Through diligence and some personal sacrifices, most people in Nova Scotia have been able to enjoy this summer with a fair amount of freedom of movement and access to recreation. Let me be the first to thank all of you, if you haven’t been already, for adhering to public health protocols and demonstrating your care for our community.
As summer winds down to a close we are again confronted with the reality of COVID-19 and all of the questions that remain. For parents, families, teachers, and many employers the upcoming return to school is top of mind. Nova Scotian children have been out of school since March and so along with the basic challenges of re-orienting to fall we are faced with very real questions about the logistics and safety of the school reopening plan.
We have been reading your emails and forwarding your questions along to decision-makers. Principals and vice-principals have begun to return to schools this week, in large part to facilitate better communication with teachers and parents.
Many of you are concerned that the safety protocols in schools are different than the general public health guidelines, and there is some concern about the safety of children returning. We are lucky to have no known community spread in the province at the moment, which is the key indicator experts watch for when deciding to reopen schools. Masks will be mandatory for all children grade 4 and up where physical distancing is not possible, and will be provided to children free of charge on the first day.
The biggest concern is what happens when there is a return of community spread, which history, science, and other jurisdictions tell us is the most likely scenario. We need better information on how a breakout will be managed; how strict protocols will be applied; what the criteria are for contacting families, closing schools, moving to virtual learning if necessary, etc. Parents and guardians also need clear protocols: if a runny nose alone is a reason to keep a child home and have a COVID-19 test, we need to know that employers will be flexible and allow parents the time to pick up a child (or keep them home), call 811, get a return call, get a testing appointment, get a test and wait for a result. To this end, I’ve asked the Department of Labour to offer guidance to this effect to employers, and we have also called for expedited testing for students.
The good news is that the pilot for this, the opening of regulated child care, has gone well. To date, we have not had outbreaks. Unfortunately, although there will be cohorting in classrooms, there are still concerns about class sizes, which will not be reduced, and the ability of students to physically distance. The Department of Education is conducting ventilation assessments of schools and those should soon be complete.
My commitment to you is that my colleagues and I will continue to push for more and better information. In the meantime, I ask everyone to continue to do your part by washing your hands often, wearing masks indoors and where physical distancing is not possible, and by helping your children feel comfortable with the different experiences they will encounter this year.
Our office is open by appointment, please continue to reach out and let me know if you have specific issues.
Best,
Claudia
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This week, the Premier and Dr. Strang announced they are lifting some restrictions on long-term care facilities:
- Residents can leave facilities with family members to attend non-emergency medical appointments.
- The cap on the number of identified indoor visitors has been lifted.
- Community-based adult day programs can resume with an approved plan that meets public health guidelines.
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This week the government announced that it is working with four large facilities—Centre 200, Scotiabank Centre, Riverside International Speedway and Scotia Speedworld—to figure out how to host larger audiences than what the current gathering limits of 200 people for indoor events and of 250 people for outdoor events allow. This would mean multiple groups "bubbled" and physically distanced from one another to form much larger audiences. More information should be forthcoming soon.
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Before the pandemic, people in Dartmouth (and across Nova Scotia) were struggling to find a place to live, and the situation has only gotten worse as people have lost their jobs and rent continues to increase.
It doesn't have to be like this. We can have something better in Nova Scotia. We can have a province where there are limits on rental increases and everyone can afford a place to live.
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The Nova Scotia NDP wants to hear from you: Have you faced a massive rent increase? Are you scared about losing your apartment? Does your home need repairs, but you're worried about increases in your rent? Have you had to leave your community for housing you can afford? Or any other issue.
Share your housing story with the NSNDP Caucus here.
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As the MLAs for Dartmouth North and Dartmouth South, Susan Leblanc and I want to add our voices to those speaking out against two recent acts of anti-Black racism that took place in Dartmouth.
These most recent acts of hate - which District 5 Councillor Sam Austin wrote about in his recent newsletter - were aimed at two separate Dartmouth families in or around the place that they should feel the most safe, their homes. In one instance, the word “noose” was spray painted on a power pole in front of the home of a family of colour, and in the other a family with a “Black Lives Matter'' sign in their window received a letter containing vile anti-Black racist sentiments. We have been holding both of those families in our hearts and are here for you, or anyone else in our districts that experience racism, if you need us. Don’t hesitate to reach out to either of our offices; our contact information is below. We are committed to working together to make Dartmouth a safer, more equitable, and more accepting place for all Black, Indigenous people and other People of Colour (BIPOC).
Let us be clear: there is no place for racism, of any kind, in Dartmouth. We are both proud to be the elected representatives for areas that are home to people of many different races - including a historic Black population - who come from a variety of different countries, and who practice a wide spectrum of religions. This diversity is a strength, and something that makes Dartmouth beautiful.
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This spring people around the world, throughout North America, across this province, and in this city have been protesting against racism and police violence under the banner of Black Lives Matter. This is a movement that we both wholeheartedly support. This fight is not new, but increased attention from the media and general public means many people are thinking and talking about race and racism in ways they haven’t before. These conversations can be difficult, but are crucial. As Dartmouthians it is all of our responsibilities to speak up against racist statements, acts, and institutions when and where they happen.
As decision-makers we must not only speak up but also take action to prevent and respond to racist acts and disassemble racist systems. We both take this privilege and responsibility seriously, and will continue to push for changes like the ones we outlined in this article, Seven steps Nova Scotia could take to rectify racism, which we wrote for the Chronicle Herald back in June. We are always open to talking to constituents about what actions we can take as legislators to make this province a more equitable and just one for BIPOC people and communities.
In solidarity,
Claudia Chender, MLA Dartmouth South
Susan Leblanc, MLA Dartmouth North
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HomeWarming Program Eligibility Update
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CLEAN Foundation recently updated the qualifying income brackets for their HomeWarming program. This program offers no-charge energy assessments and free home upgrades to eligible home owners. The new income brackets are as follows:
- 1 person in the home - $25,673 or less per year
- 2-4 people in the home - $47,703
- 5+ people in the home - $67,937
CLEAN services all heating types (electric, oil, wood, coal, natural gas, etc.) and on average, people who go through the program can see an annual savings of up to 20-30% off their annual heating bills. Application available here.
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Renew Your Drivers License Online
"You don’t need to renew your driver’s licence in person. For a class 5 (passenger vehicle), class 6 (motorcycle) or class 8 (farm tractor) driver’s licence, you can renew online if your licence expires on or before 31 December 2020. After renewing your licence, you need to keep the renewal confirmation and your old licence with you when you drive." More details can be found here
Explore Shubie Park
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Explore Shubie Park is a new event to celebrate the beginning of fall and provide a chance to learn about the dynamic natural and cultural heritage of Dartmouth's premier urban park. There will be fun and free activities for the whole family, including kids and dogs! You'll also have a chance to learn about the history of the Shubenacadie Canal and the wildlife that call the park home.
This event is a fundraiser for the Shubenacadie Canal Commission. While there is no entrance fee, we encourage you to view our silent auction items and consider joining our Adopt-a-Lock program. All funds raised will go to improvements along the waterway, which is yours to explore.
More details can be found here.
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The Dartmouth Crusaders Swim Club shared a beautiful story of resilience with my office and on Facebook. Their use of Bell Lake really highlights why our Urban Lakes in Dartmouth must be protected and carefully managed.
"On March 15th Crusaders temporarily ceased operations. After three months of missing their team mates late in June a return to swimming opportunity opened. Bell Lake in Dartmouth became our new training home and Crusaders jumped in elated to be training together and to be back in the water. There were novel skills to be learned like sighting and back rolls around the buoys. Persistent foggy mornings during much of July did not deter the energy and excitement for training sessions. It has been such a good experience that with the re-opening of Zatzman Sportsplex we kept up with open water swimming and added it to our pool training."
Read the full story on their Facebook page.
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Phone Scam
Fraudulent phone calls targeting seniors have been reported. The callers claim to be a representative from Service Canada calling in relation to topping up Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security payments due to Covid-19 and ask for personal details such as date of birth, address and bank account number. If you get a call from someone stating they are from Service Canada or another government agency, and they ask for your bank account number, this is a scam.
How to protect yourself:
- Don’t trust call display. Scammers can use apps to choose any number they want to show on your call display. What appears to be an incoming call from a legitimate agency can be a scammer.
- If you get a call from a person saying they represent a company or government agency and they ask for personal information, don’t provide the information and hang up. Call the number on your account statement or the number listed in the phone book/online to verify that the caller is legitimate.
- Never provide personal information such as your SIN, account numbers, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls.
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Mental Health Support
The Mental Health Provincial Crisis Line is available 24/7 to anyone experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis, or someone concerned about them: 1-888-429-8167 (toll-free)
Kids Help Phone is available 24/7: 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free)
Morneau Shepell has also opened its 24/7 bilingual crisis support line to help anyone in need of emotional support as a result of the recent tragic events in our province: 1-844-751-2133
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Self-Assessment
If you have two or more of the following symptoms, visit https://811.novascotia.ca to determine if you should call 811 for further assessment:
- fever (i.e. chills, sweats)
- cough or worsening of a previous cough
- sore throat
- headache
- shortness of breath
- muscle aches
- sneezing
- nasal congestion/runny nose
- hoarse voice
- diarrhea
- unusual fatigue
- loss of sense of smell or taste
- red, purple or blueish lesions on the feet, toes or fingers without a clear cause.
Other Support
For help or information about domestic violence 24/7, call 1-855-225-0220 (toll-free)
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