NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) was back in the House of Assembly today for the beginning of the Spring session after the PCs canceled the Fall session following the election. Dinn’s focus today was on getting government to commit to not cutting public services and addressing the safety concerns in our schools.
With the provincial budget on the horizon – the first for the PCs in 10 years – Dinn says that with a lot of flashy promises from the government in their election campaign, and the provincial debt and deficit over this past year reaching almost a billion dollars, he is worried that government will cut public services to make up the cost.
“Speaker, we have a billion-dollar deficit. By government’s own admission the fiscal situation of the province is much worse than they imagined. Usually this means raising taxes or cutting services. Government’s slogan – Better Healthcare, Lower Taxes, Safer Communities – suggests they plan to do neither, but I don’t buy it,” Dinn said. “I ask the Premier: will he commit to not cutting public employees and services in the upcoming budget?”
Dinn also took government to task on the absence of education in the PCs Speech from the Throne and highlighted key safety issues being faced by schools in our province. In light of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy, Dinn says student safety must be a top priority.
“Speaker, over the past several weeks media has reported on several outstanding safety infrastructures that affect the health and safety of our school communities: the lack of a functioning surveillance system for Mealy Mountain Collegiate, the lack of a functioning PA system at New World Island Academy, and the lack of hot water at Ecole Rocher du Nord. Has your department completed an audit of our schools to identify health and safety deficits that could affect the health and safety of our staff and students?”