HON. DENISE PETERSON-RAFUSE: Mr. Speaker, since being elected in October 2013, the McNeil Government has brought many spectators to the House of Assembly - spectators who stand outside with flags, poster signs, and loudspeakers. The McNeil Government has brought so many spectators to the House of Assembly that on several occasions they ran out of room in the gallery, so these spectators must go outside. The McNeil Government has shown these spectators - the workers, the taxpayers, the people of Nova Scotia . . .

HON. STERLING BELLIVEAU: Mr. Speaker, this session we have seen people being denied access to the public gallery; we've seen people's time to speak at Law Amendments cut in half; we have a Minister of Business who wants to keep $17 million secrets; and yesterday, when individuals and groups were trying to voice their concerns about the government's flawed policies, the McNeil Government's chief of staff decided that no one was allowed to send emails or report on social media what was happening at Law Amendments Committee.

MS. JOYCE TREEN: Mr. Speaker, on Monday past, the Acting Leader of the NDP stated, "Many people have heard me joke about my dad telling me that I would go to vocational school and take hairdressing."

HON. STERLING BELLIVEAU: Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I thought I heard the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board say, yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half the minister I used to be. There's a protest hanging over me. Oh, yesterday came suddenly. Why'd the Film Tax Credit have to go? I don't know; the Premier wouldn't say. I did something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday, the Trailer Park Boys . . .

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: In his letter, Aaron wrote me and he said: I need to add my voice as somebody who is directly affected by the changes to the Film Tax Credit, and as a person who feels confused, betrayed, and shocked.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure Aaron's voice and the voices of thousands of others affected by this change are heard. I hope the Premier is listening, and I would like to table Aaron's letter from this pile of correspondence that I have here.

HON. STERLING BELLIVEAU: Mr. Speaker, the Premier seems to know one song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers very well: "Well, I won't back down / No I won't back down / You can stand me up at the Gates of Hell / But I won't back down." It seems to me that what we need is for the government to back down.
...

MR. SPEAKER: Just want to remind the honourable member for Queens-Shelburne that the rules of Statements by Members state that members are not to engage in recitations of poetry, singing of songs, or other frivolous matters.

MS. EYKING: Mr. Speaker, Nancy MacLean, a friend of mine, a resident of Victoria-The Lakes, and a snowbird to Halifax this winter, is in the east gallery today. Nancy, would you like to stand up. (Applause)

Nancy has been operating Baddeck Gathering Ceilidhs since 1999. She finds local up-and-coming musicians and homegrown favourites and they perform nightly for locals and tourists in the summer season. The Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh was an immediate success and continues to be one of the highlights of the area.

[p. 3115]

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, while the McNeil Government was picking fights with health care workers, they were ignoring warnings of nursing shortages. More than double the amount of nurses retired this year over last and this is leaving serious shortages on units like intensive care units. In fact, for the first time since the 1990's the Department of Health and Wellness has had to fly nurses in from other provinces to cover off-shifts at the Capital Health District.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you very much. Just before we get ready for Question Period, I'll take the opportunity in the last couple of minutes to make a Speaker's Statement about the Members' Statements. I just want to provide a little reminder to all members on all sides of the House that we can't use Members' Statements to speak directly to constituents or organizations.

MR. SPEAKER: I just want to remind the honourable member for Halifax Needham that members' statements should not be used to debate any legislation or resolution currently before the House.