McNeil meets with Lt. Gov, convenes first caucus
Posted Oct 11, 2013 11:07:42 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s premier-designate met with Lt.-Gov. J.J. Grant today before holding his first meeting with his new caucus.
Stephen McNeil’s Liberal party won 33 of the 51 seats in the legislature after Tuesday’s election.
NDP Premier Darrell Dexter, whose party was reduced to third place in the house, submitted his resignation to the lieutenant-governor on Thursday.
However, Dexter will continue serving as premier until McNeil and his cabinet are sworn in, expected within the next two weeks.
McNeil confirmed today that the legislature will resume for a fall sitting, but he says it remains unclear when that will happen or how long the sitting will be.
McNeil is expected to be sworn-in as Nova Scotia’s premier in the next two weeks.
He’s promising to refrain from complaining that the books are in far worse shape than expected _ a well-worn tactic used by new governments hoping to pull back on costly election promises.
The NDP may not be responding to the closure of Blackberry in Bedford, but McNeil told reporters Friday that he hopes to keep the skilled workers here in Nova Scotia.
He says transition teams are working with the former employees, trying to lay out the options.
“Making sure that those families recognize that there will be support there to help them try and transition into better opportunities,” explained McNeil.
Blackberry received millions of dollars from the province to secure jobs, that money was tied to job creation. McNeil says the money will be returned to taxpayers.
He adds this is case and point why he raised concerns about how the province has approached economic development over the past four years.
With files from Jonathan Muma
