HIGHLIGHTS--Second Session of the 58th

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE--HIGHLIGHTS--Second Session of the 58th General Assembly

The following are the highlights from the speech from the throne read today, March 22, 2001, by Lt.-Gov. Myra A. Freeman at the opening of the second session of the 58th General Assembly of Nova Scotia:

Government believes that nothing is more important to Nova Scotia’s long-term economic health and social prosperity than helping our children become healthy, caring, and productive adults. To that end, it has identified key areas for action and investment, including:

• Expanding the Active Young Readers Program across all elementary grade levels from Grade Primary to Grade 6.

• Introducing new literacy tests at the Grade 6 level and sharing the results with parents.

• Introducing Nova Scotia’s first provincewide Code of Conduct for Nova Scotia’s public school system.

• Developing new approaches and providing new supports for students with special needs.

• Launching Youth Pathways and Transitions to help high school students bridge to community college and Nova Scotia’s labour market.

• Expanding access to community college.

• Improving mental-health services, particularly for children and adolescents.

• Introducing a comprehensive home-visitation program for expectant mothers, new parents and newborns.

• Increasing assistance to child-care centres and expanding access to child care.

• Developing a provincewide strategy to promote active, healthy living.

Government is committed to ensuring that Nova Scotians have reliable, quality health care well into the future. Solid information, community involvement, support for health-care professionals, and a greater focus on preventing disease and promoting wellness are key to making this possible.

Therefore, government will:

• Modernize assessment and admission criteria for nursing-home placement.

• Invest in home care.

• Launch a nursing strategy to retain and recruit nurses.

• Introduce nurse-practitioner legislation.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive tobacco- control strategy.

• Provide a wellness fund to support wellness initiatives by community health boards.

• Introduce a new Patient Navigation System for cancer patients and their doctors.

• Proceed with the second phase of the Clinical Services Planning Process.

• Improve patient care and system-wide planning through investments in information technology.

This government believes in the principles of fairness, equity, and self-reliance. We have demonstrated that we are prepared to lead by example. In the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to call on Ottawa to provide Nova Scotians with their full and fair share of benefits from the offshore. We will continue to aggressively pursue Nova Scotia’s Campaign for Fairness.

This government is working hard to position Nova Scotia for economic success. This means modernizing government services, planning for Nova Scotia’s future employment needs, and maximizing opportunities in emerging as well as foundation industries. To that end we will:

• Launch the Skills Agenda, a comprehensive assessment of new and developing job demands.

• Enhance and expand Nova Scotia’s high-speed Internet connections.

• Enhance online business services by expanding the Nova Scotia Business Registry.

• Introduce new self-serve government service terminals in 19 locations.

• Launch Registry 2000 to create a modern electronic land registry.

• Increase funding for road improvements.

• Introduce a new highway-signage policy.

• Place increased emphasis on Nova Scotia as a year-round tourism destination.

• Support export opportunities for our cultural producers and distributors.

• Continue to support farmers through existing federal- provincial cost-sharing programs.

• Implement an industrial benefits program.

• Pilot new ways for Nova Scotia companies to do business with government.

• Strengthen and streamline marketing initiatives through the Brand Nova Scotia initiative.

• Develop a new energy strategy to maximize benefits to consumers and the province.

Government is committed to enriching the quality of life in Nova Scotia. This means taking steps to protect Nova Scotians’ health and safety, preserving the integrity of our natural environment, and improving our physical infrastructure. Government will:

• Improve emergency services through the Civic Addressing Project.

• Develop a comprehensive water-quality and water-quantity management strategy.

• Develop new approaches for addressing deficiencies in sewage- management practices.

• Work with our federal, provincial and territorial partners to reduce greenhouse gases.

• Implement the Rural and Semi-rural Inclusive Transportation Support Program.

• Work with communities to expand the Trans-Canada Trail System.

• Increase our investment in Crown-land silviculture.

• Support drivers who voluntarily take safe-driving courses.

This government is determined to end Nova Scotia’s costly dependence on borrowed money. We have set the course for a balanced budget in 2002-03. We will meet our budget targets as promised. And we will use new accountability measures to see that we do.

• New investments will be made in health and education information-management systems.

• The financial-management and policy-planning arms of government will be brought together under Treasury and Policy Board.

• The scope and mandate of the Department of Human Resources will be extended to cover the broader public service.

NOTE: The speech from the throne is available at the Vital Statistics Office, 1609 Hollis St., Halifax and Access Nova Scotia Centres throughout the province, or online at www.gov.ns.ca/legi/pubs/thronesp/2001_3_22thronesp.htm .