Parties Respond

I have received two responses thus far on the letter I sent to the party leaders (see last post).

I have decided to create a link on the right top side of this page with the 3 different parties commitments to funding for Transition Houses.

Please encourage your family, friends, and colleagues who will be voting on June 9th in the Nova Scotia election to take the time to visit this webpage and read the responses from the parties and ask them to take the plight of transition houses in Nova Scotia into consideration when casting their ballots.

All letters I have recieved will be posted by the end of the day Friday May 29th (I need to get access to a scanner for all the Liberals response).

Remember, one vote does make a difference, make an educated vote. Help the women and children in Nova Scotia who need shelter from abuse. Love shouldn't hurt.

Letter to Party Leaders

Posted below is a copy of the letter I sent to the 3 Political Party Leaders in Nova Scotia, Premier Rodney MacDonald, Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil and NDP Leader Darrel Dexter (Letter to NDP posted below). All 3 letters are identical save for the addressed party information.

I have already recieved a response from the NDP and when talking to the PC & Liberals they just recieved theirs today in the mail, so in fairness I will start post the responses tomorrow and then as they come in.

Friends of Transition Houses Network
We believe that women &
children need a safe haven
~ Love Shouldn’t Hurt ~


Mr. Darrel
Dexter
Leader of the Nova Scotia NDP Party
Nova Scotia NDP
Suite
1006-1660 Hollis Street
Halifax, NS B3J 1V7

May 21,
2009

Dear Mr. Dexter,

Can you imagine being too afraid
to go home? That’s the reality many Nova Scotian women and children face every
year. Nova Scotia’s transition houses have been there for them as a safe haven.
Now those safe havens are in danger.

Like any home,
transition houses need to be kept warm in winter. Their kitchens need food.
People need to get to work and school. The cost of all these things has gone up
dramatically over the past 10 years. But funding for transition houses has not
kept pace. In fact, operating budgets have been frozen for over 10
years.

In addition, tough economic times mean fewer donations.
People simply have less to give. Yet, even the Department of Community Services
says these tough times mean more people will turn to transition
houses.

These safe havens have struggled valiantly to maintain
their services in the face of dwindling resources. Volunteers have come to their
aid many times. It is no longer enough.

We need more
than volunteers, boards and staff to keep these houses open. We need
you. Stand up against violence against women and children in Nova
Scotia. Make a commitment to stable funding for transition
houses.

We know you support the programs and services transition
houses offer Nova Scotians in need. Now, we need and expect more – a public
commitment from you and the NDP party to increase the operating budgets of
transition houses.

We urge you to sign the attached pledge on
behalf of yourself and your party and send it back to the below
address.

I look forward to a speedy response from the Nova Scotia
NDP on this significant issue.

Sincerely,

Lori Walton,
Coordinator
Friends of Transition Houses
Network



NS NDP
Pledge:

I Darrel Dexter, Leader of the NDP pledge on behalf of my
party, when we are the government, we will increase the operating budgets of
Nova Scotia transition houses to reflect the current cost of goods and
services. On behalf of the NDP, I also make a commitment to provide
ongoing stable funding, tied to the rate of inflation at a minimum, for
transition houses in Nova Scotia.

Please sign: Darrel Dexter
on behalf of the Nova Scotia NDP

Date:

Calling all Friends of Transition Houses

Want an easy pre made way to contribute to the Friends of Transition Houses Network? I've got the job for you! (Volunteer job of course)

If you can gather a group of friends, colleagues, activists, people who want to make a difference and give back to the community, whether is with a friend or a group of friends, contact me. And if you can't get anyone else, but would like to help on your own, the network can still use your hands and time, I'll help coordinate teams if needed.

I am looking for people to hand out leaflets / info fliers to people walking down the street in busy areas of the city (i.e. Spring Garden Road on a Sunny weekday at lunch).

The message is the own posted below, a question for people to ask their candidates... "If elected to office will you INCREASE transition houses operating budgets so that they can keep up with inflation?"

Simple. You grab at least one friend interested, contact me for material, give 15 mins or more of your time and you will have made a difference.

E-mail me for more details, or with the day/time, location you area willing to help out! loriwalton@eastlink.ca

Together we can make a difference in the lives of women & children who are being abused.

Let's keep this important social service alive and thriving in Nova Scotia.

Rally in Antigonish - Saturday May 23rd at 3:30 p.m.

Come on out to show your support for Transition Houses!

This Saturday in front of Antigonish MLA Angus MacIssac's Headquarters (on Church Street in Antigonish) there will be a rally at 3:30 p.m.

Speakers are scheduled to be Jeannie Baldwin, PSAC Regional Executive Vice President, Maurice Smith, NDP Candidate for Antigonish (tentative), and myself.

We are demanding that whomever forms the new government for the Province of Nova Scotia brings up the operating budgets of Transition Houses to today's cost of living standards and continues to increase yearly to keep up with inflation. It has been over 10 years since transition houses have seen an operational increase... 10 years of trying to pay rent, heat, fuel, electricity etc with the same amount of cash that may have covered those expenses back in the day.

Let's help make sure Transition Houses are in place, strong and accessible. Women & Children need a safe haven.

Come out to the rally to add your voice to the many who will be there. Let's make a statement!

Upcoming Week - Friends of Transition Houses Network

The Friends of Transition Houses Network is asking you all to remember when the Nova Scotia Politicians come knocking ask them this...

If elected to office will you INCREASE transition house operating budgets so that they can keep up with inflation?

Remind them that in these tough times, many people have to cut back on their donations to not-for-profit organizations. Even the Department of Community Services says that these tough times mean more people will turn to transition houses, the need is projected to be greater, yet the funding is insufficient.

Remind those candidates that we need more than volunteers, boards and staff to keep these houses open. We need them, government, to stand up against violence against women and children in Nova Scotia. We need them to make a commitment to stable funding for transition houses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The funding issue that surrounds Nova Scotia Transition Houses made it on the Nova Scotia NDP Party Platform where the party commits that they will increase and stabilize funding for Transition Houses and Women's Centres. They have put a dollar value of $500k in their second year of office. This is great that we actually made their platform with out us asking for it, but $500K spread out over at least 12 different transition houses... not to mention however many "women's centres" there are, doesn't catch "us" up to the cost of living (keep in mind it's been over 10 yrs since transition houses have recieved operational budget increases).

I am working with the Friends of Transition Houses Network steering committee today to finalize letters to all the political party leaders asking them to pledge to increase the operating budgets of Nova Scotia transition houses to reflect the current cost of goods and services and make a commitment to provide ongoing stable funding, tied to the rate of inflation at a minimum, for transition houses in Nova Scotia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Until the Violence Stops Festival is coming up the first few weeks of June, this has even more significance as we will also be going to the polling stations during that time. I hope that the Friends of Transition Houses Network, and all of you are able to make some noise, ask the questions of the candidates and help to make sure that women & children have a safe haven in Nova Scotia should they need it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look out for this weeks The Coast (Halifax's Free Indie Paper), the Best of Food edition. In it you will see the Friends of Transition Houses Network advertisement asking people to take action by way of questioning the candidates.

And if you find yourself at a Political Candidates Town Hall meeting, try to ask the questions there. Let me know the response you might get.

That's all for now Friends... a good week to have ahead, opportunities to make some noise, lift your voices and generate change!

Combating Violence Against Women - Oxfam Discussion

I went to the Oxfam Halifax office today to listen and take part in a discussion on combating violence against women.


It was an interesting collective of women and men, from various organizations and interests who came to hear Robyn Baron speak on the work she is currently involved in with Oxfam.



The presentation and alot of the discussion was about violence against women, empowering women and aid to women on the International Level. Which was very interesting to hear about.

The other aspect of this event was networking, conversations stemmed from Child Warriors, to Roots of Abuse, to we are doing within our own boarders.

There is a Friends of Transition Houses Network steering committee meeting tonight. I will have to opportunity to present the work I have done thus far for approval and then perhaps we can move forward with mobilization, awareness sessions and action.

I (as always) am open to suggestions, opinions, and contributions. Please feel free to contact me at loriwalton@eastlink.ca or via facebook.

Networking for the Network - pondering thoughts from an activist

Things can move so slow when you are trying to work on something to this magnitude. The Friends of Transition Houses Network is meant to be on a grand scale, awareness, vocalization, knowledge, solidarity and activism are all mechanisms to change...

and me, well I'm doing my best with getting word out there. As a new kid on the block (so to speak) I have to build my own networks from the ground up. Networking on Facebook. Networking via e-mail. Contacting those from the Women's Day events and the Bill C-10 fight for a woman's right to pay equity. And yet, sometimes I wonder if what I am doing is enough. And I am open to suggestions from others on how I can make it more...

There is less than a month left now before the Provincial Election and although the Friends of Transition Houses Network will be moving forward well past the provincial election there is so much we can be doing now... that may impact the type of government we elect into Provincial Legislature.

Last week I did up a draft graphic (which over the weekend my 13 yr old daughter nearly perfected for me) for the Friends of Transition Houses Network. I'm itching to start getting it out there, I'm itching to put the network out into public forums. To get people talking about it, join in, wanting to be a part.

Tonight I spend Mother's Day as I always do, with my family, my sister and her family, our mother and my sister's mother-in-law. I talked to my sister's Mother-in-law, she used to work at Bryony House back when it first started (she now works as a social worker elsewhere).

We talked over coffee about the plight of the transition houses, underfunded, asked to make due. My step father was a little upset to find out that not every community (or rural area) in Nova Scotia had transition houses. He asked how many beds there were in Bryony House, I told him. My mother in law spoke of there sometimes being waiting lists for women to get into shelters... WAITING LISTS~~~ For a shelter for abused women & children!!! Can you imagine?

And we (the general public) don't think about it, we don't talk about it. We might say, what can I do about it? Or the problem is too big? Or we turn a blind eye to the dire need of these services in our community...

I am one of the people who say... I have a voice, I will do everything I can to raise awareness, to fight for inequity, to help make sure the services that women & children need are in place. I am only one person, but I know that there are many more out there like me who will step up to be seen and heard.

You have to ask yourself (as I did) if not me... then who?

Think about it. Consider the strength you carry within your self and ask yourself how can you best use that to contribute back to society?

Love Shouldn't Hurt - Time for Action

I sat with some colleagues today and we had a 1½ hr brain storming session.

I have a game plan and I'm ready to go. There is less than an month left until the provincial elections and there is so much to do.

I need to contact the other "stakeholders" and get them to distribute the information regarding the Friends of Transition Houses Network. I need names from each of those organizations and associations to have as my point of contact.

I am looking at getting together a General Information Meeting for the Friends of Transition House Network, to let people know who we are and what we do. Our purpose, our goal, our vision.

I need to build and expand our network. Get names of people in groups who have like issues. Advocacy groups, awareness groups, women's groups, networks. The more people are talking the more they know what is happening, the more we can as individual constituents question our candidates as they come to our homes to ask for our support in the upcoming election.

There is so much to do, and it seems like so little time. It's time to kick it up a notch...

Friends of Transition Houses Network is on Facebook. Please contact me there or here by e-mailing me at loriwalton@eastlink.ca to let me know you want to be keep in the loop or to find out how you can become involved.

Let's all make this happen... Love shouldn't Hurt... let's make sure there is a safe shelter for women to get out.

Words from Sheila Davis, Transition House Worker

Our concerns are for the women of Nova Scotia who are fleeing abuse. Any downward change in the economy affects women who are being abused, and it affects them from multiple angles: for example, one of the chief reasons women tell us they are afraid to leave their abusive partners is because they are afraid of starting all over again with nothing, they are afraid of being poor.

In the economic climate we are in, poverty will seem a more likely outcome to these women, and they will be more likely to stay with their partners, suffering more frequent and increased abuse. If abusive partners are laid off from work, they are at home, with more opportunity (and more "excuses") to abuse. As the economic stresses increase in families, we will see an increase in the frequency and severity of abuse, and therefore an increase for the need of the services of transition houses.

Although Nova Scotians are well-known for their level of contributions to charities we are also likely to see a decrease in donations. Women staying at transition houses use the services of many of the other social service agencies that have had their grants frozen (food banks, counselling agencies, furniture banks, single family resource centres, e.g.). Where are they to turn if the very agencies they need are struggling for survival?

This is not a time to be talking about freezing grants and staff lay-offs, this is a time to make sure that the most vulnerable people in our Nova Scotian communities are protected from violence. This is the work of transition houses, but we cannot do it if we are facing a reduction in services, due to cutbacks.

An example of how the 13-yr long freeze to our operating funds affects our service can be seen in something as straightforward as the cost of oil. We spent 6 times as much on heat in 2008 as we did in 1997! Transition houses have made regular requests to Department of Community Services to increase our operational funding and every time we have been given the same answer: tighten your belts. Well, we’ve tightened our belts so much that we can’t breathe! We've made very cutback we feel we can. There is no more room to scrimp!

Staff at transition houses are passionate about the work that we do with women and children. We are paid 20-50% less than employees with the same experience and qualifications in the public and private sector, and in addition to our paid work we do hours of volunteer work every month. We’re educated, experienced, qualified and underpaid. And each of us works hard shifts in a crisis environment, often with no break. There’s no scrimping room there, either. Any cut to staff will increase risk to women and children.

Right now there is an ongoing fundraiser for shelters across the country and transition houses receive direct (donation) money and indirect (project grant) money from the proceeds. It's called Shelter from the Storm.

If you are at Winners, Homesense or BMO banks you can make a donation, or (on May 7 at Winners and Homesense) have a percentage of your purchases go towards the campaign. You can also donate online. Some of the proceeds go directly to transition houses and the rest funds projects which help prevent violence against girls & women or help women rebuild their lives after abuse.

I have just returned from Toronto, where I worked with the grant selection committee for the Canadian Women's Foundation, and we chose over 40 excellent projects from across Canada (and at least one in every Atlantic province) to receive funding. I am so excited about these initiatives that will be funded in part by this campaign, and the more money that Shelter From the Storm raises, the more projects on the "maybe" list can be funded.

Get ready, it begins

I start "officially" working on the Friends of Transition Houses project this week, out of the PSAC office. But we all know starting something like this will be lots of days, nights, weekends, getting those interested people and parties together to educate, inform and make some noise.

I can't imagine trying to run my household off of my 1996 income, essentially that is what most transition houses in Nova Scotia have been doing. Relying heavily on donations to make through the fiscal year. But this is a social service, a community service and the government should be coughing up for these.

In today's economy there is added stress at home. People are losing jobs, perhaps worrying that they are next. The cost of living has increased and it is becoming more and more difficult to make ends meet. This almost always will translate into conflict at home, arguments over money and spending habits and in some cases this will be the last straw that breaks the camels back and abuse could be a result.

How is NOT supporting transition houses an option now? How can our provincial government propose a freeze on spending and list transition houses as a service that is frozen, when they are already struggling to get by?

Oh yes I'm looking forward to working on this campaign. To getting those together who wish to fight this fight, and to opening the eyes of those decision makers to get them to get rid of the deficits that some of these houses are running and increase funding to this important service!