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Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland admits that her first weekend home after the tabling of her government\u2019s budget last week was a difficult one.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably the toughest weekend I\u2019ve ever had as an MLA,\u201d she told reporters at Province House on Monday.<\/p>\n
First elected in 2017 and a member of the current government since 2021, Masland, the MLA for Queens, took to social media over the weekend to share her own concerns about how cuts in the budget are affecting her constituents.<\/p>\n
She drew attention to a day program for seniors, a cut she only found out about after she was contacted by the Liverpool-based program\u2019s executive director. Masland went to see program participants last Friday and again on Monday.<\/p>\n
Important to speak to constituents<\/p>\n
The adult day respite program provides socializing opportunities and hot meals for 31 participants who are still able to live at home, some in the early stages of Alzheimer\u2019s. Transportation is provided to and from the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had one gentleman hold my hand today and he said, \u2018This program is the reason why I get up every day. This is my life,\u2019\u201d said Masland.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it was very important for me to speak to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Masland said she\u2019s committed to advocating for the program and has talked about it with Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams and Premier Tim Houston, it seems that the program will be one of many to lose its funding through the budget.<\/p>\n
And even with that, Masland, like other members of her caucus who talked to reporters Monday about the cuts in the budget, stood behind the decision to focus on several \u201ccore\u201d areas.<\/p>\n
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Barbara Adams is Nova Scotia’s minister of seniors and long-term care. (Dave Laughlan\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Adams told reporters that all MLAs understand that difficult decisions had to be made in the budget as the province contends with a $1.2 billion deficit.<\/p>\n
The government is focused on things such as making sure people have a family doctor, a place to live and care for loved ones when they are no longer able to live at home, she said, adding that the budget includes an additional $110 million to help open seven new nursing homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that if the budget of your organization or your service provider have been impacted by this budget it is very difficult and we recognize that change is difficult, but the priorities of Nova Scotians are what they\u2019ve asked us to invest in,\u201d said Adams.<\/p>\n
During a speech at an African Heritage Month gala on the weekend, Houston said if cuts impacting services and programs for Black and African Nova Scotian communities cause unintended harm or consequences, it can be discussed.<\/p>\n
A ‘spending budget’<\/p>\n
Houston was in Ontario Monday for meetings and Finance Minister John Lohr said that if any changes to the $130 million in cuts to grants in the budget are coming, he\u2019s yet to be aware of them.<\/p>\n
But Lohr said the government is providing the best possible budget they can. There may be cuts, but overall it\u2019s a \u201cspending budget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re investing far more money than ever in health care,\u201d said Lohr.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re investing more money in housing, we\u2019re investing more money in education, we\u2019re investing more money in rent [supplements], we\u2019re investing in tax cuts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week Mi\u2019kmaw chiefs criticized the budget for the cuts it makes to services and programs that impact their communities, arguing that they were \u201ctargeted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Standing behind the cuts<\/p>\n
L\u2019nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin told reporters that she\u2019s aware of those concerns, but she\u2019s heartened that even with the cuts money remains for the language revitalization strategy, for young people in sport and cultural components.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can be really easy to focus on what\u2019s missing and what isn\u2019t there because that\u2019s very real, it\u2019s very in front of us and we feel that, too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I do try to keep a balanced focus and try to press on and press forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin said the impacts of the cuts would be monitored, but she stands behind the choices that have been made in the budget.<\/p>\n
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