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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Saint John MLA Takes Issue With Liberal Candidate's Flyer

Saint John's Liberal candidate is raising the ire of the provincial government with a flyer pointing out few federal investments in the Saint John port.
Stephen Chase releasing this flyer to every city household which notes the higher investments given to the ports of Halifax and Sydney.
Saint John Fundy MLA Glenn Savoie tells CHSJ News the flyer gives the impression the City is only a fall destination for cruise ships.Savoie contends that's not true saying the port in open from spring to fall with millions of passengers and a lot of money into the local economy.
A spokesperson in Stephen Chase's campaign says it seems like Ottawa chose the smallest fundable port project at $4.5 million dollars where Halifax gets $50 million dollar for improvements.

Jack Layton Rally In Saint John On April 25th

NDP Leader Jack Layton hosts a rally on the boardwalk on Monday.

Watch Michael Ignatieff Speak About Cost Overruns At Point Lepreau.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff speaks on the cost overruns at Point Lepreau.



Weston Fears Poor Voter Turnout With Unwanted Campaign

The Conservative incumbant is hearing a lot on the doorstep from voters angry this election is even happening.


Rodney Weston says it's one of the first things to come up in conservation.

He says his first response is that he's not happy about it either and people are upset considering its the fourth election in seven years at a cost of 300 to 400 million dollars.
Weston says he worries about low voter turnout and low participation because some people are angry about the election.

Get A Custom Bike Rack Uptown

Green Feet, the environment committee of Uptown Saint John is launching a custom bike rack program in the uptown.  The intention is to animate the streets with functional bike racks to raise the profile of cycling and of businesses in the area.

Uptown Saint John is covering 75% of the cost of a custom bike rack with branding for businesses, a building or a block.  Green Feet committee chair Ann McShane tells CHSJ News a coffee shop might want a coffee cup shaped bike rack out front.
All bike rack subjects and locations require approval by Uptown Saint John and the City.
If you want more information or to register your bike rack location, call 633-9797.

NDP Charges Auto Insurance In Province Is Broken

Scathing criticism from the NDP about how insurance rates are regulated in the province in light of revelations that drivers have been overcharged to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars...... More than 500 million dollars by one company alone.

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy tells CHSJ News the Energy and Utilities Board should be given the job of regulating what you pay. The E-U-B already regulates what you pay for gas.

As for getting any rebates from the insurance companies, Cardy cautions you not to hold your breath.

Cardy says the New Brunswick Insurance Board has failed to do its job and should be shut down.

He would eventually like to see the province have a public auto insurance system like the one that operates in Manitoba.

Candidates Debate Post Secondary Education At University

An all-candidates debate being held at UNB Saint John tonight to highlight election issues that deal with post-secondary education. Students have been increasingly concerned about university becoming unaffordable.

Saint John Candidates Rob Moir, Rodney Weston, Sharon Murphy Flatt and Stephen Chase will be in attendence.

Anthony Enman is a member of the University's student council and says he's hoping students will focus on the federal election now that exams are over.

Miriam Jones is V-P of the teachers association and says post-secondary education has been a hot-button issue in the province for years, particularly in Saint John. She was an outspoken opponent of turning UNB Saint John into a polytechnic by the previous provincial government.

The debate kicks off at 6pm in the Whitebone Lounge of the Thomas J. Condon Student Centre.

City Wants To Tear Down Derelict Buildings Faster

While Common Council tries to get more authority from the province in order to deal with derelict buildings in the city, the Buildings and Inspections Department has been keeping busy.

Deputy Commissioner Amy Poffenroth giving council an update on what the city has been able to do with existing legislation since 2007 by tearing down 20 derelict buildings for being unsafe and posing a threat to public safety.

She adds since 2009, there has been 22 charges laid against homeowners for substandard housing conditions which have brought fines totaling almost 40-thousand dollars.

The city is currently appealing to the province to be granted more legislative power to get rid of vacant or boarded up buildings faster.

Councillor Presses For City To Have Its Own Forester

Common Councillor Bill Farren wants the city to hire it's own forester.

He tells CHSJ News the move will have many positive benefits for the city, such as keeping the city's drinking water safe from trees that fall into the water supply, deteriorate and cause contamination.

He says other spin-offs include being able to sell the wood from city trees which would not only bring in extra money to city coffers but pay for the forester position itself.

Upgrades Coming To East Side Park

Upgrades to the Jervis Bay-Ross Memorial Park on the East Side are set to begin as soon as the weather dries up a bit.

The park is currently maintained by the city and Branch 53 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Reverend Lloyd Lake is with the Legion and tells CHSJ News they want to see the neighbourhood using the park.

The upgrades include taking down a barbed wire fence to make the park more aesthetically pleasing and filling in a small pond so children are not in danger of falling in.
 
 Kevin Watson of Leisure Services is hopeful a community group can be formed to help maintain the park.