the 2011 budget was tabled on april 5. although the final figures for 2010 showed a surprising surplus, dexter's finance minister graham steele estimated a deficit for 2011 of $389 million, and promised to continue with their 4-year plan to get nova scotia out of unsustainable spending through both economic growth and trimming department budgets. the ndp pledged to reduce debt servicing costs, expand their ban march madness spending in departments, keep unbudgeted spending low and continue to review department programs. the budget also pledged to open canada's first collaborative emergency centres as a way of keeping emergency health services in rural nova scotia, reduce the price of prescription drugs for people on medicare, provide tax relief by increasing the basic personal amount, and give more money to people living on income assistance. critics suggested the projected deficit was higher than it should be as a way of the government providing good news when the deficit turns out to be lower and called for more cuts and faster cuts, while dexter's government said unpredictable conditions in the worldwide economy required caution and stated the opposition would need to explain where extra cuts would come from.