Task Force Releases Final Report

Voluntary Planning's Fiscal Management Task Force released its final report today in Halifax. Titled Taking Control of Our Future, the report includes 29 recommendations to help the Nova Scotia government solve the province's fiscal problems.

"We think the final report is more balanced," said task force chair Allan Shaw. "It takes into account ways to increase revenues as well as reduce expenses, and it is more equitable in its recommendations for how to share the pain of deficit cutting and debt reduction."

The task force released a preliminary report last month and held nine meetings around the province to allow public comment. More than 1,200 people attended the meetings.

"We made significant changes in some of our recommendations because of what we heard from the people of the province," said Mr. Shaw.

The task force recommends the deficit be eliminated in three years, not two as suggested in its preliminary report. The recommendation for mandatory unpaid leave for public servants has been eliminated.

Mr. Shaw said the most significant recommendations remain the Program Decision Process, a method to rationally and efficiently review all government programs and services, as well as the Planning and Accountability Framework to keep government on track.

"We believe these recommendations will not only change the way we are governed for the better but also help restore faith in the political process," said Mr. Shaw.

Other recommendations include initiating a provincewide debate on Lifelong Learning, implementing an aggressive immigration policy and action plan, developing an economic strategy and significantly reducing debt-service charges in 10 years.

Premier John Hamm asked Voluntary Planning to review the province's fiscal situation and recommend how to achieve a balanced budget. Voluntary Planning responded by establishing the Fiscal Management Task Force in October.

In the past three months the task force has received more than 800 written submissions, heard from experts from across the country, filed a preliminary report and held public meetings around the province.

The final report is available at the Government Bookstore, 1700 Granville St., Halifax. For a copy, call 902-424-7580 or toll- free at 1-800-526-6575 or check out the task force website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/ecor/vp/prtf .