DCS: Homelessness Crisis - QP

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Just two months ago, the now Minister of Community Services accused this government of turning a blind eye to the homelessness crisis and leaving people out in the cold as he called for the indexation of income assistance rates. I'll table that.

Given recent events, my question to the minister is: Now that he is in a position to make it happen, is the minister willing to follow up his words with actions?

HON. BRENDAN MAGUIRE » : What I will say is that the issues we face are generational issues and they are bigger than any political party. What I heard from people at the doors and what I hear from people right across Nova Scotia is quite franly, they are tired of leaders bickering.

We know there is more to do. They want people to step forward with solutions and work for Nova Scotians. That's exactly what I am here to do and that's exactly what this government is going to do.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : It's a good thing that there's a record of what those solutions should be. In fact, the new minister has been highly critical of the current government. In the past six months alone, the minister has used words like "cruel, destructive, shameful, arrogant, needing a dose of reality" - and I'll table that - to describe the lack of action - that's just in one speech - being taken to address the needs of low-income and vulnerable Nova Scotians.

In a change of tune last week, the minister told reporters that he'd reached the point where it was becoming difficult to disagree with the government's approach, and I'll table that.

My question to the minister is: What was it that the minister found difficult to disagree with? Was it the freezing of income assistance rates for two years? Was it the cuts to the Heating Assistance Rebate Program, or was it the lack of action on affordable housing? Can he explain?

BRENDAN MAGUIRE « » : There's a quote that I live by, by the great Muhammad Ali, who once said: "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life." Speaker, here's what I will say. For the first time in my lifetime, there's an investment in public housing.

For the first time in my lifetime, we're seeing record investment in health care. We're seeing investments right across the board. I will say it here again and again and again: People are sick and tired of political leaders standing here throwing barbs at each other, fighting with each other, and they want us to get to work and they want solutions. This is a government of solutions, and that's what I'm here to do.

THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable member for Bedford Basin.