N.S. premier and ministers take questions after Thursday cabinet meeting

The Nova Scotia provincial government held a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Premier Stephen McNeil is joined by his cabinet of ministers on Thursday around noon to take questions from reporters.

In the last two days, McNeil has been praised and criticized after apologizing to Black and Indigenous Nova Scotians for systemic racism in the province.

He apologized to the communities on Tuesday and announced a new design team committed to a restorative process to transform the approach to public safety in the province.

Some community members said the apology was a long-time coming, but others expressed dissatisfaction, saying they were “blindsided” and the community was not consulted.

“Whatever this process is, the design process, it really hasn’t been engaged with any kind of broad consultation with the African Nova Scotian community,” said social worker and African Nova Scotian community advocate Robert Wright.

2:20 Evangeline Downey on what it feels like to not be consulted on Nova Scotia’s apology for systemic racism in the justice system

In addition, the Nova Scotia’s Education Department released a set of documents that reveal which of the province’s schools have a problem with lead in their drinking water. Several schools in the province tested with exceeding limits of lead in drinking water.

The Progressive Conservative Aboriginal Affairs Critic Brad Johns will also be available for questions following cabinet ministers.

Thursday marks Treaty Day and the first day of Mi’kmaw History Month in Nova Scotia.

Watch the livestream here.