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Monday, October 7, 2013

Fontaine To Join NB Power's Board

A former National chief of the Assembly of First Nations is joining NB Power's Board of Directors.

Chair Ed Barrett says Phil Fontaine's proven expertise in bringing people together and opening the lines of communication is an asset for the company.

Barrett says he will be an integral part of further developing the company's relationship with First Nations in the Province.

Moose Sex Project Gets Donation From NY Group

A project promoting cross-border love between moose attracting some attention from a US conservation group.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada getting a donation from the Open Space Institute in upstate New York for their Moose Sex Project, which aims to get our moose to mate with moose in Nova Scotia, where they are endangered. 

Andrew Holland of the NCC tells CHSJ News the contribution speaks to the importance of the work they're doing. In June, the project received almost 800 acres from former diplomat Derek Burney and Joan Burney.

They have secured 1900 acres of land in a wilderness corridor to date, and Holland says they're in talks with private land owners and could be getting more.

To learn more about the Moose Sex Project, click here.

Waterfront Workshop In Market Square Tomorrow

The atrium in Market Square will be a busy spot for the second of three public consultations on how to modernize and improve the Boardwalk area.

Kent MacIntyre of Saint John Waterfront Development tells CHSJ News he likes getting the kids opinions on the space like they did in the first consultation.

He says having the kids input makes you realize that we have to make it a family oriented space.

MacIntyre tells us the concrete ideas the steering committee decides for revitalizing the Boardwalk area will likely go before Common Council by February or March of next year. 


The first workshop tomorrow runs 1-4pm while the second workshop runs 5-8pm.  

You are invited to attend one or both sessions in Market Square.

For more info, click here

India's High Commissioner To Canada Visits Saint John

Port Saint John and E.A. Farren Limited hosting the Indian High Commissioner on a tour of Saint John.
 

The event focusing on the potential for trade between the two countries.
 

Admiral Nirmal Verma tells CHSJ News he views Saint John as an energy hub.

Verma is a former naval officer and he can't imagine such depths available as our harbour has for ships to come in alongside or offshore.

He says if there is available crude oil it should be possible to ship it from Canada back to the west coast of India where most of the country's refineries are.


Verma tells us he spoke to Mayor Mel Norton about the potential for Saint John as a backdrop for a Bollywood film as the industry is looking for new locations.

Health Minister Praises Extra-Mural Program

The Health Minister in town to visit a patient who is part of a program he calls one of the great health care success stories in the province's history.

The province's Extra-Mural Program allows people to get health care treatment in their own homes, including chronic, acute and long term care along with oxygen and rehabilitation services.

Ted Flemming tells CHSJ News these people tend to be happier and recover more rapidly than if they were to stay in a hospital. He calls the program more "economic" than building a brand-new facility.

Unfortunately, the patient Flemming was scheduled to see in the Kennebecasis Valley having to be brought to hospital.

UPDATED: Thousands Without Power On East Side

Approximately 3000 customers are without power on the East side due to an unplanned outage. 

The Loch Lomond and Westmorland area is affected. Crews from Saint John Energy are on scene to find out what caused the outage.

They say customers should have their lights back on within a half an hour. Reports say the outage is causing some traffic issues.


Update: Saint John Energy says power has been restored. No word yet on a cause.

Missing St. Stephen Man Found Safe

RCMP letting us know a 51 year old man reported missing on Friday has been found safe and sound.

The Mounties thanking the public for their help in the matter.

Well Known West Side Minister Passes Away

Reverand Lloyd Lake, who was always a regular at meetings of the Rotary Club, and many times delivered the prayer at the start of Common Council meetings died over the weekend at Bobby's Hospice. 

Rev. Lake also found himself several years ago at the forefront at trying to save the trees along Manawagonish Road when the city wanted to cut some of them down. 

The funeral details have not been announced yet by Brenans

Highway One Disruption

Highway 1 westbound at Exit 133 just west of the Fox Farm Road is down to one lane for highway maintenance today and tomorrow. We're told there's a stop sign up for traffic coming off the Fox Farm Road onto the highway going westbound.

Barlow Calls P3 Partnerships A Global Failure

  Maude Barlow says public private partnerships are a failure here and around the globe.
 

The activist with the the Council of Canadians tells CHSJ News 40 municipalities in France alone are backtracking from the private route.

She says they tried the private route and it was a terrible mistake and in Paris they have lowered the price of water because by funding it municipally they deliver it safely and without the profit motive they could give people their money back.

The city of Saint John currently has a P3 application in to pay for clean drinking water.

Recently Released Feature Film Shot In N.B.

A new American Civil War drama that's getting a lot of buzz was shot in the province.

Filmed in Kings Landing Historical Settlement in Prince William and inspired by actual events, Copperhead tells the story of an anti-war dairy farmer named Abner Beech. The movie stars Peter Fonda, Billy Campbell and Angus MacFadyen. Most of the actors on the cast list are from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Director Ron Maxwell tells CHSJ News the name of the film comes from a term hurled against people who, like the main character, opposed the war being waged by President Abraham Lincoln. They were called Copperheads because a Copperhead is a Southern snake.

Maxwell says it's not an exaggeration that this film was one of the most delightful shoots he's been involved with. For more information about the film, and to watch a trailer, visit www.copperheadthemovie.com

Job Creation With Clean Energy Compared To Oil And Gas

Seven times as many jobs are created in clean energy for every million dollars of investment as compared to the same level of investment in oil and gas. 

We get that word from Mark D'Arcy of the Council of Canadians in Fredericton who points to a recent study that showed double the number of jobs created with clean energy in Massachusetts as compared to shale gas exploration in western Pennsylvania. 

He tells CHSJ news he has heard first hand at the market in Fredericton from people where shale gas exploration is taking place in the U.S. and they are saying do not go ahead with it.
 

D'Arcy dismisses the argument as myth that the only way we can salvage the provincial economy is by shale gas exploration and building an oil pipeline.
 

David Thompson of the Conservation Council maintains the big energy projects of late in Saint John with the natural gas pipeline through the city and L-N-G terminal have not brought prosperity.