Opposition leader Olive Crane says she hoped the P.E.I. government would provide a more detailed action plan on reaching a balanced budget by 2015 in Tuesday's speech from the throne.

But Crane said she didn't see anything close to an action plan.

"The premier has to take action on his growing debt and ongoing deficit issues," Crane said.

Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker also said he wants assurances on how the government plans to balance the budget.

'You'd almost like to go tell them to go buy a lottery ticket because the way this government spends money, they'd have a better chance,"'—Mike Redmond, NDP leader

"I do have some major concerns about this government trying to balance the books — which they are not going to do this fiscal year — on the backs of middle- and low- income Islanders through the HST."

Government is relying on the harmonized sales tax to — as it said — modernize the tax system.

Home heating fuel, children's clothing and footwear will be exempted from the 14 per cent tax that will be introduced in April 2012. And the provincial portion of the HST will not be applied to books.

Crane said that, while an exemption on books is a good start, it doesn't go far enough.

"One of the many promises by this premier was that he would never introduce it unless electricity and all heating costs were going to be exempt. So he has not done that. That's a real disappointment."

Lack of vision

Meanwhile, NDP leader Mike Redmond said he was disappointed by what he called a lack of vision in the throne speech.

"This government has talked about balancing the budget by 2015. You'd almost like to go tell them to go buy a lottery ticket because the way this government spends money, they'd have a better chance," said Redmond.

Premier Robert Ghiz says the government is looking to create an economy where farming, fishing and tourism can grow and be sustainable. (CBC)

"All the rhetoric that came from the government today was based on ' if all else fails, we'll blame the federal government.'"

The throne speech mentioned the federal government twice, and said it is concerned about cuts to employment insurance, federal jobs and cash transfers. It said Ottawa is penalizing individual Islanders and the province as a whole.

"We're making our point of view known, and making sure Islanders are well represented within the Canadian federation," said Ghiz.

"But, at the same time, within our own province, we have to balance the books, create jobs and make sure that we can offer the social programs Islanders have come to expect."

Crane said she counted three references to the 2014 celebrations. But she couldn't find any mention by the Robert Ghiz government on how the private sector was going to create more jobs.

NDP leader Mike Redmond says the throne speech lacked vision. (CBC)

The province announced it will encourage job growth by expanding the entrepreneur loan program and reinstating the program for student entrepreneurship loans.

"We're working on creating an economy here in the province of Prince Edward Island where our three largest industries, farming, fishing and tourism, have the opportunity to grow and be sustainable," said Ghiz.

"We need to find more markets, we're an exporting province."

Pension reform

The speech also confirmed that provincial employees will soon pay more into their pensions. Ghiz wouldn't say how much more. That will come out in the legislation later this fall. Bevan-Baker said Ghiz isn't going far enough.

"If our leaders want to show leadership, wouldn't it be great if they would table some legislation that would bring MLAs into line with the real world? I think it would gain them a huge amount of credibility and respect which they've completely lost."

However, Ghiz said MLAs will feel the pinch. Their contributions will increase by the same percentage as the increase imposed on provincial employees.