In November 2014, thanks to the Town of Shelburne, the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities passed a resolution aimed at having our Province "develop a provincial program in conjunction with Nova Scotia Power and all municipal utilities [a few towns still have their own power utility], to compensate low income individuals and families for food losses incurred due to power outages of more than 24 hours."
I
was there when the resolution passed and witnessed strong support
from elected representatives from many counties and towns across our
province.
Six months later, the
Province, through Community Services, has just responded, ever so
weakly.
It
appears they are in no rush to act. But it looks like they would join
in if some-one else takes the lead. Notably, the motion called on the
province to develop a province-wide program.
It
looks to me that the Province's preference is to sit on things until
some-one else initiates a discussion or takes a next step. The
resolution that so clearly asked for the Province to help vulnerable
people got a typically bureaucratic response.
It's
responses like this that cause people to believe government is there
to serve corporations, not the little guy or gal with freezers that
represent their life-line to food security. This type of wishy washy
government response allows a corporation seen by most as a big,
greedy, highly profitable monopoly to continue to be unaccountable
for the economic whack a power outage represents to many families.
The
cause of these power outages has repeatedly been tied to a lack of
proper maintenance. Clearly, NSP could mitiagate the expense of
compensation by limiting outages through increased maintenance. Our Province's response is woefully inadequate.
Of
course, Province, the compensation should come from NSP. But this
can't happen without your in the lead role. The required result
should be a compensation package ready before the next storm season.
The "discussion" should be a short one between you and NSP.
It should be argued that all households be eligible, but could start
with attending to the needs of those who are most economically
vulnerable. After scores of years as a poverty rights activist my
interpretation of your response is that your intention is to do a
little bit of nothing and only if some-one pushes further to see you
do that. The text of the Province's response is below.
"The Department of Community Services currently provides relief to eligible recipients of the Employment Support & Income Assistance program in times of emergency including lengthy power outages. Yet there are many more low-income Nova Scotians outside the ESIA program and the jurisdiction of the department—working poor and seniors.
At a time when the Province is calling for fiscal restraint, and progressive corporations are recognizing the value and goodwill to be gained from being socially responsible Community Services would propose that any program to compensate low income Nova Scotians for food replacement costs to power outages of more than 24 hours be fully funded by NSP.
The department would be prepared to participate in these discussions, share experiences and administrative data."
