David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Methinks Higgy must recall what his buddy Krissy Baby Austin must recall what he and the other talking talking heads were saying on CBC before he got elected nearly 10 years ago N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1575937266
New Brunswick Political Panel
- 9 years ago
- News
- 38:28
The weekly CBC News political panel, hosted by Terry Seguin
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/new-brunswick/nb-info-morning-fred/
Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities
Dr. Chris Goodyear, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, along with Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, and trial lawyer and former Liberal MLA Mike Murphy, who y was also health minister in the Shawn Graham government, respond to the changes to ER service in some smaller communities.
Download Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities
[mp3 file: runs 00:14:17]
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/new-brunswick/nb-info-morning-fred/
Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities
Dr. Chris Goodyear, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, along with Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, and trial lawyer and former Liberal MLA Mike Murphy, who y was also health minister in the Shawn Graham government, respond to the changes to ER service in some smaller communities.
Download Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities[mp3 file: runs 00:14:17]
http://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2015/09/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html
Friday, 18 September 2015
David Raymond Amos Versus The Crown T-1557-15
Court File No. T-1557-15
FEDERAL
COURT
BETWEEN:
DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
Plaintiff
and
HER
MAJESTY THE QUEEN
Defendant
STATEMENT OF CLAIM
The Parties
1. HER
MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crown)
is Elizabeth II, the Queen of England, the Protector of the Faith of the Church
of England, the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom and one of the
wealthiest persons in the world. Canada pays homage to the Queen because she
remained the Head of State and the Chief Executive Officer of Canada after the Canada
Act 1982 (U.K.) 1982, c. 11 came
into force on April 17, 1982. The standing of the Queen in Canada was explained
within the 2002 Annual Report FORM 18-K filed by Canada with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It states as follows:
“The
executive power of the federal Government is vested in the Queen, represented
by the Governor General, whose powers are exercised on the advice of the
federal Cabinet, which is responsible to the House of Commons. The legislative
branch at the federal level, Parliament, consists of the Crown, the Senate and
the House of Commons.”
“The
executive power in each province is vested in the Lieutenant Governor,
appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the federal Cabinet.
The Lieutenant Governor’s powers are exercised on the advice of the
provincial cabinet, which is responsible to the legislative assembly. Each
provincial legislature is composed of a Lieutenant Governor and a legislative assembly
made up of members elected for a period of five years.”
2. Her
Majesty the Queen is the named defendant pursuant to sections 23(1) and 36 of the
Crown Liability and Proceedings Act. Some of the state actors whose duties and actions are at issue in this
action are the Prime Minister, Premiers, Governor General, Lieutenant
Governors, members of the Canadian Forces (CF), and Royal Canadian Mounted
Police (RCMP), federal and provincial Ministers of Public Safety, Ministers of
Justice, Ministers of Finance, Speakers, Clerks, Sergeants-at-Arms and any
other person acting as Aide-de-Camp providing security within and around the
House of Commons, the legislative assemblies or acting as security for other federal,
provincial and municipal properties.
3. Her
Majesty the Queen’s servants the RCMP
whose mandate is to serve and protect Canadian citizens and assist in the
security of parliamentary properties and the protection of public officials
should not deny a correspondence from a former Deputy Prime Minister who was
appointed to be Canada’s first Minister of Public Safety in order to oversee
the RCMP and their cohorts. The letter that
helped to raise the ire of a fellow Canadian citizen who had never voted in his
life to run for public office four times thus far is quoted as follows:
“Mr. David R. Amos Jan 3rd, 2004
153Alvin Avenue
Milton, MA U.S.A. 02186
Dear Mr. Amos
Thank you for your letter of November 19th,
2003, addressed to
my predecessor, the Honourble
Wayne Easter, regarding your safety.
I apologize for the delay in
responding.
If you have any concerns about your
personal safety, I can only
suggest that you contact the
police of local jurisdiction. In addition, any
evidence of criminal activity
should be brought to their attention since the
police are in the best position
to evaluate the information and take action
as deemed appropriate.
I trust that this information is
satisfactory.
Yours sincerely
A. Anne McLellan”20. The Plaintiff states that the RCMP and the members of the FPF who harassed the Plaintiff in September of 2006 while he was a candidate in the NB provincial election would not explain why the NB Sergeant-at-Arms and the COC had barred him with a document written in English only or why it was not published in the Royal Gazette. Members of the FPF who violated the Plaintiff’s privacy trying to read an email that he was composing on a laptop within his car parked on private property refused to explain why they thought they had the right do so as they attempted to interrogate him without a warrant or due process of law. Members of the FPF refused to take the same documents the RCMP had so that their major crimes unit could finally investigate after they demanded that the Plaintiff identify himself so they could check for warrants for his arrest. The FPF would not discuss what they would do if he returned to the UNB campus or if he parked a vehicle and put money in a parking meter on the side of Queen Street claimed by the Sergeant-at-Arms. In February of 2007 after a Cabinet Minister of NB acknowledged his concerns with the RCMP, his children took pictures of the Plaintiff standing on the legislative property and the Sergeant-at-Arms and the FPF did nothing that day. However, the police harassment got worse afterwards. The FPF tried to call him a criminal while the Plaintiff waited for answers before he argued the Crown in court about his property that the FPF had illegally seized. The text of two emails that the Crown and the FPF sent in 2007 are as follows:
“Date:
Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:02:35 -0400
From: "Murphy, Michael B. \(DH/MS\)" MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
From: "Murphy, Michael B. \(DH/MS\)" MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
Subject:
January 30, 2007
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Mr. David Amos
Dear Mr. Amos:
This will acknowledge receipt of a copy of your e-mail of December
29, 2006 to Corporal Warren McBeath
of the RCMP. Because of the
nature of the allegations
made in your message, I have taken the
measure of forwarding a
copy to Assistant Commissioner Steve Graham
of the RCMP “J” Division in
Fredericton .
Sincerely,
Honourable Michael B. Murphy
Minister of Health”
AND
“From: “Lafleur, Lou”
lou.lafleur@fredericton.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com,
Subject: Fredericton Police Force
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:21:13 -0300
To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com,
Subject: Fredericton Police Force
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:21:13 -0300
Dear Mr. Amos
My Name is Lou LaFleur and I am a Detective with the Fredericton Police
Major Crime Unit. I would like to talk to you regarding files that I am investigating
and that you are alleged to have involvement in.
Please call me at your earliest
convenience and leave a message and a phone number on my secure and
confidential line if I am not in my office.
yours truly,
Cpl. Lou LaFleur
Fredericton Police Force
311 Queen St.
Fredericton, NB
506-460-2332
Fredericton Police Force
311 Queen St.
Fredericton, NB
506-460-2332
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vugUalUO8YY
RCMP Sussex New Brunswick
2,205 views
•Apr 4, 2013
40 subscribers
---------- Original message ----------
From: Barbara Massey <Barbara.Massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 19:30:16 -0500
Subject: Re: YO Mr Higgs Re My right to MEDICARE and NO MORE false
imprisonment Just as I get another bill from Vitalité I hear Horizon
want the RCMP to arrest me AGAIN TRUE or FALSE??? (Out of Office )
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
I am out of the office until Tuesday, February 18 and have
intermittent access to Email. For any urgencies, please contact
Jennifer Duggan, General Counsel, at 613 825 2981, or my admin
assistant, Sandra Lofaro 613 843 3540..
------------------------------
Je suis absent du bureau jusqu'à mardi 18 février, et j'aurai un accès
intermittent aux courriéls. Pour toute urgence,.vous pouvez
communiquer avec Jennifer Duggan, Avocate générale, au 613 825 2981,
ou avec mon adjointe admin. Sandra Lofaro 613 843 3540.
>>> David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 20:29:13 -0400
Subject: YO Mr Higgs Re My right to MEDICARE and NO MORE false imprisonment
Just as I get another bill from Vitalité I hear Horizon want the RCMP to arrest me AGAIN
TRUE or FALSE???
To: "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, dale.morgan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
"Mark.Blakely" <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Roger.Brown"
<Roger.Brown@fredericton.ca>, "martin.gaudet" <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>,
"Brenda.Lucki" <Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "barbara.massey"
<barbara.massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Cc: "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, lclark@nbpower.com, colleen.dentremont@
"Ginette.PetitpasTaylor" <Ginette.PetitpasTaylor@parl.
"Sherry.Wilson" <Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, megan.mitton@gnb.ca, "David.Coon" <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, "Arseneau, Kevin (LEG)"
<Kevin.A.Arseneau@gnb.ca>, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>,
Nathalie Sturgeon <sturgeon.nathalie@
<mary.wilson@gnb.ca>, "steve.murphy" <steve.murphy@ctv.ca>,
"nick.brown" <nick.brown@gnb.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>,
Cc: "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, lclark@nbpower.com, colleen.dentremont@
"Ginette.PetitpasTaylor" <Ginette.PetitpasTaylor@parl.
"Sherry.Wilson" <Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, megan.mitton@gnb.ca, "David.Coon" <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, "Arseneau, Kevin (LEG)"
<Kevin.A.Arseneau@gnb.ca>, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>,
Nathalie Sturgeon <sturgeon.nathalie@
<mary.wilson@gnb.ca>, "steve.murphy" <steve.murphy@ctv.ca>,
"nick.brown" <nick.brown@gnb.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>,
"Kevin.Vickers" <Kevin.Vickers@gnb.ca>,"Tim.RICHARDSON"
<Tim.RICHARDSON@gnb.ca>, "Trevor.Holder" <Trevor.Holder@gnb.ca>,
"rick.desaulniers" <rick.desaulniers@gnb.ca>, "michelle.conroy" <michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>, "Mike.Comeau" <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, "carl. davies" <carl.davies@gnb.ca>, "carl.urquhart" <carl.urquhart@gnb.ca>, "Cathy.Rogers" <Cathy.Rogers@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin" <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>,"Roger.L.Melanson" <roger.l.melanson@gnb.ca>, "ron.tremblay2" <ron.tremblay2@gmail.com>, philippe@dunsky.com,
Steven_Reid3@carleton.ca, "darrow.macintyre" <darrow.macintyre@cbc.ca>, "Chuck.Thompson" <Chuck.Thompson@cbc.ca>,"sylvie.gadoury" <sylvie.gadoury@radio-canada.
Methinks it must be because of my recent comments in CBC about your
nonsense about emergency Rooms etc N’esy Pas???
Here is just a few that are recorded within my blog etc
https://davidraymondamos3.
Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Deputy premier must decide whether to fall in line on health-care
reforms, Higgs says
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Methinks I have every right to laugh as Jean Gauvin's bouncing baby boy dices with Higgy et al as an Independent N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/deputy-premier-robert-gauvin-1.5463938
Gauvin resigns as deputy premier, will sit as an independent
The former PC MLA has quit over Blaine Higgs's health reform announcement
· CBC News · Posted: Feb 14, 2020 11:32 AM AT
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier and will sit in the legislature as an independent. (CBC)
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier in the Progressive Conservative government and will sit as an independent MLA.
Gauvin made the announcement in Shippagan this morning.
He said he was quitting over recently announced health reforms, including the nighttime closure of six hospital emergency rooms. One of them is in the Enfant-Jésus Hospital in nearby Caraquet, where Gauvin was born.
"This reform is an attack on rural New Brunswick," he said, describing calls he received from people in other affected communities, including Sackville and Sussex.
Gauvin is a first-term MLA for the riding of Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou and had been the only francophone member of the provincial cabinet of Premier Blaine Higgs and of the PC caucus.
"Every government needs an Acadian voice," Gauvin said just before the 2018 election campaign. "We're here and we have to be heard."
His departure puts in question the survival of the Higgs minority government.
Assuming Speaker Daniel Guitard, a Liberal, steps down and rejoins his party's caucus, the combined strength of the Liberals, Greens and Gauvin would be 24 seats.
The PCs and the People's Alliance, who support the government in confidence votes, would have only 22, assuming a new speaker is selected from their ranks.
The Liberals have vowed to introduce a non-confidence motion to bring down the PC government and force an election.
The legislature resumes sitting March 10.
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier and will sit in the legislature as an independent. (CBC)
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier in the Progressive Conservative government and will sit as an independent MLA.
Gauvin made the announcement in Shippagan on Friday morning in front of a large crowd of supporters, who gave him a long standing ovation.
He said he was quitting over recently announced health reforms, including the nighttime closure of six hospital emergency rooms. One of them is in the Enfant-Jésus Hospital in nearby Caraquet, where Gauvin was born.
"This reform is an attack on rural New Brunswick," he said, describing calls he received from people in other affected communities, including Sackville and Sussex.
One caller from Sussex "told me, 'Mr. Gauvin, please don't let us down. Please don't let us down. You'll need to do something more to make sure this doesn't happen.'"
At an afternoon news conference Premier Blaine Higgs said he had no intention of retreating from the reforms, which will affect emergency departments in Sussex, Sackville, Perth-Andover, Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, Caraquet and Grand Falls.
"Our government's resolve remains strong," he said. "We will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the province."
He urged New Brunswickers to look at the details of the reforms, which the province says will allow for the shifting of resources to daytime services, including doctors and nurse practitioners who will be able to see more patients and reduce wait times.
"I understand the concerns. I know change is not easy," Higgs said. But "the system will improve. Your health care will improve."
Gauvin is a first-term MLA for the riding of Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou and had been the only francophone member of the provincial cabinet and of the PC caucus.
"Every government needs an Acadian voice," Gauvin said just before the 2018 election campaign. "We're here and we have to be heard."
His departure puts in question the survival of the minority government of Blaine Higgs.
Assuming Speaker Daniel Guitard, a Liberal, steps down and rejoins his party's caucus, the combined strength of the Liberals, Greens and Gauvin would be 24 seats.
The PCs and the People's Alliance, who support the government in confidence votes, would have only 22, assuming a new speaker is selected from their ranks. Higgs said his party would put someone forward for the post if necessary.
The Liberals have vowed to introduce a non-confidence motion to bring down the PC government and force an election.
Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers said in a statement that he has not yet spoken to Guitard about resigning as speaker.
"In terms of strategy moving forward there are a lot of moving parts, so stay tuned."
Higgs said he hasn't decided whether to call an election himself before the legislature resumes next month or wait and see if he is defeated in the house.
"All decisions are on the table," he said, including folding two unscheduled byelections into a general election.
But he said with emotions running high, he'd like to "give this a little time to settle" and will talk to his caucus about whether to trigger a campaign.
Premier Blaine Higgs said he hasn't decided whether to call an election himself before the legislature resumes next month or wait to see if he is defeated in the house. (CBC News)
Still, he acknowledged there's no clear path to getting his budget passed next month.
"It's going to be tense, isn't it?" he joked as several cabinet ministers and his wife Marcia looked on.
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin, whose party has supported the PCs on all confidence votes since it took power, said Friday he may now withdraw that support.
"My biggest concern from day one has been 'What do these folks [in the six communities] have as a backup?' We've got a paramedic situation that's still not stabilized."
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin says New Brunswick's paramedic situation is still not stabilized. (CBC)
"I've been hearing over the last few days from citizens, I've been hearing from paramedics, I've been hearing from others, and it's certainly galvanizing us towards not supporting these changes."
The legislature resumes sitting March 10.
But Austin said he would not be surprised if Higgs calls an election before then.
"I'm kind of wondering if we'll even get there, frankly. At this point I think the writing's on the wall, and it's up to the premier now to make that decision."
Even so, he would not say how his MLAs will vote on the budget or on the non-confidence motion.
Gauvin told reporters after his announcement in Shippagan that he hasn't decided whether to vote against the PC budget on March 10, but he said an election would be one way to stop the reforms.
He said he felt "bullied" in recent days by people within the PC party who tried to pressure him.
"They said, 'Robert, the people in your area elected you to work on behalf of Shippagan. Why are you working for Caraquet?' … We have to stop navel gazing. Thirty-five percent of the people in my riding use that hospital."
Higgs said he did not know who from the party would have said that to Gauvin and wasn't aware of it until asked about it at the news conference.
Gauvin was one of two PC MLAs who publicly opposed the health reforms. Bruce Northrup, whose Sussex-Fundy-St. Martin's riding has another affected hospital, said Thursday he "cannot support" the changes.
Northrup said he plans to remain a PC member and support the government's overall agenda but has left the door open to voting for the Liberal motion or against the budget.
"If there is a confidence vote that comes up, when and if, then I will have to make a decision then," he said Thursday on CBC's As It Happens. If the government falls, he said, "I'll have a clear conscience."
Green Leader David Coon said Friday that his party will support a non-confidence motion in the house.
He also said he'd welcome Gauvin as a Green Party candidate in the next election.
"I think he'd be a great candidate, absolutely," he said, adding he was impressed by Gauvin's courage and believed Gauvin's father would be proud of him.
Gauvin made the announcement in Shippagan this morning.
He said he was quitting over recently announced health reforms, including the nighttime closure of six hospital emergency rooms. One of them is in the Enfant-Jésus Hospital in nearby Caraquet, where Gauvin was born.
"This reform is an attack on rural New Brunswick," he said, describing calls he received from people in other affected communities, including Sackville and Sussex.
Gauvin is a first-term MLA for the riding of Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou and had been the only francophone member of the provincial cabinet of Premier Blaine Higgs and of the PC caucus.
"Every government needs an Acadian voice," Gauvin said just before the 2018 election campaign. "We're here and we have to be heard."
His departure puts in question the survival of the Higgs minority government.
Assuming Speaker Daniel Guitard, a Liberal, steps down and rejoins his party's caucus, the combined strength of the Liberals, Greens and Gauvin would be 24 seats.
The PCs and the People's Alliance, who support the government in confidence votes, would have only 22, assuming a new speaker is selected from their ranks.
The Liberals have vowed to introduce a non-confidence motion to bring down the PC government and force an election.
The legislature resumes sitting March 10.
Gauvin sits as an independent as Higgs debates calling an election
The former PC MLA has quit over Blaine Higgs's health reform announcement
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier and will sit in the legislature as an independent. (CBC)
Robert Gauvin has resigned as deputy premier in the Progressive Conservative government and will sit as an independent MLA.
Gauvin made the announcement in Shippagan on Friday morning in front of a large crowd of supporters, who gave him a long standing ovation.
He said he was quitting over recently announced health reforms, including the nighttime closure of six hospital emergency rooms. One of them is in the Enfant-Jésus Hospital in nearby Caraquet, where Gauvin was born.
"This reform is an attack on rural New Brunswick," he said, describing calls he received from people in other affected communities, including Sackville and Sussex.
One caller from Sussex "told me, 'Mr. Gauvin, please don't let us down. Please don't let us down. You'll need to do something more to make sure this doesn't happen.'"
At an afternoon news conference Premier Blaine Higgs said he had no intention of retreating from the reforms, which will affect emergency departments in Sussex, Sackville, Perth-Andover, Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, Caraquet and Grand Falls.
"Our government's resolve remains strong," he said. "We will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the province."
He urged New Brunswickers to look at the details of the reforms, which the province says will allow for the shifting of resources to daytime services, including doctors and nurse practitioners who will be able to see more patients and reduce wait times.
"I understand the concerns. I know change is not easy," Higgs said. But "the system will improve. Your health care will improve."
Gauvin is a first-term MLA for the riding of Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou and had been the only francophone member of the provincial cabinet and of the PC caucus.
"Every government needs an Acadian voice," Gauvin said just before the 2018 election campaign. "We're here and we have to be heard."
Government put into question
His departure puts in question the survival of the minority government of Blaine Higgs.
Assuming Speaker Daniel Guitard, a Liberal, steps down and rejoins his party's caucus, the combined strength of the Liberals, Greens and Gauvin would be 24 seats.
The PCs and the People's Alliance, who support the government in confidence votes, would have only 22, assuming a new speaker is selected from their ranks. Higgs said his party would put someone forward for the post if necessary.
'All decisions are on the table'
The Liberals have vowed to introduce a non-confidence motion to bring down the PC government and force an election.
Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers said in a statement that he has not yet spoken to Guitard about resigning as speaker.
"In terms of strategy moving forward there are a lot of moving parts, so stay tuned."
Higgs said he hasn't decided whether to call an election himself before the legislature resumes next month or wait and see if he is defeated in the house.
"All decisions are on the table," he said, including folding two unscheduled byelections into a general election.
But he said with emotions running high, he'd like to "give this a little time to settle" and will talk to his caucus about whether to trigger a campaign.
Premier Blaine Higgs said he hasn't decided whether to call an election himself before the legislature resumes next month or wait to see if he is defeated in the house. (CBC News)
Still, he acknowledged there's no clear path to getting his budget passed next month.
"It's going to be tense, isn't it?" he joked as several cabinet ministers and his wife Marcia looked on.
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin, whose party has supported the PCs on all confidence votes since it took power, said Friday he may now withdraw that support.
"My biggest concern from day one has been 'What do these folks [in the six communities] have as a backup?' We've got a paramedic situation that's still not stabilized."
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin says New Brunswick's paramedic situation is still not stabilized. (CBC)
"I've been hearing over the last few days from citizens, I've been hearing from paramedics, I've been hearing from others, and it's certainly galvanizing us towards not supporting these changes."
The legislature resumes sitting March 10.
But Austin said he would not be surprised if Higgs calls an election before then.
"I'm kind of wondering if we'll even get there, frankly. At this point I think the writing's on the wall, and it's up to the premier now to make that decision."
Even so, he would not say how his MLAs will vote on the budget or on the non-confidence motion.
Bullied by people within the party
Gauvin told reporters after his announcement in Shippagan that he hasn't decided whether to vote against the PC budget on March 10, but he said an election would be one way to stop the reforms.
He said he felt "bullied" in recent days by people within the PC party who tried to pressure him.
"They said, 'Robert, the people in your area elected you to work on behalf of Shippagan. Why are you working for Caraquet?' … We have to stop navel gazing. Thirty-five percent of the people in my riding use that hospital."
Higgs said he did not know who from the party would have said that to Gauvin and wasn't aware of it until asked about it at the news conference.
Gauvin was one of two PC MLAs who publicly opposed the health reforms. Bruce Northrup, whose Sussex-Fundy-St. Martin's riding has another affected hospital, said Thursday he "cannot support" the changes.
Northrup said he plans to remain a PC member and support the government's overall agenda but has left the door open to voting for the Liberal motion or against the budget.
"If there is a confidence vote that comes up, when and if, then I will have to make a decision then," he said Thursday on CBC's As It Happens. If the government falls, he said, "I'll have a clear conscience."
Green Leader David Coon said Friday that his party will support a non-confidence motion in the house.
He also said he'd welcome Gauvin as a Green Party candidate in the next election.
"I think he'd be a great candidate, absolutely," he said, adding he was impressed by Gauvin's courage and believed Gauvin's father would be proud of him.
About the Author
482 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Methinks everybody knows why I am enjoying the circus N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: I
should be the first to admit that I was wrong. Jean Gauvin's bouncing
baby boy has every right to play the wicked game whichever way he wishes
let the political cards fall where they may just as I have the right to
laugh as my now fellow Independent dices with Higgy and all the rest.
Earlier today I predicted that if Gauvin were clever he would quit his seat and remove himself from the fray while keeping the PC fan base his Father had garnered in his corner. Then if he stayed out of the next election which will quite likely result in another minority he could keep his purported integrity intact if Higgy lost his bid for a second mandate, I figured in the next PC leadership race the comedian would be shoo-in for sure. If Higgy won methinks he could always join the Green Party or whatever and run in the next election N'esy Pas?
Earlier today I predicted that if Gauvin were clever he would quit his seat and remove himself from the fray while keeping the PC fan base his Father had garnered in his corner. Then if he stayed out of the next election which will quite likely result in another minority he could keep his purported integrity intact if Higgy lost his bid for a second mandate, I figured in the next PC leadership race the comedian would be shoo-in for sure. If Higgy won methinks he could always join the Green Party or whatever and run in the next election N'esy Pas?
Dan Lee
Reply to @David Amos:
You owe me...........I said independent ..you said no..............
David Amos
Reply to @Dan Lee: Look up
Goldie Gaynor
Gauvin knows this could trigger an election. Given that one of the hospitals is in his riding, what are the odds he'll get re-elected as a Conservative? Oh, the integrity!
Archie Levesque
Reply to @Goldie Gaynor: He will just flip & run as a Liberal. Gotta get 6 years in you know
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Goldie Gaynor:
Maybe even become the leader?
Maybe even become the leader?
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Archie Levesque: Or Green since he seems to be quite cozy with MLA K. Arseneau. of the Watermelon party.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Ahh you have been reading my comments I see
David Amos
Reply to @Mack Leigh: Oh My My ain't that a telling thing if true
Jake Giroux
With a bit of luck, New Brunswick will soon rid itself of this conservative government once and for all.
Charles GALL
Reply to @Jake Giroux: yes and get the peoples alliance party in there
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Jake
Giroux: I do not believe that will be luck but rather circumstance..
And then with the stupidity of the NB voters we will be right back in
the mess with another Liberal government... Flip/Flop is all we do while
going from bad to worse..
Jake Giroux
Reply to @Charles GALL: Green Party :)
Goldie Gaynor
Reply to @Mack Leigh: whazzit cost to change gov't? Nevermind the cost of an election. This is nuts, and we are paying.
Val Harris
Reply to @Charles GALL: hhahhaahah now thats funny
David Amos
Reply to @val harris: YUP
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Content disabled
FYI A little Buggie just landed on my shoulder and chirped in my ear that Brucey Baby is not gonna support Higgy this time https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/health-care-reforms-er-overnight-service-new-brunswick-sussex-1.5462014
LOOKY LOOKY BALLS ON HOOKY
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/bruce-northrup-emergency-room-hours-mla-sussex-1.5462299
Sussex MLA doesn't support Higgs's decision to cut overnight ER services
Opposition Liberals plan to introduce a non-confidence motion in the legislature next month
· CBC News · Posted: Feb 13, 2020 11:10 AM AT
Bruce Northrup, Progressive Conservative MLA for Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins, said he doesn't support government's decision to cut overnight hours to emergency room services at six community hospitals. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
The Progressive Conservative MLA for Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins says he will not endorse health reforms announced this week by the PC minority government.
Bruce Northrup told CBC News in an interview at his constituency office that he has not been convinced that the reforms, including the overnight closure of the emergency department at the Sussex Health Centre, are a good idea.
He said the next closest emergency departments, at hospitals in Moncton and Saint John, are already overburdened.
Northrup spoke with angry protesters outside the hospital in Sussex about the cut in ER services earlier this week. (Graham Thompson/CBC)
"I cannot support the proposal that Horizon Health has given to my government," he said. "I just can't go along with what they're saying."
Northrup said despite that, he plans to remain a PC MLA and continue to back the rest of the Higgs government's agenda.
"I have total respect for Premier Higgs," he said. "I have total respect for Minister Flemming."
Northrup said he hasn't thought through how he'll show his opposition to the changes, which do not require the passage of legislation to implement.
Province drops overnight ER hours in 6 hospitals and some people took to the streets in protest. 3:38
"I haven't thought that out 100 per cent yet."
The opposition Liberals plan to introduce a non-confidence motion in the legislature next month and Northrup would not rule out voting for that motion.
"I don't know at this point. I'll think about that over the next little while."
He said he informed Premier Blaine Higgs of his position Wednesday night and plans to talk to him again Thursday.
Higgs said Wednesday he was confident that once people understood the reforms, they would support them and that would extend to Northrup and another dissenting PC MLA, cabinet minister Robert Gauvin.
But Northrup said he doesn't see any chance he will change his mind.
"It's the constituents and stakeholders here at the Sussex Health Centre that I've listened to over the last couple of days. I'm here to represent them."
Gauvin plans to make an announcement about his political future Friday morning in Shippagan.
256 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
I wonder if Northrup and my MLA Wetmore are still laughing over the fact that I do not have a Medicare Card
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks Brucey has never accomplished that simple feat ever as he
contemplates hanging up his hat before the next writ is dropped N'esy
Pas?
"I haven't thought that out 100 per cent yet."
"I haven't thought that out 100 per cent yet."
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
David Amos
Methinks Gauvin is gonna quit Survey Says?
"Gauvin plans to make an announcement about his political future Friday morning in Shippagan."
Fred Dee
A DR seeing 5 people over night.,... and how many are actually emergency patients? likely few!!
total waist of funds!!
David Amos
Reply to @Fred Dee: I repeat what is ONE child's life worth?
Gary MacKay
Based on the illogical commentary I am seeing here i would suggest that if you want this kind of thinking for managing health care then consider that the Fredericton hospital is coming due for replacement and is only an hour from Saint John so the folks in Fredericton should be prepared to look for those services in Saint John. Or just build a new Hospital in Welsford to help with the slight extra travel time of the folks on the north side and both communities can use it.
David Amos
Reply to @Gary MacKay: Why would folks in Sussex care?
Wayne Mac Arthur
At the first sign of a progressive move,the people of this province start heading for the hills,where they climb to the top to complain we are over taxed.
Johnnu Horton
Reply to @Wayne Mac Arthur:
And we are.
Also over governmented. You got your federal. You got provincial. You got you municipal. And now many towns and villages while not decreasing council is delegating governance to regional service districts for many issues,
Beyond crazy,
And we are.
Also over governmented. You got your federal. You got provincial. You got you municipal. And now many towns and villages while not decreasing council is delegating governance to regional service districts for many issues,
Beyond crazy,
Dan Lee
Reply to @Wayne Mac Arthur:
Progressive? I don't tkink so........
Progressive? I don't tkink so........
David Amos
Reply to @Wayne Mac
Arthur: Methinks because we are over taxed and Higgy's buddies certainly
don't pay their fair share N'esy Pas?
Johnny Horton
So how much is the pool that gsuvin jumps to the liberals today?
Dan Lee
Reply to @Johnny Horton:
independent.......then he can control
independent.......then he can control
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: Methinks folks would not be wise to bet on your opinion Perhaps
If he is clever as a local boy you no doubt know. As you well know I
call him Franky Boy. Anyway Bobby Baby were to remain a proud PC just
like his Daddy I say he should simply quit the seat because of Higgy's
leadership and keep his family's local fan base. He could come
screaming back if Higgy loses his gamble for another mandate and
possibly replace Higgy as the PC leader after the dust had settled.
Nobody can deny that his Daddy was very popular on the North Shore and
he was not fond of members of the COR running under the PC banner or the
fact that Higgy was a wannabe leader of that party N'esy Pas?
Gauvin remembered for fisheries, Trans-Am
CBC News · Posted: Jun 07, 2007 3:28 PM AT
"Former premier Frank McKenna used that Trans-Am to portray the Hatfield government as arrogant and wasteful, but he said Gauvin deserves credit, as well.
In 1995, Gauvin fought to prevent former members of the Confederation of Regions party from running as Tory candidates.
McKenna said Gauvin was championing Richard Hatfield's vision of a PC party open to francophones.
"He actually had a lot of principle," McKenna said Thursday. "He became such a controversial figure it overshadowed a lot, but he was a very generous, very big-hearted and very talented man at his core."
Gauvin's other major legacy is on the Acadian Peninsula. As fisheries minister, he used government loans to modernize the crab fleet.
Fisherman Peter Noel said it helped the industry prosper."
Gauvin remembered for fisheries, Trans-Am
CBC News · Posted: Jun 07, 2007 3:28 PM AT
"Former premier Frank McKenna used that Trans-Am to portray the Hatfield government as arrogant and wasteful, but he said Gauvin deserves credit, as well.
In 1995, Gauvin fought to prevent former members of the Confederation of Regions party from running as Tory candidates.
McKenna said Gauvin was championing Richard Hatfield's vision of a PC party open to francophones.
"He actually had a lot of principle," McKenna said Thursday. "He became such a controversial figure it overshadowed a lot, but he was a very generous, very big-hearted and very talented man at his core."
Gauvin's other major legacy is on the Acadian Peninsula. As fisheries minister, he used government loans to modernize the crab fleet.
Fisherman Peter Noel said it helped the industry prosper."
David Amos
Reply to @Dan Lee: I disagree but I don't know if you will see why
Lou Bell
The testaments in some articles of those who live near the hospital and " wouldn't have made it if it took 5 minutes longer " basically says the 90 % who live outside that range now wouldn't have made it whether they had an ER or not ! They're basically saying if you're not within a couple of blocks from the Hospital you're outta luck.
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Methinks way past high time hit the sack for my long winters nap and a
mean spirirted old widow' should do the same N'esy Pas?
Johnny
Horton
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Yes I hear ya, very unfortunate every resident of doaktown must die if they call an ambulance,
The absurdity of that Sussex argument is just beyond comprehension,
Yes I hear ya, very unfortunate every resident of doaktown must die if they call an ambulance,
The absurdity of that Sussex argument is just beyond comprehension,
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny Horton: You did claim to be from the area correct?
Johnny
Horton
Reply to @David Amos:
Doaktown was just an example of a distance to travel to s hospitsl. Could have used many other places.
Doaktown was just an example of a distance to travel to s hospitsl. Could have used many other places.
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: Methinks many would agree that earlier you claimed Sussex was
your "Hub" but I guess it must be hard to remember all your BS when your
working overtimne for the Irving Clan N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: "While Sussex is technically my hub, I haven’t been in town in
over threee years. I see no need to change that. One isn’t exactly doing
independent living if they rush off to the nearest big town when they
think they need something, "
Need I say BS?
Need I say BS?
Johnny Horton
Sussex can have their. Sr hr ER back once sll the communities that completely lost their hospitals over the past four decades get hospitals back.
I’m sure the fine people of Sussex can only see that as fair, considering their argument their taxes are as good as anyone Elises.
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny Horton: Come to Sussex and say such nonsense on behalf of your Irving benefactors I Double Dog Dare Ya
Johnny
Horton
Reply to @David Amos:
While Sussex is technically my hub, I haven’t been in town in over threee years. I see no need to change that. One isn’t exactly doing independent living if they rush off to the nearest big town when they think they need something,
While Sussex is technically my hub, I haven’t been in town in over threee years. I see no need to change that. One isn’t exactly doing independent living if they rush off to the nearest big town when they think they need something,
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: Methinks that even I am as Independent as they come the Irvings
would never allow you to vote for me N'esy Pas?
Shawn McShane
Would like to know if the lack of doctors and nurses is due to official bilingualism. As a taxpayer I demand to know. We are the highest taxed province in Canada for property tax and income tax. Show us the money.
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Shawn McShane:
A sewage pipe costs the same everywhere. S paved road doesn’t vary much in cost anywhere.
So If you have less people and want those things, those less people need to pay more,
It’s not really that complicated.
A sewage pipe costs the same everywhere. S paved road doesn’t vary much in cost anywhere.
So If you have less people and want those things, those less people need to pay more,
It’s not really that complicated.
Koffi Babone
Reply to @Shawn McShane:
Actually, the property tax and income tax is quite low in NB...
Have you had a look at the Vancouver, Toronto or Victoria tax rate? As for income, it is much lower than in Qc and that is a fact (I worked in Qc for several years, my take home pay is higher in NB).
The number of doctors allowed to practice in NB is actually controlled by the provincial government. Ask any new MD grads or those in their final years. Many would like to practice in NB (because they are from NB) but cannot because they are not permitted to.
Actually, the property tax and income tax is quite low in NB...
Have you had a look at the Vancouver, Toronto or Victoria tax rate? As for income, it is much lower than in Qc and that is a fact (I worked in Qc for several years, my take home pay is higher in NB).
The number of doctors allowed to practice in NB is actually controlled by the provincial government. Ask any new MD grads or those in their final years. Many would like to practice in NB (because they are from NB) but cannot because they are not permitted to.
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Koffi Babone:
Don’t confuse property tax paid and property tax rate. Torontonisns oay double the propert tax bill our cities do, but their house vs,he is E to five times higher. So their rate is lower.
Don’t confuse property tax paid and property tax rate. Torontonisns oay double the propert tax bill our cities do, but their house vs,he is E to five times higher. So their rate is lower.
David Amos
Reply to @Shawn McShane: Of course it is
Lon Chaney (Alonzo Hastings Chaney)
Blaine will sink ya' Nb.................
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Lon Chaney (Alonzo Hastings Chaney):
He might do thst but it probably won’t sink quite as far #50m ATCON or $q00> francophone games..
He might do thst but it probably won’t sink quite as far #50m ATCON or $q00> francophone games..
David Amos
Reply to @Lon Chaney
(Alonzo Hastings Chaney): Methinks you should never lose faith in my
fellow Maritimers Its the politicians who have punky dories and they can
be replaced easily N'esy Pas?
Lon Chaney
(Alonzo Hastings Chaney)
Reply to @David Amos:
Me thinks?.....me knows....I'm a Maritimer.......
Me thinks?.....me knows....I'm a Maritimer.......
Bob Smith
For all those who want the status quo, lets hear how you fix the staffing issues and don't fall on "I pay taxes to fix that.." talk. This issue is getting worse by the year and acting oblivious to it doesn't solve a thing..nor does shouting down anyone proposing even a small remedy.
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Bob Smith:
On the issue of not enough er patients.. change the catch basin. Pull in people from wuispsm, Salisbury etc instead of them going to sJ or Moncton.
On the issue of not enough er patients.. change the catch basin. Pull in people from wuispsm, Salisbury etc instead of them going to sJ or Moncton.
David Amos
Reply to @Bob Smith:
Methinks we should take the Money from VESTCOR before the stock market
tumbles again and pay down our provincial debt nearly in full. Then
honour the pension plans from general funds The shortfall is only about
70 million which is a lot less than 700 million in interest to
banksters. Then demand that the Feds change the Charter and revert New
Brunswick's standing in Canada' to pre 1982 status. There is no need for
New Brunswick to be Canada's ONLY bilingual province which only
benefits a the wealthy few who control SANB and the Quebeckers who come
down a scoop the fancy jobs Nearly 40 years of our history and the last
provincial election in particular easily prove what I say is true N'esy
Pas?
Mario Doucet
NB is what it is because of bilingualism.
David Amos
Reply to @Mario Doucet: That and greedy politicians corrupted by banksters and greedy billionaires
Ben Haroldson
How surpising to see an mla stand up for his constituents. Anyway we'll see if he walks the talk when it comes time to vote. Besides, why aren't St Stepheners being asked to drive to saint john too?
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Go Figure
Sandymctavish726 Mctavish
this is what 'equalization' , sending all tax dollars to Fredericton for re-distribution has brought Sussex town. once upon a time Sussex had top hospital in new Brunswick …..we were blessed with the former military hospital...our education system enticed many excellent doctors to settle in Sussex....the sussex hospital (not just a healthcare center) was paid for by the local taxpayers...and run by the local taxpayers....today, since all tax dollars go to Fredericton for 'equality' distribution Sussex has lost the edge in health / hospital for all.....local taxpayers should not be told by Fredericton to close down the only emergency services for many miles...local taxpayers should not send tax dollars to Fredericton but keep the taxes locally and the healthcare decisions locally.
Dianne MacPherson
Reply to @sandymctavish726 mctavish:
Surely you aren't serious.....tax dollars to be used locally
for Health Care !!!!!
REALLY ??????
Surely you aren't serious.....tax dollars to be used locally
for Health Care !!!!!
REALLY ??????
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Dianne MacPherson:
They. (Sussex) were treated special in the past and received far more than others. Do they can’t handle being brought down to normal.
I don’t recall see any sussexites protesting over the lost hospitals in dozens of town over the decades.
It is all about them.
They. (Sussex) were treated special in the past and received far more than others. Do they can’t handle being brought down to normal.
I don’t recall see any sussexites protesting over the lost hospitals in dozens of town over the decades.
It is all about them.
David Amos
Reply to @sandymctavish726 mctavish: Methinks the same words can be said of Sackville too N'esy Pas?
Ian Scott
He can sit and say what he wants to save his face/job but there will be continuing and increasing loss of ER time and closure. There is no easy fix. Just jacking up salaries and public service positions will not do it. It will be a decade in turn around time to somehow get increased staff, open nursing home beds with staff in new facilities and save acute care beds in the province as a whole. There is no way to have fully serviced ER's every 30-45 minutes. Sussex might have a case given its size but there are insufficient people except in the kitchen.
David Amos
Reply to @Ian Scott:
Methinks everybody knows the score on Brucey but he keeps getting
elected because he wears a blue coat N'esy Pas?
Dianne MacPherson
RESIGN, Mr. Northrup .....
it's the Honorable thing to do !!!!
David Amos
Reply to @Dianne MacPherson: Methinks he has every right to his seat and his constituents obviously agree N'esy Pas?
Joseph Vacher
Has to be done unfortunately you cannot give people everything they desire when your pockets are empty. Maybe if we only had 1 health authority we would have the money to keep them open overnight :S
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Joseph Vacher: How come our pockets are empty while some others' are full and overflow?
Stephen Long
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Let me guess, would it be because of the CORservatives?
Lewis Taylor
Reply to @Joseph Vacher:
So maybe the good people of Sussex should stop paying taxes...if they cannot get the same services as others then why should they pay the same amount??
So maybe the good people of Sussex should stop paying taxes...if they cannot get the same services as others then why should they pay the same amount??
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Stephen Long: They are a significant cause of the problem.
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks many would agree that you SANB dudes take the cake in the regard N'esy Pas?
Albert Wade
New Brunswick is broke, the money has to come from somewhere. Who would support a highway toll?
Lewis Taylor
Reply to @Albert Wade:
many people
many people
David Amos
Reply to @Albert Wade: We already pay the toll through our taxes thanks to Bernie Lord
Samual JohnstonThese areas need paramedics with advanced equipment and training. --- think of them as a mobil ER de sorts
Val Harris
Reply to @Samual Johnston: Do you read the paper the paramedics dont agree with this decision..
Samual Johnston
Reply to @val harris:
the paramedics? as in all of them? or do you mean the ambulance drivers
- big diff - and even if it were all of them what diff does that make
to the realities of this situation?
David Amos
Reply to @val harris:
Methinks Bernie Lord knew the paramedics would not go along with this
nonsense before Flemming made his big announcement. Anyone can check
Higgy's buddy Chucky Leblanc videos or my Tweeter account to see
Bernie's spin doctor Chisholm Pothier arguing the liberal woman I ran
against in the last 2 Federal Elections in Northrup's riding. This was
BEFORE Flemming and the mindless CEO's had their big conference N'esy
Pas?
Roy Kirk
We're still just rearranging the furniture on the deck of the sinking ship. We really need to consolidate all secondary/tertiary care at one central location, near the centre of population of NB, and downgrade the regional hospitals in the cities accordingly. One large central facility to serve 750,000 people, in either French or English, will be much cheaper to operate and provide much better care, since it will expose health care providers more regularly to the infrequent presentations that can occur in a population. Dividing the population as we have, mainly to serve the egos of local politicians, is a recipe for poor health care.
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Roy Kirk: yep is the same with the airports. NB needs 3 mediocre international airports vs one respectable one
Robert Brannen
Reply to @Roy Kirk:
A single central facility at the population centre of New Brunswick would likely lie on highway 123 between Chipman and Doaktown. Btw, service in English or French would be a non-starter; it would have to be in both English and French.
A single central facility at the population centre of New Brunswick would likely lie on highway 123 between Chipman and Doaktown. Btw, service in English or French would be a non-starter; it would have to be in both English and French.
Lewis Taylor
Reply to @Roy Kirk:
Totally impractical...then everyone would spend their days travelling from all corners of province for care. It would be better to shut down 95% of towns and move everyone to one city. Non starter ideas.
Totally impractical...then everyone would spend their days travelling from all corners of province for care. It would be better to shut down 95% of towns and move everyone to one city. Non starter ideas.
Roy Kirk
Reply to @Robert Brannen: I'd have guess southeast of there, but so far I haven't found a reference for it.
Roy Kirk
Reply to @Robert
Brannen: it would serve the clients in either French or English, as the
client elected. No client needs to be served in both languages at the
same time.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Roy Kirk:
Methinks I won't be using mute swich against you because unlike your I
believe in free speech Hence I don't use it against anyone However you
won't be reading this because you don't my type of CHIAC LINGO N'esy
Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Too Too Funny
Samual Johnston
Fact is our system is broke and needs to be repaired - as with all fixes someone is not gonna like it. At least these officials are admitting changes need to be made - if they were just posturing for re-election they would hire a bunch more doctors we cannot afford and go deeper in debt and hand the issue on down the road or vote against this and try for re-election like this guy.
David Amos
Reply to @Samual
Johnston: How many Doctors and Nurses do you are longing to come to New
Brunswick Do you understand how they are treated if they can't speak the
lingo the SANB promotes?
Jake Newman
NB has to start living within its means--bold and drastic changes must be made. Cuts and changes are needed throughout every gov't dept.
David Amos
Reply to @Jake
Newman: Methinks folks should checkout what i said about our debt in a
debate and on Rogers TV as I ran against Brucey in the last provincial
election N'esy Pas?
Michael Levesque
Reply to @David Amos: what party did you run for in the last election?
David Amos
Reply to @michael levesque: I NEVER run for any political party They are the reason things are in such a mess
Kevin Cormier
Kudos to Bruce. Not easy to speak out against your own government but he is doing the right thing for the people of his riding, his electors.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Kevin
Cormier: Where were all the Liberals when we found out about the 130
million dollar Phonie Games scheme ? Were they all a part of it , or
were they left out of the loop ?? Voters were sure not made aware of it !
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Please remind me how many votes i got running against Brucey in the last
provincial election Then methinks you should be fair and explain to the
folks in Sussex why they get the governments they deserve N'esy Pas?
Kevin
Cormier
Reply to @David Amos: Time to move on from your past bid at election.
David Amos
Reply to @Kevin
Cormier: Methinks I would have some fun running in the by election in St
Croix if Higgys mandate lasts that long N'esy Pas?
John Smith
Reply to @David Amos:
In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave,
and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for
then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
Dan Lee
Reply to @Lou Bell:
You want to talk waste...how about the Billion overhead at point lepreau......250 million for a draft of a boat for irving when the boat would have cost 125 million..... how about a proper property tax on refinery......wheres higgs marbles on this...........
You want to talk waste...how about the Billion overhead at point lepreau......250 million for a draft of a boat for irving when the boat would have cost 125 million..... how about a proper property tax on refinery......wheres higgs marbles on this...........
David Amos
Reply to @john smith: Thank you for that
Donald Gallant
Hmmm. Staying elected comes first.
I wonder if he knows about the “ no services “ today in Sackville.
For every 10 who retire there are 7 available to replace.
There are now tough choices to make in NB.
Total closings or reduced availabilities.
David Amos
Reply to @Donald
Gallant: Methinks Sackville is where the real Battle Royale will take
place as the the folks stress test the Green Party for the next month or
so N'esy Pas?
Andrew Clarkson
Get this guy a placard and he will fit right in with the rest of the mob!
David Amos
Reply to @Andrew Clarkson: He is a local dude
Gary MacKay
Well the premier certainly has done a wonderful job of dividing the province on more than just political grounds.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Gary MacKay: McKenna / Robichaud did in on language !! Over 50 years of of it !!
Gary MacKay
Reply to @Lou Bell: Lou that is a bigoted remark and not productive.
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Gary MacKay: That's all he's about.
David Amos
Reply to @Marc
Martin: Nope Methinks you and everybody knows that was what the liberals
and the SANB were all about during the last election in order split
the vote on the right but it backfired on them bigtime N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Reply to @Gary
MacKay: Spending billions on language while turning their backs on
Healthcare is not being bigoted , it's being rational . Like spending
130 million on Phonie Games with nothing on their platform for the major
Healthcare problem ! I guess you've no concerns about that !!
Kevin Cormier
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Regardless of what we think, the language issue is bigger than
Fredericton, its called the Charter of Rights and Freedom, section 16.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: *Spending billions on language * Where did you get these numbers ?
David Amos
Reply to @Kevin Cormier: In the preamble to the Charter it talks of the supremacy of god and the rule of law. Methinks many would agree that both are myths N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
I would think a Deputy Premier would certainly have been against this when Oromocto and St. Joes lost their overnight emergency rooms !! Where was he and who is he representing in that position ? Like a Premier , a Deputy should be there for ALl , not just a minority ! Sure showing his true colours !! Appears he's there to represent a minority , nothing else !!!!
Marc Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: Oromocto 10 minutes from Fredericton and the same with Saint John...Next !!
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: And what of those already living beyond the 1 hour distance who
lost their hospitals ?? Bring hospitals back for them ???
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: And much larger areas being served ! Many people already are
travelling further than the 1 hour drive , and have been for years ! And
they're o'k' with the changes !
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: we are talking about essential services here bud, educate yourself.
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: And who are these people ? What region ?
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: Doaktown / Blackville / MacAdam/ Nackawic . Mayors from all
three are on line with the changes ! Some had to pay a much bigger
price than just losing overnight hours !
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: Actually all four .
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: Actually , educate yourself. Look up entitlement . I'd say 5
people costing 1600 dollars an evening , most for getting a prescription
for the sniffles is a bit too much wouldn't you say ?? Sounds like
giving 130 million to a minority for some Phonie Games that would have
been better spent on Healthcare ! But who's counting ????
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks many folks should agree that you two deserve each other N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Reply to @David Amos: Don't forget Marc uerite !
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: All these municipalities are less then 30 minutes from the nearest hospital find a better argument.
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Methinks if you speak of the devil he is or it is sure to appear N'esy Pas?
Jake Newman
bring this gov't down to bring an election so Higgs can get a majority and starting fixing NB.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Jake
Newman: I wonder how he will do that, 2 of his own mp are going against
him and Higgs has been fighting with unions the past year..
Andrew Clarkson
Reply to @Marc Martin:
What MP's are you talking about? Higgs has some guys coming in from Ottawa?
What MP's are you talking about? Higgs has some guys coming in from Ottawa?
Jake Newman
Reply to @Marc
Martin: the unions need to be taken on, and those two should be given
the boot. There's no way the greens or alliance will form gov't
(however an people's alliance gov't would be great to have). The
liberals so soon after Gallant (and with Vickers as leader) won't form
gov't. that leaves the conservatives.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: The Phonie Games scheme won't disappear any time soon ! People
still remember Atcon !!! 60 Million already gone and the planned
underhanded scheme of another 130 million are still very fresh ! 130
Million NOT EVEN MENTIONED IN THEIR LAST CAMPAIGN as well as nothing
planned in Healthcare ! Everyone should get the message where the
Liberals priorities stood !!
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Jake Newman: You make no sense...
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: That's the spin Arsenault tried using ,a lthough he did
understand the teachings of his hero from back in the 30's !
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Andrew Clarkson: ......................
Jake Newman
Reply to @Andrew
Clarkson: Maybe he was talking about the Liberal MP who was complaining
about Higgs instead of complaining to his boss JT who keeps giving more
and more money away to other countries instead of assisting the
provinces.
David Amos
Reply to @Marc Martin: How on earth would you know who makes sense?
Kevin Cormier
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Only you remember Atcon. Heck, isn't it just Denis Landry left from that
Cabinet? Plus I don't even hear Jake Stewart talking about it anymore. I
guess we should bring up Hatfield and the Bricklin or Walter Foster and
giving the right to vote to NB women.
Marc Martin
Reply to @David Amos: Cry me a river.
David Amos
Reply to @Marc Martin: Methinks you cry enough for both of us N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Where was Northrup when St. Joes and Oromocto lost their 8 hours overnight ?? Talk about entitlement !!
Lou Bell
Reply to @Lou Bell: And certainly add THE DEPUTY PREMIER !!!!!!
Gary
MacKay
Reply to @Lou Bell: Both within 10 minutes of regional s. Please start talking with reason.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Gary
MacKay: 1600 dollars PLUS to service 5 people a night is entitlement ,
nothing less !! Is that not within reason ? And those giving
testimonials about being close to the hospital and wouldn't have made it
another 5 minutes ! Well most likely 90 % of the people being served
now live beyond that 5 minute timeline ! So I guess they also would have
been out of luck !!!!
Cheryl Wright
Reply to @Lou Bell:
you would feel differently if it was your family or yourself. having
access to emergency health care is not a privilege, it is not
entitlement it is a right.
David Amos
Reply to @cheryl wright: I agree
Fred Brewer
Reply to @cheryl
wright: Nobody is being denied access to emergency health care. Show me
where it says the province must provide those services within a certain
distance of any residence anywhere in NB. You won't find it. If you
choose to live in the middle of nowhere, you have to accept the reality
that it will take you longer to get to a hospital.
Lou Bell
nds like Northrup is taking the Susan Collins approach to this. I suspect if it was anywhere else but in his own constituency it wouldn't be a problem . Time to show some backbone Bruce and do what's right and forget the entitlement your constituents have !
Kevin Cormier
Reply to @Lou Bell:
To each MLA their own. Of course, MLAs should be more defensive when it
comes to their ridings (though some MLAs in the past could care less).
David Amos
Reply to @Kevin Cormier: Who are you to try to give me or the MLAs I run against advice?
Kevin
Cormier
Reply to @David Amos:
I am much like you, full of opinions with a touch of self-interest. One
may say that you are better because of your bid to be elected.
David Amos
Reply to @Kevin
Cormier: I had no false illusions about ever being elected I did so to
protect my Clan and support my litigation. In fact In 2006 I clearly
told Steve Murphy on live CTV ews why I was running for public office
while everybody laughed at me CORRECT?
Lou Bell
If it's an emergency , these other hospitals will accommodate them ! It's the 99 % or more that are not in need of prompt care that can wait till morning. Sniffles is not an acute emergency.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: Federal money is not only for a few self entitled few.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc Martin: It was in the Phonie Games scam !!
Marc Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: I was the phony Wood deal !!
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Methinks that whereas you both have fancy jobs in Fat Fred City paid for
from my taxpayer funds I have no doubt whatsoever that both of you
know quite a bit of gossip about phony deals cooked in the backrooms of
your political parties N'esy Pas?
Rick Haars
Most of the hospitals are going to end up as long term care as there's not enough of that.
David Amos
Reply to @rick haars: Yea Right
James Reed
you realize this is not a cost savings issue - it's a HR issue... NB can't attract the staff to man all of our hospitals. Closing a hospital's ER at night when they are getting an average of 5 visits, most not emergencies, 70%, frees that doctor up to see people during the day. They are also adding a Nurse Practitioner and a mental health professional at each of those hospitals. so basically the trade off is a small number of emergency cases have to go to another hospital and in exchange capacity during the day has been added so dozens more people can be seen by a health care professional daily
Marc Martin
Reply to @James Reed: It is a funding issue the Health CEO at Horizon has confirmed it.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc Martin: Both Health Care CEO's have approved the changes , including Vitalite' !
Marc Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: Yep and they didn't consult with any ER staff.
James Reed
Reply to @Marc Martin:
show me a quote where they said this was a cost cutting move
show me a quote where they said this was a cost cutting move
Samual Johnston
Reply to @James Reed: is also a cost savings issue as we cannot afford to hire enough people to keep the current system.
Marc Martin
Reply to @James Reed:
The CEO said it was the only way to be able to sustain services, they a
re redirecting costs for the nurse practitioners.
James Reed
Reply to @Samual Johnston:
Any cost saving will be in the form of overtime - as of this summer Horizon was trying to fill 340 nursing positions alone, 120 full-time positions... the money has been budgeted for those positions, we just can't find people to fill them... that money ends up getting spend paying nurses time and a half in over-time to fill the gap of those unfilled positions.
Any cost saving will be in the form of overtime - as of this summer Horizon was trying to fill 340 nursing positions alone, 120 full-time positions... the money has been budgeted for those positions, we just can't find people to fill them... that money ends up getting spend paying nurses time and a half in over-time to fill the gap of those unfilled positions.
James Reed
Reply to @Marc Martin:
those words don't mean cost savings - the money we are not going to be spending on having the ER open will be re-directed to hiring nurse practitioners and mental health professionals to work during the day - the doctor hours that were used working nights will now be used during the day.
those words don't mean cost savings - the money we are not going to be spending on having the ER open will be re-directed to hiring nurse practitioners and mental health professionals to work during the day - the doctor hours that were used working nights will now be used during the day.
Koffi Babone
Reply to @James Reed:
Don't you think health professional should have been consulted before implementing these changes?
"By closing those departments at night, effective March 11, they say they can shift resources to daytime, when doctors and new nurse practitioners will be able to see more patients. "
What a bunch of garbage...Do you actually know of any doctors that are not fully booked and can squeeze more patients during the day?
BTW, if you count, paid vacations, paid sick days, pension and other benefits, a GP is actually cheaper than NP.
Don't you think health professional should have been consulted before implementing these changes?
"By closing those departments at night, effective March 11, they say they can shift resources to daytime, when doctors and new nurse practitioners will be able to see more patients. "
What a bunch of garbage...Do you actually know of any doctors that are not fully booked and can squeeze more patients during the day?
BTW, if you count, paid vacations, paid sick days, pension and other benefits, a GP is actually cheaper than NP.
David Amos
Reply to @James Reed:
Methinks you should have a closer look at whats going down in Sackville
before you embarrass yourself further N'esy Pas?
Paul Bourgoin
Bruce Northrup, Progressive Conservative MLA for Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins is a politician who represents his people. Bruce Northrup faced a similar situation a few years back with the harvesting crown land wood. He stood up as Minister, and faced his Challenger with his beliefs with regard to the Crown Land wood, confronted his Challenger. As Minister he Said NO. If I remember well it cost him his Ministerial Position but he held his ground while protecting New Brunswick residents interest. My opinion of this Honest and Sincere Man is New Brunswick needs more Politicians like him. I am Proud to have crossed your road and met you Sir!
David Amos
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: Surely you jest
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: all he is saying is don't make cuts in my riding. He is not offering up any practical solution.
Lou Bell
These reports of some who lived near the hospital and giving testimonials if it had been another five minutes they wouldn't have made it actually is verifying that anyone who lived five minutes beyond where they live NEVER would have made it ! I suspect that would mean probably about 90 % of the people being serviced by these hospitals now would have been out of luck !!!
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks many would agree that Higgy is out of luck N'esy Pas?
Roland Godin
For generations, like the debt, having a rational with rigour, insight, foresight, discernment and accountable governance has been shoved to future generations by the voters...et voilà.'
David Amos
Reply to @Roland Godin: C'est Vrai
Donald Smith
Cross the floor and join the Libs
Lou Bell
Reply to @Donald
Smith: Doubt if he wants any part of the Atcon / Phonie Games under the
table giveaways !! Or is that something you approve ???
Donald
Smith
Reply to @Lou Bell: Its all you know what, 2 Letters will describe it. How do you fix everything messed up Lou ?
David Amos
Reply to @Donald Smith: Brucey did that already
Jared Henderson
Ok so we are broke and hemorrhaging money as a province which means we NEED to make cuts...so where do you propose we find the money? unfortunately things can't keep going the way they are
Marc Martin
Reply to @Jared Henderson: If we are bleeding so much money why did the MP agreed to give themselves a 2% raise ?
Ronald
Parker
Reply to @Jared Henderson: I know where they could find money however no one has the will to do it.
Stephen Robertson
Reply to @Ronald
Parker: starve some kids, do away with the social safety net, stop
plowing roads? Probably as real as your solution, which most likely
involves language.
Ronald
Parker
Reply to @Stephen Robertson: No, I never said any of those things. Poor attempt to read my mind there
Larry
Larson
Reply to @Ronald Parker: Yes the cost of duality is killing NB.
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Larry
Larson: If you think merging health authorities will save money go
ahead...In the end you will end up saving little money from top
executive, the low end work still needs to be done.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marc
Martin: Dual busing / schools / and staff ! In Fredericton the
Francophone School District paid meals , gas , and sometimes
accommodations for Francophone drivers FROM MONCTON due to a shortage of
school bus drivers . Paid private contractors to service ares where one
or two or three students needed transportation ! Perhaps Jacques needs
to look at this !!
Roland Godin
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Not sure if the Anglophone in le nord du Nouveau-Brunswick would agree...eh!
Not sure if the Anglophone in le nord du Nouveau-Brunswick would agree...eh!
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lou Bell: Duality is mandatory across Canada for schools you can move on we have the same rights you do.
David Amos
Reply to @Roland Godin: Methinks that ain't rocket science Even a Buggie can figure out that N'esy Pas?
Axel Roosevelt
What a coward, though it just epitomizes how neutered our politicians are by the obsession with re-election and why nothing ever truly gets done.
Also rural NBers need to stop expecting to constantly have their cake and eat it too, if you want to live in a more isolated sparsely populated area than accept the tradeoffs that come with that decision.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Axel Roosevelt: How about we close emergency services to Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton at night ?
Frederick Graham
Reply to @Axel
Roosevelt: Crops, wood harvesting, dairy, salt mining, to name a few,
are industries which add to our GDP and require that some people live in
'sparsely populated' areas.
Maybe if rural people received a tax reduction on their provincial income tax, they wouldn't expect to have so much cake.
Maybe if rural people received a tax reduction on their provincial income tax, they wouldn't expect to have so much cake.
John Pokiok
Reply to @Marc Martin: We did in saint john saint joseph ER is closed overnight for few years now
Stephen Robertson
Reply to @John Pokiok: 4 blocks from another one
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Marc Martin: how about no.
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: Why not ? These people who live in rural place pay taxes like you.
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Marc
Martin: doesn't matter, they chose to live rurally and we all know rural
areas don't get the same services as urban...I know you have to be
smart enough to grasp that Marc, come on man throw me a bone!
Ray Bungay
Reply to @Axel
Roosevelt: Using your theory why not move all farms including chicken
and pig farms to within the city limits of the three major cities. There
you go a great option then you would not need rural hospitals so there
you Premier!
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Jeff
LeBlanc: It does matter, you do realize the money we get from the
Federal government is not to fund just a few but for everyone ? I live
in Fredericton and I don't approve this at all. Grand Falls to
Edmundston is 50+ away and Perth to Edmundston even worst !!
Jeff
LeBlanc
Reply to @Marc
Martin: well I appreciate the dialogue but I respectfully disagree. I
wish there was no cuts to anything but that's not the case. Here's
hoping cooler heads prevail and maybe they can sort out a compromise. I
dont want to see anyone not have access to health care in an emergency I
think we all agree on that. Cheers.
Cheryl Wright:
Reply to @Marc
Martin: for once I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am from Plaster Rock
and the drives just to either the GF or PA hospital are bad enough but
to go to Edmunston or Waterville?? there's gonna be deaths. no doubt in
my mind
Marc
Martin
Reply to @cheryl wright: Yep I agree and I am from Fredericton.
David Amos
Reply to @Marc
Martin: No you are not but you do live there now Methinks even Higgy
knows that you enjoy a cushy government job that you should be doing
right now N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin:
Reply to @David Amos:
Are you still contacting that poor Marc Martin who is working for the
province or is it the Marc Martin that has a SANB email...or you found
another one ? Either way like I said before you are wrong with all of
them.
Koffi Babone
Reply to @Axel Roosevelt:
And this why proportional voting will never occur..Rural communities will never have a say if we follow your train of though because the population is always smaller in rural or remote areas...
following your train of though, those who live in rural/remote areas should then be paying less provincial tax since they don't receive as much service...
And this why proportional voting will never occur..Rural communities will never have a say if we follow your train of though because the population is always smaller in rural or remote areas...
following your train of though, those who live in rural/remote areas should then be paying less provincial tax since they don't receive as much service...
David Amos
Reply to @Marc Martin: Everybody knows who you are Smoke and mirrors won't work with me or Higgy
Lorne Amos
If an MLA in a serving government does not support the policies of that government the HONOURABLE thing to do is resign. Take note Mr. Northrup, your economic development record is not nice anyway.
Val Harris
Reply to @Lorne Amos:
Wow have you ever changed your tune towards MLA's just a couple years
ago you were asking them to stand up for the people that got them
elected, whats the difference this time?
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Lorne Amos: He does not need to resign he can stand has an independent or switch to another party.
David Amos
Reply to @Lorne Amos: Methinks folks should understand that I am very grateful that we are NOT related N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Marc
Martin: Methinks someday it may dawn on Brucey and you SANB dudes why I
always run as an Independent with no false illusions about ever being
elected N'esy Pas?
Marc
Martin
Reply to @David Amos: yeah I agree you cant be elected by 21 votes...
Ronald
McCallum
Reply to @Lorne Amos:
" If an MLA in a serving government does not support the policies of that government the HONOURABLE thing to do is resign. Take note Mr. Northrup, your economic development record is not nice anyway. "
WRONG
The only Members of Legislative Assembly -- Member of Provincial Parliament (MLA -- MPP) that are serving in the government are the Ministers of the Crown, that were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor to the Executive Council and to a specific portfolio on the advice of the incoming Premier.
The back benchers are NOT members of the Executive Government.
The MLA who was NOT part of the decision-making process may and SHOULD MAKE THEIR OPPOSITION KNOWN.
" If an MLA in a serving government does not support the policies of that government the HONOURABLE thing to do is resign. Take note Mr. Northrup, your economic development record is not nice anyway. "
WRONG
The only Members of Legislative Assembly -- Member of Provincial Parliament (MLA -- MPP) that are serving in the government are the Ministers of the Crown, that were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor to the Executive Council and to a specific portfolio on the advice of the incoming Premier.
The back benchers are NOT members of the Executive Government.
The MLA who was NOT part of the decision-making process may and SHOULD MAKE THEIR OPPOSITION KNOWN.
David Amos
Reply to @val harris: Methinks non relative of mine has the same problem most folks have Its his love of money that changes his mind N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Ronald
McCallum: Methinks in a truly "Just Democracy" that would be true
However that is not the way political parties think even though they are
not recognized by our Constitution. Furthermore its been a long time
since 1784 but New Brunswick does not have its own Constitution yet
N'esy Pas?
Frederick Graham
Centralize the service in Sussex, just think of the savings to our bankrupt province.
3 cities just 60 minutes or less away!
David Amos
Reply to @Frederick Graham: I bet you live in one of them
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Frederick
Graham: Let's do that right after we close all other airports and build a
massive, international airport in Sussex. And then of course we should
make Sussex the capital of NB along with one mega-hospital after we
convert all other hospitals to nursing homes.
Jeff LeBlanc
They cut Oromocto's years ago. Suck it up Sussex this is your new reality.
Lewis Taylor
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: <
Oromocto is 10 minutes away from the DEC. Sussex is 50 minutes from Moncton and SJ. Facts matter.
Oromocto is 10 minutes away from the DEC. Sussex is 50 minutes from Moncton and SJ. Facts matter.
Les Cooper
Reply to @Lewis Taylor: isn't Sussex a small pimple on map??
Val Harris
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: So i guess that says your MLA had no back bone.. Good on mr northrup
Mary MacKenzie
Reply to @Lewis Taylor: Ambulances don't need to follow the speed limit, you realize that, right?
Marc Martin
Reply to @Mary MacKenzie: Of course they do, that is silly.
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @val harris: what MLA does have one would be the more appropriate question.
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Lewis Taylor: Here's a fact. If you chose to live 50 min away from a city expect less services.
James Reed
Reply to @Mary MacKenzie:
their policy is that they can't go over 130 km/hr when when on call.
their policy is that they can't go over 130 km/hr when when on call.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: Oromocto is 10 minutes from Fredericton...
David Amos
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: At least you have a Medicare Card
David Amos
Reply to @Les Cooper: Come on down to Sussex and say that I Double Dog Dare Ya
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Lewis
Taylor: this why these areas need paramedics with advanced equipment and
training. --- think of them as a mobil ER
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/new-brunswick/nb-info-morning-fred/
Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities
Dr. Chris Goodyear, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, along with Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, and trial lawyer and former Liberal MLA Mike Murphy, who y was also health minister in the Shawn Graham government, respond to the changes to ER service in some smaller communities.
Download Response to ER changes in smaller NB communities[mp3 file: runs 00:14:17]
Concerns over the future of healthcare in rural New Brunswick
MLA Bruce Northrup hears concerns from his constituents. Marsha Lang is a retired nurse in Perth Andover, where the hospital will also see reduced service. She says the news leaves with her plenty of questions, and concerns.
Download Concerns over the future of healthcare in rural New Brunswick[mp3 file: runs 00:14:09]
The future of healthcare in New Brunswick
Health Minister Ted Flemming and CEO of Horizon Health Karen McGrath talk about the decisions to cut overnight hours in emergency rooms at six smaller hospitals in the province, use more hospital beds for long term care, rather than for treating injury and illness, and other reforms.
Download The future of healthcare in New Brunswick[mp3 file: runs 00:14:40]
Emergency Room Hours
Mayors of two small communities in New Brunswick worry about what's going to happen to the emergency rooms at their hospitals. Radio Canada reported the province plans to cut overnight service in ERs at six smaller hospitals. Grand Falls mayor Marcel Deschenes and Perth-Andover mayor Marianne Bell want answers.
Download Emergency Room Hours[mp3 file: runs 00:14:28]
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/amherst-hospital-impact-new-brunswick-1.5463934
Amherst hospital feeling impact of N.B. overnight ER closure, doctor says
Reduced hours start in March, but Dr. Brian Ferguson says people are already crossing the border for service
· CBC News · Posted: Feb 14, 2020 5:56 PM AT
The Nova Scotia Health Authority says there might be an initial increase in patient numbers at the hospital in Amherst, N.S., because of the reduced hours at the hospital in Sackville, N.B., but it believes admissions could even out over time. (CBC)
An emergency room doctor at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre in Amherst, N.S., says the hospital is already seeing an increase in patient numbers after cuts were announced to overnight hours at a neighbouring New Brunswick hospital.
Earlier this week, the New Brunswick government announced it will reduce operating hours at six hospitals with overnight emergency rooms, including the Sackville Memorial Hospital, which is only 20 kilometres from Amherst's hospital.
The six hospitals will be closed between midnight and 8 a.m. starting on March 11, but Dr. Brian Ferguson told CBC's Maritime Noon the Amherst hospital is already seeing more people come across the border for treatment.
"We're already seeing it because sometimes people misinterpret the [closure] date," he said.
Ferguson said the Amherst hospital has only 18 beds in its emergency room and serves an area with 40,000 people. He said the wait time can be between six and 10 hours, and will only get worse if people from New Brunswick continue to come across the border.
Sackville Memorial Hospital is one of six New Brunswick hospitals that will have reduced overnight hours starting in March. (CBC)
But Tanya Munroe, a department head for the northern zone of the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said she doesn't expect a huge demand at the Amherst hospital because of the overnight closure in Sackville.
Munroe said Horizon Health, New Brunswick's health authority, told her the hospital in Sackville sees few patients between midnight and 8 a.m.
She said the increase in patients at the Amherst hospital might be because of longer wait times at the Moncton hospital.
Munroe said when the Sackville closure takes place, there might be an increase in Amherst patient numbers, but admissions could even out over time.
"[Sackville will have] a facility that essentially opens fresh every day at 8 a.m., with no wait built up overnight, [so] they may realize they're going to wait less time to be seen at 8 a.m. than they might presenting to Amherst at 3 a.m. the night before," she said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/paramedics-er-closures-impact-1.5462204
Paramedics say ER cutbacks will hurt fragile ambulance system
Province urged to prepare better for impact on ambulance service
CBC News · Posted: Feb 13, 2020 3:47 PM AT
Adding more paramedics and ambulances is not the only answer to help with overnight calls from areas with closed ER departments, says the Paramedics Association of New Brunswick. (Radio-Canada/Guy R. LeBlanc)
Paramedics across the province are cautious and concerned about the role they will play when six emergency rooms in rural hospitals close overnight, and ambulances will be required to take medical emergencies to hospitals in bigger centres.
"The paramedic system in this province is fragile," said Chris Hood, executive director of the Paramedics Association of New Brunswick. "It is almost very much working at capacity today and adding any additional strain on the system is going to have a significant impact to perform overall."
The province announced Monday it will shorten the emergency room hours at six hospitals beginning March 11 in response to a shortage of medical staff. Acute-care beds in those hospitals will be converted to long-term care beds.
Hospitals affected are:
- Sussex Health Centre.
- Sackville Memorial Hospital, where surgical services will also close and be shifted to Moncton.
- Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph in Perth-Andover.
- Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital in Sainte-Anne-de-Kent.
- Enfant-Jésus Hospital in Caraquet.
- Grand Falls General Hospital.
"We do know there will be an increase in calls," said Hood.
When those calls come in, Hood saidm people will have to be transported to hospitals farther away, meaning the ambulances and paramedics will be out of service and out of their service area longer.
Increase in calls expected
While shuffling ambulances from one area to another is already done, Hood said it eventually has to have an impact on the time it will take to get to patients.
"We're thinking the potential is there to have a significant increase in the number of calls."
Chris Hood is the executive director and registrar of the association. (Jon Collicott/CBC)
Hood said the issue of the lack of acute-care beds in larger hospitals will have an impact on what he called inter-facility transfers.
He said simply deciding to add more ambulances or more paramedics is not the solution.
"We're on the cusp of facing, I would say, the same human health resource crisis that both Horizon and Vitalité are using as some of the rationale for closing emergency rooms."
Need support in place
Hood said while the paramedics support radical changes in health care to help improve it, there needs to be more innovation.
"We don't think this is a bad decision, it's just done without the support mechanisms in place."
Of the 1,100 paramedics in the province, Hood said 70 have advanced care training and could be putting that training to better use to help more patients.
"We also need to add some of our advance care paramedics because now we have sicker patients who will be travelling longer distances."
This is why Hood said steps must taken to make the change as successful as it can be before the closures go into effect.
"We should have mapped some of the solutions and implemented them and have them in place before the announcement happened."
But now that it has happened, Hood said it is time to look at how efficiently the transition can be made to support the ER closures.
With files from Information Morning Moncton
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
29 Comments
David Amos
WOW On CBC this morning I heard our mindless Health Minister direct folks to the emergency room in another province Do tell are the ambulances he overseees licensed and insured to deliver folks over there and do our EMTs meet Nova Scotia's standards?
Chuck Michaels
Reply to @David Amos:
Our NB Paramedics are required to meet the National Occupational
Competency Profile as maintained by the Paramedic Association of Canada.
It can be found HERE: https://paramedic.ca/site/nocp?nav=02
Unless a transport is occurring from hospital to hospital with patients that are either admitted or receiving specialist treatment - there are no transports from a scene to an outside province destination. Occasionally there is a transfer from a residence or a nursing home for a specialist consult or follow-up - but these occure during office hours and wouldn't impact the overnight closure situation.
Haven't heard of any planned changes to this...
A bigger concern is what happens to local emergency Paramedic coverage when the units are an hour away doing transfers that previously would not have had to happen? What then?
Unless a transport is occurring from hospital to hospital with patients that are either admitted or receiving specialist treatment - there are no transports from a scene to an outside province destination. Occasionally there is a transfer from a residence or a nursing home for a specialist consult or follow-up - but these occure during office hours and wouldn't impact the overnight closure situation.
Haven't heard of any planned changes to this...
A bigger concern is what happens to local emergency Paramedic coverage when the units are an hour away doing transfers that previously would not have had to happen? What then?
Lou Bell
This adds to the problem created by Bernard Lord and his SANB buddies when they took away any type of relevant Ambulance Service and steered it to their Moncton run Medavie failure !!!
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks a little buggie has been checking my work N'esy Pas?
Miles Long
So is the ambulance trip free if local emergency dept closed? The ambulance service will definitely need to make adjustments to meet the changes in ERs and hospital roles as large hospitals dump alternativelevel of care patients in small hospitals.
SarahRose Werner
Reply to @Miles Long:
Is "dump" the right word if the larger hospitals are also taking on a
large number of acute-care patients from smaller hospitals?
SarahRose Werner
Reply to @Miles Long:
And you're right, the ambulance service will need to be expanded and
adjusted. Amidst all the political posturing, what the public hasn't
been given is a believable answer to the question of, "If you have a
heart attack, stroke, acute allergy attack, etc. in Sussex in the middle
of the night, what services will be provided to ensure that this is not
fatal despite the local ER being closed?"
David Amos
Reply to @SarahRose Werner: A Most Excellent Question Sir
Methinks that should put Bernie Lord's fancy blue knickers in quite a knot N'esy Pas?
Methinks that should put Bernie Lord's fancy blue knickers in quite a knot N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: OOPS I see that the sneaky kid is emulating me now
Ben Haroldson
Reply to @David Amos: kile you meen?
SarahRose Werner
Reply to @David Amos: Imitation is said to be the highest form of flattery.
David Amos
Reply to @SarahRose Werner: True
Kyle Woodman
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks you can't possibly be the first to use the phrase "Surprise,
surprise, surprise", and can't possibly claim ownership to it. N'esy
pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Kyle Woodman: Never said I did Everybody knows its Old Gomer I am emulating N'esy Pas KID?
Kyle Woodman
Surprise, surprise, surprise.
Chuck Michaels
Reply to @Kyle Woodman: I think that would be stated by David as "quelle suprise" - n'esy pas? (smiles)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-doctor-sackville-hospital-emergency-room-closure-1.5462252
Doctor shortage forces overnight closure at Sackville ER
More er closures are possible before hours are permanently reduced on March 11
CBC News · Posted: Feb 13, 2020 11:32 AM AT
The emergency room at the Sackville Memorial Hospital will be closed overnight Friday due to a doctor shortage. (CBC News)
A doctor shortage at the Sackville Memorial Hospital will force the emergency room to close overnight Friday.
Patients
will not be seen between 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday, according
to a news release issued by Horizon Health Network Thursday morning.
And ambulances will be sent to nearby hospitals.
The
closure comes on the heels of this week's government announcement that
six New Brunswick communities will lose overnight emergency room
services at their local hospitals, including Sackville Memorial
Hospital.
Emergency room hours at six local hospitals will be cut and local hospital beds will be converted to long-term care beds. (CBC News)
In
the release, Horizon Health said this is the first time the emergency
room has been forced to close because of a physician shortage. But it
has come close at least one other time in the past few months.
"This is the first occasion where physician coverage could not be found," the release said.
In coming weeks there will be at least eight overnight shifts, where the local emergency room lacks physician coverage.
"If
coverage is not found for these dates, the emergency department will
again need to temporarily close," the health authority said.
Patients should travel to other hospitals
Horizon
Health said all patients and clients requiring urgent medical care will
have to travel to other hospitals in Moncton or Amherst, N.S.
Patients
can also call 911 for medical emergencies or Tele-Care 811
regarding questions about the type of medical attention they need.
57 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Content disabled
Go Figure These are obviously not my Tweets but I did run against the lady
Chisholm Pothier
@chisholmp
·
Feb 10
The plan hasn’t even been announced yet and it’s already being condemned. We know one thing for sure - we cannot keep delivering Health the way we have. It isn’t sustainable with an aging population and needs have changed with demographic change anyway. #nbpoli /1
Quote Tweet
Alaina Lockhart
@AlainaLockhart
· Feb 9
Premier @BlaineHiggs you can’t grow NB by reducing services in rural areas. NB needs strong rural comms to thrive. The @townofsussex is key to the region. You need to start thinking about the people impacted in your quest to improve the bottom line. https://twitter.com/nsteinbach_rc/
Content disabled
Reply to @David Amos: Chisholm Pothier no longer speaks for the government Correct?
David Amos
Need I say I got a few calls after supper last night and the people who called could tell I was pretty cranky about something? Trust that what I heard on CBC this morning did not help my mood any..
David Amos
Methinks the real problem is that Higgy and Flemming can't get enough bilingual folks who want to work within our Health Care System N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks everybody knows since the time of Trudeau The Elder New
Brunswick has been a great place to grow up and get an education but to
find work most of our young ones must head west somewhere on the far
side of Quebec. If the truth hurts so be it N'esy Pas?
David Amos
On CBC this morning I heard our mindless Health Minister direct folks to the emergency room in another province. Methinks we have not heard that last about that N'esy Pas??
Jim Cyr
The people of New Brunswick are some of the silliest people in the world. It’s been hilarious to see almost all of them completely turn off their brains and freak out over Higgs’ emergency rooms plan. The people will now vote out the PCs, of course......just as their silly media masters tell them to do. And so the NB medical/fiscal/poverty situation will just get worse and worse and worse than it already is..
You can’t make this kind of stuff up, folks!! Amazing to see. Mind-numbingly predictable and monotonous. It’s like kubuki theater at this point.. BAD kubuki theater.....lol
David Amos
Reply to @Jim Cyr:
Methinks you may be cluing in as to why I call this a circus If you
can't find fun in the madness then you will go crazy like they claim I
am. Yea I'm crazy alright. Some say I'm crazy like a fox others say I
am just another narcissistic fool Hard telling not knowing for sure but
one thing is for certain I am having fun laughing at all the people who
laughed at me N'esy Pas?
However I can be as crazy as i want to be Higgy should ask the shinks in the loonie bin of the DECH what they did with the wiretap tape of the mob that I gave them in 2008 that the RCMP refuse to investigate.
However I can be as crazy as i want to be Higgy should ask the shinks in the loonie bin of the DECH what they did with the wiretap tape of the mob that I gave them in 2008 that the RCMP refuse to investigate.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Jim Cyr:
Silly? It's just plain "goofy". And once the CONServatives are gone, having been exchanged for the Liberals, the process will repeat itself, over and over.
Not one among us able to figure out the only end result is our pocket remain empty.
Silly? It's just plain "goofy". And once the CONServatives are gone, having been exchanged for the Liberals, the process will repeat itself, over and over.
Not one among us able to figure out the only end result is our pocket remain empty.
Michael Durant
We need to begin serious talks with Doctors Without Boarders
David Amos
Reply to @Michael durant: Try again That one went over like a lead balloon
Ben Haroldson
Reply to @Michael durant: borders
Yves Savoie
Get your popcorn ready!!! The circus has begun....
David Amos
Reply to @Yves Savoie: Wanna trade some of your popcorn for peanuts?
Methinks Trump and everybody knows I have been enjoying the circuses on both sides of the 49th for many years from the peanut galley. Trump's minions know that just before July 4th, 2002 within a statement of Claim against an incredible number of Yankee lawyers I promised that I would run in the next Election in Canada. I have remained true to my word and have run 7 times thus far. I joined the clowns in the centre ring no only to to add my two bits worth and but to witness the high diving acts up close and personal. Trust that Harper and Higgy et al know that i dearly love the splash just my kids and I did at Sea World a long long time ago N'esy Pas?
Methinks Trump and everybody knows I have been enjoying the circuses on both sides of the 49th for many years from the peanut galley. Trump's minions know that just before July 4th, 2002 within a statement of Claim against an incredible number of Yankee lawyers I promised that I would run in the next Election in Canada. I have remained true to my word and have run 7 times thus far. I joined the clowns in the centre ring no only to to add my two bits worth and but to witness the high diving acts up close and personal. Trust that Harper and Higgy et al know that i dearly love the splash just my kids and I did at Sea World a long long time ago N'esy Pas?
Ben Haroldson
Reply to @David Amos: Kudos to that, and if you were in my riding you would get my vote, fed or prov.
Lou Bell
Lou Bell
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: That would give him 14 votes .
Lou Bell
Reply to @David Amos:
" Methinks trumps and everybody knows I have been enjoy.. .... ...... "
!!! You really think trump knows who you are ?? Seriously ???????????
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Do you want his lawyers cell number?
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Better yet do you want me to give them yours so you can say hey to your
Yankee heroes who locked me up in 2004?
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Thanks for the vote of confidence
Ben Haroldson
The Doctors are just helping to move things along. No sense waffling if things are that dire.
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: So you say
Terry Tibbs
What do you *think*? Coincidence, or not?
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks we all know the wicked game by now N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos:
BTW I was born in the Sackville Hospital in 1952 and it saved my butt 3
years later when I went into a coma for a month. Methinks for that
reason alone I should raise hell to defend it. Methinks it should be
rather obvious that I quite simply don't care what my cousin Megan
Mitton and all her Green Party pals say or do about it N'esy Pas?
Holly Mossing
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Not coincidence: ERs and Labour and Delivery units have been randomly closing for years due to staffing issues. That’s part of the problem, and this move will be part of the solution. Government being responsible by listening to the health authorities.
SarahRose Werner
How is the pool of doctors who provide nighttime ER coverage supplied? Are these doctors who also work day jobs? Does staffing the ER overnight make doctors less accessible to patients who seek service during the day?
Elaine MacDonald
Reply to @SarahRose
Werner: Overnight Doctors come from the family practice doctors; so
while some work the ER during the day, those who work nights will also
work office hours during the day before their night shift starts. After
midnight, the ER is emergencies only, so you will be triaged by a
nurse, then depending on the triage, you may or may not see a doctor.
This Friday, from how it seems, there will be no doctor at all; I'm not sure if a tirage nurse will assess people however.
This Friday, from how it seems, there will be no doctor at all; I'm not sure if a tirage nurse will assess people however.
SarahRose
Werner
Reply to @Elaine
MacDonald: Apparently not, because the ER will be closed entirely.
Which makes sense because triage is a sorting procedure, not a treatment
procedure. The word "triage" comes from the process of sorting
battlefield patients into three levels: those will recover even without
treatment, those who will even if treated and those for whom treatment
will make a difference. If there's no one available to provide
treatment, there's no point doing triage.
SarahRose
Werner
Reply to @Elaine
MacDonald: "Overnight Doctors come from the family practice doctors; so
while some work the ER during the day, those who work nights will also
work office hours during the day before their night shift starts." - I'm
not surprised that doctors who've already worked during the day are
averse to taking overnight shifts as well.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @SarahRose Werner:
Why would they be "adverse"? If the "stories" told to us are true, after supper the family practice doctor heads out to the ER for 7pm, taking paperwork, or reading material, to catch up on.
Right around maybe 10, or 11pm they pull up a bed and have a snooze, because there "might" be only 5 patients overnight, (this is "the claim") maybe only one needing his/her attention, so the nurse can wake him/her up as required. 7am the shift ends, doctor leaves fully rested,12 hours pay richer.
In some cases, if the doctor lives real close, they go home, coming in only if needed.
Why would they be "adverse"? If the "stories" told to us are true, after supper the family practice doctor heads out to the ER for 7pm, taking paperwork, or reading material, to catch up on.
Right around maybe 10, or 11pm they pull up a bed and have a snooze, because there "might" be only 5 patients overnight, (this is "the claim") maybe only one needing his/her attention, so the nurse can wake him/her up as required. 7am the shift ends, doctor leaves fully rested,12 hours pay richer.
In some cases, if the doctor lives real close, they go home, coming in only if needed.
Holly Mossing
Reply to @SarahRose
Werner: Yes, it does, which is part of the problem. These are great
shifts for doctors to pick up (quiet and pay very well), but don’t help
the health of local people overall because the doc may see 5 urgent
patients overnight but not be able to work at see *25* the next day.
That’s a big capacity issue.
David Amos
Reply to @Elaine MacDonald: Its a pity that nobody in Sackville would listen to me this week
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos:
However I will disclose that the Office of the CEO of one of our Health
Care systems called me a few days before Flemming's big announcement in
order to reach an understanding as to why I am going to file a
lawsuitin order to get my Medicare Card and other things. I have heard
nothing but crickets since. Methinks they think I am bluffing Others
know I am not N'esy Pas?
Ian Scott
It would help if the management would outline what it takes to have an ER open 24/7. I do not think a lot of the public has a clue as to what it means to open an ER to all comers and the staff then needed to cover all reasonable issues. You cannot confuse the public and ambulances etc where to go each night if staffing gets short. It makes it worse. If you staff with general practice then they must have extended training in ER issues. Otherwise the next thing is the complaint that things were not done . Then comes the standard equipment needed for stroke trauma etc, like CT scanners etc. Even appendectomy becomes an issue without ultrasound or CT. Its really a standard of practice and it requires a service level that is very difficult to reach in small centers. Otherwise you just end up shipping people out again and delaying diagnostics and the right treatment, some of which are time related. Would you want surgery for something that is not needed? Or have blood thinners given when you actually have a brain bleed etc.
SarahRose Werner
Reply to @Ian Scott:
One thing I've been reading in comments on stories on this issue is that
people mention being "stabilized" in a smaller centre before being
shipped out to a larger one. Not being a medical professional, I don't
know what resources and skills are required to "stabilize" patients. Is
this something that could be achieved in some other way, for example,
by expanded and improved paramedic service?
Ian Scott
Reply to @SarahRose
Werner: That is the care in bigger centers, well trained paramedics to
stabilize at site and transport. Still most stroke issues need CT before
treatment. Heart issues may be "stabilized" with drugs etc but transfer
really is key for assessment . Trauma , (major) , needs a trauma
center. I am not sure how many paramedics can intubate in the field at
this point in NB but even an acute asthma or allergic issue might need
it. Its what has been suggested. The numbers are small in many of these
towns.Even having those staff may prove difficult down the road.
Helicopter Air ambulance is another issue, complex and expensive but out
there. Freddy is a trauma center for a certain level , but even it only
has a snowfield for landing.
SarahRose
Werner
Reply to @Ian Scott:
Okay, so if someone has a heart attack, acute allergic attack, stroke,
etc. in Sussex in the middle of the night and that person needs some
sort of immediate treatment to tide them over until they get to the
Saint John Regional, how is that provided? To me, that's the crux of
the issue here. I agree that 24/7 ER service in all locations is not
the answer. What are other possible answers?
Elaine MacDonald
Reply to @SarahRose
Werner: In that situation, the patient will be sent on to Saint
John/Moncton (not sure which hospital in regards to Sussex) regardless
if they are stable or not.
SarahRose
Werner
Reply to @Elaine
MacDonald: Are there increased to the patient if they're sent on without
stabilization? What are those? What will be done to ameliorate those
risks?
Holly Mossing
Reply to @SarahRose
Werner: There is a great study on this that showed that cardiac patients
who were “stabilized” at a small center then transferred had worse
outcomes and a higher death rate than patients who bypassed their local
ER and were brought directly to where they could receive specialized
care, for example. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28615177/
). Advanced care paramedics need to be normalized in New Brunswick and
supported to make health care as safe as possible. I’ve never voted
Conservative but in this case Higgs’ government is doing absolutely the
responsible thing. We need to make sure they follow through with
increased daytime services.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Methinks you must have read some of my comments N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Hmmmm
Donald Smith
There has to be a reason, or reasons why NB Cannot attract them ???????
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Donald Smith: There definitely is however no one is allowed to talk about the " Elephant " in the room.
Ian Scott
Reply to @Mack Leigh:
Major centers are not really having that issue except for OR constraints
for time for some specialists and no beds because of acute care bed
blockers. Bathurst has excellent docs as does Edmonston and they are
better at language issues than the south. Freddy and SJ and the Moncton
centers also attract excellent staff. Its in between that is the issue ,
and medicine has changed , as have expectations and the standard of
care. An ER is just that , all comers, not a clinic. One has to meet
rigid standards of care. And those are hard to meet in 4k population or
less towns and villages. Aging issues are one of the biggest issues and
its being met poorly. Billing numbers are a thing of the past so not in
the question. There could certainly be some concern I suppose of young
docs worried about potential language issues but low.
Elaine MacDonald
Reply to @Ian Scott:
What people seem to forget is that Sackville, while a population of 5000
including Mt. Allison students, also services Dorchester, Memramcook,
Port Elgin, Murry Corner as well as we get patients from the Cape like
Cocagne, Cap Pele, Shediac. We've had people from Moncton and
surrounding area come to our hospital in increasing numbers over the
past two years, even as far as Anagance, AND we get people from NS as
well like River Hebert and Amherst. It isn't just NB, but NS we serve
too.
So no, we don't have a 4K or less patient possibility, we have much more than that.
So no, we don't have a 4K or less patient possibility, we have much more than that.
SarahRose Werner
Reply to @Elaine MacDonald: Then maybe NS would like to contribute some money to pay for overnight service at the ER.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @SarahRose Werner:
Don't you believe for a moment they don't.
Show an out of province medicare card at a NB hospital and the eyes light up like a one armed bandit hitting a jackpot.
Don't you believe for a moment they don't.
Show an out of province medicare card at a NB hospital and the eyes light up like a one armed bandit hitting a jackpot.
David Amos
Reply to @Donald Smith: Everybody knows the reasons
David Amos
Reply to @Mack Leigh: I do
Brian Robertson
This is just the logical next step in the deterioration of healthcare under the thumb of a government administered monopoly.
When you have no money and no Doctors and costs are still increasing because all your workers are members of public service unions that can hold the public hostage; what else can happen?
The viability of single payer healthcare is based on the metering of services in order to control costs.
Public needs and individual abilities to pay simply do not factor into the equation.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Brian Robertson:
Hold the phone, Just STOP, and *think* for a moment, you have been misdirected just like you are supposed to be.
EVERY other province, or territory, has "evil" union belonging health professionals, this is not a NB only "thing".
We are supposed to be short of 100, maybe 200, health professionals needed per capita (a different number pops out whenever those in charge are asked).
We know the pay and benefits in NB are "short" hence the shortage of health professionals.
Yet the cost of healthcare is higher (per capita) than every other province, or territory.
So, either EVERYONE in NB is constantly sick, or the extra cost is somewhere else other than with the health professionals.
I respectfully *think* you should be looking elsewhere.
Hold the phone, Just STOP, and *think* for a moment, you have been misdirected just like you are supposed to be.
EVERY other province, or territory, has "evil" union belonging health professionals, this is not a NB only "thing".
We are supposed to be short of 100, maybe 200, health professionals needed per capita (a different number pops out whenever those in charge are asked).
We know the pay and benefits in NB are "short" hence the shortage of health professionals.
Yet the cost of healthcare is higher (per capita) than every other province, or territory.
So, either EVERYONE in NB is constantly sick, or the extra cost is somewhere else other than with the health professionals.
I respectfully *think* you should be looking elsewhere.
Brian Robertson
Reply to @Terry Tibbs:
All Provincial healthcare systems are following the same pattern decline; except possibly Quebec who enjoys a lucrative infusion of Federal transfer payments annually. New Brunswick just seems to be ahead of the curve in terms of declining services and wait times.
There is more than enough blame to go around for this spiral trip around the drain. Yes, and that includes your healthcare professionals.
All Provincial healthcare systems are following the same pattern decline; except possibly Quebec who enjoys a lucrative infusion of Federal transfer payments annually. New Brunswick just seems to be ahead of the curve in terms of declining services and wait times.
There is more than enough blame to go around for this spiral trip around the drain. Yes, and that includes your healthcare professionals.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks he knows you are correct Quebec is a UNILINGUAL Province Hence its costs are less N'esy Pas?
John Pokiok
There you have it no Doctor wants to live in rural setting it's a hard core fact.
Ian Scott
Reply to @John Pokiok:
Thats not really true. Being an ER doc is a different fish from a GP
office setting. It requires an extension of training.If you open an ER
then you have every issue from Intubation to trauma to poisoning, heart
attack stroke, delivery etc. ER trained docs are a separate entity . You
are asking a GP to be everything and have little backup and extended
hours and then have a practice in the community. It takes a serious
block of staff to do this around the clock. And to have surgical backups
for obstetrics etc.And to then live in communities with 4K people is
not easy.
David Amos
Reply to @John Pokiok: Many do when they retire
Elaine MacDonald
Reply to @John
Pokiok: And yet we just had *2* doctors from US background move to
Sackville to practice. It's not a matter of no doctors wanting to move
to rural areas.
David Amos
Reply to @Elaine MacDonald: Maybe they are willing to cover the midnight shift
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Content disabled
FYI A little Buggie just landed on my shoulder and chirped in my ear that Brucey Baby is not gonna support Higgy this time
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/health-care-reforms-er-overnight-service-new-brunswick-sussex-1.5462014
'It's going to cost lives': Sussex residents fear the worst from health-care reforms
About 100 people protested outside Sussex Health Centre on Wednesday
CBC News · Posted: Feb 12, 2020 9:44 PM AT
Sussex-area residents protest outside their local hospital following the announcement of health-care reforms that will cut overnight ER services. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
Anger and anxiety is mounting in Sussex, one of the New Brunswick communities affected by health-care reforms coming to local hospitals.
The provincial government and the two health authorities announced Tuesday they will be cutting overnight emergency room service and converting acute-care beds to long-term care beds in six hospitals.
The changes, which take effect March 11, have outraged residents, drawn political threats and sparked protests across the province.
"It's going to cost lives," said Dr. David MacMillan, a retired emergency room physician who worked at the Sussex Health Centre for 20 years.
Many protesters argued against the changes outside the Sussex Health Centre on Wednesday. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
He was among the 100 or so people outside the hospital Wednesday showing their displeasure with the news and holding signs that stated "Hospitals are a Right not an elective!!" and "Hospitals are meant for emergency care."
MacMillan, who now practises as a part-time family physician, said it's good to receive some new services within the changes, "but not at the expense of this ER."
Dr. David MacMillan worked in the Sussex Health Centre emergency room for 20 years. He was at the hospital Wednesday to argue against the changes. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
"Closing the ER in a rural community for eight hours a day the entire year is absolutely going to cost some people their lives and a great deal of inconvenience," he said, adding the move will put further pressure on an already strained ambulance service.
CEO defends changes
Karen McGrath, CEO of Horizon Health Network, said Wednesday she doesn't "believe there will be any deaths" resulting from this change, saying hospitals in Oromocto and Saint John (St. Joseph's) have been successfully operating with 16-hour ERs.
"I would never develop a plan for any facility within Horizon where I believe people were going to die," McGrath told reporters at the Sussex hospital.
"However, I would also say that, at the end of the day, we've got to make the health system sustainable for the future. If not, the other option is just not tenable."
In response to a shortage of staff and beds, the province announced six emergency rooms will close from midnight to 8 a.m. and will not accept patients after 10 p.m. It said cutting overnight ER hours will free up more doctors to work during the day, when demand for service is higher.
The six hospitals affected are the Sussex Health Centre, the Sackville Memorial Hospital, Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph in Perth-Andover, Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital in Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, Enfant-Jésus Hospital in Caraquet and the Grand Falls General Hospital.
The health authorities will also increase addiction and mental health services in those facilities.
'Kids get sick in the middle of the night'
Sussex resident Aaron Stapleford said she's concerned for her young children now that the short drive to the hospital will turn into 45 minutes.
George Long said he was lucky to have the overnight emergency room nearby when he had a heart attack three years ago. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
"I've made quite a few trips to outpatients in the middle of the night, and I can't drive to Saint John. That's just insane," said Stapleford.
"Kids get sick during storms and kids get sick in the middle of the night."
Resident George Long said he was fortunate the emergency room was open when he arrived after 10 p.m. one night three years ago.
"I was having a heart attack," he said.
Aaron Stapleford says she's concerned for her children's sake about the pending loss of overnight ER services in Sussex. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
Long said he was stabilized in Sussex and later sent for bypass surgery in Saint John, but he's concerned others might be dealt a different fate under the new system.
He said a Coles Island resident faces a 25-minute trip to the Sussex emergency room, but that becomes an hour's drive in any direction — Saint John, Fredericton or Moncton — to the nearest overnight ER.
"[Health care] is a basic right," Long said. "We need to protect it."
McGrath said paramedics have the skills and resources to stabilize a heart attack or other emergencies and transport the patient to Saint John.
She said more than half of the people who present at the ER do not have an emergency and simply don't have access to a family doctor.
"We have to look at services that are under-utilized or inappropriately utilized, and that's what I did," she said.
Reclassifying acute-care beds
The reforms also seek to address the large number of seniors occupying acute-care beds in hospitals while waiting for a space in nursing homes. The 120 acute-care beds across the six hospitals will be converted to chronic-care beds, which require a less intense level of care.
Seniors in that category in larger hospitals will be moved to the smaller hospitals so that the larger hospitals are free to meet the demand for acute care.
McGrath said 60 per cent of the hospital's acute-care beds are already occupied by patients requiring an "alternate level of care" and there won't be a "huge change" at the facility.
The date when the hospital will no longer accept acute-care patients hasn't been set, but the CEO said plans are being developed for existing acute patients to be transferred to larger hospitals.
Horizon CEO Karen McGrath speaks to reporters Wednesday at the Sussex Health Centre. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)
McGrath will face more questions at a public meeting in Sussex on Wednesday night before facing members of the Sackville community Thursday.
She said she understands health care is an emotional issue.
"I would expect it's going to be a very hard conversation," she said. "There have been a lot of hard conversations already today. As I said, I fully expect the local leaders will be very much advocating for, you know, maintenance of the status quo here in Sussex and I'm delivering a very different message."
With files from Tori Weldon, Jacques Poitras and Elizabeth Fraser
111 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
FYI A little Buggie just landed on my shoulder and chirped in my ear that Brucey Baby is not gonna support Higgy this time
David Amos
Methinks Brucy Baby one of the dudes I ran against in the last provincial election must agree that this is worth repeating N'esy Pas?
"It's going to cost lives," said Dr. David MacMillan, a retired emergency room physician
David Amos
At least these people have a Medicare card
Marc Martin
*Karen McGrath, CEO of Horizon Health Network, said Wednesday she doesn't "believe there will be any deaths" resulting from this change, saying hospitals in Oromocto and Saint John (St. Joseph's) have been successfully operating with 16-hour ERs.* You can see how uneducated they are on their own Health Services, Oromocto is 10 minutes from Fredericton and the hospital was block away from the other one in Saint John...
Archie
Levesque
Reply to @Marc
Martin: 4 miles between hospitals in Saint John. The ones in Moncton
are closer together. Here is a solution - close the Dumont ER overnight
& leave all the others open. Should solve the problem - right?
Marc
Martin
Reply to @Archie Levesque: 4 miles that's how many minutes ? You seem to have found a solution.
Archie Levesque
Reply to @Marc Martin: But it would never happen as it is in the Moncton/ Dieppe area & therefore is untouchable
David Amos
Reply to @Archie
Levesque: Good point Methinks Higgy should fire the mindless Karen
McGrath for giving him such dumb advice and offer you her position while
he he still has a mandate N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
You voted for that government so now live with your errors.
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Marc Martin:
The liberals were in power in 2016 when this idea was watched. They even spent millions touring the province on the issue to sell the idea.
The liberals were in power in 2016 when this idea was watched. They even spent millions touring the province on the issue to sell the idea.
Jeff
LeBlanc
Reply to @Marc
Martin: I fail to see the error. We need cuts and Higgs has done nothing
but deliver. If you want to live in a place that spends beyond its
means great but most of us don't anymore. Hence why your Liberals are no
longer in power.
Stephen Long
Reply to @Jeff
LeBlanc: You need to understand that Marc's thinking is very simplistic,
ie. Tories Bad Liberals Good. Higgs could have discovered the secret
to eternal youth and promised to share it with everyone and Marc would
still complain.
Stephen Long
Reply to @Stephen Long: But if Brian shares a picture of his dog he's the greatest person who's ever lived.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Marc Martin: Cry me a river
Jeff
LeBlanc
Reply to @Stephen Long: I know lol. I cringed a bit after I responded because I know what's coming.
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Marc
Martin: you voted for that government as well so..... and what is the
error? does anyone else have a better solution?
Marc Martin
Reply to @Johnny Horton: They never implemented it the CoRservatives did..Next !!
Marc Martin
Reply to @Jeff
LeBlanc: *Hence why your Liberals are no longer in power. * I didn't
vote for them but they are going back in power soon.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Stephen
Long: You approve of this decision because your services are not
affected, me I disapprove has these people pay taxes like anyone else,
the 2.5 billion sent top the provinces for health and education is not
only to provide service to a few entitled person like you.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Samual Johnston: I did not vote CoRservatives.
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Marc Martin: you voted Purple? Wow I'm surprised and elated at the same time!
Marc Martin
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: I would never vote for Barney and the friends only kids vote for that cartoon.
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Jeff LeBlanc: I'm just kidding BTW
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Marc Martin: how do you know all the protestors did then?
David Amos
Reply to @Samual Johnston: Methinks he thinks he knows everything N'esy Pas?
Mack Leigh
" Health Care is a basic right " states one protester... Well if that is so then it is time to choose... Choose your priorities. Our province is broke and we can no longer be all things to all people. The well is running dry. Time to cut to the bone and ax the non-essentials. Time to put an end to duality. By combining the two health authorities we would save $ 90 plus million per year. By doing away with unwarranted, unsustainable and unretainable language requirements for most positions we would be able to keep more of our people working in NB instead of working and / or moving out of province... The choice is yours and must be made soon. We are the poorest province in Canada and it is time to put an end to our costly failed social experiment that is driving us into the ground.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Mack Leigh:
*By combining the two health authorities we would save $ 90 plus
million per year.* And how did you come up with that number ??
David Amos
Reply to @Mack Leigh: I concur
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Mack Leigh: yeah I don't know where you get the 90 mill number from...
David Amos
Reply to @Samual Johnston: Who cares if Higgy don't?
Lou Bell
Many communities have lost their hospitals in cost cutting by both Liberals and Conservatives . These people are being faced with a minor cutback in services . 1600 dollars PLUS to service 5 PEOPLE IN 8 HOURS is kind of a little rich I'd say. Sometimes entitlement goes a bit too far , especially in these cases ! Many communities that lost hospitals have residents who are an hour away and more from the major hospitals FOR ANY KIND OF SERVICE ! These places want elite Healthcare , charge them extra for the service they expect ! 1600 dollars per evening ! And by the way 2 hour plus waits in larger cities IS NOT any kind of entitled or superior service.
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Lou Bell:
I knew I recalled some important story to this...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mcadam-fire-highlights-ambulance-concerns-1.1245020
I knew I recalled some important story to this...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mcadam-fire-highlights-ambulance-concerns-1.1245020
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Cry me a river
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny Horton: Methinks you recall a lot of important Irving stories as well but you ain't talking about them for obvious reasons N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
5 people served IN 8 HOURS ! That's faster service than one gets at McDonalds and Tims !!
And all for 1600 dollars PLUS per evening ! I mean there's entitlement and then there's entitlement !
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks you have your fancy blue knickers in quite a knot again today N'esy Pas?
Marguerite Deschamps
That's what you get for voting CORservative most of the time.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Try again Marc uerite . Again , you're opinion appears to be
in the minority . Tell us about the 130 million dollar giveaway for the
Phonie Games , please You know , the one NO ONE was told about by the
LIBERAL/ SANB while running in the last election ! Why wasn't anyone
told about it ?? Imagine how many Doctors we could get for 130 MILLION
DOLLARS !! That's what you get when you vote Liberal !
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
You do realize it was 2016 and the liberals were in power, when this idea was hatched right? They even spent millions touring the province about the possible closures and repurposing.
You do realize it was 2016 and the liberals were in power, when this idea was hatched right? They even spent millions touring the province about the possible closures and repurposing.
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Bottom line is that this has nothing to do with voting
Conservative. Bottom line is that we are broke with the designation as
the " Poorest province in Canada ". Years of mismanagement. Years of
blatant waste. Years of trying to be all things to all people and
pandering to one minority over and above everyone else . Years of
corporate welfare. Years of blatant corruption by past politicians have
brought us to this point. Millions no billions wasted. Time for some
fiscal responsibility. Time for making the tough decisions. Time for
amalgamating the two health authorities and ending duality which would
save the taxpayers $ 90 million plus per year.
Mack Leigh
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Noticed that the SANB is once again looking for a new president...
Melanson only lasted a year and a half.. Perhaps d'Entremont will come
out of retirement and lead the SANB charge..
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Mack Leigh:
Marguerite should do it. She’s the biggest cheerleader for them here on the forums. They can do no wrong according to her,
Marguerite should do it. She’s the biggest cheerleader for them here on the forums. They can do no wrong according to her,
Stephen Long
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: I think my comment under Marc Martins post is appropriate
here. Also, saying CORservative in every post just isn't funny and
never was. Stop trying to be a mini celeb like David Amos, N'esy Pas is
just as irritating but it has a bit more class.
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Methinks we should ask you and your SANB buddies if you kept a
tally on how many hospital beds the liberals got rid of since I first
ran for a seat in Parliament in 2004 N'esy Pas?
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: what does it have to do with the Cons? Fact is the system
has been broken for a long time - change might hurt some but in the long
run benefit many and that is what government is suppose to do.
Les Cooper
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Your right. Good to have Commonsense for a change!! Liberals sure didn
Les Cooper
Reply to @Johnny Horton: She is obviously French... Minority
LMAO!
LMAO!
David Amos
Reply to @Les Cooper:
Everybody knows the SANB spokesperson is French However methinks is it
is not a she and according to the latest liberal law there certain
pronouns we must use or we will be in deep doodoo with Trudeau The
Younger and his beloved members of peoplekind N'esy Pas?
Reply to @Lou Bell: Making no sense again...ding a ding !!
Marc Martin
Reply to @Johnny Horton: But it was never implemented tough right ? So whats your point?
Marc Martin
Reply to @Stephen Long: *Also, saying CORservative in every post just isn't funny and never was. * It is very funny!!
Archie
Levesque
Reply to @Marc Martin: Only to SANB Liberals
Marc Martin
Reply to @Archie
Levesque: What are SANB Liberals ? Are you saying that SANB elected mps
in Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton ???
David Amos
Reply to @Archie Levesque: Methinks if playing dumb does not comes naturally to SANB liberals then there must be way too much fluoride in the water that they mix with the red koolaid they chug down by the gallon N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Marc Martin: Methinks it was kinda obvious you were trying to bury my comment about Deschamps N'est Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: BINGO
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
I don't care what my cousin Megan Mitton & her Green Party say or do I was born in the Sackville Hospital & it saved my butt when I went into a coma for a month Methinks I should Hell to defend it N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/health-care-reforms-new-brunswick-er-rural-hospitals-1.5461710
Deputy premier must decide whether to fall in line on health-care reforms, Higgs says
Premier says he won't immediately fire Robert Gauvin from cabinet post
· CBC News · Posted: Feb 12, 2020 6:12 PM AT
Premier Blaine Higgs defended the new health-care reforms in a press conference Wednesday in Fredericton. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Premier Blaine Higgs defended his government's controversial health-care reforms Wednesday while trying to give two recalcitrant Progressive Conservative MLAs some room to oppose the decision — at least for now.
Higgs said he won't immediately fire Deputy Premier Robert Gauvin from his cabinet for publicly opposing the changes, which will see emergency departments in six small hospitals shut down from midnight to 8 a.m.
He also said he's optimistic Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins backbench MLA Bruce Northrup won't quit the PC caucus when he reveals what he called his "decision on which way I'll be going" Thursday.
As communities learn more about the reforms and realize they make sense, Higgs said, he hopes that Gauvin and Northrup will both come around.
"The reaction from the communities, who don't know all the details at this point, is creating some angst, and I understand that their representatives have to be receptive to that," he said in a news conference.
PC MLA Bruce Northrup was confronted by protesters outside the Sussex Health Centre on Tuesday. Northrup said he was not consulted on the plan. (Graham Thompson/CBC)
Higgs acknowledged that Gauvin should be bound by the tradition of cabinet solidarity and resign or be fired for speaking against a government decision.
"That is the system we operate under," he said.
But he said he recognizes the pressure that the deputy premier, his only francophone cabinet minister, is under.
"I'm sympathetic with it and I'm not going to overreact to it, because my goal is to fix the issues that are chronic in our province."
Even so, the premier said Gauvin "will have to make a decision in the coming days."
What's changing
The six hospitals affected by the changes are the Sussex Health Centre, the Sackville Memorial Hospital, Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph in Perth-Andover, Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital in Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, Enfant-Jésus Hospital in Caraquet and the Grand Falls General Hospital.
The province and the two regional health authorities say the hospitals see an average of only five emergency department visits per night, most of them not actual emergencies.
By closing those departments at night, effective March 11, resources can be shifted to daytime, when doctors and new nurse practitioners will be able to see more patients.
Deputy Premier Robert Gauvin, MLA Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou, was dismayed by the health-care reforms announcement. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
As well, all 120 acute-care beds in the six hospitals will be reclassified as chronic care beds requiring a less intense, and less costly, level of care for seniors waiting for spaces in nursing homes.
The health authorities will also increase addiction and mental health services in the six communities where ERs will close at night.
Opposition threat
The announcement sparked angry public reactions in the affected communities, and the opposition Liberals have vowed to bring down the minority government in the legislature and restore the emergency services.
Higgs denounced the Liberal position Wednesday, calling leader Kevin Vickers a "man without a plan" for not proposing an alternative way to deal with an aging population and a shortage of medical professionals in the health-care system.
The Liberals have 19 seats in the legislature, not including Speaker Daniel Guitard, who only votes to break ties. The PCs have 21 seats and the Greens and People's Alliance each have three.
There are two vacant seats, Saint Croix and Shediac Bay-Dieppe, where Premier Blaine Higgs must call by-elections.
"Personally I know a minority government lasts between 12 months and 18 months. This is 14 months already, 16 months, so I'm getting close to being pulled out of that chair, probably. That's a presumption I'm making."
Liberal MLA Andrew Harvey, whose riding includes one of the six affected hospitals, said he hopes Northrup and Gauvin will stand by their comments when the legislature resumes March 10.
"It's easy to say that but when we introduce our confidence motion in the house, maybe they'll have to back up those words," he said. "If they believe [the reform] is wrong, they have to stand behind their convictions."
Higgs said he's prepared to lose power over the changes. "I am not here for the goodness of my health," he said. "We have to fix our situation in the province. … If it costs us government, I'll rest easy knowing we did what was right."
Communication complaint
On Tuesday Northrup told an angry crowd outside the Sussex Health Centre that the communications around the reforms had been "deplorable."
"The chief of staff, the doctors, the nurses, the mayors from around this area, myself, the MP, should have been consulted a couple of months ago, and that didn't happen," he said. "It's been a communication nightmare from my end."
Horizon Health Network CEO Karen McGrath, Health Minister Ted Flemming and Vitalité Health Network CEO Gilles Lanteigne announced cuts to ER operating hours at six hospitals in New Brunswick on Tuesday. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
PC MLA Stewart Fairgrieve, the chair of the Tory caucus, said all backbench members on the government side attended a presentation to cabinet by the CEOs of the two regional health authorities.
"We were given access to that cabinet briefing, we were given an opportunity to ask any questions [of the CEOs] as well as the minister of health. So we had complete and open access to the briefings that were provided."
Hampton PC MLA Gary Crossman said the backbenchers "participated a bit. We're not in cabinet so we don't hear it and see it on a regular basis but we're kept informed as needed."
Asked if he felt he'd been able to have his say about the reforms, he answered, "We were there at the table to ask questions if we needed to."
184 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
Donald Smith
Higgs will tolerate health reform dissent for now. Maybe we the Voters won't tolerate him and his Government in the next Election ???????????
David Amos
Reply to @Donald Smith: How would you know from this website?
Donald Smith
Reply to @David Amos: lololol Really
David Amos
Content disabled
FYI A little Buggie just landed on my shoulder and chirped in my ear that Brucey Baby is not gonna support Higgy this time David Amos
Welcome back to the Circus Mr Gauvin
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks the title of Deputy Premier Robert Gauvin, MLA
Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou will be history in short order. That is unless
you pull a Belinda and cross the floor ASAP and Vickers were to make you
his Deputy but only IF you ever get elected again N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Methinks Higgy knows that I heard more than the backbenchers did byway of his buddy Chucky Leblanc's videos Anyone can do the same N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Methinks Stewart Fairgrieve, Gary Crossman and Bruce Northrup are just 3 stooges without a cabinet position and none of them should be believed. I bet many agree that if the folks in their ridings had not been so upset none of them would said a peep particularly Gauvin N'esy Pas>
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
"Guitard told CBC News on Wednesday that he expects he'll soon be asked to step down as Speaker so he can vote with his party to bring down the government."
Donald Smith
Reply to @David Amos: Good bring em down
Marguerite Deschamps
"Gauvin must decide whether to fall in line, but Higgs will tolerate health reform dissent for now." - He's got no choice, for now. The elusive Higgs Bozon is caught between a rock and a hard place. His government has one foot in the grave and the other one on a banana peel.
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Methinks it must a took took a committee at the SANB staying
up all night to help you figure that out N'esy Pas?
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Amos: Nope. I figured it out all by myself on the spur of the moment. Aren't you impressed?
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps:
You really think the liberals would do sny better. They certainly didn’t and that barely been over a year since they last screwed us,
You really think the liberals would do sny better. They certainly didn’t and that barely been over a year since they last screwed us,
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks sometimes even drag queens need to get lucky N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Johnny Horton: Methinks the Irvings must be paying you a lot of overtime lately N'esy Pas?
Johnny
Horton
Reply to @David Amos:
Why the Irving’s love the liberals. The liberals have given them far more than the cons ever have,
Why the Irving’s love the liberals. The liberals have given them far more than the cons ever have,
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: It was the CONservatives under Alward that gave all the wood on
public land and for blueberries to large corporations. I still see the
smirk on Paul Robichaud's face sitting next to the royalty off the
offshore island.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Johnny
Horton: *The liberals have given them far more than the cons ever have*
No they have not, the forest deal remember that one ?
Graeme Scott
Doing the right thing for the good of the province vs political expediency....what a novel idea. Kudos to you Mr Higgs!!
David Amos
Reply to @Graeme Scott: Yea Right
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Graeme
Scott: BTW Trust that I will enjoy watching the circus as Higgy battles
with his fellow blue coats Gauvin and Northrup about the two hospitals
within their ridings. I was born in the Sackville Hospital in 1952 and
it saved my butt 3 years later when I went into a coma for a month.
Methinks for that reason alone I should fight tooth and nail to defend
it. Obviously I quite simply don't care what my cousin Megan Mitton and
all her Green Party pals say or do about it N'esy Pas?Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Graeme Scott:
Does that mean he is refusing the raise he gave himself?
Eugene Peabody
Reply to @Graeme
Scott: Higgs is more concerned about how the Empire makes out than
ordinary people. Having one license plate is not making my life better.
Graeme Scott
Reply to @Terry
Tibbs: I have zero problems with what the MLA's and premier are paid. It
is a thankless job and they are on duty 24/7.
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