Human Trafficking Discussed At Meeting On Status Of Women

(Minister Mary Schryer with the Ministers responsible for the Status of Women from Nova Scotia and PEI)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

The Atlantic Ministers responsible for the Status of Women want to harmonize laws regarding women's issues.
 
Ministers from Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland met in Quispamsis this week to explore areas for regional-co-operation.
 
MLA Mary Schryer is the New Brunswick Minister responsible for the status of women and says one of the issues they looked at was human trafficking. 
 
She says the Atlantic provinces can be seen as a corridor for transporting women into other parts of Canada and urban centres.
 
This is the first time an meeting of Atlantic Ministers responsible for the Status of Women was held and there are plans to hold a second one next year with PEI as a host.

Government Pledges To Create 20,000 Jobs

(Premier Shawn Graham addresses Enterprise Saint John roundtable discussion)

(photo by Tamara Steele)

The Premier is promising to create 20,000 jobs if his government is re-elected in September.
Shawn Graham laid out his plan at a roundtable discussion with Enterprise Saint John, it includes holding spending to 1 per cent.

He says if re-elected they will create 15,000 jobs in traditional sectors but 5,000 jobs will be in the new sector that are identified as high-paying.
Graham says the high-paying jobs are in telecommunications, energy and in modular fabrication.

Man Arrested For Four Robberies On West Side

A Grand Bay-Westfield man is behind bars looking at four robbery charges when the 37 year old makes an appearance in Provincial Court tomorrow.

The man, whose name won't be released until that time, is accused of robbing the Bowl R Rama on Lancaster Avenue and the Buccaneer's Pub on Main Street West this past long holiday weekend.

He's also facing charges of holding up the Tim Horton's on Main Street West by Simms Corner.

City Wants Ban On Boating In Watersheds Used To Supply Drinking Water

(Municipal Operations Commissioner Paul Groody)
                         (File Photo)

The Province will be hearing from the city on stopping people from boating on waterways which are used to supply drinking water.

The head of Municipal Operations, Paul Groody says the city has wanted something done about this for over a decade.

The issue has come to the forefront again after a recent incident in which a truck left Otter Lake Road and plunged into a brook which flows into the Loch Lomand watershed that supplies drinking water out east.
 
Groody points out boating is allowed on four watersheds which are used for drinking water and two of them are used by Saint Johnners at Loch Lomand and Musquash.

Disaster Dining 101

(Deputy Fire Chief Dan McCoy, Saint John's Emergency Preparedness Manager Murielle Provost, and a Red Cross volunteer make a tasty meal for the Disaster Dining Competition)
(Photo By Sherry Aske)

The Canadian Red Cross was in town today giving a crash course on disaster dining.

Three teams used a variety of canned goods and non parishable items found in 72-hour emergency kits to create a meal that would impress Mayor Ivan Court.

Carolyn Enman is the Lead for New Brunswick Disaster Management and tells CHSJ News every family should have a 72-hour emergency kit. 

She says every emergency kit should have a lot of protein and 2 litres of water, per person, per day.

Mayor Ivan Court had the honour of judging the competition and says Saint John has heavy rain storms where the power goes out so you never know when you might need those extra couple of cans.

One Person Stabbed And Deliberately Set Fire Being Investigated

There has been a stabbing on Taylor Avenue in the north end. The victim's injuries are not life threatening according to city police and no one has been arrested.

The fire department reports a half ton truck was set ablaze on Egbert Street off Thorne Avenue early this morning.

City Ignores Request From Anglo Society To Fly Its Flag

(Jim Webb of The Anglo Society of New Brunswick)
                 (Photo by Tamara Steele)

Common Council has effectively said...no. Last night, Mayor and Council received and filed a request from the Province's Anglo society to fly its flag September 18th outside City Hall.

A similar request in Bathurst sparked controversy when the town's initially said yes and then rescinded its earlier approval.

Jim Webb of the Anglo Society says many people are upset about this and there could be a protest held in Saint John as well as Bathurst and Fredericton. Webb claims the Province's Official Languages Commissioner calls his group rednecks and bigots.

Webb is also making the claim that the British Ambassador in Washington has heard about the controversy and questions why an English flag can't be flown in the province.

Concern Over Pension Board's Legal Bills

          (Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase)
                         (File Photo)

The city's pension plan is reporting better returns, as of the end of last year, but is still short alot of money.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase is concerned about a big increase in legal fees and he suspects one major reason is the ongoing lawsuit for defamation launched by the Pension Board against former Common Councillor and now City Manager in St. Stephen, John Ferguson.

The legal bills have gone up from just over 30 thousand dollars in 2006 to more than 782 thousand dollars last year. Chase was told by the city's Finance Commissioner Greg Yeomans the Ferguson lawsuit may account for 60 per cent of the total.

Mayor Ivan Court, who chairs the Pension Board, claims attempts have been made to settle the lawsuit but no to avail.

Common Councillor Looking For Guidance On Future Of Rockwood Park

           (Common Councillor Bill Farren)
                         (File Photo)

There is no end to the continuing discussion about allowing development on city owned lands in Rockwood Park south of Sandy Point Road, especially around Harrigan Lake.

Councillor Bill Farren says he's not opposed to development but he wants to know what the Common Council of the day wanted to do with the land that was purchased decades ago.

The City Solicitor will pull those resolutions to try to find out if a reason was given.

Approval Of East Side Rezoning Deferred Over Objections By Nearby Residents

Rezoning of land behind St. Joseph's Church and Community Centre on Loch Lomand Road is on hold for the time being.

The people who live on Johnston Road are objecting. They claim a driveway onto their street from the church property will mean more traffic and make it less safe for children where there are no sidewalks.

The Parish Council's George Quigley says the Diocese is shocked by the reaction. He claims Loch Lomand Road is a speedway at times and there have been several near misses as buses have slowed down to make the turn into the Church property.

The residents and Parish Council will meet to see if a compromise can be worked out.