• N.S. NDP remove party whip following post about France protests

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-21 22:41:28.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Governance, Labour, Justice]

  The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party removed MLA Paul Wozney from his role as party whip following a social media post in which he called for France-style civil unrest to oppose government legislation. Wozney's comments were made in response to a legal remedy concerning Bill 148, the Public Services Sustainability (2015) Act, which was previously ruled unconstitutional by the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. NDP Leader Claudia Chender condemned the remarks as careless and affirmed that the party unequivocally denounces violence or suggestions of violence in civic life.

  Read Original

• Proposed remedy for workers affected by Bill 148 could cost N.S. $470 million

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-19 20:15:49.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Labour, Finance, Justice, Governance]

  The Nova Scotia government has agreed to pay an estimated $470 million in compensation to roughly 81,000 public sector employees following a court ruling on Bill 148. Introduced in December 2015 by the former Liberal government and enacted in 2017, the legislation imposed four-year wage restrictions and eliminated long-term service awards. In February, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Ann Smith ruled that Bill 148 infringed upon public servants' Charter rights, ordering a legal remedy. Nova Scotia Minister of Finance John Lohr stated that the $470 million settlement cost is reflected in the 2025–26 provincial budget, though Justice Smith must still give final sign-off on the proposed remedy.

  Read Original

• Tariff fight looms over Nova Scotia legislature’s return

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-08 22:14:40.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Economy, Trade, Labour, Governance, Mining]

  As the Nova Scotia legislature convened for its fall sitting at Province House, the economy, U.S. trade tariffs, and workers' rights dominated legislative debate. Premier Tim Houston's government faced questioning regarding retaliatory Canadian tariffs on American goods, with Finance Minister John Lohr confirming that the province's $50 million tariff relief contingency fund has not yet been tapped despite ongoing consultations with affected supply chains. Concurrently, the provincial government tabled legislation to lower the overtime threshold from 48 hours to 44 hours a week, drawing criticism from opposition leaders who noted it lags behind other jurisdictions. Outside Province House, demonstrators gathered to protest unilateral policy decisions, specifically demanding the reinstatement of the provincial uranium mining ban following a petition containing over 10,000 signatures.

  Read Original

• N.S. tables bill to increase protection for some workers

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-08 19:39:07.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Labour, Economy, Governance]

  The Nova Scotia government, led by Labour Minister Nolan Young, has tabled legislation to increase worker protections by reducing the overtime threshold from 48 hours to 44 hours per week. The bill introduces measures to guard against tip theft, expands overtime eligibility to cover voluntary extra hours, and provides new tools for the government to recover unpaid earnings. However, the proposed protections exclude workers in the construction and agriculture sectors. The overtime and tip protection rules are scheduled to take effect on April 1, while wage recovery measures will be implemented through separate regulations.

  Read Original