Liberal heavy-handedness on display once again
We continue to witness heavyhandedness from the Mcneil Liberal government.
Most recently, a small local business in Truro has felt the unkind touches of this government; this time, though the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, and its minister, Keith Colwell. More on this in a minute.
It has become abundantly clear that the current Liberal government has agendas that they don’t care to share with voters and the people of Nova Scotia that they purport to serve. We’re left to make whatever sense we can of this government’s actions after the deal is done.
One of the first things the McNeil government did was to decimate local film industry when it made major changes to the film tax credits.
Then in 2015, The Mcneil Liberal government dissolved the nine regional health authorities and created one health authority for Nova Scotia centred in Halifax.
Most recently, the Liberal government has been responsible for eliminating your democratically- elected school boards, and essentially removing school administrators from the NSTU. Mcneil has taken control of the schools out of our hands and will now centralize that control to Halifax.
For a number of years, the public has complained about the secret meetings of the new Nova Scotia Health Authority, and I have already seen indications the new provincial education advisory committee will also meet in secret.
It is easy to find haters on the various social media platforms. Speaking about both federal and provincial governments and politicians, you will hear words tossed around like dictator and Nazis. These are unwarranted comparisons, as love ’em or hate ’em, we democratically elect our governments, so there is no dictatorship. We can never compare what is happening in Canada to the atrocities that were carried out in Europe under Hitler and the Nazi regime.
While one normally associates liberals as slightly left of centre on the political spectrum, I’m inclined to label this Liberal government as increasingly totalitarian. The current government started as liberal, but has increasingly moved right towards conservatism. Control and secrecy seems to have become this government’s modus operandi.
When Premier Mcneil delivered his acceptance speech following the last election that returned him to power for a second mandate, he acknowledged he had heard the voters, and he said his government would do things differently the second time around. I haven’t seen that this government is doing anything differently; have you?
In the latest heavy- handed move, the government, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture and its minister Keith Colwell, has served a notice of eviction to a small business in Truro that works out of the facilities of the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition.
The business is Forever Memories Equestrian Centre owned by Shelby Gatti. This riding centre stands as a valuable resource to our area, providing therapeutic rides to children with disabilities, working with at-risk youth, holding riding lessons, day camps and trail rides, and hosting birthday parties as well. On site and in business since 2012, Shelby and her staff have also given back to the local community and have earned the support of local leaders and many folks from the general public. I would not hesitate to say that this business is one of the shining jewels of Colchester County.
As reason for eviction, the Department of Agriculture first cited rent issues, for which Ms. Gatti said she had made arrangement to address. She then offered to come good for the money owed. Then, all of a sudden, the department said there were safety issues with the buildings. Remember, the business has been there since 2012.
What is happening to Ms. Gatti and her business is despicable. What will be the next business, organization, or profession this government targets, for reasons only known to itself?