Liberal budget, NDP leader return to legislature with promise to fix health 'challenges'
Pomp had to compete with protest outside Province House this afternoon, as the fall sitting of Nova Scotia's Legislature got underway.
While new Lieutenant-Governor Arthur LaBlanc read his first throne speech inside the legislative chamber — outlining the Liberal government's priorities for its second straight majority mandate — union members chanted and sang outside the historic building.
Premier Stephen McNeil is returning to finish what was started last spring: passing a budget. But this fall, he'll face a bolstered opposition and an NDP leader in front of him, instead of in the public gallery overhead.
The last time Gary Burrill sat in the chamber he was on former premier Darrell Dexter's backbench. He'll now sit opposite the Liberal government's benches.
During Thursday's 41-minute speech, LeBlanc touched on many of the themes outlined in both last spring's budget and the subsequent Liberal election platform — with one notable exception: an acknowledgement of McNeil's near-miss with minority status on election night.
"This spring, Nova Scotians voiced concerns about challenges in health care," LeBlanc said on behalf of the government. "We know that more mental-health supports are needed, access to primary care must improve and wait times are too long. Government heard these concerns and will respond."
Speaking to reporters outside the chamber afterward, McNeil refused to offer specifics.
"The budget will introduce what specifically it will be. But we obviously heard from Nova Scotians about the issues that were important to them," he said. "Any changes that will be made to the budget that was introduced in the spring will be around health care."
Opposition adjustments
Both opposition leaders expressed displeasure with the fact the speech was so short on details.
Burrill called it "a sorry piece of obfuscatory nothingness," while PC Leader Jamie Baillie was similarly blunt.
"There is the same old rhetoric about health care and no actual plan for more doctors. Mental health gets a tiny mention with no actual action plan to make mental health better. I think Nova Scotians will be very disappointed at what they saw today."
The speech also reiterated plans to create 20 new residency positions for new doctors and outlined a promise to set up 15 new specialist residencies next year, with five earmarked for Cape Breton.
The new session also affords the NDP leader a chance to retake a seat in the House after a four-year absence.
"I'm thrilled to be elected," Burrill told CBC News this week. "I've been over a year watching our friends in our caucus working very hard and been in a position where I've not been able to carry my end of the board. So I'm very, very pleased to be able to go and take my part of the work."
Burrill's caucus has grown by two members to seven.
And Baillie is now part of a 17-member Official Opposition — up seven members from the last spring, when the House sat long enough to introduce a budget, but not long enough to debate or pass it.
More money for health care
The premier called an election just days after his finance minister tabled a balanced, $10.5-billion budget.
McNeil says that budget will be reintroduced with one notable change: More money for health care.
"We've heard across the province the concerns of Nova Scotians are having in and around health care," he said. "We've listened to them and our budget will reflect that."
Despite his diminished majority — a loss of seven seats — McNeil is promising to "continue to govern the way we have."
"To say that nothing is going to change after the election we just had to me shows he didn't get the message," said Baillie. "That his time in office so far has been a lot of turmoil but nothing has gotten better."
