Listen to Tantramar Report for the following stories:
Wolastoqey Chiefs on new title claim
The Wolastoqey Nation announced a precedent-setting legal action in New Brunswick on Tuesday. The Nation has filed a new title claim which names several major corporations — mostly forestry companies — as defendants, along with the provincial and federal governments. The new claim replaces one filed last year and names J.D. Irving Limited, Irving Oil, NB Power, Acadian Timber, Twin Rivers Paper, HJ Crabbe & Sons, and A.V. Group.
Listen to Tantramar Report to hear voices from the Chiefs’ announcement.
Sackville sticks with objection to forced amalgamation
The town of Sackville says it will stick by its position against forced amalgamation of existing municipalities in response to New Brunswick’s local governance reform plan.
In a statement on the town’s website, town staff say they maintain their position as outlined in a letter to Minister Daniel Allain in July, which says amalgamation is an unrealistic solution, and that the town would object to any forced amalgamation.
On November 18, the province announced its plan to amalgamate Sackville, Dorchester, Point de Bute and surrounding areas into a single municipal entity by 2023. Shortly after the announcement Sackville Mayor Shawn Mesheau seemed surprised, but remained positive about the proposed plan. He said town staff would be briefing council on the implications of the plan. The first opportunity for public discussion of those implication will be at council’s December 6th meeting.
The town’s statement issued Monday says that council will be providing a formal response to Minister Allain in the coming weeks.
Nurses to take strike vote starting tomorrow
Another public sector strike vote is looming in the province, this time with the members of the New Brunswick Nurses’ Union. Union president Paula Doucet told CBC News that members would begin their vote on Thursday, with counting wrapped up by Monday, December 6. Finance Minister Ernie Steeves told CBC there are meetings planned with the union later this week and next.
About 9,000 licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners are members of the NBNU, and have been without a contract for almost three years. This includes nurses working at the Sackville Memorial Hospital, which has reduced emergency room service to eight hours per day due to nurse and physician shortages.
The last contract offer presented to NBNU members was rejected on October 6th, and Doucet says she has not received an offer since then. CHMA spoke with Doucet back in August, shortly after another membership vote “overwhelmingly rejected” a first tentative agreement. At the time, she has this to say about the state of mind in New Brunswick nurses:
I think what is happening out there is that nurses are frustrated, nurses are fed up. And they are feeling disrespected by regional health authorities, governments. Right now is like the perfect storm. They have worked and stepped up throughout this pandemic, to ensure the safety of their communities, the safety of this province, and they’ve done so sometimes to their own detriment.
The stress levels that are placed on these registered nurses and nurse practitioners every day going to work and, you know, donning and doffing the PPE in the middle of this pandemic was stressful enough, and now continuing to work with less and less staff, the 24 hour shifts… There is a level of frustration out there that I don’t know what it will take to actually ease that frustration, apart from a little bit of recognition, respect and being remunerated fairly for the work that nurses do in this province.
So, yes, they’re frustrated, they’re exhausted, and they’re fed up.
Events today and Friday:
The Struts Gallery Annual Holiday Members’ Show & Sale opens on Friday with an opening reception starting at 6pm at the Lorne Street gallery, where hot apple cider will be on offer outside. The show promises the work of Struts members near and far, and afterwards patrons are invited around the corner to the Black Duck, where Angela Thibodeau will be exhibiting recent works. Proof of vaccination and masks are mandatory.
Today from 11am to 1pm, community members are invited to a Social Action Fair put together by students in the Mi'kmaq-Maliseet social work program at St Thomas University. The students will present on a variety of social issues from an Indigenous perspective. All community members are invited to drop by Tweedie Hall, on the main floor of the Mount Allison student centre on York Street, from 11am to 1pm, to explore the Social Action Fair.
The Sentinelles Petitcodiac Riverkeeper is hosting a public dialogue about the future of the Memramcook river tonight from 6 to 8pm online. The Riverkeepers have been researching the possibility of removing a causeway in Memramcook, and will share information about the community’s concerns, including flood risks for the region. To register, look for links on chmafm.com or Sentinelles Petitcodiac Riverkeeper on Facebook.
And a reminder: Sackville’s overnight parking ban is now in effect. Residents are not permitted to park on municipal streets or parking lots between 1am and 6 am daily throughout the winter months.