Fall session at Province House wraps after 19 days of tense debate

The Nova Scotia government passed 12 pieces of legislation during the fall session, which wrapped up on Thursday. During their 19 days at Province House, MLAs also passed two opposition bills.

Here's a look at some of the legislation MLAs debated over the last four weeks:

Bill 322 (Opioid Damages and Health-care Costs Recovery Act): The bill gives the provincial government authorization to join other provinces in a national lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that produce opioids. In what has otherwise been a tense and combative session, the debate on this bill was one of the few occasions when MLAs listened intently as colleagues shared personal stories about how opioids have affected their lives.

Bill 323 (Regulated Health Professions Act): One of several pieces of legislation from the government intended to streamline the regulation process for health-care professionals in hopes of reducing red tape and attracting more people to work here. A  network of regulators expressed concerns when the bill was introduced, and Health Minister Michelle Thompson later introduced 18 amendments intended to address those concerns.

Bill 329 (Halifax Regional Municipality Charter - amended - and Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act): No piece of legislation this session was more controversial. Housing Minister John Lohr said the bill was necessary to speed up the development of housing in the province's largest municipality. It gives the minister sweeping powers to make decisions about development in HRM without collaborating with or consulting the municipality. Although Lohr has said he would reserve use of those powers for files that have already gone through the normal development application process, have been recommended by city staff and then turned down by HRM council, his government voted down a suite of opposition amendments aimed at putting checks on that power and adding transparency to the process. HRM Mayor Mike Savage has called the bill an "autocratic intrusion" and said delays in development are related to high interest rates and shortages of materials and workers, not municipal policies.

Bill 340 (Municipal Reform 2023 Act): The legislation establishes new shared service agreements between the province and municipalities. It relieves municipalities of the responsibility to make collections on behalf of the province for corrections and housing. The province will also assume responsibility for schools built before 1981 when they close. Many municipalities supported the legislation, saying it was long overdue. However, councillors for Cape Breton Regional Municipality said the bill felt short of meeting that municipality's needs and put it at a financial disadvantage that imperils its sustainability. Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr has said he will meet with CBRM officials to discuss their needs, but the introduction and debate of Bill 340 caused tension between the two levels of government.

Bill 119 (Endometriosis Awareness Month Act): One of two opposition bills passed this session. The NDP bill, introduced by MLA Susan Leblanc, will mark March as endometriosis awareness month in Nova Scotia.

Bill 396 (Sickle Cell Awareness Day): The other opposition bill passed this session. The Liberal bill, introduced by MLA Tony Ince, will mark June 19 as Sickle Cell Awareness Day in Nova Scotia.

Other government bills passed included legislation to develop fee codes so private mental-health practitioners can provide care to patients and bill through the public system, and a change to the Sales Tax Act to make good on the commitment to remove the provincial portion of the HST from construction of new rental units.

MLAs also unanimously passed a resolution by the Liberals that commits the government to consult and study expanded job protection leave for people with serious illness, such as cancer. That work is to be completed in time for the legislature's spring session.

As proceedings at Province House wrapped up, MLAs for all three parties pledged to find a way to improve the way the legislature works in the hope of avoiding the kind of acrimony that characterized much of the fall session.

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