There is such demand from the public to tell MLAs what they think about the Financial Measures Act that the chair of the Nova Scotia legislature’s committee on public bills has added a third day for presentations.

The bill was slated to go before the committee next Monday and Tuesday, but additional time was added for next Wednesday following the response from the public. An official with the office of the legislative counsel said about 210 people initially indicated an interest to speak, although not all people decided to keep their names on the list. All 107 available slots for next week have been filled.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said it was the right move for the committee chair, Justice Minister Scott Armstrong, to add an additional day. She thinks anyone who still wants to speak but does not have a slot should get the chance.

“There are many people who don’t consider themselves avid political watchers or people who engage who feel like it’s really, really important that government hear what they have to say about this budget and the ways it’s going to impact people,” Chender said Wednesday.

Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin said his party is reminding people who are concerned about the budget Premier Tim Houston’s government tabled last month to take advantage of any opportunity to share those views, whether it’s during a formal setting such as a committee meeting or by contacting their MLA’s office.

“But they need to speak up now if they want their voice heard before the budget passes,” Rankin said in an interview.

“The votes are going to be decided by the majority government members, so this week should be an opportunity for them to do that.”

The government’s budget, which has a $1.2-billion deficit and initially included $304 million in cuts to jobs and program grants, received strong pushback from people concerned about how it would impact services for seniors and people with disabilities, educational opportunities for people from marginalized communities, and the arts and culture sector.

Last week, Houston announced that about $53 million in funding cuts would be restored after his government had a chance to understand the implications they would have on people’s lives, although the arts and culture cuts remain.

The Financial Measures Act has no reference to the cuts and so people wanting to discuss them may face pushback from the committee. There are measures in the bill, however, that have drawn scrutiny.

The legislation makes changes to 20 different acts and creates one new one.

Among other things, the Financial Measures Act will do away with the Halifax bridge commission, introduce a new tax on electric vehicles and hybrids, and give the government the ability to remove and impound vehicles found on provincial Crown lands that are violating the Crown Lands Act.

Government’s budget promotion

Chender said that given the uncertainty around whether the government did any analysis of the impact of the cuts before tabling the budget, and promotion that’s happening this week about the document, it’s important for people’s voices to be heard.

The government is spending $16,000 on an ad running from last Friday to this Friday on private radio stations throughout the province. 

The ad, voiced by the premier, points out that the budget includes record spending on health care, education and long-term care, while acknowledging that when the government makes mistakes they change course.

MLAs are not at the legislature this week because Province House does not sit during March Break.

The public bills committee will sit next week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday and Wednesday the committee takes a break for the first two hours of the legislative sitting, which includes member statements and question period.

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