Province House Resumes on March 21st, 2023!

 By Kendall Worth!

In this upcoming sitting of Province House people living in poverty have a lot on their minds - this is thinking about factors like how there has been no ESIA transformation, although promised since 2013, and no updates at all since the Houston Government was elected. The community I represent have ever increasing anxiety over being left in the dark about the ESIA Transformation. Perhaps no further transformation should be expected? In this open letter, I asked opposition Community Services Critics to ask the Minister of Community Services during question period, to provide an update on ESIA transformation.

 

Kendall Worth in  front of province house with sign.

In the meantime the issues identified by The Community of People living in poverty includes more than just raising the income assistance rates, and ESIA transformation, during this sitting. This session should be about addressing Inflation! In this BLOG post Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks about inflation, but the Community of People I advocate for strongly believe that the provincial government also has a responsibility to address out of control inflation.

This article points out the unexpected increase in food-bank usage and includes this video that talks about inflation in Nova Scotia. This same video also makes a strong case for increasing Income Assistance rates. We also see a major increase in the Homeless population. There is really no affordable housing left in the system.

Another important issue: There are many people, today, of all incomes (meaning a mixture of rich, middle, class and poor) without family doctors. As of January 2023, “The number of Nova Scotians on the family practice registry continues to trend upward with more than 129,000 people on the list as of Jan. 1. "The latest numbers from Nova Scotia Health report that nearly 13 per cent of the population is on the list looking for a family doctor. That represents a 56 per cent year-over-year increase, with 46,643 people joining the list since January 2022.”

During this upcoming sitting, the government must examine the health care system from every angle. Here is a recent letter I wrote to Minister Michelle Thompson addressing another issue in health care, particularly for for people in poverty -- Day Surgery. These days you hear stories about Walk-In Clinics being closed, and everyone finding it harder to get medical treatment. We also need a mental health system that offers more then just writing prescriptions for medications. When I say more, I mean more options for one – on – one counselling, socializing, and therapy groups.

Kendall Worth in front of Province House with a sign.

 

Having no family doctor can affect people living in poverty because when Income Assistance recipients go for the required Annual Review often they get a medical assessment from the Caseworker, that must be completed by an MD. This case, and this one, demonstrate how the issue raised by attending their reviews got resolved. So, people on Income Assistance, who currently do not have a family doctor, worry that if they cannot get those Medical Assessments filled, they could loose special needs funding, as a result. But if the Income Assistance recipient does not have a family doctor at the time that medical form needs to be filled out, then it not the Income Assistance Recipient's fault, but can remain their problem!.

I will End this post by saying years of ESIA Transformation have gone by, and this next sitting is where these unresolved issues needs to get attention. Unlike other years, this year there will be no anti-poverty protest at the house opening as no davocay group has taken it on.