BILL NO. 142

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
64 Elizabeth II, 2015

Private Member's Bill

An Act to Ensure
Economic Growth in Nova Scotia

The Honourable Jamie Baillie
Cumberland South

First Reading: December 1, 2015

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

An Act to Ensure
Economic Growth in Nova Scotia

WHEREAS the Ivany Report sets 19 goals for a new economy for Nova Scotia;

AND WHEREAS oversight and accountability are needed to reach all the goals by 2025;

THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 The purpose of this Act is to set priorities and establish targets respecting a new economy for the Province and provide a meaningful measurement of progress in meeting those priorities and targets.

2 In this Act,

(a) "Commissioner" means the person appointed pursuant to Section 4;

(b) "Committee" means the committee established pursuant to Section 6;

(c) "goals" means the 19 goals set out in the Ivany Report;

(d) "Ivany Report" means The Report of the Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy published in February, 2014.

3 (1) Subject to the approval of the House of Assembly, the Governor in Council shall appoint a person to be the Commissioner for Economic Growth.

(2) The Commissioner is an officer of the Assembly.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), the Commissioner holds office for a term not exceeding 10 years and may not be re-appointed.

(4) The Governor in Council may only remove the Commissioner for cause or incapacity on the passing by the Assembly of a resolution carried by a vote of two thirds of the members voting thereon.

4 The Commissioner shall provide

(a) oversight on the progress made toward achieving the goals;

(b) regular progress updates; and

(c) impartial measurement to evaluate that progress.

5 There shall be an Economic Growth Committee of the House of Assembly consisting of

(a) the member of the Executive Council responsible for business;

(b) two additional members of the Government Caucus in the Assembly selected by the Caucus, of whom only one may be a member of the Executive Council;

(c) the house leader in the Assembly of the Official Opposition;

(d) one additional member of the caucus of the Official Opposition, selected by that caucus; and

(e) one member of the caucus of each other recognized party, selected by that caucus.

6 The Committee shall propose legislation to entrench the goals and set targets correspondent to those goals.

7 (1) The Committee shall focus on the goals of

(a) improving leadership and accountability for the pursuit of the Ivany Report goals;

(b) increasing the number of new permanent residents each year in order that the Province has 7,000 new permanent residents each year by 2025;

(c) growing rural industries;

(d) developing a rural youth jobs strategy;

(e) increasing the number of export firms and the value of Provincial exports;

(f) improving the Province's fiscal health; and

(g) establishing sustainable levels of taxation.

(2) The Committee shall identify the member of the Executive Council responsible for each goal.

8 The Committee shall set targets for each goal.

9 A member of the Executive Council identified under subsection 8(2) shall table a report in the Assembly at each sitting of the Assembly indicating

(a) the actions the member's department has taken; and

(b) the ways in which the member's department has co-ordinated with other Provincial departments,

toward achieving the targets set in Section 9.

10 (1) The Commissioner shall report at least annually to the Assembly on the progress in achieving the goals and targets and include a comprehensive evaluation of government decisions, policies and programs in light of those goals and targets.

(2) The report referred to in subsection (1) must be filed with the Speaker.

(3) The Speaker shall table the report referred to in subsection (1) before the Assembly if it is sitting or, where it is not sitting, at the next ensuing sitting.

 

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This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2015 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created December 1, 2015. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.