DARTMOUTH – With a standing ovation, Premier Darrell Dexter took the stage to address NDP supporters, opening with a crack at the expense of the federal Liberals.
“No appearance fee has been paid for my appearance here this morning,” said Dexter.
It was June of 2009, when Dexter and his NDP counterparts won the provincial election, forming Nova Scotia’s first NDP government – and a majority at that.
They promised historic change — but today, Dexter admitted change was incremental.
Some of the critical issues plaguing the government have included the closing of the Port Hawkesbury Paper Mill and Bowater Mersey Mill.
Then there’s the infamous 2010 expense scandal that continues to brew to this day.
Get breaking National news
According to Dexter, the choices his government made were not just about getting re-elected.
“We are the first government who made major decisions which we knew were not going to pay off in one term. We knew that we were looking beyond the four year cycle on things like investments in business and things like the Ships Start Here contract,” Dexter said.
Many however, were hoping for a more noticeable change.
“It just feels like it’s been more of the same. It hasn’t really changed in the last four years. Nova Scotia doesn’t feel like it’s gotten worse but it doesn’t like it’s gotten much better either,” said Taylor Andrews.
“I’m not particular content, I’d hoped for more. I had voted NDP for years but this government doesn’t quite seem to be performing,” added Margaret Gibb.
Today’s gathering looked and sounded like a campaign-styled event. With four years down, the question of when the next election will be is looming.
According to the premier, no date has been set.
“That’s what the next election will really be about, are we going to go back to the way things used to be done, or are we going to go forward in the manner in which we have brought things forward,” he said.
The latest poll from Corporate Research Associates say only four in 10 Nova Scotians are satisfied with the Dexter government, putting Liberal leader Stephen McNeil as the most popular party leader.
All this leads to speculation that an election won’t be called until after the fall sitting.
Comments