Give Rural Communities a Voice at the Table
Rural Nova Scotians know what their communities need, but the party has no permanent place for them to bring it. Becky is committed to creating a Nova Scotia Liberal Rural Communities Commission.
Last month, I visited communities across the province, including Antigonish, Bridgetown, Clare, Digby, Donkin and Porters Lake.
What came through in every conversation was simple and direct: people want to be heard, understood and involved in shaping the decisions that affect their communities. They want leaders who recognize that communities across Nova Scotia have different strengths, challenges and opportunities.
People know their communities, their strengths and what they need to thrive. At every stop, people spoke of local solutions and successes and the people making them happen: the Integrated Healthcare Clinic in Clare, the Coal Coast Community Garden and local businesses in traditional sectors like fishing and manufacturing that drive rural economies.
They also talked about what would help their communities do even more, from better cellphone connectivity and emergency response to the infrastructure needed to support growth and create lasting opportunities.
Nova Scotians know what their communities need. They have ideas about what works, where the barriers are and what would help their communities grow. They want a government they can trust to listen, work with them and follow through.
Rural Nova Scotians are looking for a seat at the table. So we build one.
A Nova Scotia Liberal Rural Communities Commission
That is why I am committed to creating a new Nova Scotia Liberal Rural Communities Commission: a permanent group bringing rural voices, experience and ideas directly into the party's decision-making, policy and platform development from the start.
Like the Women's Commission and the Seniors Commission, it would have its own members, its own executive and its own annual general meeting, and a rural voice at the Provincial Board table. The Board has the authority to create it. As leader, I will bring it forward.
This would not replace the important work of local electoral district associations. It would connect that work across communities and regions, giving people a collective voice on challenges and opportunities that do not stop at constituency boundaries.
Together, we can ensure rural voices are part of shaping our party, our policies and the future we build for Nova Scotia.