Getting a sense of what is on constituents' minds

Over the past few weeks I've taken a little
time to knock on some doors in our
community. Heading into the Spring
Session of the Legislature I wanted to
get a sense of what was on the minds of
constituents and the best way for me
to do that is to speak with you face to
face. Obviously there are a variety of
issues residents of Hammonds Plains-
Upper Sackville are concerned about
at the moment. And over the coming
weeks I promise to share those concerns
at the decision making table to
help our NDP government make the
right decisions for you and your family.
One such right decision came in the
form of some recent provincial funding
to the Sackville Seniors Advisory Council.
The group received a $6,340 Senior Safety Grant
from the Departments of Justice and Seniors.
Seniors are at risk of falling victim to a variety of
abuses ranging from emotional to physical to
financial. This funding will help provide seniors
and their families with the ability and knowledge
to protect themselves. If you read my colleague
Dave Wilson's column last week you
know that seniors are a major priority for our
NDP government and this funding will help
keep them safe.
Our precious watershed should
also receive some added protection
thanks to a new partnership between
the NSLC and the Nova Scotia Salmon
Association (NSSA). The two have
teamed up to create the Adopt-AStream
program, which will see the
NSSA receive $500,000 over the next
five years to protect and restore local
watersheds and improve Nova Scotia's
water quality. This money will be distributed
to over 40 volunteer organizations
including our own Sackville
Rivers Association to help them with
their important missions. As you
know I've long been a vocal advocate
for the Sackville Rivers Association and the
exceptional work they do to promote and protect
the environment and Sackville's natural
resources.
As I mentioned previously at the moment
I'm spending much of my time at Province
House. That being said, my Blackberry is
always at my side so if you have any questions
or concerns feel free to email me at
mat.mlans.sympatico.ca. You can also always
contact my constituency office at 864-5310.