Budget Line Restructuring Details - Question Period

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : My question is for the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board. Today's budget includes a $140 million increase in the nebulous budget line entitled "Restructuring," a line that has no supplementary detail and about which no questions will be answered.

Mr. Speaker, $140 million is not a small amount of money, especially when you consider that we have record high emergency room closures, a crises in affordable housing to which we've already referred, and seniors in hospital waiting for nursing home spaces. That is to name just a few issues.

Mr. Speaker, will the minister tell the people of Nova Scotia what her government plans to do with that $140 million?

HON. KAREN CASEY « » : Mr. Speaker, the process of having a line in a budget called Restructuring has existed for a long time. All Parties have used that as a line in their budget. Our Party is no different.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, this is a government that claims to be open and transparent and yet they have no trouble with $140 million being put aside without any explanation of what it's being used for - $140 million is more than the new funding for child poverty, housing, and long-term care combined.

The $140 million allocated to Restructuring this year is a record high number - higher than several of the previous years. Can the minister explain why the government expects to spend a record high amount in the nebulous budget line known as Restructuring?

KAREN CASEY « » : Mr. Speaker, I think referring to the Restructuring as a nebulous line sends a message that when there's a new initiative, when there's a new program, when there's something that has been finalized and ready to go into department so it can be supported and implemented for all Nova Scotians, to me, is not nebulous.