Premier Houston’s second term:

Halifax, Nova Scotia is the birthplace of Canadian responsible government and democratic rule. PC-Premier Tim Houston seems determined to erode democratic processes by shutting out consultation with the general public and the Mi’kmaw Nation, reversing years of development in environmental protection policies, social and health services and dismantaling Nova Scotia’s deeply rooted arts, culture, tourism and heritage sectors in favour of extraction industries.

Nova Scotians across the province are raising their voices in concern for their communities, their jobs and their way of life. 

The 2025 Fall Session of the Legislature was one of the shortest since the mid 1980’s – just 8 days. That is eight days for Opposition MLAs to review and debate on complicated legislation and eight days for the public to submit comments. Another omnibus bill was introduced that restricted protesting on logging roads plus amendments to other unrelated legislation.

The 2025 Spring Session of the legislature saw the introduction of omnibus bills that proposed amendments to a number of unrelated legislation, including lifting the ban on uranium mining and exploration and the moritorium on fracking.  Link here to the Bills tabled during this session.

The 2026 Spring Session was opened on February 23 2026, running for a total of 23 days. Although the longer session has given the public and the Opposition more time to study the new budget and it’s accompaning “Financial Measures Act” Bill 198, the government has staid it’s course of resource extraction, little accountability and transparency while seemingly attacking the essence of Nova Scotia’s identity. See the sub-menu for the Financial Measures Act and related links.

Yet another omnibus bill introduced by Tim Houston, Minister of Energy (and Premier of Nova Scotia): Bill 193 “Powering the Economy Act” combines amendments to various Acts, particularly pertaining to offshore wind farms and fracking onshore. You can read Bill 193 as proclaimed by Royal Assent here.

Joan Baxter of the Halifax Examiner broke the news on February 19, 2026; Tim Houston has gutted the Wildlife Division of the Department of Natural Resources! Scientists and researchers, responsible for the on-going studies into species at risk, especially on crown land, have been laid off. The division has been replaced with “integrated resource planning” inside a new “Land Strategy and Planning Branch”. The assistant deputy minister’s office gains a new “advance strategic priorities” function. The almost immediate accolades from the Mining Association of Nova Scotia certainly gives the impression of collusion.

Write to or call your MLA and demand accountability. This decision will affect every corner of this province.

Joan Baxter’s article can be found here.