|
Happy long weekend! It's Natal Day in Dartmouth and I hope everyone will get the opportunity to enjoy the amazing community we live in. This year Natal Day falls on the same day as Emancipation Day, and so the United African Canadian Women’s Association will be this year's marshals of the Grand Emancipation and Natal Day Parade on Monday, August 1st. I hope to see you out there! There are a number of events going on in the city to celebrate Emancipation Day as well, including the free Dartmouth Sunshine Series in Ferry Terminal Park featuring my friend and colleague, Suzy Hansen on Sunday evening.
As many of you will be aware, I was called back to the legislature this week for an "Emergency Session" to cancel the MLA pay raises recommended by an independent panel. It's clear that this could have been dealt with either prior to striking the panel or in the fall by agreement. This is hardly an emergency, although the session did give us an opportunity to highlight some of the real emergencies facing people across this province: a healthcare system in crisis, lack of affordable housing, people unable to afford gas to get to work, and the climate emergency, to name a few. We have a lot of emergency issues to raise with the Premier--and we did. We will be back next week for the passage of Bill 185.
Many of you have reached out about the proposed infilling of Dartmouth Cove. While we wait for the federal government to process the application of the owner of the pre-confederation water lot to dump pyritic slate into the harbour, the Provincial landscape has changed dramatically. Develop Nova Scotia, which was set to provide access to the lot for dumping, no longer exists. It was streamlined, along with other 5 Crown Corporations, into two new entities: Build Nova Scotia and Invest Nova Scotia. Build Nova Scotia will now be responsible for this decision. While the CEO of Develop Nova Scotia was fired, the new Interim CEO of Invest Nova Scotia happens to be the owner of the company connected to ownership and exploitation of this water lot. It doesn't look great for those of us trying to get the Province to block access to this project.
Vaccine Bookings for Children Under 5
Parents and guardians of children aged six months to under five years can now book their child's COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Children will need two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least eight weeks apart. Moderately to severely immunocompromised children will need three doses of vaccine, with at least four weeks between the first and second dose and eight weeks between the second and third dose. Children will be considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their last dose.
Children who have been infected with COVID-19 should wait eight weeks between infection and starting or completing their vaccine series. If children are receiving other routine pediatric vaccines, those vaccines can only be administered at least 14 days before or after the COVID-19 vaccine
Pregnant people who have not had a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant and whose babies are due before November 30 should get an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Pregnant people are at increased risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. Evidence shows that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant provides immunity to both the pregnant person and the fetus. Infants of people who were vaccinated during pregnancy have lower rates of hospitalization in their first six months.
Appointments can be booked online at novascotia.ca/vaccination or by calling 1-833-797-7772. Vaccine scheduling by phone is available Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm.
Monkey Pox
There is a limited supply of the monkeypox vaccine across the country. In Nova Scotia, it is being reserved for those at highest risk of infection. With low vaccine supply and no known transmissions in the province, the vaccine is not available to the general public.
Nova Scotia has identified two cases in people who are not from the province and they were closely tracked. Public Health is monitoring the issue carefully.
More info: novascotia.ca/Monkeypox
|
|
Have a safe long weekend and I hope to see you out at some of the many events!
Best,
Claudia
|
|
SURVEY: Woodside Farmers' Market
Farmers' Markets of Nova Scotia is conducting a survey exploring the possibility of establishing a market in Woodside! The data from this survey will be used to assess the needs of the community.
Especially if you live in North Woodside, South Woodside, Eastern Passage, Russell Lake, Southdale, Cole Harbour, Portland Hills, Manor Park, or Woodlawn, please take the time to take and share this survey.
|
|
|
Gender-Affirming Surgery
Gender-affirming surgery helps people's physical appearance align with their gender identity. Until now, surgery applications had to include a letter of support from a Nova Scotia specialist and a letter from a specialist confirming post-operative care if the surgery was happening in Nova Scotia.
Now, those letters are no longer required. This will significantly reduce wait times because it can take between 6 and 18 months to see a specialist, which more than doubled patients' wait times.
A letter from a physician or nurse practitioner confirming post-operative care is still required if the surgery is happening outside Nova Scotia.
Another benefit for patients is the addition of healthcare providers who can provide a psychosocial assessment letter, which is still required with a surgery application. Now, physicians, nurse practitioners and specialists who have specific skills in gender-affirming care can complete the assessment, provide the letter and sign the application. This change will also help reduce wait times because people previously had to find and wait for mental health clinicians specifically trained in gender-affirming care to complete the process.
This victory belongs to community advocates who fought for this for many years. Congratulations!
|
|
Seeking Nominations: Platinum Jubilee Medal
A new commemorative medal has been created to mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne. The focus of this award is to honour those who have devoted themselves to the service of others, especially throughout the pandemic, be it as a result of their job, volunteer work or contributions to their community. To be eligible, a person must:
- Be a resident of Nova Scotia or have a strong direct connection with the Province;
- Have made a significant contribution to Canada, Nova Scotia or to a particular region or community; and
- Have been alive on 6 February 2022, the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the Throne.
Members of the public will be able to nominate people via their MLA. All nominations can be submitted to my office by October 10, 2022 by emailing claudiachendermla@gmail.com. More information here. |
|
|
|
Province House is Hiring
Are you a high school student, post-secondary student, or recent grad with a keen interest in the parliamentary system and the democratic process? Legislative Pages hold a time-honoured position in the Westminster parliamentary system. Collaboratively working as a nonpartisan member of a team under the direction of House of Assembly Operations, Pages support the day-to-day functions of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Learn more and apply here.
|
|
|
Portland St Closure
Downtown Dartmouth is pleased to, in partnership with HRM, close Portland Street between Prince St. and Alderney Dr. to motor vehicles July 28th to August 7th to create a pedestrian plaza in celebration of the festivities of Buskers, Natal Day and Canoe 22.
|
|
|
Buskers in Dartmouth!
Buskers is back and expanding to Downtown Dartmouth! The Dartmouth side will include the ever-popular midway rides with East Coast Amusements and international busker and music performances at Alderney Landing and Ferry Terminal Park.
More info here.
|
|
|
Canoe 22
Canoe ’22 is welcoming the world to Dartmouth this summer, and they’d love to see you there! The 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championship is taking place on Lake Banook August 3-7 with more than 1000 athletes from over 70 countries in attendance. In addition to exciting high-performance paddling races, there will also be a street festival including a local artisan marketplace, food truck vendors, family friendly activities, a licensed patio, and evening musical performances, all showcasing the rich culture of our local and regional community.
Canoe ’22 is currently seeking event-day volunteers to help deliver a world-class event right here in Dartmouth! There are opportunities for volunteers across many functional areas of the event with no paddling experience required.
Head to canoe22.com/volunteer for more information on the event, full volunteer roles, and how to register!
|
|
|
STUDY: Young Caregivers
Do you know a young caregiver? A person who gives unpaid care to someone who has a physical or mental health condition, or who is chronically ill or frail, either at home or in a facility. Caregivers may be spouses, adult children or in-laws, parents, siblings, youth, extended family members, friends, neighbours, or family of choice.
Caregivers Nova Scotia is looking for young caregivers (under 35 years old) and/or other family members who care for a family member or loved one to participate in a study looking at how they and their families have navigated COVID-19 and what is being done to support them in various communities. The study is titled Essential and Invisible: Understanding the Needs of and Supporting Young Caregivers and Their Families Through Pandemic Recovery and Beyond Using a National Network. To learn more about the project, you can visit youngcaregiverscan.ca
Eligibility criteria for young caregivers: You can be in this study as a young caregiver if you are older than 5 and younger than 35 years old and have helped/is helping someone in your family who needs some extra care/help since October of 2019.
Eligibility criteria for family members: Anyone else who is not a young caregiver and is part of the family can be part of this study.
If interested, please email Dr. Kristine Newman at kristine.newman@ryerson.ca who will answer any questions you have about the study and conduct a short 10-minute screening call to make sure we are capturing diverse experiences for the study and to address any questions or concerns you or your family may have. Participation is voluntary.
This study was reviewed and received ethics clearance by Ryerson University’s Research Ethics Board (2021-573), Brock University (21-261), and University of Victoria (22-0191). Ryerson University’s REB can be contacted at 416-979-5042 or rebchair@ryerson.ca
|
|
|
|
|
