Eight days in the Legislature – Efficient and Productive? Or Democracy Curtailed?

*This article appears in the Fall, 2025 edition of the Union Stand

Nova Scotia’s fall legislative session lasted a grand total of eight days. The Progressive Conservative government, under Premier Tim Houston, rapidly pushed through 10 bills, including five omnibus bills that enacted over 45 changes to provincial laws and regulations.

The brevity of the session, coupled with the extensive use of omnibus bills – which package numerous unrelated amendments into single pieces of legislation – rightly drew sharp criticism from opposition parties. Both the NDP and the Liberals accused the government of deliberately stifling debate, limiting public scrutiny, and avoiding accountability on pressing issues such as the rising cost of living and soaring power rates.

A central point of contention during the session was a new law, embedded within one of the omnibus bills, that criminalizes the blocking of logging roads on Crown land. This legislation introduces substantial fines and potential jail time for individuals who impede access. This move was seen by many as a direct attempt to curb protest and dissent. Peaceful public protest is a right protected by the Charter and we should all be concerned with any laws curtailing that right.

Think back to 2014 and then Premier McNeil’s legislating wages and unilaterally removing long- standing articles from collective agreements. The only recourse workers had was to take to the streets in protest. Democracy should never be afraid of protest.

Premier Houston defended the government’s strategy, characterizing the session as “efficient and productive.” He asserted that the government was focused on enacting legislation deemed crucial for Nova Scotians, including initiatives aimed at reducing red tape, stimulating economic growth, and advancing clean energy projects. However, the use of omnibus legislation to ram through changes erodes the participation of the people and their elected representative.

In the race to end the session there was some positive change: amendments to the Workers’ Compensation Act (WCB Act) expand presumptive cancer coverage to include wildland firefighters and fire investigators, bringing them in line with municipal firefighters who already receive this coverage. This change acknowledges the heightened risks faced by those who combat forest fires and fire-related hazards, ensuring that if they develop certain prescribed cancers, it will be presumed to be due to their work, simplifying access to compensation and benefits. However, like all amendments introduced, these positive changes were bundled with numerous other amendments. The NSGEU will be working to ensure that all changes benefit workers across Nova Scotia.

As the dust settles on this whirlwind session, the debate over the balance between governmental efficiency and democratic accountability will and should continue. The swift passage of extensive legislation, through the use of extended hours, limited sitting days and omnibus bills, signals a clear strategic direction from the Houston government towards “efficiency”, but it can also be viewed as an attempt to limit debate and has come at the cost of weakening public input and legislative scrutiny.