Productive Fall Session in Legislature

"We managed to get a good deal of good work done for the people," was how Premier Russell MacLellan summarized the fall session of the legislature, which adjourned Thursday.

The House approved 25 public bills --24 sponsored by the government and one sponsored by the third party, the Conservatives. Among government bills to pass was the Financial Measures Act, which included measures contained in the spring budget.

"When you look at the array of legislation, it was actually one of the most productive sessions in recent memory," the premier said. "The government managed to get significant legislation passed to protect the environment; some important health care legislation; bills that help protect children; legislation that protects students in private colleges, and some overdue judicial reforms."

Specifically, the legislative package included:

• Amendments to the Forestry Act to ensure sustainable forestry is practised on both Crown and private woodlands in Nova Scotia. They protect the forest environment, wildlife habitats, watercourses and wetlands, and limit the size of clearcuts.

• The Wilderness Protection Act to protect 31 natural areas across Nova Scotia. Nearly 20 per cent of Crown land in Nova Scotia now comes under protection.

• The Endangered Species Act to provide for legal designation and listing of species at risk. It prohibits killing, disturbing, selling or trading endangered and threatened species.

• Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, sponsored by the third party, which result in significantly tougher drunk-driving penalties, including permanent loss of licence for repeat offenders.

• Amendments to the Optometry Act to allow optometrists to report drivers whose vision is not acceptable, thus removing them from the road.

• The Health Research Foundation Act to create the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. The province will provide $5 million annually to the foundation. In turn, the foundation will provide funding for health and public policy research.

• Amendments to the Occupational Therapists Act and Physiotherapy Act, which give Nova Scotians direct access to occupational therapists and physiotherapists without referral from a doctor, improving Nova Scotians' access to these services.

• Amendments to the Medical Act to ensure hospitals report most instances in which they restrict the privileges of a physician, making health care more accountable.

• The Teachers College Foundation Act to create a foundation to review eight separate trust funds established for scholarships, bursaries and awards for students of the former teachers' college. The eight trust funds are valued at more than $60,000.

• The Private Career Colleges Regulation Act to increase protection for students of these institutions and to share responsibility between government and industry in supporting and regulating quality education in the private career college system.

• The Mi'kmaq Education Act to transfer jurisdiction for education on reserves from the federal government to Mi'kmaq bands. Funding for band-operated schools will continue to come from the federal government.

• Amendments to the Maintenance Enforcement Act, which increase financial protection for custodial parents and their children. The changes allow the program to access locked-in pension or RRSP funds, thus providing another avenue to ensure child support payments are made.

• Amendments to the Condominium Act to give individual condominium owners added protection and to make it easier for condominium corporations to conduct business.

• The Intercountry Adoption Act, which strengthens the requirements for Nova Scotians adopting children from other countries. It is designed to ensure adoptions are conducted in the best interests of children.

• A new Municipal Government Act to give local governments more authority over local issues. The province must provide municipal governments with 12 months' notice of any initiatives that will affect municipal budgets. Other highlights include more clarity in rules regarding private council meetings and access to municipal information; and expanded municipal bylaw powers.

• The Business Efficiency Act to bring existing legislation up-to-date by addressing items that are a burden to business. It focuses on streamlining licence, permit, registration and certificate approval processes.

• An Act to Permit the Corporate Reorganization of Nova Scotia Power Inc., which offers the company greater freedom in pursuing business opportunities outside the province and in areas outside of producing and selling electricity, such as in natural gas.

• The Financial Measures Act, which increases the pension paid to surviving spouses of civil servants; increases pension payments to many former civil servants; and results in a pension holiday for provincial pension plan contributors. It also increases the film-industry tax credit.

• Juries Act amendments that provide more Nova Scotians with the opportunity to sit as jurors so that juries better reflect the population.

• An Act Respecting the Family Division of the Supreme Court, which provides new and improved services within the family law justice system. The act amends four existing acts and creates a family division of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

• Amendments to Provincial Court Act to establish in Nova Scotia independent commissions to set the salaries and benefits of provincially appointed judges.

Bills that were introduced during the past session and are expected to be dealt with when the House resumes in January or February include:

• Amendments to the Workers Compensation Act, which outline a number of steps aimed at addressing problems in the system, including the current backlog of appeals and an unfunded liability of more than $360 million. The amendments are intended to keep dialogue open and encourage people to come forward with suggestions for improvement during the law amendments process. Comments and suggestions can be made by calling the Legislative Counsel office at 902-424-8941.