November 7, 2024
Honourable Cindy Miles
Minister of Social Development and Minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Dear Minister,
Thank you for accepting to serve New Brunswickers as Minister of Social Development and Minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation. Your advocacy for youth and families, your hard work for mental health supports, and your focus on community solutions will serve you well to deliver on the priorities of New Brunswickers.
Our government is honoured that New Brunswickers gave us a mandate to implement a vision that so many New Brunswickers helped create. We have the privilege of being entrusted with a mandate to focus on New Brunswickers by working with them and listening to them to create a brighter future we all deserve. It is their expectation of us, and my expectation of you, that we deliver on the promises we’ve made. New Brunswickers need to know that they can trust us, and that we will focus on them.
It is an honour to serve the people of this beautiful province with you. This mandate letter is intended to communicate our government’s intentions and expectations of your portfolio, and to begin the process of accountability so New Brunswickers know for what they can hold us accountable.
Our platform focuses on the priorities that matter most to the people of this province. It reflects the stories and solutions shared by New Brunswickers and it is centred on what we can achieve together. In addition to our priorities, I will also share my expectations of how we act as a government, and as ministers.
GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES
- Healthcare
- Affordability and Housing
- Education
- Economic Development
- Environment
- Leadership You Can Trust
As Minister, you will contribute to all the pillar priorities. You are expected to support this work and are accountable to deliver on the priority areas under your portfolio as outlined below.
Measurable Outcomes
- It is expected that you will work with staff to determine the appropriate measures / outcomes for the commitments below.
As Lead
PLATFORM THEME |
COMMITMENT |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Invest in long-term and sustainable core funding for transition homes and frontline domestic violence services, including women’s shelters and additional support services. |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Provide funding for safety and accessibility retrofits for New Brunswick seniors and people with disabilities who wish to stay in their homes. |
Affordability and Housing - Housing First |
Provide wraparound services to those experiencing chronic homelessness, starting with housing, and support a community case management approach. |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Increase social assistance rates given the rising cost of food and housing, while ensuring regulations are not penalizing recipients. |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Increase the capacity of New Brunswickers receiving social assistance to participate in the workforce without financial penalty or loss of benefits. |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Explore a plan for a basic income for New Brunswickers living with disabilities. |
AS SUPPORT
PLATFORM THEME |
COMMITMENT |
LEAD |
Healthcare - Caring for the People Who Care for You |
Implement innovative approaches to recruit healthcare professionals, including nurses and doctors. |
DH |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Expand the Nursing Homes Without Walls model and ensure that those who want to stay at home can do so for as long as possible. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Ensure all existing nursing home beds are accessible by filling staffing gaps by investing in wages for personal support workers and resident attendants ultimately resulting in increased hours of care. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Review and update the process and standards for home care allocation and invest in increased wages for homecare workers. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Implement a caregiver benefit for unpaid and informal caregivers of aging family members, giving caregivers $250 a month to recognize their contribution. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Increase comfort and clothing allowance for seniors from $150 to $200. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Establish sector standards and transparent reporting practices with a robust system for complaints that leads to quick responses and better overall delivery to ensure our seniors continue to receive excellent care. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Work with communities to develop and implement a strategy that better supports those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Healthcare for All |
Provide the RSV vaccine for free for seniors and vulnerable people. |
DH |
Healthcare - Mental Health |
Invest in community-based case management approaches for front-line service providers currently providing mental health support. |
AMH |
Healthcare - Mental Health |
Expand mental health court access to ensure the promotion of alternative pathways for justice. |
JAG |
Healthcare - Mental Health |
Work in partnership with First Nations to co-create and implement mental health and addiction programs that meet culturally safe First Nation service and practice standards of care. |
AMH |
Healthcare - Mental Health |
Ensure mental health professionals are located in as many community care clinics as possible to ensure mental health is being treated as primary care and reduce the frequency of acute mental health challenges. |
AMH |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Stop the degradation of public housing and invest in both the renovation and creation of new public housing. |
HNB |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Model a Community Housing Retention and Expansion Pilot to fund housing in the non-profit and community sectors that support capacity building pre-construction costs, and acquisition. |
HNB |
Education - Nourishing Kids, Nourishing Minds |
Provide nutritious universal free breakfast and pay-what-you-can lunches to all New Brunswick students leveraging local, New Brunswick food where possible that prioritizes purchasing food from local farmers and producers, supporting New Brunswick’s agricultural industry and ensuring fresh, nutritious meals for students. |
EECD |
Economic Development - Addressing Workforce Needs |
Phase in pay equity in the private and care sector, using a model similar to Quebec and Ontario. |
WE |
Economic Development - Addressing Workforce Needs |
Focus immigration pathways on critical labour needs like healthcare, building trades and education, and supporting newcomers to make New Brunswick home. |
PETL |
Environment |
Ensure all government buildings are net zero and that our vehicle fleet, including school buses, are electrified by 2035. |
DTI |
Environment |
Update the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to guarantee that everyone in New Brunswick has the right to clean air and water. Our government will require that all new schools, hospitals, long-term care homes, and other public buildings have modern air filtration, heating, and cooling systems, following ASHRAE 241. For existing infrastructure, we will add suitable air filtration and cooling units. |
ECC DTI |
Leadership You Can Trust |
Immediately review the recommendations of the 2024 reports from the Office of the Child Youth, and Seniors’ Advocate and make progress towards fixing our social policy capacity and making New Brunswick children and seniors more safe and secure. |
ECO Seniors |
Leadership You Can Trust |
Immediately review and respond to the Systemic Racism Commissioner’s Final Report, working on a timely plan to implement its recommendations. |
PETL |
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CROWN ENTITIES
In addition to your other responsibilities, you are the Minister responsible for:
- Family Income Security Appeal Board
- New Brunswick Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation
Government is responsible for the legislative, regulatory, and public policy frameworks in which Crown entities operate. As Minister you are expected to uphold your statutory responsibilities associated with these entities.
HOW WE WILL WORK
Our government is committed to evidence-based decision-making across all departments. We will operate under an ‘open by default’ principle to improve transparency and trust in government.
We will “get out of the office” and engage authentically with New Brunswickers, communities, stakeholders, and experts inspired by the disability advocacy principle of “Nothing about us without us”.
We recognize that one size does not fit all – that some communities will need different things to thrive and our legislation, policies and programs should be designed to support those unique differences.
We will prioritize partnerships, trusting and empowering the people and organizations on the ground working most closely with New Brunswickers.
The Official Languages Act, which guarantees the equality of our official languages and linguistic communities, is an integral part of our culture, our history and our future as a province. I expect us all to work together to show leadership to enable New Brunswick to fulfill its role as a leader in official languages in the country and the world.
We commit to rebuilding relationships with First Nations based on a nation-to-nation relationship that establishes trust and a shared understanding of treaty obligations.
We will be a government that cares for all New Brunswickers and that does our best to bring people together. New Brunswickers have placed their trust in us, and we will work every day to hold that trust.
I expect all ministers to serve with the highest personal and professional integrity. As a Cabinet Minister, you must follow conflict of interest rules, and the conduct outlined in the Minister’s Handbook. Our Westminster system relies on cabinet confidentiality and solidarity.
I expect you to always respect your Cabinet and Caucus colleagues, as well as those MLAs who represent different political parties.
I also expect you to develop a professional relationship with your Deputy Minister and other officials in your department. I expect your officials to keep you fully briefed on matters pertaining to your portfolio. I request that you be accessible to such officials, to seek and hear their advice, their concerns, and understand they are there to serve our government in a non-partisan manner.
Members of the Executive Council and their staff are responsible to contribute to a respectful workplace environment at GNB. A respectful workplace values diversity and inclusion, courteous conduct, equality, positive communication, and professional working relationships. Neither GNB nor I will condone or tolerate any form of harassment in the workplace.
We are going to lead with a balanced approach. That means we will watch the bottom line and deliver fiscal responsibility while we improve the services that New Brunswickers need, like health care and education and an affordable place to call home.
I look forward to the results we will achieve together for New Brunswickers. Thank you for joining me in service to our beloved province.
Sincerely,
______________________
Premier
Honourable Susan Holt
c.c.: Clerk of the Executive Council and Head of the Public Service