Elections Nova Scotia returning office sign. Photo: Jack Morse
Progressive Conservatives
Tim Houston and his team used the day to talk about the ongoing ambulance shortage in Nova Scotia and the solutions they’re offering.
With over one hundred code criticals being called since the election was called on July 17 the PCs say the issue is getting out of hand.
“Paramedics are our healthcare system’s rapid response team,” said PC Leader Tim Houston. “The fact that they are risking their jobs to come forward and make sure Nova Scotians are aware of how far our healthcare has deteriorated under the Liberals should serve as a canary in the coal mine for the entire system.”
The PCs say that their Hope for Health plan will help alleviate the burden currently being placed upon paramedics.
They say transformational changes for the delivery of primary care, long term care, and mental health will held reduce offload times.
The New Democratic Party
NDP leader Gary Burrill spent some of his day campaigning in the HRM today and he used that opportunity to talk about the need for paid sick days.
The NDP are proposing a guaranteed 10 paid sick days annually for all Nova Scotians.
“This weekend Iain Rankin is cutting paid sick days for thousands of people who will now have no choice but to work sick,” said Burrill. “Many of the workers we interact with on a regular basis, like grocery store workers, are losing their paid sick days. For many people they cannot afford to take unpaid days off so they will come to work sick, putting others at risk.
The NDP say with the current situation around 70 per cent of workers aged 30 and under have no access to paid sick leave.
In the climate of an ongoing pandemic the NDP say the rationale behind paid sick days should be evident.
“Iain Rankin doesn’t understand that real people rely on their work to pay their rent and other bills and can’t afford to take unpaid time off when they’re sick,” said Burrill. “Paid sick days protect people from infectious diseases and help ensure workers don’t become seriously ill by going to work sick.”
If the NDP get their way they would alter the Labour Standard Code to include 10 paid sick days.
“Many hard-working people put their own health on the line and went to work during the last 18 months,” said Burrill. “Rankin called them heroes and is now taking away the paid sick days they need. Keeping everyone safe makes sense. It’s time for something better.”
The Liberals
Liberal Leader Iain Rankin spent the day campaigning in the northern parts of Nova Scotia with stops in Eastern Shore, Guysburough and Inverness.
On Friday the Liberals released their Affordable and Equitable platform which includes a multitude of proposals aimed at making things like rent, utilities and healthy food more accessible.
Part of the plan includes targeted solutions to help low-income renters and low-income home owners.
On the rental front, the Liberals would invest $3 million annually through Efficiency Nova Scotia to complete an additional 220 units through the Multi-unit Rental Property Upgrade Program. Which offers rebates of up to 80 per cent on energy efficient upgrades in qualifying multi-unit residential dwellings. In turn lowering the cost of rental units and increasing the supply.
As for home owners, the liberals are also aiming to make properties more efficient and in turn cheaper to own. They plan to invest $20 million annually to help low-income homeowners pay for energy efficient upgrades which they estimate on an average home will reduce annual costs by $900.
