N.S. Speaker scraps planned legislature bans just days before fall sitting begins

The Speaker of Nova Scotia's legislature, Danielle Barkhouse, has announced she is rescinding a temporary ban on 36 individuals who were allegedly causing a disruption in the gallery during the spring sitting. This decision was made just days before the fall sitting began. The ban had been in place since September 1st, following an incident in March where protesters against government budget cuts disrupted the proceedings.

Despite opposition from the Nova Scotia Arts Coalition, opposition parties, and the Progressive Conservative government, Barkhouse maintains her stance, expressing concern about the disruption being unlawful and a breach of parliamentary privilege. She warns that if such incidents occur again, protesters will be removed from the gallery and could face a ban from the legislature grounds and a nearby committee room.

Barkhouse emphasizes that if disruptions are permitted, the legislature will be paralyzed and the work of elected representatives will be stymied, which she deems undemocratic.