Highlights

Highlights of the Speech From the Throne read today, May 21, 1998, by Lt.-Gov. John James Kinley at the opening of the First Session of the 57th General Assembly of Nova Scotia:

"Education is one vital cornerstone of a child's future. Family, community, and opportunity complete the solid structure for success. Therein lies the course my government has set."

EDUCATION

• An unprecedented new commitment to public education.
• Fund 90 per cent of new education spending. Hold municipal contribution to 10 per cent.
• Reduce class sizes beginning in September 1998.
• Initiate new family literacy programs and more scholarships in medicine, engineering, and teaching for African Nova Scotians.
• Hire Mi'kmaq guidance and education counsellors for high schools.
• Construct 30 new schools and renovate 60 others. First new schools ready for students by September 1999.
• Increase university funding; limit, or eliminate, tuition fee increases.
• Expand community college programs to complement emerging industries.

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

• Work with public-sector unions on new entry-level government hiring plan to provide jobs for young Nova Scotians. Promote similar action in private sector.
• Initiate a new student internship program called Civil Service Career Start.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

• Introduce the new National Child Benefit and the Nova Scotia Child Benefit programs to support low-income families.
• Initiate a healthy child development program as part of long-term strategy to address child poverty.
• Facilitate a community-based conference aimed at advancing the well-being of children.
• Establish a "children's ombudsman" to provide an independent voice for children under provincial care.
• Consult Nova Scotians on how social assistance should evolve to meet the needs of the 21st century.
• Sponsor community-based symposium on services and housing needs of seniors.
• Increase funding for women's centres.
• Expand programs for people with disabilities.

JOBS AND GROWTH

• Keep job creation a top priority of government.
• Promote training that is more flexible and responsive to changing business requirements.
• Provide funds for tailored, just-in-time training programs that enable business to invest and expand.
• Develop training incentive programs to encourage businesses to invest in their workers.
• Provide incentives to encourage businesses to hire new graduates.
• Help 500 Nova Scotia businesses expand each year.
• Adopt a generic royalty regime to encourage new developments in offshore gas and oil.
• Develop Nova Scotia's export potential with a goal of securing a billion dollars in additional export sales.
• Work with the private sector to expand tourism.
• Implement capital pool program to finance growth initiatives.

COMMUNITIES

• Expand community Internet access program.
• Initiate largest-ever investment in computer and information technology.
• Provide more computers for schools, libraries, and universities.
• Increase funding for public libraries.
• Expand government Access sites across Nova Scotia.
• Implement comprehensive crime prevention program.
• Develop new protocol on high-risk offenders.
• Increase efforts to protect women from domestic violence and stalking.

HEALTH CARE

• Increase efforts to attract new family doctors and specialists.
• Provide new equipment to detect and treat illness.
• Appoint a commissioner of Cancer Care Nova Scotia.
• Provide additional support to combat alcohol, drug, and gambling abuse.
• Expand TeleHealth Network provincewide.
• Open discussions to reinstitute hospital-based nursing schools.

LEGISLATIVE

• Bring down a balanced budget.
• Introduce protected places legislation.
• House will debate, vote on, Calgary Declaration.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The complete text of the Speech From the Throne is on the Internet at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/legi/pubs/thronesp/9805sp.htm

The highlights are at:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/legi/pubs/thronesp/9805sphi.htm