The leader of the province’s NDP party wants to know why so many Nova Scotians are relying on food banks.
Gary Burrill says 7,500 more people rely on food banks since the Liberals took power three years ago.
He says the NDP wants everyone to be able to buy their food from a store.
“If you’re living on social assistance you actually can’t afford to buy the food in your house. So we think that social assistance needs to be improved.”
He says government isn’t doing enough to help the people that need it most.
“When you have people with full time jobs who actually can’t afford to buy their food. A full time job aught to be able to give you a fighting chance of being able to get your groceries.”
@KyleBuott @SouWestActivist @GaryBurrill wants the NDP to be elcted so he can put an end to food banks, and everyone will be able to afford shopping at grocery stores.
— Fred Williams (@UnkelFred) April 2, 2017
Burrill acknowledges there are no easy answers.
He says his government would introduce a $15 minimum wage and a Grocery Security Bill.
Burrill believes those measures would ensure all Nova Scotians would have enough to be able to buy groceries from the store.
But the Minister of Community Services, Joanne Bernard says many factors contribute to food bank use in Nova Scotia.
“If there’s mitigating circumstances in a family such as addictions or gambling or mental health – or lack of financial literacy, all of those things contribute to your purchasing power.”
Bernard says her government has been working to reform social services since they took power.
She says just throwing money around won’t solve the problem.
“What government wouldn’t want to put a food bank out of business? It’s a goal for everyone. There are other levers that governments can use. I’ve been a strong proponent of rent supplements.”
Bernard says food bank use in Nova Scotia is a complicated issue.
She says government has revamped the department of community services since they’ve been in power.
The minister says going forward they’re going to make policy using evidence-based decisions in order to find sustainable answers to Nova Scotian’s issues.
