Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Nouvelle-Écosse 57e 1re Discours du Trône 21 Mai 1998 John J.kinley Lieutenant-gouverneur LIB Nova Scotia: Speech from the Throne, First Session of this, the 57th General Assembly, May 21th, 1998 Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislative Assembly, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, Nova Scotians: Welcome to the First Session of this, the Fifty-Seventh General Assembly. Members of this House bear the awesome responsibility, and enjoy the great privilege, of representing their fellow citizens. That has been so since Nova Scotians' representatives began gathering in this place 179 years ago. It is said that more history has been written within these walls than in all other Canadian legislatures combined. Members assembled here today will, in the days and years ahead, add their chapters and determine the course our province takes into a new century. Justice and compassion are among those values cherished by Nova Scotians. Great public service also demands accountability, integrity, and vision. No finer example of those qualities can be found in Nova Scotia today than in the person of our Chief Justice, Lome Clarke. After 17 years on the bench, and 13 years as Chief Justice, Mr. Clarke has announced his retirement. While achieving great deeds, Mr. Justice Clarke never lost that special quality that in simpler times was called the common touch. It is no coincidence that, during the past 13 years, Nova Scotians' faith in their justice system has been restored. We will long celebrate, and always be grateful for the leadership, the wisdom, and the foresight of Mr. Justice Lome Clarke. On March 24th Nova Scotians voted for good government. The people saw elements of good government across the political spectrum, and divided membership in this House accordingly. The challenges before members of this Assembly are many and great. But the first is to reach across traditional partisan lines and honour the pledge of good government made by all members to those they now represent. Beginning today, and in the days ahead, my government will offer a resolute direction to take Nova Scotia forward to the full promise of a better future. That future begins with our children. This year and in the years to follow, the government will invest in that future with an unprecedented new commitment to public education. Education is one vital cornerstone of a child's future. Family, community, and opportunity complete the solid structure for success. Therein lies the course my government has set. The province is determined that all our children will have the best chance for a bright future. That means a first-rate public school system. It also means community and public support for families in need and public policy that helps strengthen communities across Nova Scotia. Education: The Foundation This year, the government will dramatically increase its investment in public schools and, at the same time, cushion the impact on local governments. A full 90 per cent of the increased investment in education will come from the province. That is consistent with the 9010 split municipalities have been seeking. For two subsequent years, the government is committed to further increases in provincial education funding. Again, in those years, 90 per cent of new funding will be provincial funding. When the school bell rings in communities across Nova Scotia, it signals something important is about to happen. Children want to learn. Teachers want to teach. And parents want a school system that grounds their children in the basics and launches them to the height of their full potential. The increased investment in public schools will go where it's needed most - to the classroom. Parents and educators have been asking for the resources to put our children's future first. Their appeal has been heard. We are building public school education. In September 1998, Nova Scotians will begin to see smaller classes. A four-year plan to cut class size will take hold. School boards will receive the additional resources they need for more teachers and teachers' aides; more textbooks and technology; and increased opportunities for professional development to bring programs to life. We must help all of our children to get off on the right foot, from the first day of school. Teachers like Janet Bauer-Veitch from the Strait region are why Nova Scotia leads the country in implementing Reading Recovery. Ms. Bauer-Veitch is one of 118 specially trained teachers who work with more than 1,000 grade one students to lift their reading skills. Janet Bauer-Veitch and teachers like her all over Nova Scotia ensure these children experience real success and don't fall further behind. More teachers will soon join in this vital effort. Our schools play an important role beyond the classroom walls. They can help break down barriers in our society. Good schools recognize the mistakes of the past when, for many, opportunities were denied; when minority culture and identity were discouraged and eroded. Last week at St. Francis Xavier University educators and community leaders held a conference on Mi'kmaq language. They are setting an example--working to preserve something precious and important. We can do no less. Our schools now have courses in African Nova Scotian literature and other programs that promote cultural awareness and understanding. There will be new family literacy programs to supplement classroom learning for school-aged children in African Nova Scotian communities. More scholarships in medicine, engineering, and teaching will be available to African Nova Scotians. And, in our high schools, Mi'kmaq guidance and education counsellors will reach out to aboriginal students. Our schools themselves are in dire need of attention. The buildings are aging. Many fast-growing communities need new schools. Working with communities, parents, school boards, and private partners, my government will see more than 30 new schools constructed. The first of these schools, those deemed most urgently required by school boards and the province, will be ready for the start of the 1999 school year. An intense effort is under way, and the first sounds of this construction boom will soon be heard. Numerous, high-quality, competitive bids on six regional bundles of schools are undergoing the final stages of evaluation. These modern new schools will reflect the technology-rich world in which we live. The government will also invest in existing schools. Over the next three years, more than 60 more schools will be renovated so students and teachers can learn and work in better-equipped, more welcoming surroundings. The government's commitment to education does not end with public schools. Nova Scotia has a long and proud tradition of offering the finest post-secondary opportunities in the world. At 11 degree- granting institutions this tradition is alive and well. Just as our public school system must provide every child with every opportunity to reach his or her potential, our university doors must be open to all with the intellectual capacity to enter. Our universities must remain affordable. Academic standing, not financial limitation, can be the only barrier to post-secondary educational success. Beginning this year, the government will increase Nova Scotia's public investment in our universities. That investment will continue to increase over each of the next three years. The government expects that increased public support will help our universities limit, or eliminate, increases in student tuition fees. Nova Scotia's community colleges are writing a success story and building a fine tradition in their own right. In 1997, approximately three out of four community college graduates - more than ever before - found jobs within a year of graduation. Community college programs, tied to today's labour market, will expand, providing on-time training in emerging industries, from offshore resource development, to information technology, to aquaculture. Opportunity: Growing with Nova Scotia Education is the foundation. Opportunity for success is what will keep Nova Scotia's best and brightest here at home, building the kind of province we all know Nova Scotia can be. Our young people are this province's great asset. Every day we hear of young Nova Scotians shaping their own future. They are starting businesses, winning awards for innovative technology, and selling new products around the world. We know, given the opportunity, young Nova Scotians will achieve great things. Yet statistics tell a sad story. Unemployment among young people is stubbornly high across the country, and Nova Scotia is no exception. It is the cruel paradox of the best-educated generation in history. Lack of on-the job experience is often the major impediment to a new graduate finding that first job. My government will take the lead and send a strong signal that it is time to end this counterproductive Catch-22. In consultation with public-sector unions, the government will develop a hiring plan that gives bright young Nova Scotians a fair chance at public-sector jobs. Our goal will be to open one in four posted positions in government to entry-level employees - no direct work experience required. We invite the province's private-sector employers to follow our lead and find innovative ways to open their doors and their jobs to bright, energetic young Nova Scotians. In addition, the government will initiate a new program called "Civil Service Career Start." This program will offer short and long-term internships in the public service for summer students and recent graduates. Families: Care and Support Our future as a province begins and ends with our children. Our first responsibility is to them. The National Council on Welfare recently reported that about 20 per cent of Canadian children live in poverty. That is a national disgrace. Surely there is no greater anguish than that of impoverished parents who must deny their child those things that others take for granted. As a society, it is past time we took as our creed that every Canadian child will have the opportunity to make the most of his or her life. Finally, Canada has begun to put that tenet into action. The National Child Benefit program will be in effect in Nova Scotia in July. This initiative is designed to provide extra support to low-income, working families by providing an income benefit for each child. In addition, this province will introduce the Nova Scotia Child Benefit later this year, which will provide assistance to all low-income families with children. Nova Scotia is also committed to reinvesting some of the National Child Benefit fund in a series of Healthy Child Development initiatives. This is just the beginning of a longer-term strategy to address child poverty in Nova Scotia. Studies show that a child's ability to learn, and to socialize, is shaped before she or he reaches the schoolhouse door. By providing families with the tools they need to better care for their children in the early years, we can help every child make the most of his or her life. As a province we will act now. Government will bring together the community educators, health care experts, parents, and others to plan, advise, and recommend action that will advance and promote the well-being of our children. The government is developing a framework for action on children's issues. My government is proposing, through the Office of the Ombudsman, to create a visible and objective presence to act on behalf of and in response to, children in provincial care. The children's ombudsman will provide an independent voice and ensure the rights of these children are protected. My government will work with housing authorities across Nova Scotia to create a summer recreation and employment program for children who live in public housing. Families in crisis will receive more support. New resources will be available to provide home visiting and parenting education for young families. A child nutrition strategy is being developed. Increased funding for child protection and a two-year plan to reduce the caseload of child protection workers will be put in place. New regional treatment and placement options will be provided for children who require special residential care. Obviously, Nova Scotians care about their own children, families, and communities. It is a mark of our generosity, character, and values that we also care about our neighbours' children. My government shares those values and will work hard to bring them to life in public policy. The government is committed to fair and equitable social assistance. Nova Scotians want a seamless system of support that can help lift families in need back into the economic mainstream. That will be the goal of ongoing improvements in our social safety net. When Nova Scotia assumed full responsibility for administering social assistance earlier this year, a full 70 per cent of former municipal assistance clients received an increase in support. Social assistance is complex. My government has been consulting with municipalities, clients, staff, and community groups on how our social services should evolve for the 21st Century. This consultation process will be expanded in the coming months, and we are releasing a paper that outlines key issues. My government and local governments across Nova Scotia are working together to more clearly define the relative roles and responsibilities of each. The anticipated successful conclusion of that effort will see the province assume full social assistance costs. The much-anticipated goal of single-tier social assistance will be realized. As a result, local governments will retain more resources for local services. Indeed, the provincial government's commitment to children and families signals the end to so-called down-loading on municipal governments. A new, more cooperative and productive relationship between the province and local governments is quickly emerging. Support for families must always include a special commitment to the elderly. We have a debt to those Nova Scotians who built the communities we enjoy today. In addition, we must begin now to plan for the changing demographics of an aging population. 1999 is the International Year of the Older Person. My government will convene a conference with the Senior Citizens' Secretariat and interested community groups to discuss services and housing needs for seniors. My government believes there is and must be a place for everyone in Nova Scotia. We must break down the barriers that keep too many on the margins of society. In pursuit of that goal, the government will increase funding and harmonize financing for the province's women's centres, which provide a range of services including emergency shelter and workplace training. The province, with the federal government, is committed to improving services for people with disabilities. These services will include employment counselling, training supports, and funding for workplace aids. The government will work with the Halifax Regional Municipality and community groups to address abysmal conditions in local rooming houses. Opportunity: Jobs and Growth Even as we improve our supports for families in need, we cannot lose sight of the truth that gave rise to the cliché: the best social program is a job. Job creation remains a top priority of government. My government is dedicated to working with people, with communities, and with the private sector to build a more prosperous, full-employment economy. The ultimate goal is a job for every Nova Scotian who wants to work. Nova Scotia is making great strides. For the first time in our history more than 400,000 Nova Scotians are working. Our job creation record is the envy of many other provinces. Leading economic forecasters expect big things for Nova Scotia. The Bank of Montreal predicts the province's economy will grow 3.5 per cent this year, pushing unemployment down to 10.8 per cent. The bank's chief economist notes that the ingredients are in place for Nova Scotia's best economic performance in more than a decade. But there remain pockets of Nova Scotia, including industrial Cape Breton, where unemployment remains far too high. New investment and job opportunities must be spread across the province. More can, and will, be done to stimulate job growth. My government will work to ensure trained workers are available for business expansion by providing funds for tailored, just-in-time training. Training incentive programs to encourage businesses to invest in their workers are being developed. Other initiatives will encourage firms to hire new graduates. The government has set its sights high. Each year we hope to help at least 500 Nova Scotia businesses expand and hire new employees. For the first time in living memory, Nova Scotians are in a position to set their own economic course. Our growing economy is moving us toward true economic self-sufficiency. Nova Scotians can take pride in their collective accomplishments. Education and initiative are taking us there. Our trade in goods and knowledge is growing. And now, we can add to our strong economic mix an added bonus. Offshore resource development. Businesses and industry in every corner of Nova Scotia are seizing this new opportunity and bringing home the benefits. Already the value of direct involvement by Nova Scotian workers and industries is approaching $390 million. And we are in the very early stages of developing just the first offshore field. My government understands its role well. The province will jealously protect the interests of Nova Scotians. The benefits from offshore energy will accrue, first and most, to Nova Scotians. Without development, however, there will be no benefits. The government will introduce a generic royalty regime that will capitalize on the unprecedented interest in Nova Scotia's offshore. It will be a flexible, multi-tiered approach that will encourage both exploration and development, while ensuring Nova Scotians receive maximum benefits. The generic royalty regime will be announced shortly. Offshore development is a long-awaited and most welcome economic boost. But opportunities in other sectors of our economy are every bit as exciting. Our location between the two great economic powers in the world - Europe and the United States-- positions us perfectly to retake our historic place as a great trader. Nova Scotians are now selling more goods and services outside our province than ever before. My government will help more of our businesses develop products and services for world markets and help them find customers. Our goal is to secure a billion dollars of increased export sales. Nova Scotia must continue to build on other traditional successes. This province continues to be a major force in the global seafood trade. Our seafood exports have grown to record sales. Nova Scotia's boatbuilding industry is stepping into a new era of growth. The province and the federal government recently signed an economic agreement that will help Nova Scotia boatbuilders diversify and capitalize on the lucrative world market for ocean vessels. Another exciting economic development is the rapid growth in our tourism industry. Last year, this vital sector became a billion dollar industry. Our heritage and our culture are major attractions, promoted at the 25 sites of the Nova Scotia Museum. This year, for example, Nova Scotians and visitors alike will learn more about Nova Scotia's industrial heritage through new programming at the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry in Stellarton. The tragedies and traditions of our marine heritage unfold in an expanded Titanic exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. In Pictou our heritage will come alive with celebrations in September to mark the 225th anniversary of the arrival of the ship Hector. Many Nova Scotians of Scottish origin trace their ancestors back to the 179 souls who sailed into Pictou Harbour on September 15, 1773. Working with the tourism industry, the government is determined to attract more out-of-province visitors and increase the length of their stay. A government-industry Tourism Partnership Council was recently created to maximize the effective use of resources in attracting visitors. This new council is an excellent example of how government and industry can cooperate to grow the economy. The Port of Halifax is again at the economic heart of our province. Over the past two years, we have seen port traffic return to pre-recession levels. There are more jobs, not only on the Halifax waterfront, but in transporting goods across the region. The port provides an economic base worth nearly $1 billion, and as our exports grow, so too does the importance of this vital link. My government will continue its efforts to attract investment and business to the port. Access to capital is critical to enable Nova Scotia business to take full advantage of the economic opportunities available in this province. This is particularly true for small businesses which frequently experience great difficulty in accessing traditional forms of financing. The government will implement a junior capital pool program similar to, and in conjunction with, the Alberta Stock Exchange. These new sources of capital will enable the business community to finance the growth initiatives that will contribute to the province's economic prosperity and job creation. However, it is important that these new initiatives in capital formation are not implemented at the expense of the investing public. The government will not sacrifice investor protection and will ensure that the Nova Scotia Securities Commission has the resources necessary to protect the investing public by implementing a self-funding regime for the commission. Communities: A Source of Strength The economic heart of Nova Scotia lies in her cities. Our soul comes from our communities. That's where we find story-telling that builds our film industry, the music that is selling to the world, the tradition of hard work and the values that shape us to this day. Small towns and country villages have more lessons to teach about self-sufficiency and about seizing opportunity. The small community of St Joseph du Moine is one of three places in North America making traditional masks for Acadian celebrations. Local students developed a publicly funded website to explain this Acadian custom and sell the unique masks to retailers in Halifax and markets in the United States. These young Cape Breton entrepreneurs are not alone. In the past three years a community-access program has led to the establishment of 109 public Internet sites across small town and rural Nova Scotia. In 1998 this program will be expanded. One hundred young people will be employed to help small businesses and others gain access to the Net. And that is just a taste of what's to come. My government and the federal government are about to launch the biggest coordinated investment of public dollars in computer and information technology in Nova Scotia's history. This initiative promises to put more computers into public schools and libraries, connect universities with enhanced, high-speed data links, and support economic and social development in "smart communities" throughout Nova Scotia. Public libraries are another vital asset. In a recent survey, 98 per cent of Nova Scotians described public libraries as essential or important. Over the next three years, government will increase funding for public libraries. Nova Scotians living away from our urban centres deserve reasonable access to public services. Access Nova Scotia Centres host a wide range of transactions between Nova Scotians and their government. The government's goal is to continue to expand these centres. Within four years, an Access Centre will be located within a 30-minute drive of 90 per cent of the population. In 1998-99, centres are planned for Sydney, Yarmouth, and Antigonish. Strong communities are safe communities. My government is determined that Nova Scotia will continue to be the kind of place where people can feel secure walking the streets of their neighbourhoods, day or night. To further that goal the government will implement a comprehensive crime prevention strategy, with a focus on early intervention and community involvement. We will target young offenders with an emphasis on early intervention. We also believe that victims deserve a voice in the criminal justice system. We will put in place a process that allows their voices to be heard. My government will move toward a restorative justice process, where offenders take responsibility for their actions, and take action to repair the harm they have done. The rights of individuals and the rights of communities are sometimes a difficult balancing act. The government is developing a new, innovative protocol for dealing with high-risk offenders after their release back into the community. My government believes citizens have a right to know when a high- risk or dangerous offender moves into their community. We will put in place a protocol that assists police in making decisions about warning residents, and involves the community in the process. Supports will also be available to the offender. The protocol will ensure Nova Scotians have the information they need to protect themselves, their children, and their neighbourhoods. The government will also take action to provide greater protection for women who face the risk of domestic violence or stalking. Health Care: Families and Communities No public service is more important to Nova Scotians than their health care system. Universally accessible, high-quality care for every Nova Scotian, at no direct cost to the user, is assured. Dramatic changes in health care are behind us. It's time to build stability and sustainability in a system cherished above all others. My government recognizes that Nova Scotians are concerned about access to doctors and other health services. Significant new investments are already going toward more doctors, specialists, surgeons, and technicians as well as to new equipment to detect and treat illness. While other jurisdictions continue to suffer a doctor exodus, Nova Scotia is turning the tide and attracting qualified physicians to under-served communities. In the past 12 months, approximately 100 new family doctors and specialists have come to Nova Scotia. Doctors, like Steve Spiess of Bedford, are coming home. A few years ago, Dr. Spiess, a family physician and graduate of Dalhousie Medical School, moved his family to Mississippi. Today, he is back" and others are joining him. "There's no place like home," said Dr. Spiess. "The quality of life is much better in Nova Scotia and I have better control of patient care." For years Nova Scotia has had unacceptably high rates of cancer. An agreement has been reached between the government, the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, and Dalhousie University Medical School so that a Commissioner for Cancer Care Nova Scotia will soon be appointed. More help is on the way for problem gamblers. Five more clinical therapists will be added across the province to combat alcohol, drug, and gambling addiction. They will complement existing staff and the excellent work done by groups such as the Compulsive and Problem Gamblers Society. Quality health care is essential for healthy communities. Health care services must be available and accessible in all parts of the province. For that reason many new initiatives have focused on rural areas. Last year, my government announced the Nova Scotia TeleHealth Network, the first of its kind in Canada. The TeleHealth Network is operating in eastern Nova Scotia, using state-of-the-art computers to link hospitals and transmit medical data, video images, and audio. The family of 12-year-old Holly Smith of Neil's Harbour knows first-hand the benefits of the TeleHealth Network. Holly hurt her neck in gym class last month and was taken to Buchanan Memorial Hospital for an X-ray. Rather than transfer her by ambulance to St. Martha's Hospital in Antigonish, her doctor used the Nova Scotia TeleHealth Network. The radiologist at St. Martha's examined Holly's X-rays and determined the injuries weren't serious. Thanks to TeleHealth, Holly got the care she needed, in her own community, and her parents, David and Wanda Smith, had their daughter home in her own bed that night. This year the network will stretch across Nova Scotia, bringing the same health care benefits to all Nova Scotians. For years many nurses in Nova Scotia were clinically trained at hospital nursing schools like the Victoria General in Halifax and the Aberdeen in New Glasgow. Today, all nurses are university trained. Both educational options have produced excellent nurses. In order to train more nurses, the province will re-examine nurses training, with an eye to reinstituting hospital nursing schools. The university training option will, of course, be retained. The government will open discussions with the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, the government employees union, the health care community, universities, and other interested stakeholders. We believe we can provide more, excellent nurses to meet Nova Scotia's health care needs, and provide more career options to young Nova Scotians, by offering both university and hospital-based nurses training. Accountability: Public Finances My government is committed, in every way possible, to improving public accountability for spending taxpayers' money. We will be releasing details of a plan to significantly improve our accounting policies. We also want to improve the process by which the accounts of the province are audited. At present Nova Scotia uses the services of an external auditor to determine whether the accounts are presented properly. This critical function is performed by a firm that carries out the same responsibilities for tens of thousands of firms around the world. When they advise the province on better methods to account for spending or control costs, they are able to draw on a huge pool of experience. They are also able to effectively and efficiently concentrate resources for the few months required at the end of our financial year, then move on to other clients. Nevertheless, the Auditor General for Nova Scotia has expressed concern about the current reporting relationship for the external auditor. At present, the external audit report is addressed to the Minister of Finance, rather than this assembly. Accordingly, my government will ask the Public Accounts Committee of this House to draw up a process by which that committee may select the public accounting firm to do the audit and receive the report. In this manner, Nova Scotians will continue to benefit from the views of two auditors: an external auditor who carries out the detailed audit for the Provincial Financial Statements under the direction of this assembly and the Auditor General, who is completely free to target his efforts to areas of potential public concern. Conclusion: A Clean Direction The government will bring forward legislation, including an act to protect 31 places in Nova Scotia that reflect and represent our diverse and majestic natural heritage. Members will be asked to reassert this province's commitment to a united Canada through support for a resolution affirming the Calgary Declaration. Governing is all about setting priorities and making choices. Nova Scotia is on solid ground financially, and every member of this House has, by party affiliation, made a commitment to maintain that position. The government will bring down a balanced budget. The government has established its priorities and made choices. Increased investment in health care and public education may result in the delay of other, laudable initiatives. The government's proposals to fund public programs will be placed before this House. Today, the government is articulating a direction. The budget will set the financial parameters. The government's priorities are clear. Young Nova Scotians will have every chance to reach their full potential. Families in need will be supported. Vibrant communities will continue to define Nova Scotia. Economic opportunities will continue to grow. On this course, Nova Scotia can sail into the new century as a more confident, prosperous and self- reliant province. God Save the Queen; God Bless Canada; God Bless Nova Scotia.