When it comes to the fiscal situation of the province, Newfoundland and Labrador NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is clear: the arse is gone right out of ‘er. Dinn is very concerned, stating that successive Liberal and Conservative governments have been anything but fiscally responsible with the public purse.
During the election campaign, the NDP made it a priority to release a fully costed, four-year platform that laid out a clear path to make life more affordable while responsibly paying down the province’s debt. Dinn said that level of respect for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador was missing from both the Liberal and PC platforms, which were released just six days before the election.
Dinn also criticized the Liberals, saying the fiscal update clearly shows they manipulated tobacco settlement funds to present a more favourable economic picture ahead of the election.
“This update exposed the truth about the manipulation the Liberals used to convince people in this province that our fiscal situation wasn’t as bad as it was. This is completely unacceptable. The public deserve the truth about how their money is being spent, and the reality of the province’s finances,” said Dinn. “From outrageous spending on travel nurses, to giving their friends handouts and deals, the Liberals have left us with a mess.”
But Dinn says that doesn’t mean the Conservatives get a free pass. He says that the Conservative’s fiscal update inspired little hope in their government’s ability to get the province’s finances back on track – highlighting the use of flashy slogans instead of concrete actions.
“Let’s go back to the election, when the Premier made big promises to the people of this province knowing full well what he was going to inherit. Now we’re hearing them claim they’ll deliver on every promise in a hastily assembled, not fully costed platform that already projected a deficit – all while supposedly ‘righting the ship.’ Completely disingenuous,” said Dinn.
“The Minister basically used the same rhetoric the Liberals used to rely on – ‘stay tuned’ – paired with slogans instead of an actual plan. My question to the Premier is this: how do you actually expect to deliver on these huge promises you made to the people of this province?”
“Nothing in this update instills confidence. It doesn’t do anything for the seniors who are spending over half of their limited income on rent. It doesn’t do anything for young families who are looking for affordable childcare so both parents can get back in the workforce. It does nothing for the family who is worried that they won’t be able to afford the already limited groceries they can now,” Dinn said.
“‘Fiscal responsibility’ and ‘transparency’ are not just buzzwords – they require action. Liberals and Conservatives in this province are quick to use those words, but when they fail to back them up with concrete action – as we have clearly seen here – they mean nothing. This is public money we’re talking about, and we damn well better get it right, now.”