MEDIA RELEASE: Tory accounting doesn’t add up

Earlier today Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, Dave Ritcey issued a press release highlighting the importance of the tourism sector as a “strong economic driver that supports businesses and creates jobs across the province.”

On this point there is complete agreement.

However, this statement comes only a few weeks after the minister was unable to answer the most basic questions about how cuts to his department were made and seemed unaware of the impacts these cuts had on rural jobs, local businesses and the tourism sector overall.

“First hand experiences with people is what keeps tourists coming back to Nova Scotia,” said NSGEU President Sandra Mullen. “This government cut tourism jobs, closed visitor information centers, and slashed away our greatest advantage – our people and the experiences they help create for visitors.”

The careless cuts to the sector – venues and our visitor information centres seem to have been made without any regard to the economic impact on small businesses and communities throughout NS.

“This government has created the largest fiscal deficit in the province’s history,” said Mullen. “Rather than investing in a multi-billion sector the Tory accounting playbook offered a different answer – saying it’s time to cut, how does that make any sense?”

People are proud of our tourism sector, but highlighting their work while cutting and making it harder to grow the sector is not real leadership.

“You can buy the greatest advertising campaign possible, but if there are not the people on the ground to deliver a great experience then visitors will stop coming and another important revenue source will dry up under the Houston watch,” said Mullen. “Tim Houston prided himself on being an accountant, so far the only thing that’s adding up is the number of job losses under his watch.”

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