That completes the longest fall session in over a decade

The NDP government's first session in the House of Assembly is now in the books. During the election we promised to put the legislature back to work for Nova Scotians and that's exactly what we did. We got down to business on Sept. 17 and didn't rise until Nov. 5.
Lasting a total of seven weeks, the session proved to be the longest fall session in over a decade.
In the end the long hours paid off. We were able to fulfill many key election commitments that will make life better for today's families. We saved households money by removing the HST from home energy bills. We increased access to quality affordable child care by providing expansion loan funding to child-care facilities across the province. And we helped to stimulate the economy while improving communities by maximizing federal dollars for dozens of infrastructure projects. These include the construction of new emergency facilities in rural areas, much needed repairs to roads and highways and improvements to sewer systems.
We also introduced an important new law that will make the roads and highways much safer for Nova Scotians. In fact, the very first piece of legislation our new government introduced was a bill designed for this very purpose.
Bill #1, an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act, was the result of a lot of hard work on the part of fellow NDP MLA David Wilson. Wilson, a former paramedic, has long been an advocate for enforcing a 60km/hr speed limit for drivers passing an accident scene.
That's exactly what this new law will enforce.
Previously, paramedics, firefighters and other emergency workers faced great danger while tending to a victim on the side of the road. With this law the province has ensured first responders can do their crucial jobs without having to worry about dodging fast-moving vehicles.
In Dave's words, "We've protected those who protect us."
Now that the House of Assembly has risen I'm looking forward to having more time to spend in Dartmouth North. Please never hesitate to contact me by calling 461-0181.