Nova Scotia House of Assembly, Monday 23 March 2026
On Monday, March 23, 2026, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly began with the Speaker's ruling on decorum and the tabling of amended Estimates resolutions transmitted by the Lieutenant Governor, alongside over 500 constituent letters on budget cuts. Members delivered numerous statements recognizing local businesses, athletes, community figures, and cultural concerns, while government introduced notices of motion on democratic engagement and referral of Bill No. 198. The House then extended sitting hours and resolved into Committee of the Whole on Supply, where members debated the budget, focusing heavily on family resource centre funding, rural community investments, and arts and culture cuts.
Members' Statements
Brett Lauther - CFL athlete recognition
Hon. Dave Ritcey
The member congratulated Truro's Brett Lauther, a placekicker with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, on his Grey Cup victory and being named a CFL West Division All-Star.
Norwood Gardens - local business recognition
Hon. Twila Grosse
The member for Preston recognized Norwood Gardens, founded in 1980 by Roland and Linda Norwood, now run by second-generation owners Corey and Susan, for its enduring contribution to the province's horticultural heritage and community spirit.
Routine Proceedings
Speaker's ruling on decorum at Question Period
The Speaker
The Speaker noted a member had retracted their words and acknowledged missing a few words in the earlier proceedings, directing members to Bosc and Gagnon and the green book on unparliamentary language.
Tabling of amended Estimates resolutions
Hon. John Lohr
The Minister of Finance and Treasury Board presented a message from the Lieutenant Governor transmitting amendments to Resolutions E1, E3, E5, E14, E18, E29, E38 and E39 of the Estimates for the year ending March 31, 2027, and tabled the message, the motion to amend, and a reference copy of the resolutions.
Tabling of constituent letters on budget cuts
L. Lachance
The member for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island tabled over 500 letters from constituents expressing concerns about the budget, including cuts to arts and culture and other deep cuts in the province.
Resolution No. 441 - Caroline Mahoney IPAC Academic Award of Excellence
Hon. Kent Smith
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture moved a resolution congratulating Caroline Mahoney on receiving the 2025 IPAC Award for Academic Excellence; notice was waived and the motion carried.
Resolution No. 442 - Active Democratic Engagement Requirements
Hon. Becky Druhan
The member for Lunenburg West introduced a resolution calling for rule amendments including set sitting start dates, regular meetings of the Standing Committee on Assembly Matters with Independent representation, notice for bill introductions, ensuring Question Period on Mondays, and other transparency and accountability measures.
Orders of the Day
Motion to extend sitting hours
Hon. Brendan Maguire
The Government House Leader moved, pursuant to Rule 5C, that today's sitting hours be extended to 11:59 p.m. for the Estimates; the motion carried.
Committee of the Whole on Supply - motion to resolve
Hon. Brendan Maguire
The Government House Leader called Government Motions and moved that the House resolve into Committee of the Whole House on Supply.
Supply debate - Family Resource Centres funding
L. Hamid
The member for Fairview-Clayton Park spoke on the funding challenges facing family resource centres across the province, noting no funding adjustment since 2021 despite rising demand and inflation, that cuts threaten programs, jobs, and referrals, and urged the government to invest in sustainable core funding rather than relying on non-profit workers to balance the social development budget.
Supply debate - budget support for Inverness communities
K. MacQuarrie
The member for Inverness described touring his constituency and outlined budget investments he would vote for, including new long-term care facilities in Chéticamp and Port Hawkesbury, a new daycare in Inverness, housing funding, EHS improvements, indexed Income Assistance, paving projects, and health care recruitment and training in Cape Breton.
Supply debate - arts and culture cuts
S. Leblanc
The member for Dartmouth North criticized the budget's cuts to arts and culture, citing Oscar winners with Nova Scotia ties (Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau) and the Inverness Centre for the Arts facing a quarter cut to its operating budget, argued the government is falsely pitting health care and jobs against art, recounted her March Break arts experiences, and tabled a constituent letter opposing the cuts.
This is Tabled's summary of the sitting, written from the official record; Hansard is only ever quoted at the link above. Search Nova Scotia Hansard for the words themselves, or read this sitting in the archive.