CANDIDATES Q&A
Riding of Colchester North
What do you feel is currently the most pressing issue for Nova Scotians?
Healthcare and the economy. Nova Scotians want and deserve access to quality healthcare in a timely manner. They also know the province must live within its means so that funds are available to provide services and supports to both young and old. Growing and expanding businesses drive the economy and strengthen our rural communities. They need our commitment and support.
There are so many pressing issues facing Nova Scotians due to the obsession of cutting back funding in order to ‘balance the budget’, but number one on my list has to be that the current health care system is broken!
The fact that, in modern day Canada, so many of us do not have access to a family doctor is totally unacceptable, especially after the ‘promise’ was made by the Liberals to ensure this would not be the case. We cannot allow this situation to continue and only by investing in, and supporting our hard working health care staff can we change this for the better.
In other countries family doctors work with a small team of RN’s to promote health, monitor chronic disease and allow a far greater number of patients to be seen. This has the effect of relieving the burden on the emergency departments and also alleviates the need for future, more intensive treatment and care due to mismanagement (or no management) of chronic disease and illnesses. I intend to work with our health care workers not against them.
Nova Scotians need a break. High taxes, high power rates, and ever-increasing prices for goods make it almost impossible for hardworking families to get ahead.
There’s a sense of urgency that we need to turn around our economy before it’s too late. We need to attract businesses, create jobs, and keep our young people here. I can’t think of a better place to raise a family than Nova Scotia, but too many kids have to leave to find work after they grow up. Our population needs to grow, not shrink.
We have a plan to bring down the cost of living, create jobs, and put more money in the pockets of low income earners and seniors.
What do you feel is the most pressing issue for the constituents, in your riding?
Employment opportunities in Colchester North are critical so we can retain and attract young families who want to live and work in rural Nova Scotia. Having an MLA who is approachable, a good listener, helps constituents navigate the system and who appreciates new ideas make for a feeling of working together. This combination leads to success.
In Colchester North the issues that matter the most change from community to community:
i)The poor digital infrastructure in rural areas is a problem that needs a serious solution to help regenerate these communities.
ii)Why, in 2017, do we still have so many hard working families that have to use food banks? This is shameful and has to stop. The introduction of a $15 minimum wage should help alleviate some of the pressure on these families.
iii)We have also accepted the fact that it is okay to burden our youth with massive student debt, leaving them no alternative but to seek better employment outside our province in order to be able to pay off these ‘loans’.
The NDP has a plan to take the first steps on this journey by providing free tuition at NSCC. I will personally make it one of my missions to have this extended to all further education for our youth. I know only too well how this can be made to work as both my daughters have returned to Scotland to take advantage of the free university education available there. We need this here for our children. They are our future.
Education continues to be the number one issue I’m hearing about. Teachers are frustrated because they aren’t getting the resources they need to support their students.
The current model of classroom inclusion is the problem. In a class of 28 students, there might be five or six who need support for learning or behavioural challenges, but there aren’t enough educational assistants to help them.
Teachers are left to do their best to help them, maintain order in the classroom, and teach the main lesson as well. It’s not fair to anyone, and students aren’t being supported to reach their potential achievement.
How do you personally feel about the situation with Nova Scotia’s teachers?
The role of a classroom teacher is crucial in helping our students be successful. Improving conditions in the classroom improves the teaching environment for teachers and the learning environment for students. The Council of Teachers provides a forum for classroom teachers’ voices to be heard. In order to be fair to all Nova Scotians, governments do have to make tough decisions. Throughout my career in education I have been, and will continue to be, motivated by what is in the best interest of kids. Recent events have been unfortunate, however, we are moving forward in a positive direction that will benefit all Nova Scotians.
No government should be able to use their legislative power to force any professional body to submit to their will. The fact that Karen Casey, who has in the past been a teacher herself and was involved at the core of this, makes it even more of a cruel move. The rights of any group or individual to be able to negotiate when it comes to pay and conditions should never be forcibly removed. The education of our children is a major investment in the future of Nova Scotia. I stand with the teachers to protect their right to have a say in their future. It is time for our elected representatives to look after the people before their parties’ interests.
As a mom to two high school students, teachers are personally very important. Like many families, we found this year to be very upsetting and challenging. The lowest point was when the kids were locked out of their own schools.
Teachers have always been incredibly generous with their personal time, volunteering with sports, school musicals, and after school clubs. I think we’ve taken that for granted over the years.
Above all, I think we need to respect the most important part of the negotiation process, which is taking it to the members. Unions are meant to represent member interests, not dictate them. Legislating a contact is simply unfair.
We will repeal Bill 75 and re-open negotiations with teachers.