Province needs to look outward, expand vision: Liberals

BY BRENT FOX

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com

The province’s economy faces challenges, says Nova Scotia Liberal deputy leader Diana Whalen.

Whalen spoke to the quarterly meeting of the Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce (EKCC) in Waterville Wednesday, Dec. 5.

“We have some serious challenges in the economy,” she told the Chamber. Growth is down slightly, but exports have declined by 11 per cent. The high value of the Canadian dollar has a lot to do with it, she acknowledged, but there are other factors.

She said Newfoundland has its oil wealth and New Brunswick plans to be off equalization by 2026. “I don’t see the same vision here in Nova Scotia.”

Whalen said, “we need to be looking outward, expanding. We need to help exporters,” and the matter of government red tape needs to be dealt with. “It really takes a lot of your time.”

In energy, she said the province has to look at green energy: tidal and wind power. Tidal power should be moving very quickly, she said. “The Minas Basin alone could produce twice the energy the province uses daily. The rest could be exported. That would be a huge advantage to use locally.”

Such energy availability will bring industry. Large companies need stable energy sources.

Immigration is another area that needs encouragement, Whalen said. The province is losing younger people, and even older workers. “We’re losing population and that needs to be addressed. We have to be able to deliver the quality of life aspects.”

Commenting on the recent agreement between Premier Rodney MacDonald and Prime Minister Stephen Harper on keeping offshore royalties, Whalen said that no one has seen the details.

“Liberals don’t see it as better than what we had before. It isn’t an accord if we don’t get the details. We want to see the agreement and don’t want to have to wait to see the extra monies.”

As for the Crown share royalties said to be due the province, Whalen said that if there are any, they should go toward the debt incurred during the 1980s.