Premier Houston is changing his style, unfortunately
Posted August 2, 2024
In an ideal world political leaders make choices based on a thorough analysis of the available facts and the skills to implement the necessary actions. This should minimalize the risk of failure.
Many of the challenges they face do not fit that description. A classic example was the Covid pandemic. It was more important to be fast than to be sure that they were right.
Health care leaders were constantly learning in the initial months: what is the means of transmission? How should patients be cared for? How do we create a vaccine? How do we minimize transmission? Decisions needed to be made immediately.
Political leaders needed to partner with them to support public health measures: masking, safe distancing, cohabitation bubbles, vaccine requirements, quarantines, travel restrictions (“stay the blazes home”).
With the benefit of hindsight some of the measures were inappropriate or continued too long, but waiting for the perfect solution would have been disastrous.
When the Progressive Conservatives were elected in 2021 they were confronted with serious challenges in health care and housing. Premier Houston made many quick decisions, not all of which turned out well.
The proposed non-resident tax caused a torrent of resistance. To his credit Houston withdrew it.
The PC platform had included a “better paycheck guarantee” which would have been wildly expensive for little benefit to the economy. To their credit the PCs ditched it.
The purchase of an under-construction hotel with the goal of housing low acuity patients in hospital beds was ill-advised. The government is not skilled in evaluating or managing such a project. Instead, long term care operator Shannex took over the West Bedford facility in a sweetheart deal.
Earlier this month the initiative to support wineries was botched and needed to be redone to properly support local growers. To his credit, Houston acknowledged the mistake and is working on improvements.
Houston’s instinct to act quickly is what was needed. Voters know that some of the choices have not worked but enough is going right that the polls show him with a big lead over the Liberals and NDP. He has been rewarded for being honest and candid.
More disappointing is the Buy Local program. The version in the Progressive Conservative platform was wildly inefficient.
Instead of just letting it go the Tories have done a small-scale version costing $6 million in the first year, most of which is for advertising and administration. Governments know even less about grocery retailing than they do about repurposing hotel buildings.
The lack of candor is increasing. The first legislation of the Houston government was to establish July 15th, 2025 as a fixed election date. He has recently changed his mind and hinted at calling an election earlier.
Having done so, the PCs are busy nominating candidates and practicing their campaign messages.
The alleged reason is that the voters should have their say on a new major issue. He then refers to big differences with the federal government, such as the carbon tax, as the justification.
This is ridiculous and transparently false. How people vote in a Nova Scotian election is not going to have any impact on federal government policy. The real reason he wants a vote soon is the polls show the PCs winning more than 40 of the 55 seats in the provincial legislature.
This feels like the kind of cynical posturing we are used to seeing from the Trudeau government.
Houston’s government has also meddled in municipal affairs in order to accelerate housing starts. This was an unfortunate but needed policy.
Having done so, it is important that the province try as much as possible to maintain cordial relationships and treat municipal leaders with respect.
Halifax mayor Mike Savage is a seasoned and sensible leader not given to grandstanding. He has tried to make the new system work. Supporting homeless people is mostly a provincial responsibility but it inevitably has municipal ramifications, including where to allow tents for homeless people to be placed.
Houston sounded off against HRM’s designation of spaces for tents in Point Pleasant Park and the Halifax Commons, calling them “nuts,” which was completely unnecessary and unhelpful for relations with the municipality.
Perhaps this was a tactic to be more competitive in the urban ridings by distancing himself from HRM’s choices. If so it was ill considered.
Houston has been successful by making necessary choices when needed and being willing to admit mistakes. Some of his recent behaviours are cynical and counterproductive. That is not how he earned his popular support.
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