More Information About The Discovery Of Bones

The bones that were found at Five Fathom Hole near Prince of Wales on Saturday have turned out to be human. 

City Police say they have also been there for a number of years and that will make an identification more difficult to determine.

Late Common Councillor Remembered Fondly

Plenty of tributes were paid by members of Common Council for their late colleague Joe Mott who died over the weekend at the age of 68. 

His colleague at Council, Donnie Snook became quite emotional when recalling Mott's quiet manner. 

Mott is being remembered as a man who loved Saint John as well as sports believing it gave young people self esteem, saw the good in everyone and would pay out of his own pocket to buy a young person a baseball glove. 

Mott served as a past President of the Saint John Horsemen's Association and coached three Little League Canadian championships. He also owned three harness racing horses, one of which "Stoney B" was named horse of the year in 2000.  

A funeral service will be held Thursday at noonhour in the Fundy Funeral Home Chapel.

Sports Fans Tussle Over Rec Facilities

Sports fans duking it out at Common Council. Amid debate over a pricey project to make the LBR an Olympic-sized ice surface, dozens of coaches and parents showed up to protest proposed user fee hikes for sports fields.

Councillor Patty Higgins expressed confusion about renovating the rink, then jacking up fees for sports fields. Her reasoning is that rinks are seasonal, expensive to maintain, and used by fewer people, whereas fields are cheap and popular.

Councillor Gary Sullivan and others disagreed, saying an Olympic-sized rink would help make Saint John a destination for tournaments and other major sports events.

Mayor and council widely agreed raising fees would make it harder for kids to play but revenue isn't going to come out of nowhere. The matter was tabled until council's next meeting on May 7th.

City Puts Brakes on Speed Demons

Leadfoots will soon find it trickier to bomb around the city's residential neighbourhoods....at the latest common council meeting, manager of traffic and pedestrian services Tim O'Reilly putting forward policy to calm traffic around school zones in particular. 

O'Reilly says the goal is simple: to reduce speeds to below the speed limit, and get volumes of vehicles to where they should be on a residential street.

The proposed policy included 30-40km zones around schools and tougher penalties for speeding. He said it's a major issue, with over 90 requests to slow down traffic in neighbourhoods throughout the city, and you could be seeing more measures like speed humps and raised crosswalks as they identify where the priorities are.

Mayoral Candidate Says Direct Talk Is Key In Poverty Reduction

Mayoral candidate Matthew Thompson says reducing poverty in the city will not be easy but there are steps in the right direction.

He tells CHSJ News investing in people is one way to break the cycle of poverty.

He says it's also important to talk to people directly in the priority neighbourhoods to find out the best ways to improve them. 

Thompson says knocking down an abandoned building is not always the best answer.

As far as the hot button topic of city transit, he says we need to determine the most advantageous routes and come up with some creative ways to make bus service sustainable. 

He says he would invest money back into transit once the city got its financial cards in order.

Skate Park In Quispamsis Opens

Tony Hawk and X-games wannabes now have a new place to ply their craft in Quispamsis -- the town has officially opened the Ramps and Wheels Bike and Skate Park.

Skater Avery Theriault pushed to get the park built by presenting a petition with almost 700 signatures to town council over a year ago.

He tells CHSJ News the park was desperately needed and he is amazed how quickly it all came together.
 

The town of Quispamsis putting up100-thousand dollars while the province gave 50-thousand to the project.

The park is located at the Arts and Culture Park.

MacKinnon Says Condon's Legacy Is Long

A true gentleman, a friend and mentor to many....those words about Dr. Tom Condon who served many years as the Vice President of the UNB Saint John campus and passed away on the weekend.

Current VP-Dr. Robert MacKinnon tells CHSJ News his legacy is growing the Tucker Park campus and leading the charge on getting a residence built there.

He says Condon saw the need for a student centre and when he retired it was named in his honour.

MacKinnon says Condon also served on the board of Symphony New Brunswick and was involved in bringing the 1985 Canada Summer Games to Saint John including getting the stadium built on the University grounds.

A funeral mass for Dr. Condon will be held this Friday just after noonhour at the Cathedral on Waterloo Street.

Penalties For Not Filing Taxes Are Getting Steep

If you plan on skipping out on doing your taxes, you better have your wallet close by.

Brenda Avery with BrenTax tells CHSJ News the penalty for not paying the tax man is 5 percent of what you owe plus additional late penalties.

She says the fees have been on the rise and the reason why people don't file is because they think they will owe the government.

She says thankfully, more and more people are biting the bullet and are filing tax returns from previous years and and the Canada Revenue Agency is willing to work with you to sort everything out.

Warning About Online Scam In Province Targeting Renters

We have a warning from the New Brunswick Real Estate Association about an online scam which has cropped up in the province designed to extract both money and personal information from unsuspecting consumers who are looking for somewhere to rent.

The online scam copies information from legitimate ads, sometimes even with the name of a realtor, asking for you to not only send a deposit but also reveal your personal information.

Real Estate Association Registrar Carolyn Cameron tells CHSJ News there's one way to determine if an ad is on the level........There will be a local person listed to get in contact with.

Cameron says this type of fraud is more successful in cities where there is a low rental vacancy rate or for accommodations that are pet friendly.

Two Key Rezonings Coming Before Common Council

Common Council is being urged by City Staff to approve rezoning of the Coast Guard property. The final acquisition of the property will take place at the end of June.

Kent McIntyre of Saint John Waterfront Development anticipates there will be new developers later this year for what he envisions as a mixed residential-commercial development with 230 condos, a 130 room hotel, 70 thousand square feet for retail and commercial space along with a promenade around the perimeter.
 
He's also optimistic about things picking up telling the city the site will undergo a phased in redevelopment beginning later this year.
 
Council is also being asked to approve rezoning for the new "Y" on Churchill Boulevard which is viewed as a key step to revitalising that part of the north end around Crescent Valley..

Music Festival Kicks Off

It's time to face the music--and we mean that literally. The 75th annual New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music is kicking off today (April 23) at venues throughout the city. It's a chance for young performers between the ages of 6 and 20 to compete in singing and playing instruments in a variety of styles and genres.

Organizer Valerie Dingee  the kids get excited about it every year and it's a great galvanizing force for the community.

She says the festival is always looking to boost attendance, as well as for more volunteers.

For more information, click here.

Court Says Pension Reforms Will Bring Back Some Funding

Being re-elected in Saint John's current political climate might seem like a challenge.
Incumbant Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News he was the only person to vote against the budget that features deep cuts to police and fire budgets and the reduction of transit service.


He says he didn't think it was necessary for us to take 7.9 million dollars out of the budget but rather the intention was to lobby the provincial government with regards to the  whole issue with pension disorder.


Court adds if pension relief does come, they hope to reinstate many of those projects and programs.


Our feature on the candidates for Mayor in Saint John continues tomorrow with Matthew Thompson.

Common Council Urged To Slow Down Traffic

Common Council will be receiving a report tonight asking it put into effect a more comprehensive traffic calming policy. 

This comes about after consultations with more than 20 community and neighbourhood organisations as well as the city receiving more than 80 requests from Saint Johnners since early 2008 to either reduce speeds or the volume of traffic through various residential neighbourhoods. 

3 comprehensive traffic calming plans have been implemented in recent years including on Heatherway after a woman was seriously hurt by a speeding car as well as Simpson Drive and Rockwood Park. 

Council is being told some streets should have speed limits of 40 kilometers an hour or even as low as 30 and Police can't enforce speed limits under 50 kilometers an hour

John Ferguson Defamation Trial

Three Well Known Saint Johnners Pass Away

We hear from the City's Cultural Affairs officer Bernard Cormier that Dr. Tom Condon has passed away. Funeral arrangements for him have not been announced yet.

Dr. Condon was in charge of U-N-B Saint John from 1977 to 1988. He began his teaching career as an Assistant Professor of History at U-N-B after receiving a Ph.D from Harvard. He also graduated with degrees from Yale and Boston College. 

Dr. Condon retired from teaching in 1996. He was honoured with the Order of New Brunswick in 2009 and was involved in many cultural activities in the city including the restoration of the Imperial Theatre.

Saint John contractor Billy Chown, the owner of Regency Construction, has also died at the age of 66 from natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 Wednesday morning in the L-B-R.

Common Councillor Joe Mott has also passed away after a period of failing health.

Two Cars Leave Road In Separate Crashes

One woman was taken to hospital after her car left Route 790 near the South Musquash Road early yesterday morning winding up on its roof.  

It was raining and she was driving around a sharp corner which has been the scene of several similar accidents over the years. 

Another car left Bay Street in South Bay yesterday afternoon and landed in the water. The driver was already out of the car when fire crews arrived and didn't have to be taken to hospital. 

The Environment Department was notified because the car had to be towed out of a pond.

(Photo Courtesy of Lt. Paul Poirier)

Candidate For Rothesay Council Wants To Visit Every Home In Town

One of the candidates running for a seat on Rothesay Council claims to have made over 2 thousand stops to guage the feeling in the town hitting over 150 homes a day.

Miriam Wells wants to visit all of the estimated 35 hundred homes in the town during the campaign. 

Wells tells CHSJ News the town is doing well running its financial affairs but any organisation can use the infusion of new ideas and energy. 

One common concern she hears going door to door is the number of deer roaming about with drainage issues in some parts of the town.

Wells is in favour of co-operating with neighbouring municipalities but she doesn't favour amalgamation.

Kids Need To Be Kept Excited About Science

A local science education group says there has been a disconnect between what students learn in school about science and the kind that happens in the real world.

Spokesperson Michael Edwards tells CHSJ News one way to solve that issue is to keep kids curious and excited about the scientific process.

He says there has been a renewed focus on keeping young students engaged and he wants to see that applied to the higher grades as well.

Earth Day Activities Abound Today

In honour of Earth Day, some special events planned throughout the region.

The NB Museum in Market Square will be screening topical environmental documentaries from 2-3:30pm in coordination by the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada and Planet in Focus.

At the Marine Museum in Saint Andrews, kids can do crafts and check two touch tanks, lobsters and seal feedings at 4 p.m. There will be a screening of Free Willy 3 at 1pm.

In Fredericton Green Matters will be commemorating Earth Day this year with a special screening of the Disneynature film “Chimpanzee” on April 22, 12 noon at the Empire Theatres. With a donation of a non-perishable food item or toy donation, admission will be $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children.

Boat Catches Fire

A fire on a power boat partially loaded with fuel causing a scare at the Saint John Power Boat Club.

Fire officials responding to the call at 339 Kennedy Street saying a boat in winter storage had caught fire.

The blaze was contained to the 35 foot power boat where it started, but other vessels moored nearby sustained damage as well. District chief Joe Armstrong wouldn't say the boat was a write-off, but it did sustain major damage. No word yet on the cause of the blaze.

Fire on Princess Street

An evening blaze in the South End caused smoke damage to an entire apartment building.

Police and fire officials responding to 178 Princess Street around 8 o'clock found smoke spreading throughout the multi-unit building.

The residents were evacuated and the source of the fire was traced to a kitchen on the second floor. The blaze was knocked down, but the people living there are still displaced from their homes.

Gas Leak Scare at Market Square

A bit of a scare at the Saint John Free Public Library this morning with reports of a smell as if natural gas was leaking in the building.

Police, fire officials and Enbridge gas were on scene for a few hours this morning examining the cause. After thoroughly checking over the building it was determined there was no leak.

According to one officer it's possible the chemical smell was caused by floor cleaners.

Suspicious Bones Found

Suspicious bones found near Prince of Wales are being investigated by Saint John's Major Crime Unit.

Corporal Ramsay Hunt tells CHSJ News the remains were found near a site known to some as Five Fathom Hole, and the area has been cordoned off. It's not certain at this time whether they are human remains or not.

Hunt said that's all the details they can disclose at this time.

Moncton Anthrax Scare Update

The suspicious package that forced the evacuation of a building and barricading several intersections in downtown Moncton yesterday wasn't actually anything dangerous.

A RCMP specialized unit from Halifax assisted by a RCMP Hazardous Material Team from New Brunswick confirmed that the suspicious package did not constitute an actual threat. It had been speculated that it was anthrax. The building located at 777 Main Street has been reopened and traffic in the area has resumed.

Codiac RCMP is thanking the Moncton Fire Department and Ambulance NB for their assistance during this incident. The Saint John fire department also helped, sending in the Hazmat and decontamination unit.

Vinyl Records Celebrated Today

Remember the heyday of vinyl? According to some people, records are still the best. April 21 is International Record Store Day, where independent record stores in New Brunswick and all over the world celebrate vinyl with new releases and live shows.

Gordon Tufts of Backstreet Records in Saint John tells CHSJ News it's all about recapturing the excitement of when vinyl was king, and reminding people the medium is still big in some circles. Not to mention the hundreds of special releases that will be stocking the racks in honour of the celebration.

Backstreet and Second Spin Records in Saint John both have special releases today. A free live show starts at Backstreet at 1pm, including the Wooden Wives and Eric Riguette. Tufts says there's lots there for country fans as well. 

For more information, click here

Taxi Robbery in the North End

A taxi driver getting a scare this morning with a robbery in the north end.

Police getting the call from Shamrock park near Visart Street at 6:30am. The driver reported a man had threatened him with a knife during the robbery, then fled around the back of the Parks and Recreation building.

He's described as wearing jeans and a yellow shirt with blondish hair.

Irving Seeks Greener Image

Folks around the province will be celebrating our planet on Earth Day, which is April 22. The province's biggest corporation, Irving, wants to get the word out it's making some steps to reduce the amount of pollution it dumps into our air and waterways.

Mary Keth of JDI tells CHSJ News fossil fuels are one major contaminant, and since 2007 they've reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 346,000 tonnes annually.
 

Environment and Local Government Minister Bruce Fitch reminds citizens protecting the environment is a year-round endeavor.

John Ferguson Trial Wraps Up Evidence Portion Of Case

After weeks of testimony, the evidence portion of the John Ferguson defamation trial has come to an end.

Pension Board Lawyer Barry Morrison concluded his cross-examination by asking Ferguson if he was using smoke and mirrors to make it seem like the pension board was up to no good.

Ferguson said "no" and stated that even though it has taken over 5 years, the truth has finally come out.

The case resumes Monday morning at 9 o'clock at the Court of Queen's Bench.

Saint John Fire Crews Helping In Moncton

It was a tense lunch hour in Moncton today after a building was evacuated in the downtown after a report of hazardous material possibly anthrax being found on one floor.

12 personnel from the Saint John Fire department along with the Hazmat and decontamination unit were called to the scene earlier today.

CHSJ News learning the material was found in a building that may house the French consulate.
Police encouraging people to avoid the area of downtown Moncton after barricades were set up at several intersections.

Forum Offers First Glimpse Of Callahan

A 90-minute forum for those running for Mayor of Saint John was the first time anyone saw Joe Callahan.

He is originally from Texas and became a Canadian citizen just six years ago.

Callahan says the debate with his three other competitors was quite the experience.

Meanwhile, Mel Norton tells us in order to reduce poverty you need to work closely with those in the community.

Mayor Ivan Court tells us he was impressed with the turnout adding the more information we can give to the public the better.

Matt Thompson says to reduce poverty we need to invest in our at risk neighbourhoods.

High School Principal Charged In Child Porn Probe

A shocker from the Miramichi where a high school principal is facing four charges as a result of an investigation into Internet child exploitation.

37 year old Kirk Matheson, the principal at North and South Esk Regional High School in Sunny Corner, has been charged with luring, possession of child pornography and counselling to commit an offense.

Matheson is accused of passing himself off on the Internet as a woman to persuade boys to send him nude photos of themselves. Police have identified two victims from the local area thus far.

Matheson, who's scheduled to reappear in court June 11th, has been released from custody but he has to stay clear from the Regional High School.

Police In K-V Warning Of Internet Scam

Rothesay Regional Police receiving a complaint of a fraud regarding the filling out of a short survey on Facebook or a pop up on a webpage.

The survey usually entails filling out a few questions and the prize on offer is a gift certificate to Costco or Walmart or free I-Pad.

The last question of the survey requires you to type in your cell phone number and that's where the problem lies. Once this is done your phone is automatically billed for $9.99 or $18.99. Globally, there has already been over 1 billion dollars lost to this scam.

Police are advising to be cautious with the information that is entered on the internet. Information such as your name, phone number, address, banking or credit card information should not be entered on unknown sites.

Bus Drivers Campaigning For Saint John Transit To Get More Funding

City bus drivers making their presence felt outside the U-N-B Saint John Grand Hall on Charlotte Street where inside the Mayoral candidates talked about social issues including public transportation.

The President of local 1182 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Tom McGraw tells CHSJ News the bus cuts are hurting alot of people and something must be done.

He points out alot of people can't afford to take a taxi every day to get to work if a bus isn't available.

McGraw says there have been three rounds of cuts in the past year with the loss of 24 thousand hours of service. 

John Ferguson Accused Of Wanting To Upset People

Pension Board lawyer Barry Morrison is accusing former Common Councillor John Ferguson of swinging a hardwood baseball bat at his fellow Council members at the time and the Pension Board instead of extending an olive branch.

Ferguson was being questioned about his suggestion of creating an ethics panel or commission. He told the court it would have cleared up alot of the misrepresentation and misinterpretation of his criticisms. 

Ferguson added they're doing it now in St. Stephen where he's the town manager and causes him no anguish at all but the negative reaction he got spoke to the atmosphere that was prevalent at Common Council back then.

Morrison contends Ferguson's criticism was all part of a campaign to become Mayor which he denies. 

Morrison went on to charge Ferguson's presentation to Common Council was devoid of information. 

Ferguson suggested all he was doing was conveying the information he had been told about the city's pension plan and its rising deficit but did not make any allegations himself. Morrison called that taking the cowardly route to which Ferguson replied he stands by his presentation.

Mayoral Debate Underway At UNBSJ Great Hall

Missing Man's Body Found In The U.S.

The body of a St. Stephen man missing since March has turned up on the American side of the border.

RCMP got a call from the Baileyville, Maine police department that a local fisherman found a vehicle submerged in the St. Croix River.

The body of Kenneth Lee was discovered inside.
An autopsy is being conducted in Augusta, Maine.

Inflation Drops Nationally But, Not Here

Big drops in the price of food and gasoline knocked the inflation rate down seven-tenths of a point in March to 1.9 per cent.
 
It's the first time since September of 2010 that the rate has fallen below the Bank of Canada's sweet spot of two per cent.

Even though the rate fell, you probably don't have more money in your pocket -- because most items measured were more expensive in March than in February. 
 
Here in Saint John, the rate went up to 2.4 from 2.2 in February but it went down provincially from 2.6 per cent to 2.4 per cent.

Ontario Court To Rule On Harbour Bridge Performance Bonds

An Ontario court is expected to rule today how it will handle performance bonds for Concreate U-S-L - the company working on the Harbour Bridge and One Mile Interchange that was placed in receivership last month.

Premier David Alward tells CHSJ News the province is protected with the necessary labour and product bonds in place.

Alward says it's his understanding the projects won't suffer major delays as a result of the legal wrangling.

The two projects totalling about 110-million dollars are scheduled for completion this year.

John Ferguson Defamation Trial

Search Called Off

Some doubt being expressed about whether there was a plane crash at Grand Lake yesterday afternoon. 

The Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre in Halifax conducted a search well into last evening but nothing has been discovered. 

Major Paul Doucette tells CHSJ News no planes were overdue and there were no distress calls even though they did receive eyewitness accounts, apparently, which prompted the search.
 
After interviewing pilots in the area, it's believed someone simply saw a low flying aircraft near the water.

Premier Defends Generic Drug Policy

Premier Alward says his government's changes to the generic drug policy is fair to pharmacists.
 
The Pharmacists Association says they will be forced to cut staff and services thanks to government caps on mark-up and dispensing fees - but - in an interview with CHSJ News - the Premier says the new policy recognizes the challenges faced by pharamcists after consultations with them.
 
Alward says the new generic drug policy is good for New Brunswickers - however - he says pharmacists are private business owners and they will ultimately make business based decisions. 
 
The new policy takes effect June 1st.

Helicopter Searches Grand Lake After Possible Crash

A Cormorant Helicopter and a Hercules aircraft conducting a search of Grand Lake after reports of a plane crashing in the area this afternoon.


Major Paul Doucette of the Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre in Halifax tells CHSJ News no planes are reported overdue and they have no confirmation that a plane crashed in the water.
 He tells us they received eyewitness reports of a plane going into the water so based on the evidence and the detail they decided to respond.
Doucette adds there were no distress calls in the area.

Pension Board Lawyer Paints Ferguson As Evasive

Pension Board Lawyer Barry Morrison says defended John Ferguson has been difficult to deal with during the entire legal proceedings of his defamation suit.

Morrison says Ferguson has been hard-nosed in his defense, evasive during the the discovery process, and had to be ordered by a judge to answer certain questions

He says Ferguson would do things like not accept statements of claim and has exasperated the case but Ferguson counters he was acting on the advice of his lawyers.

Morrison also questioned Ferguson about why he dropped his justification defense, which would have required Ferguson to prove that all of his statements were true.

Ferguson says he believes in what he has said and the only reason why justification was dropped was because his insurance company would not pay to go down that arduous route.

Ferguson resumes his testimony tomorrow morning at 9 at the Court of Queen's Bench.

Penobsquis Farms Gets Over $300K To Expand

Between Fredericton and Ottawa, a Penobsquis farm receives over $300,000 in funding.


Cardwell Farms Compost Products will use the money to expand its compost, topsoil and bark mulch operations to meet increasing demand.

The company produces quality certified organic soil amendments and mulches.

With markets in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States, Cardwell Farms has the capacity to produce about 65,000 tonnes of compost and soil amendments a year.

Rothesay Police Warns Of Stolen Items For Sale

Rothesay Regional Police issuing a warning about some hot construction equipment that some people may be trying to unload in the valley or beyond.


On the 10th, Police got a complaint about a theft from a construction company.

Over 10 thousand dollars in equipment was stolen including chainsaws and generators but the theft was only recently discovered.


Police tell CHSJ News some of these items may be sold to unsuspecting citizens.


If you think an item may be stolen, contact police and have them check the property.


If you have any information about this theft, please contact Sgt. Craig MacDougall at 506-847-6300 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Sea Dogs Not Dismissing Chicoutimi As Lesser Challenge

It's back to business tomorrow night for the Sea Dogs who will play Chicoutimi in the opening game of the third round at Harbour Station.


Very few people expected Chicoutimi to get by Shawinigan in the second round or for that matter, Halifax to beat Quebec after losing the first three games of that series.


Sea Dogs President Wayne Long tells CHSJ News nothing can be taken for granted and he expects a tough physical series.

 The Sea Dogs are staging the “Paint the Town Blue” contest encouraging fans in the Saint John area to show their community pride by displaying Sea Dogs logos and colours prominently in their homes or places of business.


You then upload your photos and the three highest totals of “Likes” in each of the two categories will win prizes.

To take part in the contest, click here

Mel Norton Opens Campaign Office

By the sound and size of the crowd, you would think the job was in the bag.
Saint John mayor candidate Mel Norton speaking to supporters today at the packed opening of his campaign office.

Norton tells CHSJ News maintaining his law practice if elected will not impact his ability to be the mayor.

He wants everyone in Saint John to remember that the number one priority for whoever is elected is the job of mayor.  Norton says as he talks with people he hears concerns about the pension crisis and the state of city sidewalks.

What Did Saint John Have To Do With San Diego?

Former Common Councillor John Ferguson's comparison of the pension plan problems in San Diego with those of the city took up much of the cross examination at his defamation trial.

Ferguson told the court he was referring to both pension plans being underfunded and not the serious allegations of fraud that were being investigated in San Diego.
 
Nevertheless, City Solicitor John Nugent called the comparison "egregious" and former Fincne Commissioner Andrew Beckett charged Ferguson was implying extortion was taking place. Ferguson vehemently denies making any such accusation. 
 
Pension Board lawyer Barry Morrison challenged Ferguson by suggesting all the publicity over his criticism of the city's pension plan was part of his plan. Ferguson disagreed claiming his concern was that the pension plan was not getting any better in spite of double digit returns on its investments.

Mayoral Candidates To Take Part In Social Development Forum

In what will be the first of many forums, the 4 mayoral candidates will taking part in a discussion about social development in the city.

The event is being hosted by the Human Development Council and UNB Saint John's Urban Institute.

HDC Executive Director Randy Hatfield tells CHSJ News there will be no talk of the 3 P's -- Peel Plaza, the pension, or parking garages.

He says the forum will be about social development and he wants the candidate's positions on poverty reduction, neighbourhood revitalization, recreation, and transportation.

The forum takes place tomorrow at noon at the UNB Grand Hall.

Hatfield wants the public to submit questions to the candidates and you can do so by clicking here.

Province Releases Health Budget

The Department of Health releasing it's 2012-2013 budget, which is up up 49 million dollars to a total of 2.58 billion dollars.

Key spending in the budget includes 2 million for the recruitment of nine new family physicians and one specialist, 5 million for primary health care and 1.75 million dollars for the implementation of the provincial colon cancer screening program.

The department will also invest 49 million in health facilities and equipment.

Pharmacists Warn Of Cuts To Service

The Executive Director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association says serious changes could be in store thanks to changes in the province's Generic Drug Policy.

The prices of generic drugs will be dropping in June and Paul Blanchard says the province needs to increase dispensing fees and mark-up in order to keep in the black.

He says if changes are not made, it's the customer that will end up paying the price.

Pharmacists may have to start charging for adapting prescriptions -- something he says they do about 20-thousand times a month as well as cut jobs and reduce store hours.

He adds the province plans to reinvest less that 30 percent of its savings into pharmacy services whereas other provinces reinvest an average of 50 percent.

John Ferguson Defamation Trial

Two Suspects Sought For Home Invasion On West Side

We know a bit more about the home invasion and robbery late Tuesday night between 11:30 and midnight in the Milford Trailer Park.

Police are on the lookout for two men, thought to be in their 20's, believed responsible.

A 66 year old man was home by himself at the time but didn't sustain any injuries. 

Police are asking anyone with information that could lead to arrests to give them a ring at 648-33-33 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-tips.

Ferguson Gets Grilled Over Council Presentation

Pension Board Lawyer Barry Morrison taking defendant John Ferguson to task over his three main assertions during a presentation to common council about problems with the pension board.

Morrison says Ferguson never had any documentation about independent pension advice being never provided, that the early retirement plan cost the pension plan far more than what was reported, and that there were errors in the city's financial statements.

Ferguson testified that motions being struck down on looking for advice would be his proof, there were discrepancies in the 2003 to 2005 financial statements, and a document from then city finance commissioner Andrew Beckett showed that the retirement packages cost 2.2 million dollars.

But Morrison countered and said that council at the time were only discussing the 2005 financial statements and there was no number to compare the 2.2 million dollar cost to.


Morrison also asked if it ever occured to Ferguson to mend fences with senior staff memebers in order to get to the root of any pension issues.

Ferguson testifed that if he had to do it all over again, he would but with greater resolve.


Ferguson returns to the stand tomorrow morning at 9 at the court of queens bench