Daily News Archives » CHMA, Voice of the Marshes

NS, NB MLAs join forces to call for federal public health enquiry into unexplained neurological conditions

Two MLAs from neighbouring provinces are calling for a joint public health investigation into the “troubling surge in patients presenting with an atypical neurodegenerative illness” in the region.

Memramcook-Tantramar MLA (and now candidate for Tantramar) Megan Mitton has long called for the New Brunswick government to look into what has caused the health issues faced by hundreds of patients referred to Moncton-based neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero. And now Nova Scotia MLA Elizabeth Smith-MCrossin has joined Mitton in a call for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to lead an investigation into the cases.

“We have constituents on both sides of the border that are being impacted,” said Mitton on Tuesday. “PHAC has said, well, this is New Brunswick jurisdiction, so we’re letting them lead. But this is cross-jurisdictional. This is happening in Nova Scotia as well. And so we’re calling on PHAC to step in and lead this investigation, and look in both provinces—and there may be others as well—to see what’s going on.”

Smith-McCrossin says she has reached out to Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer Dr. Robert Strang, and is hoping both provincial public health offices will collaborate on the issue.

“I’m worried that our provincial medical officer of health may not be fully aware of the situation,” says Smith-McCrossin, “because our patients are being seen next door.” Some Nova Scotians live closer to Moncton than they do Halifax, and so referrals are sometimes made to New Brunswick specialists.… Continue

Mt A economist recommends giving local governments 1% of provincial HST

On today’s show, we talk with Mount Allison economist Craig Brett about his report on municipal financing, and why he’s recommending the province allocate 1% of the provincial HST to towns and cities to help fix longstanding problems such as the growing reliance on residential property taxes and a backlog of municipal infrastructure fixes.

Plus, we look at the agenda for Tantramar council’s committee of the whole meeting scheduled for Monday, with changes to height limits in downtown Sackville up for discussion.… Continue

A new Battle of Chignecto sees provinces and federal government dodging the bill to fortify the Isthmus

Federal infrastructure minister Dominic LeBlanc and Premier Blaine Higgs at a news conference Tuesday, June 17, 2023. Image: Zoom screencap

It’s been about 275 years since the Battle of Chignecto saw two of North America’s colonial powers fight for control of the Chignecto Isthmus.

These days the strip of land is still highly valued, particularly as the only transportation corridor connecting Nova Scotia and Newfoundland with New Brunswick and the rest of the country.

But the Chignecto Isthmus is vulnerable to the realities of climate change. Sea level rise and more frequent, severe storms mean the threat of dykes breaching and flooding the corridor with coastal waters increases every year, as does the price of fortifying it, currently estimated at about $650 million.

And that’s why there’s a new battle of Chignecto in 2024, this time not about taking control of the Isthmus, but about giving up responsibility for maintaining it. While the federal government has committed to covering 50% of the substantial estimated cost, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are insisting that it cover 100% of the bill to make the national transportation corridor future-proof.

The battle over paying for the Isthmus has three fronts: a constitutional case working its way slowly through the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, a senate sponsored bill making its way to the House of Commons this fall, and a very public shame and blame exercise between the two Premiers, Blaine Higgs and Tim Houston, and the two federal ministers associated with the project, Sean Fraser and Dominic LeBlanc.… Continue

Sackville Pride Parade creates ‘special and meaningful’ moments for first-time marchers

Sackville showed its Pride last Friday afternoon, with a brief but well attended double flag raising and march from the Mount Allison campus down to the Tantramar municipal office on Main Street.

CHMA was there and brings you some of the voices from the crowd of over 100 Pride marchers, starting off with organizers Marshall Campbell and Hannah Saulnier, from Mount Allison’s Catalyst student group, who helped organize the event.

“Pride is really important to me because it shows that we’re not afraid of the people that feel that we don’t belong or that we don’t have a right to exist and to express ourselves,” said Campbell. “So I’m really happy to see how many people came out today.”

Catalyst members Marshall Campbell and Hannah Saulnier. Photo: Erica Butler

The all-ages crowd was a mix of Pride veterans and first-timers, many of whom were moved by the outpouring of support and love for the queer community.

“I have lived in areas that have been extremely bigoted and homophobic,” said first year Mount Allison student Catherine, who was attending her first ever Pride event. “I never thought I’d be able to experience this, and now I am.”

“It makes me very emotional to just see people from every age demographic,” said Catherine. “It’s really inspiring and really hopeful.”

Former Sackville councillor Bill Evans and Sackville United Church member Frank Oulton came out to support Pride.

… Continue

Council hears about infrastructure challenges with Tantramar art, culture and nature groups

On today’s show, at a special budget meeting last night, Tantramar council heard about the challenges of infrastructure maintenance for Tantramar’s non-profit centres, including museums, galleries and nature centres. We listen in to some of the presentations and funding requests.

Council also got the update on the new Pickard Quarry trail in Sackville from the Tantramar Outdoor Club’s Richard Elliot, and the progress of Dorchester’s Moving Forward Coop in its development of a trail system surrounding Dorchester. Both groups are asking the municipality for funding in 2025.

Plus in briefs, the writ for a 2024 provincial election on October 21 will be issued today, marking the official beginning of the campaign. And we stop in to Chirps Bar in Sackville, to hear about their new name and rebranding.… Continue

On-campus polling will help ensure “everybody who can vote, can vote” in new Tantramar riding

During the last provincial election in September 2020, confusion reigned at the Sackville polling station, with Elections NB workers mistakenly turning away eligible student voters throughout the polling day. Some students told CHMA at the time that they had to try multiple times to get through the voting process without being turned away. Others left in frustration, without voting at all.

It’s a situation Garth Zwicker is confident can be avoided this October 21, as the province’s electors get another chance to weigh in on who forms the government of New Brunswick.

Zwicker is the returning officer for the riding of Tantramar, the smallest riding by population in the province since the electoral map was redrawn last spring.

CHMA caught up with Zwicker last week at the Tantramar returning office at 95 Bridge Street, to find out more about how voting will take place this time around in Tantramar.

The Tantramar returning office will officially open at 10am on Thursday September 19, the day the writ is scheduled to drop, triggering the 2024 provincial election. Electors should have voting cards by October 7.

On election day, October 21, nine different polling stations will open across the riding (in Murray Corner, Baie Verte, Cape Tormentine, Port Elgin, Sackville, Dorchester, Midgic, Westcock, and Mount Whatley) in addition to the returning office at 95 Bridge Street.… Continue

MLAs weigh in on Isthmus funding squabble, and join forces on call for neurological illness investigation

On today’s show, we talk with Nova Scotia independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin and Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton about two cross-border stories.

The MLAs share their frustrations with the latest squabble over who will pay to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from the risk of catastrophic flooding, and they announce their new collaboration on a call for a federal or inter-provincial public health investigation into what they describe as the “troubling surge in patients presenting with an atypical neurodegenerative illness” in the region. … Continue

‘Inspiring and hopeful’: Sackville Pride Parade sends a welcoming message

On today’s show, Sackville showed its Pride on Friday afternoon, with a brief but well attended double flag raising and march from the Mount Allison campus down to the municipal office on Main Street. CHMA was there and brings you some of the voices from the crowd of over 100 Pride marchers of all ages, including some who were attending their first ever Pride event.

Plus in briefs, the RCMP ended an emergency alert shortly after midnight last night, there’s a supermoon and partial lunar eclipse happening tonight, and Tantramar council is meeting Wednesday for its annual public budget meeting. … Continue

DTI minister cancels Wheaton Bridge meeting with Mitton and Black ‘while staff identify the best option’

Transportation and Infrastructure minister Richard Ames has cancelled a meeting planned with local officials to talk about the prognosis for the Wheaton Covered Bridge on High Marsh Road in Sackville.

Mayor Andrew Black broke the news at Monday’s Tantramar council meeting, telling council that the virtual meeting with himself, MLA Megan Mitton, Ames and deputy minister Rob Taylor was cancelled by DTI just 45 minutes before it was scheduled on Monday.

“MLA Mitton complained before I had a chance to,” said Black, “and the response from the minister’s office was that there was no need for the call, because there was no update at this time for what was going to happen with the Wheaton Covered Bridge.”

CHMA caught up with Megan Mitton on Tuesday, and the MLA said she was beyond disappointed at the last minute cancellation from the minister, but was maintaining communication with DTI staff tasked with coming up with solutions for the structural issues with the 108-year old bridge.

“This is very important to a lot of different people,” said Mitton, “whether it be farmers who are struggling to do their work with this closure, whether it be just regular folks who are trying to travel around the community, and because of the significance that it has to people in our community.”

MLA Megan Mitton in her Sackville constituency office.

… Continue

A peek behind the scenes as Elections NB prepares to count your vote

On today’s show, the machinations are underway behind the scenes to hold another New Brunswick election, and we talk with Elections NB returning officer Garth Zwicker to find out how the vote will go down in the riding of Tantramar. Zwicker talks about campus polling stations, voting in nursing homes, and why you should take the time to participate in the provincial election.

Plus in briefs, nominations are now closed for candidates in the Amherst municipal election, which is slated for October 19, just two days before New Brunswick’s election day. And Sackville’s Pride Parade is happening today, with a gathering at the Mount Allison Chapel at 4:30pm, heading to Tantramar Municipal Office for 5pm. … Continue

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