Liberals must explain $200 million budget cuts

Halifax -- The Liberal government must explain how they plan to cut $200 million in spending next year without causing serious harm to the social and economic well-being of the province.

“Nova Scotia has seen this before. The last Liberal program review eliminated the Film Tax Credit and cut funding to health organizations such as the CNIB and the Alzheimer's Society,” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill. “Ahead of the upcoming election, voters should know what they’re voting for. Iain Rankin says a Liberal government will make $200 million in cuts: he should be up-front and say how.”

The $200 million the government expects to cut from next year’s budget is more than the budgets for the Department of Agriculture, Energy and Mines, Environment and Climate Change and Fisheries and Aquaculture combined.

“It is impossible for the Liberal government to cut $200 million from program expenses without having an impact on the services people rely on,” said Angella MacEwan, Chief Economist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. “This is a much deeper austerity plan than what we saw under Stephen McNeil.”

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