Session ends without solutions on health care, affordability, and green jobs

Halifax -- The fall sitting of the Legislature ended today without addressing a number of serious issues in our province. The NDP began this sitting with first-step solutions for greening our economy, expanding mental health support, and implementing rent control.

“Before us are three critical issues: a climate emergency, a health care system in crisis, and deepening economic inequality,” said NDP leader Gary Burrill. “This fall sitting was a clear opportunity to make headway on these fronts, but instead the McNeil Liberals have ignored the needs of people and focussed on undermining the rights yet another group of public sector workers.”

A large part of the fall sitting was taken up by the Liberal government passing another law that undermines collective bargaining. And in the final week of the sitting a significantly weakened replacement to the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act was passed by the Liberal majority.

“Although we welcome stronger emission reduction targets, the Liberals’ plan doesn’t go far enough. The lack of any other real hard targets and goals in the legislation is deeply concerning,” said Burrill, who is also the NDP’s Environment and Climate Change spokesperson. “To move all other environmental targets out of the law and into regulations, where only Cabinet will approve them, is a major mistake. Something as important as environmental protection targets should be subject to public scrutiny and democratic debate.”

The NDP tabled legislation this sitting that would have allowed for physician assistants in hospitals, protection for workers against psychological bullying and harassment, the creation of an African Nova Scotia Justice Institute, and a host of measures to improve the health and wellbeing of Nova Scotians.

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