QP - Cuts to NS tourism
CLAUDIA CHENDER : The Premier recently dropped into the visitor information centre at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. He told the staff there to keep up the good work and he got a nice picture with them. A few days later, he slashed their jobs. Tourism is the backbone of our economy, and it is the workers who keep that sector running. They deserve better than to be used for a photo op one day and to be laid off the next.
My question to the Premier is: When did he know that the people he was taking the picture with were going to lose their jobs?
THE PREMIER : We know what this budget is. It's a difficult time for this budget for sure. There's no question about that. I think we've shown over our time in government that when we took over office, it was tough. Crisis in health care, crisis in housing, crisis in affordability, all because of under-investment of a decade before us. We've acted on that. When we could do more, we've done more. We've invested in Nova Scotians, but this is a tough time.
Spending is still up overall in this budget across the board, but it's been a tough time. We've had to make some difficult decisions that have a direct impact on people. I feel that personally as Premier, but we have to make some decisions.
CLAUDIA CHENDER : The folks at the visitor information centres and the others receiving layoff notices today due to government cuts, they manage their budgets. They pay for their families, and now they're paying for this government's mistakes. People across this province are receiving layoff notices.
This government inherited a balanced budget. Five years later, after spending more money than any government in history, Nova Scotians are not feeling the results. Power bills are expensive. Rents are increasing. There is still almost no path to home ownership for young families. Parents don't have the child care they were promised. Seniors are being priced out of their homes.
Can the Premier honestly say he's been responsible with Nova Scotians' hard-earned money?
THE PREMIER : The budget we inherited may have been balanced on paper and the numbers, but we all know how it got balanced: cuts to health care; cuts to education; failure to invest in infrastructure. We have invested in Nova Scotians, and we will continue to invest in Nova Scotians. When we can invest in Nova Scotians, we do. We act quickly. The Opposition complains about that, saying maybe we acted too fast. Some days they say that. We respect every Nova Scotian. We try to lead with the values we were raised with: respect, thoughtfulness, and compassion.
Government leadership also means knowing when to shift gears. This is such a time in light of the Trump tariff wars and the global uncertainty we have. We have to shift gears, so that's what we'll have to do.
CLAUDIA CHENDER : What about transparency? That was a value I was raised with. Let's talk about the help this government is offering, the investments. They have repackaged existing HST cuts with the Your Energy Rebate Program that's been in place for over 15 years and have told Nova Scotians that's money back in their pockets. Meanwhile, Nova Scotians have seen their costs soar under this government.
They're being told a different story. The story they're being told is about protection from Trump, et cetera. Is this why so many ministerial and communications budgets have gone up in this budget while Nova Scotians across this province are losing their jobs and organizations are facing cuts?
THE PREMIER : The Trump tariff, the global uncertainty are not something we're making up. Look at what's happening across the country. Look at B.C., the NDP government there - massive deficit, twice as big as ours. Raising taxes - that's what the NDP do. The member would remember that from the days in Nova Scotia when we had an NDP government.
What I would say is, imagine being the person who for four years says, "Spend more, spend more, spend more." Then wakes up one day and says, "Oh boy, that's not working. Maybe we should say they spent too much" and tries that. We're not those people. We will invest in Nova Scotians. We respect Nova Scotians. We love this province. We put people above politics, and we'll keep moving forward.
THE SPEAKER « » : Get it out now.