Tim Houston must show up and answer for budget decisions: NDP

HALIFAX – Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender is calling on Premier Tim Houston to answer to Nova Scotians about his government’s disastrous budget. This week, the NDP will table legislation requiring both the Premier and the Finance Minister to vote on their cuts and their budgets.

“People understand that the province is in a hard financial place, but this government brought us there over the last five years. That means the Houston government has to be even more conscious of what they’re getting for the money they spend,” said Chender. “Entire sectors that support thousands of jobs have been hit by cuts, and the Premier either can’t or won’t explain his choices. The Nova Scotians who will lose their jobs, the vital programs and services that will be taken away, and the communities that will be harmed – these are the urgent issues that the Premier should be focused on.”

Houston, who is in Calgary this week, is on track to miss 40 per cent of the current sitting days. Earlier this sitting he skipped the vote for his government’s contentious budget bill, attending an oil and gas conference in Texas instead.

“The Premier shouldn’t be able to make cruel cuts to supports that people need, decimate entire sectors that have kept our province going for generations, and take away Nova Scotian jobs without standing behind those decisions,” said Chender. “If your choices hurt people in this province, you don’t get to run away and hide. Elected leaders showing up when things are hard is the very least Nova Scotians should be able to expect.”

-30-