NDP calls for key reports, agreements to be made public

HALIFAX – Today, NSNDP leader Claudia Chender called on the Houston government to be upfront with Nova Scotians and stop hiding key reports and agreements from them.

The long-awaited recommendations from the Environmental Racism Panel are being withheld from the public, and a recent agreement with the federal government for funding to support housing infrastructure has yet to be made public.

“The people of our province who are living with the tremendous harms of racism deserve to have answers and a path forward. It’s unacceptable that they will not release the recommendations of the panel,” Chender said. “Their refusal to release the report or even to share the rationale for keeping the recommendations private comes weeks after this government didn’t bother to publicly announce that they signed a new federal infrastructure deal worth $170 million. Other provinces’ governments that signed the deal made a public announcement – but not the Houston Conservatives.”

During the last session of the legislature, the government tried to reduce the efficacy and oversight powers of the Auditor General and the Freedom of Information and Privacy Officer.

“People have a right to know what the government is doing. They deserve to know what agreements their government has signed, how resources will be used to improve services, and if they can expect their monthly costs to rise,” said Chender. “The Premier is avoiding questions and putting his ministers out there to try to justify his decision to keep Nova Scotians in the dark.”

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