NDP Leader Jim Dinn issued a statement late this afternoon, saying he sees no reason why the Liberal government felt compelled to go ahead with today’s scheduled budget announcement in the House of Assembly.

“With hundreds of desperate people outside Confederation Building trying to get him to take some substantive action on an issue he’s been neglecting for a year, the Premier chose to proceed with the performative farce of presenting the 2024-25 budget to a House of Assembly void of Opposition and journalists.

“There was no need. There is nothing new or life changing for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in this budget. There’s nothing to show any imagination, any willingness to solve the problems we are all feeling every day.

“The province still has people living in tents. We have seniors facing eviction due to exorbitant rent increases. The Liberals have done nothing about the under-resourcing of inclusive education, and I see no plan to phase out travel nurses and strengthen the public health care system to retain the valuable workers we have.

Dinn says the province has already passed interim supply, so there’s no operational need to start on the budget.