By Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament
February has arrived and I want to wish all my constituents a Happy Nova Scotia Heritage Day! This year, our provincial Heritage Day honours William Hall—the first Black person, first Nova Scotian, and third Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross for valour and bravery. To mark the occasion, I’m partnering with our local MLAs to provide free Heritage Day activity packs for families. I’m also supporting two free community skates on Monday, February 19, at the Saint Margaret’s Centre (12 Westwood Blvd.) from 12:00-2:00pm and at the BMO Centre (61 Gary Martin Dr.) from 3:00-4:00pm. You’ll find more information on these activities on my Facebook and Instagram pages soon.
HEALTH CARE UPDATE
Improving health care is a top priority, and our federal government is stepping up to get it done. Last month, we finalized a 10-year agreement with Nova Scotia to strengthen our public health care system anchored on reinvestment, accountability, and collaboration. Over the next three years, this plan will invest over $355 million in federal funding into improving health services and access by:
(1) Increasing the number of doctors, nurses, and specialized health professionals in the province, and improving their working conditions,
(2) Improving access to care through expanded clinic hours, Community Health Centres, mobile health services, and virtual urgent care,
(3) Making it easier for people to access their health information and book appointments online and use virtual services,
(4) Training more mental health professionals and enhancing access to youth mental health services, and
(5) Advancing the health priorities of underserved communities and Indigenous people.
Our new agreement also ensures that Nova Scotia will continue improving the use of health data, upholding the Canada Health Act, and streamlining foreign credential recognition. This last issue is a cause I’ve worked on for years now, and I’m proud to share that—in addition to the funding above—our federal government is also providing up to $10 million for our province to help get internationally-educated LPNs, pharmacists, medical lab technicians, and other professionals to work in our system faster.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE UPDATE
Last month, I helped announce federal support for 56 new public electric vehicle chargers across our city—including at the Canada Games Centre. Installation will begin in the spring. In recognition of the important role EVs will play in Canada’s net-zero future, I’m also collecting petition signatures calling for further investments in charging infrastructure in Nova Scotia. If you’d like to add your name, please contact my office.
Thank you for your continued support!
