South Coast Today - jaimie baillie

Ferry profit should not be secret, says Baillie

Timothy Gillespie — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 14:50:37 +0000

"The Liberals sold out the taxpayers of Nova Scotia," says Baillie

In a news release Thursday, Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie is calling on the Premier to release the secret guaranteed profit taxpayers will pay to Bay Ferries.

“It’s unfair to expect taxpayers to blindly pay a guaranteed profit to a private corporation,” says Baillie. “It's time to come clean about how much the Liberals are really asking Nova Scotians to pay."

Taxpayers will cover the ‘management fees’ for operating the ferry on the Yarmouth-Portland route, but the amount of these fees was blacked out of the contract released to the public. Baillie says this is wrong.

"We are being left in the dark on far too many details of this deal,” says Baillie. “If the Premier is so sure Nova Scotians will support the deal, why won't he share the details?"

In 2012, the U.S. Navy purchased two high-speed ferries, HST1 and HST2, for $35 million USD, and according to the release, the Liberals are now subsidizing one of those Ferries for two years for at least $32.7 million.

"The Liberals sold out the taxpayers of Nova Scotia," says Baillie. "They made a bad deal. This was about politics, not jobs."

The Liberal deal for the ferry requires taxpayers to assume all of the financial risk, adds the release. In addition to start-up funds of over $30 million for two years, the company will also receive cash from taxpayers to meet any shortfall in revenues and are on the hook for $5 million USD should Bay Ferries default on its deal.

"Taxpayers are being told to tighten their belts while the Liberals keep details secret," says Baillie. “How can we trust this government to make good decisions with our tax dollars ever again?"

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McNeil's Liberals mis-managed economy, with 10,600 job losses; Baillie

Timothy Gillespie — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:12:36 +0000

“Adding more red tape to one of our most successful export industries is yet another example of the poor judgements this government makes,” says Baillie. “It flies in the face of everything the Ivany Report says to do.”

Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says in a Friday news release that the McNeil Liberals’ mismanagement of Nova Scotia’s economy is taking its toll on jobs, with the latest job numbers adding to an "alarming trend". Since February 2013, Nova Scotia has lost 10,600 jobs, says the release, basing its claim on recent Stats Can numbers. The employment rate in Cape Breton is the lowest in the province at 40.8 per cent and the second lowest in the country.

“Where is the plan for jobs and growth?” Baillie asks. “Nova Scotians can’t afford any more Liberal screw ups.”

Baillie says you only have to look as far as the Liberal handling of the film industry, forestry industry, lobster industry and onshore natural gas industry for examples. Premier McNeil is actually making things worse.

Baillie also says the most recent decision to force lobster buyers to either take a mandatory lobster handling course or risk losing their license is condescending and wrong.

“Adding more red tape to one of our most successful export industries is yet another example of the poor judgements this government makes,” says Baillie. “It flies in the face of everything the Ivany Report says to do.”

There is an urgent need, adds the release, for Stephen McNeil and the Liberal government to start focusing on getting the conditions right for economic growth and job creation in Nova Scotia.

“If we are ever going to become a self-reliant, prosperous province, we must get going,” says Baillie. “Our rural communities especially are struggling. Our province has to be more open for investment and new jobs. That includes natural resource development and emerging IT jobs.

“I’m proud of our east coast workforce. We have to pave the way for them develop our resources in a sustainable way.”

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Grits announce 150% increase in deficit from original estimate

Timothy Gillespie — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 16:39:50 +0000

Fiscal incompetence combines with lack of plan for job creation, says Baillie

Finance and Treasury Board Minister Randy Delorey outlined Nova Scotia's vulnerable fiscal situation and pledged continued spending discipline during government's second 2015-16 forecast update on Monday, Dec. 14.

The deficit is forecasted to be $241.2 million, an increase of $118.6 million from the September forecast update and $143.6 million above the original budget estimate of $97.6 million, with reduced tax revenues and offshore royalties driving up the deficit, according to a government news release.

In a separate release, Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says today’s budget forecast proves the McNeil government’s fiscal plan is failing.

“What the Liberal government is doing isn’t working,” said Baillie. “People need work, and families need stable incomes. They need to see the promise of job-creating conditions in Nova Scotia. Instead, this government has shut the door on new jobs and investment.” Baillie's release says also that real GDP growth for 2016 has been cut in half as projections for corporate income tax decline by $45 million and fewer people are working and spending money.

“Stephen McNeil’s attempt to cut his way out of this financial hole, with no plan for job creation highlights the main problem with this Liberal government. It’s more than fiscal incompetence. While Nova Scotians are struggling to pay the bills or moving away, the Liberals are drowning in red ink and random cuts. Nobody wins,” said Baillie. “We need a real plan from the Liberal government to spur economic growth and create jobs.”

"This update clearly shows how vulnerable our fiscal position is and how significantly a negative swing in revenues impacts us," said Mr. Delorey in his release. "In areas where we have control, on the spending side, we have made progress. We need to continue to be disciplined if we are to reach a sustainable fiscal position.

"As finance minister, I would love to be able to invest more in areas that matter to Nova Scotians - new and improved schools, state-of-the-art hospitals, better programs for seniors and those in need. Quite frankly, we can't get there if we don't stick to a fiscal plan that matches our programs and services to our ability to pay."

Highlights of Delorey's update included:
--total revenues forecast to be $9.8 billion, down $135 million from budget day
--provincial tax revenues forecast down $79.5 million, with reductions in corporate income tax of $44.9 million (down 9.1 per cent), HST, fuel and tobacco taxes
--total expenses forecast to be $10 billion, down $4.3 million
--net departmental expenses are up $4.4 million from estimate (Department of Community Services requires an additional appropriation of $14.4 million because of increased expenses in support programs, Pharmacare and other areas)
--a prior year's adjustment reduces revenue by $86.1 million (increases in personal income tax and HST are offset by a reduction in corporate income tax, offshore royalties and other areas)
--a $98.2 reduction in prior year royalties from the Sable offshore as estimated costs to wind up the project continue to rise
--forecasted real GDP growth has been revised down to 1.0 per cent from 1.7 per cent for 2015 and the 2016 real GDP growth has been reduced to 0.8 per cent from 1.5 per cent

Baillie says he is worried this is only the start of more bad news to come. He’s calling on the Liberal government to release the capital plan tomorrow.

“Today’s forecast is more proof the Liberal government is incapable of managing the budget,” said Baillie. “Nova Scotians deserve to see this government’s priorities now.”

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Baillie wants action and accountability on Ivany Report

Timothy Gillespie — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 17:36:06 +0000

Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says in a news conference on Tuesday that he wants to make Nova Scotia a better place to live and work and is calling for tangible actions and clear accountability for results.

As Vice-Chair of the One NS Coalition, he released a supplementary report, which he says puts in place an accountability structure to drive momentum.

“While I cannot provide an unqualified endorsement for a report that I know, in my heart, falls short of what Nova Scotians need and deserve,” said Baillie, “I do seek to add constructive ideas. There needs to be more real actions identified and a clearly laid out approach to achieving the results.”

Baillie called for important measures to increase accountability, including:

Organizing an all-party Committee of the Legislature
Enacting Ivany Report Goals in law
Creating Independent Commission of Economic Growth
Setting real annual targets for key Ivany Goals
Assigning Ministers for specific actions, who will report to legislature on progress

Baillie says we should be prioritizing key Ivany goals, including:

Setting annual targets for international immigration and interprovincial migration
Developing a youth employment strategy to help connect young people to the workforce
Allowing resource royalties stay in local communities
Supporting responsible resource development and IT jobs
Bringing taxes down to support sustainable growth

“We must embrace the call for bold action. When everyone is accountable, no one is accountable,” said Baillie. “The current government and future governments have a responsibility to get this right. We must put in place a real foundation with the necessary teeth and accountability to drive momentum.”

In a 2014 op-ed, the Herald's Marilla Stephenson wrote, "Stephen McNeil and Jamie Baillie, two experienced politicians who should know better, need to stop bending the Ivany report to suit their own political agendas."

She reported that McNeil took three months to appoint the Coalition which would oversee the Report's implementation, with an announcemewnt of a 10-year plan scheduled 15 months later - or two years after the release of the final report. The report says the 19 iterated goals would be achieved by 2024

She also said, "McNeil’s reference to the coalition’s timeline is twisted", noting that it commits "the Nova Scotia government to put in place, with appropriate legislative supports, a comprehensive development plan with practical strategies to meet the 2024 population and economic renewal goals set out [in the report].”

The report, she adds, does not say the plan "should be ready by December 2015. It says the plan should be “in place,” with any necessary legislation already passed by the province."

Stephenson says Baillie "is cooking up his own political diversions," calling for Coalition meetings to be public

The coalition is chaired by McNeil, while Baillie and acting NDP leader Maureen MacDonald are co-chairs. In an earlier interview, MacDonald told SCT that communications between staff and the co-chairs is often non-existent" and that she feels unbinformed about Coalition matters much of the time.

"Baillie already has a political platform from which to grandstand; it’s called the House of Assembly," Stephenson wrote. "Rewriting the operation plan for the coalition, including opening meetings at which sensitive areas must be discussed, will do nothing to speed up the process."

The title - in bold letters on bright yellow paper - of the Ivany Report is "Now or Never: An urgent call to action for Nova Scotians."

"We need leadership that will push the goals forward," she adds, "Not leaders who want to fiddle with details that will end up delaying progress."

Ironically, having left the Herald, it is now Marilla Stephenson's job to do communications for the Coalition, a task that, according to some, she is failing miserably at.

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