Dr. Leisha Hawker didn’t intend to speak as a witness at the standing committee on health in Halifax on Tuesday.

Jackie Van Amburg works in the provincial government and commutes through the Scotia Square mall in downtown Halifax nearly every day.

When Cathy Seale read the notice posted on the door, announcing the Tacoma Family Medicine Walk-in Clinic(opens in a new tab) in Dartmouth, N.S., would close beginning Monday, her reaction was one of sadness. “It’s going to be missed,” said the Dartmouth resident. “And it is needed here.”