Bruce Fitch warns against deep spending cuts in budget

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives are warning Premier Brian Gallant’s government not to cut too deeply in the upcoming budget, despite their own period of four years of fiscal restraint when they were in government.

Opposition Leader Bruce Fitch said the provincial government needs to do more to create jobs, such as avoiding big spending cuts to government services.

"The premier has to be pick one. He's either for jobs and economy or he's for severe, severe and draconian cuts,” Fitch said.

That's a shift for the Progressive Conservatives, who spent four years in government keeping a lid on spending.

In fact, former finance minister Blaine Higgs acknowledged at the time that fiscal restraint would hurt the economy but said it was necessary.

Finance Minister Roger Melanson alluded to those comments from his predecessor when responding to the latest Tory question period attacks.

"They're absolutely not consistent. It'd be interesting to see Mr. Higgs answer some of those questions,” he said.

Fitch said the Tories are not being inconsistent by cutting while in government and opposing cuts now.

"Well it's similar, but you have trimming the fat and then you have cutting so deep that it's cutting the bone or the arm right off,” Fitch said.

Fitch also pointed out the Liberals promised to cut $250 million during last year's election but now are talking about a much bigger target, as high as $600 million.