Nova Scotia

[punked]

I thought Dexter referred to himself as a Conservative Progressive in the NDP. Basically, My understanding is the previous PCs were so corrupt they had to go.

My guess is that Dexter can govern like an austerity Premier and do what he believe has to be done.

I don't have to agree with him, but what choice is their in NS?

It could be worse...

Here is where you are right. I am not kidding NS has run structural deficits for 30 years, they have from what I understand paid down their debt once in 30 years and that was with this NDP government. At this point in time there is no choice for the province balance your budget or have a interest rate hike which forces to balance your budget. They have been one of the worst run provinces in Canada for a long long time and now any government that gets in has to either fix the province or shut the province down and tell everyone to have fun in Alberta because they can't take on much more debt.

[j44]

I thought that the PCs sold off Nova Scotia Power... If that is true, its a private company and of course your rates will go up.. it goes up everywhere there is privatization of power.

I thought Dexter referred to himself as a Conservative Progressive in the NDP. Basically, My understanding is the previous PCs were so corrupt they had to go.

My guess is that Dexter can govern like an austerity Premier and do what he believe has to be done.

I don't have to agree with him, but what choice is their in NS?

It could be worse...

They did sell it off. The issue is that they hike the rates fairly often. It seems every few months and in a province that isn't exactly booming people are understandably frustrated.

The opposition doesn't really have a solution. The Liberals just talk about 'breaking Nova Scotia Power's monopoly' and the PC's yell about not knowing what the hydro costs will be and complaining about money being spent on green tech.

Something should have been done about this issue like 10 years ago.

The previous PC (under Rodney McDonald's minority) spent like hell to stay in power and the NDP came in and have basically had to keep that spending up (hence the taxes increases...HST, high end income rate etc).

The NDP have been spending more on roads and I thought the tax increases and some cuts here and there was bringing down the province's debt but I've recently discovered the debt is projected to go up.

I'm torn a bit with the NDP's performance. I liked the idea of debt coming down but that isn't happening. I was and still am against the labor bills they passed and the way they handled the possible health care strike (it will probably result in a 6% to 9% raise for the workers over I think 3 years. so that means all gov. workers will want and probably get that amount when their contracts start expiring) and their lack of a plan for economic growth but I'm not sure what the other options are and the other two parties don't seem to have any great ideas.

Edited May 19, 2012 by j44

[punked]

They did sell it off. The issue is that they hike the rates fairly often. It seems every few months and in a province that isn't exactly booming people are understandably frustrated.

The opposition doesn't really have a solution. The Liberals just talk about 'breaking Nova Scotia Power's monopoly' and the PC's yell about not knowing what the hydro costs will be and complaining about money being spent on green tech.

Something should have been done about this issue like 10 years ago.

The previous PC (under Rodney McDonald's minority) spent like hell to stay in power and the NDP came in and have basically had to keep that spending up (hence the taxes increases...HST, high end income rate etc).

The NDP have been spending more on roads and I thought the tax increases and some cuts here and there was bringing down the province's debt but I've recently discovered the debt is projected to go up.

I'm torn a bit with the NDP's performance. I liked the idea of debt coming down but that isn't happening. I was and still am against the labor bills they passed and the way they handled the possible health care strike (it will probably result in a 6% to 9% raise for the workers over I think 3 years. so that means all gov. workers will want and probably get that amount when their contracts start expiring) and their lack of a plan for economic growth but I'm not sure what the other options are and the other two parties don't seem to have any great ideas.

You are missing the key difference between the PCs time in government and NDPs. The PCs had 14 dollar natural gas pumping close to 600 million into the government every year they could spend all they wanted. In 2008 Natural gas crashed and NS gets close to nothing for it. I am amazed there haven't been more cuts in NS because a 600 million dollar hole is hard to fill. I guess the HST hike helped filled that hole but they still got some pretty big world problems to deal with.

It seems there is a plan for economic growth. It is called the mega projects. Shipbuilding, sea cables, and ocean turbines. NS is predicted to lead the region in growth next year actually.

As for the other parties, they are coming up with planes that will destroy NS. From the people I talked to the only way for the Liberals to break the "monopoly" in NS power is to deregulate the energy market. You only need at ask California what happens when you do that. Their energy rates and I am not kidding here went up 40% over night. In fact the Liberals have even talked about deregulating the market in the house of assembly until the NDP pointed this out to them. Now they are singing a different tune but they are so desperate to pretend they have an idea they are willing to make promises that will destroy your province to do so.

The PCs are just as bad. They are the ones who caused the mess in the first place. Right now NS has no alternative. It also isn't as bad as the Liberals and PCs make it out. You guys pay the same prices as any province run on coal. PIE, NB and so on. You really only pay more then the cheep hydro provinces like Quebec and Ontario. It isn't fair for you to expect to pay those prices because you don't have what they have. Sorry that is a market thing not a public vs. Private thing.

[j44]

I understand the nat. gas revenue not being there and the need to increases the HST (I think the projection was a 1.5 billion deficit for their first year in if they didn't raise taxes).

I just worry that some of their policies are doing some harm to the economy. And I worry about the near and medium term outlook for the economy and I'm not 100% convinced the Ships are the save all it is being made out to be. You could be right though. I just have concerns.

I think the Liberals don't know if they are for or against regulation. They came out swinging when accused of being against it but then criticized the NDP for paying for a study that came out in favor of it. Although it was done by a failed NDP candidate from NB.

I didn't know the figures about out cost of power compared to other provinces. That is a fair point.

The most recent rate hike news came a few days before the executives pay was released and it came out they held a party the day before the hike was announced. That doesn't help their PR and doesn't soothe public anger...obviously.

[j44]

You are missing the key difference between the PCs time in government and NDPs. The PCs had 14 dollar natural gas pumping close to 600 million into the government every year they could spend all they wanted. In 2008 Natural gas crashed and NS gets close to nothing for it. I am amazed there haven't been more cuts in NS because a 600 million dollar hole is hard to fill. I guess the HST hike helped filled that hole but they still got some pretty big world problems to deal with.

It seems there is a plan for economic growth. It is called the mega projects. Shipbuilding, sea cables, and ocean turbines. NS is predicted to lead the region in growth next year actually.

As for the other parties, they are coming up with planes that will destroy NS. From the people I talked to the only way for the Liberals to break the "monopoly" in NS power is to deregulate the energy market. You only need at ask California what happens when you do that. Their energy rates and I am not kidding here went up 40% over night. In fact the Liberals have even talked about deregulating the market in the house of assembly until the NDP pointed this out to them. Now they are singing a different tune but they are so desperate to pretend they have an idea they are willing to make promises that will destroy your province to do so.

The PCs are just as bad. They are the ones who caused the mess in the first place. Right now NS has no alternative. It also isn't as bad as the Liberals and PCs make it out. You guys pay the same prices as any province run on coal. PIE, NB and so on. You really only pay more then the cheep hydro provinces like Quebec and Ontario. It isn't fair for you to expect to pay those prices because you don't have what they have. Sorry that is a market thing not a public vs. Private thing.

I understand the nat. gas revenue not being there and the need to increases the HST (I think the projection was a 1.5 billion deficit for their first year in if they didn't raise taxes).

I just worry that some of their policies are doing some harm to the economy. And I worry about the near and medium term outlook for the economy and I'm not 100% convinced the Ships are the save all it is being made out to be. You could be right though. I just have concerns.

I think the Liberals don't know if they are for or against regulation. They came out swinging when accused of being against it but then criticized the NDP for paying for a study that came out in favor of it. Although it was done by a failed NDP candidate from NB.

I didn't know the figures about out cost of power compared to other provinces. That is a fair point.

The most recent rate hike news came a few days before the executives pay was released and it came out they held a party the day before the hike was announced. That doesn't help their PR and doesn't soothe public anger...obviously.

[Newfoundlander]

I ahve been unable to detect a Liberal playbook in Alberta since the advent of Raj Sherman, I think many seriously disheartened Liberals would describe their 'policies' more as a comic book.

There was some kind of poll that showed their platform was most popular.

[Newfoundlander]

By the sounds of it Dexter is probably more so a red Tory, which is what Jack Harris has also been described as.

[punked]

I understand the nat. gas revenue not being there and the need to increases the HST (I think the projection was a 1.5 billion deficit for their first year in if they didn't raise taxes).

I just worry that some of their policies are doing some harm to the economy. And I worry about the near and medium term outlook for the economy and I'm not 100% convinced the Ships are the save all it is being made out to be. You could be right though. I just have concerns.

I think the Liberals don't know if they are for or against regulation. They came out swinging when accused of being against it but then criticized the NDP for paying for a study that came out in favor of it. Although it was done by a failed NDP candidate from NB.

I didn't know the figures about out cost of power compared to other provinces. That is a fair point.

The most recent rate hike news came a few days before the executives pay was released and it came out they held a party the day before the hike was announced. That doesn't help their PR and doesn't soothe public anger...obviously.

When I said deregulate I meant the energy market. If you break the NS power monopoly all that will happen is fragmentation and energy prices will go through the roof. The liberals are trying to find an alternative plan and in doing so are pretending it won't cost you more. It will look at anywhere where the market has been broken into pieces. You think power costs a lot now wait until McNeil the refrigerator repair man gets a hold of it.

[fellowtraveller]

There was some kind of poll that showed their platform was most popular.

I'm gonna take a shot and guess that was done by the same pollsters who preducted a big Wildrose majority.

You'd have to talk to some local Liberals to grasp just what a disaster Sherman has been. People have not just not voted Liberal, lifetime Libs worked hard on the Redford leadership campaign.

[Newfoundlander]

I'm gonna take a shot and guess that was done by the same pollsters who preducted a big Wildrose majority.

You'd have to talk to some local Liberals to grasp just what a disaster Sherman has been. People have not just not voted Liberal, lifetime Libs worked hard on the Redford leadership campaign.

He did a lot better then people expected in the end.

[Newfoundlander]

Numbers aren't looking good for Dexter if he's planning on heading to the polls this Fall.

http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/12-2-NS-Media-Release.pdf

[punked]

Numbers aren't looking good for Dexter if he's planning on heading to the polls this Fall.

http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/12-2-NS-Media-Release.pdf

He has plenty of time before an election. No one ever said fall.

[j44]

I'm more interested to see how the recent cabinet changes play out. Steele and Estabrooks both leaving are big blows in my mind. They were my two favorite NDPers in this gov. My immediate reaction to the news of the press conference (and after Steele said he was out) was 'they have no one to replace Steele.' Now, MacDonald has been one of the most capable minsters at Health and Wellness but her in Finance? It will be interesting. They had no one else even close to step into Steeleès shoes.

I was a bit surprised with Wilson going into Health. I understand he was a paramedic and all and I am not sure if anyone else had any health etc related past but him going from Culture and Heritage to Health is a HUUUUUGE jump. I should say that by a bit surprised I mean a lot.

Also, one of the pollsters said made a comment about the poll numbers reflecting the fact that we have 2 equally strong opposition parties here. I forget the exact quote and they both might be somewhat equal but they are terribly weak in my opinion. It is kind of disappointing. So McNeil is our alternative as PremierÉ

Yikes.

Also, Ièm sure the NS Power rate stuff is pushing down there numbers in my opinion. Not that there is not legitimate push back from Education cuts etc but I bet NSP is the #1 issue in most minds.

[Newfoundlander]

He has plenty of time before an election. No one ever said fall.

Well there has been speculation Dexter may call an election this Fall and he never ruled it out.

[punked]

Well there has been speculation Dexter may call an election this Fall and he never ruled it out.

They have been saying that for 2 years now.

[Newfoundlander]

They have been saying that for 2 years now.

Ok then.

[madmax]

He has plenty of time before an election. No one ever said fall.

If he doesn't pull his socks up , he is going to become the next Bob Rae. I would suggest that NDP supporters in NS get on their phones, emails etc and get the message through to the government exactly why they were elected.

Perhaps Dexter believes he knows best.

So did Rae and he abandon many NDP policies and values while leader, only to have it bite him in the butt. (Of course he was more Liberal minded then anyone knew at the time)

And while you shouldn't govern by polls, one should as why the polls are 2nd guessing your actions.

Edited June 9, 2012 by madmax

[punked]

If he doesn't pull his socks up , he is going to become the next Bob Rae. I would suggest that NDP supporters in NS get on their phones, emails etc and get the message through to the government exactly why they were elected.

Perhaps Dexter believes he knows best.

So did Rae and he abandon many NDP policies and values while leader, only to have it bite him in the butt. (Of course he was more Liberal minded then anyone knew at the time)

And while you shouldn't govern by polls, one should as why the polls are 2nd guessing your actions.

Well he would be the opposite of Rea. He is getting rid of a deficit which is hurting jobs instead of adding to it. I see what you are saying though.