HANSARD
NOVA SCOTIA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
STANDING COMMITTEE
ON
HEALTH
Thursday, November 13, 2025
COMMITTEE ROOM
Committee Business
Printed and Published by Nova Scotia Hansard Reporting Services
HEALTH COMMITTEE
Danny MacGillivray (Chair)
Adegoke Fadare (Vice-Chair)
Hon. Susan Corkum-Greek
Ryan Robicheau
Nick Hilton
Lisa Lachance
Rod Wilson
Hon. Iain Rankin
Hon. Derek Mombourquette
[Adegoke Fadare was replaced by Hon. Brian Wong.]
In Attendance:
Robin Dann
Legislative Committee Clerk
Gordon Hebb
Chief Legislative Counsel
HALIFAX, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
1:00 P.M.
CHAIR
Danny MacGillivray
VICE-CHAIR
Adegoke Fadare
THE CHAIR: I’m calling the meeting to order. This is the Standing Committee on Health. I am Danny MacGillivray, MLA for Pictou Centre and Chair of the committee. Today’s meeting is focused on addressing items of committee business. Please remember to set your phones to silent. I ask committee members to introduce themselves for the record by stating their name and constituency, please.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
THE CHAIR: For the purposes of Hansard, I also recognize the presence of Chief Legislative Counsel Gordon Hebb and Legislative Committee Clerk Robin Dann.
We’ll get into some committee business. Brotherhood and Sisterhood Programs: Nova Scotia Health Authority was the requested witness. The Department of Health and Wellness is responsible for negotiating the funding for these programs. The Nova Scotia Health Authority feels it would be a more appropriate witness. Members were sent the correspondence from the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Is there any discussion on this issue? MLA Lachance.
LISA LACHANCE: I think when we first discussed these two - I think these were topics that came from the government caucus, my understanding is that these are largely implemented through community partners. At the time when we discussed this, we suggested that in fact the witnesses include some of the community partners that are implementing these programs. I would say that’s probably even more the case if we’re having the funder come in that negotiates and funds the programs. We’re not going to hear about what’s actually happening in community with the current witness list. I would ask again - ideally, we could come back at a future time suggesting community partners. I don’t have a list in my head of who those partners are, but I just think right now, the set-up for these topics is not full enough.
THE CHAIR: Is there anyone else who would like to speak on it? MLA Wilson.
ROD WILSON: I just echo my colleague’s comments. One thing that strikes me often in the Legislature when we ask questions of programs, the Minister of Health and Wellness defers to the operator, as they’ve been called, which is the Nova Scotia Health Authority. It’s contradictory for a program whose oversight is the operator to then ask for the Department of Health and Wellness. To echo MLA Lachance, I think that the operator that oversees the programs and other witnesses are more appropriate than the Department of Health and Wellness, as indicated by the minister on several occasions.
THE CHAIR: MLA Hilton.
NICK HILTON: I appreciate my colleagues’ comments. For now though, we will move that on the topic of Brotherhood and Sisterhood Programs, the witness list be amended to include representatives from the Department of Health and Wellness, along with the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
THE CHAIR: Is there a seconder for that? Do we need a seconder? (Interruption) No, okay. It’s from my old mayor days. MLA Lachance.
LISA LACHANCE: I think I just really want to point out that we understand there are two issues at hand, and I’m not sure we’re talking about all of them. On one hand, the government caucus doesn’t seem to want to hear from community in terms of the programs that are being funded and rolled out; on the other hand, we’ve heard that the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the leadership at the Department of Health and Wellness also don’t want to come as frequently. I would just suggest that is not a coherent stance.
We have a committee that meets twice a month. What we’re suggesting is that the best way to have the fullest discussion is to include community, recognizing that there’s this whole other discussion about leadership to other organizations that - I assume for reasons of workload, I’m not sure - don’t feel like they can make it to committee as frequently. It’s really inconsistent. It doesn’t make any sense. I will say that I can’t imagine we’re going to have a particularly full discussion of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood Programs without having community voices at the table.
THE CHAIR: Any further discussion on the motion? Hearing none.
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
We’ll move on to Item 2: Community Wellness Framework. The Office of Addictions and Mental Health deputy minister requests the presence of the following witnesses: the Canadian Mental Health Association, Margaret Murray, co-executive director and Building Bridges manager; Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association, Tim Guest, executive director; the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, Starr Cunningham, president and CEO.
Is there any discussion on this? MLA Lachance.
LISA LACHANCE: I think this is a great discussion or a great example where government is providing the policy framework, possibly some funding, but they recognize that the organizations that are actually doing the work, who can tell us the stories of what’s happening in community, who can tell us the impacts on Nova Scotians are being recommended to come with them. We are completely supportive of this. I just want to point out that I think this is really an example of what we were just discussing in terms of who can tell us best the story of what’s happening in Nova Scotia.
I guess the other thing I would say is that all of these frameworks were discussion topics from government caucus. I guess just a plea to perhaps better vet and research topics before they’re presented so we know that who is being presented as witnesses are, in fact, the right people because this is also leading to a lot of delays. For instance, we’re not having a full meeting today because topics were approved but the wrong witnesses - they had to reconstitute to address that. It doesn’t make the committee as effective as it could be.
THE CHAIR: Thank you. Any further comments? MLA Hilton.
NICK HILTON: I’ll move the suggested witnesses - Margaret Murray, Tim Guest, and Starr Cunningham - be added to the witness list for the topic of Community Wellness Framework for the Standing Committee on Health.
THE CHAIR: Is there any more discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
We’ll move on to letters from the deputy ministers of the Department of Health and Wellness and the Office of Addictions and Mental Health. Members were sent correspondence received by the clerk from the deputy ministers of Health and Wellness and the Office of Addictions and Mental Health regarding appearances before committee. A letter was also sent to Chief Clerk James Charlton. As was mentioned, he is out of province right now. What’s the discussion on this one? Would you like to defer until next meeting? Do you want me to read that? (Interruption) MLA Hilton.
NICK HILTON: Do we need a motion to defer? Yes? I’ll make that motion until James Charlton is available to discuss the topic next month.
THE CHAIR: We’ve heard the motion. Any discussion on it?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
Is there any other committee business that you would like to be brought up at this time? Okay.
The next meeting is December 9, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The topic will be Seniors’ and Family Pharmacare Programs with the list of witnesses before us in the agenda. We’ll see everyone then.
This meeting is adjourned. Thank you.
[The committee adjourned at 1:10 p.m.]
