All eyes in the province tomorrow will be on what Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs comes up with in his latest budget.
The
provincial government's deficit has risen to above 400 million dollars
and the debt is in the neighbourhood of 11 billion together with a
sluggish economy and, because of that, shrinking population.
Kevin
Lacey, the Atlantic Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, tellsTide News now is the time for something bold to get back on track and
that means doing something significant to cut spending.
Lacey
argues provincial government spending has gone up 1.7 billion dollars in
the last five years but there's little to show for it. It's estimated
each man, woman and child in the province owes more than 30 thousand
dollars in provincial and federal debt.
RCMP
telling Tide News about a deadly crash on Highway 7 about 730 this
morning involving a pickup truck and a tractor-trailer near the Geary
exit.
That crash is causing a major traffic snarl today on Highway 7, between Saint John and Fredericton.
Corporal
Chantal Farrah tells Tide News a man driving a northbound pickup
crossed the centre line colliding with a transport truck.
The driver of the pickup died at the scene but the transport driver was not hurt.
A roadblock was set up on Highway 7, rerouting all drivers via Highway 101 through Geary up to Welsford.RCMP officers were posted at either end of Highway 101 directing traffic.
If you want to be part of next year's Ford World Women's Curling Championship in Saint John, you can start applying now.
Event
Chair Jeff Lacey tells Tide News 400 volunteers will be needed in a
variety of jobs from driving to bartending but, judging by the amount of
interest shown since the announcement back in December that Saint John
will host the event, he doesn't foresee any problem in having enough.
Lacey
says it's been 15 years since a curling event of this magnitude has been
held in the city and back then, the level of interest in being part of
it was tremendous.
You can apply by going to www.curling.ca
