PCs continue efforts to reduce opposition question time at N.S. legislative committees

Progressive Conservative MLAs in Nova Scotia have once again come under fire for their decision to reduce the amount of time opposition parties have to ask questions during legislative committees. This move, which was initiated earlier this year and continued on Tuesday, has sparked criticism from members of the NDP and Liberal parties.

During a meeting of the standing committee on veterans affairs, government members used their majority to give themselves an additional 10 minutes for questions, at the expense of the third-place Liberals. This means that the Tories will now have 30 minutes for questioning, the NDP will have 20 minutes, and the Liberals will have just 10 minutes during the first round of questioning. In the subsequent round, the PCs will receive 50 per cent of the remaining time, with the NDP and Liberals splitting the other half.

This decision has been met with disappointment from opposition members, with NDP MLA Suzy Hansen expressing concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability that comes with limiting the time opposition members have to speak and ask questions. Hansen emphasized the importance of working together to improve the lives of all Nova Scotians, without playing politics or giving preferential treatment to one party over another.

The Progressive Conservative MLAs have defended their decision by arguing that they have a significantly larger number of members compared to the NDP and Liberals. With 43 MLAs in the last election, the PCs have a substantial majority, while the NDP has nine members and the Liberals have just two. There is also one Independent MLA in the legislature.

During a meeting of the standing committee on natural resources later on Tuesday, the PCs pushed through similar changes to time allotment, much to the dismay of New Democrat MLA Susan Leblanc. Leblanc noted that the committee’s previous custom was to simply raise their hand if they had a question, with the committee chair keeping a speakers list. She argued that if time allocation is to be implemented, it should be divided evenly among the three parties.

Despite the criticism, Progressive Conservative MLAs have stood by their decision, with members like David Bowlby, Brad Johns, and Kyle MacQuarrie supporting the changes during committee meetings. The debate over time allocation in legislative committees is likely to continue as opposition parties raise concerns about fairness and transparency in the decision-making process.