Funding Elizabeth Fry Society and Coverdale Courtwork Society - Question Period

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Recently, the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia announced they had cut their funding to community organizations by 20 per cent across the board. This included cuts to programs offered by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia and the Coverdale Courtwork Society, both of whom work with criminalized women, girls, and gender-diverse folks from communities made vulnerable by structural inequalities.

Recently, the Elizabeth Fry Society and Coverdale Courtwork Society wrote to the Minister of Justice to ask him to address the need for funding for their essential frontline work, and he has not responded.

My question to the Premier is: Will the Premier commit to providing increased provincial funding to ensure that services offered by these organizations are not cut?

THE PREMIER « » : I certainly want to thank those organizations for the good work they do for women and other vulnerable groups across the province. I'll continue to do what I can to support them, as someone who has a mother who worked in one of the only facilities - I think the only Atlantic Canadian facility - for women who have issues with substance abuse. I'll continue to support any organization that has those aspirations to help those who are most impacted by the things in society that damage them and their families.

I'll continue to do my best, and I'll have that conversation with my minister.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I thank the Premier for his answer. Coverdale Courtwork Society and Elizabeth Fry Society were federally funded to provide housing and wraparound services to people released from custody last Spring, when the pandemic hit. When that federal funding was ending, the Deputy Minister of Justice wrote to her counterparts across government, urging the Province to provide financial support. The Deputy Minister requested approval and help from the Department of Finance and Treasury Board to distribute these funds without delay. This request was not supported, and I'll table that.

Mr. Speaker, can the Premier explain why government has refused to provide funding to the non-profit organizations it relies upon to provide the necessary supports to people released from custody and into the community during COVID-19?

THE PREMIER « » : Government does need to be there for organizations that fill those voids that aren't supported in community. We need to make sure that we have programs in place. I'll endeavour to look at the correspondence personally myself, and then we'll see how we can help.