On today’s CHMA local news:
- Mount Allison president optimistic about enrolment;
- Public inquiry into Nova Scotia mass murder will happen after all;
- An inquest into the police shooting death of Rodney Levi;
- and a very quick COVID numbers update for the Martimes.
Three active cases left in the Maritimes
New Brunswick has the final three active cases of COVID-19 in the Maritimes.
Nova Scotia and PEI report no active cases as of Monday.
None of the Maritime provinces reported any new cases on Monday.
Mount Allison president optimistic about September enrollment
Mount Allison is expecting a drop in enrolment this year, but not the catastrophic drop that many had feared.
University President Jean Paul Boudreau won’t provide numbers, but says he’s optimistic based on registrations so far.
Click to listen:
“At this time, our enrollment projections are encouraging and positive, given the number of completed deposits to date. So we are encouraged and optimistic. But given the challenges around international students, travel restrictions and borders, of course, we are going to continue to keep a very close eye on this, recognizing that it does change daily. But we’re optimistic.“
International students face the extra hurdle of crossing the border into Canada. The federal government has announced that only students required to be on campus in Canada will be allowed across the border.
Loss of international enrolment represents a greater loss of revenue for the university, since international student fees are roughly double that of Canadian students.
Mount Allison is offering three styles of courses this year: strictly online, self-paced courses; online courses with specific schedules and class times; and online courses that include some sort of on campus component.
Boudreau says that based on early class enrolments, the on campus components appear to be a popular choice.
Click to listen:
“Over 50% of students have so far selected that on-campus-elements opportunity. And of course, the other elements of the hybrid and the strictly online are there as well. But there’s a large majority, to date, certainly keen to come to campus to take advantage of that, you know, traditionally important Mount Allison immersive experience.”
Mount Allison has reduced capacity at residences this year to allow for social distancing.
Students coming from outside of the Atlantic bubble are being asked to arrive mid-August so they can complete 14 days of self-isolation with support from the university.
After that, students from within the bubble will arrive on campus.
If you have questions or concerns about the upcoming fall session at Mount Allison, get in touch with news@chmafm.com
Public Inquiry into mass murder announced
The federal and Nova Scotia governments have responded to public pressure and yesterday announced a full public inquiry into the mass murder that took place April 18th and 19th in rural Nova Scotia.
Less than a week after announcing a three-person panel to review the shootings and the response to them, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying, quote: “We have heard calls from families, survivors, advocates, and Nova Scotia Members of Parliament for more transparency.”
Unlike the previously announced review, a federal public inquiry has the power to call witnesses and request documents.
A public inquiry is a public process, whereas a review panel would not have been required to hold any hearings in public.
The previously announced review panel members will serve as commissioners.
Throughout the day Tuesday, Liberal MPs in Nova Scotia ridings came out with statements in support of a public inquiry.
Nova Scotia Minister Mark Furey issued a statement saying that Nova Scotia would support a federally-announced inquiry.
Premier Stephen McNeil told CBC reporter Yvonne Colbert that the federal government was currently not participating fully in the Desmond fatality inquiry, a provincial public inquiry called after the murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond and his family in 2017.
He stressed that it was vital to have the full participation of the federal government in any inquiry.
Inquest into Rodney Levi shooting by police
CBC’s Shane Magee is reporting that the shooting of Rodney Levi by a police officer last month will be the subject of a coroner’s inquest.
A department of Public Safety spokesperson confirmed that an inquest would happen, but not when.
Magee reports that this is the third coroner’s inquest into fatal police shootings that has yet to take place in the province.
In June, the government announced an inquest into the shooting death of Chantel Moore by an Edmundston police officer.
Another inquest that has yet to happen stems from a 2015 shooting.
Rodney Levi was shot and killed on June 12 after police were called to help with an unwanted person on a premises.
Inquests do not make findings of legal responsibility.
They do, however, take place in a public court setting with a goal of making recommendations on how to avoid similar deaths in the future.
A lawyer representing the Levi family said they were not informed that an inquest would take place.
In the aftermath of the Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi police shootings, all Wolastoqey Chiefs have repeatedly called for an independent inquiry into systemic racism against Indigenous people in the New Brunswick justice system.
So far, Premier Blaine Higgs has said that an inquiry should be under federal jurisdiction.
CHMA Local News is hosted Mahalia Thompson-Onichino, and produced by Erica Butler, with contributions from Bruce Wark, Meg Cunningham, Aura-Lynn Groomes, and James Anderson.
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If you have questions or concerns about life in Sackville and the Tantramar area, get in touch with us at news@chmafm.com
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