We are now well into the provincial election campaign that was called on October 27th with Election Day being November 26th.
In the first couple of years of the Tim Houston PC Government, Income Assistance recipients saw next to nothing in terms of changes to the provincial Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA) program that defines so much of our lives.
The one moment of hope amongst ESIA recipients occurred earlier this year when Brendan Maguire crossed the floor in the House to join the PC Government as Community Services Minister. Our community felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps the ESIA reform and transformation process would be carried forward by the new Minister who had a personal record of understanding and empathy with regards to Nova Scotians living in poverty. I spoke to this optimism in an open letter to Minister Maguire at the time.
Since Maguire’s appointment, we have seen two policy changes:
• the introduction in May of a $300 Disability Supplement which 60% of IA recipients have qualified for, as discussed in this BLOG post here ;
• in July, there was also a long overdue increase in Income Assistance rates in response to inflation, as discussed in this BLOG post here.
In subsequent posts here and here I have addressed why these two initiatives have simply not been enough to improve the quality of life of ESIA recipients.
These minor policy changes stand in sharp contrast to the larger ambitions that were once part of the previous Liberal Government’s vision for an “ESIA Transformation” process. This vision apparently died in 2021 when the Houston PCs formed the new government.
Much of the proposed “ESIA transformation” agenda was still on the drawing board in 2021, and we have seen little evidence that the Houston PCs have any interest in the transformation agenda. Not surprisingly, this has prompted some First Voice IA recipients to suggest that the whole transformation agenda was nothing more than a Government Hoax, as I discussed here.
Transformation means substantive change, not just increasing benefits at rates that do not even keep up with inflation. I have repeatedly made the case that ESIA policies and programs need to address broader societal issues, including social isolation that has a huge impact upon the lives of so many ESIA recipients.
Since I wrote about this last month, I have heard some First Voices who have their own opinions on what happened. Granted, none of us knows what actually goes on behind the closed doors of Minister’s offices, where policy decisions are made. But these individuals suspect that the Government team working on the Transformation agenda likely felt that the challenges of Social Inclusion are both bigger and more complicated than could be handled by policy action. An increase (however modest) in Income Assistance rates was likely considered the simpler, easier to communicate policy choice.
As a result, programs to address issues of Social Isolation and Social Inclusion have been limited to small scale, time-limited projects such as the All Together Link project, with which I was engaged and which I wrote about in my BLOG.
I wrote a subsequent BLOG after a conversation with friends who are not ESIA recipients. They suggested that people in my community who are struggling with Social Isolation should explore opportunities for education and employment. These people did not appreciate the challenges that ESIA recipients face to access such activities, be that cost, eligibility, transport, social dynamics, etc. Breaking the cycle of isolation is not that simple!
Over the past year, I documented in a series of articles, the story of Carrie Ann Bugden, the gist of which is summarised here. Carrie Ann is a disabled woman from Newfoundland, who was trying to build a full life for herself in Nova Scotia, as a student at MSVU. There are many twists and turns to Carrie Ann’s story, but a central theme is the extent to which social inclusion is a constant challenge for disabled persons, greatly complicated by issues of accessibility and accommodation.
I mention Carrie Ann not to provide a personal update, but to underline the specific challenges faced by the disabled in their efforts to address issues of social isolation and inclusion. Clearly, the Dept of Community Services struggles to understand and address the larger issues around social inclusion, even with a capable and ambitious individual like Carrie Ann. She is NOT the only person living with disabilities who is determined to lead a full, accomplished and relatively independent life!
What happened to Carrie Ann is NOT acceptable! And if I ever have the good fortune to buy a winning lottery ticket, one of the first things I will do is purchase Carrie Ann a wheelchair accessible apartment so that she can return to Halifax, finish her degree, and live a better life.
My bottom line as we approach the mid-point of the election campaign is that whoever gets elected on November 26 needs to put social inclusion back on the table as an issue requiring focused attention and resources as part of a wider review if not “transformation” of ESIA. It is clear that there is MUCH MORE to Social Inclusion than simply raising the Income Assistance rates.
We did learn some lessons as to what works and what doesn’t work from the All Together Link project. We need to ensure that Social Inclusion strategies and programs address disability inclusion, and rights to access education and training, employment, and social groups. Also, Social Inclusion needs to be, - well , - INCLUSIVE! It has to include all ages, abilities and diverse groups.
Perhaps most importantly, if Social Inclusion ever does get back on the table as part of the transformation of ESIA programs, there needs to be a commitment for collaboration between the Department of Community Services and the Nova Scotia Mental Health system to ensure success.
I am hopeful that the next Government of NS will take a serious look at this issue!
Kendall Worth is an award-winning anti-poverty activist who lives with disabilities and tries to make ends meet on income assistance.
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