‘Wrong message’: 36 people temporarily banned from Nova Scotia legislature
Thirty-six people who participated in protests at the Province House in March have been banned for periods ranging three to 12 months.
The Nova Scotia legislature has temporarily banned 36 individuals from entering the premises following a protest that halted the budget vote earlier this year. The sergeant-at-arms, James Charlton, explained that the bans aim to hold people accountable for disrupting the House of Assembly's proceedings. Two of the banned individuals, Christine Saulnier and Nina Newington, expressed surprise at receiving the six-month bans, starting from September 1st and ending March 1st, 2026.
Saulnier, Nova Scotia director for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and Newington, president of Save our Old Forests, both participated in the March 24th demonstration that led to Province House being closed to the public for a week. Newington criticized the ban, stating that it sends the wrong message, especially considering the government's disregard for democratic processes.
Charlton noted that the Speaker of the House, Danielle Barkhouse, decided that the bans would be a more moderate response, allowing only temporary prohibition from the legislature. Bans range from three months for those who refused to leave the gallery to six months for participants who verbally abused MLAs. While Charlton acknowledged that other jurisdictions would impose lifetime bans, Saulnier called the current bans an "overreach" and urged for a respectful space for protest.
Barkhouse declined an interview but issued a statement defending the ban, emphasizing that interruptions should result in consequences. Newington expressed concern about the potential impact of the six-to-12-month bans on the upcoming winter sitting of the legislature.
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