As I sit down to write this column, I'm in the middle of a short vacation that coincides with my boys' March Break. It has been good to escape the political world for a few days and spend some quality time with my kids. My BlackBerry is always close by, though, so I am never more than phone call or an e-mail away from all the action.
The mini-break has also given me an opportunity to collect my thoughts and recharge my batteries as I prepare for the spring session of the Legislature. My fellow MLAs and I have been summoned back to Province House for March 25.
The agenda for the session will be outlined by Lieutenant Governor The Honourable Mayann E. Francis in the Speech from the Throne.
That being said, I can tell you our NDP government's priorities will include: creating good jobs, helping the economy grow and bringing our province's books back to balance. Ultimately, our main goal is to make life better for families in every region of Nova Scotia.
To this end, since my last Political Speak column we fulfilled a key election commitment to promote crime prevention through the Lighthouse Program. In mid February, 15 organizations from across the province involved in community recreational activities each received $12,000 grants from the Department of Justice. This funding will help these organizations provide recreational, educational, cultural and life skills programs for youth.
As I've discussed in my previous columns, a key component to crime prevention is keeping youth away from the negative impacts of substance abuse, peer pressure and violence. To accomplish this, it's important to provide youth with positive alternatives such as sports, music or reading. The Lighthouse program aids organizations that do just that, and is an effective way to keep our kids out of trouble and on the right track. As a parent and as an MLA, I applaud any initiative that supports youth and helps keep our community safe.
The upcoming weeks in the Legislature promise to be a busy time and there will be many important decisions to be made. We are committed to making the right choices to help make Nova Scotia an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
I look forward to giving you an update on our progress in my next column. Until then, let's hope the nice weather keeps up, and have a happy Easter!
To discuss any issue with me please call 465-3180.
