PC Caucus News

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

New Completion Date for Tusket River Bridge

FYI, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal released this on Monday in regards to the completion of the Tusket bridge. This is disappointing as up to now the date was a December 15 completion.

Here is the release:

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
October 31, 2011 3:05 PM
Construction of the new Tusket River Bridge on Highway 3, Yarmouth County, will be complete by late May 2012.

Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal officials had planned for it to be finished this December. However, delays in design, regulatory permits, tendering, and getting specialized material and equipment needed meant the completion date had to be extended.

All in-water work will still be completed this year but the May 31 date allows for spring paving.

"We recognize how important the new bridge is to the community and appreciate their patience," said Bill Estabrooks, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "We'll continue to work with the contractor to ensure every effort is made to have the new bridge finished as soon as possible."

Work on the new bridge has begun.

Dexter Construction was awarded the contract, valued at $3.7 million. The new Tusket River Bridge is part of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal's 5-Year Highway Improvement Plan.



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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Indian Sluice Bridge replacement moves up priority list

TUSKET, NS – The Indian Sluice Bridge replacement will happen sooner than was anticipated thanks to the hard work from the Bridge Replacement Committee to make the project a priority, Argyle MLA Chris d’Entremont said today.

Originally, the bridge replacement was going to take place in 2013/14 but the timeline has been moved up to a 2012/13 start.

“This bridge is an important artery in Argyle and I was pleased that replacement was ramped up an entire year earlier,” said d’Entremont. “Instead of performing small item, preventative maintenance year after year, the replacement will ensure the bridge is safe, open and accessible for residents’ use.”

In the meantime, the Bridge will be subject to periodic closures to allow for strengthening repairs. Beginning October 5th, the bridge will be closed Monday to Friday from 9-12:30 pm and 1-2:30 pm.

d’Entremont said the Indian Sluice Bridge was one of the priority infrastructure projects in Argyle.



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Location:Tusket, NS

Thursday, August 18, 2011

letstalkrates.ca

Consumers should not pay more for power company profits and bonuses: Baillie

Week one survey results clearly show consumers reject paying for bonuses

HALIFAX, NS – When Nova Scotians are asked by the NDP to “bite the bullet” and pay more for power, they are actually being asked to pay for a lot more than just electricity, says Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie.

Nova Scotia Power is seeking to add millions to its bottom line by increasing its target Return on Equity to 9.6 per cent. On top of the extra profit, Nova Scotia Power intends to spend $5.5 million on bonus pay next year, half of which is charged to its customers.

Baillie says that 94 per cent of the over 500 respondents to the PC Party’s letstalkrates.ca website survey reject the idea that consumers should pay for bonuses. Currently, consumers are expected to pay for $2.75 million of the company's $5.5 million in bonuses.

“When people pay their electricity bill they want to know the money is paying for electricity,” said Baillie. “The bonuses should be the responsibility of the shareholders alone and seeking higher profits right now is not justifiable.”

Baillie says the PC energy critic, MLA Chuck Porter, will argue to the UARB that no amount of bonuses should be charged to customers and the company’s request for increased profits should be denied.

“Too many Nova Scotian businesses and households are facing higher costs while their own incomes are not rising,” said Baillie. “If shareholders want to pay big bonuses, let them; but do not include such large amounts when setting the price of power for Nova Scotians.”

Baillie said the NDP need to do more than ask Nova Scotia Power to “sharpen their pencils,”, as the Energy Minister suggested.

“The NDP have asked Nova Scotians to pay higher HST and now they want Nova Scotians to ‘bite the bullet’ and pay higher power rates too,” added Baillie.

The NDP's own Renewable Electricity Plan says that Nova Scotians must “bite the bullet and make the necessary investments” to be compliant with the NDP’s new regulations. At the same time, Nova Scotia Power estimates that electricity rates will go up by 20 per cent over the next three years.

Baillie and the Progressive Conservatives launched a website last week to ask Nova Scotians for their views on Nova Scotia Power’s rate application and the NDP government’s costly energy policies. The website will be gathering feedback in advance of the UARB hearing in mid-September.

The PC leader thanked respondents who have shared their views to date and encourages all Nova Scotians to make their views heard through the website at www.letstalkrates.ca








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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Pharmacy

We've been getting a number of emails and calls from individuals who have been warned by local pharmacies that they will not be accepting provincial drug plan cards as of July 1st.

Here is a press release put out by the Progressive Conservative Caucus on June 16, 2011. It outlines the mis-handling of a very important agreement with Pharmacists.

During debate on Bill 17, my colleagues and I warned the NDP Government that it was putting Nova Scotians at risk by cutting the costs of generic drugs without having an agreement with pharmacies that will ensure their survival in rural Nova Scotia.

What we are seeing is our worst fears being realized, by pharmacies not accepting provincial drug plans when the existing agreement expires. I do not hold the pharmacies responsible, it sits squarely at the feet of Premier Darrell Dexter and his Minister of Health Maureen MacDonald.

If you have any concerns about this move, please do not hesitate to call my office or dropping me an email.




Pharmacy customers facing cash crunch because of NDP mismanagement
posted: Jun 16 2011
Baillie, Jamie
Pharmacy agreement talks have stalled with deadline only two weeks away

SYDNEY, NS – Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says in two weeks, people going to pharmacies to fill their prescriptions may find their government Pharmacare cards not accepted and full cash payment required. Some pharmacies have begun to inform their customers that effective July 1st, Pharmacare cards may not be accepted at the prescription counter.

Negotiations between pharmacists and the NDP government broke down when the government walked away from the table, leaving pharmacy owners scrambling to figure out how they can keep their operations open.

“Once again, the NDP have pushed through extreme regulations without considering the consequences of their actions,” said Baillie.

“NDP policies are putting Pharmacare clients at risk, costing jobs and threatening the future of small, independent pharmacies,” continued Baillie. “Individuals who need prescriptions filled will pay the price for the NDP's mishandling of the pharmacy tariff negotiations."

Many Pharmacare clients are seniors on fixed incomes and this sudden change could mean that they will be forced to go without the medication they need. Pharmacare clients may end up having to pay the full amount in cash, up front, for their previously insured drugs. Nova Scotia spends $838 per person on prescribed drugs and without an agreement, Nova Scotians might be forced to cover that cost.

Baillie says “the clock is ticking” toward the July 1st deadline and the NDP need to immediately return to negotiations and reach a fair agreement with pharmacists.

During the recent session of the House of Assembly, Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald stated that she is “committed to reaching a fair and balanced tariff agreement that will work both for the pharmacies and the pharmacists in this province.” Cape Breton pharmacist Darryl Poirier, who owns pharmacies in Glace Bay, Dominion and Sydney Forks, says the government is not following through on their commitment.

“The provincial government promised pharmacists they would treat us fairly after passing Bill 17. Instead, they are cutting funds from pharmacies that will result in fewer health services for patients and higher costs for medications and other services,” said Poirier. “Independent pharmacies are now backed into a corner where we may be forced into a situation where we cannot accept Pharmacare cards at the prescription counter if a fair deal can't be reached with the provincial government by July 1st. This will be a huge inconvenience for patients who will be forced to pay out of pocket for their prescriptions until this gets straightened out.”

Poirier says that the services provided by pharmacists to Nova Scotians have kept people out of emergency rooms and doctors' offices because they could access the health care they needed from a pharmacist. He says the situation is “a sad day for Nova Scotians seeking good, affordable health care.”

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Monday, January 17, 2011

Government should not do budgeting this way

Premier Darrell Dexter's admission yesterday that he does not intend to implement the “intolerable” measures outlined by school boards confirms that he is playing the old-style political game of budget negotiation, said Progressive Conservative Party Leader Jamie Baillie.

Yesterday, Premier Dexter lashed out at school boards saying they were being irresponsible in “bringing forward these dramatic scenarios”.

“For months, our school boards have been distracted from their focus on educating our kids because of this game-playing by the Premier. No business would go about budgeting this way,” said Baillie. “Mismanagement of the education system eventually shows up in our economy. The Premier should be perfectly clear about his intentions - that is the responsible way to balance the province's budget.”

Baillie says Nova Scotians are looking for leadership on government spending, but not seeing any.
“The Premier should start by giving school boards the real numbers, and then work with them on a practical implementation,” suggested Baillie.

Baillie and Progressive Conservative Education Critic, Argyle MLA Chris d'Entremont, will meet with school board officials over the next few weeks to identify practical ways to address budget issues.
Baillie says the Premier's avoidance of difficult decisions has created a pattern of mismanagement on reducing the province's spending.

The latest fiscal update shows departmental spending is up over $300 million over the previous year. Baillie says mismanagement on spending by the NDP government serves only to allow Nova Scotia's debt, and debt servicing costs, to grow. He has called on the NDP to balance the province’s budget ahead of their self-imposed 2013-14 deadline.