Internships valuable

I was puzzled and saddened to read of the Nova Scotia government’s decision to stop funding internships in psychology. Internships are a valuable and necessary part of clinical training for psychology graduate students. In many ways, such internships are a “win-win” — graduate students receive the training they need and Nova Scotians receive enhanced access to psychological services. This decision places this situation in jeopardy.

Ironically, just prior to reading about this decision, I met with a representative of a local employer to discuss an increasingly common problem. The employing organization has been experiencing a spike in short-term and long-term disability claims related to mental-health issues. Insurance providers regularly tell us that such claims account for 30-40 per cent of their claims and up to 70 per cent of their costs. The Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates that mental illness health costs our economy $50 billion each year. As Hedy Fry noted in her June speech to the Economic Club of Canada, mental health is a key pillar to economic growth. We need more, not fewer, psychological services. I urge the government to reconsider this unfortunate decision and to enhance access to psychological services.

E. Kevin Kelloway, PhD, Canada research chair at Saint Mary’s University; president, Canadian Psychological Association

Investing in jobs

In your Aug. 14 article about the help a New Waterford woman got in landing a trucking job, it was noted that the Ann Terry Women’s Employment Project of Sydney had an uncertain future. This, despite the project having found employment for 145 women over the past year. The provincial funding to be saved works out to be $1,803 (and change) per worker, although that does not cover the taxes paid by the newly employed, their increased spending nor that of the employees of the Employment Project itself. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars did the Nova Scotia government pay the last big business (in tax rebates or other ways) to hire 145 workers?

Jane Warren, Wolfville

Access denied

I am sad today. Sad, for my country and for what is left of our democracy. Stephen Harper has turned us into frightened puppets that have slowly watched our freedoms eroded. Isn’t it ironic that he claims to be the protector of these very freedoms?

In order to see Mr. Harper speak at Sunday’s rally in Amherst, one had to apply. I saw a number of our previous prime ministers with no such requirement. In the democracy that I was brought up in, I had a right to see my PM speak. Even though I may not vote for Mr. Harper’s party, he is still my PM.

But there is one plausible explanation as to why I did not receive a reply to my request for an invitation. Maybe the requests landed in chief of staff Ray Novak’s inbox, and we all know that he does not read his emails.

Fraser Patterson, Ross Ferry