N.S. budget bill vote shut down by singing protesters

Passage of the Nova Scotia government’s budget bill stalled late Tuesday night when a group of singing protesters shut down the final vote to approve the budget.

Finance Minister John Lohr tabled the Appropriations Act, the bill that authorizes the government’s spending plan, around 11 p.m.

The bill cleared the first two votes without issue. But as the final vote was about to begin, members of a crowd of about 45 people looking on from the gallery at Province House broke out in song.

“It’s OK to change your mind, show us your courage, leave this behind,” they sang.

“It’s OK to change your mind. And you can join us — join us at any time.”

After about 15 minutes of singing and some people yelling out to MLAs, and with the clock nearing midnight, Speaker Danielle Barkhouse adjourned the sitting.

Business is set to resume at the legislature on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

‘Democracy in action’

Despite Tuesday’s events, Government House leader Brendan Maguire said plans for the budget would not change and the Appropriations Act would be called again for a final vote sometime this week.

Maguire said the gallery protest was “democracy in action.”

“It’s the people’s House — they have a right to come here and voice their opinion. That’s what democracy is.”

The Progressive Conservatives’ budget has proved controversial since it was tabled last month. It includes more than $300 million in cuts this year as the province confronts a $1.24 billion deficit. The province plans to make a total of $2.5 billion in cuts by 2030.

Thousands have attended multiple rallies outside Province House to protest the cuts, particularly the $130 million reduction to grants for a wide variety of programs from mental health supports to funding for the arts sector.

Premier Tim Houston responded to the outcry by reversing $53.6 million of the $300 million in cuts on March 10, including a cut to staff at nursing homes. Several grant cuts that would have affected services for seniors, people with disabilities, and education opportunities for African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq learners were also reversed.

Maguire said while he understands there is frustration among some people with the budget, it also provides money for things such as health care, education, transportation and other projects.

“Should we stop that? Obviously not.”

Pause needed, Opposition says

But opposition leaders said a pause is exactly what’s required.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said the government needs to reconsider cuts “that don’t do anything to address their deficit,” and meet with representatives from the arts community, in particular.

“Talk to people. Explain your budget, explain your choices. Without doing that it’s just deeply irresponsible governance,” she said.

Interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin said it’s a good thing that the budget vote has been delayed. Both the Liberals and NDP have tried unsuccessfully in recent days to convince the government to give things a second look.

“We’ve been trying to delay the budget vote for a while to get the premier back here at least,” he said.

Premier Tim Houston is in Texas until Thursday attending a major energy conference.

Rankin said the public in attendance Tuesday night “had their voice heard loud and clear.”

Arts community remains concerned

Cuts to the arts and culture sector included in the budget have not been reversed, and many of the people who have turned up at Province House in recent days to observe the proceedings have pointed to those cuts and the impact they could have on communities and the economy as a source of concern.

Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac, one of the people in attendance at the legislature Tuesday night, said budget cuts that appear to target marginalized communities are a source for concern. She said those cuts are just “a small drop” in efforts to address the deficit.

“There’s been a lot of outcry asking and asking and asking to be heard and asking for these MLAs to represent their constituents and we haven’t been seeing it,” they said.

“So I wanted to be here today to see what happened with the budget vote.”

Stephanie Domet, a member of the Nova Scotia Arts Coalition and co-founder of the Afterwards Literary Festival, said she was at Province House to “give the government someone to look in the eye” as a vote that would “affect the lives of every Nova Scotian” took place.

Domet, a former CBC radio host, said she’s never seen public engagement like what has surrounded the legislature during this session.

“I thought we were just singing to sing because we’re artists, some of us, and it’s such an important outlet at time like this,” she said.

“And then when I realized the clock was ticking and what was about to happen I thought, ‘I will sing until I have no voice.'”

Province House last shut down in 1994

The last time Province House was shut down by a protest was in 1994, according to the legislature library. That’s when hundreds of angry construction workers took over the place to oppose legislation that would allow unionized and non-unionized workers on the same job site.

Despite some catcalling from the gallery, Tuesday’s events were tame by comparison. People in the gallery and MLAs on the floor shot video of the happenings, something that is normally not permitted by legislature rules.

Security stood by as the public was eventually cleared from the third floor and made their way outside. Seven police cars could be seen outside monitoring the situation.

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