NDP works on balancing act

As I sit down to draft this Political Speak column, there is a tangible positive vibe in the air. The Olympics recently wrapped up in thrilling fashion and people in Dartmouth are still buzzing about the women's and men's gold-medal hockey games. It was good to see our hometown hero come through again in the clutch. I continue to be very impressed with how young Sidney Crosby keeps finding new ways to make us proud.
While local athletes like Crosby and snowboarder Sarah Conrad excelled in Vancouver, our NDP government was hard at work to make life better for families. On Feb. 12 we fulfilled a major election commitment by eliminating security deposits at nursing homes. These deposits, which could reach as high as $4,700, were a burden on seniors and their families. They forced healthy and productive individuals to leave their homes before they were ready and in the process caused a great deal of needless pain and suffering. To put it bluntly, these fees were wrong and I am very pleased to see them eliminated.
Climate-change prevention has also been a main priority of our government. If you are a regular user of Metro Transit, you may find yourself on a new, more energy efficient bus in the near future. That's because the province and HRM have each contributed towards the purchase of two hybrid buses. The vehicles will be used on routes in the downtown core and during the rush hour will offset the green-house gas emissions of approximately 80 cars. That works out to about 49,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year.
While we strive to reduce harmful emissions, we are also taking important steps to improve our province's financial situation. To this end, Finance Minister Graham Steele brought his Back to Balance tour to Dartmouth North on Feb. 1. An impressive number of people turned out at the Dartmouth North Community Centre on Pinecrest Drive to discuss with Steele their ideas about how to reduce and eventually eliminate our province's deficit. The meeting was very productive and all advice will be considered. A complete summary of the event can be found at www.gov.ns.ca/finance/backtobalance.
The budget should be tabled in late March or early April; just a few days after a new session of the Legislature opens on March 25. During the election we committed to putting the Legislature back to work for Nova Scotians and this fall we delivered with a seven-week session - the longest in over a decade. You can expect another lengthy sitting this spring as we pursue an ambitious agenda. There is still plenty that needs to be achieved and tough decisions to be made, but I assure you that during this process, the needs of Dartmouth North will be presented at the decision-making table.
To discuss any issue with me please call 461-0181.