N.S. party leaders get testy over hot campaign issues in CBC debate
CBC
In CBC's election debate between Nova Scotia's three major parties, leaders got into testy exchanges while comparing their records and their plans for the province on some of the hottest issues of this campaign: housing, health care and affordability.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston had a consistent message throughout the 90-minute debate in Halifax: his government made good headway over the last three years, but it has more to do.
He summed it up in the first few minutes while talking about housing.
"The plan is working and we just need to stick to the plan."
And again when talking about health care.
"These are real solutions, they're not overnight solutions."
But NDP Leader Claudia Chender and Liberal Leader Zach Churchill challenged him repeatedly, saying things have gotten worse under the PC leader's watch.
In the first combative exchange of the night, Chender brought up the high rate of rent inflation.
"What are you doing about rents? Your rent cap is not working," she pressed Houston on his five per cent rent cap, which is scheduled to last until the end of 2027.
Chender highlighted her promise to implement rent control, reduce the rent cap and ban fixed-term leases.
On health care, Churchill took aim at a move Houston made early in his mandate: firing the CEO of the provincial health authority and the entire board. The CEO was replaced with Karen Oldfield, who had no health-care experience. She was labelled the interim CEO, but she remains in the post more than three years later.
"Politics is governing our health-care system," said Churchill.
He accused Houston of "hiding information" that isn't politically advantageous, such as the number of people on the need-a-family-practice registry. Registry data was not publicly available for several months this summer and fall while the health authority said it was verifying information.
Houston said the fact the number of people on the registry dipped about 12 per cent after the verification process is a sign of improvement.
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