NDP calls for stronger regulations about government spending and lobbying activities

HALIFAX –Today, Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender is calling for a Legislative Budget Officer and strengthened regulations for lobbyists, so Nova Scotians know how their money is being spent and who their government is listening to.

The Houston government only sat 30 days in the legislature last year, and has spent a record $6.7 billion outside of the budget since coming to power in 2021.

“This government has not delivered what they promised, and they have not been accountable for their choices. No government should be making decisions that impact you, your family, and your future without answering for their choices,” said Chender. “You have a right to know how the Houston government is going to spend your money, whether it's large financial contracts or backroom handshakes. People trusted that if this government took their problems seriously, things would start to get better. But five years in, the difference people were promised still isn’t here.”

Since Tim Houston became Premier, Nova Scotians' power bills are up hundreds of dollars a year, and people continue to face skyrocketing housing costs. And now, his government is set to table a record deficit in their budget next week. The new Legislative Budget Officer would ensure Nova Scotians have clarity and accountability over public spending, assess the risks of government spending decisions, and independently cost election platform commitments.

“At a time when the government is spending at historic levels and refusing to answer Nova Scotians’ questions, it’s not too much to expect that people are able to know how the government is spending their hard-earned money,” said Official Opposition Finance Critic Lisa Lachance.

Updates to the Lobbyists’ Registration Act would make the current registrar an independent officer of the legislature with the power to launch investigations, compel information and enforce the act with fines or lobbying bans. Houston himself called for the Lobbyist Registration Act to be overhauled in 2018 in response to the Chretien case, saying: “Nova Scotians should be able to know if somebody lobbied their government and what the topic was.”

“Nova Scotians deserve to know what is happening with their money, their laws, and their jobs,” said Ethics and Accountability Critic, Paul Wozney. “People work hard and rightfully expect their government to work as hard as they do. They should be able to trust that the government is making the best choices for them and their families.”

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