https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/francophone-south-dec-lawsuit-vote-1.7326790

 

 

Francophone education council to sue N.B. government over insufficient schools

DEC chair says students suffering because of lack of political will, underfunding

 

Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Sep 18, 2024 1:24 PM ADT

 

 

Michel Côté, chair of the Francophone South district education council, shown in Moncton on Sept. 18, 2024. (Pascal Raiche-Nogue/Radio-Canada)

A francophone education council is suing the New Brunswick government, alleging it has failed to build enough new schools or renovate existing buildings.

The Francophone South district education council voted unanimously in favour of pursuing the case at its meeting Tuesday.

Education council chair Michel Côté said the province has failed to meet the district's needs as enrolment has climbed by about 2,500 students over the last six years. Côté said the lack of action threatens vitality of the francophone community by seeing students who could enrol in the francophone district instead go to anglophone schools.

"We're really worried that we're going to get a point that we're not just not going to be able to offer the service to our francophone children within our school district," Côté said in an interview. 

Côté said the paperwork was filed at the Moncton courthouse Wednesday.

• Francophone education chair laments 'stormy' relationship with Higgs government

• Enrolment surge continues in Moncton-area schools even as new buildings open

Education Minister Bill Hogan did not provide an interview.

The case seeks to force the province to accept a 10-year plan to build seven new schools across the district and renovate or expand others. Côté said they would rather negotiate than face a long court battle, but were no longer willing to keep waiting.

Francophone South, with about 17,500 students in 38 schools, is one of seven school districts in New Brunswick. The district covers a broad area, stretching from Charlotte County northeast to Miramichi, including the cities of Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton.

WATCH | No francophone schools in these areas of N.B., says education council 

 

Why a francophone education council is suing the province

Francophone South district education council has voted to sue the New Brunswick government, alleging it has failed to build enough new schools or renovate existing buildings, despite a growing student population.

The new schools are sought in St. George or Saint Andrews area, Saint John's west side, Sussex, Miramichi, Fredericton, Moncton and Riverview.

Côté said a lack of schools or overcrowded schools in some of those areas could result in more students going into the anglophone system and overcrowding its schools.

He said census figures suggest there are about 5,600 students who could be eligible to attend a francophone school in the Saint John region.

The problem with that is, said Côté, if a child "doesn't come to francophone school, his children or her children will lose their right to go to francophone school."

• Supreme Court of Canada rules B.C. violated French-language education Charter rights

Côté pointed to a 2020 Supreme Court of Canada decision that ordered the government of British Columbia to pay millions to its sole French-language school board for underfunding its school bus transportation system for a decade. 

The country's top court ruled B.C. violated section S. 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees education in one of Canada's two official languages.

"The [Francophone South district] is facing a situation where our students are suffering the consequences of a lack of political will and continued underfunding," Côté's statement said.

"The New Brunswick government is constantly delaying crucial real-estate decisions, compromising the educational future of thousands of Francophone students."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shane Magee

Reporter

Shane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

 

 

128 Comments

 

 

David Amos

Guess who I am gonna call again

 

 

 

William Murdoch

I've said it before and I will say it again - what Canada needs is even more lawyers.  

 

Shawn Tabor
Reply to William Murdoch 

Thats funny 

 

William Murdoch

Reply to Shawn Tabor

I lifted that from The Simpson's. The guy that spoke that in some episode some season was a contributor voice actor. Canadian at that. He died awhile ago.  

 

 

Jos Allaire
This government is an epic failure of its obligations under the Constitution.

David Amos
Reply to Jos Allaire
What Constitution?

Ronald Miller
Reply to Jos Allaire
Where is the Constitution when it comes to Quebec and Anglophones, let me guess, that does not count.

 

Ronald McCallum

Reply to Ronald Miller

"Where is the Constitution when it comes to Quebec and Anglophones, let me guess, that does not count."

WELL, the Anglophones DO HAVE nine English language school boards that are Constitutionally guaranteed by the Constitution Act 1867, Part VI ---- Distribution of Legislative Powers, Section 93; and MORE IMPORTANTLY, by the Constitution Act 1982, Part I ---- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 23 --- Minority Language Rights.

In addition, there are English language hospitals in Montreal and vicinity.

Jos Allaire

Reply to Ronald Miller

An Anglophone is better treated in Quebec than any Francophone anywhere in Canada. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-property-tax-increases-1.7325810

 

More than 40K N.B. homeowners face another wave of property tax increases in 2025

Provincial rules preventing municipalities from targeting tax help to homeowners remain in force

 

Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Sep 18, 2024 6:00 AM ADT

 

 

Andrew Black is the mayor of Tantramar and president of the Union of the Municipalites of New Brunswick. The organization is hoping voters force political parties to pledge to fix the ways cities and towns are allowed to finance themselves. (Shane Magee/CBC)

New Brunswick homeowners by the tens of thousands are facing property tax increases in 2025, and New Brunswick municipalities remain without powers promised to them two elections ago that could help slow or even stop the surge.

Andrew Black, president of the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick, said hope has faded that municipal financial reforms — first pledged by Blaine Higgs in 2018 — will arrive before a new wave of property tax increases wash over homeowners in large numbers again next year.

"That's unrealistic, unfortunately," said Black, in an interview, about the chances New Brunswick might implement promised municipal financial reforms this year.

"Municipalities would like that to be in place before the start of the new year but it's unrealistic in the conversation and the process that's going on now."  

Blaine Higgs promised in the 2018 election that municipalities would be given 'greater control over their own affairs, including greater powers over taxation.' That didn't happen and won't before another wave of property tax increases hit New Brunswick homeowners in 2025. (Catherine Allard/Radio-Canada)

Communities all over New Brunswick have experienced record increases in property values over the last three years, mostly on homes and apartment buildings. 

That has led to rising assessments on those properties, and municipalities are having difficulty preventing much of those increases from forcing taxes higher.

WATCH | Why municipalities struggle to soften tax-increase blow:

 

Own a home in N.B.? Get ready for an unstoppable wave of tax hikes

Thousands of homeowners are facing property tax increases in 2025, and municipalities still don’t have the powers promised two elections ago that could help slow — or even stop — the surge.

Fifth Street in Moncton is typical.  

Rising property values in the area neighbourhoods caused tax assessments on the street to jump an average of 18 per cent in 2022,  20 per cent in 2023 and another 18 per cent this year.

Robert Caverly bought a house on Fifth Street in 2021, but in June he sold it and moved across the provincial border to a spot near Amherst, Nova Scotia. He cites rising residential property taxes as a major reason.

"We were actually planning on staying in Moncton," said Caverly in an interview.

"But it's like we decided, you know, with the increase in the taxes, that was a big thing."  

At the time Caverly bought his Moncton house it carried a municipal tax bill of $2,060, based on an assessed value of $123,400. This year the assessment was up to $316,700, and the bill he received had nearly doubled to $3,947.  

Robert Caverly sold his house in Moncton this year and moved across the border to Nova Scotia. He said rising property taxes were a major reason behind the decision. (Submitted by Robert Caverly)

About $400 of the tax increase was caused by Caverly building a garage, valued at  $28,000, on the property.

But most of the increase, more than $1,400 worth, was caused by the tax assessment on the house itself escalating rapidly, and residential property tax rates in the city of Moncton are not falling fast enough to compensate.

More concerning for Caverly was that the increases were not going to stop.

New Brunswick has a rule that unless a house is substantially renovated or changes owners, property taxes on large assessment increases have to be applied gradually, by a maximum of 10 per cent per year.

In Caverly's case that rule meant $43,097 of the $193,300 increase in the taxable value of his Moncton house, over three years, was sheltered from being taxed in 2024.  

But in 2025 and 2026, had he kept the house, those protections would expire and, at current Moncton property tax rates, an additional $621 in tax would be applied to the house, potentially raising the annual tax bill to more than $4,500.

Houses on Habour Terrace in Saint John were among three dozen in their neighbourhood to receive assessment increases above 50 per cent this year. Most of the property tax increases that will come with that change will be levied on a delay. (Robert Jones/CBC)

For Caverly, the prospect of five straight years of compounding tax increases was too much.

"What additional services were they providing to have that kind of increase?" he asks.  

"That was just ridiculous."

Large assessment increases, causing delayed property tax increases a year or two after assessments have risen, is something that Black is worried most homeowners are not prepared for.

"I would say, based on my personal experience and who I've spoken with in my municipality, I think that [most] people don't understand." said Black.

"Some people do understand, but there's a lot of people who don't. Most of the time people are shocked by that." 

  All 26 houses on Knox Drive in Moncton are facing property tax increases in 2025, 2026 and 2027 unless the city can find a way to cut property tax rates in the city. (Google)

Property records show that assessments on residential properties in Moncton have risen steeply in virtually all neighbourhoods, and there are now more than 17,000 houses in the city on a time delay for property tax increases in 2025.

On many Moncton streets, like Knox Drive, every house is in that situation.  

The 26 homes on Knox have had their property taxes increase by about $400 over the last three years because of assessment increases, but that is a fraction of what is coming.

Unless Moncton drops its tax rate further, homeowners on Knox Drive are facing additional average increases of $1,000 each over the next three years because of assessment increases.

And it is not just Moncton.

In Fredericton, more than 11,000 homes are facing their own 2025 property tax increases for similar reasons. In Dieppe, at least another 6,000 houses are in that position, and in Saint John it's more than 14,000.

                             Jerry Iwanus calls New Brunswick's property assessment and tax system 'broken.' He says municipalities need to dramatically lower tax rates on houses when assessments on houses are surging, and they should be given the power to do that. (Submitted by Jerry Iwanus)

Jerry Iwanus says what is happening with property assessments and taxes on homes in New Brunswick proves the system needs major reforms.

Iwanus is a former property assessor who has worked in multiple provinces, including New Brunswick, and he recently wrote a book, called Taxing New Brunswick, that offers advice on how to challenge a property assessment in the province.

Iwanus is adamant there is no reason for rising assessments on homes to cause tax increases for homeowners.

"There is no way to sugar coat this: the property assessment and tax system in New Brunswick is broken," he writes in his book.

In an interview, Iwanus said if property assessments on houses and apartments buildings are surging, municipalities need to have the freedom to drop tax rates on those buildings. That, he said, would fix the problem of runaway property tax bills, in a way that phasing in large increases only delays.

"Overall, if residential assessments increase by 40 per cent, then you lower the tax rate by 40 per cent. That's revenue neutral," said Iwanus.

Saint John cut tax rates on industrial properties in 2024 even though it didn't want to. The reduction was required to allow for a residential tax cut and comply with provincial rules that forbid houses from being charged a tax rate less than 58.8 per cent of what businesses pay. (Robert Jones/CBC)

"The system needs to be changed to include different tax rates for different property classes. So the municipalities actually have some flexibility in that regard."

In Canada most municipalities have the power to neutralize the cost of rising assessments on houses by cutting property tax rates that apply to houses.

But in New Brunswick, property tax rates on houses are connected with tax rates on commercial, government and industrial properties and are difficult to adjust independently. 

Currently, New Brunswick municipalities are not allowed to set property tax rates on houses any lower than 58.8 per cent of what business properties are taxed in their community.

Last year that rule forced Saint John city council to cut property tax rates on commercial, industrial and government properties in order to lower tax rates for homeowners.  

In the end, only about $2.1 million of a $3.8 million tax cut passed by the city made its way to houses and apartment buildings because of that.

Saint John finance commissioner Kevin Fudge told councillors last year provincial property tax rules were limiting the city's ability to direct property tax savings where it wanted. (CBC)

Saint John finance commissioner Kevin Fudge told councillors during budget deliberations the city was powerless to direct tax cuts where it wanted.

"We would really like to have no restrictions and set what we want to set," Fudge told councillors at the meeting. 

"We would like the ability to set as many classes as we want and set the rates the way we want, based on what works for the City of Saint John."

That is close to what was promised during the 2018 provincial election. Progressive Conservatives pledged to "empower municipalities to have greater control over their own affairs, including greater powers over taxation."

After winning that election, a second commitment was made to have financial reforms in place by January 2025 but that time table has been abandoned.

In an email, a spokesperson for the province said talks with municipalities about financial reforms are ongoing but that any changes that come will be for the 2026 calendar year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Jones

Reporter

Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the adoption of price regulation in 2006.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

 

 

303 Comments

 

 

 

David Amos

Does anyone recall who my Father was and what he did for GNB?
 

Ron parker 

Reply to David Amos 

what did he do?

 

David Amos
Reply to Ron parker 

Supervisor of Taxation

 

David Amos
Reply to Ron parker

Higgy and all the politicians knew my Mother's second husband

 

 

 

David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise

 

 

David Amos

Content Deactivated

'Andrew Black is the mayor of Tantramar and president of the Union of the Municipalites of New Brunswick. The organization is hoping voters force political parties to pledge to fix the ways cities and towns are allowed to finance themselves"

Guess who the former Mayor is running for

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/john-higham-sackville-mayor-1.3578741 

 

 

David Amos

Deja Vu Anyone?

NDP gets help from democracy expert

CBC News · Posted: Jan 09, 2006 4:23 PM AST

An international expert on democracy has flown all the way from Egypt to help NDP candidate John Carty campaign in Fredericton.

Dominic Cardy is with a group called The National Democratic Institute. Its members include such people as former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The group's mission is to teach democratic values and spread democracy around the world.

Cardy has taught about democracy in Algeria, Bangladesh, and Cambodia during the past few years. When he heard his friend John Carty was running for office back in his home town of Fredericton, he hopped on a plane.

"It was a strange experience," Cardy said. "One evening I was watching the sun go down over the pyramids, and the next evening watched it go down over Fredericton airport as I came into land."

Cardy is no relation to the NDP candidate. But he loves elections and loves getting people pumped up about democracy.

Carty the candidate is running against federal Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott, Conservative Pat Lynch, Green candidate Philip Duchastel and independent David Amos. The riding has sent Scott to Ottawa for the last four elections, despite the best efforts of the other parties.

Cardy says he doesn't care how tough the race he just wants people to participate in the process. "People have forgotten how incredibly precious these gifts that our ancestors fought for are and were just giving them away. It makes me furious when I talk to people and people just say 'ah there's no point in voting.'"

After election day, Dominic Cardy is flying back home to his wife in Kathmandu, Nepal. He hopes to leave behind a new Member of Parliament for Fredericton, his friend John Carty for the NDP.

David Wilson

Reply to David Amos

Is there a point?
 

David Amos
Reply to David Wilson
Dominic Cardy is in his last days speaking for Fredericton West-Hanwell Correct? 

 

David Amos
Reply to David Wilson 

As a Cabinet Minister he was deeply involved with this taxation nonsense Correct? 

 

Robert Brannen 

Reply to David Amos 

Here are the votes of the contestants in that riding in the 2006 Federal election, and the percentage they represented of total valid votes cast.

votes percent of total cast

19 649 41.8

16 292 34.7

9 988 21.2

884 1.9

198 0.4

Robert Brannen 

Reply to Robert Brannen

*votes for the contestants* 

 

David Amos
Reply to Robert Brannen 

I have never seen your name on a ballot

David Wilson

Smith has no intention of reducing money funneled to the billionaires she works for.

David Amos
Reply to David Wilson

This is New Brunswick not Alberta

Max Ruby 

"Overall, if residential assessments increase by 40 per cent, then you lower the tax rate by 40 per cent. That's revenue neutral," said Iwanus a former property assessor who worked in multiple provinces, including New Brunswick.

But in New Brunswick, property tax rates on houses are connected with tax rates on commercial, government and industrial properties and are difficult to adjust independently.

We need a Property Tax Election! 🥊🥊

David Amos

Reply to Max Ruby

Yup

 

 

 

Hugh MacDonald 

"homeowners face another wave of property tax increases in 2025"

The NB government are a bunch of "taxaholics".

David Amos 

Reply to Hugh MacDonald 

Amen

 

 

 

David Wilson

If you have not figured it out yet. everything that conservative governments , federal, or provincial do, is designed to widen the gap between the wealthiest and those less fortunate 

 

David Amos
Reply to David Wilson

Yea right Will we see your name on a ballot soon? 

 

Lou Bell
Content Deactivated

Reply to David Wilson
I suspect Cardy may be the next leader of the liberals . Could be Federal , could be provincial . Especially if he suffers a huge defeat . Liberal material 101 .

David Wilson
Reply to David Amos
Why do you think they ultimately seek to privatize everything?

Ronald Miller
Reply to David Wilson
Facts say otherwise but sure, let's play pretend. Are property taxes something new, please explain, if you can.

Max Ruby
Reply to David Wilson
Revolving door, when they get voted out they go work for the private sector they helped with privatization.

Ronald Miller
Reply to David Wilson
Tell us all how the onslaught of taxes Liberals put in help the less fortunate, I can't wait for this one.

David Wilson
Reply to Max Ruby
Absolutely.

David Amos
Reply to Lou Bell
Everybody knows your old buddy is now the leader of a federal party

David Wilson
Reply to Ronald Miller
Making home ownership unaffordable for those of lower to average income widens the wealth gap.

David Amos
Reply to David Wilson
Methinks you should know that I don't fall for trick questions N'esy Pas?

Ronald Miller
Reply to Max Ruby
Gallant went to work in Ontario while still acting as an MLA, you mean like that?

serge montague
Reply to David Wilson
They don't seek to privitize everything , you haven't figured that out yet ?

serge montague
Reply to Max Ruby
Yes no former libs or ndp ever go work for, and help, the private sector...too funny

serge montague
Reply to David Wilson
unaffordable ownership is the fault of Conservatives?

Ronald Miller
Reply to David Wilson
How did Higgs alone make ownership unaffordable. If this is all Higgs fault, why are the feds adjusting mortgage rules, keep trying.

David Wilson
Reply to David Amos
How was that a trick question?

David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to David Wilson
Why play dumb?

David Wilson
Reply to Ronald Miller
You mean the one where the rebate results in increased income?

David Wilson
Reply to serge montague
Of course they do.

Ronald Miller
Reply to David Wilson
Rebate.... increased income? What?

 

serge montague
Reply to David Wilson

And of course you have zero evidence 

 

David Amos
Reply to serge montague

Check my work

 

David Wilson
Reply to serge montague

Of what? The endless slow expansion of private healthcare, bleeding resources and hemorrhaging money from the public system. Privatization of liquor sales costing taxpayers billions in lost revenue? Shall I go on?

 

Don Corey 

Reply to David Wilson

Tell me why that gap has widened in Canada within just the past 5 years. 

 

Don Corey 

Reply to David Wilson

Are you not aware of the Canadian housing crisis, primarily a result of federal uncontrolled immigration (ongoing)? Or that home prices in Canada have doubled it just 9 years. So just exactly who do you think has made, and continues to make, home prices and rents unaffordable? 

 

Don Corey 

Reply to David Amos

I know.

 

Don Corey 

Reply to David Wilson

Yes, by all means continue the comedy hour.

 

David Amos
Content Deactivated

Reply to Don Corey 

Welcome back to the circus 

 

 

 

Lou Bell 

What's really interesting about this whole story is that nthe same people who are complaining propertytaxes should be lower , are the same people who complain about those who come into the province , pay large amounts for houses exactly like that of Mr. Caverly that have increased greatly in value and expect thos people to pay much higher taxes . Well which is it ??? 

 

Max Ruby

Reply to Lou Bell  

Lou, the article doesn't state how much Mr. Caverly paid for the house, it only states the assessed value, the previous owners didn't sell it for only $124,000, his assessment reflects what he paid for it. He probably paid close to $300,000... 

 

Lou Bell

Reply to Max Ruby

So the sellers made aHUGE profit off a house that was hugely underassessed ! Adn if Mr. Caverly paid that much for a house so hugely underassesd as compared to what he paid for it , why would he or anyone be surprised ? Funny how all at once those who denigrated those who did exactly the same as Mr's Caverly have all at once done a 180 !!! 

 

David Amos
Reply to Lou Bell

Perhaps he should have baked some butter tarts before he left the province

 

 

 

Lou Bell
Interesting ! Mr. Caverly paid 123 thousand for his home ., paid 2000 dollars in property taxes . Added a 28 thousand dollar garage and the house changed in value by 2.5 TIMES !! And property taxes increased by just under 2 times the value . AS ONE WOULD EXPECT ! Bet he sold it for probably even more than the 316,000 !!! I'd bet he sold for the profit , nothing less !!!

Lou Bell
Reply to Lou Bell
Obviously he reaped all the benefits of the huge increased value of the home , just didn't want to pay what one would expect !

Max Ruby
Reply to Lou Bell
Read more close, no offense: At the time Caverly bought his Moncton house it "carried" a municipal tax bill of $2,060, based on an assessed value of $123,400 (previous owners may have bought it 20 years ago for $40,000). We don't know what he paid but it sure wasn't $123,400 assessment, double that.

Max Ruby
Reply to Lou Bell
Stop, read my comment...

David Wilson
Reply to Lou Bell
If the goal is to force people to sell their hones them you hit the nail on the head

Lou Bell
Reply to Max Ruby
Oh , so he paid a tax bill on a highly UNDERASSESSED house ! Whatever he paid for it , the previous owners reaped huge benefits from it . And then Mr. Caverly did the same thing , other than he was going to have to pay the tax on the REAL price of what the assessed value is . And so , Mr. Caverly is one of the outside investors who came in , paid a much higher price , then sold it and made lots of money off it ! Sound familiar ???

Max Ruby
Reply to Lou Bell
Yes. He got buyers remorse, the sellers are the winners, the rest of us that still live here pay the biggest price. The previous owner tax bill caps at 10% per year. Mr. Caverly got stuck with the bag all at once AND he built a garage.

Lou Bell
Reply to David Wilson
No one forced anyone to sell their house . Read the story . Mr. Caverly bought the house in 2021 . Nothing on what he paid for it , or what he sold it for , . All we see is a highly underassessed house sold twice for more than 2.5 times it's assessed value and the peole on the left are complaining as if someone lost on all of this ! This is what they have complined about for the last 4 years , only that these same people shoulod NOT be allowed to reap those benefits ! So what is it ????

Max Ruby
Reply to David Wilson
You are right. Older home down my road that sold for just under $200,000 about 10 years ago sold in 2022 for $600,000, it set the pace, a few more people sold out, some of the homes you don't see cars or people. The rest of us are now paying and we not rich.

Max Ruby
Reply to Lou Bell
Mr. Claverly neighbours that didn't sell are going to be paying way higher property taxes. Needs to be grandfather clause, if you in the same home for over 10 years lower the frigging property taxes or more will be forced to sell and leave, snake eats its own tail.

Lou Bell
Reply to David Wilson
Laughable ! They didn't sell their homes because they had to , they sold for the 300 to 500 percent profits !!

David Wilson
Reply to Lou Bell
Your simple mathematics fail to consider changes in income, changes in the cost of living etc.... so again, if your goal is to force people to sell their homes, you are doing very well.

David Wilson
Reply to Lou Bell
That is a bold and baseless assumption.

Robert Brannen
Reply to Lou Bell
Perhaps they only got a 45 % gain, minus any expenses incurred related to the sale. On-line resources which enable checking such things are available.

Robert Brannen
Reply to Lou Bell
I forgot the garage he added to the property; so, all and all he likely made a gain of about 23 % after expenses related to the sale of the property are added in.

David Amos
Reply to Max Ruby
The banksters have been creating another housing bubble south of the 49th for years No cars and no people tell me its now happening here as well
 

 

 

Shawn Tabor
This should not even be news. Crazy

David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor
You can't vote for me anymore 

Shawn Tabor
Greed, has fueled all of this, and so much more, the way it works and after a while someone has to pay. Dress it up, spin it, anyway that you want. This is the way it works, but big cracks are finally showing up. Everyone knew about this, now you will understand better. Oh there is more on its way. . Going to see things happen or in the near future. Positive note is you will see a lot of wealth the most in history transferred from the baby boomers down to their offspring. Good luck, heads up. Stick on the ice.

David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor
"Positive note is you will see a lot of wealth the most in history transferred from the baby boomers down to their offspring."

What if the economy crashes in the meantime?



Toby Tolly
I'm seeing lots of city projects in Freddy that I classify as

'they have too much tax money'

Shawn Tabor
Reply to Toby Tolly
How do they justify this, still lots and lots of money out there. Amazing isn’t it lol

Shawn Tabor
Reply to Toby Tolly
And people put their faith in Politicians or a party. I think they might call that ( just business). We are on a need to know basis, and there is no need of us knowing Taxes and death, Yee Haa

David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor
Remember when I ran in Fat Fred City?
 

David Amos
Reply to David Amos

This was pretty funny to me yesterday 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/higgs-ftn-council-meeting-1.7325212

David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor

Deja Vu?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1azdNWbF3A&t=45s

 

Jos Allaire
Vote 🇦 🇧 🇨❗

David Amos 

Content Deactivated

Reply to Jos Allaire
Should I run against Higgy?
 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/higgs-ftn-council-meeting-1.7325212 

 

Higgs doubles down on asylum seekers rhetoric in meeting with Fredericton council

City's mayor calls comments 'offensive'

 

Jordan Gill · CBC News · Posted: Sep 17, 2024 11:01 AM ADT

 

 

When Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers asked what the government was doing to reduce the number of residents in the city without a primary care provider, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said 'additional asylum seekers' would increase that number. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

Fredericton council's meeting with provincial party leaders was supposed to focus on municipal issues, but comments by the premier about asylum seekers lit fireworks at city hall Monday night.

While leaders from all three political parties represented in the legislature spoke at the special event, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs' comments about asylum seekers and their purported impact on the province's health-care system drew a sharp rebuke from Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers.

In a question and answer session after Higgs's speech, Rogers said the percentage of Fredericton residents without a primary care provider had jumped from 14 per cent to 33 per cent in four years, and she asked Higgs what the government was doing to attract more doctors.

"The increase in population would've had a huge impact on the number of patients that don't have family physicians. That's why with additional asylum seekers that would've added to your list if they moved here," said Higgs.

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers called Higgs's comments about asylum seekers 'offensive.' (Aidan Cox/CBC)

"I wish you would not deflect and constantly refer to asylum seekers. I find that offensive, personally," said Rogers.

"Well you may, your worship. However, the issue is real," said Higgs.

Last week in Moncton, the premier told an audience that Ottawa was "considering a plan" to send 4,600 asylum seekers to the province.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller later called those comments "largely fictitious."

Higgs has also said asylum seekers are linked to the lack of housing in the province.

• Ottawa says Higgs allegation on asylum seekers 'largely fictitious'

• Migrant advocate responds to Higgs's comments about asylum seekers

He said that while more housing was being built, the city would not be able to deal with a further influx of asylum seekers.

"You think that Fredericton could handle potentially 1,000 more people with no federal supports in place, no provincial supports in place?" said Higgs.

He did not address the impact on housing availability of people arriving through other immigration processes, or from Canadian residents moving to New Brunswick from other parts of the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordan Gill

Reporter

Jordan Gill is a CBC reporter based out of Fredericton. He can be reached at jordan.gill@cbc.ca.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/isthmus-funding-ottawa-federal-government-nova-scotia-new-brunswick-1.7325554 

 

Federal cabinet ministers chastise Houston, Higgs over Chignecto Isthmus funding

Ottawa plans to cover $325 million and wants N.B. and N.S. to cover other half

 

Jean Laroche · CBC News · Posted: Sep 17, 2024 1:53 PM ADT 

 

 

The Chignecto Isthmus is the strip of land that connects New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia. It's an integral trade corridor and is vulnerable to flooding from the effects of climate change. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

A disagreement over who should foot the bill for the work necessary to protect the Chignecto Isthmus has devolved into a war of words between Ottawa, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

On Tuesday, the federal government made public letters from two federal ministers, Dominic LeBlanc and Sean Fraser, blaming premiers Blaine Higgs and Tim Houston for jeopardizing that work by not agreeing to share in the cost to repair or replace the aging dike system. 

Those structures help protect the stretch of land between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick from flooding that could sever that link. With millions of dollars of trade passing through the corridor each day, along with a rail connection and transmission lines between the two provinces, the concern is that a major storm could cut Nova Scotia off from the rest of the country.

"We must act now to protect the Chignecto Isthmus against the increasing threat of severe weather events and flooding," Fraser noted in a letter to Houston dated Sept. 16.

"Officials from all three governments continue to work collaboratively, and are awaiting the political signal to begin next steps — a signal which does not seem to be forthcoming from either Nova Scotia or New Brunswick."

LeBlanc's letter to Higgs is less pointed, but also noted Ottawa was prepared to cover what it saw as half the cost of the project, $325 million.

"A commitment from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to jointly fund the remaining 50 per cent of the project costs would allow this project to move forward under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund," wrote LeBlanc. "Without such a commitment, the project will be ineligible for support through the program."

The letter went on to say that if Nova Scotia and New Brunswick don't cover half of the cost, Fraser "will be required to reallocate the funding to other communities who are willing and ready to comply with the program's requirements."

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, right, and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, left, are being accused by federal ministers of not paying their share of costs to protect the Chignecto Isthmus. (Radio-Canada)

Both LeBlanc and Fraser implored the provinces to agree to chip in "before it is too late."

The two provincial governments have signed an agreement for how they will work together on the early planning stages required in the lead up to the upgrade of the isthmus. They recently announced a project manager who will oversee work that includes data collection, regulatory measures, stakeholder meetings and archaeological reports. 

Court action started in 2023

The Houston government has asked the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal to rule on whether this work is entirely a federal responsibility. It initiated court action in July 2023 but submitted the reasoning for its claim last Friday.

Houston then sent a copy of the province's factum to Nova Scotia's Liberal members of Parliament imploring them to lobby their own government on the province's behalf.

"I ask that you use your position to urge your government to reconsider its position and take full responsibility for the costs of the Isthmus," wrote Houston. "The province will be there to support with design and in any practical capacity."

The alternative would mean a lengthy court case, said Houston, who added he was "confident the province will be successful."

'A dollar that is taken away from health care'

On Sunday, Houston went a step further, issuing a news release accusing the federal government of "inaction."

"While project priorities continue to be met and tenders issued, every dollar that the province spends on this is a dollar that is taken away from health care, other provincial priorities and Nova Scotians," said Houston.

He said that is why the province has gone to court to determine what level of government is responsible for paying for the work. 

Fraser referenced Houston's claims that the project could impact plans for a new seawall in Halifax, upgrades to the Lunenburg waterfront as well as health-care spending. 

"I would remind you that the current federal government has provided some of the largest Canada Health Transfers to Nova Scotia in our history," said Fraser.

"There is no good justification to threaten a reduction in health-care spending, particularly when so many Nova Scotian households live with real anxiety over health needs that continue to go unmet."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jean Laroche

Reporter

Jean Laroche has been a CBC reporter since 1987. He's been covering Nova Scotia politics since 1995 and has been at Province House longer than any sitting member.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

 

 

140 Comments

 

 

 

David Amos
The plot thickens before 2 provincial elections

David Amos
Reply to David Amos
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/fixed-election-dates-tories-liberals-ndp-1.7228291

David Amos
Reply to David Amos
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/liberals-launch-campaign-election-1.7316773

Dan Wilkinson
Reply to David Amos
... and federal (wink, nudge) next spring.

David Amos
Reply to David Amos
"Local government leaders, including Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers and Sitansisk Chief Allan Polchies, were in attendance on Sunday.

Rogers declined to comment, while Polchies said he believes in Holt's policy direction."

However

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/higgs-ftn-council-meeting-1.7325212

David Amos
Reply to Dan Wilkinson
Thats up to the Bloc

wayne tighe
Reply to David Amos
Why would you recognize a separatist party . Things have to change here .

Dan Wilkinson
Reply to David Amos
and after yesterday we can pretty well imagine what their thought process will be.

Jake Newman
Content Deactivated
at least soon Fraser and LeBlanc will be voted out from being in power.

David Amos
Content Deactivated

Reply to Jake Newman
They can waste a lot of money in the meantime



Robert Snider
feds built a new bridge in Montreal without charging tolls...don't need any tolls for their responsibility to ensure two provinces are linked properly.

David Amos
Reply to Robert Snider
Well put


 

Hugh MacDonald
Our trip to Hell is going to need a bigger handbasket or cart.

David Amos
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
C'est Vrai

 

 

Jack Bell
"$1.7B to clean up orphaned and abandoned wells could create thousands of jobs"

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/federal-oil-and-gas-orphan-wells-program-1.5535943

Is it weird the fed will give $1.7 Billion to bail out the oil industry when they don't clean up their own messes but only $325 million to try to fix the problems created by burning fossil fuels?

Buford Wilson 

Content Deactivated

Reply to Jack Bell
Burning oil has nothing to do with the state of the Chignecto Isthmus, Jack.   

Jack Bell
Reply to Buford Wilson
You seem to have missed the very first 2 sentences Buford... that's OK, I'll post it here so someone can read it to you.

"The Chignecto Isthmus is the strip of land that connects New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia. It's an integral trade corridor and is vulnerable to flooding from the effects of climate change"

David Amos
Reply to Buford Wilson
Welcome back to the circus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-child-advocate-youth-mental-health-crisis-1.7325775

 

N.B. child advocate says youth mental health a 'genuine crisis'

Kelly Lamrock says results from Statistics Canada report on youth mental health mirror provincial observations

 

Hannah Rudderham · CBC News · Posted: Sep 17, 2024 3:33 PM ADT

 

 

Child and youth advocate Kelly Lamrock said the results from the Statistics Canada report are not surprising. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

New Brunswick's child and youth advocate says a surge in young people reporting poor mental health, outlined in a recent Statistics Canada report, is being seen in New Brunswick. 

Kelly Lamrock said his last state of the child report outlined a spike in children presenting with serious and escalated mental health issues. 

Lamrock, speaking on Shift, said he believes there are three main issues contributing to this — the lack of a primary care system for mental health, the lack of timely intervention because there aren't enough trained professionals, and environmental issues, such as social media.

"Those three factors — I think they're all colliding to create a genuine crisis in youth mental health."

The Statistics Canada report, released last week, showed that about one in five youth who felt their mental health was "good" or better in 2019 no longer felt that way in 2023. 

It also noted that the rates for girls and boys who said their mental health was "fair" or "poor" in 2019 more than doubled in 2023.

Both Boyes and and Lamrock said social media has created issues with teen mental health. The Department of Education recently updated its technology policy to restrict cellphones in classrooms. (Martin Diotte/CBC)

Michael Boyes, a developmental psychologist from the University of Calgary, said the StatsCan numbers are based on the same individuals who were interviewed when they were between the ages of 12 and 17, in 2019, and when they were 16 to 21, in 2023. 

"That's telling us that there's something going on, particularly importantly, in the latter half of the teenage years," said Boyes. "We've noticed, over the last 10 years, there's been an alarming increase ... in the level of mental health issues amongst teenagers."

He said the StatsCan data shows there was an additional negative bump as a result of COVID and the period of social isolation that came with that. 

Because of this social isolation, Boyes said the social connections that were possible were through social media — which introduced "a number of issues that we're trying to sort out," including intense comparison to peers.

• N.B. mental health system continues to fall short for many troubled youth, say counsellors

• One year after a cellphone ban, an N.B. high school principal is seeing results

Lamrock said the pandemic exacerbated a trend that was already happening.

"We have tended to steer children away from free exploration and then left them free in a world of completely unregulated content," he said.

"And the pandemic didn't help ... it, frankly, just sped up trends that were happening."

Lamrock said the StatsCan results weren't surprising, and it's clear policymakers are aware of the crisis based on sustained increases to mental health funding.

Earlier in the year, the Department of Education updated its technology policy, Policy 311, to add a section that limits cellphone use in class, at the discretion of the teacher, to educational reasons. 

Lamrock said that was a good first step. His office has assembled a team of pediatricians, psychologists, educators and others to develop a set of guidelines on social media access and the right to play, which he said will be published late fall.

Shift - NB 10:32

 Kids Mental Health

The province's child and youth advocate Kelly Lamrock weighs in on Statistics Canada's latest mental health survey of young people.

But he said there are other things that should be considered going forward, including federal regulations on algorithms and primary care reform.

"Coming up with this idea of what is primary care and mental health, I think, is one of the most important puzzles to try and solve," he said.

"So we've certainly seen policymakers in New Brunswick and elsewhere with a willingness to commit resources.

"Now we all need to discuss and learn and see what the experts tell us in terms of regulating the industry, improving the ability of children to play, and making sure that primary care — and recruiting enough professionals to actually execute a plan — is a priority after the next election."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hannah Rudderham

Journalist

Hannah Rudderham is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick. She grew up in Cape Breton, N.S., and moved to Fredericton in 2018. You can send story tips to hannah.rudderham@cbc.ca.

With files from Shift

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17 Comments

 

 

David Amos

Yea right this lawyer has ignored my concerns about the well being of my children for 20 years 

 

 

 

Matt Steele

Content Deactivated 

Maybe Kelly Lamrock should take a look in the mirror if he wants to know what is creating mental health issues among our youth . The " woke " folks have pushed our youth into a tail spin of confusion , and then the same " woke " folks wonder what the issue is .  

 

David Amos
Reply to Matt Steele 

Imagine me agreeing with you again?  

 

 

 

Hugh MacDonald

I'm in my 80th. year and I'm glad I'm not a youth these days.  

 

David Amos
Reply to Hugh MacDonald 

I am only 72 and I wish I were 18 again  

 

Greg Miller 

Reply to Hugh MacDonald

As another senior I agree -- especially in this Province! 

 

Daniel Franklin

Mental health issues are on the rise amongst the entire populous. 

 

James Risdon 

Reply to Daniel Franklin  

Maybe more people need hugs.

 

David Amos
Reply to Daniel Franklin

Higgy seems to be a little off lately 

 

 

 

Dianne MacPherson

What's with this Team assembled by Lamrock ??

Who authorized funding and who exactly is on this Team ??

MR Cain   

Reply to Dianne MacPherson 

In 2021 the Higgs government appointed Lamrock to the new post of Child and Youth Advocate for New Brunswick. Lamrock would have staff, so call it a team.  

 

 

 

Matt Steele

Unfortunately , the " woke " folks have pushed our youth into a tail spin of confusion , and then the same " woke " people wonder why there is mental illness among our youth . Maybe Lamrock should take a look in the mirror at himself .

 

 

 

Gerrit Lafleur 

As is gluttony 

 

 

 

Greg Miller  

I don't think anyone in authority is listening. In contrast Charlottetown has actually establish and "emergency department" strictly for mental health. 

 

 

 

William Peters

I see only one factor and its capitalism's never ending push to alienate us from who we are. It aims to make us unhappy consumers who are never satisfied. Children are now exposed to this as soon as they are access to the algorithms from their screens.

 

 

James Risdon  

Reply to William Peters

Oh, I don't know. When I buy a new guitar, I feel pretty happy and not at all alienated.

 

MR Cain   

Reply to William Peters

I prefer Lamrock's reasoning to an implied conspiracy of capitalism. 

 

 

 

James Risdon 

The mental health of boys and girls is now worse than it was in 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic when we forced children to wear facemasks and scared them half to death with stories of a killer virus.

Here's a thought: maybe we should have let kids be kids.

During the Cold War, when there was a very real threat of nuclear war with all its incumbent atrocities, we kids were actually pretty happy playing outside with sticks and toy guns and dolls and Lego and Meccano sets, lighting firecrackers, catching frogs, climbing trees and playing all kinds of sports.

We weren't scared by adults all the time about the horrors of the impending nuclear war. Adults assumed their responsibilities and we children just went to school, played, and slept comfortably in our beds.

In those days, a family consisted of a mother and a father. We went to church on Sundays and the priest would reassure us by telling us that Jesus loved us. People trusted in God and said grace before meals to thank Him for the food we enjoyed. Mothers and fathers stayed together through thick and thin, providing stability for the children.

It seems to me it was a pretty good way to grow up. 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/higgs-ftn-council-meeting-1.7325212 

 

Higgs doubles down on asylum seekers rhetoric in meeting with Fredericton council

City's mayor calls comments 'offensive'

 

Jordan Gill · CBC News · Posted: Sep 17, 2024 11:01 AM ADT

 

 

When Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers asked what the government was doing to reduce the number of residents in the city without a primary care provider, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said 'additional asylum seekers' would increase that number. (Shane Fowler/CBC)

Fredericton council's meeting with provincial party leaders was supposed to focus on municipal issues, but comments by the premier about asylum seekers lit fireworks at city hall Monday night.

While leaders from all three political parties represented in the legislature spoke at the special event, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs' comments about asylum seekers and their purported impact on the province's health-care system drew a sharp rebuke from Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers.

In a question and answer session after Higgs's speech, Rogers said the percentage of Fredericton residents without a primary care provider had jumped from 14 per cent to 33 per cent in four years, and she asked Higgs what the government was doing to attract more doctors.

"The increase in population would've had a huge impact on the number of patients that don't have family physicians. That's why with additional asylum seekers that would've added to your list if they moved here," said Higgs.

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers called Higgs's comments about asylum seekers 'offensive.' (Aidan Cox/CBC)

"I wish you would not deflect and constantly refer to asylum seekers. I find that offensive, personally," said Rogers.

"Well you may, your worship. However, the issue is real," said Higgs.

Last week in Moncton, the premier told an audience that Ottawa was "considering a plan" to send 4,600 asylum seekers to the province.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller later called those comments "largely fictitious."

Higgs has also said asylum seekers are linked to the lack of housing in the province.

• Ottawa says Higgs allegation on asylum seekers 'largely fictitious'

• Migrant advocate responds to Higgs's comments about asylum seekers

He said that while more housing was being built, the city would not be able to deal with a further influx of asylum seekers.

"You think that Fredericton could handle potentially 1,000 more people with no federal supports in place, no provincial supports in place?" said Higgs.

He did not address the impact on housing availability of people arriving through other immigration processes, or from Canadian residents moving to New Brunswick from other parts of the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordan Gill

Reporter

Jordan Gill is a CBC reporter based out of Fredericton. He can be reached at jordan.gill@cbc.ca.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices