Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund

An important decision by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal says Community Services is wrong to deprive entire families of welfare benefits just because the so called ‘head of the family’ did something wrong. All credit to Rosemary Sparks, who felt an injustice was done to her family and decided to fight back, and to the lawyers who fought the case all the way to the highest court in Nova Scotia.

When the “head of the family” gets suspended from receiving income assistance for punitive reasons, the entire family suffers. A recent case went all the way to the NS Court of Appeal where lawyers argued this goes against Charter values and international agreements Nova Scotia signed off on.

When the head of a family is cut off from social assistance for punitive reasons the entire family suffers. LEAF, a national organization that promotes equality rights for women and girls hopes to change that through the Nova Scotia judicial system.