HALIFAX 鈥� The Speaker of Nova Scotia鈥檚 legislature confirmed Thursday that he has signed a resignation letter at the request of Premier Tim Houston, though he maintained he doesn鈥檛 want to leave his job.
Keith Bain was questioned by reporters after the Progressive Conservative caucus said in a news release that he had provided his resignation as Speaker effective April 1.
His future had been uncertain heading into Thursday鈥檚 opening of the fall sitting of the legislature after Tory government members and Houston's office confirmed last week that there had been discussions around 鈥渟uccession planning鈥� for Bain's role.
A visibly upset Bain 鈦犫�� who last week said that he didn鈥檛 want to resign 鈦犫�� admitted that he had been blindsided by the release announcing his resignation, adding that he had just signed the letter on Wednesday during a meeting with Houston. He said he didn鈥檛 expect his intentions to be made public.
鈥淚 signed a letter yesterday to say, if necessary, I would be resigning,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut 鈥� I was hoping there would still be some room for negotiation further on.鈥�
When asked whether he wanted to go, Bain replied, 鈥渙f course not.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 close to retirement, I don鈥檛 need to be fighting with anybody,鈥� he said.
Bain also said that when Houston initially asked him to resign, he was told that it was because he had put the government in a 鈥渉ard spot鈥� with some of his rulings.聽
He said those rulings included his strict handling of health protocols when he reduced access to the legislature last spring amid a COVID-19 outbreak, as well as his call for an independent review of legislature members' salaries, as was required following the August 2021 election.
Houston recalled the legislature in July to block a pay raise recommended by a committee struck following Bain鈥檚 decision, saying that a raise was inappropriate during a time when people were struggling with the cost of living.
鈥淭hat was fair, but he also said that after a year in government, it was time for change,鈥� said Bain.
Houston repeatedly refused to discuss details of the resignation letter or even whether he had asked Bain to quit as Speaker, although he did say he had met with Bain.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been ongoing succession discussions,鈥� was all the premier would say.聽
Both the Opposition Liberals and the NDP continued to voice support for Bain on Thursday, whom they have previously described as fair and highly respected.
Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said the premier put Bain in an unfair position.
鈥淗e鈥檚 being pushed to resign because he鈥檚 ruled in favour of the opposition on occasion,鈥� Churchill said. 鈥淲e have to make sure the rules of the legislature rise above partisanship for all of our sakes and for the sake of the institution itself.鈥�
NDP Leader Claudia Chender called the latest developments around Bain 鈥渄eeply troubling.鈥�
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 clear that the premier is trying to force the independent Speaker of the House from his position and is inventing a new story each day about what is actually happening and why,鈥� Chender said.
Chender added that Houston鈥檚 lack of transparency on the issue was a 鈥渘ew low.鈥�
Bain, a veteran member of the Progressive Conservative caucus, was elected Speaker shortly after the Tories came to power in August 2021.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2022.
Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press
