N.S. Leaders Talk Housing, Economy, Northern Pulp In Messy First Debate
HALIFAX — The leaders of Nova Scotia’s three main political parties took part in their first debate of the election campaign on July 28.
The Liberal Party’s Iain Rankin, the Progressive Conservative Party’s Tim Houston, and the NDP’s Gary Burrill met for a messy 90-minute debate Wednesday evening, hosted by the CBC.
The loosely moderated event often found the three men interrupting and talking over one another for extended periods, but covered a wide range of issues, including a significant discussion on health care, as well as the environment, diversity, and the economy.
Housing And Rent Control
Another major issue the candidates spent considerable time talking about was housing affordability.
One of the NDP’s major platform planks is a commitment to permanent rent control in the province, and Burrill argued forcefully in favour of the controversial policy.
“My opponents have said about this that rent control doesn’t work, but I am telling you that for the person that is facing a $300-$400 sudden increase on the basis of which they are about to have to leave their home. When rent control is brought in and all of the sudden they don’t have to do that packing, it works for sure.”
Houston and Rankin, meanwhile, both argued the root of the housing crisis in Nova Scotia is a supply shortage.
Houston argued flatly that “rent control won’t work” and said there’s no “magic wand” that will fix housing affordability in Nova Scotia.
He said his party’s plans to attract more skilled tradespeople to the province will help developers build housing faster, which will address supply issues.
Rankin pointed out his government has promised to follow every recommendation put forward by the affordable housing commission.
He also said he supported former premier Stephen McNeil’s decision to put rent control in place temporarily during the pandemic but that he plans to let the measure expire when the province lifts its state of emergency.
“But my condition is that we need to have that supply, and if … we make those key investments so that we have a more healthy vacancy rate then rent control is not needed,” he said.
Economic Recovery
When asked about the province’s prospects for economic recovery, Rankin argued the Liberal government put Nova Scotia in an enviable economic position before the pandemic, through years of balanced budgets.
The province’s exports were “booming,” it was putting up record tourism years, its population was growing, and unemployment was at an all-time low, he said.
“One of the reasons we handled the pandemic so well is that we were one of the few provinces that were on a sustainable fiscal path,” he said.
He said those fundamentals are still there and that his government could get the province back on track.
Burrill and Houston both attacked Rankin on those numbers, bringing up other, less-rosy statistics.
Houston argued that the numbers Rankin bragged about disguised a more disturbing economic picture. For example, the fact that the province has the third-highest child poverty rate in the country.
Burrill also pointed out that Nova Scotians had the lowest median income in the country before the pandemic hit and argued Rankin’s focus on top-level statistics misses the point.
“It indicates a great removal from the reality of people’s daily financial life to talk about being in a position of economic strength when the core thing about the economy is people’s incomes,” he said.
Burrill said the NPD would help Nova Scotia “expand our way to recovery” through policies like implementing a $15 minimum wage, permanent rent control, and programs to bring more women into the workforce.
He said his government would pay for those pricey initiatives by reversing Liberal-era corporate tax cuts and finding smarter, less expensive ways to deliver long-term care to seniors.
Houston, meanwhile, said Nova Scotia needs innovative ideas to jumpstart its economy.
He pointed to his party’s “better paycheck guarantee” program, which would allow businesses to divert some of their taxes away from the government and towards things like hiring new staff or wage increases.
That policy, he argued, will mean more money in the hands of Nova Scotians.
He also touted the PC’s loyalty program he said will encourage Nova Scotians to spend more money on local products.
“This is government policy that will actually encourage Nova Scotians to consume local products. It will grow our economy, it will put more money in the hands of Nova Scotians,” he said.
Fisheries and Northern Pulp
The candidates were also asked to weigh in on other key issues facing the province.
Moderators asked the men whether their governments would sanction the purchase of lobster caught by moderate livelihood fishers from Indigenous communities, even if the federal government didn’t.
Both Houston and Rankin said they would not, instead passing the buck back to the federal government.
“First you need to define moderate livelihood,” Houston said.
He said it is the federal government’s job to do that but that the province needs to play a role in pressuring it to do that.
“Nova Scotians have always been focused on conservation. We’re very concerned about the long-term future of the fishery, and that’s all Nova Scotians, no matter their background,” he said.
Rankin also put the onus on the federal government to define a moderate livelihood and stated frankly “I wouldn’t change our regulations.”
Burrill appeared to disagree, saying that it “makes no sense” that a court-mandated moderate livelihood fishery can’t be given “practical effect” from the province. He said he believes the province’s regulations need to be adjusted.
The candidates were also asked if they supported allowing Northern Pulp to release treated wastewater from its plant into Pictou Harbour.
Houston essentially said he would support it, with the caveat that it’s the government’s responsibility to set a “really high standard” for the safety of that process and make sure there’s a process in place to enforce that standard.
Burrill was more direct.
“Northern Pulp should never be allowed to do to Pictou Harbour what they did to Boat Harbour. Period. End of story,” he said.
Rankin pointed fingers at the other parties for not supporting the Liberal’s decision to force the plant to close in 2020 but didn’t directly answer the question about its wastewater.
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