UPDATE: Nursing Home Bill Passes In Legislature

Chants broke out in the New Brunswick legislature Friday as the government passed a controversial bill on essential services in nursing homes.

After more than an hour of debate, MLAs voted 24-22 in favour of the legislation during third reading.

Progressive Conservative and People’s Alliance MLAs voted for the bill. The Liberals and Greens voted against it.

Once it became clear the bill would pass, chants of “No justice, no peace!” came from union members in the public galleries, prompting the speaker to interrupt the vote temporarily.

David Coon, the leader of the Green Party, said the bill should never have made it to third reading.

“It seems like the premier, when it comes to labour unions, just throws up a barrier, and I don’t know why,” said Coon before the vote.

The bill includes a controversial condition that the province’s ability to pay be considered during binding arbitration.

Earlier this week, a legislative committee passed an amendment which would allow an arbitrator to consider “any other factors” they consider relevant.

But Green MLA Megan Mitton said the amendment did not go far enough. She said the binding arbitration portion should have been considered separately.

“Maybe under the Industrial Relations Act, if they were going to try to bring this through, but instead, it has been put into this other essential piece of legislation. Like I said, it didn’t have to be this way,” said Mitton.

Liberal MLA Gilles LePage, who spoke extensively before the vote, said they still have more questions than answers about the bill.

“We didn’t get a definition of ability to pay from that minister … but unfortunately, we don’t want a strike, so we have to vote on the bill,” said LePage.

The previous law on essential services in nursing homes was found unconstitutional by a labour board.

A judge upheld the ruling after a lengthy court battle and gave the province until Jan. 2 to come up with a new law.