NDP increasing, not cutting, civil service jobs: opposition
Posted Apr 7, 2011 05:38:41 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Dexter government’s new budget has been denounced in the legislature as a bunch of numbers that can’t be trusted.
The opposition parties unleashed a barrage of attacks on the NDP on Wednesday, denouncing the $9.3 billion budget for 2011-12 as a work of fiction.
“The finance minister has been spinning fantasies,” Liberal leader Stephen McNeil said during question period. “Why should Nova Scotians believe any projections that the government puts on paper?”
Among the various accusations levelled at the New Democrats was the assertion that the government is actually hiring new employees in the civil service, rather than eliminating full-time equivalents.
The Dexter government has promised to eliminate 1000 civil service positions, saving millions of dollars.
Public Service Minister Frank Corbett tried to explain the budget estimates for employment don’t match up with “actuals” because of maternity leaves or extended absences.
“It’s very fluid, you’ve got people coming and going all the time,” he said. “The number of full-time employees is going down…and that’s what we’re basing our ten per cent reduction on.”
PC leader Jamie Baillie challenged the premier to start from scratch.
“Will the premier finally admit the truth, that his plan is not working, and send his finance minister back to the drawing board?” he demanded during question period.
The premier insists the NDP plan to balance the books by 2013 is working.
