One of the great joys of this work is meeting you on your doorsteps each week and hearing your stories. Whether you are retired, busy with your career, or just starting your working life, one thing unites us in Sackville: hard work, hustle, and honest effort are core values and standard expectations.
This dedication is clear in how local small businesses drive innovation and support the community. We see it across sports, local shops, food and beverage, professional services, and the skilled trades building, repairing, or upgrading homes and properties. People take pride in their work, and many use their businesses as a platform to give back through donations, volunteering, local partnerships, or in-house community programs. The hardworking people of Sackville consistently show up for one another and raise the tide for all.
I strive to bring this same work ethic to representing you. Every phone call, email, and
conversation is an opportunity to work hard and demonstrate that every person matters, and that Sackville deserves diligent, principled representation every single day.
So, it is discouraging when the Legislature sits for only nine days and passes half-measures in response to the real pressures we face. Nova Scotians deserve representatives that work as hard as they do. I understand the frustration and skepticism when people in Sackville learn that the legislative session lasted less than two weeks. You expect more.
At the top of your list is affordability and addressing exploding cost pressures. The Official Opposition introduced legislation to create permanent, unit-tied rent controls and close the fixed-term lease loophole—which currently allows landlords to bypass the 5% rent cap and raise rents by hundreds of dollars each year. In contrast, the only affordability measure passed was a narrow, non-binding review of Nova Scotia Power’s governance structure.
The legislation we got didn’t go nearly far enough.
There have long been calls for a comprehensive review, which I’ve personally supported; unfortunately, the legislation we got didn’t go nearly far enough. When completed, this review will not yield changes that make Nova Scotia Power more accountable or responsive to ratepayers struggling with skyrocketing bills and unreliable service. Despite clear opportunities to include meaningful protections, the province failed to deliver the thorough results you deserve.
There have long been calls for a comprehensive review, which I’ve supported, but the legislation we got just didn’t live up to those expectations. When the review is complete, it won’t result in changes that make NSP more accountable and responsive to ratepayers suffering skyhigh bills and deeply unreliable service. Despite there being additional measures that could have been included, the province didn’t put in the work to put you first.
Updates to labor laws governing overtime pay access and prohibiting tip theft were welcome changes. We supported this legislation, as these are ideas we have advocated for on behalf of Nova Scotians since 2018. However, the newly passed law still leaves tens of thousands of Nova Scotian workers far behind those in other provinces when it comes to overtime eligibility.
Construction and sawmill workers still must work 110 hours over two weeks before earning overtime pay. In IT, shipbuilding, and oil and gas—industries the province highlights as central to our economic future—overtime pay is still calculated based on the minimum wage rather than an employee’s actual hourly rate. As a result, any worker earning $25 or more per hour receives overtime pay calculated at a rate lower than their regular hourly wage.
Nova Scotians work hard and do their part. They put in long hours to build local businesses and organizations, sacrificing time with family and personal pursuits just like workers across Canada.
The province knows that current labor laws cost workers hundreds of dollars every month—money that could help cover rising rents, high power bills, and increasing grocery costs. Unfortunately, despite constructive proposals to close these gaps, they rushed through legislation that leaves workers behind rather than putting in the effort you deserve.
The Minister of Health again declined to provide a clear timeline for Cobequid improvements.
I had the privilege of submitting another 200 signatures on our petition calling on the province to honor its 2022 promise to expand and enhance the Cobequid Community Health Centre. Since 2024, over 1,200 Sackville residents have added their voices to remind their Premier that this is a vital project for our community.
The Minister of Health again declined to provide a clear timeline for this project, stating that updates to Cobequid remain tied to Central Zone planning for the Halifax Infirmary redevelopment. Meanwhile, they quickly address other priorities—such as hiring the former CEO of NS Health to lead a new agency marketing healthcare technologies at a $350,000 annual salary. Beyond its general mission, this new agency lacks clear operational boundaries or an established market to justify the expense.
In Sackville, we recognize that pointing to “central zone planning” is simply an excuse to delay promised healthcare improvements. The healthcare needs of our community are growing, not shrinking, and further delays only increase the pressure on our local services.
I’m proud to stand with you.
Our community values hard work and accountability; it is the foundation that built Sackville over generations. I am proud to stand with you in advocating for the changes our community needs and deserves. Although the brief nine-day legislative sitting produced disappointing half-measures, I remain committed to working continuously to achieve real results.
Thank you to everyone who reached out before and during this legislative session to share their experiences. Your input enables me to speak up effectively for Sackville. I look forward to connecting with you at community events and on your doorsteps soon. Let’s keep working together to bring about positive change.
