01 Nov Denise Peterson-Rafuse – feedback

Yesterday, I posted about the pitfalls facing a minister who receives an official complaint from a well-known political ally, and critiqued Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse for her navigation of these tricky waters. Reader Mark Austin offers a broader assessment of the minister:

While you are right on your scoring of Minister Peterson-Rafuse on her recent public foray, I think you have to award her a few points for being willing to communicate off the cuff. She strikes me as sincere and earnest. I would give her back one point for that. So, 1-1.

Last week, at the Taking Action on Poverty conference in Truro, she announced a series of small but significant and sensible spending and policy measures that will have a positive impact on many families and individuals in the province facing hardship. I give her 5 points for those. So, 6-1.

I did feel a twinge about going after any official for talking too freely, since the opposite sin is epidemic in our messaged-up-the-ying-yang government communications culture.

The “small but significant” revisions to income support policies announced by Peterson-Rafuse are described here. They do look sensible.