HALIFAX -- The Nova Scotia legislature opened for its spring sitting Tuesday with the Liberal government on the defensive just days before what's expected to be an early election call.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives and the NDP raised questions about a land deal for a new community outpatient centre on the outskirts of Halifax, and they took aim at the spending habits of Natural Resources Minister Lloyd Hines during his tenure as the Warden of Municipality of the District of Guysborough.
In a report released Friday, Nova Scotia's Ombudsman characterized the spending by Hines and other top officials in the municipality as "indulgent and opportunistic."
For his part, Hines told reporters that he was "very pleased" with the report.
"It clearly indicates there was no misappropriation (of funds), there were no laws contravened," he said.
But he sidestepped questions about whether he owed his constituents more of an explanation, or whether he thinks they are happy with what's in the report.
"I wouldn't be able to say on that," Hines said. "We'll see how they feel."
Premier Stephen McNeil backed Hines, saying he had his full confidence.
"There's no question the Ombudsman raised issues that we know are there with municipal spending ... so we will have legislation that will come in that will reflect the tightening of the rules."
Inside the legislature, Municipal Affairs Minister Zach Churchill also came to Hines's defence while responding to questions from Tory backbencher Karla MacFarlane.
She said the Ombudsman's report said Hines treated his spending privileges as "a luxury."
"I do not agree with the characterization that member (MacFarlane) has presented," said Churchill. "I know that member and I know that he serves the interests of his people always, and I know the Ombudsman's report indicated there was no misappropriation of funds."
Although the report found no wrongdoing, it said Hines used his corporate credit card to pay for thousands of dollars worth of personal purchases, which violated written policies. It also said the use of his card for cash advances amounted a form of short-term loans from the community.
The report noted that in every case of personal purchases, Hines repaid the money within the same month or in the following month to the Municipality of the District of Guysborough.
"Minister Hines has been working in our government and there's been no inappropriate spending, and the Ombudsman in his report did not say the minister did anything illegal or wrong," said McNeil.
On a second front, Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie peppered McNeil in the house with a series of questions about the government's $7.5 million purchase of land for a new outpatient centre in Bayers Lake.
The 15-acre site was purchased from a company owned by the Halef family, who have donated to the Liberal party.
Baillie said that Nova Scotians were "scratching their heads" on why the government had paid about 12 times the assessed value of the land.
McNeil sidestepped the question, saying the land in question was in the right spot for the new building, which is part of the QE II Hospital redevelopment project.
"There were a number of sites and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal went through a number of explanations," McNeil said. "We came down to a site that has been prepped and ready to go."
Outside the legislature, Baillie criticized McNeil for his stance regarding Hines in particular, saying the premier has opted for an "old fashioned" approach on a range of issues.
"I think taxpayers who work hard everyday and pay their taxes are going to be offended to see a government that thinks it's OK to grease the wheels with their money," he said.
