Speaking to reporters on Monday, Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston said while the state of emergency permits authorities to issue fines, confiscate property, and order evacuations without a warrant, it doesn't necessarily help in clearing roads and getting assistance faster. “At the end at the end of the process, I kind of wonder what they'll do with it. Will they do anything with it or was it more of just a kind of a PR issue? That's kind of what I'm wondering.” This comes after a local state of emergency was declared for parts of Cape Breton due to the multi-day snowfall and severe weather.