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WHAT IS NSPIRG?
Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG) opened its
office at Dalhousie University in September 1990 following a student referendum.
NSPIRG at Dalhousie is a non-profit organization funded and directed by
Dalhousie students and community members. The concept of PIRGs evolved from
the consumer advocacy movement of the early 1970s. Now there are over 200
Public Interest Research Groups throughout Canada and the United States.
The goal of NSPIRG is to link research with action on issues of social
justice and environmental concern. Through outreach, community networking,
lobbying, proactive education and the publication of materials, NSPIRG provides
information that will empower community members to become active participants
in decisions that affect their lives.
NSPIRG has many working groups addressing everything from animal
rights, to homophobia, to economic and food issues, to Zapatista education, to
sustainability on campus, to women’s health.
For more information, contact:
NSPIRG, 6136 University Ave
Halifax, NS B3H 4J2
Ph. 902-494-6479
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.nspirg.org
A limited number of Single Mothers’ Survival Guides are available free of charge
to single parents through the NSPIRG office. Please call us or write to obtain a
copy. Many womens’ resource centres and community organizations across Nova
Scotia have copies of the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide.
Please feel free to make copies of this guide and distribute it widely, but sale is
prohibited.
NSPIRG appreciates donations for the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide (each copy
costs approximately $8 to produce).
THIS BOOK IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN A DIGESTED VERSION ONLINE
AT http://survivalguide.nspirg.org
FOREWARD
In 1989, single mom and activist Brenda Thompson, published the first Single
Mothers’ Survival Guide. The guide recognized the economic, social, and political
hardships experienced by single mothers and offered specific and practical
information on how to cope when living in poverty in the metro-Halifax area.
In the fall of 1990, NSPIRG began working in cooperation with Brenda
Thompson, to create an expanded version of the original guide for single mothers
across Nova Scotia. Since then, the book has been updated and redesigned several
times.
In this sixth edition, new information was added, chapters were updated
and some parts rewritten, including a new section on cooperative and collective
childcare. The graphics were changed and a new cover was added.
Brenda Thompson’s experiences and observations as a single mother are
still applicable 16 years later, as is evident from how little of her narrative needed
to be changed. Although there have been some positive steps, the conditions single
mothers in poverty and their children live under in the 21st century are slow to
change. The strength that Brenda spoke of is still needed today. Examples of this
strength are shown in the new and final chapter Single Moms Speak, the thoughts
and stories of five single mothers living in Nova Scotia today.
Special thanks to all those who helped in this new edition, including
Melissa Buote, Christine Davison, Laura Dawe, Meaghan M., Diane Simon,
Vicki Fraser, Meghan Leslie, Ardath Whynacht, the Dalhousie Women’s Centre,
Dalhousie Legal Aid, and the Department of Community Services.
Rearing children with inadequate support is an achievement to be proud
of. The travesty is that we must continue to create handbooks such as these, while
our system perpetuates the impoverishment of women.
Please feel absolutely free to reproduce this and pass it on to any single moms.
Permission is not granted for resale.
Published 2005 by NSPIRG
The Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group
6136 University Ave
Halifax, NS B3H 4J2
Phone: 902-494-6479
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.nspirg.org
Written By:
Brenda Thompson
Updated By:
Jessica Whyte, Diane Simon (2006)
Jessica Block (2000)
Karen MacDonald (1996)
Carolyn Smith (1995)
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the world of single motherhood! It doesn’t matter if you have
been a single mother for forty years or whether you are new to the situation. We all
need each other.
No doubt you have heard of all the bad things about being a single
mother: the names we are called, the lack of respect and recognition for the work
we do poverty most of us live in, and so on. However, there are also a number
of good things about being a single mom which you discover as you go along.
You discover strengths you never knew you had, you find out how resourceful
you are, and you find out just how independent you can be! Being a low-income
single mom does not mean that we must live in misery. It makes life a heck of a
lot more challenging. We can face these challenges together by sharing experiences
and information, by getting together and organizing and making our needs and
demands heard, and by making ourselves visible. That is the purpose of this Nova
Scotian edition of the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide.
In January, 1990 Pandora Publishing helped me release a booklet called
the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide. I had written this booklet because through my
own experiences and the experiences of single moms I had met, I saw a need for
information for low-income single mothers.
Within ten days, almost all 1000 booklets were gone. By early February
I had done interviews for national radio and television. By mid-February
Pandora’s office was swamped with letters and phone calls from across Canada
and the northern United States. Single moms, parents, brothers, sisters, friends,
social workers, church people, anti poverty organizations, and other provincial
governments all wanted copies of the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide. A second
printing was run in May 1990 and, once again, Pandora was besieged with letters
and phone calls from people wanting copies.
During the spring of 1990 I traveled around mainland Nova Scotia and
talked to women who had used the guide to see if they found it useful. I found an
overwhelming need for information on a provincial basis. Not only single mothers
wanted to know this information, but also friends and families of single moms who
wanted to help. Single mothers wanted to know what was available for them across
the province and they wanted to know what their rights were. The list of questions
and information needed went on and on.
In this booklet I have tried to include every “type” of single mom and
situation we could possible be in. I have thought of black, white, immigrant, native,
lesbian, people with disabilities, older and very young single moms. I have included
many subjects that I had written on before, such as social assistance, daycare,
housing and food banks. I have also put in new sections such as “Transition
Houses”, “Herstory”, and a section called “How to Become Politically Active.”
We have all heard the saying that knowledge is power and I believe this
is true. If we know our rights, people can’t bring us down so easily. We can make
decisions for ourselves and not let someone else tell us what is right or wrong for
us. We can also link up with others as we are learning to claim our rights.
The situation for single mother families is not getting any better, especially
in Nova Scotia. The cost of many basic necessities such as gas, oil, electricity, food,
and housing is going up at a very fast rate and daycare is still not widely available or
affordable.
This is why we MUST come together and organize. Single mother groups
must form, and these groups must meet with labour groups, native bands, and
other groups that are working towards an equal society. It is crucial that we take
an active role in the politics of this country, whether it is voicing our opinion in
a Letter to the Editor of our local newspaper, protesting for our human rights,
or running for office in a provincial or federal election. Never forget that there
are more poor people than there are rich people. The rich are well organized but
we are the majority. We are women, we are voters, we are organizing, and we are
understanding our political power, influence, and voice.
In writing this book, you will notice that I have used an assertive tone.
Some people will take offence to this, others will enjoy it. It is important to note
that the opinions expressed are mine. I have written to you the same way I would
talk to you. It is important that low-income single mothers learn to be assertive.
If you are passive and polite, as we were brought up to be as little girls, you will
not survive in this system. It is crucial that we learn to stand up for ourselves. This
means adopting a manner which some people find “uppity.” Never mind them if
they complain to you about your attitude. You are a survivor! Just remember the
saying, “Sad is the person’s life whose pleasures rely upon the approval of others!”
UPPITY WOMEN UNITE!
In the writing, organizing, and agonizing over this new edition, I had the
help, support, and encouragement of some very special people. They are:
Barbara Moore and Jim Sacouman: You have both taught me so much,
politically and spiritually. You have opened doors for me and encouraged me to
tread the path which I thought was impossible for me. You have taught me, advised
me, listened to me and had patience with me. Your friendship is one of my greatest
treasures. I could never express the full depth of my gratitude and love to both of
you!
To my parents, who wish to remain nameless (they’re the ones with the
FOR SALE sign on the front lawn of their house and the paper bags on their
heads!): Didn’t you realize when you were naming me that “Brenda” means “the
agitator?” So don’t blame me for this! Sheesh!
To my brothers, Bruce and Donnie: Thanks for all the Male Chauvinist
Pig arguments you gave me over the supper table when we were growing up. You
two prepared me for this!
To my daughter, Megan: Don’t ever forget – none of this would be
possible if you didn’t come along when you did. I love you.
To Anna-Marie Larsen (see, I spelled your name right!): Doing work such
as this means rewards such as becoming friends with a wonderful person like you!
(Hokey eh?)
To Louise Ardenne: You’ve had more than a little finger in this pie. You’ve
given me a guiding hand.
To NSPIRG: Wow! We did it! NSPIRG’s first big project is completed!
I would like to thank all of the Board members and staff who have such
commitment to social justice that they were and are prepared to take on the task of
putting this book together. Congratulations on your first year on campus! May we
have a long history together!
Special kudos are also extended to Kim Lockwood, Mary DeWolfe, Valda
Wallis, Patti Munroe, Heather Macmillan, Debbie Reimer, Brenda Barnes, Andrew
Fraser, the Bridgewater Second Story Women’s Centre, and the editorial staff at
New Maritimes Magazine I want to offer a big thank-you to Debbie Mathers. I
especially want to send warm thanks of sisterhood and solidarity to all the women
who have shared with me their stories, their strength, and their wisdom. You are
unforgettable!
And finally, to John, my daughter’s father: If you weren’t so utterly
spineless I would never have been put into the situation which forced me to find
my strengths. Thank you for the wonderful daughter and thanks for being such a
weiner!
-Brenda Thompson
SINGLE MOTHERS AND THE
POVERTY LAWS IN NOVA
SCOTIA: A BRIEF HERSTORY
You will notice that this chapter is called a herstory instead of a history. It is
important to me that as women we recognize the valuable contribution women
make to the human story. Remember in school when we studied history and we
memorized the dates of wars, battles and other male achievements? Well, herstory
is the human story that includes women and recognizes the importance of women’s
work and achievements.
There have always been single mothers in Nova Scotia. We are not some new
“problem” that has come up in the last couple of years as a result of rising divorce
rates. In Nova Scotia we are widowed, divorced, separated, single by choice, unwed,
lesbian, disabled, immigrant, young, and old. We are black, native, yellow, white, and
all mixes there of. We are every sort of interesting, strong women. As women and
as single mothers, we need to know our herstory to know ourselves. To give you an
idea of where Nova Scotian single mothers have come from, I have put together a
brief history of single mothers-as much as I could find.
The “history” books I have read on this topic do not specify that the policies
for the poor were restricted to only white people. I feel that with the current and
historical racism prevalent in this country, these policies would have been restricted
to white women only. Also, the Association for Improving the Conditions of
the Poor (A.I.C.P.), which originated in the United States and later came to Nova
Scotia, made a policy of not helping blacks and natives. Therefore, I must conclude
that this policy was carried forth into Nova Scotia. If you are a non-white single
mom, I would suggest that the history of the poor laws did not include you until
the mid -20th century. From what I have been able to find about native and black
single mothers, your ancestors survived because of strong family supports.
At the turn of the nineteenth century the vast majority of single mothers were
widows. Death, war, illness, harsh living and working conditions took away the
lives of many people but when it took the life of a husband and father, wives and
children were often left in poverty. Before divorce laws loosened up, many men
simply abandoned their wives and children. Unwed mothers have always been
among us but we were punished and charged under the law for having children
out of wedlock. Many unwed mothers, who were the most persecuted of mothers,
were either forced to give up their children for adoption or commit infanticide (the
willful death of an infant shortly after its birth) because they were afraid and felt
they had no other choices open to them.
During the last hundred and fifty years there have not been many ways for a single
mother to support herself and her children here in Nova Scotia. The government
of Nova Scotia, then as now, did not look upon women in poverty with much
sympathy. They blamed the woman’s “moral” or “poor judgment” for the situation
she found herself in. The woman who was a widow was often considered more
“deserving” than other poor woman. Perhaps she was considered deserving
because the father of her children didn’t abandon her. Whatever the reason, Nova
Scotia has been particularly cruel to single mothers.
What was available for single mother families before the so-called “modern” state
or ‘welfare’ evolved? Some mothers were forced to become prostitutes on a part
basis. In 1860, the number of prostitutes in Halifax was estimated to be between
600 to 1000. Some mothers had to sell themselves and their children as a source
of unpaid labour. The mother was sold to one buyer, the children to another and
they become known as “the poor for a year”. They could put their children into
orphanages or send them to either the poorhouse or the workhouse. Poorhouses
and workhouses were large institutional buildings where people went to live and
work. The conditions there were extremely harsh; this was considered a last resort.
Eventually government policy makers decided it was best to try to keep families
together and give aid to families instead of splitting the family up by sending them
to a poorhouse or selling the children. Two poor relief organizations were set up.
One was the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which was founded in 1853, and the other
was the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor (A.I.C.P.) which was
established in 1866 in Halifax.
At first only windows were given financial assistance, as they were considered
the most deserving of poor women. They received money for traditional work
such as scrubbing, cleaning, and needlework. Today this is called a “workfare”
program. Then, as now, the women received barely enough to live on. Women who
had worked as prostitutes did not qualify for assistance under the policies of the
A.I.C.P. as they were considered “unfit”. Eventually, wives of prisoners were given
aid. Unwed mothers were denied aid and were sent to “homes” for unwed mothers.
The Home of the Guardian Angel was founded in Halifax in 1887. Most of the
women who went there gave up their children for adoption as they simply did
not have many choices. If she did decide to have the child and raise it herself she
could be charged under the criminal laws for having an illegitimate child. Unwed
mothers could go to the poorhouse where they would give birth to their babies.
The children would live as inmates and were made to work as soon as they were old
enough. This continued through the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1930, a new assistance program was set up, again, available
only to widows. It was called “Mother’s Allowance.” It wasn’t until 1958 that
financial assistance was extended to cover other categories of single mothers such
as abandoned or divorced single moms. Unwed mothers were still not given any
assistance. In 1966, the Federal Government developed a cost sharing agreement
with the provinces for financial assistance for people in poverty. This is known as
the Canada Assistance Program (C.A.P.) This program made it mandatory for the
provinces to provide people on assistance with the basic minimum standards of
living.
It was not until 1971, just 25 years ago, that the Province of
Nova Scotia passed legislation which gave unwed mothers financial assistance.
No longer did they have to face the bleak choice of giving up their child for
adoption or starving while trying to raise the child. Since that time most unwed
mothers have been keeping their children and raising them by themselves. This
has caused concern in the past couple of years with some couples, politicians and
church leaders who have claimed that there are no longer any children available for
adoption.
In 1983, the Social Services Minister introduced Bill 61 which
“cut” unwed mothers under 19 years of age off assistance. This was supported to
discourage young girls from having sex. It was also a way of forcing young mothers
to give up their children. In 1988, after five years of protest from single mothers’
groups and activists who pointed out that this bill was violating the Charter of
Human Rights and Freedoms, Bill 61 was amended to give teen mothers easier
access to Family Benefits.
Paul Martin’s 1995 federal budget indicated massive cuts to health
care, post-secondary education, ‘welfare’ and social services, through the demise
of the Canadian Assistance Plan (CAP) and the introduction of the Canada Health
and Social Transfer (CHST) which began on April 1, 1996. The CHST means the
end of specifically allocated funds for the provinces for social services and ‘welfare’
and combines the federal transfer of funding for provincial social programs
(healthcare, post-secondary education and social services) into one block fund to
be spent at the Province’s total discretion. The CHST has no rights or standards for
social assistance and social services, except the no-residency requirement (which is
already in the Charter). The government has agreed to enshrine in the new law the
basic rights to health care contained in the Canada Health Act. No such agreement
has been made about the basic rights to ‘welfare’. With the rights gone in CAP,
there is no guarantee that Canadians in need will get financial assistance. In Nova
Scotia, these changes will mean a loss of about $328 million of federal funding
over three years leaving health programmes, post-secondary education and social
services to wrestle among themselves for the few available dollars. (RECAP, 1996.)
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RECAP (Real Expectations of Communities Against Poverty)
was organized in the summer of 1995 to increase awareness among the public,
consumers and social service agencies about the consequences of the funding cuts,
the demise of CAP, and the introduction of the new CHST. RECAP has met its
own demise and is no longer together. However, HCAP (Halifax Coalition Against
Poverty) now exists in this region to assist individuals in defending themselves
against abuse by landlords, the ‘welfare’ system, employers, and others. They are
also involved in advocacy work.
We single mother families are among the fastest growing family
unit in Canada. We are growing at a faster rate than two-parent families. Between
1971 and 1991, the number of married couples had decreased by 16%, while
the number of single-parent families (82% of which are headed by women) had
increased by 3.5%. Married couples accounted for 80% of families in 1980, but
only 73% in 2001. What’s interesting to note is that family structure was not taken
into account in the most recent 2001 Census. We know that poverty rates for
single mothers reached points as high as 57.2% in 1996, but this figure is no longer
available or updated in the new Census. . The Vanier Institute of the Family has
estimated that 40% of new marriages will end in divorce. This means that most
women in Canada will spend at least some part of their life as a single mother.
Most likely she and her children will live in poverty. In her Report Card on Women
and Poverty, April 2000, Monica Townson cites the Royal Commission on the
Status of Women, as reporting that today, 56% of families with children headed by
sole-support mothers are poor.
The poverty is not her fault. It is the fault of old beliefs, fears,
and attitudes toward women who are independent. Although the number of
single mother families is growing at a faster rate than two-parent families, we are
in poverty much more than they are. Why is this? This is because we don’t have a
second income or even the male income. This is also because we can’t afford the
costs of daycare for our children which would enable us to go into the work force.
The fathers of our children often don’t pay their court ordered child support after
they have left or have been removed from the relationship. Women are also paid
much lower wages than men and are not awarded promotions as often, or as many
well-paid positions as men. All of these conditions and others contribute to us and
our children living in poverty.
The most important thing for us to remember is that single mother
families are not “broken families.” To say that we are broken is to imply that there
is a piece not working. We do not have to be the traditional nuclear family in order
to “work.” There are many other types of families other than the “nuclear” family
(which always sounds like it’s going to blow up anyway!).
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We have been and continue to be strong. Our children are growing
up in an atmosphere of independence. They are no different from millions of
other Canadian children. So be proud! We will continue to create herstory! We will
create herstory by and for ourselves and together with other groups that have been
systematically put down. Be proud and share your pride!
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SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
As single mothers, we need many supports that are practically unavailable outside
the ‘welfare’ system. We need a “breadwinner’s” wage and all the benefits that go
with that wage to be able to work outside the home and raise our families. But, in
Nova Scotia, where women will make, on average, seventy-two cents for each dollar
a man makes, where we are discriminated against when it comes to promotions,
and where we don’t get the benefits packages that many men do get, it isn’t any real
surprise that we must turn to social assistance to keep our children with us.
Before you make an appointment to see an intake worker at Community Services,
remember these points:
If you have ever worked for wages, you have paid taxes. If you have ever purchased
something, you’ve paid taxes. Some of this money is taken from paycheques and
purchases to make up the Community Services budget. You’ve paid into this system
and now you need it. Politicians like to call this the “safety net.”
It is every person’s right to apply for assistance.
Try to treat the intake worker and the caseworkers as you would expect them to
treat you. You will find that some workers are very friendly and want to help. But
you may also meet up with some who are rude and pushy. DO NOT LET THEM
INTIMIDATE YOU. You are no less a person than they are just because your
circumstances have brought you into their office.
When the intake worker or caseworker comes to your home and you don’t like
the way s/he is treating you or if you find they are snooping around your house
without your invitation, you have every right to ask them to leave. Then call the
supervisor of the office, tell her or him your complaint and ask them to send
someone else next time. You do not have to put up with being treated as less than
a decent human being simply because you are a single mother who needs financial
assistance. That said, do carefully consider what tactics you choose to engage. You
should never put up with being treated poorly, but the saying that you catch more
flies with honey than vinegar is often correct. Be professional and courteous and
ask for the same in return.
It is important to remember that most of the people who will deal with you are
men and women who have a high school diploma or their undergraduate degree.
They are called CASEWORKERS, but they are not social workers. This means that
most of them do not have the training to understand what you are going through.
They are there to calculate a budget for you. They cannot afford any kind of
13
counseling to help you with the stress you are experiencing, particularly if you think
you may have done something wrong.
Be careful about how much information you offer to your caseworker. It will
probably be to your benefit if you just stick to answering what they ask you instead
of offering extra information that could work to your disadvantage. Even if the
caseworker seems to be sympathetic and supportive, it is still their job to use what
you tell them to make decisions about your case.
Sometimes caseworkers say things to you like “I’ll give you $60 for babysitting…”
or “I’ll let you have twenty dollars to help with…”. This kind of talk would lead
us to believe that the money is actually coming out of their own pockets! It is not!
They do not GIVE us any money. The money we receive comes from the same
source as their paycheque. Don’t put up with case workers saying these kinds of
things to you.
If you are nervous about being in an office alone with a caseworker or if you think
the worker will say something to you which you may want a witness to hear, you
can always take a friend into the office with you. It feels better knowing that you
have someone there on your side. It can also help to have an extra fresh set of ears
to listen to all the crap for you and help you weed through it afterwards.
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE ALWAYS save every single letter or memo that you receive from your caseworker
or the Department of Community Services as you may need them for an appeal
or for any other number of things. The Freedom of Information and Protection
of Privacy Act also says that you can ask to obtain copies of your records and
correspondence at any time. You do have access to your personal information, but
it is often easier and saves time if you are able to save on to personal copies of the
documents. And ALWAYS ask for everything – you may just be able to get what
you need covered by assistance. You may need to ask the caseworker to tell you
not only about the different benefit programs and special needs available to you,
but also what you have to do to be eligible and whether there will be a maximum
amount covered.
A Client Handbook is available, either by request or in the waiting room, which
explains general information about the Employment Support and Income
Assistance (ESIA) program. There are also individual Fact Sheets on specific topics
to give you more details. Sometimes caseworkers may not explain all the programs/
benefits you may be eligible for if they are not aware of your needs or do not know
all the information themselves.
Make sure you read Chapter 5 and 6 of the Nova Scotia Employment Support and
14
Income Assistance Manual so you can be aware of what’s available to you. It is
available here:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/coms/manual/
This is also the same policy manual that caseworkers will refer to. It will help you
know what to expect and what will be expected of you (eg doctor’s notes, home
visits, etc).
When you go to the local District Office (some people you know may still refer to
it as the “‘welfare’ office”), dress comfortably. Be yourself. Hold your head up; look
everyone straight in the eye. You are not there begging; you are there to get what
you are entitled to. It is not a handout. Remember the workers there are paid by the
same source your cheque comes from.
CHANGES WITH SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
The latest Employment Support and Income Assistance Act came into effect
August 01, 2001.
Keep in close contact with your community services or legal aid offices, as
sometimes regulations may change without you even knowing. You can contact
Legal Aid and Community Services. The Legal Information Society is also useful.
It publishes pamphlets explaining legal talk in a singular way. See the Numbers to
Know section for all these phone numbers.
ELIGIBILITY
In order to receive assistance, you have to fill out an employability assessment
form and create an employment plan with your caseworker. You will be asked
three employability questions to determine if you may be eligible for employability
supports through a more in-depth assessment. As a result of this assessment, you
must either be willing to work or be participating in an “approved educational
program,” such as high school, upgrading, a literacy program or technical or
professional training for two years or less (See the chapter on education for more
details about education changes). Don’t forget to ask for additional special funds to
help with schooling costs. If you do not cooperate, your assistance can be cut off.
If you are a new mother you may have a grace period of one year after the birth of
your child before you have to participate.
You are only allowed to keep 30% of your net wages if you are a working single
mother. Many anti-poverty groups feel that the rates are too low. It is very difficult
for single mothers to survive in this system let alone get away from it.
15
Some more money has been given for transportation and childcare to try and
help you to be employed. You can receive up to $400 a month for childcare. You
can receive up to $150 per month per family for transportation, but this is usually
limited to $60 for a bus pass unless you can prove a need for taxis (e.g. you work
outside of the hours that the bus operates). There is money for work-related needs
such as uniforms, safety equipment, personal hygiene supplies, or school books.
You can also get money to obtain basic furnishings or special diet requirements.
You must advocate for yourself though and ask your caseworker for these funds.
They won’t ask you if you need money to buy a safe crib if they don’t know there is
a need, you must tell them.
There is also a one-time “bonus” when you start a new job. Those who start fulltime jobs receive $400 and part-time jobs receive $200. This changed last year and
these funds are no longer provided up front - if there are start up costs they can
be requested through special needs. The personal allowance for adults receiving
assistance is $184. You can also obtain a Child Benefit Adjustment of up to $133
per child if you didn’t receive your Nova Scotia Child Benefit or National Child
Benefit Supplement.
You will still receive shelter allowance for you and your child(ren) as well as money
for special needs. The new standardized rates for shelter are as follows:
Two people will receive $550. Three or more people will receive $600. There is
an additional shelter allowance of up to $300 available for single persons with
a disability, single persons fleeing an abusive situation, and others with special
circumstances. There is a further amount available in addition to the $300 for
people with special circumstances, such as a terminally ill family member. Contact
the Department for more details.
Please consult your local Department of Community Services office regularly to
obtain accurate updates on the status of these and other changes.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for Income Assistance, call your regional or district Department of
Community Services office. You will have to make an appointment with an
intake worker before you can apply to receive assistance. An intake worker will
help you to fill out several forms asking for information about your marital and
financial situation. To make an appointment with an intake worker, call your local
Community Services office and leave your name and number with the receptionist.
The intake worker may call you back within a few hours. If they don’t call you back
within the day, try again and let the receptionist know this is your second call. But,
16
if it’s an emergency, such as your child needs medication right away, be sure to
explain the situation. If they still don’t return your call, go to the office in person to
demand an appointment.
If you have dependents in your care, one of the questions from the Caseworker
will be with regards to child support/maintenance. If you have an Order for child
support with the other parent, you will need to provide a copy of the document
to assist with the determination of your eligibility. It is a requirement of eligibility
for income assistance to seek support /maintenance for a dependent child in your
care. This can be done through Family Court or through the Family Maintenance
Income Support (FMIS) program offered through the Income Assistance program.
A referral is automatically made to the FMIS program if you do not have an Order
for child support. The Maintenance Support Caseworker (MSC) will provide you
with information on the FMIS program as well as the Family Court process. The
role of the MSC is to assess the ability of the other parent to contribute financially
to the support of the child, based on their income and the Child Support
Guidelines. Based on this information an Agreement between you and the other
parent will be established. This Agreement will be registered with the Court and
be considered the same as if it were an Order. All Orders are registered with the
Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP).
The Maintenance Enforcement Program was established in 1996 and is a division
of the Department of Justice. Their role is to enforce the financial obligations
established in the Order.
The requirements to seek child support/maintenance may be waived when
potential abuse by the absent spouse or parent poses a serious threat to the
recipient, and/or other family members. The requirement to seek whether child
support may be waived is determined by the Caseworker/Family Maintenance
Support Worker. They must decide that to pursue maintenance would be futile or
unreasonable. �����������������������������������������������������������������
Remember, you must tell your Caseworker if there are reasons why
you don’t want to pursue maintenance.
If the other parent does not make their child support payment, contact your
Caseworker and request an ad hoc cheque. If the other parent makes the payment
later you are required to repay the Department of Community Services for the
ad hoc payment. If the other parent makes irregular or late payments for three
consecutive months, you should ask your Caseworker about the Assignment of
Maintenance program.
The responsibility for taking your child(ren)’s father to Court and getting support
from him is completely up to
you. It can be an extremely frustrating experience and you will need the support
17
of good friends and family. If you are on assistance or applying for assistance,
you qualify for Nova Scotia Legal Aid. Go to the NSLA office and apply to have a
lawyer help you.
When you apply for Income Assistance, you will be asked to fill out some forms
that will require you to answer many questions about your financial situation and
personal circumstances. Be prepared to answer questions about personal things
such as whether you have a drug addiction, or a mental health issue that would
interfere with you working. This helps them to stream you in their employability
assessments.
After your application has been completed, you will be considered for assistance.
If the department determines that you are “eligible,” you will receive a home visit
from a caseworker within a couple of days. Remember, don’t let him or her scare
you. If your application is rejected, you have the right to appeal the decision and
may be eligible for emergency assistance (see How To Appeal in this section.)
When the caseworker comes to your home, you will likely be required to sign two
forms. These are:
Release of Information Consent Form: This form gives them permission to check
into your financial situation. It also allows a sharing of information between any
levels of government. An example of this would be looking into your bank account
or talking to your employer or landlord and looking at tax records at Canada
Customs and Revenue Agency. It is to help them assess whether you are eligible for
assistance.
Declaration Respecting Support: This form is filled in for each of the non-custodial
parents of your children. It asks for information about how much support you
receive from that parent, where he can be found, and who his lawyer is.
Once you begin receiving benefits, you have the responsibility to tell your
caseworker of any changes in your situation such as your rent going up, you are
getting a job, you are having another child, or any other changes that will affect
your income. Most caseworkers will visit you once a year, sometimes more. An
annual review is the required minimum.
THE HOME VISIT
A field worker will come to visit your home before you will be granted benefits.
This visit may take place a few days or weeks after the application for assistance has
been made.
18
The field worker will expect you to hand over:
• Your social insurance number
• Proof of the date of birth of yourself and of your child(ren). They
usually want birth certificates (You can get birth certificates from the
Department of Vital Statistics. The phone number is 424-4381. You can
pick them up yourself or you can have them mailed to you. If they are
mailed, however, it can take up to eight weeks! The cost is $26.50 for the
short birth certificate. And $32.00 for the long certificate) If you have a
Nova Scotia health card for you and your children, that is now acceptable
identification so you don’t have to pay for the birth certificate.
• Last light bill, phone bill, etc.
• Sources of any other income such as pay cheque stubs, unemployment
insurance stubs, etc.
• Any other income, debts, and household expenses, as well as your lease/
mortg.
Not every Community Services office will have an intake worker, especially those
that are in rural areas. Sometimes the intake worker will end up as your caseworker.
In most rural areas, the caseworkers will go out and do the initial application
process.
After the home visit, your application will be processed and it will be either
accepted or rejected. Either way, you will receive a letter telling you of the decision
of the Department of Community Services. If you don’t receive a letter, make
sure you get one. If your application is rejected, you may appeal it (see How to
Appeal in this section.)
Once you are on Income Assistance, your caseworker should go over what s/he
considers your responsibilities. They usually tell you that you are expected to
report to them any changes in your marital status, whether you get a job, return to
school, or anything else that affects your income. You will sign a form declaring all
information true and that tells you of the legal consequences of fraud.
SPECIAL NEEDS AND EMERGENCIES
Under the new regulations/Act, an “Emergency” or a “Special Need” is defined as:
•
•
•
•
19
Any item or service the caseworker thinks is essential for you or your
child (often up to their discretion)
Prescription drugs*
Dental work
Eyeglasses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Funeral arrangements
Special transportation, child care
School supplies
Telephone for medical or safety reasons
Maternal nutritional allowance
Special clothing
Special diet
Birth certificates and Social Insurance Number
Make sure that you ask for the things you need even if they aren’t part of the
regulations. It is often up to the discretion of your caseworker whether it’s
approved and they may provide you with an item or service they feel is necessary.
*There is a Pharmacare program in Nova Scotia. You are eligible for it if you are
receiving assistance. You use your Nova Scotia health card when you go to the
pharmacy with a prescription and it will show that you are eligible. Then you pay
the $5 co-pay charge. If you are disabled you do not have to pay the co-pay. You
can also request to be co-pay exempt if you can show you have high medical costs.
For example, many frequent prescriptions. There has been an extension to this
service. If you find a job and leave income assistance then you can use Pharmacare
for one year after.
All requests for special needs must be made to your caseworker. You should try
and make an appointment in person as soon as the emergency arises. An official
doctor’s note will often be required.
Help Line may be able to help if you or your children need emergency
transportation after hours to the hospital and are receiving Income Assistance.
Keep the Help Line number on your fridge: 421-1188.
If you have to borrow money from friends or neighbours to cover the emergency
need before applying for help, you may be reimbursed for what you borrowed if
you meet the criteria. You may not be fully reimbursed depending on the maximum
amounts available. You should also get a receipt for the emergency goods or
services, if you can (e.g. taxi to the hospital, medicine, etc.).
When it comes to a final decision on whether or not you are eligible for assistant,
the caseworker will review all the information once the documentation is complete
and make a decision regarding assistance eligibility based on ESIA policy. If your
caseworker refuses your request, then you should ask to see the Supervisor, and, if
necessary, the District Manager. If your application for assistance is refused, you
may request an Administrative Review and if you are not satisfied, you can then
file a formal appeal. You can also reapply at any time if your circumstances have
20
changed or there is new information. Reapplying is sometimes easier and faster.
HOW TO APPEAL
When you receive your letter informing you that you have been denied, the
Department of Community Services will send you a pamphlet entitled How To
Appeal. This pamphlet includes a form on the back that you simply need to fill out
and return.
It is a two step process. The first involves returning the form. You will then receive
a letter letting you know if your file has been reassessed through an Administrative
Review . If you are unsuccessful, you may file a formal appeal. Complete all the
information requested and this time your appeal will go to an appeal hearing and
you will be given a written decision outlining exactly why your appeal was not
upheld.
The Appeal Board will consist of one chairperson, appointed by the current
provincial government. This is unfortunate for us, as the person sitting on the
Appeal Board generally has NO idea of what it means to be a single mother on
assistance. S/he has no idea of the stress involved and usually this person will have
their own ideas about who “‘welfare’ mothers” are. Most of the people I have seen
on Appeal Boards are white, which means they usually do not know what it means
or how to feels to be non-white. The ideas these people generally have about us are
far from the truth. This is why it is important for you to have someone there who
is on your side and believes you. Remember to remain calm, be firm, and don’t let
these people scare you.
Your caseworker will also be there and any witnesses whom either you or the
Department of Community Services feel should appear to give evidence to support
the case. You and/or your advocate may object to the Appeal Board hearing for
any one of the following reasons:
•
•
•
•
•
•
21
You or your advocate are asked to leave the room while the Board talks to
your caseworker.
The Board refuses to hear your full story or refuses to give you enough
time to tell your full side of the story.
The Board allows your caseworker to give evidence which s/he cannot
prove.
Your caseworker gives reasons for refusal of benefits which differ from
those originally given to you in letters from the department.
The Board permits questions which you feel do not relate to your need
for assistance.
Someone you know is sitting on the Board.
The decision of the Appeal Board will be sent by letter to you and the Department
of Community Services within seven days of the hearing. The decision of the
Appeal Board is binding on the Department of Community Services. However,
if either party does not agree with the decision of the Appeal Board, an appeal
can be filed with the Supreme Court. This must be done as soon as possible after
the decision is received (see The Legal Aid section of this book). It is advisable to
have a lawyer for this as Court appeals can be complicated and are only allowed on
specific grounds. Remember, you are eligible for Nova Scotia Legal Aid.
Remember, be sure to always contact Community Services for the updated
information.
INTEGRATED CHILD BENEFIT
In 1998, the federal government, in cooperation with provincial governments,
created the National Child Benefit. It was supposed to help low-income families
with children. Every child of a low-income family has been receiving the National
Child Benefit, as well as the provincial form, the Nova Scotia Child Benefit,
regardless of whether the family was receiving social assistance. Now the two
benefits are being combined together with the Child Tax benefit.
You will receive a standard benefit of $263.65 monthly per child each year if you
receive the maximum Nova Scotia Child Benefit (for families with a net annual
income of less than $16,000). . The three benefits will arrive as one monthly
payment. If you do not receive the full amount for some reason, contact Canada
Revenue Agency (CRA).
If you are not receiving the Child Benefit but are considered a low-income family
(under $20,291), then you can apply to Community Services for an assessment and
further information on how to apply for the combined benefit as well.
If you need more information on the program call 424-7227 if you live in Metro
Halifax. Elsewhere in the province call 1-866-795-3688.
22
ATTITUDES TOWARD
‘‘‘WELFARE’ MOTHERS”
As a mother on ‘‘welfare’’, you will find that a number of people will treat you very
badly. On a personal level, you will have to find a way to deal with this. Don’t hide
your head in shame. Stand up to them and say nasty things right back to them if
you feel like it. Don’t put up with being called names just because some idiot has
gone brain dead when s/he finds out that you are on ‘welfare’. On a group level,
we must fight back against these attitudes and lies going around about us. Fighting
back includes not putting up with some of the crap people say about us in the
media.
For instance, people on ‘welfare’ are constantly hearing things like “God helps
those who help themselves.” These people are implying that we are poor because
we are lazy. And God punishes us for being “lazy” by not helping us. This is
garbage! Many, many poor people work extremely hard and are not rewarded for it
simply because their wages are too low and the cost of food, housing, and clothing
is too high. The system is systemic, with maternity leaves too short and the cost of
living so high, it is very difficult to make it as a single mother.
Another lie that we keep hearing is that people on ‘welfare’ are stupid. An example
of this happened in 1990, when a Dartmouth Police Constable representing the
Community Relations Department said to the newspapers:
“Let’s face it, the parents who are on welfare are dipping into a pretty limited
genetic pool…The genetics are just not there to produce Einsteins.” (Daily News,
April 29 & 30, 1990)
Normally I would dismiss this man as being a Neanderthal. However, I don’t want
to give Neanderthals a bad name. Let’s look at this comment though. First of all, I
can only assume that Mr. Police Constable is talking about Albert Einstein, the man
who is widely recognized for his Theory of Relativity. However, through research
and Albert’s own letters, it has recently come to light that his first wife, Mileva
Maric, actually did all the mathematical computations to develop the Theory of
Relativity for which Albert won the Nobel Prize. Mileva eventually became a lowincome single mother who struggled to raise her and Albert’s children. Incidentally,
Albert didn’t pay his child support! That blows Neanderthal’s logic that poor people
are stupid people!
One of the most important things to remember is that the ruling class of
politicians and corporations love to point to people who are victims of recession,
23
unemployment, racism, sexism, and such, and tell the middle class people that
we are to blame for their high taxes. Then they tell poor people that there isn’t
enough money to feed, educate, and house the children properly because middle
class people don’t pay enough taxes. Don’t fall for this crap! This is called a “divide
and conquer” tactic. That is, if they can keep all the oppressed people divided and
angry at each other, then we can’t come together and organize for a more equal
society.
Don’t be ashamed of the money you receive from ‘welfare’. Women are doing an
enormous amount of free work for this country by raising children to be good
citizens and hard workers. Our government and businesses make good use of the
work we put into our children. We deserve respect and recognition for the hard
work we do.
Another reason you should not be ashamed to receive ‘welfare’ is because multimillion dollar businesses and corporations also get ‘welfare’. Many large and
wealthy companies (I’m not talking about small businesses) receive from the
federal government and/or provincial governments large grants of free money.
That is, they often do not have to pay taxes, interest, or even pay the money back.
These businesses and corporations don’t get a measly $800 a month, they often get
millions of dollars. This is called “corporate ‘welfare’.”
Being on ‘welfare’ can be depressing, humiliating, degrading, and very discouraging,
if you let it! But, if you get together with other single mothers and decide to stand
up to the oppression and discrimination, you can make positive changes. Being
on ‘welfare’ can give you opportunities you might not otherwise get, such as the
chance to organize and make changes, the chance to go back to school and further
your education, stay at home to raise your children, or to pursue job training. You
have to recognize these rare opportunities and take full advantage of them. You do
this by taking control of your life, getting together with other women like yourself,
and standing up for your rights. Remember while Nellie McClung said : “Never
Apologize. Never Retract. Never Explain. Get the Thing Done and Let Them
Howl!”
24
LEGAL AID
Going through a separation or divorce or fighting for child custody or child
support all means that we will need to deal with the legal system. Most single moms
go through the court system at one time or another. You may or may not need legal
assistance.
Most importantly though, keep track of everything. Keep notes of conversations
with your partner, lawyer, and caseworkers. You may not think you will need these,
but they can be very helpful. Record everything.
If you feel you need legal advice but cannot afford to hire a lawyer, you will
probably have to go to a legal aid clinic for legal help. This can sometimes be a
long process even to speak with a lawyer, there simply aren’t enough resources
to provide the amount of legal help required. Legal aid lawyers are somewhat
similar to case workers in that some will look down their noses at you, some will
act completely bored by your problems and some will genuinely care about your
situation and go out of their way to help you. It’s just the luck of the draw. If you
find a lawyer is treating you particularly badly, you can complain about her/his
conduct with the Barrister’s Society (see address on page 33) or you can ask for
a new lawyer. Your lawyer should be able to explain clearly to you every piece of
guidance s/he offers. If your lawyer is recommending that you do something you
don’t agree with, ask them to explain the logic and reasoning behind their choice.
Remember, the lawyer is there to work for you. That is what s/he is getting paid
for. So, don’t let her or him intimidate you just because s/he is a lawyer. It may be a
good idea to bring a friend with you.
If you need general legal information, there are a few legal information help lines
available. (See phone numbers in the Numbers to Know section – see for legal aid
numbers as well).
Perhaps it’s not a good idea to completely trust our “justice” system. We have all
read about the light sentences men who abuse women seem to get. The “justice”
system seems to work against women, particularly those who aren’t rich, politically
connected, or white. Some judges have been known to make particularly cruel
comments to women. I have had rude comments about my character made by
a judge, and I’ve been in courtrooms where I’ve seen and heard the judge make
terrible comments about the women in front of them. If this happens to you,
remember it’s not your fault. Don’t take it personally. This happens to other women
too! If you get the chance, warn other women about this judge, and insist to your
lawyer that you do not want to appear in front of that judge again if at all possible.
I have several women friends who will not go before a family court judge and they
25
have successfully avoided him to date. If enough of us get together and complain
to the Barristers Society and/or the media, we can make changes.
On the other hand, don’t be terrified of being in court. I’ve also been in
courtrooms where the judge has been very polite and helpful to the women who
have appeared before him or her.
If you decide you need legal aid, be sure and call ahead of time to make an
appointment. No legal aid clinic will give legal advice over the phone.
When you go to the legal aid clinic, you will be asked to fill out an application
describing your problem and your financial situation. You might be able to talk
briefly to a lawyer once you have completed the application. The lawyer will usually
determine if you have a legal case or not.
When you go to court, try to dress up a bit. Don’t wear jeans and a t-shirt. In our
society (for some reason) dressing like you just came from the office seems to give
us more credibility. Remember too, when the judge speaks to you, you must stand
up to answer him or her. And s/he will like it if you address her or him as “Your
Honour” in most of Nova Scotia. If you are in Halifax or Sydney, it is “My Lord”
or “My Lady”. I know, it’s confusing. Most importantly, be yourself, be proud,
look the judge straight in the eye. You are there exercising your rights. Don’t be
intimidated, listen to your “mama instincts”, your kids are counting on you to be
strong.
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Association
of Women and the Law have an excellent booklet entitled Understanding the Law:
A Guide for Women in Nova Scotia. This is a very detailed publication and is a
helpful aid, enabling women to have a basic understanding of their rights under the
law. If you are a Mi’kmaq woman, you may also want to get a copy of Mi’kmaq and
the Law.
You can get a copy of each by contacting:
The Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia
6080 Young St, Suite 911
Halifax, NS B3K 5L2
454-2198 or 1-800-665-9779
The Women and the Law booklet is free and will also be available at various
organizations such as the YWCA, police stations, shelters, transition houses and so
on.
26
For general information about your legal rights, you may also contact Dial-A-Law
at 420-1888. Information codes for Dial-A-Law topics can be found in your Yellow
Pages phone book.
You can register a complaint against a lawyer or judge by contacting:
NS Barrister’s Society
1645 Granville St, Suite 1101
Halifax, NS B3J 1X3
422-1491
In 2000, a new resource centre called reachAbility, opened in Halifax for Nova
Scotians with disabilities. It is a non-profit organization that will provide up to three
hours of free legal advice from a lawyer to people with disabilities. Their phone
number is 429-5878. See Numbers to Know for their address.
27
MAINTENANCE AND CHILD
SUPPORT
Child Support: A serious issue for single mothers and their children, but not a
major concern many absentee fathers or for the legal system.
-A Feminist Dictionary
The money paid to you by the father of your child(ren) when you are separated,
divorced, or unwed is referred to as “maintenance” or “child support.”
If you are a mom on social assistance, you will be forced to take the father(s) of
your child(ren) to Family Court to seek child support. If you are an unwed mother,
you will be forced to name the father of your child(ren), prove paternity in court,
and sue him for maintenance.
Many single moms, including myself, do not want to name the father or sue him for
paternity. You know that the man will not pay and it would create a lot of serious
problems to constantly take him to court. Or perhaps you know the man is abusive
and for that reason alone you don’t want him around you or your child(ren). Or
perhaps you have the child(ren) out of choice and made a specific agreement with
the father that he would not be involved in the child(ren)’s life. For mothers on
social assistance, we are not given that choice. Social assistance policies insist that
we take the father(s) to court to obtain child support. This is unfair.
COLLECTING YOUR MAINTENANCE
The government of Nova Scotia introduced the Maintenance Enforcement
Program in January, 1996. It has changed the way all maintenance orders are
collected.
An InfoLine is available to provide general information about the Program. This
service is available twenty-four hours a day by calling:
424-0050 (Halifax Region)
1-800-357-9248 (toll-free outside of Metro)
The following is taken directly from a Nova Scotia Maintenance Enforcement
Program Fact Sheet.
The Nova Scotia Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) is committed to
providing an effective system for collecting and enforcing maintenance payments.
This program enforces maintenance orders, as well as marriage contracts and
28
separation agreements that have been filed with the program and attempts to
ensure that those who are entitled to maintenance receive their payments on a
timely basis. There are no costs to enroll in the program for any person who is
entitled to receive or obliged to pay maintenance.
When a maintenance order or agreement is enrolled in the program, MEP monitors
and collects the payments, which are then disbursed to the recipient (person
entitled to receive maintenance). If payments are not received from the payer
(person required to pay maintenance) when due, they will take steps to have the
payments made.
Anyone residing in Nova Scotia who has a current maintenance order or filed
agreement from any court in Canada, or from some states or other countries can
enroll in the Maintenance Enforcement Program. Effective January 1, 1996, all
new maintenance orders from the Nova Scotia Supreme and Family Courts will be
automatically registered with the program.
An enrollment kit must be completed and filed with the program by the persons
entitled to receive maintenance or by those who pay maintenance. The Program
will be contacting you if you have an order or agreement presently registered with
the Family Court.
The person required to pay maintenance must send payments to the Director of
Maintenance Enforcement. These payments must be received by the date(s) set
out in the maintenance order. The Director will then forward the payment to the
recipient.
The order can be enforced if the payer lives outside Nova Scotia, as long as the
payer lives in Canada or in a state or country which has a reciprocal agreement with
Nova Scotia. If you do not know where your payer lives, MEP can request a search
through computer databanks of a number of provincial and federal agencies.
Failure by the payer to make payments in a timely fashion may result in either one
or all of the following actions:
• Examination of financial situation
• Garnishment of income sources
• Attachment against federal sources of funds (e.g. income tax refunds, UIC
benefits, CPP payments, etc.)
• Seizure and sale of real or personal property (including bank accounts)
• Lien against real property
• Requirement for payer to post bond or sureties
• Suspension/revocation of motor vehicle privileges
29
• Summons to appear before a Judge of the Family Court to show cause why
payments are not being made
• Jail sentence ordered by court
The responsibilities of the recipient once the maintenance order is enrolled in the
program are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do not accept direct payment from the payer while enrolled in the program
Advise MEP immediately of any change of address
Put your case number on all correspondence
Update MEP on changes in payer’s address, employment, etc.
Provide MEP with copies of any orders that change your maintenance
Advise MEP of any changes in custody arrangements
Provide MEP with any additional information that may assist them in
enforcing your maintenance order
The responsibilities of the payer once the maintenance order is enrolled in the
program are as follows:
•
•
•
•
To make all payments through the program and not directly to the
recipient
To advise MEP of any change in address, employment, or other changes
of circumstance
To put the case number on all cheques and correspondence
To ensure that payments are received by the date they are due
Be advised that the MEP staff cannot excuse defaulted payments for any reason.
MEP does not deal with problems related to custody or access, they only enforce
the maintenance requirement of the order. All information is kept confidential and
used only for the purpose of enforcing maintenance orders.
The MEP has a computerized telephone service called InfoLine which provides
general information about the Program. You can get specific information relating
to your case upon entering your case number and your personal identification
number (PIN). The Program will send you these numbers upon enrollment of your
case.
InfoLine Numbers:
Halifax Region: 424-0050
(Within NS): 1-800-357-9248
Strict Provincial guidelines have been laid out to determine the amount paid per
child per month based on the annual gross income of the parent making the
30
payments. It is a percentage of the paying parent’s income. If your ex-partner is
claiming less than what you know he is making, make sure you tell the judge at your
hearing. If he is crying poor, but you are aware of external or unreported income,
disclose what you know.
See the Numbers to Know section for telephone numbers and addresses of Family
Courts around Nova Scotia.
THE “MAN IN THE HOUSE” RULE
The Government’s Dirty Mind
If you are a single mom on ‘welfare’, you will find the Department of Community
Services has put a number of rules and regulations on your sex life. Some people
call these the “Man In the House” rules or “Spouse in the House” rules.
There are people within the Department of Community Services, who check our
houses or apartments to make sure that there isn’t a penis over eighteen years old
living with or even being friends with us. A neighbour could also be the one to call
Community Services and tell on you if they don’t like you or want to get even over
something. So watch out.
This whole system is extremely sexist. Policy makers in the Department of
Community Services assume that if we have sex with a man then he must be
supporting us. The worst part of this is that there are no clear guidelines over what
constitutes a “spouse in the house”, the unspoken rule seems to be that a partner
shouldn’t be staying over more than three nights a week, but this isn’t written down
anywhere, nor is it official – making the whole system appear arbitrary and unfair.
Regardless of whether we are lesbian or heterosexual single mothers, the
Department of Community Services does not believe we should have sex. No
other part of Canadian Society does not believe we should have sex. No other part
of Canadian Society would tolerate this invasion of privacy. We will not either. We
will have sex with another consenting adult if we choose. We will control our own
bodies. We will fight like hell if our case worker or government tries to tell us we
are not allowed to control our bodies. To resist these rules which violate our rights,
we will share our situations and organize with other single mothers and with other
oppressed peoples. As Lillian Allen sings, “And I fight back!”
31
CHILDREN’S AID AND CHILD
‘WELFARE’
Children’s Aid and Child ‘welfare’ are known as child protection agencies and
referred to as “the Agency” throughout this section.
Child ‘welfare’ is a separate section of the Department of Community Services.
They are responsible for such services as:
Child Protection
Adoption
The care and custody of children
Counseling of parents
Outside the metro area, private agencies provide the services of child protection.
These agencies work with the Department of Community Services but they have
their own social workers. So, if you live in the Halifax area, you would be under the
jurisdiction of the Halifax Children’s Aid Society and if you live in New Glasgow,
you would be serviced by the Pictou Children’s Aid Society, and so on.
First and foremost, it should be said that there are some very caring and sensitive
social workers within the child protection system. They are genuine advocates, not
enemies. There are also some children who are in very real need of protection from
abusive or negligent parents.
However, there is also a great deal of power held over the heads of single mothers
by child protection social workers. This has led to a feeling of bitterness and
distrust on behalf of single mothers towards this agency that is supposed to be
helping and protecting children. And with good reason.
Under the direction of law, we, as single mothers, are required to adequately
house, feed and clothe our child(ren). However, these laws have been created
by the same government that then presents us with a ‘welfare’ cheque that has
been documented time and time again as falling thousands of dollars beneath the
poverty line. The minimum wage, which is also set by the provincial government
and which many women are paid, is also thousands of dollars beneath the poverty
line.
If, in the opinion of friends, families, neighbours, or case workers, we are failing to
adequately provide for our children, the Agency can and will come into our homes
and take our children. Anyone can call the department anonymously and report
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that we are neglecting or abusing our children and, without further questions, the
province will begin an investigation. While it is necessary for some children to be
protected from abuse and neglect, I cannot help but wonder just how many of
these investigations are based on unfounded complaints.
On the other hand, there is no recognition for a job well done. If we manage to
clothe, feed, and house our children, we risk sarcastic remarks from the public
about how good ‘welfare’ must be paying us and the government becomes reluctant
to raise the minimum wage (or any wages!). Absolutely no thought is given to the
fact that we must be “wonder” women to manage our measly budgets and stretch
the dollar the way we do.
If your child is placed in a foster home, the foster parents will receive, on average,
$18.73 a day, per child for shelter and miscellaneous, while a single parent on social
assistance will receive on average $4.16 a day per child for EVERYTHING except
shelter. A mom on social assistance receives absolutely nothing for medical and
dental expenses for herself or her child(ren). While I don’t deny the right of foster
parents to this money, why does the Department of Community Services pride
itself on keeping families together, yet they punish single mothers for not having
a man around! This is just one of the many, many ridiculous contradictions in the
Department’s policies.
THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES ACT
The children’s aid act, known as “The Children and Family Services Act” was
brought in 1991. The purpose of the act is to “protect children from harm,
promote the integrity of the family and assure the best interests of children.” In
order to do so, the act lays out the conditions under which children can be taken
from their parent(s) and placed in custody, and what happens to be the child(ren) at
that point. Our children can be taken away from us if Children’s Aid believes there
is a risk of the child suffering or if the child has already suffered:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Physical harm
Sexual abuse
Emotional harm, as shown by the child being severely anxious, depressed,
withdrawn, self-destructive or aggressive
Withholding of essential medical treatment
Withholding of essential treatment for developmental or mental condition
Neglect
Abandonment or death of parent
Neglect or lack of supervision leading to the child killing or physically
harming someone
Neglect or lack of supervision leading to the child damaging someone
else’s property on more than one occasion
Of course, if you are aware that your children are in danger, you should take steps
to remove them from that danger yourself. If there is a fight or dispute in the
house and you are afraid for your children, call the police or remove yourselves
from the situation and then phone the police. You may consider sending your
child(ren) to stay with a trusted relative or friend, if you are unable to protect them
yourself. Do this before placing your children in Temporary Care, which might
result in hassles when you try to get your child(ren) back. If you must place your
child(ren) in Temporary Care, contact a lawyer first so you know what you are
getting into, it can be very difficult to get your children back. If you yourself need
help, contact the appropriate people to obtain that help. No matter what, surround
yourself with the support of family and friends to help you through this difficult
time.
If someone threatens to take away your children, you should immediately contact
your local legal aid clinic and prepare your defense to get your child(ren) back. Take
with you all the information you have to your first meeting with the lawyer to save
time, and bring along a friend or family member for support. Legal aid considers
apprehension (the taking away) of children an emergency and will appoint you a
lawyer and have you prepared for your first court date, which is within 5 days of
apprehension. At this time, the social worker who apprehended your child(ren)
must provide evidence to the court that your child(ren) have been apprehended for
a good reason. You must show that you have been and will continue to be taking
steps to look after your children, and to improve whatever situation they may have
been removed from.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to make improvements within such a short time
frame, but you must at least show you are trying. Child Protection can help with
some aspects of these improvements, such as providing you and your child(ren)
with money for travel (bus passes), recreation, and daycare. While it is good to be
able to think of Children’s Aid as providing services and safety for your children,
the lack of funding for services can make Children’s Aid seem like more of a hassle
than a help.
As with social workers – the people who work in Children’s Aid are not always
enemies. There are some genuine, caring people. However, there are also some
workers who have their own ideas (usually wrong!) about who and what single
mothers are and how we raise our children. There are also overworked, underpaid,
and generally burnt-out workers who have had to shut off their emotions in order
to get their work done. The important thing to remember is to keep your calm,
know your rights, assert yourself and find someone who will be on your side to
help you through this situation. This is harsh to say, but these people have a lot of
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power over you and your child(ren), you need to be careful and very aware when
dealing with them.
See the Numbers to Know chapter to find the addresses of your local Legal Aid
Clinic and Children’s Aid office.
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EMPLOYMENT
POSITION VACANT: HOUSEWIFE
Applications are invited for the position of manager of a lively team of four demanding
individuals of differing needs and personalities. The successful applicant will be required to
perform and coordinate the following functions: companion, counselor, financial manager, buying
office, teacher, nurse, chef, nutritionist, decorator, cleaner, driver, childcare, supervisor, social
secretary, and recreation officer. Hours of work: All waking hours and a 24 hour shift when
necessary. Pay: No salary or wage. Allowance by arrangement, from time to time, with the incomeearning member of the team. The successful applicant may be required to hold a second job, in
addition to the one advertised here. Benefits: No guaranteed holidays. No guaranteed sick-leave,
maternity leave, or long service leave. No guaranteed life or accident insurance. No worker’s
compensation. No pension.
(From a discussion paper on unpaid housework published by the New Zealand
Ministry of Women’s Affairs in September 1988).
Did you know that Canada’s first minimum wage laws were enacted to cover only
women and children? The goal of minimum wages for women was to ensure that
women workers would earn enough to save us from starving and/or becoming
prostitutes. Another purpose of minimum wage for women was to prevent
their wages from being so low that employers hired women rather than men.
When minimum wages for men were introduced, they were set at a higher value
than women’s. With the current lack of equal pay for work of equal value, wage
discrimination is still happening in Canada. Women are still earning only 72% of
what men earn. And we do not get fringe benefits such as paid vacations, dental
plans, and insurance coverage to the extent that men do.
Despite the hurdles and barriers, many single moms want to work outside the
home for a number of reasons. You may feel that you cannot tolerate the rules and
invasion of privacy which ‘welfare’ puts on your life. Or perhaps you feel that you
could earn more than minimum wage or ‘welfare’ rates if you got a paying job. Or
for any number of other reasons, you want to get a job outside of the home.
There are programs and organizations around the province that will help you
with employment counseling, job search techniques, resume writing, and other
employment related issues. Perhaps while you are unemployed, you may want to
consider increasing your job skills through more education or a job skills workshop.
Call your local HRDC (Human Resource Development Centre) for information on
this, as well as your local women’s centre or community resource centre for more
information on employment programs. The Women’s Employment Outreach is a
good place to start for those of you who live in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
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Women’s Employment Outreach
1888 Brunswick St, Suite 807
Halifax, NS B3J 3J8
422-8023
If you can’t find a job, it can become very frustrating. You may start to blame
yourself despite the fact that there are at least 200 people looking for every (badly)
paid job in Canada. Don’t blame yourself. It will just bring down your self-esteem.
Blame this system and fight not only for a decent paying job, but also for a new
social system.
Remember, raising children and keeping a house is a job – it simply isn’t recognized
with a paycheque. So don’t berate yourself if you find it too difficult to work fulltime at a paying job and then come home to a house full of laundry, dishes, and
clothing, not to mention mothering.
The unpaid and unrecognized work that single mothers do is being noticed and
measured in Nova Scotia. As part of its research, the Genuine Progress Index
Atlantic (GPI), a non-profit research organization, that has existed since 1997,
has measured the worth of unpaid work, such as, volunteering, housecleaning and
childcare, and publishes its findings in reports. The researchers also look at other
important things in society that are not recognized in our current way of measuring
progress, such as water quality. These things are important to recognize because
as the GPI Web site says: “what we measure is literally a sign of what we value as
a society. If critical social and ecological assets are not counted and valued in our
measures of progress, they receive insufficient attention in the policy arena.”
Essentially if more people don’t understand and appreciate the value of unpaid
work, our government will never change its mind on current policies. The GPI’s
work may seem obscure but the more people who challenge the way things are
now, the more chance there is for change. The following is an excerpt from their
findings.
When we cook our own meals, clean our own house and look after our own
children, this unpaid work has no value in our current measures of progress. The
GPI finds that if that work were replaced fro pay it would be worth $275 billion to
the Canadian economy, and $9 billion in Nova Scotia.
Non-employed single mothers put in more than 50 hours of productive work a
week, worth $24,000 a year at current market rates.
Employed single mothers put in 75 hours of work a week, spend three times as
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much of their income on childcare as married mothers, and have only an hour a
day to devote exclusively to their own children.
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EDUCATION
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Education is essential for single moms who want to get themselves and their
child(ren) out of poverty. Although having a good education does not guarantee
you a high paying career, it does make your chances of getting out of poverty
much better than having no education at all. Having a good education also makes
you proud of yourself and more critical of the system that treats us all as “things.”
You won’t have to rely on a man or ‘welfare’ to support you once you have enough
training or education to get a decent paying job. Marriage will become a choice, not
a survival tactic!
If you are on ‘welfare’ in Nova Scotia, you can go back to school and get your
GED (General Equivalency Diploma), get vocational training, or upgrade your
skills. You can also go to college and still receive assistance, but only education
programs of two years or less will be allowed.
If you want to go to university, you can no longer receive assistance. You will
have to rely solely on a student loan. Before with Family Benefits you had to
get a student loan for tuition, books, etc…but you could still receive your living
allowance.
There is an exception for those of you who were on Family Benefits before May
2000. You are still allowed to complete the schooling you are presently enrolled in
and receive your living allowance.
Go to school anyway. You may have to take out a student loan or borrow the
money from someone, but just go! Education is the key! If you need a student loan,
contact:
Nova Scotia Student Aid Office
2021 Brunswick Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3C8
424-8420 or 1-800-565-7737
If you are looking to finish high school or to obtain your GED try your local
library. They have information to get you started and names of tutoring groups that
are for women only. An example of one group is through the Elizabeth Fry Society.
If you are a young single mother between the ages of 16-24 and live in the Halifax
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area, you can drop in to the Phoenix Centre for Youth and be a part of their Parent
Support Program. You will fit in a few forms but you don’t have to be involved
with a caseworker if you don’t want to. They have educational/recreational group
sessions for young parents. Childcare is provided for children age three months and
up, while you participate in sessions about anything from discipline to how to apply
for subsidized daycare. They’ve also been creating scrapbooks and teaching Mother
Goose nursery rhymes you can share with your children. On Wednesdays they
provide a timeout where they have free childcare for you while you run errands or
attend appointments.
There is also one on one counseling available as well as outreach. Outreach can
mean that if you need someone there for support during an appointment, someone
will come with you. There is also a nurse on staff available for prenatal care. The
number at the centre is 420-0676. But they place emphasis on being a drop in
centre so you’re welcome to stop by anytime. Their address is 6035 Coburg Road,
Halifax B3H 1Y8.
Don’t let anyone, even yourself, talk you out of getting an education of any kind.
For years I thought I wasn’t smart. I barely made it through high school. I was
told on several occasions that I wouldn’t get anywhere with “that attitude.” I felt
that getting an education was only for people with money and connections. (It is,
but people like us can find a way to get our education through this inspiration and
efforts of others.) I told myself that I couldn’t possibly go to university because
the daycare bills would be too high, the student aid office probably wouldn’t help
me, how could I study when I had a small child to care for, etc. Then I met a single
mom on ‘welfare’ who had SIX kids and was in her second year of university. She
told me how to get a student loan, how to apply as a mature student, and how to
handle studying while raising a small child. I met her at 11:00 a.m. By 3:00 p.m. I
was at the university registrar’s office.
Sometimes the community can step in and help when it is needed. Venus Envy, a
very woman friendly and queer-positive store in Halifax began its own Venus Envy
Bursary in the winter of 2000.
If you are accepted into any program in Nova Scotia which issues a degree,
certificate or diploma, you can apply for the bursary. They base their decision on
need and any work you do in the women’s community. Their aim is to give $1000
each to two women for their next bursary awards. There is a simple form you have
to fill out. Contact Shelley Taylor for more information: 422-0004 or Halifax@
venusenvy.ca. Always ask about scholarships and bursaries available at schools too.
There are many that are created specifically for people who do not have the money
to go to school on their own.
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I’ve met so many women at university who are absolutely inspirational. Many of
them are single mothers and many are women in their fifties and sixties. I met a
single mom who has multiple sclerosis and is graduating soon. Another woman
who was functionally illiterate ten years ago graduated with me last year. Yet
another overcame an abusive childhood and drug addiction problems to receive her
honours degree this year. I could go on and on with this list!
So don’t ever tell yourself that you can’t do it. Women everywhere are achieving
their educational goals. I shake my head in disbelief some days when I stop to
think about how far I’ve come with my education. If you want to improve your
education, don’t let anyone stop you or tell you that you can’t do it. Education
is one of the major keys to breaking free of our poverty. Education, in its many
forms, can be a major way to figure out how to end poverty for everyone!
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DAYCARE
Daycare is an issue used by politicians frequently in elections. The politicians use it
to try to get women to vote for them. They promise to pour lots of money into the
daycare system to make childcare spaces affordable and available. However, each
time these politicians are voted into office, the first thing they do is break almost all
of their promises. Affordable, available, and accessible daycare is a promise that has
been broken time and time again.
It is not the government who subsidizes daycare. It is the daycare workers who care
for the children while being paid starvation wages. It is completely beyond logic
that the work of childcare, whether it is in the home or in a daycare, is considered
so unimportant by government and society that the people who do this extremely
important work go unrecognized for their patience and devotion. For example,
doctors maintain a person’s health and save lives which is needed and appreciated
in our society. However, many women bear children and spend twenty to forty
years raising them for no pay and no time off. Why are doctors paid such a large
amount of money for their job, yet women as mothers and daycare workers get
paid nothing or next to nothing? The situation speaks loudly of the priorities of
our society!
If you decide you need or want to put your child(ren) into subsidized daycare, you
have to know whether the daycare spaces are available. You can find this out by
calling the provincial office of daycare services in Halifax at:
Director of Day Care Services
Department of Community Services
P.O. Box 696
Halifax, N.S. B3J 2T7
424-3204
Ask them to mail you a list of subsidized daycare spaces available in your area. Put
your name on the waiting lists at the daycares you prefer. Subsidized daycare is
slow to get and once you get it, it is fluid and transferable to another daycare. This
can be a huge hassle if the daycare you are moved to is further from your home or
work.
The number of available daycare spaces in Nova Scotia is very limited. The
provincial and federal government has consciously ignored this area for so long
that in some areas of Nova Scotia there are virtually NO subsidized daycare spaces
available.
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If you have found a daycare in your area that you wish to enroll your child(ren) in,
you should go to the daycare and ask to fill out an application. Then you will be
put on a waiting list that could last from a few days to many months according to
how many children you want placed in that day care and how many vacancies the
daycare gets each month.
The cost of the daycare will depend upon how many children you have enrolled at
the daycare and the amount of the income you are receiving.
If you are a single mom on ‘welfare’, some daycares will tell you that your child(ren)
may remain at the daycare centre for up to six months. If you have not found a
job or enrolled in school, then they will tell you to remove your child(ren) from the
daycare centre. Other daycare centres will negotiate with you on this.
When you enroll your child(ren) in the daycare, you will be asked to fill out several
forms naming such people as your next of kin, the family doctor, who to call in
an emergency, and other information. You will then be told to take your child(ren)
to the doctor for a physical check-up before they will be admitted to the daycare.
Because this check-up is not covered by M.S.I. (Medical Services Insurance) some
doctors will be mean-spirited enough to charge you anywhere between $20 and $50.
Most doctors, however, will do it without charge if you explain you cannot afford
their fees, as it only takes five or ten minutes and they won’t go hungry for having
done the check-up for free.
When your child is placed in the daycare centre, be sure to ask the director for
a copy of the regulations under the Day Care Act and for information about
enrollment and attendance.
Some children are not cared for in a daycare centre, but in someone’s private home
and are still covered by a subsidy. Depending on where you live, you may be able to
get a subsidy for your childcare if the childcare worker is approved by the Family
Day Care Board in your area. Contact the Family Day Care Agency in the areas of
Sackville, Meteghan, Wolfville, and New Glasgow to inquire about this option.
Don’t forget about helpful resources for your children such as Big Brothers and Big
Sisters. They match up your child(ren) with a buddy to hang out with, providing a
change of scenery for you and your child(ren). Just look under Big Brothers Big
Sisters in your phonebook.
I recently met some resourceful and ingenious low-income single moms who live
in a housing project near Ottawa. These women were all on assistance and couldn’t
afford to pay a babysitter when they wanted to go out for the night or just needed
to get away from the kids for a while. So they developed a “coupon” system. They
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would swap babysitting services and keep track of it with these coupons. A woman
with one child who babysat three children would get three coupons for babysitting
in the future. They would give each other at least three hours notice when they
wanted to cash in a coupon or two. They all worked hard to respect each other and
be fair to one another.
This system had been working for over a year when I met them. If you live in a
housing project or in an area where there are other women in our situation, perhaps
you could get together and work out a similar arrangement.
CREATING A CARE COLLECTIVE
It Takes a Community(Diane __________)
When I became a mother many, many people offered help and support, which is
amazing and made me feel good, but I really didn’t know how to go about actually
asking these people for help. As single moms we are systematically burdened
by guilt when we admit that we need help and regardless of acknowledging
this bullshit, it’s still hard to call someone up and ask for their support. In the
beginning, a few of my close friends were fulfilling my needs for a baby-sitter
when I worked. This ended in disaster and we aren’t really friends anymore. They
found that I depended on them too much and they were feeling strained by the
commitment of helping me and my son. Our friendship fell apart because they
couldn’t communicate their feelings. They just stopped calling me.
So, other friends who had seen what was happening decided to do something about
it. One friend began to create a list of people’s names that had expressed interest
in helping baby-sit and another friend set up a meeting of all the people including
me and my son. Most people I knew, but some I didn’t. Even some of the people I
knew previously were more like acquaintances rather than “friends.” Regardless if I
knew them or not, all new baby-sitters went through training whereby they had to
baby-sit with someone who had already done so at least twice. This allowed them
to become familiar with my home and my son. Also, each babysitter seemed to
have their own sets of tricks to babysitting and this gave the new sitter some ideas.
At the initial meeting we did two things:
1. Everyone charted out their name and contact info as well as how often
they wanted to baby-sit and what days/times worked best for them. This
list was later copied and distributed to each member.
2. We appointed “coordinators” with one-month rotations. This was the best
thing ever because coordinating babysitters is very time consuming and
a pain in the ass trying to juggle everyone else’s schedule on top of your
own.
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So, that was the creation of the Care Collective.
At the beginning of each month when I get my work schedule, I call up that
month’s coordinator and give it to them. They then contact and plan who will be
providing childcare. Even when I need a break, I can call them and they will find
me a sitter. This really eliminates any guilt about asking people to baby-sit, mostly
because I’m not always asking people myself and because it has a bit of a formal
structure to it. Since its inception, many other people have asked to be involved. It’s
forever growing and shrinking and growing.
Since the beginning, there have been about two dozen members. These people have
been a major part of mine and my son’s lives. I feel weird when people refer to me
as a “single” mom because to me single implies alone and because of my son’s care
collective I don’t feel like I’m doing this alone. It truly takes a community to raise a
child and my friends are champions of putting this idea into practice.
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HOUSING
Looking for a place to live can be very frustrating and time consuming. The best
place to look for an apartment is in the classified section of your local newspaper.
When you have found an ad that looks interesting, you just have to phone for an
appointment to look at the place.
When you call the rental office or the landlord, be sure and ask them if they accept
children in the building. The landlord is not allowed to refuse to rent to you if s/he
believes that:
You have too many children;
Your children are too young; or
The landlord doesn’t want any children in the building.
The landlord is also not allowed to refuse an apartment to you for the following
reasons:
You are not white;
You are not Canadian;
You are on social assistance; or
You are a single mother.
Single moms have had trouble with one or all of the reasons listed above, so if a
landlord won’t rent to you and gives you one of these reasons, PLEASE, PLEASE
fight back! Start by contacting the Human Rights Commission in Halifax. Then,
if you can, get together with other single moms and organize to embarrass this
landlord. Refusing to rent an apartment to us because we are single moms and/or
because we are on social assistance is nothing but a judgment call on our characters.
No one has a right to do that!
If you get a chance to look at the apartment and decide that you want it, you
will probably have to fill out an application asking your name, address, source
of income, etc. The landlord will probably take a few days to go through all the
applications from people who want the apartment. If s/he decides that you would
be the most suitable tenant, then you may be asked to sign a lease that may be
month to month or year to year. All leases are standard, so be very careful to look
at sections which the landlord may have changed or added to, as any changes are
invalid.
You MUST receive a copy of the Residential Tenancies Act with your lease or else
your landlord is in violation of the Act. You can terminate your lease if you have
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not received a copy of this Act.
On August 1st, 2000, Housing Services became a division within the Department
of Community Services. It doesn’t change much for you except that you’ll now find
the Housing Department’s phone number under Community Services.
Contact the Housing Department for any other programs you may be eligible for.
Look in the Blue Pages of your phone book for these numbers.
The following are explanations of some different kinds of housing that are
available.
CO-OP HOUSING
Co-op Housing is for people from all walks of life. People who live in co-ops
range from “professional” people such as lawyers, to stay-at-home moms on social
assistance, to university students. Couples, singles, families all live in co-ops. It is
usually cheaper to live in co-op housing than to rent from a private owner. Co-ops
are also nice because you feel as if you are part of a community as the members
come together for meetings, usually once a month. The idea is “housing for people,
not for profit.” It’s important to remember though that you will be expected to
participate in meetings and contribute to the overall functioning of the co-op. If
this isn’t your thing, you may want to try living somewhere else.
If you would like to find out the names of co-op housing projects in your area in
the HRM, call the Co-Op Housing Federation at: 455-0470. They can also give you
an application for the co-op of your choice.
NON-PROFIT HOUSING
Non-profit housing is not the same as public housing. Non-profit housing is run
by non-profit organizations and usually is helped with a subsidy from the CMHC
(Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation). Some non-profit housing rent is
based on your income; some of the rents are low but not based on income. Some
non-profit housing has a mixture of low rental units and market rent units. Market
rent is an amount set by CMHC and is similar to the amount you would pay a
private landlord.
In Nova Scotia there are several types of non-profit housing. There are units
available for low-income seniors, students, women, single parents, natives, and
people who have tested positive for HIV/AIDS. Non-profit housing is different
from co-op housing in that you don’t have to go to meetings and do not have a
voice in the management of the organization.
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PUBLIC HOUSING
Public housing was established mostly for people who have low incomes. We are
either on social assistance or we are working poor people. Either way, our jobs
or our social assistance cheques are not enough to cover the high cost of private
rents. The private rental places that we are able to afford are often run down and
completely unsuitable for raising children. These high rental costs combined with
the costs of electricity, food, clothing, plus all the taxes we are continuously having
heaped upon us mean that we can’t afford to live. Public housing is supposed to
help out people in our situations.
Public housing is usually funded by all three levels of government: municipal,
provincial, and federal. The public housing department is usually referred to as a
“Housing Authority.” So, if you are looking for public housing in the telephone
book, look under the name of your community or town and add “Housing
Authority” to it. For example, in Dartmouth, look under “Dartmouth Housing
Authority.” Incidentally, the Dartmouth and Halifax housing authorities have been
merged into one called the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority, which covers
Halifax, Dartmouth, and Bedford County.
There are seven housing authorities in the province that are responsible for looking
after public housing. Applications for accommodation can be attained from the
housing authority in your area or the regional office of the Housing Department.
Each housing authority has its own rules about who can live in public housing.
Give them a call and find out if you are eligible.
There are usually long waiting lists, but call and get your name on there.
SHARED HOUSING
Another option is finding shared housing with another or other single mom(s).
This has several benefits which include saving on rent by having the children share
a room, and saving on daycare by splitting childcare responsibilities. If you are
lucky enough to have a fellow single mom and friend that you can share housing
with, this is a viable co-operative solution.
FOR MOMS ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
If you are a mom on social assistance who is looking for housing, again we have
certain rules attached to our lives. We have a maximum amount of money which
we are allowed to use for rent. It might be, for example, $530 a month. If the
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only apartment we can find is $580 a month, we are expected to come up with the
extra $50 and this usually comes out of our food money. However, if we find an
apartment at $480 a month, we do not get to keep the extra $50 to put towards
food or anything else! The social assistance department will deduct that $50 from
our cheques! So make the most of your money. You won’t be rewarded on this
system for trying to save a dollar or two. Get the best apartment you can find as
close to the maximum budget that you can! Getting a run-down apartment at a
cheap rate will only save the social assistance department a bit of money while you
are expected to struggle along with a wholly inadequate food budget, among other
things.
Here are several contacts for various non-profit housing. You can get more from
the Housing Department.
Contacts for the Native Community
Tawaak Housing Association
6175 Lady Hammond Rd
Halifax, B3K 2R9
Ki’knu Housing Commission Society
P.O. Box 1320
Truro, B2N 5N2
893-9804
Mi’kmaq Family and Children Services
Eskasoni, Cape Breton
379-2433
HRM contacts:
Harbour City Homes
(Halifax Non-Profit Housing)
421-8703
Metro Non-Profit Housing Association
466-8714
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TRANSITION HOUSES
“Domestic Violence” is a polite term to cover up the real meaning; men beating
women and children. “Battered wife” gives us the impression that the wife is the
problem. We are not. The problem is that our society allows male violence to
happen. We have to look at the truth of the lives of abused women and not hide
behind polite phrases.
This chapter was written especially for abused women. There are so many of us in
the world. Perhaps you are in an abusive situation right now and are considering
getting out of it. Maybe you have just escaped from an abusive relationship and you
are wondering what to do now.
The first thing you must do is remove any guilt you may be feeling. Recognize the
fact that no one deserves the abuse which your partner has been giving you. You
may be suffering from sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental/emotional abuse, or a
combination of these. Read over the following definitions and check out how many
apply to your relationship.
Physical Abuse: Abuse which involves a woman being struck with a fist or weapon,
kicked, slapped, bones broken, eyes blackened, hair pulled, cuts, bruises, teeth
knocked out. Or it can be more subtle, such as pinching, pushing, confining you to
a room or the house, etc.
Sexual Abuse: Abuse which involves a woman being forced to participate in any
sexual act which she does not wish to be a part of or finds distasteful.
Mental/Emotional Abuse:
Forced Isolation – not allowed to see family and friends; locked in or out; allowed
in or out at specific times.
Constant Humiliation – sarcasm, insults, attacks on your self-esteem.
Degradation – nothing you do is right; constantly telling you that you are crazy, that
no one will love you, that you are not good enough, etc.
Trivial Demands – keeps you on your toes doing things he could easily do but
won’t.
Deliberate Inconsistency – “today it’s okay, tomorrow it’s not”.
Scapegoating – blaming you for something he has done wrong; blaming you if
anything goes wrong.
Accusations of Sexual Cheating – accusing you of coming on to other men.
Threats – physical (such as threatening to harm your family) and emotional
(threatening to kill himself).
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Verbal Assault – ranting, raving, cursing, and swearing.
Destroying Things – breaking and throwing things that are valuable to you.
No Communication – isolation and control; ignoring your emotional needs.
Emotional Distance – no intimacy; sexual withdrawal; no emotional support or
contact.
Financial Abuse – withholding money so you cannot buy necessities.
If you have found that one or more of these forms of abuse apply to you, then
you must decide whether you want to get out of the relationship. You can get out
of the relationship slowly if you are unsure of yourself. You can call your local
transition house just to talk, perhaps to get some advice. Most transition houses
have a support group which you may want to go to for a while. When you decide to
take the children and leave the relationship, you will need to know where to go for
help.
First call the transition house you plan on going to. They cannot come to your
house and pick you up because doing so may place the workers in danger. For
example, twice I have gone to women’s homes to take them to a transition house
when the husband wasn’t supposed to be there. Both times the man came home.
This situation is extremely dangerous for you and for the woman who is helping
you.
If you need someone to take you to the transition house immediately, either you or
a worker from the transition house can call the local police or RCMP. The police or
RCMP may not go into your home if firearms are involved, instead they will call in
the Emergency Response Team. Insist on whatever action is necessary to get you
and the children out if there is danger of physical violence from your husband.
After all, this is what our enforcement teams are supposed to specialize in.
Perhaps the most effective method of escape is for you to wait until your partner
is out of the house. Then quickly pack up yourself and your children, phone the
transition house, and have a worker meet you at a safe place such as a coffee shop
or a friend’s house. If you do not have time to pack, transition houses will often
have clothes and supplies available for you.
When you arrive at the transition house, you should find the workers to be very
helpful and supportive. The Transition House Association of Nova Scotia adopted
a “Mission Statement on Advocacy” in which the workers agreed to a method of
feminist advocacy. The following is their statement:
Feminist advocacy is an ongoing process which supports, assists, and empowers
women – individually and collectively – to take action to ensure fair and equitable
treatment for all women in our society.
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This process enables women to find and use their voice(s) to express their needs,
concerns, wants, aspirations, and the reality of their experience within a patriarchal
culture.
This definition of advocacy is an overriding principle determining all program
design and implementation in both Transition Houses and Women’s Centres.
Don’t be put off by the “F” word – feminism. Many people feel unreasonably
threatened by feminists. However, feminists are simply women who are
independent and wish to support and help other women. We are not a bunch
of bitter, man-hating women who think we are superior to men and try to push
“women’s lib” down people’s throats. Heck, most of us don’t even wear army
boots!
Getting back to the transition house – when you arrive at the house, the transition
worker will immediately do an intake interview. You and a worker will fill out a
transition house Intake Form in which you will be asked about the forms of abuse
you have suffered, your partner’s history of abuse, and such. The workers will also
need to know your family doctor’s name, your MSI number, and who to contact in
an emergency.
Your children will also do a transition house Child Intake Interview with the
worker. Part of the interview will be done with you and part of the interview will
be done by the worker alone with your child. Mostly the worker will want to talk
with your child(ren) about his or her relationship with you and your partner and
just generally talk to the child about how they are feeling about the situation.
After what feels like a zillion questions and forms (which are all necessary), you and
your child(ren) will be given a room and some space to get oriented.
FAMILY COURT
In April 1998, the Halifax and Cape Breton Family Courts became the Supreme
Court/Family Division. Their new mandate is to keep you out of court as long as
possible by using mediation and conciliation to solve problems (but these methods
have their own problems according to a paper done by the Transition House
Association on women’s experiences with mediation). All other Family Courts in
Nova Scotia are the same as they were before. Everything costs money in the new
Supreme Court/Family Division system, but there is a waiver policy for people
on social assistance. If you will be representing yourself, you can get in touch with
the Self-Represented Litigants Project at [email protected]. They will provide you
with information on representing yourself, it is an initiative of the Department of
Justice.
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THE CUSTODY ORDER
The first thing you must do as soon as you can is get a custody order for the
children. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
If you do not do this, your partner can take your children away from you and
there’s nothing the police or anyone can do. You can get the custody order
by calling your local family court and explaining that you have left an abusive
relationship and taken the children with you to a transition house. They will give
you an appointment to see an intake worker, who will do an intake interview with
you and set a Family Court date for a hearing. This should all happen within a few
days.
If you are in Halifax, Dartmouth, or Cape Breton, you have to make an
appointment with a duty worker at the Supreme Court/Family Division if it’s an
emergency. As a regular appointment, it may take a while for you to see a worker
because they are trying to keep you out of court as long as possible. The best
things to do are call or go down there and explain your situation. You will also
need to set up a legal aid appointment for your separation agreement and for child
support and custody arrangements.
Transition houses do fundraising each year so they can afford to let women in these
situations stay at the house and out of the abusive relationship. No abused woman
is ever turned away.
In some counties the transition house will only be paid for three or four days of
your stay. Three or four days are simply not enough for the emotional and physical
readjustment you will be going through. Again, transition houses raise money for
this purpose. Stay out of the abusive relationship.
Your stay at the transition house may be a couple of days or a couple of weeks.
When you have an apartment ready and you decide it is time to leave the transition
house, there are a few things you may have to do before you go.
LEAVING THE TRANSITION HOUSE
If you do not have a paying job, you will need to apply for Social Assistance! (See
the chapter on Social Assistance.) You must have an apartment or house ready to
go to before you will receive a cheque.
You should have no trouble getting social assistance unless you have above the
amount of money you are supposed to. But, if for instance you do not have access
to your bank account because your partner has frozen your account, Community
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Services will give you emergency money. Make sure you ask for this help.
Remember to write down all the names of different caseworkers, social workers,
transition house workers, legal aid workers, and whoever else you have dealt with.
Write down which department or organization they work for. Write down the dates
they called, what they called about and keep the letters they send you. It can get
really confusing with all these different people coming at you, and these records can
be very helpful to you in the future. Despite all the bureaucratic hassle, no woman
should ever try to make herself or her children endure an abusive relationship
because of the so-called “family ethic” which our society promotes as the only
acceptable type of family. Our justice system is not very harsh with men who abuse
and/or murder their partners, so don’t count on them to enforce the law or save
your children. Only you can do that by taking control of your life and getting out
of that relationship at the first opportunity.
To find a transition house in your area, look in the Numbers to Know section at
the back of this book.
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FOOD AND FOOD BANKS
As low-income single mothers, we rarely have enough money to feed ourselves and
our children properly. This is because the Family Benefit cheques are completely
inadequate and the minimum wage is so low that it is also called the “starvation
wage.” Women do not receive monetary recognition for the vast amount of work
we do in the home: the work bearing and rearing children; the work of maintaining
a home; the work of nurturing other family members. Most women are not averse
to playing the caring roles in our society. Indeed, our world leaders could do with
an extra helping of such sensitivity and caring. However, I fail to see why we, as
women, should receive either no income or very little and/or support for doing this
valuable job. I also fail to see why so many do not do their share of domestic and
caring roles in our world when this is such a valuable job.
The end result of this global oppression of women is that women and children
are the ones who live in poverty most often. This means that we, as women, face
hunger and malnutrition in a wealthy, industrialized country. Therefore, it is very
important that as we are fighting back against this wall of oppression, we are
collectively making the most of our food dollar.
If there are enough of us in an area, you can try to organize a food co-op. That is,
a group of us get together and pool our money. You decide as a group what you
need and want to buy and you buy it in bulk. You buy it directly from the farmer
or food wholesalers. Buying in bulk keeps the food costs down. For example, I
recently had paid $1.29 for two pounds of carrots while my friend in the co-op
had paid approximately eighty-five cents for ten pounds of carrots. Planning meals
together makes you more aware of the nutritional value of the food. You are
working with women who are in the same situation as you and you will become
good friends as you exchange more survival knowledge.
There are a number of food co-ops in the Halifax area, including Community
Kitchens programs in which a group of people buy food in bulk and come
together once a week to prepare meals to last several days. There is a community
kitchen at the Mi’kmaq Children’s Centre, and many more in Metro. Information
on these programs can be obtained through the Metro Food Bank Society, by
calling 457-1900.
FOOD BANKS
In Edmonton in 1981, the first food bank of this ongoing recession/depression
opened. By 1993, Canada had 436 registered food banks and thousand of
“informal” food banks. Informal food banks are temporary sources of groceries
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dispersed through a network of family, friends, and/or churches.
The presence of food banks in a wealthy country such as Canada is a blatant sign
that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The system is NOT
working for everyone, only for a select few.
Many times I have been told that poor people end up going to food banks because
we mismanage our money. This is a ridiculous argument. This argument says that
in the 1970s when there were no food banks, everyone managed to balance their
budget but when the 1980s came along, we all went shopping for frivolous things.
This argument directs the blame away from the government which has consistently
mismanaged taxpayers’ money and from big business which needs large numbers
of poor people to keep workers low-paid and unorganized.
Another argument I hear all the time is that people in Nova Scotia are not going
hungry, that if I want to see starvation then I should look to Ethiopia. The massive
starvation of people in Ethiopia and other nations is a human tragedy beyond
words. But that does not justify the fact that hundreds of thousands of Canadians
are going hungry in a wealthy country, simply because we are not paid enough to
afford food. Perhaps Canada would be able to give more support to famine-stricken
countries if we were able to sort out our own food distribution system.
Hunger has become a national problem. The minimum wage and ‘welfare’ benefits
are completely inadequate to meet the basic nutritional requirements for a human
being to live in a healthy manner. And our social and political system has come
to rely upon food banks to fill the gap where the system is failing. The “public
safety net,” which was designed so that people in Canada would not go hungry, is
collapsing.
HOW TO FIND A FOOD BANK
It is not easy to swallow your pride and make the decision to go to a food bank for
help. When you go to a food bank, remember the survival rules: dress comfortable,
be yourself, hold your head up, look everyone straight in the eye. Be polite, but
firm, and maintain your pride. You are not the one who should be ashamed. You
are working hard, raising the future workers of this country. A country as rich in
natural resources as Canada has no excuse for allowing people to go hungry.
The first place to start looking for a food bank close to you if you are living in the
HRM, is by calling Feed Nova Scotia (the Metro Food Bank Society) and asking for
a list of phone numbers or addresses of local food banks. Not every food bank is
open on the same day. The one closest to you may be closed so they will try to help
you sort out when and where to go. Try to stagger your food bank visits across as
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many banks as possible as the formal ones like Parker Street will only a monthly
visit, while informal banks like those in churches and community centres may allow
more. Also, if you are pregnant, there is a pregnant nutrition program that will
provide you with additional and special food products.
If you are in a rural area, most communities list their food banks in the phonebook.
You can ask the local Parent or Women’s Centre and Social Services should have a
list of what’s available.
If you do not have such organizations near you, try calling the local churches. If
you are a mom in a rural area and you do not have transportation to get to a food
bank, ask the food bank organizers if they can get the food to you. Many food
bank organizers in rural areas have volunteers to deliver food to those who can’t get
to them.
If you are a mom in an urban area (city or town) you may still need someone to
deliver the food to you, as you might not even have the bus fare to get yourself and
your child(ren) there and back. Call the food bank and explain your situation.
Always call the food bank before you visit them. And call them before you run out
of food, since most of the food banks are open only a day or two of the week and
with very limited hours.
You may also have trouble getting a church food bank to give food to you as
you may not meet their requirements. Some church food banks will only give to
members of their own congregation, others will only give food if you can prove
your child(ren) have been christened or baptized, others will only give to people
who live in a certain area of the town or county, and some give to all. Some will
want a referral from your case worker, priest, or minister. This, personally, makes
me angry. It says they don’t believe we are really hungry and that they will only
believe us if someone who is in “authority” tells them we need the food. That
insults our integrity. And what of the people who don’t have a minister, priest,
rabbi, or case worker?
When you contact the food bank, they will want to know your name, phone
number, and address. Have your Nova Scotia Health Card ready as well, as this is
the most common form of ID they ask for. Some will want to know your social
insurance number. They will want to know the number of children you have and
their ages.
If you are in a town or city, you can also try your local branch of the St. Vincent de
Paul Society or the Salvation Army. They will also want to know your Nova Scotia
Health Card number, and the amount and source of income you are presently
57
receiving.
ALWAYS REMEMBER, maintain your pride. You are not ashamed. You are proud
because you are not going to let anyone beat you down. You are a survivor!
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THE SEX LIVES OF SINGLE
MOMS!
Just because you are a single mom does not mean you are not allowed to have
sexual relationships. You are a human being, a woman with desires and wants,
whether you are heterosexual, lesbian or bisexual. There is absolutely no reason
why you shouldn’t have relationships. Many single moms I know feel they shouldn’t
have sexual relations with anyone because other people will look down on them.
Don’t fall into that trap. It’s your life! It’s your body! Feel good about yourself.
BIRTH CONTROL
If you are using birth control pills, paying for them each month can be a heavy
chunk out of a ‘welfare’ or minimum wage cheque. A monthly packet of pills can
cost up to $30. You can get birth control pills for $10 by visiting a local affiliate of
Planned Parenthood. Free samples may also be available. You do need to make an
appointment with one of their doctors.
If you are unsure about using birth control pills, please talk to someone at Planned
Parenthood or your doctor about alternative methods that are available.
If your family doctor is sympathetic to your financial difficulties, s/he probably
won’t mind supplying you with free samples of birth control pills for a few months.
Remember, you have to tell people if you can’t afford something. They can usually
help you.
VERY IMPORTANT!!! Certain prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs
can lower the effectiveness of the birth control pill. Before taking any medication,
check with your doctor to see if these drugs will lower the effectiveness of your
birth control pills. If so, use another form of birth control while continuing the Pill
for the rest of the month.
AIDS
For those of us who are sexually active, we must be careful about contracting STIs
(Sexually Transmitted Infections) and/or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome)
Any one of us can become infected with HIV (Human Immune deficiency Virus)
which can lead to AIDS. HIV is passed from one person to another through
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blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. According to Health and ‘welfare’ Canada, there
are three common ways you can get HIV; by having sex with an infected partner,
sharing needles while injecting drugs, or being born of a mother who has the
HIV infection. Be very careful around the blood of others, even if you are simply
helping a child with a bloody nose – you may have an open cut on your hand, and
you need to think about these possibilities.
The most common way for a woman in Canada to be infected is through sexual
activity. Therefore it is very important that we protect ourselves during sexual
intercourse. Young women are the highest statistic for those becoming infected.
Woman to woman transmission of the HIV virus through sexual contact is
possible and has been documented. Lesbians who have a history of male sexual
partners, have used injection drugs, have had contact with infected female partners,
or who have used artificial insemination with unscreened semen, may have become
infected with HIV. The greatest risk of contracting the HIV virus exists during a
woman’s period. Therefore, you should consider using a latex barrier or a dental
dam when engaging in oral sex. Also, if you have cuts on your hands, consider
using latex gloves when touching your partner’s genital area. Maybe you will feel
like “Dr. Sex” and laugh yourself silly at this idea. But it’s better to have fun while
practicing safe sex than to shun the whole idea as uncool and end up paying the
price for it! Don’t worry about ‘offending’ a person by doing this. It’s your body,
life, health and future, including the future of your child(ren).
The most common method of protection during heterosexual sex is to use a
condom during intercourse. Buy your own condoms and learn how to use them.
If your partner does not want to use a condom, think twice about having sex with
him. You won’t die from lack of sex (honest!) but you may die from unprotected
sex.
IF YOU FIND OUT YOUR ARE PREGNANT
If you find that, despite practicing birth control, you are pregnant, the first thing to
remember is DON’T BLAME YOURSELF! Birth control methods are far from
infallible and blaming yourself will only deplete your confidence at a time when you
really need to be strong. You have some tough decisions ahead of you.
ABORTION
If you are considering having an abortion, you may want to talk to someone about
it. Besides talking with your friends, you may want to talk to someone who is
trained in this area. You may want to talk to your local hospital to see if they offer
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abortion services.
Many women in Nova Scotia choose to go to the Queen Elizabeth II Health
Sciences Centre Termination of Pregnancy Unit (TPU) as therapeutic abortions
done there are paid for by MSI and there is less chance of anti-choice protesters
harassing you. The following is a short description of what happens when you go
to the TPU:
When you arrive at the Centennial building of the QEII, you will check in at
Admitting and then a porter will bring you upstairs to the clinic. The area is locked
securely and is very private. After checking in at the reception, there is a waiting
room with two sets of chairs facing each other. If it makes you nervous being in
the room with other women, it is possible for you to wait in another room if one
becomes available.
After talking with a nurse for a half hour session, the doctor sees you to discuss
any questions.
There is a private bathroom for you to change into the Johnny shirt and robe.
There is also a locker room to store your stuff in and a couch to lie down on.
A door divides the waiting and procedure areas from each other. The surgery room
is large and bright, a very modern looking hospital room.
After the abortion is completed, the recovery room is just down the hall. There are
four reclining chairs where you will wait and recuperate for usually between 35-45
minutes. They will give you Tylenol and something to eat. You do not have to leave
until you are ready, but when you are, a porter will escort you back downstairs.
Counselors are available before and after the abortion, if you need to talk. The
clinic does not turn anyone away.. If it’s a last minute emergency, they will fit you
in, but they do have a 15 week cut-off date, when they will no longer perform an
abortion. You must still have a referral from a doctor and the appointment must be
pre-booked.
You can call the TPU clinic at 473-7072. The number of the TPU counselor is 4734078.
Remember, it’s okay to change your mind at the last minute. You are not an
awful person for choosing to have an abortion and you are not a weak person for
changing your mind and going through with the pregnancy. “Choice” is the key
word to keep in mind.
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Try Planned Parenthood in your area (see Numbers to Know section) for other
resources on abortion.
THE ANTI-CHOICERS
The people whom call themselves “pro-life,” are not for “life” at all. They may
plead and beg with you to carry through with your pregnancy, but they will not be
there for you when you need them. Be wary of places like Birth-Right – they are
pro-life and don’t give you an option. When you are sick and the child(ren) are sick
and you really need some help, they will not be around. When the ‘welfare’ or pay
cheques do not stretch far enough to cover food, shelter, and clothing, they will
not be there with a fist-full of cash. In my experience working for the rights of
‘welfare’ mothers, I have not seen any “pro-life” people carrying pickets or signing
petitions for the rights of single mothers on ‘welfare’. And as an unwed mother, I
have not had any of these people on my doorstep with congratulations and offers
of help for going through with my pregnancy. Instead, I have had these people
call me names and give me lectures about why I should have given my child up for
adoption to a “good” family.
Some “pro-life” people such as church organizations, have set up clothing depots
and food banks. On a short-term basis these are appreciated. However, food banks
and such do not relieve poverty. It is the responsibility of our government to work
for all people, and food banks take that responsibility out of the government’s
hands. It keeps poor people in poverty by not addressing the root of the problem
of poverty.
If “pro-life” people were really for life, they would have been out in massive
numbers protesting against the war in Iraq. Many, many people died because of
that war. Where were the “pro-lifers” to protest against the killing of already born
and lived and loved people? Where are the “pro-lifers” to protest against the mass
murders of people by US supported authoritarian regimes in Latin America? Where
are the “pro-lifers,” when work is needed to end the massive starvation of people
in places such as sub-Saharan Africa?
“Pro-life” people are not for life at all but for the control of women’s bodies. They
want to decide what you can and cannot do with your body. It is also amazing
how many of these “pro-life” people change their minds about abortion when
they themselves are involved in an unplanned pregnancy. My daughter’s father,
who considered himself a “pro-lifer,” changed his mind real fast when I became
pregnant. So don’t let them make decisions on your life, your body. You must take
control of your life. You will be the one taking the responsibility. You will be the
one doing the work. You must make decisions for yourself!
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GOING THROUGH WITH YOUR PREGNANCY
If you decide to go through with your pregnancy, you will want to surround
yourself with supportive friends and family. Being pregnant can be a wonderful
experience if it is your choice to go through with the pregnancy. Try to borrow a
crib, stroller, high chair, and whatever else you need to cut down on some of the
costs. POMBA (Parents of Multiple Births Association) holds an annual sale on
clothes and furniture, you can also try the Parker Street Furniture Bank or HCAP
in Metro. Call your local hospital and sign up for a pre-natal class. Some hospitals
have pre-natal classes for single moms! Surround yourself with supportive friends
and family, make sure you eat properly, exercise, and enjoy your pregnancy!
If you are a single mom on assistance, you are supposed to call your case worker
and let him or her know. S/he may be a bit nasty, or s/he may be very pleasant, or
s/he may not particularly care.
The following is a list of organizations that will provide you with information
about birth control:
Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic,
6009 Quinpool Rd, Suite 201, Halifax, NS B3K 5J7
455-9656
Pictou Country Women’s Centre
Box 964, New Glasgow, NS B2H 5K7
755-4647
Cumberland County Family Planning Association
12 LaPlance St, Box 661, Amherst, NS B4H 4B8
667-7500
Second Story Women’s Centre
12 Dominion St, Bridgewater, NS B4V 2W6
543-1315
The following organizations also provide information and support:
AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia
1657 Barrington St, #321, Halifax, NS B3J 1H1
429-7922
Avalon Centre
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(formerly the Service for Sexual Assault Victims)
5570 Spring Garden Rd, #507, Halifax, NS B3J 1H6
422-4240
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HOW TO BECOME
POLITICALLY ACTIVE
The Canadian government and multi-million dollar corporations are extremely
nervous about the “common” (a.k.a. exploited) people coming together and
organizing for change. They have a vested interest in keeping the rich richer and the
poor pooer. Poverty is big business for some people. If we organized for an equal
society where children, women, and men were not hungry and homeless, it would
mean these multi-million dollar corporations and their friends in the government
would have to give up some of the money and privileges they have stolen.
Canada does have a pretty broad list of democratic rights for most citizens.
However, as more and more people are becoming poor and going hungry, it is clear
that this system is failing to work for the people who need it the most. Our federal,
provincial, and municipal governments are supposed to work for ALL people.
In the last few years, however, we have seen a large number of demonstrations,
protests, and street rallies taking place outside the provincial legislature. People are
organizing and demanding their rights in response to government cutbacks and
oppression.
Single mothers must organize. Our numbers are growing every year and we must
make our voices heard. The word “grassroots” is a slang term used to describe
people who do not have any more power than their vote. “Grassroots politics” is a
form of political practice in which people attempt to change policies by influencing
the opinion of other voters. This becomes known as “political opinion.”
ORGANIZE, EDUCATE…AGITATE!
When we organize a grassroots group, we are getting together to educate and make
our opinions known to the general public. We are also trying to make them see our
point of view.
Grassroots organizing usually starts when a few people, run into a serious problem
they cannot overcome by themselves. At first, each may take the blame personally
and keep quiet about it. Eventually we start to ask other people, “Hey, have you
been having this problem?” We find we are not the only ones with the problem
and we’re not the only ones who feel this way. We’re frustrated by the way we have
been treated and by the lack of good, solid answers. We decide we want to do
something about it right now instead of waiting for the next election. This is the
start of organizing – the recognition that working alone is not the answer and that
to achieve our goals we must work together.
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Many people don’t think of themselves as organizers. We don’t think we can do it.
We see organizing as difficult, dangerous, and maybe even a little heroic. Wrong!
Anyone can organize. All you need is to know how to talk with people. One of the
biggest tasks of organizing is finding other people who believe as you do and who
want to achieve the same goals.
You can join an already existing women’s group. It’s not always necessary to
reinvent the wheel and there are often already existing excelled groups and
organizations, such as the Child Care Advocacy Association of Nova Scotia.
Sometimes it’s helpful just to have other people there to share your experiences.
You never know where your anger or sadness may lead you.
Women right now are participating in various political ways all across Nova Scotia.
Being poltically active can happen in a variety of ways. For instance, a project
created in 1999, called WIT (Women in Transition) is helping Nova Scotian women
to have their voices heard. Six women’s centres across the province have involved
over 200 women from various communities in the project.
Through a participatory research and community development process each
centre is working with low-income women in their community to develop an
understanding of women’s poverty and the various policy and program changes
needed to enable women’s economic independence…Our research findings
have been used to develop recommendations and action plans, both locally and
provincially, for policy and program change. (WIT 2000)
They even provide childcare and transportation if you regularly attend committee
meetings. If you are interested in participating, contact one of the six centres in
your area. See the Numbers to Know section.
Go to rallies, protests, and marches to support other groups and meet the people
who are doing the work. There other alternative ways to support and participate
as well, such as letter writing or phone calling. Be careful with yourself and your
child(ren) if you are considering active street demonstration. You do not want to
put your child(ren) in danger, or risk being arrested, especially if you are involved in
a custody battle.
WHERE TO START?
Sometimes the first place to start is looking for existing groups or organizations
either nationally, provincially, or regionally that are already working towards the
goals you are looking to achieve. If you are unable to or are interested in starting a
local chapter of an existing organization, the best place to start is with the people
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who you work and live with. These are the people who share your concerns and
goals. You don’t have to be a big group to be successful. A small group of wellorganized people can achieve great things.
It will take a while to build up your confidence as a group, so start with people you
are already comfortable with. We are more than a vote, a file number, or a “client”
in an overloaded ‘welfare’ office. We are a group of human beings with feelings and
emotions and we need to be friends with each other.
Once you have decided to start recruiting people you do not know into your
group, you must figure out a strategy for doing this. In a city or town you can
put up notices telling the name of your group, its aim, where and when you
will be meeting next, and the person to contact if more information is needed.
These notices can be placed on buses, on community bulletin boards, passed
out at gatherings such as other meetings, shopping centres, schools, libraries, or
universities, and, of course, the grocery store. In rural and urban areas you can do
telephone networking. That is, each member is to call two friends and tell them
about your group and its next meeting. If some of them come to the meeting and
find they are interested, you ask them to call their friends and try to get them to
come. These are just a few examples of low-cost advertising for your group.
If your group decides to have a protest in front of city hall, the legislature, a
grocery store, or wherever, you will need to know some important things. FIRST
AND FOREMOST, depending on where you want to hold the protest or rally, you
may need a protest permit. If you are staging a protest on government property,
you will definitely need a permit. You ca find out if you need one and where to get
it by calling your municipal council, town, office, or city hall. If you do need one,
they will probably need twenty-four to forty-eight hours to arrange one, so be sure
to call ahead of time. They will need to know the time, place, date, name of the
group, and the route and/or location you have chosen for your protest rally. When
you have your protest, make sure that one of the organizers has the permit in her
pocket if the police or RCMP want to examine it.
Make sure the group of people or person to whom you are directing your protest
message will be in the building when you are doing your protest. If you want to
know when the Premier will be in, call one of the other political parties and ask
them. Or phone city hall or the municipal council office and ask when the mayor
or councilors will be in. It’s really embarrassing to organize a protest rally and then
find out the person you are directing this protest at is out of town and has been for
two days!
You will need numbers of people for a protest. You will want not only members of
your group to be present but also any supporters of your group. Again, organize
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a telephone network and let people know. Or distribute leaflets by putting them
around the community. You can also mail these leaflets directly to groups you know
will be interested. You can get a mailing list of other groups by asking a political
party or a coalition for a mailing list of grassroots groups. You can also find out
about grassroots groups and have your own listed for free in “The Handy Dandy”
(at NSPIRG, visit http://www.nspirg.org for more info). The leaflet should contain
information about the time, place, date of your protest, who your group is and
what your aims are, and the purpose of the protest.
The provincial government sometimes deals with people who protest outside the
Legislature by locking the gates to the grounds of the Legislature to try to keep us
out. First of all, I would like to know why they are locking out the people who own
the Provincial Legislature. If they lock you out, demand to be let in. If that doesn’t
work, switch to Plan B. Scream, shout, chant, and generally make as much noise
as possible. Take pots, pans and cooking utensils with you and bang on the metal
fence surrounding the Legislature.
During one protest I participated in, we went up on the Citadel Hill and
approximately two hundred protestors banged on the guard rail with pots, frying
pans and rocks. It made the most incredible noise! If you decide to use this method
of making noise, do not use a rolling pin, large sticks or handles. The police could
view these objects as weapons and charge you for having it on your person. Being
charged with the dangerous use of a rolling pin may seem funny, however, I have
been warned! Also, don’t damage the fence or those in power could get picky and
charge you with damaging public property. Bang the fence, bang your pots and
pans, scream, shout, sing songs, chant slogans, and make our voices heard! We will
not be silenced.
Not all activism has to be focused on street demonstration, you can write letters,
work on advocacy research, or even start your own revolution by being the change
in your own home.
AUDIO AND VISUAL MESSAGES
To have a successful protest you must have both audio and visual ways of getting
your message across. For the audio message you should make up a list of chants
or slogans for the crowd to shout. They should be short and clear. For example,
during a march in Halifax in support of the Mohawks at Oka, we shouted “ARMY
OUT OF OKA!” You should also have a speech or two made up for the crowd of
protestors – one to rally up the determination of the supporters at the beginning
of the protest and another speech when you arrive at your destination. The last one
is to get your message across to the intended party.
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You may need a battery-charged megaphone. If you are in the Halifax area, you
may be able to rent one from McFarland’s or another rent-it store. In other places,
you may be able to borrow one from the local fire department. NSPIRG has a
megaphone available for loan to its members as well.
For the visual part of protesting, you should have placards and leaflets. The
leaflets should contain the information previously discussed. These are handed
out to bystanders. You can also circulate petitions for people to sign. You don’t
have to circulate leaflets only. During a protest rally to increase the food budgets
of ‘welfare’ recipients, protesters handed out Kraft Dinner to demonstrate what
women and children on ‘welfare’ were living on.
Placards are really fun to make! You will need Bristol board, wooden pickets,
felt markers, and a staple gun. You can get wooden pickets relatively cheap at a
hardware or building supply store.
The placards are whole pieces of Bristol board which are folded in half lengthwise. You write your message or slogan on both sides of the folded Bristol board,
then you put your picket inside the fold and staple the board to the picket. These
are sturdier than a whole piece of Bristol board tacked to a picket.
Your message on the Bristol board should be clear and just a few words long so
it’s easy to read at a glance. This is important so that bystanders and television
audiences can pick up your messages at a glance. Don’t be afraid to be imaginative
and bold with your placard messages! When I was involved in a demonstration
about the cruelty of politicians and judges towards women in poverty, we wanted to
let the public know that not only were we fighting against this cruelty, we were also
winning. We did up a huge placard that said: “Mike Laffin, Judge Bartlett, Edmund
Morris: Three Down…” The media went nuts over that placard and it was shown
on television and in the newspapers. So, get the group together with your placardmaking materials, have a bottle of wine, play some Tracy Chapman or Lillian Allen
and have fun! It will bring you all closer together.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Once you have decided to hold a protest, rally, vigil, street theatre, or march, you
may want to invite the media to come. “Media” means newspaper, radio, and
television. Media coverage is a way of letting your opposition know that you are
strong in what you are doing. It also helps spread the word about your group and
get other people involved. It says that we are a force to be reckoned with.
When dealing with the media, try to look at their job from their shoes. No matter
how glamorous the job appears, most of them put in long, hard hours that go
well beyond a regular nine-to five job. Yu will find some members of the media
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are wonderfully supportive and warm. You will also find some are egotistical and
pushy, and still others just don’t care because it’s simply another story.
If a reporter makes a sexual pass at you or says anything racist or homophobic, go
straight to their supervisor. Ignore that reporter at other media events. Don’t forget
that people who work in the media are not always as objective as they would like
the world to think. They are human too. And some of them have their own ideas
about who single mothers are. I have dealth with a few reporters that everyone
thinks are just peachy-keen and wonderful, but they go around saying the most
horrible things about single mothers. (I am very proud to be disliked by some
journalists! They are so right-wing that it is a compliment to be disliked by them!)
On the other hand, I have also dealt with reporters and journalists who think single
mother activists are absolutely wonderful women. Needless to say, it’s a good idea
to try and establish a good working relationship with the supportive reporters.
Keep a record of how each of the reporters and journalists treat you and your
group. Make sure and put the word out on the street about which journalists are
decent and which journalists to avoid.
Most importantly, NEVER, NEVER say to a reporter “this is off the records.”
The reporter’s job is to get information to put together a story. Whether they are
sympathetic to your group or not, you will be putting your group and the reporter
in a difficult situation by telling the reporter confidential information and then
asking her or him not to use it.
There are other types of media coverage besides the news. There are talk shows on
radio and television. Newspapers have opinion editorials for guest writers and space
for letters to the editor. There are also public service announcements on stations
like CKDU or CAPR and community newspapers.
Finally, remember the saying, “You only have freedom of the press if you
own the press.” Keep in mind who owns the newspapers, television, and radio
stations. They are generally rich, politically well connected, and they are powerful.
Sometimes they will not allow certain media coverage because they may feel you’ve
had “too much” attention already. Perhaps you are getting so much of the public’s
favourable attention that you and/or your group have become threatening to the
establishment. Or perhaps the interests of your group are in conflict with those of
their advertisers. Hence, the controllers of the media may try to stop this publicity
by refusing to acknowledge your work and your activism. Consequently, you will
find that some media have certain political slants to their stories.
A few years ago I was involved in a grass-roots group which was very vocal. A
local newspaper columnist wrote about us, referring to us as “a gaggle of girls”
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with “border line intelligence.” We demanded that the editor print an apology or
we would have a demonstration outside their editorial office and invite all the other
media to come and do stories on it. We had the written apology the next day.
Again, keep in mind who owns the media and keep records of how each of the
newspapers and radio and television stations present your stories. As an activist
friend of mine says “Selected reality: brought to you by your media.”
PRESS RELEASES
Press releases are a basic tool used to get media coverage for a group. It lets
reporters know you are staging a particular event and when that event is happening.
It should provide enough information so the media can decide whether to cover it
or not. If the media decides not to cover it, there should be enough information to
put together a story from the press release.
A press release should be typed, double-spaced on one sheet of paper. On the top
right-hand corner should be typed “For Further Information” and the name(s) of
the contact person(s). List their telephone numbers; it is important that the media
know how to contact your group. On the left-hand side of the release, put the date
on which you have sent the release out followed by the words “FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE.” This means that the reporters are free to use the information as soon
as they receive it.
Next, write a heading for the release. State it as clearly and as simply as possible.
For example, SINGLE MOMS PLAN 12:00 NOON DEMONSTRATION AT
LEGISLATURE. The opening paragraph should tell the who, what, when, where
and why of the event. The paragraphs in a news release should be short with only
two or three sentences and these should be factual. A press release should only
have an opinion if you are quoting a spokesperson for your group. The media
cannot quote a press release opinion. However, they can quote an opinion from a
member of the organization.
At the end of the release centre and type either “-30-“ or “####” to indicate that
there is nothing else. If there is another page put “(more)” in the bottom righthand corner.
Deliver the press release about forty-eight hours before your demonstration. Go
through the yellow pages of the telephone book and look under radio, newspaper,
and television stations to get the addresses of the media you want your press
release to go to. If you want media coverage, time your event between 11 a.m. and
2 p.m. That way, there is enough time for reporters to get their stories together for
the evening news or the morning paper.
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VOTE!
The most basic way to begin to make changes and become active is to vote. You
only have to do it every couple of years and it takes very little time. The important
thing to keep in mind is that you should vote only for the candidate and/or party
you feel has your best interests at heart. There are far more working class and poor
people than there are rich people. If you believe a politician or political party is
doing work only for the rich and the big corporations then don’t vote for them.
Their job is to work for all the people and that means the majority of the peole.
If you are a Mi’kmaq single mother, you are in a special circumstance. You may not
wish to exercise your voting rights as you may believe in self-government for your
people. You may not want to participate in a system of government which you feel
is not yours. We must recognize and respect these decision.
Many times political parties ignore us or have done absolutely nothing for us
because they think to themselves, “Oh these people don’t vote anyway!” Generally,
we don’t, because many of us believe that our one little vote won’t make a
difference. Well, it can make a difference if we all vote together. We can force our
politicians to pay attention to us and to start meeting our demands. Otherwise we’ll
vote them out of office in the next election! So be politically active! Get out! Go
vote! Start to make a difference.
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SINGLE MOMS SPEAK
These are the stories, thoughts and advice from five single mothers living in Nova
Scotia. They were gathered through interviews, home visits, email and a selfrecorded tape. The diversity of methods explains the different form each one has.
One mother wishes to remain anonymous and another’s name has been changed.
This was a new chapter added in the last update because it was hoped to be a place
for other single mothers to share their stories. There is something comforting and
powerful about reading others’ stories. It is empowering to realize that there are
other people who have similar experiences. Keep in touch with NSPIRG and send
your stories to future editors of the guide or visit the messageboard at http://
survivalguide.nspirg.org to share with others.
ERIE MAESTRO
I forget now where I got hold of the Single Mothers’ Survival Guide (1991 ed). But
I remember reading it from cover to cover to make sure I did not miss anything. I
was so glad there was this book written just for us.
Being a single mother is difficult and hard work. Being an immigrant woman on top
of that makes it more difficult because of the racial and cultural issues involved.
If there is anything that determines the quality of my life here in Canada, it would
be gender (my being a woman), my race (who I am and where I come from), my
class (which reflects how much money I have) and of course, the level of education
and culture I have, and my grasp of the English language. And I would add a fifth
factor, that of being a single mother. All of these continue to determine which
doors let me in, the new friends I make, the services and facilities I can access here
in Canada, and the kind of parenting I have learned.
A single mom once wrote that parenting is like crossing a bridge. You never know
how successful you are till you reach the other side. Perhaps. But, I would like to
think that you can stop, while you are traveling on that bridge, to strategize on how
to continue to cross that bridge surely and triumphantly.
My daughter and I came to Halifax in 1991. As an immigrant mother, I am caught
between two culture, my own and a dominant mainstream culture. My daughter
lives it too. My daughter does not have my advantage of a memory warehouse of
songs and stories, experiences, lessons and friendship and other things that serve as
a buffer, a filter, a shield with which to handle this new culture.
My turning point as an immigrant parent was when my daughter, age 4, declared
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that she wanted her hair to be yellow. My daughter had long, black hair then. I was
horrified! It offended me and my nationalist sentiments to hear that my daughter
wished to be other than who she was! Too busy studying, I had neglected my
‘nationalist’ responsibility. I didn’t want to lose my daughter into the dominant
culture. Like most immigrant mothers, I want my daughter to grow up confident
in who she is, proud of the shape of her eyes, nose , and mouth, and the colour
of her hair. I want her to know the history of her people and not forget the first
language she first spoke and used to understand the world. I want her to be proud
that she is Filipina. That is my “nationalist” parenting – feeding her stories about
the Philippines, its heroic men and women, and teaching her about the Filipino
language. If I failed in this, there would be no one to blame but myself.
To be an immigrant parent also means to do anti-racist parenting. My daughter and
I have been subjected to racism – name calling, ridicule, and teasing. We have seen
how certain people can hate us just because we look different. Racism is one more
thing my child has to recognize and learn how to fight, every day and everywhere.
As immigrant parents, we have no choice. At the same time, to parent well is also to
teach compassion and respect for differences.
My child is now 13 years-old. In the drama of our lives, I find that as an immigrant
mother, I do not have the monopoly of knowledge but I do have the final say on
decisions. My daughter has sometimes been my teacher, without her knowing it.
Both of us have learned to compromise. Living in two cultures demands that we do
so.
Single parenting is crossing that bridge alone. And knowing that when you reach
the other side, you did it the best way you could, on your own. And triumph will be
so much sweeter.
SARA
It was just before Christmas and he told my son to go upstairs and clean his room.
It wasn’t to his satisfaction. He went upstairs, ransacked the whole bedroom…he
beat my son and I thought: “That’s it. I tried to leave twice before, I’m still here,
what went wrong”? I realized…my mouth. Don’t tell him you’re leaving, just leave.
So I called a good friend of mine up and she knew there were problems and she
knew to what degree because she had seen the violence.
This man knew how many underwear we all had, how many bras I owned, what
I had in my closet, what the boys had. So she says, “let’s rig up your washing
machine,” and that’s what we did. She rigged it so that the belt went through
halfway and then it broke. It looked like it was a normal wear and tear thing to the
naked eye. So now I have to take my clothes somewhere to get washed right? So
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you go with twelve pairs of underwear, you come back with eleven. Things happen.
So every time I’d go over, I’d always make sure I did two loads of laundry at her
place and this was my excuse to take out so many pairs of underwear for me and
my son, so many tops…By the time we finished we had enough clothes to the two
of us for at least two weeks.
I called all these places and they would explain to me what I had to do. I said “well,
I’m not ready yet. I’m getting there but not quite ready yet. I know when it will be
the right day and the right time.” So from November to December I got all the
information and I left it over at my girlfriend’s house.
January 8th, 1998, was D-Day. He went to work. On this day, got my stuff together,
ran over to my girlfriend’s house. She said “ok, call Social Services and wile you’re
doing that I’ll go get your son”… I called my older son who was at work. Because
of my husband’s abuse, my older son left home when he was 14. We almost ended
a mother and son relationship. I’m surprised we’re even talking now because of the
abuse, but luckily we managed to repair something. So the day I called him I said
“look today’s the day, you’re either coming with us..he says what are you talking
about? I say I’m leaving him, he says no you’re not, you’ve said that before. I said I
might have said it but we’re doing it.”
Calgary ‘welfare’ gave me a cheque for $1300, which paid for three one-way bus
tickets and a little bit of food.
I didn’t want to stay in the same city because I knew what was going to happen. He
was just going to find me like he did the other two times, sweet talk me into going
back with him and then the cycle would go round again. As I said before, I tried
counseling. Finally, I said enough – I want out of the province.
Women feel they have to protect the image…what will the neighbours think, what
will the neighbours say? To hell with neighbours, what is best for you? If the man is
beating the hell outta you, you get out of there. Don’t say I can’t do it, you can do
it. Yes, it’s scary, trust me it’s scary. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done.
MICHELLE
My parents paid for my children and I to go down to the States for Christmas and
I was so sad and desperate and unhappy, because of my divorce but we went down
there and we went to the airport when it was time to go back to Canada and the
plane was supposed to leave about 8 and get in around 11pm. Well the plane didn’t
leave until 11. The kids were 6, 8 and 10 at the time.
When we got into Halifax, it was a snowstorm and it was 3 o’clock in the morning
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and I had just assumed that there would be taxis there, but all the taxis were gone.
Everybody on the plane had arranged transportation. It’s three c’clock in the
morning and it’s just me and my three kids. I had left my car in town parked where
I work. So I was calling the cab companies…nobody was answering and I didn’t
know how I was going to get home. Finally, I got somebody out of bed and I said
I need to go to downtown Halifax. I’m at the airport and I have three kids here and
he said he’d find somebody. He found this woman and he said she would come out
and get us. So I waited and waited and no one came. So I called him back and he
said her car wasn’t going so her boyfriend had to come over and get her car started,
got her on the road and she came and got us.
We were on our way back into Halifax and I just couldn’t thank her enough. I never
forgot this woman.
The way I survived was to trust that everyone was going to be ok. Although
I’m not a church going person, to pray and pray and pray and then it was very
interesting when I started doing that…I found that I frequently got answers to my
prayers and that was the most amazing thing. I was so desperate and it was such a
blessing to get an answer either in the middle of the night or through dreams or
through something happening. It really bery much struck me that I was not alone,
that things would work out, that there was somebody helping me and I trusted
that with that help, I would make the right decisions, if I was just very careful
and thoughtful and had the right motivation, to basically do good, to protect my
children and have a peaceful life.
Our life now is quite quiet and content and creative for the most part, I’m fairly
happy, which is something that I didn’t think I’d be able to accomplish when I
headed into this four years ago.
CHRISTINE SMITH
The following are some accounts and insights on what it is like to be a single mom.
There are the predators – usually men, but sometimes women, who think they can
do things to you and your family that they would normally not do if a man was
present. There are several types of predators. I have listed and described 6 in the
following, along with some advice on how to deal with them.
1. The neighbours who steal your children’s toys, bikes, and even clothing
off the line because they pay taxes and if you’re on ‘welfare’ “it’s their
stuff anyway.”
Advice: Try to relocate to a place where people are more educated and less
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judgmental. You may also try calling the police. You have a right to protection
and safety.
2. The doctor that tells you to give up your babies for adoption to a “good
family” and threatens or harasses you if you do not sign the forms.
Advice: Find another doctor or call the Human Rights Commision. If they do
not let you leave their office, call the police.
3. The guy who fakes that he cares about you and the children so that he can
live off you – he preys upon any insecurity that you may have about being
a single mom, and goes to great lengths when making you feel it is your
fault when he points out your “misgivings.” He is essentially the “good
guy,” who is soo good that he is willing to be with you, the lowly single
mom so you should be grateful and put up with him. He is full of himself.
Advice: You do not need him or any of his kind. You have the power to do
what you need to and more. Your children have the right to be loved and not
used as pawns by a pig in Knight clothing. Just look into your children’s eyes
and you will find all that you need. You can find a way and be that great person
that you are. Just keep loving and being loyal to your family.
4. The sexual king who think the same way as predator 1, but also about
your body. They think that you have no power to do anything about them.
But you do. They can be dealt with.
Advice Call the police. Also, the sexual assault hotline can help. Remember
that you are not alone – there is help out there.
5. The employer who thinks they have you over a barrel and tries to make
you do more work or high level work without paying you for it. For me
one out of many life experiences involved a business lunch. Halfway
through the lunch the creep told me that he had no work for me and that
he invited me to lunch just to because he wanted to spend time with me.
So I thanked him for lunch, left and billed him for my time.
Advice: Call the Department of Labour and Human Rights Commission. Just
tell on them and keep telling on them. Sometimes it is better to eat macaroni
for a short while. Eventually, you can make it. Just be true to yourself. You’re
worth as much as the next person and not every employer is like predator 5.
By standing up for yourself, you show that you value yourself. If you value
yourself then others will too.
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6. The teachers or lunch monitors who look the other way when your child
is being beaten for having a single mom for a parent and/or for not being
white or rich, or automatically blames your child when something goes
wrong. Or leaves them out of a certain event without sufficient reasons.
Advice: Confront them directly in a diplomatic or polite way. Sometimes it is
better to mediate through a principal or teacher you trust. If they are abusive
to you or persist with persecuting your children, call the school board, and the
Human Rights Commission. They must be reported. They are a danger to all
children when they provide care to children with exclusions based on race,
class, status or wealth.
Although there may be others, these were among the worst predators that I
encountered along my journeys as sole parent of three children.
All single moms everywhere should be treated like gold. Most have gone through
unimaginable nightmares – yet manage to provide for children even in the toughest
times. They are an inspiration to all of us, and should be recognized as such. Like
heroes, they truly run the daily gauntlet and survive.
HEATHER MOORE
I give kids complete and utter reposted. My daughter deserves it. I’m out watching
my kid playing cause I like my kid, cause I want to hang with my kid as often as I
can. My priorities from the beginning were children and the future and not about
making money. When I gave birth to my daughter, I made her and the children in
my life priority.
Society doesn’t do that. They’re the next generation. The system does not make the
next generation more important than we are and they are. They’re the ones who are
going to be looking after us when we’re in diapers in our old age. Where do these
political systems come from, that don’t incorporate any of that? We can sit and
judge as many single parents as we want but then again it’s not about the parents
and how they were irresponsible to get there and all that other stuff…It’s about
these children growing up in poverty, growing up with hungry stomachs, growing
up with parents who are too stressed out to eat. These are the children who are
going to school without breakfast because their mother didn’t have enough energy
to get up early enough to look after them because she didn’t eat the day before
and she’s frustrated cause she hasn’t had somebody in such a long time pattin’ her
on the back going “you know what, I see how hard you’re working. I know this is
difficult for you, but you know you’re gonna be alright.” Nobody. They don’t want
to support you. They want to sit around saying we can’t give you this and we can’t
78
give you that and not one of them is going this is what we can do for you and this
is how you can stay alive. They’re not gung ho about keeping people alive. They’re
gung ho about keeping the system alive I guess.
The medical system isn’t there to keep people alive either. It’s there to keep the
status quo. I was in a hospital for some time. The last time I went in I didn’t want
their drugs. They didn’t like that. I don’t want to be medicated. I’m angry, I’m
frustrated, I’m depressed. There’s a reason for it and as long as you medicate me
I don’t get to those reasons. You know I don’t get to deal with those things. I’m
ready to be angry now. I couldn’t do that for years because I had too many things
to do.
People are judgmental as soon as they find out you’re on ‘welfare’. They don’t like
you to look pretty. I start dressing up and looking pretty and I’ve made a point of it
in the last little while because I can. For the first time in 12 years, my daughter’s old
enough and I can breath and look in the mirror. Wow I have long hair. It grew long
over those years. I never even had a haircut in the last 12 years. It grew really long
in a neat kind of shape. Wow I can put braids in and pretty things and that’s a lot to
me. Small pleasures are a lot to me. They want to see me looking dirty. The minute
I start looking good, I’m arrogant and I must be cheating somebody. The fact is I
have a lot of clothes. I didn’t buy any of them. I used to volunteer at Adsum House
for a long time, so I’d go to Adsum House and get my clothes from the shelter. I’m
a woman. I have a right to dress up nice.
The hardest part about being a single parent is the stereotypes…breaking through
those, convincing people to help me out past the stereotypes.
I’m trying to figure out what is the definition of success? And who am I really?
Well maybe according to some people, financially I’m not successful but I have a lot
of love in my life. I have a lot of life in my life. I’m awake, I’m alive and I love my
daughter. And my daughter loves me and that’s all that matters.
79
NUMBERS TO KNOW
IN NOVA SCOTIA
In this section we have tried to include as many organizations and telephone
numbers as possible. However, some groups or resources may have been
overlooked. Some telephone numbers and/or addresses may have changed,
although they were all accurate as of the time of printing. Write in any extra
addresses and telephone numbers as you come across them. Please write to smsg@
nspirg.org and let us know of any important numbers we may have missed or
corrections.
Another great resource is your local telephone book. The white pages contain a
section in back called the “Blue Pages” that list federal, provincial, and municipal
government departments. The first section of the yellow pages contain an
“InfoGuide” section, with listings like the Human Resource Service Guide, and a
directory to legal services in Nova Scotia, including the information codes for DialA-Law topics.
Don’t be confused by the lack of street addresses provided for transition houses in
your area. Remember that transition houses provide safe shelter for women leaving
abusive situations and for this reason the addresses are never published.
The main thing to remember is that if you need help and you don’t know where to
turn, try either your local women’s resource centre or your local HelpLine. All are
clearing houses for information and should be able to give you some idea of where
to go for help. Your local library may also provide listings of resources available in
your community.
The (WIT) you see beside some women’s centres stands for Women in Transition
Project. It was mentioned in the Political chapter. Women’s as well as parent
resource centres listed are excellent sources of resources and help. Make sure to ask
if your local centre has a single parent support group. It’s worth it to get involved.
80
AMHERST/TRURO AREA
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Family & Children’s Services of Cumberland County
667-3336
Box 399, Amherst, NS B4H 3Z5
Children’s Aid & Community Services
893-5950
60 Lorne St, Truro, NS B2N 5G7
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services, Department of Education
893-7209
Nova Scotia Community College, Truro Campus, 36 Arthur St, Truro, NS B2N
1X5
Amherst Human Resource Centre of Canada
661-6619
26-28 Prince Arthur Street, Amherst, NS B4H 1V6
Truro Human Resource Centre of Canada
893-0016
60 Lome St, Truro, NS B2N 3K3
FAMILY COURT
Amherst Family Court
667-3598
16 Church St, Third Floor, Amherst, NS B4H 3A6
Truro Family Court
893-5930
540 Prince St, Truro, NS B2N 1G1
FAMILY PLANNING
Cumberland County Family Planning
667-7500
12 LaPlanche St, Amherst, NS B4H 4B8
81
(An affiliate of Planned Parenthood)
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
667-7544
55 Church St, Box 262, Amherst, NS B4H 3Z2
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
893-5920
523 Prince St., Suite 102, Truro, NS B2N 1E8
PROGRAMS FOR ABUSIVE MEN
New Directions
667-4500
Box 1141, Amherst, NS B4H 4L2
Bridges: A Domestic Abuse Intervention Program
897-6665
670 Prince St., Unit 2, Truro, NS B2N 1G6
(also has program for partners for abusive men)
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Cumberland County Transition House Assoc.
667-1344 or Crisis Line 667-1200
Box 1141, Amherst, NS B4H 4L2
The Third Place
893-4844 or Crisis Line 893-3232 AND toll free 1 800 565 4878
Box 1681, Truro, NS B2N 5Z5
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Available in New Glasgow.
OTHER
Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association
893-7402
Box 805, Truro, NS B2N 5E8
82
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Department of Community Services
532-2337
752 St. George St, Municipal building, Box 39
Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0
Department of Community Services
678-6176
76 River St, Kentville, NS B4N 1G9
Family & Children’s Services of Annapolis County
532-2337
752 St.George St, Municipal Building, Box 39
Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0
Family & Children’s Services of Hants County
798-2289
Box 99, Windsor, NS B0N 2T0
Family & Children’s Services of Kings County
678-6176
76 River St, Kentville, NS B4N 1G9
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services, Department of Education and Culture
679-6203
Belcher St, Box 487, Kentville, NS B4N 3X3
Kentville Human Resource Centre of Canada
679-5772
495 Main St, Kentville, NS B4N 3W5
Windsor Human Resource Centre of Canada
798-6518
80 Water St, Windsor, NS B0N 2T0
FAMILY COURT
83
Kentville Family Court
679-6075
136 Exhibition St, Kentville, NS B4N 4E5
FAMILY PLANNING
Red Door
679-1411
28 Webster Court, Kentville, NS B4N 1H7
HELPLINES
Regional Victim Services
679-6201 or 1-800-565-1805
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
532-2311
253 St George St, McCormick Building
Box 188, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
679-6110
325 Main St, Salon B, Kentville, NS B4N 1K5
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
798-8397
138 Gerrish St, Box 760, Windsor, NS B0N 2T0
TRANSITION AND SAFE HOUSES
Chrysallis House
679-6544 or Crisis Line 679-1922/1-800-264-8682
Box 356, Kentville, NS B4N 3X1
84
ANTIGONISH/GUYSBOROUGH
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Department of Community Services
863-3213
325 Main St, Second Floor, Provincial Building,
Suite 101, Antigonish, NS B2G 2C3
Guysborough Community Services
533-4007
Box 90, Chedabucto Mall, Guysborough, NS B0H 1N0
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services, Department of Education & Culture
625-3761
Department of Education, 226 Reeves St., Rm. 211, Strait Area Campus B9A 2A2
(Career planning & transition counseling for Antigonish, Guysborough,
Inverness & Richmond Counties)
Human Resource Centre
533-2119
9996 Route 16, Guysborough, Box 230 B0H 1N0
Antigonish Human Resource Centre of Canada
863-7069
325 Main Street, Antigonish, NS B2G 2C3
FAMILY COURT
Antigonish Family Court
863-7312
11 James St, Antigonish, NS B2G 1R6
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
863-3350
273 Main St, Antigonish, NS B2G 2C3
PROGRAMS FOR ABUSIVE MEN
85
Shifting Gears Family Services
863-2358
188 Main St, Antigonish, NS B2G 2B9
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Naomi Society
863-3807, Crisis Line 863-3807
23 Bay St, Suite 316, Antigonish, NS B2G 2G7
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre (WIT)
863-6221
219 Main St, Kirk Place, Suite 204, Antigonish, NS B2G 2C1
86
BRIDGEWATER/LUNENBURG
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Family & Community Services Lunenburg County
543-4554
99 High St, Provincial Building, Suite 105,
Bridgewater, NS B4V 1V8
Family & Children’s Services
354-2771
Box 1360, Liverpool, NS B0T 1K0
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
*Career & Transition Services, Department of Education & Culture
543-0500
c/o Lunenburg Campus, 75 High St, Bridgewater, NS B4V 1V8
(Career planning & transition counseling)
Human Resource Centre
527-5511
77 Dufferin St, Box 3100, Bridgewater, NS B4V 3J1
FAMILY COURT
Family Court
543-0525
599 King St. Suite 201, Bridgewater, NS B4V 1B3
FAMILY PLANNING
Planned Parenthood of Bridgewater
543-1315
c/o Second Story Women’s Centre
12 Dominion St, Bridgewater, NS B4V 2W8 (NS Affiliate)
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
543-4658
724 King St, Bridgewater, NS B4V 1B4
87
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Harbour House
543-3665, Crisis Line 543-3999
Box 355, Bridgewater, NS B4V 2W9
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Second Story Women’s Centre
543-1315
624 King St, Bridgewater, NS B4V 1B4
88
HALIFAX/DARTMOUTH/SACKVILLE
(HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY)
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Children & Family Services (Sackville)
869-3600
70 Memory Lane, Sackville, NS B4C 2J3
Department of Community Services (Dartmouth)
424-3298
277 Pleasant St, Suite 400, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4B7
Department of Community Services (Halifax)
424-4150
Box 2561, Halifax, NS B3J 3N5
Department of Community Services (Sackville)
864-5600
70 Memory Lane, Sackville, NS B4C 2J3
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services, Department of Education & Culture
491-3528
Nova Scotia Community College West End Mall Campus
6960 Mumford Rd Suite 25a B3L 4P1
Human Resource Centre (Bedford)
426-9214
1597 Bedford Highway, Royal Bank Building, 2nd Floor,
Bedford, NS B4A 3Z8
Human Resource and Skills Centre (Dartmouth)
426-5996
46 Portland St, Royal Bank Building, 5th floor, PO Box 2400 DEPS,
Dartmouth, NS B2W 4A5
Human Resource Centre (Halifax)
426-9617
2nd Floor, Mumford Tower II, Halifax Shopping Centre,
7001 Mumford Rd, Box 1800,
89
Halifax, NS B3J 3V1
Human Resource Centre (North Halifax)
Halifax North Career Development Centre
425-3464
2178 Gottingen, Halifax, NS B3K 3E5
SUPREME COURT FAMILY DIVISION
424-3990
3380 Devonshire Ave, Halifax, NS B3K 5M6
PO Box 8988 Station A
FAMILY PLANNING
Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic
455-9656
6009 Quinpool Rd, Suite 201, Halifax, NS B3K 5J7
Termination of Pregnancy Unit
473-7072
HELPLINES
Help Line
421-1188
Department of Justice Victim Services
424-3307
Regional Police Victim Services
490-5300
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Dalhousie Legal Aid
423-8105
2209 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS B3K 3B5
Dial-A-Law (24 Hr Service)
420-1888
90
Nova Scotia Legal Aid (Dartmouth)
420-8815
99 Wyse Rd, Suite 300, Dartmouth, NS B3A 4S5
Nova Scotia Legal Aid (Halifax)
420-6583
5475 Spring Garden Rd, Suite 400
Halifax, NS B3J 3P2
Nova Scotia Legal Aid (Metro Office)
420-3450
2830 Agricola St, Halifax, NS B3K 4E4
Public Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia
454-2198
1-800-665-9779
5523B Young St, Hydrostone Market,
Halifax, NS B3K 1Z7
PROGRAMS FOR ABUSIVE MEN
Veith House
Veith House isn’t just a program for abusive men any more, they’re a multi-facility.
They have pre-school, counseling, in-home parenting program, supervised access
program, advocacy, trusteeing and a CAP site.
453-4320
3115 Veith St, Halifax, NS B3K 3G9
(Also has counselor for female partners of abusive men)
Project New Start
423-4675
1568 Hollis St. suite 210 Halifax, NS B3J 1V3
*Alive Program
424 5623
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Bryony House
423-7183 or Crisis Line 422-7650
2786 Agricola, suite 119 Halifax NS B3K 4E1
Adsum House
91
429-4443
Shelter for homeless women and children.
2421 Brunswick Street Halifax NS, B3K 2Z4
Barry House
422-8324
Emergency Shelter for Women and their children
2581 Brunswick Street Halifax, NS B3K 2Z5
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Dalhousie Women’s Centre
494-2432
6286 South Street
Lea Place (WIT)
885-2668
PO Box 245 Sheet Harbour, NS B0J 3B0
OTHER
AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia
429-7922
1657 Barrington ST, Suite 326, Halifax, NS B3J 2A1
*Avalon Centre (formerly Service for Sexual Assault Victims)
422-4240
5670 Spring Garden Rd, Suite 507, Halifax, NS B3J 18G
Bayers Westwood Family Support Services Assoc.
454-9444
3499 McAlpine Ave, Halifax, NS B3L 3X8
Coverdale (advocacy group for women)
422-6417
2346 Hunter St, Halifax, NS B3K 4V6
Extra Support for Parents Program
470-7111
IWK-Grace Health Centre, 5850/5980 University Ave
PO Box 9700, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8
Family Services Association
92
420-1980 1-888-886-5552
West End Mall 6960 Mumford Rd. Suite S14 B3L 431
Family Service of Support Association (Family SOS)
455-5515
7071 Bayers Rd, Suite 337, Halifax, NS B3L 2C2
In Home Parenting Program
453-4320
Veith House, 3115 Veith St, Halifax, NS B3K 3G9
MicMac Friendship Centre
420-1576
2158 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS B3K 3B4
MISA *IMMIGRANT SERVICES
423-3607
7105 Chebucto Road Suite 201 Halifax, B3L 4W8
NS Advisory Council on the Status of Women
424-8662 OR 1-800-565-8662
6169 Quinpool Rd, Suite 202, Halifax, NS B3J 2T3
Parent Resource Centre (Dartmouth)
464-2203
47 Wentworth St, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 2T1
Parent Resource Centre (Halifax)
492-0133
5475 Uniacke Halifax, NS, B3K 5V5
Progress Centre for Early Intervention
423-2686
3530 Novalea Drive, Halifax, NS B3K 3E8
(Resource Centre for parents of children with special needs)
*Reach Ability Nova Scotia
429-5878
6389 Coburg Rd, Halifax, NS B3H 2A5
Single Parent Centre
479-3031
3 Sylvia Ave, Spryfield, NS B3R 1J7
93
Special Needs Emergency Response Program
425-5860
Veith House
Veith House isn’t just a program for abusive men any more, they’re a multi-facility.
They have pre-school, counseling, in-home parenting program, supervised access
program, advocacy, trusteeing and a CAP site.
453-4320
3115 Veith St, Halifax, NS B3K 3G9
(Also has counselor for female partners of abusive men)
YWCA
423-6162
1239 Barrington St, Halifax, NS B3J 1Y3
For an excellent & comprehensive guide to these and other groups in Metro
Halifax, contact Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group at 494-6662 for a
copy of the Handy Dandy Directory.
94
PICTOU/NEW GLASGOW AREA
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Children’s Aid Society
755-5950
7 Campbells Lane, New Glasgow, NS B2H 2H9
Department of Community Services
755-7363
678 East River Road, New Glasgow, PO Box 488 B2H 5E5
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
*Human Resource Centre
755-7826
340 East River Rd, New Glasgow, NS B2H 3P7
FAMILY COURT
Department of Justice - Family Court
485-7025
69 Water Street, Pictou, NS PO Box 1750 NS, B0K 1H0
FAMILY PLANNING
Pictou County Women’s Centre
755-4647
35 River Side St PO Box 964, New Glasgow, NS B2H 5K7
Pictou County Centre for Sexual Health
695 3366
35 River Side St. PO Box 964, New Glasgow, NS B2H 5K7
HELPLINES
Help Line
752-5952
75 Lavinia Street site 119 New Glasgow, NS, B2H 1N5
Regional Victim Services
755-7110 or 1-800-565-7912
95
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
755-7020
116 George St, New Glasgow, NS B2H 2K6
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Tearmann Society
752-1633 or 752-0132
Box 153, New Glasgow, NS B2H 5E2
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Pictou County Women’s Centre (WIT)
755-4647
SEE ABOVE FOR ADDRESS.
96
PORT HAWKESBURY AREA
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
*Children’s Aid of Inverness-Richmond
625-0660
Box 359, Port Hawkesbury, NS B0E 2V0
*Department of Community Services
625-0660
Box 359, Port Hawkesbury, NS B0E 2V0
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services, Department of Education & Culture
625-3761
Rm 225, Box 1225, Port Hawkesbury, NS, B0E 2V0
Human Resources Centre
625-4115
811 Reeves St, Unit 8, Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2S4
FAMILY COURT
Family Court
625-2665
218 MacSween St, unit 2, Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2J9
FAMILY PLANNING
Available in Sydney or New Glasgow
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
1-888-817-0116
273 Main St, Antigonish, NS B2G 2C3
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Leeside Transition House
625-1990 or Crisis Line 625-2444/1-800-565-3390
97
PO Box 6913, Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2W2
(Will assist you with the issue of violence against yourself and your children.)
OTHER
Family Service of Inverness-Richmond
625-0131
301 Pitt Street, unit 4, Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2T6
(Private counseling – fees scaled to income level, referral not needed)
98
SHELBOURNE/YARMOUTH/DIGBY AREA
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Children’s Aid of Shelburne County
637-2337
Box 9, Barrington, NS B0W 1E0
Department of Community Services (Digby)
245-5811
84 Warwick St, Box 399, Digby, NS B0V 1A0
Department of Community Services (Shelburne)
637-2335
Box 9, Barrington, NS B0W 1E0
Department of Community Services (Yarmouth)
742-0722
10 Starrs Rd, Yarmouth, NS B5A 2T1
Family & Children’s Services of Yarmouth County
742-0700
10 Starrs Rd, Yarmouth, NS B5A 2T1
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
*Career & Transition Services, Department of Education & Culture
742-0640
372 Pleasant St, Yarmouth, NS B5A 2L2
Human Resource Centre
742-6178
13 Willow Street, Yarmouth, NS B5A 4B2
*Human Resource Centre
875-2452
218 Water St, Box 819, Shelburne, NS B0T 1W0
FAMILY COURT
Yarmouth Family Court
742-0550
99
403 Main St, Yarmouth, NS B5A 1G3
FAMILY PLANNING
Planned Parenthood
742-0085
126 Brunswick St, Yarmouth, NS, B5A 2H3
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
742-7827
101 Water St, Pier 1 Complex, Box 163, Yarmouth, NS B5A 4B2
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Juniper House
742-8689
Box 842, Yarmouth B5A 4K9
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Women’s Centre
742-0085
126 Brunswick St., Yarmouth, NS B5A 2H3
OTHER
Parent’s Place-daycare, resources for families with kids under six
749-1718
34 Bernard St, Yarmouth, NS B5A 3T5
100
SYDNEY/NORTH SYDNEY
CHILD PROTECTION & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Children’s Aid Society of Cape Breton
563-3400
360 Prince St, Provincial Building, Suite 33, Sydney, NS B1P 5L1
Department of Community Services
842-4000
633 Main St, Senator’s Place, 3rd Floor, Glace Bay, NS B1A 6J3
Department of Community Services
563-3300
360 Prince St, Provincial Building, Suite 25, Sydney, NS B1P 5L1
EMPLOYMENT CENTRES
Career & Transition Services,
563-2265
NSCC-Marconi Campus PO Box 1042 Sydney, NS B1P 6J7
Human Resource Centre
842-2414
633 Main St, Glace Bay, NS B1A 6J3
Human Resource Centre
564-7249
15 Dorchester St, Sydney, NS B1P 6J3
FAMILY COURT
Sydney Family Court
563-2200
136 Charlotte St, Sydney, NS B1P 1C3
FAMILY PLANNING
Planned Parenthood Cape Breton
539-5158
106 Townsend St, Office 8, Box 1598, Sydney, NS B1P 6R8
101
HELPLINES
HelpLine
562-4357
LEGAL AID & INFORMATION
Nova Scotia Legal Aid
563-2295
336 King’s Rd, Suite 201, Sydney, PO Box 1373 NS B1P 6K3
PROGRAMS FOR ABUSIVE MEN
Project Second Chance
567-0979
106 Townsend Ave, Suite 6, Sydney, NS B1P 5E1
(Treatment group for men who are abusive in relationships)
TRANSITION & SAFE HOUSES
Cape Breton Transition House
539-2945
Box 487, Sydney, NS B1P 6H4
WOMEN’S CENTRES
Every Woman’s Centre (WIT)
567-1212
102 Townsend St, Sydney, NS B1P 5E1
OTHER
The Ann Terry Outreach Project
539-0404
165 Townsend St, Box 368, Sydney, NS B1P 6H2
(Women’s employment counseling – call ahead)
102
103