Nova Scotia premier criticized for travelling to Spain, U.S. without notifying public

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is drawing opposition criticism over a recent trade mission to Spain that his office didn’t announce publicly.

In response to a reporter’s question Thursday, Houston confirmed that he travelled to the country last month to attend a seafood exposition. His office later said in an email that Houston was in Barcelona and Madrid between April 20-24 on a trip to strengthen “two-way trade, tourism and research collaborations with governments.”

Houston said when they occur, his international trips are “very public things” and he does not hide his presence abroad. “We’re just trying to do the work,” he said. “I’m happy to talk about any trip I take.”

The premier’s online expense claims also show other trips that were little publicized or weren’t announced at all, including one to the New York area and another to California between April 2023 and March of this year.

The opposition Liberals and NDP said taxpayers are footing the bill for the premier’s trips and have a right to know the purpose and schedule of his travels.

“He’s been travelling around the world and we have not seen what the returns are to Nova Scotians,” Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said. “Taxpayers should know what his schedule is, who is going with him and what he is trying to achieve for Nova Scotians.”

NDP Leader Claudia Chender pointed out that Houston was deviating from what has been the standard practice of premiers informing the public about their out-of-country travel plans.

“Those trips are being paid for by Nova Scotians and we deserve to know when they happen, and the details of them and what the rationale is, as has been done for the better part of many decades,” Chender said.

But Houston defended the lack of notice of his trip by saying his schedule is often subject to change.

“The travel is usually in flux right up until the last minute depending on what’s happening in the province,” he said. “There were a number that were planned that didn’t happen.”

The premier said the trip to Spain was necessary because while in Barcelona he attended the world’s largest exposition dedicated to seafood, which is among Nova Scotia’s most important exports.

“So having a Nova Scotia presence there was really important to us and really important to our producers,” Houston said, adding that while in Spain he also had talks with various officials about health care and renewable energy, particularly offshore wind.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2024.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press