CKNB NEWS UPDATE FRIDAY DECEMBER 18 2020
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*CAM-HEALTH REFORM
The province’s health minister continues to review the need for possible
health care reform across the province.
The Restigouche Regional Service Commission is preparing a report on local
health care to give to Dorothy Shephard,.
The Tribune reports … the commission wants a single administrator for the
Campbellton Regional Hospital, more accountability, and more involvement in
health care by local leaders.
The commission also wants more aggressive recruitment and retention of health
professionals.
Commission chair Brad Mann told yesterday’s on line meeting …… the
Restigouche Regional Service Commission has, unlike any other regional
service commission, really taken a proactive engagement with health care in
their communities. He says that is a big positive.
The Health Minister says there will be health-reform consultations, which she
hopes to have completed by the end of March.
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CAM-SOUCY RETIRING
Atholville mayor Michel Soucy has announced he will not be seeking
re-election in the spring.
Soucy has spent 20 years in muncipal politics, incuding the last nine as
Mayor.
The municpal elections, which were delayed due to the pandemic, will now take
place in May.
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NB – COVID update
Six new cases of Covid-19 were reported in New Brunswick yesterday…with 55
considered active.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jennifer Russel says three are connected to the
Edmundston outbreak and she is very concerned about the outbreak in the
hospital there. Two other cases are in the Moncton Zone and one in the Saint
John Region.
Dr. Russel also reported that there are now 20 confirmed cases at the Shannex
Parkland Saint John care home after another staff member tested positive in
the latest round of testing. 11 of those cases are residents.
All of the people are self–isolating and the sources of their cases are
under investigation.
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NB-Vaccine update
Premier Blaine Higgs confirmed the first vaccinations will be administered
beginning tomorrow at Miramichi Regional Hospital to 1,950 people.
Then the next batch of 3,900 doses will arrive next week…half will be
stored until January 9th and 10hth to provide the required second dose to the
first recipients.
The other half will go to Moncton which now has the specialized freezer
capacity.
They are contacting people in the priority groups there now.
He also said regular weekly shipments of vaccine will begin the week of
January 11th…but also pointed out the imunization process for everyone who
wants a shot will be many months.
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NB-Abortion funding
The Higgs Government used its majority in the legislature to block funding
for surgical abortions at Fredericton’s Clinic 554.
Caraquet Liberal MLA Isabelle Theriault introduced the option pleading with
the nine female Conservative MLAs to support it, saying history will not be
kind to women who turn their backs on the rights of women.
In the end the government MLAs voted to remove references to the clinic and
ask the two health authorities to review whether existing abortion access
complies with the Canada Health Act.
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NB/PEI-RCMP cleared in Wortman shooting
Nova Scotia’s police watchdog has cleared the RCMP officers who shot and
killed the mass shooter in April ending his killing spree.
Felix Cacchione, head of the police watchdog agency, says the two officers
knew he had already killed several people when they came across him at the
gas station in Enfieldoutside Halifax. They recognized him from an earlier
briefing. When he raised his gun to shoot, they opened fire.
Cacchione says their actions were justified due to the threat he represented.
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NB-Local travel rebate
The Higgs Government is extending one of the COVID relief programs…the
Explore NB Travel Incentive Program.
It was brought in to encourage New Brunswickers to vacation at home last
summer…and thousands of people claimed a total of over $17 million.
So according to CBC … the government is extending the program into March.
The Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and Culture expected about 20,000
submissions for rebates…but got over 25,000.
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