The Nova Scotia government has just announced that it will cut the HST by one per cent next year and one per cent the following year. This cut will reverse the two per cent increase the government imposed in order to assist it to achieve a balanced budget. Increasing the HST was part of a four year plan to balance the budget, which included increasing taxes and cutting spending. Since this government came into office in 2009, its mantra has been that the government of Nova Scotia needs to “live within its means.” But this focus has detracted from the bigger questions we should focus on during budget time and all throughout a government’s mandate: what does and what should government do for Nova Scotians and how will it pay for what it needs to do?

The NS legislature reopened this week, but the NS NDP has already been busy following through on some of its election promises. One of these was to institute an energy tax rebate making life more affordable for families. But does it?

In an interview about the energy tax rebate, Premier Darrell Dexter suggested that this was important because ‘the necessities of life should not be taxed.'

Electricity costs are indeed a necessity, but whether basic necessities are taxed is beside the point. The point really is whether basic necessities are available and accessible to all who need them.

By all accounts, Tuesday's election in Nova Scotia will be a historic moment.

Nova Scotia is poised to elect the first NDP provincial government east of Ontario.

But, will an NDP government be much different?

Everyone knows about the historical social democratic roots of the NDP and its championing of workers' rights, but there has been very little evidence that this iteration of the NDP plans to turn any of these concerns into policy once in office.

What might Nova Scotians expect of an NDP government?

If the NDP wins a minority government, they will likely not implement regressive policies that would further weaken public services, (eg. no P3s, no more private health clinics).

As the Nova Scotia election countdown begins, there are concerns an NDP government would raise taxes, engage in freewheeling spending and worst of all, it would be in the pocket of unions.

These concerns are misguided.

Quite opposite to raising taxes in Nova Scotia, the NDP is pledging to offer a spate of tax rebates and credits that actually fly in the face of good economic sense during an economic recession - to forego revenue at a time when revenue is declining.

For more than a decade, Nova Scotia has consistently ranked amongst the lowest spenders per capita on all social programs. A marginal increase in spending, especially spending targeted to those who are most vulnerable during this economic crisis, would be more than justified.

If we look beyond the labels of the political parties running in the Nova Scotia election and consider their platforms, we might be confused by what is revealed.

Even in wine tasting it is getting harder to name the grape, region and vintage, because there is such a diversity of wines available, from different regions of the world, using new grape varieties and even fusions. However, a cabernet is a cabernet right?

What is a liberal, a conservative and a social democrat in our province -- and even our country?
In Nova Scotia, the NDP, Liberals and Progressive Conservatives are fighting for centre, if not the slightly right of centre. Each espouses a vague vision about making Nova Scotia a great place to work, live and raise a family.