Kevin Deveaux  MLA Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage    

THE OBSERVER – MARCH, 2006

“You can’t teach an old dog new trick.” It is an old saying, but it may be appropriate for the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party. Given the revelations of the past few weeks, it seems the only thing standing between the Tories acting like their natural “Buchanan at the trough” ways was John Hamm.

John Hamm decided to step down in October, 2005. I think it is generally accepted in this province that Dr. Hamm brought integrity to government. He expected his cabinet and MLAs to meet a standard that we have not seen in this province since the days of Robert Stanfield. He wanted to ensure the books were balanced and his government worked for the people of Nova Scotia and not for their own self-interest.

I can and have disagreed with many of the decision of the Tories under John Hamm, but I could not question his integrity or his ability to ensure his Ministers worked for the public good.

Once John Hamm announced he was retiring, the water changed on the beans. Rodney MacDonald was not elected by his Party until February 11, 2006, but for all intents and purposes John Hamm was a caretaker Premier since his retirement announcement in October, 2005.

If you understand that political fact you can see how things began to unravel before John Hamm’s official term ended.

One of the decisions made by the John Hamm Tories was to depoliticize the process by which loans and grants are given to businesses in our province. The creation of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) in 2001 was a good idea (indeed, I suggested such an approach a year before the Tories announced the move).

NSBI ensured the process by which government funds were given to businesses was based on sound business practices, not politics. Provincial Cabinet was not directly involved in deciding which businesses received funds.

However, after John Hamm announced his retirement the Tory Cabinet approved funds for two companies – S&J Potato Farms Inc. and Magic Valley Family Fun Park (in Pictou County). The companies did not receive funds from NSBI but did receive funds directly from Cabinet.

The Tories also created a $50 million fund for further projects that is separate from any funds allocated by NSBI.

Ernie Fage was forced to resign on February 16, 2006 as a result of a conflict-of-interest. The millionaire farmer leases land to S&J Potato Farms Inc. – the same company that received funds from Cabinet.

It seems integrity was a John Hamm value, not a Tory value.

Without John Hamm at the helm, the Tories are back to their old ways. Self-interest trumps the public interest. Taxpayer dollars go to support questionable businesses that did not receive funding under the depoliticized process, but were able to get funds from Cabinet.

Nova Scotians have paid a price for the belt-tightening of the John Hamm Government. Our roads are in bad shape. Our schools are in need of improvement. Our surgery and emergency room wait times are some of the highest in Canada. Many have accepted these problems as a necessary short-term pain that will, in the long run, result in fiscal freedom to invest in our economy and our infrastructure.

John Hamm worked hard to turn this province around. We cannot allow it to sink back into the old-style politics that kept us down for so long. We must ensure that whoever is in government is working for the public good and is prepared to invest our new-found fiscal freedom in appropriate projects and programs.

If the Tories are not able to carry on the legacy of John Hamm then they should step aside and let someone else carry on his legacy.

THE BEACON – MARCH, 2006

I noted last year that the Halifax Regional School Board had recognized a high school for “Woodside-Eastern Passage” as its third priority for new school construction projects. I wanted to update the community on the status of this project.

The process by which the government selects school construction projects is like a dialogue with the school boards. The Department of Education asks the school boards to produce a list of new construction projects and a separate list for alterations. Once the list is received from the school board the Department of Education may ask for more information or may come back with an alternative list. The school board can then agree with the list or make changes based on the opinions of the Department. The final word rests with the Provincial Government.

In December, 2004 the Department of Education requested from the Halifax Regional School Board a new priority list for new construction projects. The school board presented a list in January, 2005 that had as third on the list a new high school for “Woodside-Eastern Passage” by 2009.

That proposal was acceptable to me. I have always argued that with the new housing development in the Russell Lake area that there is sufficient current and future population to warrant a fifth high school in the Dartmouth area and that high school should be located in Eastern Passage. The high school could have as its feeder schools the Eastern Passage Education Centre and the new Prince Arthur Junior High School.

The Department of Education reviewed the priority list and told the Halifax Regional School Board that the high school proposal required more information. In September, 2005 the Halifax Regional School Board presented a more detailed explanation of how such a school would fit in to the broader Dartmouth area school system.

The new proposal is very different from the original proposal.

The Halifax Regional School Board is now recommending a Colby Village-Eastern Passage high school by 2011 (two years later then originally proposed). Cole Harbour District High School will become a junior high school servicing the students of Forest Hills, Lawrencetown and Bel Ayr. This would mean the closure of Sir Robert Borden Junior High School, Eric Graves Junior High School and Ross Road Junior High School.

Astral Drive Junior High School and Eastern Passage Education Centre students would attend a new high school for the area.

The proposal is now with the Minister of Education and the Minister will make recommendations to the Provincial Cabinet in May or June of 2006 on which proposals to accept.

I am concerned that the project has been delayed a further two years and that it now involves our community having to lobby for the high school to be located in our community against possible alternatives sites in Cole Harbour.

(Those that recall the debate over the location of Auburn Drive High School in the early 1990s will recall that Auburn Drive High School was originally to be located on Caldwell Road in Cole Harbour to service students in Colby Village and Eastern Passage, but the school was eventually located one kilometre from the other high school in Cole Harbour.)

Let me be clear, an NDP Government would have a high school in Eastern Passage as soon as possible, with 2009 as a reasonable goal. I still think with the housing development in our community and the Russell Lake area that there is an argument for a fifth high school in the Dartmouth area. Barring that alternative, I think an “Eastern Passage-Woodside” high school is the best alternative.

Having stated the position of my Party if we win the next election, I support any proposal that gets us closer to a high school in Eastern Passage. But if the Tories agree to the school board proposal our community will have more work to do with regard to a high school.

Stay tuned. I will keep you up-to-date.

THE BEACON – MARCH, 2006

As we start a new era in politics this month, it is important to reflect upon what might be a good time to invest not only in the Canadian military but in 12 Wing Shearwater.

The Liberals spent years refusing to invest in our Armed Forces and, as a result, our troops had to do their job with obsolete equipment. The Tories have always had a reputation as a Party that supports our troops – at least in the purchase of proper equipment. I hope that this government can continue the recent work of the Martin Liberals to purchase new ships and helicopters for our Navy.

12 Wing Shearwater has a long and illustrious history of naval air support – from the first sea planes of Lt. Byrd to the HMCS Bonaventure to the current maritime helicopter fleet, Shearwater has always been an integral part of Canada’s coastal defense system.

There is now an opportunity to expand Shearwater further. The Liberals had announced a new rapid deployment force of 800 personnel that can be shipped out in a matter of days to any “hot spot” (natural disaster, conflict, etc.). Shearwater has ocean, land and air access capability. The military has recognized these natural benefits to Shearwater and has suggested in the last year that the base is the best location for the rapid deployment force.

The shut down of the main runway a few years ago was a concern and still is. The Tories must make the investment to recommission the runway to ensure there is a suitable landing space for the large or medium size transport aircraft.

The Federal Tories have suggested that such a force should be based in Quebec (Bagotville, to be exact). But this makes no sense. Shearwater has the jetty, the rail line and, with a few improvements, the runway once again.

For too many years we have seen the Liberals play politics with our Armed Forces (who can forget the decision to cancel the EH-101 contract that cost the government over $500 million in 1993). We need to make military decisions based on sound military analysis and not politics. I hope the Tories have learned from the Liberal mistakes and work with the people of Eastern Passage to ensure Shearwater is the future home of the new rapid deployment force.