Opposition parties call for action, not talk, on N.S. finances
Posted Jan 15, 2010 05:56:24 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Nova Scotia’s finance minister will hit the road next week, travelling to at least 16 communities to ask the public how they want him to balance the books.
Graham Steele says he’ll outline the projected $525 million deficit and the billion-dollar deficits that could follow.
He says he wants the public’s feedback on containing spending, increasing revenue and expanding the economy.
“It’s designed to generate some feedback on values and priorities, information that the government needs as it seeks that balance between the options that are available,” he said.
Liberal finance critic Diana Whalen says there’s been enough talk about the province’s woeful finances and it’s up to Steele to fix them – not the public.
“At the end of the day, it has to be seen that the finance minister is responsible for the decisions that are taken,” she said. “He can’t hide behind a smokescreen of panels, experts and now public consultations.”
Tory finance critic Allan McMaster says he wonders whether people will want to give their opinions to a government that he says has broken promises.
“If people lack trust in their government, they’re less apt to believe there’s value in coming out to give that government their opinion,” he said.
He too says he’d like to see the government make a decision instead of gathering data for another report.
To sign up for a meeting in your community, visit the finance department’s website.
www.gov.ns.ca/finance .
