A small group of protesters led by the Halifax-Dartmouth and District Labour Council and Council of Canadians confronted Tony Clement, federal Minister in charge of the Treasury Board, in Halifax on Thursday morning.

Clement, who was also at the centre of the G8 spending scandal as well as the controversial decision to abolish the long-form census, was giving a breakfast speech to the Halifax Club organized by the right-wing Atlantic Institute for Market Studies.

The demonstrators' message centred on three key issues: austerity measures and cuts to public services; the secretive Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and Europe; and the need for a new national Health Accord in 2014.

According to one protester, Clement responded to questions by accusing unions of misrepresenting facts on the issues.

(Photos: Angela Giles. Text: Ben Sichel)