Summary of the province’s house: shots, rates and fear

Opposition politicians of Nueva Scotia continue to press the government of Prime Minister Tim Houston for a coherent explanation for a clause in bill 1 that would allow the Government to fire public officials (generally managers) without cause.

The same bill contained a similar provision addressed to the general auditor before the prime minister promised to leave the writing.

“The government can say goodbye to whoever they want and this (measure) is about weakening the protections and compensation they obtain when they do, worse than any contract that the Government has negotiated so far,” said the NDP leader, Claudia Chender, during the questions on Wednesday.

Houston replied, accusing the leader of the “fear” opposition.

“If there are people who cut themselves from this province, they will be treated fairly in their years of experience. For the member to suggest that anything is nothing more than reckless,” said Houston. “There is no place for this in this province. This government respects the scotians of the rookies and fairly treats them every time.”

For the second consecutive day, the Minister responsible for the Public Service Commission was asked to explain why the Government wants “flexibility” to dismiss the high managers “despite” the provisions contained in the New Scotland Labor Code.

‘Deeply worrying,’ says NDP

Minister Twila Grosse provided the first details about how they would be treated to dismissed employees, while offering little to explain the motivation for the measure. Here is part of the exchange during the question period:

Paul Wozney, MLA for Sackville-Cobequid (NDP):

The New Scotland Labor Standards Code is there for a reason. States that “the employer will not download or suspend an employee without cause.” Can the Minister of the Public Service Commission explain why this government is acting to deprive public servants of this basic right?

Grosse, MLA Preston (PC):

With the change, dismissed employees without cause will automatically have the right to receive fair compensation in line with their years of service, but will not be reinstated. The compensation will be included in the regulations and will exceed the legal minimums for dismissal without cause under the Code of Labor standards. The legislation is consistent with Ontario and Quebec, and again, we value our public servants.

“None of that is present in the legislation and until we see it, we will not believe it,” Wozney replied.

Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette said that high public servants feel intimidated by the bill and that morality is low. He has also urged PCs to withdraw the measure contained in bill 1.

Mombourchette asked Grosse if the shooting measure is linked to a plan to reorganize government departments. Grosse denied that there is a plan “at this time” and offered the same vague explanation that the government “needs flexibility to advance in some of the initiatives we have for this province.”

Mombourchette told reporters if there is no clear reason for the need to fire public officials without cause, that the provision must be eliminated from the legislation.

Chender agrees. Graduated from the Law School of the University of Dalhouse, it has been presented with the way in which these Omnibus bills have been presented.

“This government is terrible to legislate. They present a lazy and careless legislation that then have to amend and explain constantly,” said Chender. “And the bill 1, as written, says that public servants can be fired without cause despite the provisions of the Labor Code. That is deeply worrying for any worker in this province.”

Higher housing prices for non -rookie Scottish

The Pictou County resident, Harry Stackhouse, expressed concern about another legislation during his zoom call with the Public Invoices Committee.

It is critical of the proposed increase in the writing transfer rate for non -rookie residents Scottish. Stackhouse said that the worst part of that tax will be assumed by New York Scots New York currently pay a 5% writing transfer rate to the province of residential properties sales

Stackhouse’s opinion aligns with that of the Association of Real Estate Agents of Nueva Scotia. The chief of that group, Suzanne Gravel, told the Bills Public committee this week that increasing the 5% to 10% tax in buyers out of New Scotland is “counterproductive for the initiative to reduce interprovincial commercial barriers.”

Grange said that many municipalities already charge a 1.5% deed transfer tax, so the 10% proposed of the province intends to charge non -residents represents an 11.5% tax that will discourage many buyers. The group has sent more than 1,000 letters to the Premier urging it to reduce the size of the 1.5%increase.

During his time before the committee, Stackhouse said there are no statistics to support the affirmation of the Minister of Finance, this measure is being introduced to reinforce the supply of affordable homes for the Scotlands of Nueva. What the province projects that will do is deliver additional $ 13 million per year to general income.

Stackhouse said the measure is “inconsistent” with Houston’s position on the need to reduce commercial barriers between the provinces. The province has repeatedly requested the “free trade within Canada”, since a displacement for sales businesses will lose with the United States due to the threatened tariffs of President Donald Trump.

“Imagine defending free trade throughout Canada by imposing a fee on Canadians in their own backyard,” Stackhouse said. “I hope Tim Houston reflects on his words, eliminate the barriers, do not build them, because there is still time to do the right thing.”

On Wednesday, Houston dismissed the suggestion that there is an inconsistency receivable higher rates to housing buyers from other Canadian provinces, while leading the load to tear down commercial barriers within Canada.

“No, I don’t see it. We are talking about the free trade of products, free trade of people, I am not aware of many houses that move from province to province,” Houston told. “Anyone who bought a property here that moves here within six months does not pay the non -resident writing transfer tax. We want to ensure that the housing stock is used for newly and new and new scotians.”

The Association of Real Estate Agents of Nueva Scotia has suggested that 18 months would be a more practical period of time to exempt buyers outside the province. Until now, the Law of Financial Measures has not been amended and is expected to happen in a matter of days.

Scott Armstrong Tempest in a cup of tea

The controversy about the opportunities and the trip of the Minister of Social Development Scott Armstrong to Washington for the inauguration of Donald Trump appeared again during the period of the question yesterday.

Lisa Lachance, NDP MLA, Island of the Halifax Citadel:

On Monday, the Minister of Opportunities and Social Development considered appropriate to criticize the Ecology Action Center. To receive American Foundation and Scientific Financing … This is the same minister who made a trip to celebrate the inauguration of the president of the United States in the Ten Centa Currency of the taxpayer. Can the minister tell us if he is completely against associations with the United States, or only when there is an organization that does not agree with him?

Although the question was addressed to Armstrong, it was Houston who stood up to defend the minister.

Houston:

In times like these, in commercial wars with two of the world’s largest economies, this is a real problem. It is in the minds of the Canadians and the Holdenos de Nueva we have the obligation to ensure that we are using all the diplomatic channels that we can to get to a better place for Canadians. The minister was No There is celebrating an inauguration. The minister was advancing to advance the position of the Canadians on behalf of Canada and I am very proud that the minister used his contacts to do that precisely.

As reported hereArmstrong told reporters that his invitation to the opening ceremony came from a contact in South Carolina that he did during his years as a federal member of Parliament.