What’s important?
Top five issues for Annapolis Valley voters
With an election coming on May 30, the Liberal, Tory and New Democrats are quickly releasing party platforms – and it’s very easy to get bogged down in the political rhetoric.
But what issues matter most to people in the Annapolis Valley?
Here’s a look at the top five issues to keep in mind during this campaign as voters prepare to head to the polls. child poverty within our province, are where they should start because if we don’t start taking care of these kids we’re going to be in big trouble in the future.”
When Dr. Lesley Frank chaired an event in January called Let Them Eat Cake, the Acadia sociology professor got her first indication that income inequality - and food insecurity - were top of mind in Kentville and throughout Kings County.
Frank, who has authored the Child Poverty Report Card for Nova Scotia for 13 years, is calling for long-term solutions to address root causes of food insecurity in Nova Scotia. She wants Nova Scotians with low incomes to be able to afford to eat healthy food.
That’s why poverty, she says, should be at the forefront during this election campaign.
Frank would like to see longterm solutions like a sustainable income to meet basic needs, including a nutritious diet. She notes that Ontario, like Manitoba, will soon try a pilot project with minimum wage.
“I feel like there’s some momentum,” Frank says. “There were advocates there, people are concerned. That was impressive to me.”
Her priorities are ensuring all Nova Scotians have an adequate income, affordable housing, childcare and transportation. She also wants to see appropriate supports for individuals with unique costs, such as people with disabilities. But a guaranteed income tops her list.
“I hope there will be lots of debates on how to roll it out from all sides of the political spectrum,” Frank said.
One of the biggest issues affecting Nova Scotians today is unemployment, especially in rural areas, and Rachel Brighton, a communications officer at Valley Regional Enterprise Network, says, “it’s something that has to be dealt with.”
With several manufacturing jobs closing during the past few years in Kings County, such as the Sarsfield pie plant and the Hillaton carrot plant, a number of people found themselves out of work.
“I think the candidates need to have it, and must have it, at the top of their agenda,” says Brighton. “It needs to be a provincial issue, and I think there needs to be political will to solve it.”
Approximately eight to nine per cent of people in the Annapolis Valley are unemployed, matching the provincial average.
Brighton says high unemployment rates impact other issues Nova Scotians are facing, such as child poverty. One in five children in Nova Scotia live in relative poverty, which Brighton finds “horrifying.”
She believes unemployment is a “community building issue,” adding that transportation and child care would also need to be addressed in order to lower unemployment rates.
“It’s part of the big picture, and unfortunately, it’s part of the reality.”
There’s no question health care is one of the biggest and most crucial portfolios political parties will need to consider during this campaign. And it’s a file in transition, as the federal government continues to push home care and many find mental health resources are lacking.
How can the government balance the increasingly complex health needs of its residents while also balancing the books?
Andy Kirk, who volunteers on the Hants Community Hospital Foundation board, said one way government could consider distributing health care is through collaborative practices.
“The most important directions that any government would need to take would be to continue to encourage and promote a collaborative approach for health care,” Kirk said. “That is what will bring health professionals into the communities, allow them a reasonable work life and provide the breadth of practice that is needed to deal with all of the different ailments that are out there.”
Paul Stackhouse, who owns and runs Hillsdale House Inn in Annapolis Royal with his wife Val, wants to see growing the tourism sector as a key issue in the election.
The last few years have been good for tourism, he says, and wants that growing momentum to continue.
“Everybody we’ve talked to, the other innkeepers, all felt it’s been very positive,” said Stackhouse. “They’ve seen growth particularly in the last two years. I think there’s a lot of optimism for a change, that wasn’t there a few years ago.”
Tourism revenues are estimated to be up from $2 billion in 2010 to $2.6 billion in 2016 and the goal is $4 billion by 2024. The 2016 provincial tax revenue is estimated at $168 million.
“Certainly the direction that Tourism Nova Scotia is taking aligns with what all the research tells you will attract visitors,” he said.
The emphasis on experiential tourism aligns with what the research is saying attracts people, as well as experiencing local food and beverage – something the Annapolis Valley has in abundance.
There’s still a long way to go, he adds, and hopes supporting tourism will become a factor in party platforms during the election.