HALIFAX - The looming threat of tariffs by the United States is a 鈥渨ake-up call鈥 for the Nova Scotia economy, the provincial government said Friday in a throne speech to open a new sitting of the legislature.
The Progressive Conservative government鈥檚 speech was read by Lt.-Gov. Mike Savage 鈥 his first since being installed in December.
鈥淚f we want to be ready to face tariffs or any future economic threat, we need to build an economy that is independent, resilient and resource focused,鈥 the government said in the speech.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on 春色直播 goods in March, and Premier Tim Houston has warned that such a move would threaten jobs in the agriculture, fishery and manufacturing sectors.
In the throne speech, the government signalled it is ready to go all in on resource exploitation to help spur economic growth. In particular, the Tories pledged to work harder to develop the potential of hydrogen, offshore wind, and critical minerals, resources the government says can add a combined $16 billion to Nova Scotia鈥檚 economy.
The Tories pledged to introduce modern regulations that would make it easier to exploit resources and also protect the environment.
Meanwhile, the government continued to develop a theme Houston had been pitching ahead of the legislative sitting 鈥 that unnamed 鈥渟pecial interests鈥 have been hindering the province鈥檚 economic potential. 鈥淕iving groups vetoes that impoverish our fellow Nova Scotians will no longer be tolerated,鈥 the speech says. 鈥淲e must not let special interests polarize our province.鈥
The speech makes six separate references to special interests or to groups the Tories say are trying to hinder efforts to grow the province鈥檚 economy, something that wasn鈥檛 lost on Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender.
Chender said that theme is consistent with how the government has created enemies in the recent past.
鈥淭hat enemy was (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau and now that enemy is special interests, and special interests are whoever happens to disagree with them,鈥 Chender told reporters, while stressing her party believes the government should be prioritizing unity instead of looking for conflict.
She also expressed concern about the government鈥檚 stated intent in the speech to lift existing bans on exploiting certain resources. Those bans include fracking for oil and gas, and mining uranium. 鈥淲e need to look at economic development 鈥 I think we need to have a conversation about that first and then we need to determine how to go forward."
Interim Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette also dismissed the idea that special interests are deterring growth, saying the government鈥檚 charge 鈥渕akes no sense.鈥 The Tories should be focusing on helping the entire economy, not just the resource sector, Mombourquette said.
鈥淩esource development doesn鈥檛 happen overnight,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou need to be looking at our (skilled) trades and setting the conditions for business to want to come here.鈥
The throne speech follows the resounding win by the Tories in November鈥檚 provincial election that saw them capture 43 of the legislature鈥檚 55 seats. More details on the government鈥檚 immediate agenda is expected to be laid out in the 2025-26 budget, which is scheduled to be tabled on Tuesday.
This report by 春色直播was first published Feb. 14, 2025.
