MLA ends protest following commitment from premier to work on anti-racism legislation
Ali Duale was planning not to be at Province House for the duration of the fall sitting
Liberal MLA Ali Duale says he will take his seat this week at Province House following a commitment from Nova Scotia's premier to bring in anti-racism legislation in the spring.
Duale, who represents Halifax Armdale, said PC Premier Tim Houston sent a letter Monday inviting the Liberal caucus to establish an all-party committee that will "produce legislation to address systemic racism in government." The NDP was also invited.
He told reporters at Province House that Houston first floated the idea by him during a conversation on Friday.
"This is how this legislature is supposed to be," said Duale.
"We've been elected across this province as Nova Scotians with the best interest of Nova Scotians. My hope as a rookie politician [is] to see my term, this mindset and this collaboration to continue [on] every subject matter."
New Democrat MLA Suzy Hansen said her party would also participate in the committee to draft legislation. She said she's keeping an open mind on how the work will play out, but she is a fan of the approach.
"I think if we did that for everything that would be amazing, because then all of us could have our say on what we think is important from each of our perspectives," Hansen told reporters.
"I'm all about educating and making sure that we're looking at it from the proper lens and utilizing all of our conversations and being able to talk about it candidly and then coming to, hopefully, a consensus of a conclusion to do the right thing."
'We want to get this right'
Houston told reporters it made sense to bring everyone together on the bill, because "that's the way the system works best."
"We'll expand the group out to community members, as well. We want to get it right. It's important. It's an important time for Nova Scotia and we want to get this right."
The premier said he'd previously asked African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister Pat Dunn to assemble an all-party committee to talk about "a broad range of issues."
Duale announced last week he intended not to sit at the legislature for the duration of the fall sitting as a form of protest, until the government agreed to pass Bill 12, a piece of anti-racism legislation put forward by the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.
At the time, Houston said the province's Office of Equity and Anti-Racism was working on similar legislation, but he did not think it would be ready for the fall sitting. He committed to having the office marry it with parts of the Liberal bill.
Staffer fired for racist comments about MLA
Duale's planned protest followed revelations that his Liberal colleague, Preston MLA Angela Simmonds, was the subject of racist comments by a political staffer in a social media message exchange.
Houston, upon learning of the comments, informed Simmonds, Liberal Leader Iain Rankin, and then fired the staffer, who worked with the Justice Department.
Last Friday, Duale said without a clear commitment to legislation aimed at removing racism from government institutions, MLAs of colour could not truly feel safe at work. Province House could not be considered the people's House if the members who sat there could not support such legislation, he said.
In his statement, Duale touched on why the issue is so important.
"As the first Muslim and first refugee to be elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature, this bill speaks to the very reason I chose to enter politics," Duale said in his statement Tuesday.
"I firmly believe this bill sets politics aside and puts the people first — a principle that guides me as I serve as MLA."
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