CKNB News January 4th 2021
CAMPBELLTON
—-
CAMP-MATAPEDIA BRIDGE
Its still yet to be determined if Matapedia bridge will be repaired this year
Melanie Sivret, acting director of communications tells the tribune almost $47M will be invested into bridges in the capital budget but not till spring will we know where that money will go..
The Matapedia bridge in Campbellton is partly owned by Quebec
—-
CAMP-LISTUGUJ COVID
(meanwhile)
Listuguj first nation is reporting 13 active cases of the coronavirus
2 new cases were discovered on friday with 2 additional cases being added on saturday.
one person is in hospital
the tribune reports they’re all linked to a close contact from someone who travelled to the region without isolating
—-
NB
—-
NS/NB/PEI-ATLANTIC SNOWFALL
A weekend snowstorm pounded Atlantic Canada as a prolonged holiday mild spell moved out.
Three provinces saw double-digit snowfall — more than 30-centimetres in some places — and thousands of Nova Scotia residents without power.
About 17-thousand were without service at the height of the outage.
The storm dumped 32 centimetres of snow on the airport in Sydney.
—-
**NB-STORM (jhw-am-Jan 2-21)
Parts of New Brunswick can expect some winter weather today and tonight.
Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for many locations in the southern part of the province.
The snow is expected to begin falling this morning and continue into overnight.
Accumulation of between 15 and 20 centimetres is possible.
Strong north and northeast winds are expected.
The wnds will cause reduced visibility in blowing snow.
—-
*SJ/NB-NO HEARING (jhw-am-TJ-Jan 2-21)
There will be no hearing into sexual misconduct allegations against former Kennebecasis police Insp. Jeff Porter.
A complaint had been filed with the New Brunswick Police Commission.
The Telegraph Journal reports … during a conference call late ths week, arbitrator Gary McLaughlin determined that because Porter, who retired Thursday, is no longer a member of the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force or any other police department, McLaughlin “no longer has jurisdiction to hear the complaint,”.
The decision comes after a more than four-year process costing Quispamsis and Rothesay taxpayers more than $1 million.
Since June 28, 2016, Porter had been suspended with pay over 16 alleged code of conduct violations under the Police Act.
NB-DOUBLE FINES GG/CBC (THUR 4PM)
New Brunswick motorists have some new rules to follow and can expect heftier fines if caught for distracted driving.
The government is doubling fines to $280 for drivers convicted of distracted driving and to $480 for drivers who pass a school bus while its red lights are flashing.
Public Safety Minister Hugh Flemming says any death or injury due to distracted driving is one too many.
Also drivers who encounter certain utility vehicles on the roads will be required to move over one lane and to slow down to at least half the posted speed limit.
Drivers will have to give space to tow trucks, highway maintenance vehicles as well as private and public utility vehicles that have their flashing lights engaged.
The updated legislation also allows police to impose zero-tolerance provisions of the law on novice drivers following a standard field sobriety test.
—-
SUS/NB-TURBINE FIXERUP (jhw-am-Record-Dec 31-20)
A wind turbine near Penobsquis idled over Christmas when a turbine blade failed and broke will be repaired as the investigation continues.
Operations at the Natural Forces and Tobique First Nation owned facility have been at a standstill by the break.
The manufacturer Enron tells the Kings County Record in an email … once repairs are complete, there will be a site-wide inspection of the blades on the other wind turbines at the Wocawson wind farm,.
NB Power says the wind farm shutdown won’t mean any disruption for utility customers.
The 20-megawatt station is expected to supply the equivalent of 5,000 homes with electrical energy and offsets about 22,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
—-
NB 9TH DEATH/COVID UPD GG/NB GOV (THUR 4PM)
A ninth person has now died from Covid-19 in New Brunswick. Public Health has confirmed an individual in their forties in the Moncton region has died from complications related to Covid-19 and other undelying health issues. Chief MEdical Officer, Dr. JEnnifer Russel, and Premier Blaine Higgs have both offered their condolences to the family.
Meanwhile, three new cases of Covid-19 were also reporetd in New Brunswick today. All three are people in their forties in Fredericton region. The source of their infections remain under investigation. There are currently 28 active cases of the virus remaining in NEw Brusnwick – with one person hopsitalized in intensive care.
Publci Health also issued another potential flight exposure advisory today for anyone on board Air Canada Flight 85-06 from Montreal to Fredericton on Christmas Eve.
—-
NB MODERNA ARRIVES GG/CBC (THUR 4PM)
The first shipment of the Moderna vaccine has arrived in New Brunswick. 2400 dose were received yesterday. Public Health says 1200 people, mostly long term care residents, will begin getting the moderna vaccine next week – with the other 1200 doese being saved for those same individuals to receive the required second dose 28 days later.
—-
NB BABY NAMES GG/NB GOV (THUR 4PM)
Olivia was once again the most popular name of baby girls in NEw Brunswick in 2020. It’s the fourth straight year Olivia has held that title. Acording to the province, the most popular names, in order, for newborn girls in New Brusnwick over the past year were: Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Charlotte, Violet, Ella, Scarlett, Ellie, Ava, Sophia and Mia.
Liam top the list for most popluar boys names, followed by Noah, Jack, Jackson, Benjamin, Lincoln, William, Oliver, Thomas and Jacob.
Overall there were 5403 babies born in New Brunswick in 2020
—-
CAM/MIR/NB FALL CRAB GG/BNEWS (THUR 4PM)
A small experimental fall crab fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence was encouraging enough to warrant further study.
In mid November DFO authoirzed 40 crab pots to be set in various locations of Crab Fishing Zone 12 – which encompases the entire southern gulf.
The experiment was investigating the potential for a fall fishery that would avoid overlapping with the local migration season for endangered Right whales.
Jean Lanteigne, acadienne fishing federation – which conducted the experimental fishery under DFop supervision – tells Brunswick News the volume harvested per pot was the same as the spring fishery – and the quality of crab was also good.
Further investigation is now taking place – but Lanteigne does point out there could be some challanges with a fall fishery includingh wether plants could find enough workers during that time to process a large harvest.
—-
NB-PREMIER INTERVIEW RM / CAN PRESS WED PM
Like many other Canadians, New Brunswick’s premier is admitting 2020 taught him a lot about the importance of perseverance.
In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Blaine Higgs says the
COVID-19 pandemic forced his government to make some big decisions early in the year.
Higgs says New Brunswickers were diligent in their role of trying to minimize exposure to Atlantic Canadians from Quebec and from other areas with high numbers of infections.
—-
ALL/NAT-TRAVEL COMP. RM / CAN PRESS MON AM
Ottawa is considering making Canadians who travelled abroad ineligible for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
The benefit is for people forced into quarantine due to COVID-19.
It comes with fresh admissions of foreign excursions from a growing list of politicians and a national case count that surpassed 600-thousand.
Controversy over travel grew as two members of the federal Liberal caucus stepped down from their parliamentary duties after disclosing trips abroad.
They join a slew of provincial legislators who also flouted public health advice.
—-
*ALL-FIRST BABIES (jhw-am-CP-Jan 2-21)
A baby born in a Montreal hospital may have been the first Canadian newborn of 2021.
The Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital says a boy named Arthur was born precisely at midnight.
Less than a minute later, another New Year’s baby arrived in Toronto.
The Humber River Hospital says that baby Thomas was welcomed 48-seconds after midnight. (8)
—-
ALL/NAT-AIR TRAVEL TESTING RM / CAN PRESS THURS PM
The federal government say all passengers on flights entering Canada will soon be required to have a negative COVID-19 test three days before their arrival.
It’s not clear when this measure will take effect, and it doesn’t appear to apply to anyone crossing by car into Canada through a border point with the U-S.
Several other countries, including the U-S have implemented a negative test requirement for incoming passengers.
—-
SJ/NB-NO HEARING (jhw-am-TJ-Jan 2-21)
There will be no hearing into sexual misconduct allegations against former Kennebecasis police Insp. Jeff Porter.
A complaint had been filed with the New Brunswick Police Commission.
The Telegraph Journal reports … during a conference call late ths week, arbitrator Gary McLaughlin determined that because Porter, who retired Thursday, is no longer a member of the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force or any other police department, McLaughlin “no longer has jurisdiction to hear the complaint,”.
The decision comes after a more than four-year process costing Quispamsis and Rothesay taxpayers more than $1 million.
Since June 28, 2016, Porter had been suspended with pay over 16 alleged code of conduct violations under the Police Act.
—-
NB/MCTN-ProvinciaL Numbers 2 (CBC CTV Sun)
There are now 41 active cases of COVID in the province after seven more were announced yesterday.
Dr. Jennifer Russell expects more new cases will be detected in the coming days as people develop symptoms after holiday gatherings.
Six of the new cases were in the Moncton region…people ranging in age from the thirties to eighties and mostly connected. She pointed out people were symptomatic but went to a party anyway and infected others. She says even if you have mild symptoms you need to stay home.
—-
NB-Bubble talk (CBC mon.am)
Public health officials are hoping the spike in post-holiday COVID numbers stays low, so they can start talking about possibly reinstating the Atlantic Bubble. But the new U-K variant may have thrown a wrench into those plans.
Dr. Russell tells CBC they were planning discussions for early this month…but now they have the U-K variant to worry about…although it hasn’t been found yet in the Martitimes…yet.
Dr. Russell is particularly concerned about it because it so much more contagious. With normal COVID they’ve been findinfg 30%-40% transmission rates from infected people…but with this new variant most close contacts will get it.
—-
ALL-National numbers (wire mona)
Another grim milestone for Canadian COVID-19 infections as the second wave surge continues across the country….mainly in Ontario and Quebec where ailing case counts set records almost everyday.
Federal officials say Canada has surpassed 600-thousand cases of the virus…up to 601,663 cases as of yesterday evening with 80,822 considered active. The number of Canadians succuming to the virus is up to 15,865.
—-
ALL-Sicko travellers (wirew mon.am)
Ottawa is considering making Canadians who travelled abroad ineligible for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. The benefit is for people forced into quarantine due to COVID-19.
It comes with fresh admissions of foreign excursions from a growing list of politicians and a national case count that surpassed 600-thousand yesterday with over 80,000 considered active.
Two members of the federal Liberal caucus stepped down from their parliamentary duties after disclosing trips abroad. There are a number of other politicians in five provinces who took holiday vacations in the sun while their governments were urging people not to travel. Someone even set up a Christmas tree decorated with Hawaiian leis outside the constituency office of Alberta’s municipal affairs minister. Alberta’;s premier has said he won’t be disciplining any of his United Conservative Party members who got tans abroad.
