Lung Association Believes Most New Brunswickers Support Higher Tobacco Taxes

The New Brunswick Lung Association releasing the results of a survey which indicates 69 per cent of people in the province support spending more money to get people to quit smoking and 59 per cent support increasing tobacco taxes to come up with the funding needed. 

Lung Association President and CEO Barb MacKinnon tells Tide News even though tobacco taxes bring in 157 million dollars a year, illnesses caused by smoking take quite a chunk out of the healthcare budget to the tune of 111 million dollars a year in direct costs and 429 million dollars in social costs which include lost workdays. 

She also points to research that shows for every dollar spent on smoking cessation, three dollars are save in healthcare costs.
 
The smoking rate in the province at 18.8 per cent is over 2 per cent higher than the national average.
 
According to the Lung Association, it usually takes from 5 to 7 attempts before someone can give up smoking.

Pipeline Could Give Spinoff Projects For Irving

If TransCanada's proposed pipeline project is given the green light, there could be spinoff projects for Irving Oil in the future. 

Jeff Matthews, the company's business development manager tells Tide News that before that happens there is a long road ahead, but says it'll pay off if we can get there. He tells us their main focus right now is getting the pipeline to Saint John, and says that will open up opportunities for the company, the city, the province, and other third party companies.

The company has said the 14,000 kilometer pipeline would not only give them a wider base supply of crudes than they have right now, but it would also open up a new region of crude supply to Atlantic Canada.

Finance Minister Coming To St. Stephen Tonight

Do you have questions about the new provincial budget? You can talk to the guy who wrote it tonight in person.

The St. Stephen Chamber of Commerce hosting an Evening with Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs tonight, April 8th, at the Trinity Hall, located at 30 Prince William Street.

Introductions will start at 6:30pm with Chamber President Dale Weeks and local MLA Curtis Malloch.

Higgs will begin a presentation at 7o'clock, followed by a question period.
The event is open to the general public.

A Third Suspicious Fire In St. Stephen Area In Less Than Three Weeks

In less than three weeks, a third house fire in the St. Stephen area is being called suspicious.

Around 2 am, Saturday morning, April 6th,  District 1 RCMP responding to a blaze on the Loop Road in Upper Mills.

Calais and St. Stephen Fire Departments were on the scene. They say no one was at home at the time.

Police tell us there was significant damage to the home and the cause is suspicious.

A home at the corner of Oak Hill and the Moores Mills Crossroad, as well as another home in Milltown on Queensway were both destroyed by fire on March 18th. Police say the causes of those fires are suspicious.

If you have any information, please contact local police or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

April Is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Many victims of sexual assault live with what happened to them in silence and shame. 

The executive director of the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Lorraine Whalley tells CHSJ News that less than 10% of sexual assaults are reported to police.

This April is the third annual sexual assault awareness month in the province. The theme of this year's campaign is engaging youth in conversations of sexual violence. Whalley tells us they chose to zero-in on young people to try and clear up any misconceptions about what consent is amongst youth. She says the approach they're taking is that yes means yes, as opposed to no means no.

New Brunswick Has Lowest Levels of Adult Literacy in Canada

With our province's staggering rates of functional illiteracy, you'd think more people would be jumping on the free programs available to help people upgrade their reading skills, but Deanna Allen of Laubach Literacy tells CHSJ News their literacy programs are only reaching a handful of the people that need them.

Allen says adults who can't read well often avoid situations where they'll need to read, and often develop some creative strategies to cope with their sub-par literacy skills. But she says they'd like to see the number of people enrolled in their programs double or triple. She tells CHSJ News 60% of adults in New Brunswick are functionally illiterate, compared to 40% for Canada as a whole.

Fundy Region Will Try To Break Guinness World Record

Thousands of kids will be digging in dirt one day this summer, but they won't be playing. They'll be working to beat a world record.
 
Marigold Project founder Barry Ogden tells us that the Fundy region has applied to the Guinness Book of World Records to try and beat the record for number of children planting flowers at the same time. 

They'll try and beat the record, which is currently held in China, on June 6th at 9:30 in the morning. Ogden tells us that approximately 40 schools will be taking part.

Advance Polls Open For Kent By-Election

Election day is on April 15th, but you can cast your vote in the Kent by-election early. The seat was vacated by former Premier Shawn Graham, who resigned after a conflict of interest scandal.

Advance polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and on Monday, April 8th. Anyone who is eligible to vote can do so in the advance polls. Voters should have received a Voter Information Card in the mail, if you didn't, check your poll location on the Elections NB website or ring the returning office at (506) 955-6022 or (888) 326-9523.

Lawyer Will Be Sentenced In June

Suspended Saint John lawyer Rod Gillis will be sentenced June 20th in Bathurst for attempting to obstruct justice. 

A sentencing hearing was held in Moncton where the legal arguments were made before Judge Irwin Lampert who found the 66 year old Gillis guilty back in January. 

Prosecutor Peter Craig is recommending a prison term from 30 to 36 months for what he calls breach of trust by a member of the bar and officer of the court. 

The defense is asking for a conditional sentence that would be served in the community. 

Gillis was charged in connection with how he represented former Liberal M-L-A and House Speaker Frank Branch in his legal battle with the North Shore Forest Products Marketing Board which included both a criminal prosecution and civil lawsuit. Branch was charged with fraud and extortion. He eventually pleaded guilty to fraud over 5 thousand dollars and was sentenced to house arrest as well as ordered to pay restitution.

Gillis has represented St. Stephen's Chief Administrative Officer John Ferguson during his long battle with the Saint john Pension Board.

Weston Responds To Parole Controversy

Since parole is a federal responsibility, it's no wonder Saint John M-P Rodney Weston is hearing a lot of concern about the release of John O'Brien, the so-called motorcycle rapist to a halfway house in the city.

Weston says the concerns expressed to him about John O'Brien are mainly about the nature of his crimes and his risk of re-offending which is described by Police Chief Bill Reid as moderate. He concedes it doesn't make him feel good as an M-P to hear the concerns and worry from his constituents.

The concerns voiced to Weston are being passed along to the federal minister of Public Safety. 

Weston tells Tide News he even considered introducing a private member's bill to deal with the issue but points out statutory release is a fact of the Canadian judicial system unless you're deemed a dangerous offender.

Victims Of Crimes Need To Be Heard

If you've ever been the victim of a crime, you know how traumatic the experience can be.

It's the job of Victim Services to ensure people feel heard throughout the judicial process. Martin Ellen Martin of Victim Services tells Tide News they rely on highly trained volunteers to deal with the fallout from a wide range of crimes from assaults to murders, sudden deaths, and thefts.

Martin says the most common call they get is when someone has unexpectedly died, and they have to counsel family members and others. 

For more information on Victim Services including how you can volunteer, click here

Saint John Lawyer Faces Possible Prison Time

A well known Saint John lawyer Rod Gillis -- who represented St. Stephen Chief Administrative Officer John Ferguson in his battle with the Saint John Pension Board -- is scheduled to be in court today in Moncton at a sentencing hearing for attempting to obstruct justice. 

The actual sentence itself won't be delivered by Judge Irwin Lampert until a later date because of all the documentation that has to be gone through.

The charge was laid in connection with Gillis's legal representation of former Liberal M-L-A Frank Branch. 

The former Speaker of the Provincial Legislature was charged with fraud and extortion. He was also also legally involved in a civil suit against the North Shore Forest Products Marketing Board.  Branch pleaded guilty to fraud over 5 thousand dollars, ordered to pay restitution and was sentenced to house arrest and probation. 

Meanwhile, according to the Law Society of New Brunswick website, Gillis has been suspended from practicing law but there's no explanation why.

Ontario Will Investigate Watered-Down Chemo Meds

An investigation will be carried out in Ontario by an independent third party into how watered down chemotherapy drugs were given to more than 1,100 patients, including 186 at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

The issue of whether privatization of the preparation of the chemo drugs might have been a factor has been raised by Ontario's Health Minister after a pharmacy technician noticed a discrepancy in the amount of fluid in some of the bags.

Chief of Staff Dr. John Dornan is promising the Regional Hospital is going to be a lot more careful in the future. He's vowing there will be more specificity with suppliers. 

Most hospitals mix the medications themselves and, even though the Regional has a new supplier, Dr. Dornan says it's a possible option.

Cameras In Uptown SJ Could Be A Reality

With repeated arson attempts, vandalism, and other issues at buildings throughout Saint John, city police are looking for better ways to remedy the ongoing issues.

Police Chief Bill Reid tells Tide News some areas including King Square could soon be outfitted with closed-circuit cameras to catch the culprits in the act.

Reid says it's not totally new -- the police force has already installed cameras where there's an ongoing crime problem with the permission of the property owners.

Britt's Fast Feet

14 minutes, 3 seconds and 48 milliseconds. That's Barry Britt's time at his 5000 metre heat, and his own personal best.

Hailing from Hampton and competing for Idaho University, the 23-year-old's time is the third fastest ever by a New Brunswick runner on the track, and also ranks the Saint John Club member 3rd in all of Canada.

Gabriel LeBlanc, the Technical Director of Athletics New Brunswick says he has no doubt that Britt will challenge the provincial record in the 5000 metre this year, and be a contender for a spot on the provincial team heading to the Jeux De La Francophonie in Nice, France. He adds that he thinks Britt will be among the elite of Canadian distance running in the upcoming years.

Green Party Will Sit Out Kent By-Election

The Green Party will not run a candidate in the riding of Kent for the April 15th by-election.

A news release says party leader David Coon visited the eastern riding earlier in the week, and he says what he heard when he was there was that people aren't happy with parties "parachuting" candidates into their communities, so the Greens have decided they won't run someone from outside.

He says the party's potential local candidates weren't able to run on such short notice, and because the general election is just 18 months away, they've decided to "wait this one out."

The seat was vacated by former premier Shawn Graham earlier this month, who left politics after he was found to be in a conflict of interest over a $50-million loan guarantee his government gave to Acton, a construction firm with ties to his father.

Celebration of the Scottish

A day of celebration is coming up for those of you with Scottish in your blood. 

Tartan Day celebrates the heritage of the Scots and the contributions that they've made in the province. Laurie Hossack, the president of the Saint Andrew's Society's tells CHSJ news that the Scots played a major role in the shipbuilding industry and commerce in Saint John.

It dates back to about 1993, when MLA Georgie Day presented a resolution to the New Brunswick Legislature to declare April 6th Tartan Day. It passed unanimously. 

On this year's Tartan Day, they'll raise Scotland's flag in front of city hall in the morning and host a Ceilidh in the evening, complete with piping, drumming, highland dancing and of course, haggis. Tickets are $10 in advance by calling (506) 696-4253 or $15 at the door at the Simonds Lions Auditorium at Loch Lomond Villa, on 185 Loch Lomond Road. 

Cardy Says Prescription Drug Programme Could be Launched Next Year

There's still no word from the Alward Government about funding for a comprehsive prescription drug programme even though it was a promise made during the last provincial election campaign.

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy is trying to get either the Conservatives or Liberals to introduce an amendment to the Budget Motion which would transfer over 17 and a half million dollars from the Economic Development Department, what Cardy refers to as Corporate Welfare, to the Health Department. 

He believes a prescription drug programme could be launched by the end of next October.

New Date For Inquest Into Death Of Chinese Student

An inquest into the death of a 17 year old  Chinese student while swimming at the Aquatic Centre in Saint John in September of 2011 has been changed. 

It will be held from May 21st through the 24th at the Sydney Street Courthouse in Saint John instead of early next month. 

The circumstances surrounding the death of Yi Fan Wang remain murky. He was swimming in the pool with some friends when something happened to him. He was unconscious when taken out of the swimming pool and died two days later at the Regional Hospital's intensive care unit. 

The inquest was called to hear from witnesses about the circumstances and come up with recommendations.

Warning About Funding For Universities And Student Flight

The Alward Government is being accused of starving universities in the province. That charge made by Miriam Jones of U-N-B Saint John who's President of the New Brunswick Association of University Teachers. 

Jones says universities provide hope to young people that they can have a better future. Without that hope, Jones argues young people will move to a place where there are better prospects which is what's happening these days.

She adds the squeeze on university funding is tighter than ever.