Please note we did not provide an e-newsletter in September, and will be moving our future e-newsletters to you by the 7th day of each month. My goal is to provide you with an update of what our office did in the previous month and what events are coming up in the month.
For September 2025, I am happy to report that, following a busy summer of events and knocking on doors, I turned my attention to more focused consultation with community members on specific issues raised by constituents. We held two town halls in September in response to your questions.
Community Consultations and Townhalls
John W. Fleming Tower Community School Consultation
September 17, 2025, 6:30 pm, Chocolate Lake Recreation Centre
I hosted a town hall to help answer your questions regarding the future of the school and the state of progress on the new school site selection. Thirty-five people attended. I was grateful that the Honourable Brendan Maquire, Minister of Education, was able to attend to directly hear your concerns and answer your questions. Halifax District 11 Councillor Patty Cuttell also attended. Feedback from the session was that people found it helpful and wanted regular updates.
With this in mind, I will be asking Minister Maquire for an update in January 2026.
Seniors’ and Long-Term Care Community Consultation
September 27, 2025, 6:30 pm, Chocolate Lake Recreation Centre
In response to inquiries and concerns our office heard over the summer regarding the care of our seniors’ in long-term care and the community, we hosted a town hall to invite input from community members from across the riding.
Fourteen people attended, including representatives from Caregivers NS and the Nova Scotia Health Coalition.
A few key points among many I heard loud and clear:
- Navigating seniors’ and long-term care to find and advocate for care is difficult, discouraging and demanding.
- Respite care is not available when caregivers need it the most.
- The NS Health Care Benefit of $400 a month has not changed since 2009 and is not sufficient in 2025.
- Care for loved ones in long-term care facilities is lacking in many areas (nursing, food, etc.).
I left the meeting with a better understanding of caregivers’ needs and a commitment to advocate for better care and a plan to take the issues to the legislature.
Over the summer I also met several times with members of the Advocates for the Care (ACE) Team to hear their concerns and better understand the shortfalls and concerns with the provision and delivery of care in Seniors and Long Term Care. The ACE Team provided me with a wealth of evidence-based and personal experiences.
Fall Sitting of the Nova Scotia Legislature (Sept 23, 2025 to Oct 3, 2025)
I was honoured to sit as the MLA for Halifax Armdale for the 65th sitting of the NS Legislature. The legislature sat for eight days. Outside of sitting during the Covid pandemic, this was the shortest sitting of the legislature since 1986. The Premier of the Province attended six of the eight days.
The Ominous, Omnibus Bill
During this session the government brought forward thirteen pieces of legislation for either amendments to existing legislation or the introduction of new legislation. One Bill, Bill 127, contained eight separate legislative items—one new and seven amendments—in a single bill. This type of bill is called an Omnibus Bill. I compare it to an envelope with many items inside that is voted on as one item. This creates one Yea or Nay vote on many different issues.
Bill 127 contained some good changes, such as changes to rental leases for people caught in gender-based violence. However, I felt it minimized and shortened debate on issues that warrant more time and attention. This included issues such as the regulation of bouncers who work at bars in an attempt to avoid deaths at doors and changes that would allow more disclosure to family members of information related to the health of loved ones. Both issues were brought forward by mothers who lost children due to altercations with bouncers or to suicide. These issues were lumped into one bill that also spoke to the inspection of fish.
It is my opinion the use of an Omnibus bill to address these very different issues deserved separate amendments to existing bills and more discussion. Lumping the very personal requests for change by mothers who lost loved ones with fish inspection was disrespectful. There was no rush or need to do this. The NDP chose not to vote on Bill 127 rather than be forced to vote Yea or Nay on a bill that, while it contained some good changes, would fail Nova Scotia on many issues. Nova Scotians deserved better than a take-it-or-leave-it Omnibus Bill.
Among many things, in this sitting of the legislature the NS NDP called for rate control on NS Power and a 0.5 reduction in power bills for all Nova Scotians;
I introduced two bills:
- Rural Emergency Department Closures Accountability Act – Bill 172
- Long-term Care Strategy Act – Bill 171
The government of the day, the Progressive Conservative Party of NS, has full control over the agenda and direction of all bills introduced by MLAs during the sitting of the legislature. The government did not permit these bills to be heard or debated during this session.
I also asked the government for information and accountability on the accuracy of the Family Practice Registry. Given the many people in Halifax Armdale who tell me they do not have a family physician and the lack of data provided by the government, I do not believe the “net” number is accurate. I also asked the Minister for a short- and long-term plan to keep ERs open across NS. I did not receive an answer that provided a plan for this.
From your input during the summer and at our town halls, I asked the Honourable Barb Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long Term Care, for actions that would improve access to respite care for caregivers of loved ones at home in need of rest. I also asked the Minister to increase the NS Caregivers Benefit, which has been $400 a month since 2009, to an amount that would better support caregivers and families. I did not receive a commitment from the minister to either request.
I have dozens of other questions and concerns I heard from constituents and the ACE Team on seniors care that I had planned to ask, but as the session was stopped after 8 days, I was unable to bring forward your concerns. I will be meeting with constituents and community groups in November to plan how to continue and best advocate for changes before the next sitting of the legislature in the spring of 2026. My office will be in touch and we will not let your concerns disappear and not be heard by the government.
The government of the day, also has full control over the hours and length of the sitting of the legislature. It chose to end the 65th sitting of the legislature after eight days. I had many more issues and questions I wanted to bring forward on behalf of the riding. I had prepared to be there for twenty-one days.
This was my second sitting in the legislature as the MLA for Halifax Armdale.
With the fall sitting of the legislature now completed I will return to knocking on your doors. It is my goal to visit all 35 polls or neighbourhoods in the riding on or before the one year anniversary of my election as your MLA on November 26, 2025.
Year to date, we have knocked on doors in 32 of 35 neighbourhoods. If I missed you or you would like to chat with me about issues, please contact me at our office by email at info@rodwilsonmla.ca.
Join Us at the Halifax Armdale Community AGM!
On becoming the MLA for Halifax Armdale, it has been my commitment to all constituents to be accessible, approachable and accountable to you.
As part of my commitment I will be hosting a public meeting called “Rod Wilson Annual MLA Report to Constituents”. I see this as an Annual General Meeting and reporting process to the people of Halifax Armdale. A written report will also be available on that date. The details will be posted next week. Please watch for this and please join us on November 25th!
Again my office is staffed and available to hear your concerns and also help celebrate any significant events happening in your lives Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, except for holidays and certain dates we will be out of town.
