Small Business Week - Response to Minister

CLAUDIA CHENDER » : Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to mark Small Business Week. Small independent businesses make our province what it is: resilient, creative, vibrant, and unique.

At the best of times, businesses that are small need to work twice as hard to succeed. This past year has been incredibly challenging and we recognize that many have had to close their doors. For those who have stayed open, the Public Health directives have been tough to navigate for retail and restaurants, but they did it with grace. They not only did what we asked but have stepped up and helped us stay safe. Culture and tourism have been especially hard hit, yet in so many ways they have gotten us through the pandemic by allowing us to rediscover what this province has to offer.

Since the theme of Small Business Week is Digital Adoption, I'd also like to give a particular shoutout to the farmers and farm markets, culture workers, and others who have quickly found ways to pivot - hopefully we stop using that word soon - online. It's a timely reminder that access to internet and cell service is still a barrier to economic growth, especially in rural areas. As we look at that online pivot, I hope that we will continue to pay close attention to the needs for equitable internet access for all Nova Scotians.

I also want to recognize the economic pressure that this pandemic has put on women-owned businesses in particular. Research has shown that Canadian businesses led by women are taking twice as long to recover. I hope that we've finally learned the lesson that child care is essential to this economy.

Small businesses have so often been a conduit for the kindness in our communities over this past year. We've seen so many go out of their way to offer coffees for health care workers, arrange deliveries for quarantined neighbours, and beyond. I encourage all MLAs to take a moment this week to express their gratitude for the small businesses in their community.

I will close by giving a shoutout to the incredible small business community of Dartmouth South who have really gotten our community through this pandemic in so many ways, and to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. Thank you.