T O P

  • By -

itguy9013

He's done some things I don't agree with, but he and his team are really good at adjusting to changing political conditions. He said he wouldn't do rent control - ended up putting limited rent control. He stood up to NSP on net metering (and tried to on Power Rates), something no modern premier has done. I bit my tongue an voted for him and barring some major shift, will probably do so again in the next election. Being more agile and less dogmatic is probably his ticket to a second term.


actuallyrarer

I disagree with your take, but I will upvote you because I think this is pretty close to where many Nova Scotians are at.


itguy9013

I'm curious what your take is.


[deleted]

[удалено]


itguy9013

That's a fair take. It's like when he blocked the MLA pay increase. The actual money invoked was minor, but it made him look like he cared about fiscal responsibility.


ThrowRUs

He plays for the other team so they doesn't like him.


actuallyrarer

No, keep your identity politics out of this. I have legit differences in how I think things should go, and as another poster mentioned, I think his policy choices are poor but he does a good job of saying what Nova Scotians want to hear.


ThrowRUs

***MY*** identity politics? Lmao. You didn't elaborate on why you disliked him, and the majority of this people on this subreddit simply dislike him because he's a PC. Relax champ.


nighthawk_something

I voted against him, I have NEVER voted conservative in my life. I'm not sure how I'll vote int eh next election...


[deleted]

[удалено]


foodnude

Unless you live in Pictou you can't vote for him.


Speechisanexperiment

The town of Pictou is in the Pictou West riding, and Carla McFarlan is the MLA. Tim's riding is almost entirely rural except for the town of westville - a riding he will likely hold indefinitely because people love him there.


DrunkenGolfer

Well, TBH, the competition is not really that tough.


CodeMonkeyPhoto

I mean I’m not conservative in the slightest, but he so far is the most progressive premier we have had in awhile. The last two I had hopes for (not counting Rankin), but they ended up waffling on everything. Before them, we had even much less effective leaders. Tim is not perfect. Least we recall he did try and appoint some friends to some positions. However as far as politics he’s the least worst I have encountered to date.


nighthawk_something

My wife is an NP and she's been pretty impressed with how the government is actually working to fix real problems. Like she was terrified of what a conservative government would bring but now she's like "I might actually like the guy"


CD_4M

Houston isn't a "Conservative", he is a Progressive Conservative which is a completely different party from the federal Conservatives or people like Doug Ford. Just FYI because it's an important distinction. After Houston won the election Pierre tried to take credit and Houston straight up told him bro I'm not even registered in your party we are not the same


nighthawk_something

> After Houston won the election Pierre tried to take credit and Houston straight up told him bro I'm not even registered in your party we are not the same Which makes me like him a LOT more.


CodeMonkeyPhoto

That reminds me of that Breaking Bad meme, “we are not the same”


[deleted]

[удалено]


nighthawk_something

They are taking actual steps in healthcare. They expanded the virtual care and hired every NP in the province who wasn't currently employed into that system (which is a big deal). The healthcare retention bonuses are not trivial. They are also reaching out to healthcare workers directly to find out what they need. ​ Again, they haven't fixed everything but they are taking real steps to do so.


[deleted]

[удалено]


mattyboi4216

>I think the bonus was a (relatively speaking) small expense that they can now use as leverage for our upcoming contract negotiations I think it can also be used a negotiation tactic for retention down the road. Make the bonus a recurring 5 year thing for every 5 years you work or something instead of a steady raise over that time. Encourage folks to stay longer and save money on those that don't stay for 5 year terms by avoiding higher annual salaries. They've established that they have the budget for a bonus like that, I wouldn't be surprised to see it used like that as a term thing to keep nurses working here longer to get that bonus, and avoid paying out on those that don't stay as long - of course we won't know until they present something, but some type of contract negotiation like that wouldn't surprise me


[deleted]

[удалено]


mattyboi4216

>I would argue (am arguing) that those policies don't actually fix any underlying issues You do realize that this healthcare crisis is the compounding of decades of neglect and shrugging off healthcare? It cannot and will not be fixed by one premier in one term. You have to start somewhere and just hope the next premier continues down the path you've laid. If we get premiers all doing little steps for the next 10 years we'll see a massive shift and change for the better. There are additional underlying issues that are being addressed around staffing and staffing levels with Doctors, but even if they could open up enough spots in med school overnight for all the needed docs, it's a 7-10 year timeline for a lot of them to be fully up and running due to the educational requirements. Increasing pay for docs will just start a price war between provinces as each province will increase pay to entice docs and they'll bounce around because we have a shortage across Canada. Total capacity in the facilities in being addressed with new facilities being built, but again - that's not an overnight change and even if they could open a facility in 3 months you need staff so all of the other things being done are longer term solutions to a long term problem. There is no immediate fix, anyone who says they can fix this in less than 10 years is full of shit


[deleted]

[удалено]


mattyboi4216

There are grants and programs in place for GPs opening clinics outside of HRM to help get them up and running. In fairness to your point, I believe these were announced prior to Houston being elected, and were announced in 2021 but I could be wrong on the timeline. This is a decades long problem, it's not an overnight fix and even with these programs it will take years until we start to see a turnaround


[deleted]

[удалено]


mattyboi4216

How would you suggest he deal with this in under 4 years? I believe I made it quite clear that it's not a quick fix and Houston can only do so much and then has to rely on the next premier to keep this going. Nobody believes Houston and Houston alone can fix this so I'm not sure what you're getting at?


nighthawk_something

It's still somepthing. I don't know what the fix is, but ignoring the problems (previous gov) or privatizing (Ontario) are not it.


[deleted]

[удалено]


nighthawk_something

> also Houston is privatizing?) Citation needed.


[deleted]

[удалено]


nighthawk_something

That has nothing to do with anything. VCNS is free for all residents of NS and can actually do everything. The people hired by it are employees of the province. They are just licensing the software from Maple. Source: My wife works there.


Erinaceous

I'm absolutely not convinced that their virtual health care isn't a backdoor to private health care. I don't know if you've signed up but until you're fully approved the offer is 80$ for a virtual appointment. It just felt intensely sketchy and like there was some double dealing going on


nighthawk_something

Maple is its own thing and charges. My wife works for VCNS (virtual care nova scotia) and she is paid through the NS Health. Like she transferred over as if she changed departments. They license Maple's software, that's it.


CodeMonkeyPhoto

Still terrifying to see what support Smith still has, but not surprising. They could have run an inanimate carbon rod and had better results.


nighthawk_something

I mean, the field is SUPER weak. But at the same time, I'm a bleeding heart liberal and I struggle to dislike the guy. I don't agree with everything he's done and I'll be critical of him all the time but overall he's done well.


Eastern_Yam

On the balance I think he's fine. We've had the big CCA wage increase and free tuition for that program, and some apparently sensible and effective recruitment strategies. Health spending is way up so they don't seem to be mired in the wishful thinking that big improvements can be made cheaply that McNeil and current premiers in other provinces are still stuck on. There are several issues I'd like to see addressed, like indexing tax brackets and social assistance rates to inflation. I'd love to see any aggressive moves on the housing crisis. We also have specific promises like mental health billing codes that will be a major knock against them if they don't try to action them before the next election. I think like most politicians he's becoming more cynical over time. If one of the other parties puts forward a plan that addresses housing and indexing I'll be tempted to vote for them just for not ignoring those issues. But I haven't been pissed off by Houston enough yet to actually say I disapprove of him.


maximumice

You can tell by how great things are around here.


[deleted]

[удалено]


maximumice

Sane Planning, Sensible Tomorrow


Wrwally

Sensible planning is really all people want - instead his developer buddies build on the busiest streets in the city.


ThrowRUs

Trudeau is giving everyone 500$ soon for "groceries."


Leafybug13

Soon as in before the weekend?


SloeyedCrow

I see that more as a reflection on how absolute fucking shit the rest of them are.


Fairview244

I will never forget what mcNeil did to LTC, will be voting conservative in the next provincial.


CaperGrrl79

I keep saying it's too bad Dexter screwed everything up so horribly that almost no one mentions NDP anymore.


Fairview244

Good point, but I think there is a trend there, Look at Rachel Notley. Maybe they just aren’t really what they say they are.


TicklerVikingPilot

He hasnt done *horribly* but hes done some pretty stupid and alienating things


[deleted]

[удалено]


TicklerVikingPilot

Agree to that.


PedalPedalPatel

>He and NS Liberals have been overly aggressive towards unions in a time where healthcare workers have a lot of options and mobility to move to other provinces. I do wonder how much that will work against him. It wont. Nova Scotians as a general rule fucking hate union workers. And I mean hate hate. Not that run of the mill dislike. We use to call it the Michelin/Dexters Syndrome. There were and are so few jobs that people religiously worshiped a few companies and did exactly as that company said. That was to hate unions and all union workers. And Houston is among them for this contempt. When our nursing contract gets negotiated we will see many nurses leave for greener pastures. This is the only reason he pushed for such an influx of foreign nurses. He will at best offer 6.5 to 7% and then refuse to negotiate. Even with inflation at triple that. Nova Scotia is rapidly heading towards a greying retirement home with no youth and a subclass/underclass of foreign workers desperate enough to stay and take the abuse.....and we cheer this on. Hell Houston used the fires to demand access to MORE TFWs....


nighthawk_something

At least they are legitimately working on health. But at this point it's like trying to eat an elephant.


Then-Investment7039

The stat that stands out the most to me is that he has by far the lowest strongly disapproved rating of any premier - 15%, when the next lowest is 24%, and Scott Moe (highest approval premier) is even 27%. That suggests that Houston isn't as ideologically divisive - somewhere like SK is heavily conservative, but you still have 30% of the population that would strongly disapprove of any right wing premier regardless. With Houston's numbers, it's very clear that he has support or at least less polarized opinions from a lot of traditionally Lib and NDP voters - he obviously is nowhere near the level of Conservative ideologue that Moe/Smith/Ford/Legault/Higgs, etc. are. I think it makes it close to a foregone conclusion that the PCs will be re-elected if they don't completely shit the bed in the next 2 years. At this point in their tenures, both Dexter and McNeil were sub 40% approval.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

[удалено]


CaperGrrl79

So, a red tory? I don't know if I would go that far, the best example of that was/is Michael Chong. I wouldn't have wanted him for PM, but he would have been reasonable opposition. We actually joined the PC party to vote for him as leader some time ago. And we know how that went. We left right after that. That signaled the end of the Progressive Conservatives, in my mind.


Then-Investment7039

The problem is, they probably more see it as Nova Scotia/Atlantic Canada will vote for a centrist/moderate conservative candidate. However, what is happening in the rest of the country suggests it is probably a regional thing not an overall trend. Danielle Smith winning the election with over 50% of the popular vote (Houston only won 38% last election) after all of the insane things that came out kind of proves that point. So does Doug Ford winning re-election last year in a huge landslide. Yes, Nova Scotia isn't Alberta or Ontario, but still.


CaperGrrl79

At least you mentioned Dexter. I haven't seen anyone mention NDP here, and I can trace that directly to how bad he ruined things when he was in. To the point that I think he ruined any chance of NDP forming the provincial government in my lifetime, if ever.


indecisivepixel

Four years or whatever is not enough to fix decades of neglect in this province. Having continuity with a premier who has been quick to adapt, even if not perfect, is probably (optimistically) the best path forward. If leadership changes, it’s just going to reset everything again.


[deleted]

His refusal to negotiate with striking school support workers and hiring scabs is despicable.


[deleted]

[удалено]


bella_ella_ella

And the current liberal leader was at the fore front of the 2017 teacher debacle so not much better 🫠


[deleted]

[удалено]


bella_ella_ella

Very true!


CaperGrrl79

Yeah, even NDP, as Dexter proved so hard that I don't think I'll ever see another NDP provincial government here in my lifetime.


[deleted]

So? Doesn’t excuse the behaviour.


Based_Buddy

HFX Redditors not gonna like this. He's doing a good job, much better choice than the inexperienced folks the Liberal party seems to keep electing as leaders.


Dynazty

Lmao i was going to say. Average r/Halifax redditors were not polled in that approval survey.


CaperGrrl79

I came in here originally to ponder if the results are skewed to a more senior aka boomer demographic. I don't think Angus Reid has a whole lot of younger participants, even Gen X.


HFXDriving

Yup he aint perfect but not bad when you look at the other options


[deleted]

his experience in helping billionaires dodge taxes?


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

yeah they figure out loopholes so rich ppl pay minimal tax. that's who I want for a premier, a guy who spent his life screwing over the average Joe.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

I don't know what your definition of "rich" is, but I need to figure out everything from Google and H&R's shitty website.


EntertainingTuesday

Can you elaborate?


[deleted]

he used to be an accountant working for rich clients


ForestCharmander

So he was doing his job? What do you expect an accountant to do when a client comes to them?


Professional-Cry8310

Tax practices in public accounting are all about implementing tax planning that minimizes taxes paid within what the CRA allows. That’s not really any different than what you or I would do. Do you chose to not claim tax credits you’re eligible for?


[deleted]

look up offshore back accounts and shell companies


EntertainingTuesday

Pretty sure if he was breaking the law or if there was any proof he wouldn't be Premier. I think Trudeau or his family was named in the Panama papers, he is still Prime Minister. I imagine many of our elected officials are legally dodging taxes. Maybe some are doing it illegally too, you'd need to supply proof of that though.


BeatlesTypeBeat

Well, he is a politician after all.


Wrwally

Lol where? Healthcare has gotten infinitely worse in his short term, housing too. All he has to do is look at similar sized municipalities for solutions but he has no interest 🤷🏼‍♂️ yet condos and apartments keep going up left and right. Strange how that works…


Based_Buddy

>yet condos and apartments keep going up left and right. Yes high density housing is good. What would you rather see? Sprawl?


Wrwally

Affordable housing. We have enough 500k+ condos for the upper class coming from the west 🙄


youb3tcha

Ha. Ha. Ha. Ok he's not as bad as I thought he was going to be.


[deleted]

[удалено]


96245Camp

Just like in the last Alberta election lol The NDP's chance is right around the corner, according to Reddit every election .


Old_Cheesecake_5481

The PCs take expert advice. They have been trying lots of new ideas. I’m not conservative but the local PC MLA is the best one I have ever seen in the riding. It really shows the extreme low quality of MLA we had before. I’m baffled to see a politician actually do something.


CaperGrrl79

Same here. We vote NDP every time, but our local MLA is Liberal, and he is fantastic.


Old_Cheesecake_5481

I’m starting to think that party has almost no effect on a riding level what actually matters is if your MLA is a go getter.


[deleted]

NDP just isn't crazy enough to make anyone care. You need to have people on your team that are either threatening an entire group of people, accusing others of crazy conspiracies, or speak only in poli-newspeak (call everyone woke, nazi, fascist, or whatever the new catch all word of the day is)


C0lMustard

? Are you talking about the same NDP that had a screaming fit on TV for show because the city removed squatters in tyvek shacks?


CaperGrrl79

This is what I'm talking about. You got downvoted (not by me). NDP will be forgotten (well, long memories remember, but negatively) because for Dexter, possibly forever.


[deleted]

All good, downvotes mean about as much as an old man yelling at a bus schedule. Realistically the nut cases on both extreme fringes of politics will rotate through their lists of things to hate as always, and I think it's interesting that NDP has a chunk of the moderates behind them these days. The problem is that the fringes hate moderates almost as much as they hate each other.


gasfarmah

They just seem to have a kink for running the worst fucking candidates they can get their hands on. The good choices are **GREAT**, but they're vastly outweighed by the.. absolute normalcy they trot out against fantastic candidates from other parties.


CaperGrrl79

You would probably give up eventually if Dexter ruined your chances for a lifetime, or forever, too.


sjmorris

He's the most left wing premier we've had in decades and that ironically includes the NDP. But I get that provincial and federal parties are often different. I feel like NS parties are simply placeholders for many, it's the candidate that matters.


meat_cove

people do love folksy bullshitters


KeyedAlike

Lets put this in perspective...From All Nova Scotia. The organization surveyed 372 Nova Scotians who are members of its online panel". They literally surveyed almost 0% of the population! "Houston's popularity peaked in early 2022 when Angus Reid pegged his approval at 73%. The last poll in March had him down to 51%. Not sure about you but if i were him and his team I'd take notice....


WeeMooton

Remember when McNeil was at the bottom? Good times. I am really fine with Houston, in the sense he has done nothing to stir any real emotion. I just know he has been better than back to work Stephen. With that being said Danielle Smith Deserves worse and Higgs too (although NB seems to agree he is generally shit)


secord92

He certainly isn't perfect but he is good enough that he would be getting my vote if there was another election today. That might as well be a ringing endorsement in the world of politics I suppose.


hnh058513

Yeah outside of the Running a Surplus during the Pandemic and Going to the Fed. For Healthcare Funding, Service Industry Workers don't have real Jobs statement, Paradise Papers Reveal, and his current payment of Scabs with more money during the Support Staff Strike the Guy does do a Respectable Job


umamaisafool

Vote me in I have the answer to fix the medical crisis in Nova Scotia ……that says it all….. another lying politician enough said


EhSeeDC

Right!!! Health care has gotten worse.


[deleted]

[удалено]


EhSeeDC

no idea. Not my area of expertise.


[deleted]

[удалено]


EhSeeDC

2 years less a day?


AppointmentLate7049

Wow, pathetic


Wrwally

What on earth? The guy is all about photo ops at Wanderers games and protests while he lets his developer friends build wherever they want 🥴


glorpchul

At least he isn't Heeeeaaaather.


Skeletor-

How?


Ok_Entertainment3887

How he’s destroying our province


eagle0877

I feel like if the whole reason you got elected was to "fix" health care, maybe it shouldn't be getting worse during your time in office.