O’Leary should stick to debating fellow Conservatives: premier

HALIFAX — Premier Stephen McNeil says Conservative leadership hopeful Kevin O’Leary should be focused on debating issues with his fellow Tories after the reality TV star attacked him in an “open letter.’’ McNeil was responding to the letter posted on O’Leary’s Facebook page, in which he slammed the Liberal premier for the state of the province’s economy. O’Leary said he spoke to many Nova Scotians about the poor economy when he was in Halifax last weekend for a debate. He said the province’s economy is being strangled by high taxes and policies that discourage natural gas and oil exploration. But McNeil pointed Thursday to a number of growth areas, including an increase in the province’s population to an all-time high last year and a hike in exports. He said O’Leary should be focused on debating issues with Conservatives who will “actually have a chance to vote on his future.’’