Dexter warns of 'tough decisions' in spring

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter is warning that the next sitting of the legislature will be more difficult given the dire state of the province's finances.

The fall session ended Thursday, with the new NDP government easily passing 30 bills, as well as the first deficit budget in eight years.

The New Democrats blamed the projected $592-million shortfall on the previous Progressive Conservative government. It argued it had no choice but to change the Provincial Finance Act to allow money from offshore revenues to be used for general services.

But the NDP will be entirely responsible for the budget it brings down next spring.

Dexter warns that he cannot balance the books without some pain.

"There are going to be some very, very tough decisions that are going to have to be made over the course of the next session of the legislature. I'm sure there'll be lots for the opposition parties to talk about," he said.

Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil tried to convince the NDP to leave the Finance Act alone this year.

"They left that open to run successive deficit budgets, and Nova Scotians should be worried about that," said McNeil. Karen Casey, interim PC leader, agrees, saying she believes the NDP has laid the groundwork for continued deficits.

"And that's very disappointing," she said.

Dexter said he's pleased with what his government has accomplished in a short time.

Among the changes, the NDP took the HST off electricity bills, guaranteed public hearings for people who are about to lose their hospital emergency departments, and ensured that health workers can take time off to deal with emergencies.

In addition, the NDP slashed perks for MLAs and ensured the Liberal Party couldn't use its multimillion-dollar trust fund for political purposes.

Dexter's government faced criticism this fall for not settling a labour dispute with community college staff until the last minute, and is still under fire for its handling of the H1N1 vaccine program.

McNeil isn't impressed with what the NDP considers accomplishments. He said most of the bills that were passed were either laws originally proposed by the previous government, or just housekeeping.

"Nova Scotians will be disappointed if you look at what's taken place, if you look at what this government announced. What has this government done that's made a difference in the lives of Nova Scotians? I think when you look at the legislature we've gone through, there's been nothing," said McNeil.

Provincial politicians will now focus on their constituency work.