He’s back. Stephen McNeil’s Liberals will be returning to Province House as the Nova Scotia government after voters handed McNeil a second straight majority mandate.
There were several nail-biting races Tuesday night that saw several prominent Liberal candidates lose their seats after a strong showing by the Progressive Conservatives.
Both McNeil and PC Leader Jamie Baillie won their seats, as did NDP Leader Gary Burrill after a tight race in his Halifax riding.
WATCH: Global News projects Liberal government
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Nova Scotia election: Liberals win consecutive majority governments -
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Nova Scotia election: One-on-one with Premier Stephen McNeil -
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Nova Scotia election: Global News projects Liberal victory -
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Nova Scotia election: McNeil will take ‘inspiration’ from close win -
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Nova Scotia election: PC leader Jamie Baillie wins Cumberland South -
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Nova Scotia election: Stephen McNeil re-elected in his home riding of Annapolis -
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Nova Scotia election: NDP leader Gary Burrill elected in Halifax Chebucto -
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Nova Scotia election: Gary Burrill’s full speech at NDP campaign headquarters -
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Nova Scotia election: Taking stock of the youth vote -
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Nova Scotia election: Lena Diab elected in Halifax Armdale -
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Nova Scotia election: Allan MacMaster re-elected in Inverness
“To Nova Scotians who have supported our vision thank you. It was a hard fought campaign and I’ve lost some colleagues tonight,” McNeil told a crowd of supporters. “I will take energy and inspiration from tonight’s results. I will work for each and every one of you, every day to make this province all it can be.”
Election results swung back and forth all night but when the dust settled the Liberals were elected in 27 ridings, the Tories elected in 17 and the NDP were elected in seven ridings.
Here is a look at what Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil and his team have promised.
Health care
WATCH ABOVE: Global News projects Liberal victory
Throughout the election the Tories and NDP repeatedly hammered the Liberals over the state of health care in the province including doctor shortages, long wait times and emergency room closures.
For their part, the Liberals have promised to spend $34 million over the next four years to address mental health and hiring more than 100 mental-health professionals and support staff.
READ MORE: Fact check: Why didn’t the Liberals make good on their 2013 doctors promise?
The Grits have also said they would allow doctors to choose where and how they practise, while also pledging to reduce wait times for hip and knee surgeries and to expand the caregiver benefit program.
They will also roll out a $116.7-million package to establish more collaborative care clinics and recruit more doctors.
Education
WATCH ABOVE: Natasha Pace chats with NDP leader Gary Burrill
The Grits have promised universal, full-day pre-Primary for four-year-olds, which could save families up to $10,000 a year.
Liberals would also expand the reading recovery program, school breakfast programs and reduce waitlists for speech and language help and psychology services.
READ MORE: N.S. Full recap of Nova Scotia Election 2017
However, McNeil’s government faced a number standoffs with the province’s health-care workers and public school teachers over a freeze in public sector wages.
There were protests at the legislature, two brief strikes and back-to-work legislation that the unions decried as draconian.
The Liberals will have their work cut out for them in repairing its relationship with teachers and health-care workers.
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Job creation
McNeil’s Liberals have promises $45 million over four years to create more than 2,700 jobs for young Nova Scotians through a graduate opportunity program, vocational training in high schools, and other programs.
READ MORE: McNeil pressed on broken promises during debate
They have also promised additional dollars to support export growth and the province’s wine industry.
Infrastructure
The Liberals have said they will spend $10 million on gravel roads this year, then spend $20 million for each of the following three years. They’ve committed an additional $390 million in capital funding, spent over seven years, to twin three sections of the 100-series highways and build a four-lane divided highway between Burnside and Bedford.
They’ve also committed $50 million to new schools and improving main streets in communities.
Taxes
The Liberal platform promised a wide-ranging middle class tax cut, raising the basic personal exemption for anyone taking home $75,000 a year or less.
Once the tax cut is fully rolled out in four years, about 500,000 people will save an average $160, and 60,000 people will no longer pay any income tax. But a tax cut on small business income will come at a cost of about $14 million a year.
Environment
McNeil has said building a green, sustainable economy is a priority and has promised to implement a cap and trade system to fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
*With files from the Canadian Press
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