My question is for the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. One morning last week, Darla Haverstock watched her child get on a school bus. An hour later, she received notification that her child was absent due to…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Pleasant-Woodside Neighbourhood Association. This group of active individuals in Dartmouth South have been working together to bring a sense of community and civic pride to the…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the thousands of people from Dartmouth who are still without a family doctor. According to the Nova Scotia Health Authority's Need a Family Practice Registry report, released on September 1st of this year, 10,209 registrants are still waiting for…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. Yesterday in this House the minister accused me of defending the status quo and special interest groups. If the status quo means students being able to access safe, reliable transportation to get to school on time and if special interest groups are parents, then I suppose he is correct…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, Life.School.House is on unceded Mi'kmaq territory in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in a house owned by Jennifer Brenton DeCoste and Scott DeCoste but is one that belongs to, and welcomes, the community…
Read MoreWHEREAS the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms sets standards for interactions between all levels of government and government agencies with members of the public;…
Read MoreAs the minister and my colleague have both said, this is essentially a housekeeping bill, although I do recognize that it does contain some important language changes. Some of those are just legislative housekeeping…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education and Early Child Development. In 2014, the Nova Scotia School Board Association asked the department to review the rules around school busing and provide adequate funding for transportation of students to…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, one of the best parts of being MLA for Dartmouth South is being continuously inspired by the work of the members of my constituency. Dartmouthians are ingenious self-starters…
Read MoreMy question is for the Minister of Health and Wellness. Autism is not a mental-health disorder or issue in and of itself. However, just like everyone else, people on the autism spectrum suffer from…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. The prisoners at the Burnside jail have just ended their 20-day strike. In a statement today they say: "It is with heavy hearts we write that shortly after the end of our protest, a fellow prisoner incarcerated here lost his life…
Read MoreI rise today to welcome the PanAm Canoe Championships to Lake Banook in Dartmouth, which opens this evening at Dartmouth High School. Dartmouth will be welcoming over 350 athletes from at least 16 countries from North and South America, and we have never…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, today the NDP caucus introduced legislation to protect the rights of persons experiencing mental distress. For those who suffer but are not able to access mental health care, there are few alternative options available, so we are lucky…
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I'll keep it very short on this one. As my colleague said, it's hard to argue with making things a little bit easier for businesses so, by all means, I think reducing red tape - reducing the cost to incorporate - is a good thing. I think it's a little disheartening that . . .
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I just a have a few words here on second reading. We have been and will continue to pay close attention to this new corporation, Develop Nova Scotia. I had the chance to meet with Jennifer Angel and hear more about these plans and . . .
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the lives lost to suicide all over our province. Yesterday, September 10th, was World Suicide Prevention Day. Suicide is a leading cause of death among Canadians and one of the top two causes of those under 35. Sadly, rates are still on the rise in Nova Scotia . . .
Read MoreMr. Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to recognize a woman whose dogged efforts to document Nova Scotia's folklore, songs and history left us with a treasure trove of cultural heritage. This month Helen Creighton would have been 119, had she lived to tell the tale. I am in awe of this pioneering woman who had a multitude of . . .
Read MoreThis Bill requires the Provincial Advisory Council on Education to hold at least two open meetings every year to receive submissions from the public. It also requires the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development to maintain a record of the meetings held by the Council on the website of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Read MoreMr. Speaker the majority of those in provincial custody, almost 60 per cent, are there on remand. They have been charged, but they have not been convicted. In the eyes of our justice system, they are innocent. Mr. Speaker, will the minister acknowledge the majority of people held in Burnside have not been tried, found guilty, or convicted of a crime.
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