A heated
exchange in Question Period today between Shediac—Cap-Pelé MLA Victor
Boudreau and Finance Minister Blaine Higgs over whether the Shared Risk
model is the only option for the public service pension plan.
Higgs
responded that there have been actuarial reports done from the get-go
and they've done their due diligence--but Boudreau argues there's been a
lack of transparency and the model has been "forced" on the retirees
and current pensioners.
Boudreau says if there is an actuarial plan on the Shared Risk model, the finance minister should table it in the legislature.
Premier David Alward and Provincial Liberal leader Brian Gallant clashing over shale gas.
Gallant
says the Conservatives are jumping ahead too fast without giving
enoough consideration to the effect on human health and the
environment.
He
points to a document from the Environmental Protection Agency in the
U.S. which talks about the potential hazards to human health of
fracking. He charges the Alward Government decided to press ahead
without giving due consideration to human health, the environment and
royalties.
The
Premier dismisses the Liberals as "the moratorium party", accusing them
of having no plan for growing the provincial economy.
The
Simm's brush factory in announced back in the summer it would be closing
down its Saint John operations and laying off 35 employees--and now JDI
has confirmed the iconic glass building itself will be demolished in the
new year.
Mary
Keith of JDI explains demolition has already begun on the wooden
building that is behind the iconic glass-fronted factory on Simm's
Corner--and by the new year, the factory itself will be levelled and the
site used for heavy industrial purposes.
Keith
says they're looking at all the options when it comes to traffic calming
on Simm's Corner, but the solution won't necessarily involve a
divestiture of any of that land.
Simms has been a family business since it was founded in 1866.
The glass building was built in 1912.
" Policy
development on the fly".........That's what provincial government
retirees are calling the shared risk pension model and have their own
expert criticising what's being proposed.
The
Pension Coalition calls Bernard Dussault one of the original architects
who reformed the Canada Pension Plan as well as being actuary for the
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
Dussault
is denouncing the shared risk model as irresponsible because it lacks
the standard actuarial projections on how much it will wind up costing
along with what the short, medium and long term financial effects will
be on the provincial pension plan itself.
New Brunswick is ground zero in the pension crisis. So says Jim Leech, the C-E-O of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.
He tells Tide News the shared risk model that was adopted by the city and is
being embraced by the Alward Government is the right thing to do. He
says it is the only solution to the demographic time bomb with public
pension plans that have defined benefits.
Leech says to exclude retirees and put the entire risk on current provincial government employees is unfair.
Leech has praise for Premier David Alward and those labour leaders in the province who realised the seriousness of the problem.
You can
take advantage of another kind of first aid that's available in the port
city. Mental Health First Aid courses are being offered in Saint John.
The
courses are part of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. The training
offers techniques to help people dealing with mental health problems
such as anxiety disorders, mood, psychotic, and substance-related
disorders. There are also specific classes offered for adults who
interact with youth.
A panic attack is an example of a mental health problem,
emerging as a crisis. In that instance, crisis first aid
skills are taught, to provide effective first aid to
somebody having a panic attack.
Sjors
Reijers is manager of national program promotions and business
development at the Mental Health Commission of Canada. He tells Tide News, the courses are intended to start a conversation about mental
health.
"The
real challenge is being aware and tuned in to changes in behavior. It's
not to assume that every change in behavior is because of an emerging
mental health problem, but rather to be able to start a conversation
about mental health."
To find out how to get involved with Mental Health First Aid courses check out the course listing at www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca
The
Opposition Liberals calling on the Province to review special care homes
following the discovery of a grow-op in Clark's Corner last week.
Victor Boudreau asking the Minister of Social Development Madeleine Dube when the home in question was last inspected.
Dube says the government does have a program of inspection in place across the province.
She says the province has about 400 care home in the province where they do annual inspections and spotchecks.
Dube adds Public Health and Public Safety are also involved with these homes as well.
After a fire in the Clark's Corner senior care home, a grow-op was discovered where police seized 550 pot plants.
Boudreau
says 6 seniors were displaced because of the fire and bust so he
questions why Dube can't speak about this case since it's been widely
reported in the media.
Some lively debates in the legislature on changes to employment insurance.
Liberal
Leader Brian Gallant asking the Premier again if the government to
going to release a completed report from last June on EI changes.
Gallant says the report is on their own civil service speaking to what impact employment insurance changes might have.
Premier Alward rose to say he is confident the work will get done on the goverment side of the house.
He attacked Gallant and the oppostion calling them a moratorium party and a do-nothing party.
The
Rothesay Regional Police looking for the public's help finding 9 men and
1 woman wanted on warrants for a variety of offenses from suspending
driving to fraud, and break and enter.
The
Kennebecasis Crime Stoppers have pre-approved rewards of $500 for any
information that leads to the arrest of any of the wanted individuals.
Paul Thomas Romanoff, age 50 (Pre-Approved Reward $500)
Warrant of arrest for fraud and failure to appear
Phillip Anthony CURTIS, age 39 (Pre-Approved Reward $500)
Warrant of arrest for breaking & entering
Jordan Stephen Paul ROWE, age 20
Warrant of arrest for breaking & entering (Pre-Approved Reward $500)
Warrant of committal for suspended driving, $960 or 23 days
Warrant of committal for suspended driving, $600 or 15 days
William Henry MARTIN, age 42
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $1200 or 27 days
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $500 or 13 days
Ernest William ANDREWS, age 39
Warrant of arrest for Impaired Driving
Kevin Stanley SAUNDERS, age 33
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $1200 or 27 days
Kyle Anthony SMITH, age 21
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $510 or 27 days
Stephen Joseph MATTSON, age 32
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $1001 or 24 days
Tara Alexandra HICKS, age 24
Warrant of committal for driving while suspended, $560 or 15 days
Shawn Adam DAY, age 36
Warrant of committal for driving while prohibited, $500 or 6 days
Warrant of committal for theft under $5000, $250 or 3 days
Former Saint John
Common Councillor Donnie Snook reportedly has filed a notice of appeal,
saying the 18 year sentence he received for more than 40 charges of
child abuse and exploitation is unreasonable.
At the
time, his lawyer Dennis Boyle called the sentence approriate. Prosecutor
Karen Lee Lamrock told the court if you were looking at sentencing on
each individual charge, you would be talking about 75 years in prison.
Snook is
expected to plead guilty to four more sex charges on November 28th from
his time in Newfoundland before coming to Saint John.
This group could have some tough questions for Senators and MP's in Ottawa.
Over 60 New Brunswick students are in the nation's capital this week for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations conference.
Some U-N-B Saint John students are in the group and will be on hand for Ottawa Hill day where they can meet with Ministers, MP's and Senators.
They are also there with a mission. The students want lobby the government to remove earnings penalties for students and increase the proportion of up front needs based financial assistance.
They also plan to speak with government members about reforming study permit policies to make Canada an international education destination.
A high-energy crowd in Saint John celebrating innovation in the province with an awards ceremony.
Eight New Brunswick companies getting awards for their work in one of the province's six strategic sectors at the Innov8 Awards.
Economic Development Minister Bruce Fitch presenting the winning companies with their hardware. He tells CHSJ News innovation is one of the areas that's very important to the province with the government has committed 80-million-dollars over the next five years towards innovation as part of a bigger plan to grow the province's economy.
Mycodev Group winning the most Innovative Start-Up of 2013, while Propel ICT took home the award for Excellence in Fostering Innovation.
A dramatic rescue taking place last night at Black River Wharf off Garnett Settlement Road on the outskirts of east Saint John.
Platoon Chief Peter Saab says a man was climbing down a ladder when he slipped and fell thirty feet to the deck of a boat below.
The fire department's high angled rescue team was then called into service. A patient lift system had to be constructed by using ropes, pulleys and an aerial ladder in order to lift the man from the deck from where he was taken to the Regional Hospital with what are described as substantial injuries.
Most of
the unions that represent the civil service are now on board with
proposed changes to the public pension plan, according to a release by
the provincial government.
Those changes include the
controversial move to the shared risk model, which it is hoped will
redress the $1 billion deficit for the public service plan.
The
government claims the the pension legislation will make sure retirees
will never see their pensions reduced from their current level and will
continue to get cost of living increases; however, the Pension Coalition
of New Brunswick has protested the changes all along as unjust and
potentially actionable.
Provincial Liberals say they will vote against the legislation introduced by the Alward Government.
Marilyn Quinn of the New Brunswick Nurses Union has said they're confident it's the best solution to provide pension security.
If
anyone was expecting a speedy resolution to the Richard Oland murder
investigation now that charges have been laid against his son Dennis,
they might be sorely disappointed.
Dennis
Oland made a brief court appearance this morning in connection with his
second degree murder charge in his father's death over two years ago.
On
January 21st, a date will set for a preliminary hearing that will
determine if there's enough evidence to go to trial. The adjournment was
requested due to the amount of documentation according to Oland's
lawyer--and the trial might not happen until late 2014.
Richard Oland was found dead in his Canterbury Street office in July, 2011.
The fraud section of the Saint John police are warning the public of a credit card scam.
Back on November 12th, three people were arrested and found with many fake i.d.'s and credit cards. Sgt.
Jay Henderson says police believe it is part of an organized credit
card fraud ring operating in this province and in PEI for the last two
months.
He says the suspects would enter a business, pick an item
and present a credit card to the cashier saying the magnetic strip was
not working. Then then ask the store's employee to enter the number manually to make the item go through. The
card given to the employee was counterfeit and the number on the card
was stolen.
The SJPD Fraud section advises businesses owners to speak
to their employees and see if this happened to their business. To contact police call 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or click here.
Those aspiring entrepreneurs who think they've got the next big idea
can apply for some help through a newly announced fund.
The
Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre at UNB, Karina LeBlanc
tells Tide News the Saint John True Growth Innovation Fund is designed
to spur early stage innovators into action.
The fund
is between $1000 and $5000 and the money is meant to help the
entrepreneur build a case so they can go out and pitch to those who can
then give them more funding. Click here for more information on the fund.
The launch of the fund at the Creative Soup Building uptown also kicking off Global Entrepreneurship Week.
A 29 year old man from the Island is facing 6 charges relating to a home invasion more than 9 years ago in Petitcodiac.
Michael
Arthur Gaudet of Charlottetown was in Moncton court charged with
forcible confinement, assault, robbery, and break and enter into a home.
Two
men wearing masks entered a home in Petitcodiac in May of 2004
demanding money. A woman living at the house was assaulted and tied up.
Her son arrived home and was assaulted before the pair took off.
A
positive DNA match with the National DNA Data Bank allowed the Mounties
to confirm the identity of one of the two men involved in the home
invasion.
Gaudet is being held in custody until his next court
appearance at December 5. RCMP are still looking for another man
involved in the crime.
Dennis Oland, who is facing a charge in his father's murder more than two years ago, has been granted bail.
The
45-year old in court today for the bail hearing. This marks Oland's
second court appearance since his arrest last week. During his first
appearance, he was formally charged with second degree murder in Richard
Oland's death. Oland was found dead in his Canterbury Street office
back in July of 2011.
Dennis Oland is scheduled to be back in court tomorrow morning at 9:30 to set a date for a preliminary inquiry.
One of our local principals being given an award for being a great teacher.
10
teachers from the Anglophone south school district winning the
Excellence in Teaching Awards from Minister of Education Marie-Claude
Blais.
The winners include retired teacher Paul Holder of St.
Mac's, Dean Grattan of Oromocto High, Jean Anne Green of Forenceville
Middle School, Kathy Young, Principal at Glen Falls School and locally, John
Tanner, Principal at Fundy High School in St. George.
The awards handed out in a ceremony over the weekend in Fredericton.
