NDP throne speech earns scorn from opposition
Posted Mar 30, 2012 06:38:12 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was dubbed “The Future Starts Here,” but provincial opposition leaders say the latest speech from the throne does nothing for Nova Scotians.
The Dexter government opened the spring session of the legislature Thursday with a throne speech that
includes a long list of new strategies and a commitment to move government jobs out of Halifax.
Premier Darrell Dexter is promising new strategies for the commercial fishery, aquaculture, mining, clean energy, tourism,
adoptions, coastal management and Cape Breton’s economic development.
Provincial PC party Leader Jamie Baillie says he’s not buying what the NDP is selling.
“To tell people that they are investing in our kids and in our schools when we know there are real cuts in the classroom is an absolute work of fiction,” said Baillie.
He also panned the claim that the NDP government is saving Nova Scotians money
“We have a throne speech that makes that claim, yet we know they have extracted $743 more from each of us in HST,” he said.
Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil also criticized the outline for the upcoming session.
“There’s nothing in this throne speech that addresses the rising power costs in the province of Nova Scotia. Nothing in this helps Nova Scotians with the rising cost of gasoline,” he said. “If you’re being crushed by the rate of power in the province of Nova Scotia there’s nothing in this to help you. If you’re an unemployed Nova Scotian, there’s nothing in this throne speech that gives you any comfort that you’ll be employed into the future.”
The speech also revealed plans for the government to move civil servant jobs out of Halifax and into rural areas. Both McNeil and Baillie said they don’t have major issues with that, but also don’t expect to see it happen.
The head of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union is criticizing the idea.
Joan Jessome says more than half of the union’s 7,000 members already work outside the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Jessome says the union wasn’t consulted about the decision.
Dexter is declining to say how many jobs will be relocated, but he confirms the number would not be in the thousands.
He says some departments could begin moving as early as this spring.
The government will release more details on their plan for the coming session in the annual budget which will be released next week.
