Highlights of the Speech From The Throne, Third Session of the 58th General Assembly

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE--Highlights of the Speech From The Throne, Third Session of the 58th General Assembly

The following are the highlights from the speech from the throne read today, March 27, 2003, by Lt.-Gov. Myra A. Freeman at the opening of the third session of the 58th General Assembly of Nova Scotia:

A PROUD PAST...A CONFIDENT FUTURE

Our province has established a reputation as a leader on many fronts. Tourists come here from around the world. We are gaining a new and impressive resumé for hosting major national and international events. And some of the world's most progressive and successful companies are making Nova Scotia their new home.

Our plan is to continue to build a healthier, better educated, and more prosperous Nova Scotia.

BETTER CARE, FASTER CARE

Recently, government released Your Health Matters, a comprehensive plan that will mean better health care for all Nova Scotians. It includes, but is not limited to, a commitment to:

• Provide our hospitals with stable, predictable funding over several years.
• More money to train nurses, doctors, and medical laboratory technicians.
• Reduced wait times.
• A new Office of Health Promotion, with programs to support healthy living.
• Additional measures to support seniors living in long-term care.
• More supports for Nova Scotians needing mental health services.
• More money to help seniors manage the high cost of prescription drugs.
• More money for home care.
• New financial incentives and new measures to support family caregivers.

A BETTER START...A MORE PROMISING FUTURE

Government has been working to help our youngest children get off to a better start and our older children and adult learners off to a more promising future. That is why we:

• Released Learning for Life, a plan that focuses on the basics first, with smaller class sizes in the critical early years as well as more books, math tools, computers, teachers, and specialists.
• Announced a new debt-management plan to help post-secondary students manage the cost of a post-secondary education.
• Announced more money to support our universities.
• Announced additional investments in the Nova Scotia Community College.
• Are improving and expanding access to apprenticeship programs.
• Continuing to invest in the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning.

A NEW AGE OF PROSPERITY

A growing economy allows us to invest more in our families' priorities. Since 1999, 26,000 new jobs have been created. With a balanced budget and a strategy to generate new investment, new jobs, and new growth, Nova Scotia's future has never looked better. We will:

• Introduce Nova Scotia's second balanced budget in a row.
• Lower taxes.
• Help small business by bringing Nova Scotia's Small Business Tax threshold in line with the most recent federal budget.
• Provide more support for research and innovation by doubling InNOVAcorp's "Nova Scotia First Fund."
• Enhance our business retention and expansion program.
• Introduce Brand Nova Scotia to promote our province as a place to live, work, and raise a family.
• Make new investments to improve our roads, highways, and bridges.
• Work to create a Capital District Transportation Authority to help resolve the capital region's transportation issues.

PROTECTING WHAT WE VALUE

Our health and prosperity are always linked to our environment. Our province must meet the challenges of continued growth, while protecting and preserving Nova Scotia's natural beauty. To achieve this we will:

• Work with the federal government and the local community to turn the Sydney tar ponds into an historic environmental achievement.
• Invest in clean harbours for the people of Halifax, Lunenburg, and Sydney and continue to provide better water and sewer services across the province.
• Introduce a new code of forest practice as part of our forest strategy.
• Adopt a new Agricultural Policy Framework to support farm families.
• Improve the quality of Nova Scotia's water through our Water Strategy.
• Improve the quality of Nova Scotia's air through our Energy Strategy.

REACHING OUT TO FAMILIES, REWARDING SACRIFICE, RENEWING OUR COMMITMENTS...

Our growing economy means more than just better health, education, and roads. Our growing economy provides us the means to reward sacrifice, reach out to families in need, and renew our commitment to our children and their future. As part of this commitment we will:

• Work with our housing partners and the federal government to build or renovate at least 1,500 affordable housing units.
• Improve access to justice by increasing our support for Legal Aid.
• Introduce legislation to ensure our firefighters are compensated for cancer and other diseases related to their service.
• Take steps to address the high cost of automobile insurance.

MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, MORE IS TO COME

From health care, to education, to economic growth, government has introduced plans that will lead to a better future for you and your children.

Nova Scotians now benefit from a balanced budget.

Soon they will be benefiting from lower taxes.

And while much has been accomplished, there is much more to do.

Our government's commitment is to continue to work with Nova Scotians to promote our advantages...build on our progress and protect what we value.

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 on the Web at www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/house_business/throne.html .