Angry overflow crowd confronts education minister over French immersion reforms, commandeers public consultation
Planned education reforms appear to have stirred a hornet’s nest, if a public consultation meeting in downtown Moncton is any indication.
On Thursday night, the Department of Education held a public meeting at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel over the planned changes to French-language education for anglophone students in New Brunswick.
Listen to the report that aired on CHMA on January 23, 2023:
Around 6:30 p.m., when the session was slated to begin, there were still dozens of people waiting in a line that extended from the conference room down the staircase to the lobby.
When the conference room reached capacity, workers removed wall panels to add extra space for more tables and chairs. More than 300 people reportedly attended.
Things got rowdy when the session finally got started, about 45 minutes later than planned, as the overflow crowd heckled Minister of Education Bill Hogan and deputy minister John McLaughlin.
Hogan even threatened to shut down the event, but attendees appeared to call his bluff as they began making speeches at mics positioned in the back of the room.
It was a change of plans for organizers. The consultation was supposed to be a World Café, a method that involves small groups discussing an issue, before delegates present the main points to the larger crowd. … Continue
Free ‘home flood risk assessments’ offered to homeowners with basements, as climate crisis fuels wild weather
Listen to Tantramar Report for Thursday, January 19, 2023:
Year in review: Student union president reflects on university life in 2022
Rohin Minocha-McKenney, president of the Mount Allison Students’ Union (MASU) and chair of the NB Student Alliance, joined CHMA this month to look back on the issues that affected students in 2022.
Topics included the latest round of tuition hikes, sexual violence prevention on-campus, mandatory masking, and the Higgs government’s sudden cancellation of EI Connect, to name a few.
Of course, no conversation about student life in Sackville would be complete without a discussion of New Brunswick’s ongoing affordable housing shortage.
Check out the interview here:
‘I hope it makes others feel more valued’: Diversity of faiths celebrated at Mount Allison chapel
Light amidst darkness is a theme among diverse faiths around the world at this time of year, something to keep in mind as people deal with the heavy realities of our time, such as war and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To bring people together and to share who we truly are, and to reflect on what gives us hope, I think it’s a beautiful thing,” said Reverend Ellie Hummel, multi-faith chaplain and spiritual care coordinator at Mount Allison University
She made the comments as members of the university community gathered for a weekly craft-making session in the chapel on-campus.
“Today’s gathering is different, because it’s an opportunity to make holiday decorations, but we’re not just talking about Christmas, we’re talking about all the beautiful holidays that are happening this time of year.”
She spoke to CHMA about diversity, faith and hope for a better world:
‘I hope it makes others feel more valued’: Diversity of faiths celebrated at Mount Allison chapel
Listen to Tantramar Report for Thursday, December 22, 2022:
Collision victim in critical condition; plus response time details and Sackville ER protocols
The young man hit by a driver on Sunday evening while crossing Main Street is in critical condition in a Halifax hospital, according to an update to Mount Allison students sent Wednesday by university president Jean Paul Boudreau.
Boudreau said the university had “received an update from the student’s family, which they have also made public. We understand that the student is in critical condition in a Halifax hospital. The family has asked for privacy at this time, and we invite you to join us in respecting their wishes.”
RCMP Sergeant Eric Hanson said the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid yet.
Emergency response time concerns
There were two 911 calls from the Sackville area on Sunday night, both with very different response times, according to a spokesperson from Medavie Health Services New Brunswick, the company that operates Ambulance NB.
In an emailed statement to CHMA, Eric Robichaud says the first call came in at 7:47pm, before the Main Street collision, and paramedics arrived at that scene nine minutes later, at 7:56pm.
According to witnesses, that was right around the time the young man crossing Main Street in a marked crosswalk with lights flashing was struck by a driver who failed to yield at the crossing. Robichaud says the second call, which fits the timeline of the pedestrian collision, was received at 8:01pm, and paramedics arrived at that scene 27 minutes later at 8:28pm.… Continue
‘I do not appreciate the tone policing when I’m talking about people losing their housing’: Debate grows heated as MLAs vote on rent hike legislation
Listen to Tantramar Report for Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022:
The results are in: Mayor-elect Andrew Black heads up new Tantramar council
About 2500 residents of Tantramar voted in the first mayor and council for the new municipality, with six of the new slate coming from existing council positions in Sackville and Dorchester, and another three new to local politics.
Current Sackville Deputy Mayor Andrew Black will steer the ship as mayor of the new municipality, winning by a margin of about 10% over his next closest competitor, current Sackville mayor Shawn Mesheau.
Black won the mayoral contest with 1164 votes, about 46% of the ballots cast. Shawn Mesheau garnered about 36% of the vote, with 922 votes cast. And Bonnie Swift took 17% of the vote with 432 ballots cast in her favour.
In a post on social media, Mesheau congratulated the winning candidates, and thanked his campaign team. He also had thanks for the current and outgoing council. “As the last Mayor of Town of Sackville I wish to recognize and thank the current Council and staff for their efforts over the past 18 months. As Mayor I also want to thank Sackvillians for entrusting us to serve their interests. I have had a wonderful experience in my 14 years as an elected official,” wrote Mesheau.
Three new faces, five ‘incumbents’ elected to council
In Ward 1, current Dorchester Mayor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell beat out her colleague Robert Corkerton with 176 out of 258 votes cast.… Continue
Mayoral candidate Bonnie Swift responds to criticism after far-right tweets vanish
Tantramar mayoral candidate Bonnie Swift has responded to criticism after a slew of controversial posts disappeared from her public Twitter account.
Listen to the report that aired on CHMA’s Tantramar Report on Thursday, November 24, 2002.
The social media posts suggested her politics are heavily influenced by the far-right on issues such as anti-racism, abortion and health-care privatization.
When local residents and journalists raised questions about her stated views this week, hundreds of tweets suddenly vanished. The first-time politician had previously campaigned on transparency in local government.
Swift says her tweets are being taken out of context, and that her husband deactivated the account without her knowledge because of online harassment.
Reached by phone on Wednesday, Swift told CHMA she “could care less” if residents decided not to vote for her over the deleted tweets.
“I’m not desperate to win this race… I’d be happy just leaving it, not talking to anybody,” she said. She added that she stands by a statement issued to local reporter Bruce Wark, who first reported about the missing tweets.
CHMA collected screengrabs of her Twitter feed before they disappeared. Some of her controversial takes included commentary on reproductive rights.
When one media organization reported that the U.S. Supreme Court was set to overturn Roe. v Wade, striking down abortion rights, she responded: ‘LOL.’ … Continue
What you need to know about voting in Tantramar elections
The first votes in the first-ever election for a new town of Tantramar council will be cast this Saturday at the Middle Sackville Baptist Church.
There are two advanced polling days before election day on November 28, both at the Middle Sackville Baptist Church, which also goes by Church by the Lake, at 14 Church Street.
Advanced polling days
- Saturday, November 19, 10am to 8pm, Middle Sackville Baptist Church, 14 Church St
- Monday, November 21, 10am to 8pm, Middle Sackville Baptist Church, 14 Church St
Election day on Monday November 28 will mean a second polling station is open in Dorchester, at the Dorchester Veterans Community Centre. Elections NB has also arranged for a shuttle to take people from the Tantramar Civic Centre on Main Street in Sackville, over to the Middle Sackville polling station. That shuttle will run every half hour, and will also bring voters back to the Tantramar Civic Center after they vote.
Election day polling
- Monday, November 28, 10am to 8pm, Middle Sackville Baptist Church, 14 Church St
- Monday, November 28, 10am to 8pm, Dorchester Veterans Community Centre, 4955 Main St
What to bring
Elections NB says that everyone who is already on the voters list should have received a Voter Information Card by mail, with all the details for advanced and regular polling days.
Voters are not required to show ID to vote, unless they are NOT on the voters list. To get added at the polling station, you will need one or more pieces of ID to shows your name, address, and signature. … Continue