Nova Scotia opposition critical of premier’s upcoming trip during legislature sitting

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s premier drew fire from both opposition leaders Friday after confirming he will be away from the legislature the week of March 18 to attend a hydrogen energy conference in Germany.

Tim Houston told reporters that federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson asked him to be part of a “Team Canada approach” in attending the conference in Hamburg along with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey.

The premier said he believes it’s important to attend the conference because the opportunities for Nova Scotia in green hydrogen energy are “extremely significant.”

“The energy potential can change our entire economy over a relatively short time frame,” said Houston. “We’re excited about that and are happy to be there to support those who are making significant investments in the province.”

However, the trip will come less than three weeks into the Nova Scotia House of Assembly’s spring sitting, and it will follow immediately after the legislature closes next week for the annual school March break.

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said Houston could easily send other government officials to the conference and he suggested the premier was taking part to avoid the daily scrutiny of questions in the legislature.

“He doesn’t like being held accountable for the job he’s doing … and I think that’s why he’s running away to Germany in the middle of a house session,” Churchill said.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender accused the premier of taking the trip at a time when debate is continuing over the government’s budget which was tabled Feb. 29.

“We continue to sit the fewest days of any legislature across the country, except for when the opposition filibusters because that’s the only opportunity we have to read and understand legislation,” Chender said.

But Houston hinted the current sitting could continue for another two or three months, news both opposition leaders greeted with skepticism. The premier also confirmed that his government would be tabling more legislation.

Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier has also been taking criticism from the opposition for being away from his province’s legislature.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeham said in a news release Thursday that Andrew Furey had “abandoned the province’s fishing industry” by leaving the province during a fisheries crisis.

Wakeham noted Furey had only been in the legislature for one day this week and was scheduled to be away next week.

“While boats are possibly tied up for a second year in a row and the entire industry in crisis, both the premier and his fisheries minister are away in the United States, claiming to be marketing our fish,” said Wakeham.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2024.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press