs in government.

SUSAN LEBLANC: The Seniors Care Grant, while it is helpful, does not cover the cost of medication. Too frequently, Nova Scotians are faced with a trade-off between either paying for food or prescriptions. In 2023, the government’s own Housing Needs Assessment Report found that one in four people do not take their medication as prescribed because they can’t afford to. Feed Nova Scotia has reported that 56 per cent of food bank clients surveyed have had to sacrifice buying food to pay for prescriptions. When will the government support the health of Nova Scotians by ensuring that all can access the medication they need?

MICHELLE THOMPSON: As I’ve indicated before, the Pharmacare programs in this province are very important to all of us. Certainly, we support seniors. I would like to say, as an example, we recently introduced the Sensor-based Glucose Monitoring Program, which is an incredible investment in Nova Scotia. We also extended and expanded the Insulin Pump Program as well. I have heard from individuals who said that this program alone - those two things, those two investments - have increased their household income by $600 per month. When we look at these programs, we look at very innovative ways in order for us to make sure that Nova Scotians who need the care that they deserve will get it, and we’ll continue to do that.

Pressing the Government About Shannex-Hogan Court Spending

On September 10 I asked the Minister of Health and Wellness to tell us what the public is getting for the $120 million thee government is spending on the Shannex Hogan Court facility. Below is our exchange:

SUSAN LEBLANC : My question is for the Minister of Health and Wellness. In March of this year, representatives from the Nova Scotia Health Authority said that agreements with Shannex over the sale of the Hogan Court hotel were ongoing and that it would be finalized in a matter of weeks. At the time, full costs were still unknown. Shannex's rate was being negotiated and consultants were still being paid for the work on the project. My question is: Can the minister confirm if a final agreement is in place and what is the total cost to Nova Scotians?

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON : Certainly, we continue with this exciting project that we are happy to partner with Shannex on: Parkland West Bedford , a state-of-the-art transition to care facility. While they have taken over the property itself, we continue to work with them and more details will be available.

SUSAN LEBLANC: That's a disappointing response, actually. The Auditor General's February report on the facility raised serious questions about this government's use of untendered agreements, even with Shannex themselves, and despite this criticism, the government's tender database shows a June 13th approval of a startling $120 million untendered contract to Shannex. My question is: Can the minister tell us what this $120 million is getting us, and why, despite the warnings and criticisms from the Auditor General, this government is still spending massive sums of taxpayers' dollars in the dark?

MICHELLE THOMPSON: The building and the model that has been innovated and imagined in Nova Scotia at West Bedford is something that we should all be very proud of. We have world-class experts who are going to be providing care to frail, elderly people who are in hospital currently, who are transitioning to a home that is going to provide state-of-the-art elder care, which we need in this province. We are so fortunate to have that and we will continue to work on innovative ideas. It does happen through an alternative procurement offer which allows us to be nimble. We are either too fast or we are too slow, but on this deal, I think we are just right.

Fighting for Rent Supplement Changes

On September 6 I spoke about the Houston governments’ decision to revers its ill-advised change to the rent supplement program and the role that two Dartmouth North residents played in making that happen. Here is what I said:

Speaker, recently this government reversed its ill-advised decision to increase the threshold to qualify for the rent supplement, bringing the percentage of the income that you need to spend on your rent down from 50 per cent to 40 per cent - not quite the original 30 per cent, but it is a first step. I’m proud to recognize two Dartmouth North residents who spoke out and no doubt contributed to this change, Sylvia Cole and Dawn Bishop.Sylvia is a senior who spends more than 60 per cent of her fixed income on housing. Because of this, she was confident that she would be approved for the rent supplement. Sadly - due to flaws in the program - she was not. As Sylvia has said, “What’s the point of having a rental subsidy when you make it impossible to get?”Dawn is a single mother who works full-time and was also denied - despite spending more than half of her take-home income on rent. Unfortunately, the supplement is calculated on a pre-tax income, which Dawn rightly calls an imaginary number that you do not see in your pocket. I want to thank Sylvia Cole and Dawn Bishop for speaking up. Their voices have and will continue to make a difference.