New Government's Big Plans Meet Big Doubts

The new Progressive Conservative (PC) government has a plan to tackle the province's massive debt. They say they will "spend smarter. " But what does that really mean? Finance Minister Craig Pardy used this phrase a lot during the recent fiscal update. However, he did not explain what it means in detail. The updated deficit is now 948 million dollars. Pardy admitted that this number is troubling. He said fixing these problems will take time. He also promised better health care, lower taxes, and safer communities. Opposition Leader John Hogan is not convinced. He wants to know how the government will keep all its promises. There is an MOU that could pay for some of these promises. But time is running out.Hogan is also suspicious of the "spend smarter" phrase. He thinks it might mean cuts. He asked the finance minister where these cuts will happen. Hogan also questioned if the minister has met with the health authority to discuss funding. Hogan believes the lack of clarity goes against the government's promise of more transparency. The NDP agrees. They say the fiscal update does not inspire confidence. NDP Leader Jim Dinn says the update shows the truth about the province's fiscal situation. Dinn says the former Liberal government misled the public about the fiscal situation. He says the PC government's update does not show a clear plan to fix the problems. Dinn accuses the government of being dishonest. He says they are making promises they cannot keep.