1,126 Government Programs Identified

Nova Scotians probably don't need all 1,126 programs identified to date by the provincial government's program assessment process, Premier John Hamm said today.

In the annual "State of the Province" address to the metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce, the premier reported that his three-month-old government is well along in compiling, for the first time, a comprehensive inventory of what the provincial government does.

The premier put forward a four-step process designed to focus the government's energy and the taxpayers' money on those programs and services that Nova Scotians consider most important.

"This is not about cutting government to fit a budget. That has been tried and failed," said Premier Hamm. "This is about setting clear priorities and determining which programs and services are required to achieve those priorities."

The premier also noted that, less than 100 days into office, work has begun on more than half the government's pre-election commitments.

"One of those commitments was to give Nova Scotians -- for the first time in history -- a full and honest accounting of the books. We have done just that."

That full accounting was the first step toward balancing quality programs with the province's ability to pay.

Premier Hamm said the second step is a review of everything the province now does, adding that an inventory had to be developed "from the ground up" because none existed when the new government came to office.

The third step involves public input. The premier has asked the Voluntary Planning Board to both devise a yardstick to measure programs and to consult with Nova Scotians on which services they consider most important.

"Once all of that is done ... cabinet will look at every one of those 1,126 programs and we will ask ourselves one question: If we weren't doing this already, would we start?"

The premier told the chamber that the province is in relatively good shape, but the sorry state of government finances, unless remedied, would become an obstacle to economic growth.

Removing that obstacle will require difficult choices, the premier said. He added his government's program will also include a focused economic agenda and a fair and responsible social agenda.