It’s a big week in Sackville, with some heavy hitters coming to town to speak, even if virtually.
Leanna Betasamosake Simpson speaking Wednesday
On Wednesday, renowned writer and storyteller Leanne Betasamosake Simpson will be reading from her latest novel, Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies. Simpson is a Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, writer, and artist, who has been widely recognized as one of the most compelling Indigenous voices of her generation. The Faculty of Arts Speakers Series says Simpson’s work “breaks open the intersections between politics, story and song—bringing audiences into a rich and layered world of sound, light, and sovereign creativity.” The event starts at 7pm Wednesday, and you can register here.
David Suzuki: “How the hell did we get into this mess?”
On Thursday, renowned environmentalist, scientist and broadcaster David Suzuki will be speaking at Mount Allison as part of the Presidents Speaker Series. Suzuki’s talk is titled, “We boast of our intelligence. How the hell did we get into this mess?” and will be delivered virtually, though audiences can participate both online or in person at Convocation Hall. The event starts at 7pm Thursday. Tickets are free and available here.
Sexual violence at Mount A: checking in a year after calls for change
Last week marked one year since Mount Allison graduate Michelle Roy made a social media post that would lead to a massive campus protest calling for changes in the way the university handles sexual violence. This Wednesday evening, the Women and Gender Studies Department at Mount A is gathering a panel to discuss what’s happened in the ensuing year. Panelists Kayla Breelove Carter, Lisa Dawn Hamilton, Storm Gibbons, Kiara Bubar, and Sara-Ann Strong will be asking and answering questions like, “What’s happened in the past year at MTA? Where are we going and how do we want to move this work forward?”
Tomorrow on Tantramar Report we’ll hear from Lisa Dawn Hamilton about the event and the anniversary.
Vaccination clinic tomorrow at Sackville Visitor Information Centre
Vitalité Health Network is running a walk-in vaccination clinic tomorrow at the Sackville Visitor Information Centre from 9am to 4pm. The clinic is open to anyone 12 years and older, and is administering either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. The Corner Drug Store online registration systme is also back up and running for anyone looking for first, second and booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Rapid tests available today at Civic Centre
Packs of COVID-19 rapid tests are available for pick up today at the Tantramar Civic Centre parking lot off Main Street. A Horizon Health van will be there handing out rapid test kits from 10am to 2:30pm, or until supplies run out. Mount Allison University will also started to distribute packs of rapid tests to students, staff and faculty on campus. The university will host a pick up site in The Pond on Wednesday, from 11am to 3pm, open to anyone with a university ID.
COVID testing changes locations in Moncton
Today is the last day for COVID testing to take place at the Moncton Coliseum. As of Wednesday, Horizon’s Moncton COVID-19 Assessment Centre is moving to a new location: 380 MacNaughton Avenue in the Caledonia Industrial Park. The Moncton pick up site for rapid test kits has moved from MacNaughton Avenue to make room for the assessment site. In Moncton, rapid test kits are now available at 548 Mountain Road, weekdays from 1pm to 6pm.
National emergency alert test coming Wednesday morning
Alert Ready, the national emergency alert system, will be tested in New Brunswick this Wednesday at 10:55am. At that time, phones, tvs and radios will sound with an alarm, and then play or display a message letting people know that the alert is for testing purposes only.
The system is designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts, and the phone system has been used by police agencies to help warn about dangerous situations or find missing children.
The full message on Wednesday morning will say: “This is a test of the National Public Alerting System issued by the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. This is only a test. If this had been an actual emergency or threat, you would now hear instructions that would assist you to protect you and your family. This is a test only; no action is required.”
