QP - Explain cuts and job losses

CLAUDIA CHENDER : In order to pay for their financial mismanagement this government is cutting the public sector workforce by 30 percent over the next four years. That's likely 1,000 public sector jobs this year and it plans to cut around 4,000 more in the next three years.

The Minister of the Public Service Commission is responsible for this workforce, and she is also the Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, which has also seen massive program cuts - programs that support African Nova Scotian culture and services have been gutted, including scholarships and community resources. One program has been entirely eliminated, five programs have had their funding cut in half or more, and three have been cut by 20 percent.

This minister is responsible for these departments. How did she decide what to cut?

HON. TWILA GROSSE : With respect to the Public Service Commission, it's the department that determines their resource requirements and their needs. The Public Service Commission is responsible for providing support to the departments during that transitional period. As Minister of the Public Service Commission, we are not doing the cuts. The departments are responsible.

CLAUDIA CHENDER : Departments don't cut. Ministers cut. Governments cut. Ministers are responsible for their departments.

Before overseeing these cuts, the minister made a change that allowed the government to fire public servants without cause. A former executive director of African Nova Scotian Affairs posted on social media raising trouble concerns. He said, "I was immediately terminated from my role as executive director of African Nova Scotian Affairs 10 days after I challenged our minister." He said he felt compelled to speak out after witnessing, among other things, authoritarian and non-democratic policies and a lack of respect for social and equity-centred initiative fundings and programs.

Does the minister agree with his assessment?

TWILA GROSSE: We do not comment on individual employment matters. Employment decisions follow established policy and employment law.