Fire Guts Home On Route # 3 in Old Ridge

A fire at a home on Route #3 being gutted by fire.

St. Stephen and Moores Mills Fire Departments responding to the call just before 1 o'clock this afternoon.

Officials tell Tide News the owner of the mobile home at 8881 in Old Ridge was inside the home sleeping when the fire started.

He was able to escape without injuries.

The cause of the fire has not been released.

Senator Complains "This Is Canada, Not Putin's Russia"

"A show trial"........That's how New Brunswick Senator Jim Munson characterises the goings on in the Senate to suspend Senators Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy and Patrick Brazeau without pay because they have become a political embarrassment.
 
Munson goes so far as to call the motion a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by assuming guilt in advance of a hearing of any kind where the rights of the accused are defended by lawyers. Duffy and Wallin were given all of 20 minutes to make the case why they should not be suspended. 

Munson says Senators have not had a chance to see the Deloitte report on Senator Wallin's expenses and even the residency requirement is not clearly defined because it doesn't stipulate how many days you have to live in that residence in the province where you're appointed from.
 
He suspects the government chose to move ahead on this at a politically expedient time just before the opening of Parliament.

Gallant Wants Alward To Slow Down On Fracking

The Opposition wants Premier Alward to hit the pause button on fracking.

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant says they have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the government blindly pushing ahead with shale gas development without addressing people's concerns in a meaningful way.

Gallant says people in the province do not trust the Premier when it comes to this topic adding he's also ignored the recommendations of the Chief Medical officer of Health, Dr. Eilish Cleary.

He says the Alward government has failed to provide the reassurances New Brunswickers want with respect to the impact of shale gas development on the environment and human health.

Skating Competition Brings International Athletes To Saint John

Harbour Station is buzzing with activity as Skate Canada International gets underway.

The venue is a busy spot with hundreds of volunteers, athletes, coaches and international media in town for the event.

4-time Canadian skating champs Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir spoke to the media ahead of a practice this morning.

She told reporters gathering in the media centre that they are very pleased to be in Saint John and are already enjoying the Maritime hospitality.

Athletes are practicing all day today with the competition beginning tomorrow afternoon. The event runs until Sunday. 

For ticket information, click here.

Premier Standing Firm On Shale Gas

Premier David Alward making it clear he has no intention of stopping the testing for shale gas in the province one week after a protest outside the SWN Resources compound near Rexton turned violent. 

Shale gas opponents, meantime, releasing a poll showing people in Nova Scotia support a continued ban on fracking. According to the polling done by Abacus Data, 69% of Nova Scotians strongly support or support a continued moratorium on fracking, unless an independent review finds there's no risk to drinking water, human health, the climate or communities. 

The poll was commissioned by the Nova Scotia Fracking Resource and Action Coalition known, which is also known as NOFRAC, the Council of Canadians and the Sierra Club.