Act to Help Struggling Nova Scotians - QP

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Speaker, I'd like to ask the Premier about a number of important issues that Nova Scotians are facing that are united by a common theme: the Premier acknowledging a problem, but then failing to act.

Since the start of this session, New Democrats have been fighting for things that matter to everyday Nova Scotians. The Premier knows that the cost of living is the No. 1 issue facing the people of this province, but when we asked for a seniors income benefit that would help Nova Scotia seniors live in dignity, he said no. When we pointed out that new families are losing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars through the practice of wait-list fees, the Premier agreed but then refused to ban it. People are struggling, but the Premier has refused to discuss taking the HST off of groceries, freezing Pharmacare fees, or establishing a school lunch program.

When will the Premier act to meaningfully help the people of this province who are struggling?

THE PREMIER « » : Every day this government is working to support Nova Scotians, to assist Nova Scotians - every single day. I could list a litany of programs that we're supporting, that we're expanding, that we're creating - every single day, Speaker.

To the member's point, it's actually very rare that I just say no. I often take this information, we go away, and we think about it. It's very difficult to make government policy in Question Period in 45 seconds. We listen. We go away. We assess. We see what's possible. On a number of those things, we'll do that. HST is already off most of the things that you would buy at the grocery store, but we're open to looking for ways to help Nova Scotians. We don't just say no.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I want to ask the Premier again about wait-list fees for child care. The Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development has finally agreed that the practice of predatory and unfair wait-list fees is wrong, but they are still being charged, and we are no further along in addressing the issue of banning fees. Will the Premier be very clear and commit that unfair wait-list fees will be stopped by this government?

THE PREMIER « » : Access to affordable child care is fundamental. We're making great strides and making sure that there is affordable child care for Nova Scotians. I'm very proud of the work that's being done on that file. The minister has already said that that's a practice that's inconsistent with access to affordable child care, and the department is looking at what is possible in that respect. We'll continue to look at that.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : We look forward to action on that file. This is a government that repeatedly agrees that we have an important issue on our hands but then doesn't address it. Take seniors' incomes: The government agrees that the state of seniors' poverty is critical, acknowledges that almost every other province has an income benefit for seniors, and then says we would certainly consider doing it. Now the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board says there's nothing to be done. Again, the Premier has acknowledged an issue, but his government has refused to do anything about it.

I will ask again: Will the Premier ensure that seniors have an income benefit that equals what seniors get in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador - all of which are more than what seniors get here?

THE PREMIER « » : That list of provinces - I'm not aware of any of them that has a Seniors Care Grant, yet we do here in Nova Scotia. We understand the need to support Nova Scotians where we can. We'll always want to do more, but we certainly understand it.

This year, as a province, we absorbed close to $5 million in additional pharmacare costs. We have held the line on Seniors' Pharmacare. Obviously, the costs are rising, but we didn't pass that through, and we added a bunch of new therapies to that program too. It wouldn't be fair to say this government does nothing. In fact, this government is a government of action that accomplishes a lot. We have lots to do, but we're getting lots done. I completely reject the premise that we do nothing because it's not true.