From: Waugh, Andrew <awaugh@postmedia.com>;
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Subject: Re: RE AN ANALYSIS OF What a failing Liberal brand means for Susan Holt etc et c etc
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Cc: Huras, Adam <ahuras@postmedia.com>; silas.brown <silas.brown@globalnews.ca>
Andrew
Sent: Monday, July 1, 2024 5:09:58 PM
To: Cheryl.Hansen <Cheryl.Hansen@gnb.ca>; Brigitte.Sonier-Ferguson@
Cc: Huras, Adam <ahuras@postmedia.com>; Waugh, Andrew <awaugh@postmedia.com>; silas.brown <silas.brown@globalnews.ca>
Subject: RE AN ANALYSIS OF What a failing Liberal brand means for Susan Holt etc et c etc
https://x.com/andrewwaugh13?
Desrosiers then responded with her own statement, saying it’s “very unfortunate that we are at this stage.”
From: Desrosiers, Dr. France (VitaliteNB) <Dr.France.Desrosiers@
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Subject: Réponse automatique : In light of the email I sent you recently the CBC news about your neck of the woods is interesting EH Eddie Cornell?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Je suis à l'extérieur du bureau jusqu'au 14 juillet.
Pour toute urgence, veuillez contacter Mme Brigitte Sonier Ferguson.
I'm away from the office until July 14th.
For any emergency, please contact Mme Brigitte Sonier Ferguson.
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
ANALYSIS: What a failing Liberal brand means for Susan Holt
Conservative win of Liberal stronghold in Toronto raises new questions about Trudeau's future, but also the party brand
Susan Holt must clearly define what the Liberal brand looks like under her leadership.
And if she doesn’t set herself apart, onlookers say she’s at risk of being dragged down by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a party brand that’s growing unpopular coast to coast.
The stunning Conservative win of a long-time federal Liberal stronghold in Toronto has raised new questions about Trudeau’s future.
But there’s growing concern that it goes deeper, impacting Liberals in any looming runoff.
“This is a thing to watch,” said J.P. Lewis, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John.
“If Trudeau hangs around, he can still be a punching bag for Blaine Higgs and the Tories. But people also conflate federal and provincial levels of government, and when this provincial election could have some very close races, any dampening of enthusiasm around Holt could be costly.”
The Toronto-St. Paul’s victory for the Conservatives is shocking because the seat has been held by the Liberals for more than 30 years, even through the party’s past low points, such as the 2011 federal election that returned just 34 Liberal MPs to Parliament.
That’s as a poll from Angus Reid suggested that replacing Trudeau as Liberal leader may not do much to improve the party’s electoral fortunes.
Respondents suggested a new leader wouldn’t make voters more likely to support the Liberals in the next federal election.
“I think what this does is raises the stakes on Holt introducing herself,” Lewis said.
“She needs to cut through any noise about the brand.
“She now really needs to clarify who she is, what she represents as an alternative, and exactly what is her Liberal party.”
Mount Allison University political scientist Mario Levesque agreed that Holt’s “biggest challenge will be to distance herself from the federal Liberals.
“So, already we have seen some of that with her stand on the carbon tax, so expect to see more of this perhaps related to housing or immigration,” Levesque said.
“She will not be able to totally run away from it.”
He predicts the biggest fight will be waged over fiscal policy.
“The Higgs PCs will spend a large portion of their war chest trying to link the Trudeau Liberals to the Holt Liberals regarding poor fiscal management,” Levesque said.
But he said it’s up to Holt whether she can effectively push back, either by highlighting her time in the private sector, as president of the New Brunswick Business Council, or by underscoring recent Higgs government blemishes like costly travel nurse contracts or the travel of the tourism minister.
Jamie Gillies, a political scientist at St. Thomas University, said while Holt’s efforts to distance herself from Trudeau will be important, the New Brunswick provincial election will have its own separate ballot questions.
“I think polling across the country always blurs federal and provincial attitudes about parties and politicians in the absence of an election,” Gillies said. “But during a provincial election campaign, the effect of having an unpopular leader or government at one level does not necessarily impact the vote at another.”
He referenced the landslide Liberal victory by Jean Chrétien in 1993 that decimated the federal Progressive Conservatives. It’s an election that still stands as the worst defeat of a governing party at the federal level in the country’s history.
But Ontario overwhelmingly elected the Mike Harris Progressive Conservatives in 1995, while Manitoba also comfortably re-elected a Progressive Conservative government that same year.
“So anti-Trudeau sentiment may not be the most effective strategy at the provincial level,” Gillies said.
All three professors added to a list of headwinds that Higgs himself faces.
If the electorate simply wants change after nine years of Trudeau, the same could be said after six years of Higgs. It’s unclear how battles over gender policy in schools will translate at the voter’s box. Whether the Higgs government’s large surpluses will be lauded as fiscally prudent or deaf to the struggles of New Brunswickers is also up for debate.
Where will progressive voters turn after a series of resignations and defections from the Progressive Conservative party?
“The question is, will people remember come election time and will enough of them come out to vote or not?” Levesque added.
Lewis maintains there’s a real threat of the Liberal brand bottoming out.
“Is this the last bastion?” he asked.
A single Liberal seat was elected in the Manitoba provincial election last October.
While 28 British Columbia Liberals were elected in the 2020 provincial election, the party has since rebranded as BC United, making Manitoba’s Cindy Lamoureaux the only provincial Liberal currently elected between Toronto and the Pacific Ocean.
At present, only one province has a Liberal premier, Andrew Furey in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“There isn’t a lot of help for Holt,” Lewis said. “The drag on Trudeau and the federal brand and the brand across the country, it isn’t great, but it just ups the stakes for what most people have been saying, and that’s Holt winning the summer, and her ability to define whether she’s different.”
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
ANALYSIS: During crisis, what happened to the teamwork?
'One Team One GNB' is a core philosophy of the Higgs government
She was calling a signature Higgs government philosophy into question, wondering where it went in the midst of a crisis.
Largely lost in three days of recent hearings into the travel nurse contracts – the focus was on who authorized what, when, and why, and who should be held accountable – were several pointed questions from Dorothy Shephard, a once-key cabinet minister who’s about to wrap up her stint in provincial politics.
Where was One Team One GNB, she asked?
What’s One Team One GNB, you might ask?
It’s a philosophy that Premier Blaine Higgs references a lot.
While it didn’t have a formal name when the pandemic began, One Team One GNB seems to have come from a decision Higgs made in spring 2020, as the world was shutting down.
Frustrated by the red tape needed to make any health care decisions, Higgs temporarily put a four-person team in charge of everything. The idea was to speed things up, and to ensure supplies like Personal Protective Equipment were being bought for the whole province, not just one department, or one Regional Health Authority (RHA).
It worked.
But eventually, that team was disbanded, and control was returned to its traditional owners: the health department, social development, and the Horizon and Vitalité health networks.
But a philosophy was born.
Essentially, One Team One GNB is about promoting teamwork in the civil service, and breaking down silos to ensure the province is making smart decisions, and ensuring taxpayers get the best value for their money.
There’s even a government video extolling its virtues.
In June 2022, the province’s top civil servant, Cheryl Hansen, wrote about it in the pages of Brunswick News newspapers.
“In December 2020, in the midst of the global pandemic, we launched the vision of One Team One GNB, a new approach to how we operate as the public service,” wrote Hansen, the province’s chief operating officer, clerk of the Executive Council and head of the public service.
“The One Team One GNB vision continues to propel New Brunswick’s public service today,” she added later. “Our people are constantly exploring ways to collaborate and innovate in the way we do business, both within departments and organizations inside government and with the New Brunswickers we serve.”
It was also front and centre in the executive council office’s 2022-2023 annual report, authored by Hansen.
“One Team One GNB is our vision as an organization and a collaborative approach to how we operate. It is our path forward, and it represents a civil service that is working collectively across departments, professions, and sectors.
“Together, we are learning, growing, and adapting, and discovering new and innovative ways of doing business. It is enabling us to achieve the outcomes needed for New Brunswickers, and we are working more efficiently and effectively than ever before. As One Team One GNB, we are improving the way government departments communicate with one another, work side-by-side on important projects and drive focus and accountability.”
Now flash forward to a couple of weeks ago, when a legislative committee was probing the controversy over the pricey travel nurse contracts.
What happened to One Team One GNB in 2022, committee member Shephard asked, when New Brunswick was losing nurses and nursing home workers, and millions of dollars in travel nurse contracts were suddenly being signed?
It’s a question she’s very qualified to ask.
Shephard held down two critical portfolios during her time in cabinet: health and social development. She was dumped from health back to social development in mid-2022 after a patient died in the waiting area of the Fredericton hospital’s emergency room, and eventually quit cabinet over Higgs’s leadership style and the government’s changes to Policy 713, which sets gender identity rules in public schools.
But moving to the back benches of government didn’t stop Shephard from asking questions, and as part of the committee, she certainly did.
The committee had called the two departments she once led, and the Horizon and Vitalité health network, to face questions.
Over three days, Shephard, like everyone else, heard plenty about the contracts: meetings, phone calls, emails, conflicting versions of events, and more.
And she heard that ultimately, while they spoke frequently, social development, Horizon, and Vitalité chose their own paths on the contracts.
For example, Horizon said it didn’t sign a travel nurse contract with Canadian Health Labs (CHL) because it didn’t want to be locked down into long-term agreements, and needed to maintain flexibility. Vitalité, however, said it needed CHL, because the company basically had a “monopoly” on being able to provide bilingual staff quickly. Social development also signed with CHL, but at rates much lower than Vitalité, and for a much shorter term.
Different rates, different terms, no one-price-for-everyone deal.
Questions
One of the revelations from a report by auditor general Paul Martin was about lax or non-existent checking of invoices approved by the travel nurse agencies, including questionable travel, accommodation, and meal expenses.
Deputy health minister Eric Beaulieu, a central figure in the travel nurse contract saga who was the deputy minister at social development when its travel nurse contracts were signed, told the committee that in 2022, bureaucrats were too busy trying to staff up nursing homes to check every expense that was submitted.
Shephard began her questioning of Beaulieu by asking about those expenses, and started by referencing the “flag-waving endeavour of One GNB,” which she said is “what I’ve always wanted to see in government – silos ripped down, departments working together.”
Why, given that philosophy, she asked, was social development left “to try to manage this on your own” – to sign travel nurse contracts and manage expense claims – given that “a whole GNB team could have easily come to support social development in not only securing the contracts, in paying the bills, in all of that?”
“Why did they not say, ‘We need an all-of-government approach on this?’ The attorney general’s office, Service New Brunswick, all of that expertise, wasn’t drawn upon, and I don’t quite know why,” Shephard said.
“I do value the principle of One Team One GNB coming together,” Beaulieu replied. “We’ve had some experiences (where) we certainly saw that on some other files that we worked on together as well.”
There were daily meetings with other key players, including the finance department, he said.
And social development was “working really closely with our partners across health care to leverage any existing resources (Horizon and Vitalité) might have” – while understanding they too were shedding staff.
“I think, to your point, though, is that we didn’t recognize the challenge of the back office, of making sure invoices (for expenses claimed by the travel nurse agencies) were checked off,” Beaulieu said.
In hindsight, he said, “we should have done that.”
And it seems Shephard wasn’t the only one wondering what happened to the One Team One GNB model.
Premier wants collaboration
One of the key questions that was never fully answered was how much Higgs knew about the contracts, and when.
But after Martin’s report dropped, what he wanted to know also centred around the One Team One GNB philosophy.
He faced questions in the legislature from Liberal Rene Legacy about Martin’s report, and whether he’d use it as a reason to merge the RHAs – something Higgs has said he has no intention of doing.
“I would ask the leader of the opposition and any opposition member whether they think our two health authorities should be competing with each other or working together to provide the best health care for every citizen of this province,” Higgs fired back at Legacy.
“What is the answer to that question? You don’t need to combine the boards to achieve that. You just need to have the boards working together.
“Mr. Speaker, let me ask that question once again. Do the members opposite think that both health authorities should work together for the greater good of all New Brunswickers, or should they work totally independently and compete with each other? Our structure has a collaborative process to help get things better for every New Brunswicker.”
And it’s a structure Higgs stands by staunchly.
A couple of weeks ago, he released a short video message celebrating Public Service Week.
“Here in New Brunswick, our theme is ‘proud to be One Team One GNB,'” he said.
“Our public servants work together, and take on the responsibility of serving New Brunswickers by providing helpful programs, and making New Brunswick a place they are proud to call home.”
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
Public inquiry a no-go for travel nurse contracts
Government focused on ‘how to best manage’ remaining travel nurse contract
The New Brunswick government won't be calling a public inquiry
into the travel nurse contracts, according to Cheryl Hansen, clerk of
the Executive Council Office.
BRUNSWICK NEWS ARCHIVESThe New Brunswick government has turned down a legislative committee’s request for a public inquiry into travel nurse contracts.
On Friday, Cheryl Hansen, clerk of the Executive Council Office, responded in writing to the Public Accounts committee through its clerk, stating a public inquiry had already occurred by way of the auditor general’s investigation into the contracts.
“The main point of contention during Public Accounts was conflicting interpretations of what was discussed; not what was documented,” Hansen wrote. “An expensive, time-consuming inquiry will not make people remember things differently.”
Green Party Leader David Coon called the response “ridiculous,” saying an audit “is not equivalent to an inquiry in any way.”
“In an inquiry, a judge has the right to subpoena people to come and have them testify under oath and to subpoena documents,” Coon said. “Give me a break.”
In her letter, Hansen said the government is instead focused on “how to best manage” the remaining travel nurse contract between Vitalité Health Network and Toronto-based Canadian Health Labs.
“The auditor general stated that Vitalité’s management signed this contract without government oversight,” Hansen stated. “We continue to call on Vitalité to find a legal way to get out of this contract and have committed to offering them assistance if they need it.”
Last week, the all-party Public Accounts committee passed a motion urging the government to call an inquiry following three days of hearings into the travel nurse contracts.
Those contracts, which were inked in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic, had cost taxpayers more than $173 million by the end of February.
Officials from the departments of health and social development appeared before the committee, as well as leaders from Horizon and Vitalité health networks.
Outgoing Progressive Conservative MLA Dorothy Shephard was the first committee member to call for an inquiry. While Shephard is a former health minister, she wasn’t in charge of the file when the contracts were signed.
“I really think there’s cause for more investigation,” Shephard said. “I really feel that the (former regional health authority) trustees need to be spoken to. I believe Canadian Health Labs needs to be spoken to… I really feel with the amount of money we’re talking about, that we should have a judicial public inquiry so that we can talk to people who do not present themselves here, to this committee. And to really get to the very, very end of what we need to know about all of this.”
During the hearings, Vitalité president and CEO Dr. France Desrosiers said that in July 2022 – after the province had ramped up the pressure on regional health authorities to fix the health system in the wake of a patient’s death in the Fredericton ER – she received approval to sign the travel nurse contracts from Deputy Health Minister Eric Beaulieu. This reportedly occurred during a meeting she attended along with former Vitalité trustee Gerald Richard.
“I would never have signed an agency contract if I didn’t have the green light,” Desrosiers told the committee.
Higgs later issued a statement saying that Desrosiers “is seeking to blame non-partisan public servants for poor management decisions that she made.”
“While there was an urgency to fill vacancies during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was absolutely no direction by our government or by public servants for the CEO to sign long-term contracts,” the premier said. “The current contract does not expire until 2026, and it is set to automatically renew, without any end date.”
Desrosiers then responded with her own statement, saying it’s “very unfortunate that we are at this stage.”
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
ANALYSIS: Travel nurses, and the waning thirst for answers
New Brunswickers are being told it's time to move on
There was finger-pointing.
There were insinuations, deflections, and criticisms.
And most of all, there were calls for answers.
But it seems the government’s curiosity has limits.
For months, Premier Blaine Higgs and Health Minister Bruce Fitch said they were very pleased that auditor general Paul Martin had accepted their invitation to probe the controversial travel nurse contracts signed by the Department of Social Development and the two Regional Health Authorities (RHAs), Horizon and Vitalité.
Fitch and Higgs used Martin’s ongoing probe as a shield to deflect questions about the contracts. The basic message, repeated over and over, was this: let Martin do his work; we trust that he’ll get to the bottom of this.
And Martin’s investigation – while being criticized for not including the health department and Higgs – did indeed find myriad problems with the pricey deals, which had cost taxpayers almost $174 million by the end of February this year.
They began to be signed in early 2022, and ramped up in July that year, right after Higgs fired then-Horizon president and CEO Dr. John Dornan and the RHA boards because a patient died in the emergency room waiting room of Fredericton’s hospital. Higgs also dumped Dorothy Shephard as health minister.
It was, therefore, both slightly strange and somehow appropriate to watch Shephard in action last week, using her role on a legislative committee to ask questions of Horizon, Vitalité, and social development.
But when the committee’s work wrapped up, there were new questions – particularly given that Higgs’s version of what happened, and who gave the “green light” for the contracts to be signed, clashed with the version presented by Vitalité president and CEO Dr. France Desrosiers.
So Shephard called for a public inquiry, and after a behind-closed-doors meeting, the committee agreed.
And eventually, so did the Liberals.
“I really think there’s cause for more investigation,” Shephard said.
“I really feel that the (former RHA) trustees need to be spoken to. I believe Canadian Health Labs (CHL) needs to be spoken to … I really feel with the amount of money we’re talking about, that we should have a judicial public inquiry so that we can talk to people who do not present themselves here, to this committee. And to really get to the very, very end of what we need to know about all of this.”
An inquiry, if called, would have the power to compel witnesses to appear. Witnesses like the top brass from CHL, which signed the most lucrative contracts – one of which doesn’t expire until at least February 2026.
Only the government has the power to call an inquiry, and the committee’s request can be ignored.
And it looks like it will be.
Higgs didn’t comment, but Fitch sent a statement on Tuesday.
“It’s clear that a public inquiry would involve significant time and work and would also require the co-operation of the attorney general, the Department of Justice and Public Safety and other government resources,” he said.
“Our department is focused on improving patient outcomes and I hope everyone knows that additional options for staffing are always being explored through various levels of government. We also expect we’ll be dealing with those issues within the collective bargaining process as those talks unfold.”
For a government that spent months crowing about how it called for Martin to investigate, and which repeatedly spoke about the need for answers, it was a huge philosophical shift.
But it’s certainly not the first time Fitch has changed his tune on the travel nurse contracts.
Who’s to blame?
For example, in the legislature on Dec. 5, Fitch suggested the government did indeed authorize the RHAs to do whatever was needed to keep facilities open, and pointed the finger at the New Brunswick Nurses’ Union.
“We heard from the nurses’ union that they wanted more hands on deck, so we told the RHAs: manage your resources in a way that will ensure that there are people on the floors to help the patients and to give health care here in New Brunswick,” Fitch said.
“The members opposite are saying that we should not have spent that money. The members opposite are saying that the RHAs should not have hired the travel nurses.
“We know that we want a New Brunswick without travel nurses, and that is why we are doing a significant amount of recruitment. We have made significant investments in making sure that there are hands on deck on those wards to ensure that those who are there now are getting the help that they need. That is what we heard. That is what the RHAs have done.”
By late March, when the scope of the money spent was becoming clearer, Fitch’s tune was beginning to change.
“We do understand that the use of travel nurses in the New Brunswick health care system is not ideal,” he said.
“Certainly, we would rather have nurses who are there on a permanent basis. This was a temporary tool that was used in order to make sure that emergency rooms stayed open and that some of the testing and some of the clinics stayed open. Mr. Speaker, we know that it is not a forever solution for the health-care system here in New Brunswick.”
Earlier this month, after Martin’s report had dropped, Fitch had a new focus: the RHAs.
“Mr. Speaker, the regional health authorities are charged with the day-to-day operations of delivering clinical health care here in the province,” he said.
“The RHAs are charged with that, and we have Acts such as the RHA Act, the Auditor General Act, and various others that help with that whole governance model. So, when it comes to oversight and signing contracts, the RHAs have the right to sign those contracts. That is the power vested in them by legislation such as the Health Care Act.”
On that same day, it seemed, Higgs was ready to wrap things up – other than calling for the RHAs to react properly to Martin’s report.
“This is a lesson learned on how we can do better together,” he said. “It’s a lesson learned on how we can not only look at a situation for the moment but also look at getting the best value.”
But things didn’t get wrapped up. They became far messier.
One of the big revelations from Desrosiers’ appearance before the committee last week was that in 2022, she and other Vitalité officials repeatedly met with the government to explain how bad things had become.
In late 2022, she said, Vitalité and Horizon jointly presented nine ideas designed to reduce the use of travel nurses. The presentation was made directly to Higgs and other senior government officials, and eight of the ideas involved giving existing front-line workers more incentives, like retention bonuses and better access to prime vacation slots.
The ninth idea was to use more travel nurses.
Implementing the eight other ideas would have cost about $25 million “for each year they were in place,” DesRosiers said, far less than the cash spent to date on travel nurses.
But it wouldn’t have completely eliminated the need for travel nurses, Vitalité officials admitted.
Last Friday afternoon, Higgs issued a statement saying what Desrosiers said wasn’t true.
“Vitalité was proposing long-term, permanent changes to how nurses are compensated, which ultimately would have cost taxpayers significantly more,” he said, later adding that “there was absolutely no direction by our government or by public servants for the CEO to sign long-term contracts.”
Higgs urged New Brunswickers to remember that “a very poor contract was signed,” squarely pointing the finger back at Desrosiers.
That sparked a written reply from the Vitalité boss, who said that it’s “very unfortunate that we are at this stage,” she said.
“To bring further transparency, the measures proposed were not intended to be permanent and amounted to $25M for the network for each year they would be in place.
“As for the approvals and the perspective on leadership, the network will opt to take the high road and focus its efforts on providing care to its patients and communities.”
So, after all the drama, the waters are very much muddied.
The government and Vitalité are now effectively saying that it’s time for everyone to move on, and that the focus should be on delivering the best health care for New Brunswickers.
The thirst for answers, it seems, has been suddenly and abruptly quenched.
https://tj.news/new-
Must Trudeau go? New poll suggest new leader may not do better
New Angus Reid numbers find that a list of other names, including Dominic LeBlanc, wouldn’t make voters more likely to support the Liberals
A new poll suggests that replacing Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader may not do much to improve the party’s electoral fortunes.
The new Angus Reid numbers find that a list of other names wouldn’t make voters more likely to support the Liberals in the next federal election.
That includes Dominic LeBlanc, although the poll’s results suggest that the New Brunswick MP is one of only a couple replacements that would be more popular among Liberal leaning voters.
“While Trudeau’s personal unpopularity is viewed as a major drag on the party’s support, the data does not suggest a leadership change would close the 21-point gap between the Liberals and the Conservatives,” the polling firm states.
“Canadians are more likely than not to say rumoured successors such as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and President of the Treasury Board Anita Anand would drive them away from the party.”
The poll specifically took 12 rumoured names and asked respondents whether each would make you more or less likely to support the Liberals in the next federal election.
All 12 had a net negative result.
Carney scored the highest with a net negative rating of four per cent.
But he had positive responses from Liberal-leaning voters, with a net 10 per cent of committed Liberal voters suggesting they favoured Carney over Trudeau.
Among those “definitely considering” voting Liberal, Carney had net 14 per cent support over Trudeau, while he also saw a five per cent gain among those who “might consider” voting for the federal Liberals.
Only two other prospective Liberal leaders, LeBlanc and Freeland, had net positive results.
LeBlanc registered three per cent more support among committed Liberal voters, while he was tied in net support among those “definitely considering” voting Liberal.
That said, the poll suggests Trudeau had four per cent more support among those who might consider voting Liberal.
Ten other potential replacements listed, including Nova Scotia cabinet minister Sean Fraser, François-Phillippe Champagne, Bill Morneau, Mélanie Joly, and Christy Clark, all register less net support compared to Trudeau.
LeBlanc has denied that he’s planning to succeed Trudeau as the leader of the federal Liberals, adding his loyalty to the prime minister “should never be in doubt.”
Asked recently if he has any leadership ambitions if Trudeau steps aside, LeBlanc said “the question is absolutely moot.
“Because he’s running again,” LeBlanc said. “And I’m happy about that.
“I’m focused on the work I have now and that’s all I’m focused on.”
The polling results also continue to suggest it will be very hard for the Liberals to win back support.
Of the 37 per cent of Canadians who say they are mulling voting for the Liberals in the upcoming election, roughly half, 48 per cent, say they are hesitant to support the party because the government has not made progress on issues they find important, including affordability and health care.
Meanwhile, two thirds of the 42 per cent of decided voters who say they currently support the Conservatives maintain they are “very committed” to their choice.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from June 14 to 17 among a representative randomized sample of 3,082 Canadian adults to collect the data, carrying a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Housing policy subsidizes wealthiest, at expense of poorest: economist
Herb Emery argues far more apartments would be built if property taxes were leveled between multi-unit and single-family residences
University of New Brunswick economist Herb Emery has done an assessment of why housing has become unaffordable in the province, and he says it’s different than what tenants’ rights groups and the political opposition think.
Over the last year, Emery has presented his findings to the New Brunswick Real Estate Association, the Building Owners and Managers Association and the City of Saint John.
His take?
New Brunswick has suffered from a “distorted” and “perverted” market for decades because its tax policy favours homeowners over apartment dwellers, charging much higher property tax rates on apartment buildings.
The New Brunswick Apartment Owners’ Association calls it the double tax, and has campaigned for more than a decade for relief. But Emery points out it’s really a half-tax on home ownership.
People who own their own homes get a discount, which he says amounts to a subsidy of $400 million a year.
“This is a subsidy for the best well-off people in the province, people who own their own homes,” Emery said in an interview. “What could you do for renters, who include the poorest in the province, if you subsidize them by $400 million a year?
“I know everyone blames landlords and says it should come out of their profits, but I don’t understand why they’d have a social responsibility to maintain the vulnerable population. That’s the provincial government’s responsibility.”
The economist has bars and graphs that trace the roots of how housing became unaffordable for so many people in New Brunswick, once known for its cheap digs.
They show that due to long-term, slow economic growth, the province was badly positioned to handle a surge in demand.
In the early 2000s, far more single-family homes were being built than apartments. For instance, in the third quarter of 2003, more than 1,200 single detached housing starts were recorded; multiple units were closer to 800.
Vacancy rates were high. As recently as 2013 in Saint John, the vacancy rate was close to 11 per cent, keeping rents very low.
Everyone blames landlords and says it should come out of their profits, but I don’t understand why they’d have a social responsibility to maintain the vulnerable population.
Herb Emery
But a surge in immigration after 2015 helped to change the market. The COVID-19 pandemic further fueled the fire, with inter- migrants – mostly from Ontario – entering the local market, especially Moncton. Vacancy rates recently dropped below two per cent in the province.
“Moncton’s pressure on its housing started much earlier than the rest of the province, much of it fueled by the movement of people from the northeast of the province to the southeast,” the economist said. “But then, when COVID hit, you saw a very specific interprovincial immigration from Toronto to Moncton, and then people selling and leaving Moncton were leaving to the rest of the province.
It’s like throwing a rock in the water in Moncton and then the waves hit everyone else.”
“Tenants’ rights groups such as ACORN and the New Brunswick Coalition for Tenants Rights, along with the Liberal and Green opposition parties, have called for more rent controls, such as a cap on rent, to help make life more affordable for renters.
But Emery argues it’s an issue of supply and demand. Construction, he says, remains too flat for apartments. And although investors favour building executive apartments, to increase their monetary return, the economist says there’s an additional benefit: If more of these upscale units are built, the remaining apartments should become more affordable because of the increase in supply.
“If you talk to developers, New Brunswick is just not a place to build, and they can’t get finances to do it. The same unit would be worth a lot more in another province.
“These national lenders don’t have unlimited funds. If you have a choice of building an apartment building in Quebec City or Fredericton, more often than not they’re telling landlords it makes more sense to build in a place where not so much of your revenues are chewed up on property taxes.”
The Higgs Progressive Conservative government has lowered the provincial property tax rate for non-owner-occupied residential properties – which includes apartments and residential rental properties – by half since 2021.
However, Emery points out the distortion is still in effect that favours home ownership when far more apartments should be built.
NB Power begins quest to raise rates by nearly 20 per cent
Public intervener says he'll do everything in his power to convince independent board not to give the utility such a high hike
Alain Chiasson hopes New Brunswickers won’t have to swallow the biggest electricity price hikes in generations.
The province’s public intervener is preparing for NB Power’s general rate application next week before the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.
“I’m worried people will struggle to pay their power bills,” said Chaisson, who’s an independent intervener appointed by the provincial government to represent the interests of everyday citizens.
“They’ll have to make difficult choices between paying for other things and their power bill. That will have a very significant effect on New Brunswickers if these rate increases are approved.”
The public utility is asking for an average rate increase of 9.25 per cent, backdated to April 1, and another average rate increase of 9.25 per cent for April 1, 2025. But that’s an average of all customer classes, including industrial, small business and residential clients.
For households, the outlook is grimmer. NB Power wants residential customers to pay 9.8 per cent more as of April, and 9.8 per cent next year, for a total of 19.6 per cent. The board already gave NB Power temporary permission to charge the higher amount since April, pending the latest hearing when it must prove its case over the better part of 16 days this summer.
Making matters more difficult, NB Power was already provided a three per cent catch-up increase based on unexpected losses last year.
All told, if NB Power gets what it wants, households will be paying nearly 23 per cent more for electricity next April than they were at the beginning of this year.
The hearings before the independent, quasi-judicial board start Monday and are scheduled to conclude on Aug. 23.
NB Power CEO Lori Clark will be one of the first executives to make a presentation to the board at the Delta Fredericton hotel.
We welcome the opportunity to explain the business decisions to support this rate application in this open and transparent forum.
Lori Clark
She has argued in the past that NB Power’s rates are artificially low because of past government decisions to freeze them or put restraints on how high they could go.
“These hearings are an important part of the independent regulatory process, and we will be answering many questions from interested parties,” Clark told Brunswick News in a prepared statement. “We respect the regulatory process and the role the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board plays in ensuring New Brunswickers pay a fair rate for their power. We welcome the opportunity to explain the business decisions to support this rate application in this open and transparent forum.”
In the documentation provided to the board, NB Power says rates will remain competitive with other nearby places should it approve the increases.
For instance, it will have lower rates than what’s offered in New Hampshire, Maine, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
However, if the rate hikes go ahead, Ontario and Newfoundland’s electricity prices will suddenly become cheaper than New Brunswick’s. British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba already have cheaper prices. Alberta wasn’t included on the NB Power chart.
“That being said, NB Power understands the impact of the proposed increase on customers and remains committed to cost minimization,” the document states.
“NB Power is concerned about affordability for our customers as they face a variety of inflationary pressures and recognizes that many customers will be challenged by this proposed increase. The utility will help customers access programs to help them manage their energy use and make alternative payment arrangements.”
But Chiasson said he doesn’t buy NB Power’s arguments. His office has hired two utility experts, Robert Knecht of Industrial Economics in Cambridge, Mass., and Dustin Madsen of Emrydia Consulting in Calgary, to analyze the reams of documents from NB Power.
They will present their findings to the board toward the end of the hearings.
No, they shouldn’t have that increase because it’s unprecedented.
Alain Chiasson
In the meantime, Chiasson will cross-examine the various witnesses, including NB Power executives.
“It’s an unprecedented increase and NB Power hasn’t tested their case. My position is that, no, they shouldn’t have that increase because it’s unprecedented and hopefully we’re going to provide some arguments to the board so that they won’t give the entire increase.”
UPDATE: Price tag for overhauling Mactaquac could pass $7 billion
NB Power executive cautions it's only a rough estimate, with no final decision to be made until the beginning of next year
The overhaul of New Brunswick’s most important hydroelectric power plant could cost as much as $7.2 billion – a huge amount tied to the unprecedented electrical rate hikes NB Power is seeking.
The startling figure was released reluctantly by NB Power’s chief financial officer and senior vice president Darren Murphy during a rate hearing in Fredericton on Monday.
NB Power has not provided an updated estimate since it embarked on the Mactaquac Life Achievement project in 2016, when it said it would cost between $2.9 billion and $3.6 billion to extend the life of the generation station and dam near Fredericton another 50 years.
Murphy at first told the three members of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board he’d rather not give an estimate, citing the fact that tenders have not come in yet for pieces of the work. He said he didn’t have confidence in providing a reliable figure.
But under persistent questioning from Glenn Zacher, a lawyer working for J.D. Irving, Limited, Murphy acknowledged that with inflation and additional scoping work on the project, it would be one and half times to double the original estimate.
That would amount to between $4.4 billion and $7.2 billion.
The board, an independent, quasi-judicial regulator, will ultimately decide whether NB Power has proven its case that it should get its requested rate hikes.
Although most proceedings over the first two days of the hearings at the Fredericton Delta Hotel were dry, polite and formal, at times the atmosphere was tense, including an argument over whether NB Power’s customers would feel rate shock.
NB Power’s three most senior executives – Murphy, CEO Lori Clark and Vice President Brad Coady – appeared as the first panel at the hearing to decide whether the utility should be allowed to raise the average electrical rate by 9.25 per cent this year and the same amount next year.
That’s an average hike only. For instance, households are facing a higher increase of 9.8 per cent, plus a catch-up amount for unexpected costs last year of three per cent, for a total increase of 12.8 per cent as of April this year. Add that to next year’s potential hike, and households could be forced to pay 22.6 per cent more.
Randy Hatfield, executive director of the Human Development Council in Saint John, warned the board that New Brunswick has one of the highest energy poverty rates in the country.
In the absence of a low-income energy rebate, we’re going to find more and more, low-income households falling back onto whether they spend money on heat or eat.
Randy Hatfield
Someone who is energy poor spends six per cent or more of their after-tax income on electricity. In New Brunswick’s case, that’s one in every third person in the province, he said.
Raising electricity rates steeply would be hugely difficult for most of these people, he said, given that most of them already have low incomes and use baseboard electrical heat.
NB Power has some programs to help low-income households, but he said they weren’t nearly enough.
“The glaring hole, the missing piece in a comprehensive energy poverty strategy, is a low-income rebate program,” he told reporters afterward. “That’s available in Ontario, in many of the States in the U.S. and throughout Western Europe. And in the absence of a low-income energy rebate, we’re going to find more and more, low-income households falling back onto whether they spend money on heat or eat.”
Big industrial customers face the highest hikes, this year amounting to slightly more than 15 per cent. JDI, which runs paper and sawmills throughout the province, is a huge consumer of electricity.
Clark said NB Power needs the increases to prepare for future load growth, meet climate change goals, deal with intense weather and worse storms, replace badly aging infrastructure, handle inflation, address supply chain problems and fulfill its financial obligations.
As part of NB Power’s efforts to shore up its finances and prepare for the spending at Mactaquac, among other big projects, it is under pressure from the Progressive Conservative government to wipe $1 billion of debt off its books by 2029.
Zacher pointed out that NB Power had failed to reduce any of its debt since formulating a plan in 2013 to reduce it by $1 billion, despite having $426 million in net earnings since that period.
“So ratepayers, for the next five years, are expected to pay the entire freight,” Zacher said.
But Clark said it was unfair to portray the situation that way. The chief executive argued that breakdowns at the Point Lepreau nuclear plant in Saint John were one of the main reasons her organization couldn’t pay down debt, a situation it hopes to address by investing more in annual maintenance and repairs.
Every time the plant has an unscheduled outage, the utility is forced to pay for expensive power from out of province or run other generators, otherwise people would experience brown-outs or rolling blackouts, she said.
And during the pandemic, NB Power decided to freeze electrical rates to help its customers cope.
“In hindsight, I don’t think it was the right thing to do,” Clark said. “But at the time, it was the right thing to do.”
On Tuesday, NB Power lawyer John Fury asked the panel of NB Power executives whether the JDI lawyer was right to say ratepayers would shoulder the entire $1-billion debt repayment burden over the next five years. Coady said no, and estimated that about half the amount, $500 million or so, would likely come from revenues made from export sales of electricity to markets outside of New Brunswick.
Besides, Clark said the utility could not wait any longer to pay down debt because the upgrades were so badly needed at Lepreau and Mactaquac.
The Mactaquac project alone is expected to take 15 years. It’s already behind schedule, with Murphy explaining that experts had advised the utility to take its time and get the project started right, rather than rushing in.
NB Power asked for tenders on replacing the turbines and other work and expects to make a recommendation on how to proceed to its board of directors at the beginning of next year, with a final cabinet decision six to nine months later. That means work could start in the fall of 2025.
The cost for Mactaquac has exploded.
Alain Chiasson
Alain Chiasson, the public intervener who the provincial government hired to represent the public interest, said the Mactaquac project concerned him. He wonders if NB Power will be able to keep rates at an annual average increase of 4.75 per cent for the three years following the latest hikes.
“The cost for Mactaquac has exploded since 2016,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “It will probably be at least $7 billion or if not more. So, yes, I’m concerned about that.”
At one point in Monday’s hearing, JDI’s lawyer recited sworn testimony from Clark at last year’s rate hearing, when NB Power unsuccessfully asked for an 8.9 per cent increase (the board only gave it a little over half the amount, 4.8 per cent).
He recounted that Clark had described rate shock as an increase of 10 per cent or more, what many customers are threatened with this year.
“Any amount when you’re already struggling to pay for groceries and gas will feel like rate shock,” Clark argued, adding that NB Power has a guiding principle of trying to avoid double-digit increases.
Zacher asked if she wouldn’t agree that the proposed increases were extraordinary.
“They are higher than what you’d normally see,” Clark said. “But these are not normal times.”
Credit agencies watch as NB Power seeks highest rates in generations
Questions are raised whether huge debt repayments could be spread out to avoid households and businesses paying far more for electricity
One of the Higgs government’s cardinal concerns has been cited repeatedly in a rate hearing that will decide if NB Power can raise electricity prices the highest in generations.
The provincial government’s excellent credit rating.
Officials at the hearing in Fredericton, such as the public intervener and the legal team for the private timber firm J.D. Irving, Limited, have asked NB Power executives repeatedly why the utility can’t extend the period for paying down $1 billion in debt.
They point out that if debt repayment were spread out over more years, rates for NB Power customers wouldn’t have to go up as high over the short term.
As it stands, the Progressive Conservative government has directed NB Power to pay down a huge portion of its $5-billion debt by 2029.
This is one of the reasons why NB Power wants to raise rates 9.8 per cent this year and another 9.8 per cent next year for households, and even more for big industry.
If granted, they would be the highest hikes in more than 40 years.
The interveners have circled back to an overriding concern of the Tory government – the importance of maintaining good standing with the world’s most important credit rating agencies.
If I were only looking at the customer impacts, I would push it out as long as I can.
Lori Clark
Earlier on at the hearing this week, Glenn Zacher, a lawyer for JDI, drew out of NB Power CEO Lori Clark that she was pleased when the Higgs government suddenly announced last September that it was extending the period for the big debt paydown, giving the utility an extra two years.
NB Power officials had warned the government that without an extension, double-digit rate hikes would have to be foisted on households and businesses.
“In light of your evidence that you were relieved and welcomed the extension from 2027 to 2029 because of the mitigative effect it had on customers, why did you not consider an extension beyond 2029 for the same reason?” Zacher asked.
Clark said she did not consider spreading out the debt repayment further because the government’s directive was only to extend it by two years. Even though hitting the 2029 target is not a requirement by law, she said NB Power couldn’t just ignore government directives.
“If I’m only looking at the impact on customers, I would have pushed it out as far as I could,” the CEO said. “The challenge is we also have to look – I have to look at other things that are impacting the utility.”
Clark said NB Power was preparing to spend big money ensuring people have reliable service, in an era when electrical demand is growing heavily and Ottawa is putting in new, stricter regulations for utilities to curb greenhouse gases and combat global warming.
“We are just running out of time to do that,” she said. “If I were only looking at the customer impacts, I would push it out as long as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t just look at one dimension when you make these types of decisions.”
The big agencies have upgraded New Brunswick’s credit rating since the Higgs government paid down $2 billion in provincial debt and maintained balanced budgets for its entire time in office since 2018, the only Canadian province to do so.
The ratings are now near the top, with Moody’s giving AA, Standard and Poor’s an A plus, and DBRS an A high to New Brunswick, according to their own rating systems. Only the federal government and British Columbia have better ratings. The higher ratings lead to savings on interest payments. The debt reduction has also resulted in $75 million in yearly interest savings for provincial taxpayers.
NB Power officials in their testimony explained that the concern about their organization’s shaky finances is twofold – its heavy debt burden of $5 billion, proportionally, could make the credit rating agencies cast doubt on the provincial government’s finances, since it, as NB Power’s exclusive shareholder, would be responsible for mopping up the red ink mess if the utility failed to meet debt payments.
But NB Power also benefits from the lower rate of borrowing the province receives thanks to its excellent credit rating, interest savings the utility wants before it embarks on massive, multibillion-dollar overhauls of crucial power plants at Point Lepreau, Mactaquac and Belledune.
When Zacher pushed NB Power officials on the effect their organization’s finances could have on the province’s credit rating, Darren Murphy, the utility’s chief financial officer, said the province’s auditor general had already delivered a report citing such concern, all part of the evidence before the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.
The three-member, quasi-judicial board listening to the proceedings will ultimately decide how high NB Power’s rates should go.
But in sifting through the evidence from previously filed documents, the lawyer showed Murphy that the provincial government’s rating wouldn’t necessarily go down as long as NB Power showed it was making some kind of progress toward paying down debt.
In other words, the 2029 deadline was not make-or-break.
“So, Mr. Murphy, you in fact agree that as long as the debt-to-equity ratio does not worsen and that there is some progress towards it, that that will likely not result in a down grading of the province’s credit rating?”
The executive answered yes.
But Murphy quickly added that he couldn’t state what other variables the rating agencies might consider if they eventually downgrade the province and hurt its favourable borrowing terms.
“So I can’t say it with certainty.”
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
Premier’s office not given heads up on ARC staffing changes
NB Power is still banking on SMRs to power the province’s electricity grid in the near future
The Higgs government says it wasn’t given a heads up on the sweeping staff changes at one of the province’s two small modular nuclear companies. SUBMITTED
But it says the millions in public dollars spent on ARC Clean Technology Canada had targets built into the funding that the company met.
Meanwhile, NB Power is still banking on SMRs to power the province’s electricity grid in the near future.
Brunswick News reported earlier this week that ARC president and CEO Bill Labbe is no longer with the company, while an unknown number of other employees were given layoff notices.
ARC confirmed in a statement that it was “re-aligning personnel and resources” in a move to “rationalize operations to best prepare for the next phase of our deployment” after it completed a second vendor design review with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, seen as a deeper dive into the company’s technology design and plans.
That decision raises questions on whether a path to commercialization remains on track.
“We are aware that the technology is still advancing and understand that restructuring is part of that process,” Premier Blaine Higgs’s office spokesperson Laverne Stewart said in an email.
The premier’s office didn’t directly answer if it has been given any assurances from ARC on its ability to still bring an SMR to commercialization.
But on Wednesday it added that “to date, ARC has met the milestones they have committed to meet.”
Stewart also said the office was “not made aware of these staffing changes before they were announced.”
She then defended spending on the technology to date.
The Higgs government has spent $20 million towards efforts to commercialize ARC’s technology, with NB Power planning to add an ARC-100 small modular reactor at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station.
The federal government has also spent $7 million on the company.
“Both Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments in New Brunswick have invested in small modular reactors because making sure we have energy security in our province is important,” Stewart said. “The funding from the government of New Brunswick was delivered in a very structured fashion contingent on several benchmarks being reached.”
A contract with a small modular nuclear reactor company saw the province pay out all of that $20 million by July 1, 2022.
That contract, obtained by Brunswick News, also specifically called on ARC to “notify promptly of any circumstances that could result in significant delays to the development activities.”
And it put in place a project oversight committee consisting of senior officials from the provincial government, NB Power and ARC with broad-ranging powers to intervene in any major step taken along the way.
Former Energy Minister Mike Holland told Brunswick News last month that the committee still remains in place providing updates.
The premier’s office confirmed that on Wednesday.
“The government created a project oversight committee to make sure that the project continues to move forward,” Stewart said. “We’ll continue to have this committee to monitor progress.”
At a New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board hearing on Tuesday into a recent power rate hike, NB Power vice president Brad Coady testified he doesn’t expect SMRs will be ready by an original target date of 2030.
The utility now believes they’ll be ready by 2032 or 2033.
Still, the New Brunswick government has a goal, as stated in its 12-year-energy plan, to add 600 megawatts of SMR energy production to the provincial grid by 2035.
Speaking to reporters at the utility board hearing, NB Power CEO Lori Clark declined to comment on the personnel moves at ARC.
But Clark said the goal remains unchanged.
“Our integrated resource plan says we need small modular reactors on our system by the early 2030s and we’re still confident that we can have those,” she said.
NB Power seeks approval for big spending after money is already spent
Public utility says catastrophic failure at Bayside gas-powered plant in Saint John forced it to make an emergency decision
There is one big oddity to the hearings that will decide if NB Power can raise electricity prices to the highest in generations.
Besides the large rate request, the public utility is also asking permission to spend more than $50 million on emergency turbine replacement for one of its power plants, a job that has already been completed.
The law spells out that NB Power must seek approval from the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board, an independent regulator, if it estimates it will spend more than $50 million on any capital project.
Under the province’s Electricity Act, the board must carefully consider NB Power’s big spending projects and reject them if the evidence shows they will unnecessarily drive up rates for households and businesses.
But the Bayside natural gas plant in Saint John suffered a catastrophic failure on Jan. 24, 2022, and was out of commission for a year.
NB Power used a provision in the law that allows it to immediately embark on such expensive work in the case of an emergency and seek retroactive approval from the board for heavy spending.
NB Power CEO Lori Clark told reporters after testifying at the hearing that NB Power officials initially thought a piece of ice went through the turbine and caused the blades to fail.
“So, something we hadn’t planned and obviously caused a catastrophic failure at the station that we couldn’t have anticipated.”
In NB Power’s filing of evidence to the board, there’s no mention of ice.
Instead, the document about its general rate application states that one of the compressor blades broke off and damaged more than one-third of the other blades in the turbine.
It was due to a manufacturer’s defect.
“From the study work conducted by NB Power, it was believed to be a manufacturing defect (crack) in the blade on the stator row 3 that propagated and failed and sent a part of the blade through the machine causing it to go offline due to automatic protection activation,” the report states. “This resulted in the station being taken out of service for a prolonged period.”
Yet only three years before the catastrophic failure, NB Power boasted in a media release that it had made a great deal by purchasing the plant for $46 million from the private firm Emera. Up until then, NB Power had been buying the power produced by the old, 280-megawatt gas-fired plant on Saint John’s industrialized east side.
“NB Power completed its due diligence by engaging an independent third party to carry out an inspection and the company was impressed with the station’s condition and capabilities,” states the release from March 6, 2019. “Bayside underwent extensive renovations in 2017 which included repairs, and replacement of major turbine components. Major capital projects have restored the combustion turbine to like-new condition.”
The New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board must decide if NB Power should be allowed to spend more than $50 million on replacing a gas turbine at its Bayside plant in Saint John – after it already spent the money. Photo by John Chilibeck/ Brunswick News
NB Power made the purchase after securing a long-term deal for natural gas out west.
In its filing, utility officials said they only had three options: decommission the plant, repair it, or replace the turbine, a project that had been planned for the following year anyway, with the hopes of extending the life of the generating station.
Repair work, it said, would be costly – $47 million for difficult-to-source replacement parts and proper inspections – and quickly ruled out. Decommissioning, it added, was never really an option because of the plant’s importance.
Of New Brunswick’s big thermal plants, it belches out the fewest greenhouse gases, unlike Coleson Cove in Saint John, which relies on heavy oil, and Belledune, which uses the biggest polluter of them all, coal.
And executives at the public utility say Bayside is essential for providing enough baseload power to ensure people’s lights and heat stay on in the cold winter months.
We need to have energy security in New Brunswick. We’ve seen rolling blackouts in other provinces and we certainly don’t want to be there.
Lori Clark
The document refers to the frosty morning of Feb. 4 last year, when a brief but powerful Arctic airmass caused low temperatures and gusty winds, making much of the province feel colder than –40 C.
“NB Power experienced an all-time peak event in response to a population surge and one of the coldest periods experienced in the last 20 years,” the document states. “If Bayside was not operable on that date, and due to the lack of market energy from neighbours, it is likely that NB Power would have had insufficient generation to meet demand if Bayside was not returned to service in time for this peak event.”
When speaking to reporters earlier this week, Clark said NB Power couldn’t leave customers in the cold and dark.
“We need to have energy security in New Brunswick. We’ve seen rolling blackouts in other provinces and we certainly don’t want to be there.”
NB Power says it had originally estimated that replacing the turbine would be $48 million, just under the $50-million threshold for seeking special permission.
In the end, though, the cost was closer to $67 million, due to an unanticipated two-and-half-month delay caused by workers who didn’t show up for the job and parts that didn’t come in on time. NB Power says the big bill was offset by a successful insurance claim and the sale of old parts that dropped the overall pricetag to $52 million.
It’s difficult to know what the three-member board thinks of what happened at Bayside and whether they will grant approval for the big spending after the fact. Their decision isn’t expected for months.
NB Power spokesperson Clayton Beaton wouldn’t speculate what would happen if the board rejected the spending.
“It would be premature to comment on that scenario as we are currently before the Energy and Utilities Board,” he wrote in an email. “NB Power looks forward to receiving the EUB’s decision on this matter.”
Meanwhile, board chairperson Christopher Stewart asked senior NB Power executives twice at the hearing on Tuesday whether in the future, they’d consider seeking pre-approval for projects that are just under $50 million, given that costs can sometimes inflate.
Darren Murphy, NB Power’s chief financial officer, said they could, as a minimum, provide details to the board ahead of time.
“We certainly are happy to provide information,” Murphy said.
Seemingly unsatisfied with that response, for the third time, the chairperson asked the same question.
“Your intention at this point is to only bring those projects which you believe, at the outset, not after the fact like Bayside, will exceed the $50-million threshold?”
To which, Murphy responded: “That’s correct.”
From: LeBlanc, Dominic - député <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: In light of the email I sent you recently the CBC news about your neck of the woods is interesting EH Eddie Cornell?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
(English follows)
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Nous
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Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: In light of the email I sent you recently the CBC news about your neck of the woods is interesting EH Eddie Cornell?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 2:51 PM
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To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2024 at 2:50 PM
Subject: In light of the email I sent you recently the CBC news about your neck of the woods is interesting EH Eddie Cornell?
To: prontoman1 <prontoman1@protonmail.com>, <service@lobergector.com>, Jason Lavigne <jason@yellowhead.vote>, ragingdissident <ragingdissident@protonmail.com>, <DerekRants9595@gmail.com>, Dana-lee Melfi <Dana_lee_ca@hotmail.com>, waynenarvey <waynenarvey@hotmail.com>, <sirt@gov.ns.ca>, martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, Marco.Mendicino <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, Michael.Duheme <Michael.Duheme@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, Michelle.Boutin <Michelle.Boutin@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, Dominic.Cardy <Dominic.Cardy@gnb.ca>, Dr.France.Desrosiers <Dr.France.Desrosiers@vitalitenb.ca>, Soucy, Tom (VitaliteNB) <Tom.Soucy@vitalitenb.ca>, bruce.fitch <Bruce.Fitch@gnb.ca>, ethics, ethique (VitaliteNB) <ethique.ethics@vitalitenb.ca>, blaine.higgs <Blaine.Higgs@gnb.ca>, pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, Susan.Holt <Susan.Holt@gnb.ca>, David.Coon <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, robert.mckee <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, hugh.flemming <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>, Arseneau, Kevin (LEG) <kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, robert.gauvin <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, Jacques.Poitras <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, jake.stewart <jake.stewart@parl.gc.ca>, jagmeet.singh <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, Katie.Telford <Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, <david.mcguinty@parl.gc.ca>
Cc: jacques.j.leblanc <jacques.j.leblanc@gnb.ca>, <doughart.jackson@brunswicknews.com>, <FBaylis@baylismedtech.com>, Wayne.Long <Wayne.Long@parl.gc.ca>, wayne.eyre <wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca>, <jdoughart@gmail.com>, <Richard.Losier@gnb.ca>, jp.lewis <jp.lewis@unb.ca>, <jchilibeck@postmedia.com>
Former Liberal cabinet minister is next New Brunswick senator
Victor Boudreau of Shediac to join upper chamber after over a decade as New Brunswick MLA
nFormer MLA and Liberal cabinet minister Victor Boudreau was appointed to Canada's Senate on Friday. (Alix Villeneuve/CBC)Former Liberal MLA and cabinet minister Victor Boudreau was appointed to Canada's Senate on Friday after over a decade in provincial politics.
Boudreau, currently the chief administrative officer for the Town of Shediac, said on Saturday he was excited to receive the news.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to get to work, to represent New Brunswick and New Brunswickers' interest in our federal parliamentary system," he told Radio-Canada in Shediac.
However, Boudreau said he has yet to commit to any particular Senate group, including Justin Trudeau's Independent Senators Group.
Victor Boudreau is New Brunswick's next senator
"I obviously want to take my time to get to understand the various groups that are represented in the Senate, and decide which one aligns more with my values, and what's important to me," he said.
"No doubt there will be some causes that I will be more passionate about. Social causes are always something throughout my career that have been very important to me."
Boudreau was elected to New Brunswick's legislature in 2004 and was re-elected for several terms after that. In that time, he held several cabinet portfolios, including health, finance, economic development and the Regional Development Corporation.
He was also appointed to the interim Liberal leader role in 2010, replacing former New Brunswick premier Shawn Graham.
Victor
Boudreau is pictured speaking to reporters in 2015 about the auditor
general's report on the previous Liberal government's Atcon fiasco. He
was finance minister when Atcon's bankruptcy cost taxpayers over $70
million. (CBC)
His time in the legislative assembly was also marked by some controversy for his role in the Atcon scandal — signing off on removing security on $64 million in loan guarantees — and for his now-dropped investment in a proposed Shediac campground.
The former was subject to an investigation by the auditor general, as over 70 million in taxpayer dollars were lost when Atcon went bankrupt.
The appointment comes after New Brunswick senator and longtime Progressive Conservative MLA Percy Mockler, from Saint-Léonard, retired in April.
Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie said he's known Boudreau for over 35 years after they met in university.
Mayor Roger Caissie says the Town of Shediac will miss Boudreau as he begins his new senator role. (Gary Moore/CBC)
"He believes in what he says, and I know that during his past life as a politician ... obviously the folks here wished to have him," Caissie said.
"He was well liked within his party, he was well liked by the opposition party because he treats everybody reasonably. He's as solid a person as they come."
While Boudreau has yet to declare an affiliation, political scientist J.P. Lewis said Trudeau's appointment of longtime Liberal politicians to the Senate may cast doubts on his earlier commitment to make the Senate less partisan.
J.P.
Lewis, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in
Saint John, said nominations of long-time politicians may undermine
Justin Trudeau's promise to end partisanship in the Senate. (CBC)
"If you want senators with political experience, obviously Boudreau has a record of public service in the province," Lewis said.
"But a longtime Liberal provincial minister is, it's difficult to make the case that they are independent ... I guess a tiger can change their stripes."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reporter
Savannah Awde is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick. You can contact her with story ideas at savannah.awde@cbc.ca.
With files from Alix Villeneuve
Once touted as possible health minister, rookie MLA says he's quitting
Richard Losier, former health care CEO, won't run in the next provincial election
A rookie politician who had been touted by some Liberals as the next health or social development minister says he won’t run in the next provincial election.
Richard Losier, the MLA who won the Dieppe riding in a by-election only 13 months ago, said on Tuesday he was stepping down for personal reasons.
The married father of three told reporters at the legislature his decision had nothing to do with his family.
“You have to be a certain way to be in politics and to me, now when I look at it, I probably don’t fit that all that well,” said the social development critic, as Liberal Opposition Leader Susan Holt looked on. “I’m not saying I hated it. Not at all. There were a lot of things I liked about it but there was some stuff I didn’t like.”
Losier was vague about what he didn’t like, only mentioning that it was “personal” and complaining that “there were politics within politics.”
“It’s a different world. You’re in the spotlight all the time.”
Losier said he had no job offers and no immediate plans.
Once a registered nurse who worked in a high-stressed intensive care unit, Losier also served for more than 10 years as the executive director of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton and five years as CEO of Extra-Mural and Ambulance New Brunswick.
Fluently bilingual, he took over the Dieppe riding from former interim Liberal Opposition Leader Roger Melanson. He was considered a star candidate in a safe Liberal seat.
Losier told Holt of his decision 12 days before divulging the news on his social media feed and in the house on Tuesday.
The most concerning issue that I believe faces our young generation is how we forgot the definition of the word respect.
Richard Losier
His leader had boasted in recent months that all the Liberal MLAs were reoffering in the election, which must be held by Oct. 21.
On Tuesday, Holt said she was saddened by Losier’s departure and would miss his invaluable experience. However, Holt added she had plenty of other candidates who were strong in the all-important health portfolio, including health critic Rob McKee (Moncton Centre), former Horizon Health Network CEO John Dornan (running in Portland-Simonds) and dietitian and Université de Moncton professor Claire Johnson (offering in Moncton South).
Losier’s speech in the house to announce he would only serve as an MLA until the next election included an impassioned plea for politicians to have respectful, civilized debates, rather than the name calling and partisan diatribes that have become the norm.
“We believe climate change is a big issue, and it is,” Losier said. “But the most concerning issue that I believe faces our young generation is how we forgot the definition of the word respect, within this province, within this country, within North America, within the world. And if we’re not careful with that, our future generations will hurt.”
He said he had a grandson and wanted to make sure that he was raised in a province that was proud and respectful.
“As leaders of our communities, we must take a step back and think that through,” Losier said. “We are better people than that. We need to accept our differences and live as human beings and do the right thing.”
His words won a standing ovation from the governing Progressive Conservatives and opposition Liberals and Greens.
Candidates raising a stink in eastern New Brunswick
Activist who worked relentlessly to shutter smelly factory wants to run for the Liberals, who approved the plant in the first place
Maisie McNaughton, spokesperson for the Kent Clean Air Action Committee, is running for the Liberal nomination in Kent North. Photo by Payge Woodard/Brunswick NewsThe spokeswoman for the “Stop the Stink” movement in Richibucto wants to run in the provincial election for the same party that, when in power, helped establish the smelly shellfish plant that she worked to shut down.
Maisie Rae McNaughton, a teacher, lobsterwoman and member of the Kent Clean Air Action Committee, is seeking the Liberal nomination in Kent North.
Her announcement last week came just days before Coastal Shell Products said it was closing its factory in eastern New Brunswick.
She says she has no problem making peace with the Liberals, who under former Premier Brian Gallant in 2016 helped launch the factory by providing Coastal Shell’s predecessor Omera Shells $2.9 million in payroll rebates and term loans.
“Gallant is long gone, and Higgs has been in power for six years now,” McNaughton said. “I’m looking for solutions and who’s going to bring them.”
She also said the company had promised 74 jobs, corroborated in a 2016 Opportunities New Brunswick media release. The plant, she said, until recently had five or six permanent staff and about 20 seasonal workers and truckers who hauled in the stinky waste from lobster, crab and shrimp processing plants from other coastal communities.
The factory was also supposed to have state-of-the-art technology to eliminate odours.
“What was proposed in 2014 was very different than what we ended up with in 2024.”
McNaughton has been pushing the Progressive Conservative government to shut down the factory for two years.
Even before that, the unpleasant smell generated hundreds of complaints from residents.
Last week, a nearby school sent a warning to parents it might have to close temporarily if the odours become a health hazard to students and staff.
Then, on Saturday, Coastal Shell announced it had shuttered operations as of June 16 and would lay off its employees.
It blamed the provincial government for putting too many onerous conditions in place, making it impossible to make a profit and stymying its efforts to put in better technology that would eliminate the stench.
As a representative of the Kent Clean Air Action Committee, McNaughton plans to meet privately with Glen Savoie, the environment minister, in Fredericton, perhaps as early as next week. She wants to ensure the plant never opens again.
Susan Holt and the Liberals put that in the community. It’s squarely on her.
Glen Savoie
That meeting could prove awkward. Savoie has defended the jobs at the plant and the larger processing industry that sends its waste there, as 4,000 people work in the industry. He also believes the product it makes – organic fertilizer – is valuable and environmentally friendly, diverting waste from landfills and helping to produce more food.
“I’m a fan of history, and I like to know how we got here,” Savoie told reporters at the legislature earlier this month. “And how we got here is Susan Holt and the Liberals put that in the community. It’s squarely on her.”
Before becoming Liberal leader and head of the Official Opposition, Holt was a top advisor to Gallant. Last week, Holt issued a news release calling upon the Higgs government to shut the plant down, just a few days before Coastal Shell announced it was closing.
Kent North’s MLA is Kevin Arseneau, who will once again be running for the Greens in the provincial election, which must be held no later than Oct. 21. He won 48 per cent of the vote in the 2020 election, while the Liberals took 35 per cent and the Tories 16 per cent.
Green MLA Kevin Arseneau says Coastal Shell Products should move out of
the community of Richibucto because residents hate the smell. Brunswick News ArchiveThe Greens are the smallest opposition party in the house, with only three seats.
But Arseneau has been just as vocal as McNaughton about getting rid of the plant.
“The Liberals, with Opportunities New Brunswick, gave the big grant,” the politician said in an interview last week. “The company has been saying since I was elected in 2018 they were going to fix the odour problem, and they have not. And so I definitely think they are not situated in the right place and it’s time for them to move out.”
Arseneau favours moving the plant farther away from homes. As a farmer, he understands the need to recycle and reuse organic waste, such as the shells that came from 10 different lobster, shrimp and crab processing plants up and down the coast. But he points out that agricultural operations are generally in more rural areas, and when manure is spread, it’s usually for two weeks a year, not every day.
“They have an interesting product and a reason to exist,” he said. “But not beside a school, a rec centre and an arena and a bunch of houses. Even if they do fix the smell at the plant, with all the trucks coming in and out that put a smell into the community, that has to be taken into consideration.”
Before running in the election, McNaughton has to win the Liberal nomination. She’s facing off July 4 against former Liberal MP Pat Finnigan, who held Miramichi-Grand Lake for two terms before quitting in 2021. Along with his wife, Finnigan started the popular Mr. Tomato bakery and produce market in Rogersville about 40 years ago. They sold their interest in March, freeing up his time to re-enter politics.
Finnigan said in an interview Wednesday he has the experience and bilingual background to win the riding, which is majority francophone. The Progressive Conservatives have nominated Carl Cosby of the Rexton Community Improvement Committee in Kent North, who has an uphill climb in a riding that traditionally does not vote Tory.
“I’ve been around a long time, people know me, I’ve had a business for a long time, and I was a federal MP for two terms,” Finnegan, 69, said. “I’m not running against Maisie Rae. She’s running and I’m running. We’re both offering our service to the county. The main issue here is we’ve been sitting on the opposition benches for six years, we’ve suffered because of that, and we need to get back onside. So, the question is for the voters, who can best represent them and win the riding?”
McNaughton, who fishes lobster up to 12 hours or more a day with her mother Debbie Thompson from August to October and then teaches the rest of the year in the local school system, says she’s more than a one-issue candidate. She recited a long list of issues she’d fight for: more affordable homes, stable hospital hours, better mental health and substance abuse services, improved roads, to name a few.
Her competitor, Finnigan, named the very same issues.
But unusually, she cited a Tory for her inspiration: cabinet minister Mike Holland, who has publicly championed the idea that people with a passion for issues should run for politics.
“Coastal Shell Products has been my issue and where I have shown my dedication and how hard I will work, the relentlessness that I bring to the job,” she said. “I won’t stop.”
https://tj.news/new-brunswick/
Dominic Cardy: Why I'll be voting for Susan Holt
Outgoing Independent MLA says Liberals are the only major party that's still 'ashamed of lying'
Outgoing Fredericton West-Hanwell Independent MLA Dominic Cardy says he’ll vote for Liberal Leader Susan Holt in this year’s provincial election because her party is the only one that can win office and is still “ashamed of lying.”
Holt is running in the newly created riding of Fredericton South-Silverwood, and will face off against Progressive Conservative Nicolle Carlin, Premier Blaine Higgs’s former senior communications boss, and Green Simon Ouellette, who works for CUPE.
Other candidates haven’t been nominated.
After last year’s legally required 10-year review of the province’s 49 ridings, Fredericton West-Hanwell was split into Fredericton South-Silverwood and Hanwell-New Maryland.
“My riding will have an interesting choice of candidates,” Cardy said on Tuesday.
“I’ll be voting for Susan Holt in the fall, on the grounds that she is representing the only party that could win government that’s committed to, broadly speaking, Liberal Western democracy, and still being ashamed of lying, and talking about some of our institutions and trying to reform them, instead of stripping them apart and making up the reasons why.
“I’ve had a long relationship with Nicolle Carlin, I always got along well with her, but if the government is going to claim that everything Susan Holt does is at the behest of (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau, then I’m not sure how anyone thinks Nicolle Carlin will be able to act independently of the premier.”
Cardy – the former provincial NDP leader who defected to the Progressive Conservatives before quitting his cabinet post in October 2022 after a fight with Higgs, and who was subsequently kicked out of caucus – has repeatedly said he’d only ever consider reoffering for the PCs, and only if Higgs wasn’t the leader.
He reiterated that stance on Tuesday, and said his focus now is on building up the newly formed Canadian Future Party, which hopes to be on the federal ballot next year.
Speaking to Brunswick News after announcing her candidacy, Carlin said she’s “not a paper candidate” and is “in it to win it 110 per cent.”
“I’m not taking anything for granted, but this riding has changed dramatically with the redrawing of the boundary lines,” she said. “This will be one to watch. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy win for anybody.”
Holt said she’s hoping Cardy will join her to knock on doors in Fredericton South-Silverwood this summer.
“Lovely,” she replied when told of Cardy’s endorsement, adding that while she’s “sure it comes with pros and cons, we’ll take it.”
From: LeBlanc, Dominic - député <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 1:52 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: Perhaps Higgy and Dr Desrosiers should review all the comments in CBC on June the 6th before they send the RCMP to bother me again EH Eddie Cornell?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
(English follows)
Bonjour,
Nous
accusons réception de votre courriel adressé à L’honorable Dominic
LeBlanc, cp, cr, député de Beauséjour et nous vous en remercions.
Veuillez noter que nous recevons actuellement un volume élevé de correspondances. Veuillez prévoir un délai dans nos réponses.
En ce qui concerne les courriels relativement à des enjeux particuliers de nos commettants de Beauséjour, nous allons nous assurer de bien réviser votre message et un employé de notre bureau de circonscription communiquera avec vous si nécessaire. Si vous avez des questions ou vous désirez des clarifications, vous pouvez toujours communiquer avec notre bureau au numéro de téléphone suivant : (506) 533-5700.
Si vous écrivez à propos de sujets relatifs aux fonctions de sécurité publique du
ministre LeBlanc, veuillez communiquer avec notre département de Sécurité publique à ps.ministerofpublicsafety-
Pour toutes demandes des médias, veuillez contacter Kelly Ouimet à Kelly.Ouimet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Merci et bonne journée.
Bureau de L’hon. Dominic LeBlanc, cp, cr, député
Député de Beauséjour
------------------------------
Hello,
We acknowledge receipt and thank you for your email addressed to the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., K.C., M.P. for Beauséjour.
Please note that we are currently receiving a high volume of correspondence. This may mean a delay in our responding to you.
For emails related to specific issues from our constituents in Beauséjour, we will make sure to review your message and an employee from our constituency office will be in contact with you if necessary. If you have any questions or require clarification, you can always contact our office at the following phone number: (506) 533-5700.
If you are writing with respect to Minister LeBlanc's public safety duties, please
direct your correspondence to our Public Safety department at ps.ministerofpublicsafety-
Thank you and have a good day.
Office of the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., K.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Beauséjour
From: Moore, Rob - M.P. <Rob.Moore@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 1:52 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: Perhaps Higgy and Dr Desrosiers should review all the comments in CBC on June the 6th before they send the RCMP to bother me again EH Eddie Cornell?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for contacting the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P. office. We appreciate the time you took to get in touch with our office.
If you did not already, please ensure to include your full contact details on your email and the appropriate staff will be able to action your request. We strive to ensure all constituent correspondence is responded to in a timely manner.
If your question or concern is time sensitive, please call our office: 506-832-4200.
Again, we thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal
---------- Original message ----------
From: "Carr, Jim - M.P." <Jim.Carr@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:12:06 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Hey Higgy do ya think Chucky Leblanc or
Louie Leger or Dean French or anyone else cares that the Cdn Armed
Forces Vet James Topp is coming to New Brunswick???
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for contacting the Office of the Honourable Jim Carr, Member
of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre.
This confirms receipt of your email.
Our office handles matters for the riding of Winnipeg South Centre and
its constituents. Please provide your address with postal code so we
can determine the appropriate office to assist you.
Please also provide your phone number to facilitate a staff member or
Jim Carr calling you back.
We receive a high volume of email and responses can be delayed. If
you're a constituent of Winnipeg South Centre and your need is urgent,
please call 204-983-1355.
We read all correspondence, however, due to the high volume of emails
received, we do not respond to form letters.
Website: JimCarrMP.ca<http://jimcarrmp.
Facebook: facebook.com/JimCarrWSC<https:
Twitter: @jimcarr_wpg<https://twitter.
Instagram: @jimcarrwsc<https://www.
Best regards,
Office of Hon. Jim Carr, PC MP
Winnipeg South Centre
---------- Original message ----------
From: "Kennedy, Andrew (MAG)" <Andrew.Kennedy2@ontario.ca>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:12:09 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Hey Higgy do ya think Chucky Leblanc or
Louie Leger or Dean French or anyone else cares that the Cdn Armed
Forces Vet James Topp is coming to New Brunswick???
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
I am away until September 1st. Please email
Natasha.Krstajic@ontario.ca for any inquiries. Thank you
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 16:10:00 -0300
Subject: Hey Higgy do ya think Chucky Leblanc or Louie Leger or Dean
French or anyone else cares that the Cdn Armed Forces Vet James Topp
is coming to New Brunswick???
To: premier <premier@ontario.ca>, dean@deanfrench.com,
Ivana.Yelich@ontario.ca, blilley@postmedia.com, abatra@postmedia.com,
afurey@postmedia.com, kyle.richardson5@ontario.ca,
scott.blodgett@ontario.ca, Emily.Hogeveen@ontario.ca, "macpherson.don"
<macpherson.don@brunswicknews.
doughart.jackson@
andrew.kennedy2@ontario.ca, louis.leger@gnb.ca, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, oldmaison <oldmaison@yahoo.com>,
Robert.Gauvin@gnb.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, Newsroom
<Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, katlyn.streilein@canstarnews.
"Jim.Carr" <Jim.Carr@parl.gc.ca>, news@canstarnews.com,
"darren.campbell" <darren.campbell@rcmp-grc.gc.
"Darren.Bernhardt@cbc.ca \"paulpalango\""
<paulpalango@protonmail.com>, Norman Traversy <traversy.n@gmail.com>,
washington field <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, "Brenda.Lucki"
<Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Marco.Mendicino"
<Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>
https://davidraymondamos3.
Monday, 29 August 2022
Horizon Ottawa plans to oppose those they deem to be too far right and
fix the toxic environment at City Hall as well
---------- Original message ----------
From: Premier of Ontario | Premier ministre de l’Ontario <Premier@ontario.ca>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 01:24:57 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Cdn Armed Forces Vet James Topp marches into
my stomping grounds next week
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for your email. Your thoughts, comments and input are greatly valued.
You can be assured that all emails and letters are carefully read,
reviewed and taken into consideration.
There may be occasions when, given the issues you have raised and the
need to address them effectively, we will forward a copy of your
correspondence to the appropriate government official. Accordingly, a
response may take several business days.
Thanks again for your email.
______
Merci pour votre courriel. Nous vous sommes très reconnaissants de
nous avoir fait part de vos idées, commentaires et observations.
Nous tenons à vous assurer que nous lisons attentivement et prenons en
considération tous les courriels et lettres que nous recevons.
Dans certains cas, nous transmettrons votre message au ministère
responsable afin que les questions soulevées puissent être traitées de
la manière la plus efficace possible. En conséquence, plusieurs jours
ouvrables pourraient s’écouler avant que nous puissions vous répondre.
Merci encore pour votre courriel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sixth resignation over links to Dean French
1,152 views
Jul 12, 2019
CityNews
390K subscribers
Another public appointee with ties to Doug Ford's former Chief of
Staff, Dean French, has resigned. Ian Neita is now the sixth person to
either resign or be let go since the appointment scandal erupted.
8 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
CityNews says there were 6 appointees who got the boot but 12 days
later CBC claims there were only 2???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Doug Ford's chief of staff resigns | Power & Politics
13,188 views
Jun 24, 2019
CBC News
3.16M subscribers
Dean French, Ontario Premier Doug Ford's chief of staff, has resigned
in the wake of damning reports that the Progressive Conservative
government's picks for two patronage appointments had ties to French.
85 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Methinks everybody must have laughed at Stockwell Day too N'esy Pas?
anthony silva
anthony silva
Here’s a guy (Dean French) who excoriated a provincially elected MPP (
a grown woman) to the point of tears in FULL view of the premier,
other MPPs and staffers; and this coward, Doug Ford, still counts him
as part of “Ontario’s best team”. This happened 2 weeks ago and Doug
was too chicken to fire him..... he actually resigned once his
patronage appointments became public. Makes Trump look like a Mensa
candidate.
David Amos
David Amos
LOL
Will Doon
Will Doon
Seems to me that the Conservatives and the Liberals have had too many
kicks at the can. Time to elect a government that hasn't been
corrupted. Vote NDP.
David Amos
David Amos
Surely you jest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Ottawa convoy mediator calls government's use of Emergencies Act an
'overreaction'
56,419 views
Aug 17, 2022
CBC News
3.16M subscribers
Dean French, who led negotiations between Ottawa's mayor and convoy
leaders, says the government should have waited to see if protesters
cleared residential areas after a deal was struck before invoking the
Emergencies Act.
769 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Methinks everybody in the know knows why I just gave this French dude
a call N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Doug Ford's ex-chief of staff leads back-channel talks between City of
Ottawa, protesters
Dean French helped broker deal to have trucks move out of residential
neighbourhoods
CBC News · Posted: Feb 15, 2022 6:55 PM ET
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, sits alongside Dean French, who was
his chief of staff at the time, at the Ontario PC convention in
Toronto in November 2018. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
Dean French, the controversial former chief of staff to Ontario
Premier Doug Ford, is leading the back-channel negotiations between
the City of Ottawa and the protesters occupying its downtown.
Multiple sources have told CBC News that French is acting as Ottawa
Mayor Jim Watson's go-between communicating with the leaders of the
protest that has choked the city for 19 days.
The sources say French brokered a deal last weekend, under which the
estimated 400 trucks in residential areas would move, to contain the
protest zone to the streets immediately around Parliament Hill.
However, few trucks have actually moved, and one of the protest
leaders, Tamara Lich, cast doubt on whether such a deal had actually
been made.
Watson told CBC News on Tuesday that French approached him and said he
had connections among the truckers involved in the protest and could
help negotiate.
French also confirmed his role in the talks. He told CBC News he is
involved as a private citizen and is trying to bring a peaceful
resolution to the protest.
An upside-down Canadian flag flies on the bumper of a vehicle
parked on Wellington Street in Ottawa in early February. (Justin
Tang/The Canadian Press)
French resigned from the top political job in the premier's office in
the summer of 2019. He oversaw Ford's tumultuous first year in power
and was at the centre of a range of political controversies,
including:
The appointment of Ford's longtime friend Ron Taverner, a veteran
Toronto Police superintendent, to head the Ontario Provincial Police.
Taverner ultimately withdrew from the post.
Ordering senior political aides to direct police to raid
unlicensed cannabis stores on the first day of pot legalization, as
reported by the Toronto Star.
A series of patronage appointments to plum taxpayer-funded jobs,
some of them for people with close personal ties to French.
Ford was not involved in enlisting French to negotiate with the Ottawa
protesters, the premier's spokesperson says.
"Neither the premier nor his office has spoken to Mr. French and are
not aware of any professional or personal involvements he may have,"
said Ford's director of media relations Ivana Yelich in an email.
with files from Travis Dhanraj, Mike Crawley
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
https://www.youtube.com/
WHO WAS WHITEY BULGER?: Boston mob chief ruled Hub for decades
2,052 views
Aug 26, 2022
Toronto Sun
80.5K subscribers
While James "Whitey" Bulger ruled the roost in Boston, he also acted
as a stool pigeon for the FBI. He informed on underworld rivals. After
it emerged Bulger was a rat, fellow mobsters wanted him dead.
5 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Methinks the Toronto Sun should never forget they asked the question N'esy Pas?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
MOBSTER’S LAMENT: 3 charged in Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger’s murder
12,596 views
Aug 19, 2022
Toronto Sun
80.5K subscribers
It took nearly 4 years, but the US Dept. of Justice has finally
charged three convicts with the slaying of longtime Boston underworld
kingpin Whitey Bulger.
12 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Why not ask me why It took the USDOJ so long to do such a simple task?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
FUREY FACTOR: Politicization of the RCMP continues?!
50,448 views
Aug 18, 2022
Toronto Sun80.5K subscribers
RCMP staff are sticking with their story that Commissioner Brenda
Lucki told them to prematurely release info about the 2020 Nova Scotia
mass shooting because the Liberal government wanted it out there for
political reasons. This is a serious problem, explains columnist
Anthony Furey.
734 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Trust that the USDOJ plays politics with murder investigations just
like the RCMP do
https://www.youtube.com/
Doug Ford: People are worried about jobs, not Dean French
4,346 views
Jul 8, 2019
CTV News
807K subscribers
Ontario Premier Doug Ford tells the media that people on the streets
worry about jobs, not about his ex-chief of staff Dean French.
#onpoli #cdnpoli
52 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
Methinks Higgy's very sneaky Chief of Staff Little Louie Leger must
have got nervous when his boss got caught in the limelight just as
Dougy Baby was trying to get the press to forget French because Higgy
does exactly the same thing and everybody knows why CBC deletes all my
comments N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.
Monday, 22 February 2021
Hand-picked Higgs officials living outside Fredericton cost taxpayers extra
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Louis Léger, chief of staff in the Premier's Office, has a home in
Sainte-Marie-de-Kent. (CBC)
Logan does still qualify for payment of his Fredericton living
expenses as does Léger, which Carlin said has been the case for
previous chiefs of staff..
"Mr. Leger's position is not a permanent position with the civil
service," said a statement issued by Carlin.
"It is a job with a fixed time limit, and therefore most people who
accept such a position would not move their home and family."
Dean French Advisor Co. is a Toronto, Canada based advisory firm which
focuses on high net worth individuals, their families and companies.
The firm has experience in tax, insurance and investment sectors.
https://deanfrench.com/Dean French Advsior Co.
Our Experience and Expertise
For over 20 years, we have been providing expert financial consulting
services for large corporations, small startups, and individuals
alike, helping them thrive in the current market. We have a unique
approach, The Integration Advantage, where we identify our customers’
vision and goals and create a plan to help them achieve their goals.
Our logo is an inspiration by a native pictograph, which documents the
vision, quest, experience, and remains a permanent part of legacy for
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Why Choose Us
We offer our services with complete honesty, integrity, transparency,
and professionalism. When you consult with us, you are assured of the
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Your Success is Our Success, and Your Growth is Our Growth.
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2901 Bloor St.W
Toronto, ON M8X 1B3
(416) 363-2424
dean@deanfrench.com
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/
'Absolute disgrace:' Ottawa mayor blasts Conservative MPs for visiting
'Freedom Convoy' protesters
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2022 10:51:55 -0300
Subject: Cdn Armed Forces Vet James Topp marches into my stomping
grounds next week
To: nia_ig.fct@navy.mil, "Anita.Anand" <Anita.Anand@parl.gc.ca>,
"Greta.Bossenmaier" <Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int
<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>, "Brenda.Lucki"
<Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Marco.Mendicino"
<Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>,
cduval-lantoine@cgai.ca, ibk@kapoorbarristers.com,
rory@roryfowlerlaw.com, phillip@millarslaw.com, info@mdlo.ca,
Consulting@jimacon.com, mark@millarslaw.com, "wayne.eyre"
<wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca>, sheri.dillon@morganlewis.com, washington
field <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, hcooper <hcooper@toddweld.com>,
stateofcorruptionnh1 <stateofcorruptionnh1@gmail.
<Boston.Mail@ic.fbi.gov>, mdcohen212 <mdcohen212@gmail.com>,
clare.barry@justice.gc.ca, michael.mcnair@pmo-cpm.gc.ca,
David.Akin@globalnews.ca, dale.drummond@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@
hon.melanie.joly@canada.ca, "andrea.anderson-mason"
<andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
Marwan.Tabbara@parl.gc.ca, Yasmin.Ratansi@parl.gc.ca, "Bill.Blair"
<Bill.Blair@parl.gc.ca>, chad@williamson.law,
steve.phillips@gov.ab.ca, Karen.Thorsrud@gov.ab.ca,
ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca, Kaycee.Madu@gov.ab.ca,
edmontonprosecutions@gov.ab.ca
howard.anglin@gmail.com, centralpeace.notley@assembly.
cypress.medicinehat@assembly.
lacombe.ponoka@assembly.ab.ca, brooks.medicinehat@assembly.
bonnyville.coldlake.stpaul@
theangryalbertan@protonmail.
lboothby@postmedia.com, acps.calgaryprosecutions@gov.
<premier@gov.ab.ca>, sheilagunnreid <sheilagunnreid@gmail.com>,
keean.bexte@rebelnews.com, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, sfine
<sfine@globeandmail.com>, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>,
"John.Williamson" <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, joel@joelharden.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "charles.murray"
<charles.murray@gnb.ca>, jcarpay <jcarpay@jccf.ca>,
americasvnews@gmail.com, support@justthenews.com,
loganmurphyphoto@gmail.com, "Candice.Bergen"
<Candice.Bergen@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "jagmeet.singh"
<jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>
https://davidraymondamos3.
Sunday, 28 August 2022
Cdn Armed Forces Vet James Topp marches into my stomping grounds next week
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 14:48:36 -0300
Subject: Fwd: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
Howie Anglin?
To: nia_ig.fct@navy.mil, washington field
<washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Ian.Shugart"
<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>
Cc: "Brenda.Lucki" <Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Jonathan.Vance"
<Jonathan.Vance@forces.gc.ca>, "Greta.Bossenmaier"
<Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 11:03:08 +0000
Subject: RE: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
Howie Anglin?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Dear David Amos,
The Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA) Office of the Inspector General
(IG) reviewed your email and attached .WAV file provided to the NIA
Hotline on 2 April 2021. I found no connection to the United States
Navy or United States Naval Intelligence.
Naval Inspectors General exist to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of US Navy Programs, and strive to eliminate and prevent
waste, fraud, and abuse with their respective departments. Naval IGs
are restricted to assessing matters falling within the purview of
their respective commanders.
Citing the lack of an apparent connection to the US Navy or Naval
Intelligence, I am unable to provide further assistance, or provide
direct referral to any other agency or activity.
Sincerely,
Mark Koneda
Investigator
Naval Intelligence Activity
Office of the Inspector General
NIA_IG@navy.mil
(301)669-3030 (unclass)
TSVOIP 560-3030
INSPECTOR GENERAL SENSITIVE INFORMATION - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY The
information contained in this email and any accompanying attachments
may contain Inspector General sensitive or pre-decisional information,
which is protected from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA, 5 USC Section 552). It should not be released
to unauthorized persons. If you are not the intended recipient of this
information, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of
any action in reliance on this information is prohibited. If you
received this email in error, please notify this office by email or by
calling (301) 669-3030.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 12:50 PM
To: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper
made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie
Anglin?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Art.McDonald@forces.gc.ca
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:49:10 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper made a
deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie Anglin?
To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff is LGen Wayne Eyre, he may be
reached at wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Le Chef d'état-major de la Défense par intérim est le LGen Wayne Eyre.
Il peut être rejoint au wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Art McD
He/Him // Il/Lui
Admiral/amiral Art McDonald
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
Canadian Armed Forces
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<
Chef d’état-major de la Defense (CÉMD)
Forces armées canadiennes
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<
https://justthenews.com/
Canadian service members, legal 'Samurai for hire' go to court to stop
military COVID vax mandate
Judge who says Candadian courts are "not the thought police" maintains
social media ban on released Freedom Convoy leader — to prevent "toxic
groupthink."
By Greg Piper
As U.S. service members ramp up their legal challenges to military
COVID-19 vaccine mandates, their Canadian counterparts are joining the
action.
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) said Tuesday it
had filed "the first of many [planned] injunctions" against the
dismissal of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members for refusing the
shots "on the basis of health concerns, religious or conscientious
objections."
The Canadian civil liberties group has received "hundreds of requests"
for help since January from active-duty members who are facing removal
under the Item 5(f) process, it said in a press release.
CAF considers them "unsuitable for further service" because they
developed "personal weakness or behaviour" due to factors "wholly or
chiefly ... within [their] control" by refusing COVID vaccines.
Canada's Department of National Defence confirmed to Canadian news
organization True North in November that members of the armed forces
risk removal as "unsuitable" unless they get an approved
accommodation. CAF's vaccination rate was 98.3% in January when it
launched formal proceedings against more than 900 members for
noncompliance, The Canadian Press reported.
Legal challenges are much further along below the border. Navy SEALs
with religious objections, represented by First Liberty Institute, won
a reprieve in January from a federal judge, who then expanded their
action into a class-action suit covering the entire service in March.
The Navy said May 25 it has granted 28 religious accommodations.
Air Force service members also represented by the Christian legal
defense nonprofit recently requested a "class wide temporary
restraining order" after their religious exemptions were denied. Only
68 exemptions have been approved.
JCCF's first client to go to court is Shannon Jones, "a healthy and
skilled" CAF member who stands to lose her pension unless her
injunction is approved at next week's hearing. Director of
Communications Marnie Cathcart told Just the News it wasn't sharing
its filings "at this time."
"This is fundamentally a patched together policy designed to punish
those who do not get in line with the political objectives assigned to
[Department of National Defence] policy from Ottawa," said the lawyer
commissioned for the project, Phillip Millar.
The vaccine mandate has "nothing to do with operational effectiveness
as it is simply a political move imposed on the military by the
Federal Government," he said in JCCF's release.
A former combat officer and assistant crown attorney who says he has
won compensation cases for sexual assault victims and cleared the
"wrongfully accused," Millar recently applied to join the "hardcore
litigation department" billionaire Elon Musk is building at Tesla. He
calls himself a "Samurai for hire" on Twitter.
Millar told Just the News these were his first COVID vaccine cases for
service members. He has previously represented university professors
put on unpaid leave on the same grounds.
He expects one or two injunction hearings per month and is planning to
add cases on behalf of unvaccinated youth who are prevented from
training in the "Army Cadet" program.
Millar believes CAF chose the "unsuitable" administrative removal
process because a vaccine-specific rule lets members challenge their
removal in court. If he can secure injunctions for clients, they can
remain in the service while finishing the multiyear grievance process,
Millar said.
JCCF kicked off the legal effort a month ago with 16 CAF members,
including 28-year reservist James Topp, who faces court martial for
"conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline."
He posted a Tik Tok video in which a uniformed Topp says he's on
unpaid leave "because I will not change my vaccination status," the
CBC reported. The video did not violate a military policy on "people
in uniform making political statements" because Topp was "speaking
about a policy that directly affects him and his conviction," Millar
said.
Topp is walking across Canada to protest COVID mandates and support
those punished for noncompliance or coerced into compliance,
chronicling his journey on Tik Tok for the past few months. He reached
the Lake Superior town of Marathon on Monday.
He started his journey from Vancouver on Feb. 20, the same day police
cracked down on Freedom Convoy protesters in Ottawa under Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau's unprecedented invocation of the Emergencies
Act.
"I have to watch what I say from here on out for a little while
because the Eye of Sauron is upon me," Topp said as he left, likening
CAF to the primary antagonist in "The Lord of the Rings."
One of the jailed Freedom Convoy leaders has been banned from speaking
her mind, at least on social media, as a condition of keeping her
freedom.
The government argued last month that Tamara Lich should be sent back
to jail for violating her March bail conditions, which included a ban
on supporting anything "related" to the Freedom Convoy, including on
social media, and travel to Ontario.
A supporter sent her a pendant emblazoned with a truck image and the
words "Freedom" and "Canada" and asked for a photo of her wearing it,
which Lich gave permission to post, the CBC reported.
She also accepted JCCF's George Jonas Freedom Award for "spending 18
days unjustly jailed" for leading a "peaceful protest" against COVID
mandates. The award ceremony is June 16 in Toronto, but Lich testified
she wouldn't attend without court permission.
Justice Kevin Phillips agreed these actions didn't violate her bail
conditions and amended them to let her travel to Ontario but not
downtown Ottawa, which had been paralyzed by the convoy. Even though
he said Canadian courts "are not the thought police," Phillips refused
to lift the social media ban because that would facilitate "toxic
groupthink," JCCF said after the hearing.
Greg Piper
Investigative reporter
Image
Greg Piper
Greg Piper
C-SPAN
Greg Piper has covered law and policy for 15 years, with a focus on
tech companies, civil liberties and higher education.
He joined Just the News from The College Fix, where he trained college
students in journalism and covered the biggest controversies on
campus, from free speech and academic freedom battles to sexual
misconduct proceedings and litigation. His interest in college
journalism was prompted by an effort to make a TV pilot about a
college newspaper like his own.
Greg started his DC career at trade publisher Warren Communications
News, covering the rise of Google, Facebook and Twitter and their
legal and policy interests, as well as the struggles of the copyright
industries to protect their business in a sea of free, often
unlicensed content.
He has fled congressional buildings twice during false terrorist
attack alarms, been reprimanded by congressional security for an
accidental sit-in, and posed with an indifferent Isaac Hayes at a
songwriter policy event. Greg nearly got fired from his Hill
internship for smuggling in an unauthorized coffee maker.
Follow him on Twitter at @gregpiper.
About Us
JusttheNews.com is committed to just reporting facts from journalists
with a long record of public trust and excellence. In an era where
opinion and supposition are too often substituted for fact and where
journalists rush to get things first and hope their stories are
correct, JusttheNews.com tries to stand out by returning to the
bedrock promise of getting news first, but first getting it right. We
try to deliver exclusive news you can trust.
JusttheNews.com is owned and operated by Bentley Media Group LLC, a
company created and owned by investigative journalist John Solomon.
JusttheNews.com is a back-to-the-future initiative where
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John Solomon
@jsolomonReports
Watch #JustTheNewsNotNoise with me and @AmandaHead as we analyze the
latest trending news with special guests: @RepTenney, @AlanDersh,
Kevin Brock, and @mrddmia
David Raymond Amos
@DavidRaymondAm1
Replying to @jsolomonReports @AmandaHead and 3 others
YO @RealAmVoice I must say that you and your cohorts are hard to talk
to so why not ask the @FBI or @CBCNews or @CTVNews or your other pals
to explain this old file of mine
https://scribd.com/doc/
and why the webcasts and transcripts are still missing?
https://www.banking.senate.
banking.senate.gov
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the
Mutual Fund Industry
The Official website of The United States Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs
4:53 PM · Aug 28, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
John Solomon says Released Affidavit Does Nothing for Trust in Institutions
672 views
Aug 26, 2022
Real America's Voice
98.2K subscribers
"There are some serious issues at the FBI." Award-winning journalist
John Solomon joins Steve Gruber to discuss how the redacted affidavit
released to the public regarding Mar-a-Lago doesn't provide any more
trust in our institutions. Get Real News on #AVL, weekdays at 1 PM
EST: https://americasvoice.news/
The views expressed in this video may or may not reflect the views
held by RAV management or ownership. WATCH RAV LIVE ON: DISH CH 219 ·
PLUTO TV CH 240 · ROKU · SAMSUNG TV PLUS 1029 · SELECT TV CH 106 ·
APPLE TV · FIRE TV RAV LINKS: https://linktr.ee/
11 Comments
David Amos
David Amos
How does one talk to John Solomon???
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---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2022 17:20:31 -0300
Subject: I called AGAIN Correct Mr Millar, Mr Fowler and Mr Drapeau?
To: rory@roryfowlerlaw.com, phillip@millarslaw.com, info@mdlo.ca,
Consulting@jimacon.com, mark@millarslaw.com, "wayne.eyre"
<wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Marco.Mendicino"
<Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>,
cduval-lantoine@cgai.ca, ibk@kapoorbarristers.com
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2022 21:44:43 -0300
Subject: I called about Warrant Office James Topp, The Chief Justice
of the Court Martial Appeal Court and Mean Old Me
To: phillip@millarslaw.com
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Court martial planned for soldier who criticized vaccine mandates, led
march to Ottawa
Warrant Officer James Topp charged with two counts of conduct to the
prejudice of good order and discipline
Lee Berthiaume · The Canadian Press · Posted: Jul 05, 2022 3:55 PM ET
Veteran James Topp, in the orange vest, is flanked by supporters as he
arrives at Hog's Back Park in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. Topp marched
from Vancouver to Ottawa to protest remaining COVID-19 vaccine
mandates. (Jean Delisle/CBC)
The Canadian soldier who recently led a protest march to Ottawa is now
facing a court martial for having spoken out against the federal
government's COVID-19 vaccine requirements while wearing his uniform.
Warrant Officer James Topp was recently notified that he will be
allowed to have his case heard in a military court instead of by his
chain of command, according to the army reservist's civilian lawyer.
Phillip Millar said the decision represents a second about-face after
the military initially offered his client a court martial when he was
charged in February, only to rescind the offer and send his case to
Topp's unit commanders.
"It's hard to know what they're doing, because I don't think they
really know what they're doing," said Millar. "But now they're saying
it's a court martial."
The decision raises the stakes for Topp, according to military law
experts. Courts martial are allowed to impose heavier sentences
against Armed Forces members than if they are tried by their chain of
command in what is known as a summary trial.
Freedom Convoy protesters, revellers mix on Canada Day in Ottawa
Freedom Convoy protesters return to Ottawa for Canada Day
Police make arrests after anti-vaccine mandate army reservist
leads march into Ottawa
It also means he will be allowed to have legal representation at trial
— which wouldn't necessarily have been the case had he been tried by
his commanding officer — while his trial will receive much more public
attention.
"The stakes are obviously going to be increased in a public-relations
context," said retired lieutenant-colonel Rory Fowler, who is now a
lawyer specializing in military law in Kingston, Ont.
The Department of National Defence did not respond to questions about
whether Topp's case was changed from a court martial to summary trial
and back again.
Potentially stiffer penalties
Topp was charged in February with two counts of conduct to the
prejudice of good order and discipline after the army reservist
appeared in uniform in two online videos criticizing vaccine
requirements for military personnel and other federal employees.
Canadian Armed Forces members are severely restricted in the comments
they can make while in uniform, particularly when it comes to
criticizing government policies, in large part to protect the military
from any perception of politicization.
Topp, who is now in the process of being released from the military,
later led a months-long march from Vancouver that ended in Ottawa last
week and was supported by many of the same people behind this year's
"Freedom Convoy."
He has since become a symbol of sorts for Canadians opposed to
vaccines, vaccine mandates and perceived government overreach. Some
Conservative MPs have also hitched their wagon to him, including
leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre.
While Millar questioned the military's back and forth with his client,
and said he planned to question the way Topp's charges were handled,
he still welcomed the latest decision to allow a court martial.
A crowd of people, many carrying Canadian flags, gathers in a crowd
outside a monument.A large crowd of people gathers at the National War
Memorial in Ottawa on June 30, 2022, to mark the arrival of veteran
James Topp. Topp marched across Canada as part of a protest against
remaining COVID-19 vaccine mandates. (Frédéric Pepin/Radio-Canada)
Millar said he plans to call expert witnesses to question the need and
efficacy of the military's vaccine requirement.
The requirement imposed by Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre
late last year remains in place, even though a similar mandate for
most other federal public servants has now been suspended.
"It opens the door for us to call witnesses about the decision to
charge him," Millar said. "It opens the door for us to call experts on
whether or not there was any science behind the mandate."
While the shift from a summary trial back to a court martial means
Topp will be afforded an independent trial with legal representation,
Fowler said it also means the army reservist faces potentially stiffer
penalties if convicted.
CPC MPs meet with Freedom Convoy organizers
Military investigating at least 6 active soldiers for supporting
convoy protests
Under a summary trial, commanding officers are largely restricted to
handing down reprimands and fines. If he is found guilty by court
martial, however, Topp faces the threat of dismissal from the military
with disgrace and up to two years in prison.
Retired colonel Michel Drapeau said that while the military may have
had a number of reasons for changing the case from a summary trial
back to a court martial, he believes the latter is the appropriate
venue for hearing Topp's case.
"It provides for a trial in an open court with all [Charter of Rights
and Freedoms] legal guarantees," Drapeau said in an email. "It also
provides for the provision of free legal support to the member."
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practice
https://www.fct-cf.gc.ca/en/
The Honourable B. Richard Bell
Born in Woodstock, New Brunswick. Educated at the University of New
Brunswick, where he was awarded the Canadian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy Scholarship, the Captain Robert McBride Memorial
Scholarship, the Carleton Soldiers' Memorial Chapter of the I.O.D.E.
Bursary and a University Entrance Scholarship. Joined the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police in 1973 and served as constable at various
locations throughout Nova Scotia. Graduated from Dalhousie University
with a Bachelor of Laws in 1979 and a Master of Laws in 1998. Called
to the Bar of New Brunswick in 1979. Practiced as the senior partner
in the Fredericton office of the Atlantic law firm McInnes Cooper.
Awarded the Queen's Counsel designation in 2004. Author, arbitrator,
and adjunct Professor of Business Law at Crandall University. Course
leader and lecturer at the Bar Admission Course. Served as Counsel to
the Christie Inquiry into labour relations at the Irving Oil refinery.
Appeared as counsel for a former commanding officer of the RCMP at the
Arar Inquiry. Served terms as President of the Canadian Bar
Association (New Brunswick Branch), President of the Fredericton North
Rotary Club, Director of the Canadian Bar Association (National),
Chairperson of the Bench/Bar Liaison Committee for the New Brunswick
Court of Appeal, Vice-Chair of the New Brunswick Judicial Council.
Served on various committees of the Law Society of New Brunswick and
the Administration of Justice Committee of the Canadian Judicial
Council. Appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division in
Moncton, New Brunswick on June 27, 2006. Appointed to the New
Brunswick Court of Appeal on June 22, 2007. Appointed a Judge of the
Federal Court, a Judge of the Court Martial Appeal and Chief Justice
of the Court Martial Appeal Court on February 6, 2015.
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: David Amos motomaniac333@gmail.com
>>> Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:32:09 -0400
>>> Subject: Attn Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C.,
>>> To: coi@gnb.ca
>>> Cc: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
>>>
>>> Good Day Sir
>>>
>>> After I heard you speak on CBC I called your office again and managed
>>> to speak to one of your staff for the first time
>>>
>>> Please find attached the documents I promised to send to the lady who
>>> answered the phone this morning. Please notice that not after the Sgt
>>> at Arms took the documents destined to your office his pal Tanker
>>> Malley barred me in writing with an "English" only document.
>>>
>>> These are the hearings and the dockets in Federal Court that I
>>> suggested that you study closely.
>>>
>>> This is the docket in Federal Court
>>>
>>> http://cas-cdc-www02.cas-satj.
>>>
>>> These are digital recordings of the last three hearings
>>>
>>> Dec 14th https://archive.org/details/
>>>
>>> January 11th, 2016 https://archive.org/details/
>>>
>>> April 3rd, 2017
>>>
>>> https://archive.org/details/
>>>
>>>
>>> This is the docket in the Federal Court of Appeal
>>>
>>> http://cas-cdc-www02.cas-satj.
>>>
>>>
>>> The only hearing thus far
>>>
>>> May 24th, 2017
>>>
>>> https://archive.org/details/
>>>
>>>
>>> This Judge understnds the meaning of the word Integrity
>>>
>>> Date: 20151223
>>>
>>> Docket: T-1557-15
>>>
>>> Fredericton, New Brunswick, December 23, 2015
>>>
>>> PRESENT: The Honourable Mr. Justice Bell
>>>
>>> BETWEEN:
>>>
>>> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
>>>
>>> Plaintiff
>>>
>>> and
>>>
>>> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
>>>
>>> Defendant
>>>
>>> ORDER
>>>
>>> (Delivered orally from the Bench in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on
>>> December 14, 2015)
>>>
>>> The Plaintiff seeks an appeal de novo, by way of motion pursuant to
>>> the Federal Courts Rules (SOR/98-106), from an Order made on November
>>> 12, 2015, in which Prothonotary Morneau struck the Statement of Claim
>>> in its entirety.
>>>
>>> At the outset of the hearing, the Plaintiff brought to my attention a
>>> letter dated September 10, 2004, which he sent to me, in my then
>>> capacity as Past President of the New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian
>>> Bar Association, and the then President of the Branch, Kathleen Quigg,
>>> (now a Justice of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal). In that letter
>>> he stated:
>>>
>>> As for your past President, Mr. Bell, may I suggest that you check the
>>> work of Frank McKenna before I sue your entire law firm including you.
>>> You are your brother’s keeper.
>>>
>>> Frank McKenna is the former Premier of New Brunswick and a former
>>> colleague of mine at the law firm of McInnes Cooper. In addition to
>>> expressing an intention to sue me, the Plaintiff refers to a number of
>>> people in his Motion Record who he appears to contend may be witnesses
>>> or potential parties to be added. Those individuals who are known to
>>> me personally, include, but are not limited to the former Prime
>>> Minister of Canada, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper; former
>>> Attorney General of Canada and now a Justice of the Manitoba Court of
>>> Queen’s Bench, Vic Toews; former member of Parliament Rob Moore;
>>> former Director of Policing Services, the late Grant Garneau; former
>>> Chief of the Fredericton Police Force, Barry McKnight; former Staff
>>> Sergeant Danny Copp; my former colleagues on the New Brunswick Court
>>> of Appeal, Justices Bradley V. Green and Kathleen Quigg, and, retired
>>> Assistant Commissioner Wayne Lang of the Royal Canadian Mounted
>>> Police.
>>>
>>> In the circumstances, given the threat in 2004 to sue me in my
>>> personal capacity and my past and present relationship with many
>>> potential witnesses and/or potential parties to the litigation, I am
>>> of the view there would be a reasonable apprehension of bias should I
>>> hear this motion. See Justice de Grandpré’s dissenting judgment in
>>> Committee for Justice and Liberty et al v National Energy Board et al,
>>> [1978] 1 SCR 369 at p 394 for the applicable test regarding
>>> allegations of bias. In the circumstances, although neither party has
>>> requested I recuse myself, I consider it appropriate that I do so.
>>>
>>>
>>> AS A RESULT OF MY RECUSAL, THIS COURT ORDERS that the Administrator of
>>> the Court schedule another date for the hearing of the motion. There
>>> is no order as to costs.
>>>
>>> “B. Richard Bell”
>>> Judge
>>>
>>>
>>> Below after the CBC article about your concerns (I made one comment
>>> already) you will find the text of just two of many emails I had sent
>>> to your office over the years since I first visited it in 2006.
>>>
>>> I noticed that on July 30, 2009, he was appointed to the the Court
>>> Martial Appeal Court of Canada Perhaps you should scroll to the
>>> bottom of this email ASAP and read the entire Paragraph 83 of my
>>> lawsuit now before the Federal Court of Canada?
>>>
>>> "FYI This is the text of the lawsuit that should interest Trudeau the
>>> most
>>>
>>> http://davidraymondamos3.
>>>
>>> 83 The Plaintiff states that now that Canada is involved in more war
>>> in Iraq again it did not serve Canadian interests and reputation to
>>> allow Barry Winters to publish the following words three times over
>>> five years after he began his bragging:
>>>
>>> January 13, 2015
>>> This Is Just AS Relevant Now As When I wrote It During The Debate
>>>
>>> December 8, 2014
>>> Why Canada Stood Tall!
>>>
>>> Friday, October 3, 2014
>>> Little David Amos’ “True History Of War” Canadian Airstrikes And
>>> Stupid Justin Trudeau?
>>>
>>>
>>> Vertias Vincit
>>> David Raymond Amos
>>> 902 800 0369
>>>
>>> P.S. Whereas this CBC article is about your opinion of the actions of
>>> the latest Minister Of Health trust that Mr Boudreau and the CBC have
>>> had my files for many years and the last thing they are is ethical.
>>> Ask his friends Mr Murphy and the RCMP if you don't believe me.
>>>
>>> Subject:
>>> Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:02:35 -0400
>>> From: "Murphy, Michael B. \(DH/MS\)" MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca
>>> To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>> CM/cb
>>>
>>>
>>> Warren McBeath warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:34:53 -0500
>>> From: "Warren McBeath" warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>>> To: kilgoursite@ca.inter.net, MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca,
>>> nada.sarkis@gnb.ca, wally.stiles@gnb.ca, dwatch@web.net,
>>> motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
>>> CC: ottawa@chuckstrahl.com, riding@chuckstrahl.com,John.
>>> Oda.B@parl.gc.ca,"Bev BUSSON" bev.busson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>>> "Paul Dube" PAUL.DUBE@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>>> Subject: Re: Remember me Kilgour? Landslide Annie McLellan has
>>> forgotten me but the crooks within the RCMP have not
>>>
>>> Dear Mr. Amos,
>>>
>>> Thank you for your follow up e-mail to me today. I was on days off
>>> over the holidays and returned to work this evening. Rest assured I
>>> was not ignoring or procrastinating to respond to your concerns.
>>>
>>> As your attachment sent today refers from Premier Graham, our position
>>> is clear on your dead calf issue: Our forensic labs do not process
>>> testing on animals in cases such as yours, they are referred to the
>>> Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown who can provide these
>>> services. If you do not choose to utilize their expertise in this
>>> instance, then that is your decision and nothing more can be done.
>>>
>>> As for your other concerns regarding the US Government, false
>>> imprisonment and Federal Court Dates in the US, etc... it is clear
>>> that Federal authorities are aware of your concerns both in Canada
>>> the US. These issues do not fall into the purvue of Detachment
>>> and policing in Petitcodiac, NB.
>>>
>>> It was indeed an interesting and informative conversation we had on
>>> December 23rd, and I wish you well in all of your future endeavors.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Warren McBeath, Cpl.
>>> GRC Caledonia RCMP
>>> Traffic Services NCO
>>> Ph: (506) 387-2222
>>> Fax: (506) 387-4622
>>> E-mail warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.archive.org/
>>>
>>> http://www.archive.org/
>>>
>>>
>>> FEDERAL EXPRES February 7, 2006
>>> Senator Arlen Specter
>>> United States Senate
>>> Committee on the Judiciary
>>> 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
>>> Washington, DC 20510
>>>
>>> Dear Mr. Specter:
>>>
>>> I have been asked to forward the enclosed tapes to you from a man
>>> named, David Amos, a Canadian citizen, in connection with the matters
>>> raised in the attached letter. Mr. Amos has represented to me that
>>> these are illegal FBI wire tap tapes. I believe Mr. Amos has been in
>>> contact
>>> with you about this previously.
>>>
>>> Very truly yours,
>>> Barry A. Bachrach
>>> Direct telephone: (508) 926-3403
>>> Direct facsimile: (508) 929-3003
>>> Email: bbachrach@bowditch.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C.,
>>> Office of the Integrity Commissioner
>>> Edgecombe House, 736 King Street
>>> Fredericton, N.B. CANADA E3B 5H1
>>> tel.: 506-457-7890
>>> fax: 506-444-5224
>>> e-mail:coi@gnb.ca
>>>
>>> Hon. Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C.
>>> Integrity Commissioner
>>>
>>> Hon. Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C., who resides in Bathurst, N.B., is a
>>> native of Kedgwick, N.B., and is married to Huguette (Savoie)
>>> Deschênes. They have two sons.
>>>
>>> He studied at Saint-Joseph University (now Université de Moncton) from
>>> 1960 to 1962, University of Ottawa from 1962-1965 (B.A.), and
>>> University of New Brunswick (LL.B., 1968). He was admitted to the Law
>>> Society of New Brunswick in 1968. He was legal counsel to the
>>> Department of Justice in Fredericton from 1968 to 1971. He was in
>>> private practice from 1972 to 1982 and specialized in civil litigation
>>> as a partner in the law firm of Michaud, Leblanc, Robichaud, and
>>> Deschênes. While residing in Shediac, N.B., he served on town council
>>> and became the first president of the South East Economic Commission.
>>> He is a past president of the Richelieu Club in Shediac.
>>>
>>> In 1982, he was appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of New
>>> Brunswick and of the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick in 2000.
>>>
>>> On July 30, 2009, he was appointed to the Court Martial Appeal Court of
>>> Canada.
>>>
>>> While on the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick, he was appointed
>>> President of the provincial Judicial Council and in 2012 Chairperson
>>> of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of New
>>> Brunswick for the 2015 federal election.
>>>
>>> He was appointed Conflict of Interest Commissioner in December 2016
>>> and became New Brunswick’s first Integrity Commissioner on December
>>> 16, 2016 with responsibilities for conflict of interest issues related
>>> to Members of the Legislative Assembly. As of April 1, 2017 he
>>> supervises lobbyists of public office holders under the Lobbyists’
>>> Registration Act.
>>>
>>> As of September 1, 2017, he will be assuming the functions presently
>>> held by the Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner.
>>>
Jimacon Inc.
Consulting@Jimacon.com
(548) 688-0882
Mark E. Simon LL.B
Associate Lawyer at Millars Law
WWEPC Member Since: Sept 2019
Email: mark@millarslaw.com
Phone: 519-657-1529
Website: https://millarslaw.com/
https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.mdlo.ca/
(613) 236-2657
Send message
info@mdlo.ca
Michel Drapeau Law Office
DND still requires an Inspector General. f this I am certain if for no
other reasons to ENSURE that the ARBOUR recommendations are properly
implemented in an timely fashion. Not surprisingly, however, there
are early signs of resistance within the CAF ranks. Reasons and
arguments for such resistance will abound; lack of personnel, growing
operational commitments, the need to consult (this excuse has already
been used by the MND). There are also sacred cows like the RMC which
can and is already rallying support among the military brass. The
truth is: Canada and the CAF simply cannot afford ANOTHER study; the
Lamer, Lesage, Deschamps, Fish and Arbour studies are more enough to
point the way to the required
reform.https://ottawacitizen.
..
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 12:50:23 -0300
Subject: Attn Charlotte Duval-Lantoine and Rory Fowler we just talked
about what you said to CBC correct?
To: rory@roryfowlerlaw.com, cduval-lantoine@cgai.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, ibk@kapoorbarristers.com
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Former chief of the defence staff Jonathan Vance charged with
obstruction of justice
Vance is being investigated for sexual misconduct over his
relationship with a subordinate
Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jul 15, 2021 3:01 PM ET
The Crown's hurdles
"One legal expert says that one of the hurdles the Crown will have to
cross in proving the charge is whether Vance threatened Brennan.
"We don't have all of the evidence, but what I would be interested in
knowing is what evidence they have that there was a threat, a bribe or
other corrupt means to persuade Ms. Brennan to lie — because simply
asking somebody to lie is not obstruction of justice," said retired
colonel Rory Fowler, a military lawyer now in private practice.
There is a 10-year maximum sentence for a conviction on an obstruction
of justice charge, Fowler said.
PM's chief adviser knew of 'misconduct' allegation against top
military commander, committee told
He added that it is unprecedented that such a senior retired officer
is charged with a criminal offence.
"Previous to this, the most senior rank in living memory, the most
senior rank who was facing a charge like this, was the then-vice-chief
of the defence staff [Vice-Admiral] Mark Norman," said Fowler.
Norman was accused in 2017 of leaking cabinet secrets and charged by
the RCMP with a single count of breach of trust. The charge was stayed
two years later."
"Defence expert Charlotte Duval-Lantoine said the charge against Vance
is serious and a demonstration by the federal government and the
military that there will be no impunity.
Restoring confidence in the military justice system will depend on
whether he is found guilty and punished, she suggested.
"We don't really know what is the outcome of this charge, but there is
that idea now that even a chief of the defence staff needs to be
subject to the same punishment, to the same sanctions as anyone else
in the Canadian Armed Forces," said Duval-Lantoine, a fellow at the
Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
The ongoing sexual misconduct crisis has prompted calls for the
resignation of Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, which were renewed
Thursday once the obstruction charge was announced."
http://roryfowlerlaw.com/
Rory Fowler
221 Queen St
Kingston, ON
K7K 1B4
rory@roryfowlerlaw.com
(613) 777 3820
Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Rory G. Fowler, BComm, LL.B., LL.M., CD
Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Rory Fowler retired from the Canadian
Forces after having served for nearly 28 years, first as an infantry
officer with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, and
subsequently as a Legal Officer with the Office of the Judge Advocate
General. In the latter role, Rory served as a deployed legal advisor,
educator, and worked extensively in the area of public and
administrative law. He helped lead the development of the current
curriculum used to train new legal officers and served as a mentor to
many in the field of administrative law. Among his various positions,
Rory served as the Deputy Judge Advocate for Canadian Forces Base
Kingston, Director of Law – Compensation, Benefits, Pensions and
Estates and Director of Law – Administrative Law.
As Director of Law – Compensation, Benefits, Pensions and Estates,
Rory advised on a wide range of benefits for members of the Canadian
Forces under the National Defence Act, including pay, allowances,
reimbursement of expenses, as well as benefits under the Canadian
Forces Superannuation Act. As the Director of Law – Administrative
Law, Rory led the team responsible for advising on the Canadian Forces
grievance process, including providing direct support to the final
authority and assisting legal advisors to the various initial
authorities. He was also responsible for legal support to Boards of
Inquiry, summary investigations and other administrative
investigations.
https://www.cgai.ca/charlotte_
Charlotte Duval-Lantoine
Ottawa Operations Manager
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
8 York Street
2nd Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1N 5S6
cduval-lantoine@cgai.ca
(613) 288-2529 ext 101
Charlotte Duval-Lantoine
Defence | Western Hemisphere
Charlotte is the Ottawa Operations Manager and a Fellow at the
Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She completed a Master in Military
History at Queen’s University, during which she started researching on
the toxic culture of leadership in the Canadian Armed Forces during
the 1990s and its impact on gender integration, which had started in
1989. She continues to study leadership and culture change issues in
the military in her free time. She obtained her BA in History and
Political Science at McGill University in 2017. During her graduate
studies, Charlotte served as the Assistant to the Executive Director
of Women In International Security-Canada for the fiscal year
2018-2019. She has also worked as a research assistant and translator
on projects about gender mainstreaming and integration in NATO Armed
Forces, and on the gendered dimension of veteran transition at Queen's
University Center for International and Defence Policy (CIDP).
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CEDRIC.ASPIRAULT@forces.gc.ca
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:08:54 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Attn Ian B. Kasper we just talked about
cupcakes and CBC correct?
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Please note that I am no longer CO 12 RBC and will be on leave and
moving to the US.
Please contact Maj Cameron, A/CO 12 RBC if there is any regimental
requierements.(david.cameron9@
I will monitor this adress until May 28th
My civilian email adress is : LCAspi50@me.com
418-806-9705
Lcol JLC Aspirault
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Minister Joly / Ministre Joly (IC)"
<ministerofeconomicdevelopment
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:09:41 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Attn Ian B. Kasper we just talked about
cupcakes and CBC correct?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
(le français suit l’anglais)
Your correspondence to the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of
Economic Development and Official Languages, has been received. Thank
you for writing.
This is an automatically generated message. Please do not reply.
******************************
Votre correspondance adressée à l’honorable Mélanie Joly, ministre du
Développement économique et des Langues officielles, a été reçue.
Merci d’avoir écrit.
Ceci est un message automatique. Veuillez ne pas y répondre.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Higgs, Premier Blaine (PO/CPM)" <Blaine.Higgs@gnb.ca>
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:09:57 +0000
Subject: RE: Attn Ian B. Kasper we just talked about cupcakes and CBC correct?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to write.
Due to the volume of incoming messages, this is an automated response
to let you know that your email has been received and will be reviewed
at the earliest opportunity.
If your inquiry more appropriately falls within the mandate of a
Ministry or other area of government, staff will refer your email for
review and consideration.
Merci d'avoir pris le temps de nous écrire.
En raison du volume des messages reçus, cette réponse automatique vous
informe que votre courriel a été reçu et sera examiné dans les
meilleurs délais.
Si votre demande relève plutôt du mandat d'un ministère ou d'un autre
secteur du gouvernement, le personnel vous renverra votre courriel
pour examen et considération.
If this is a Media Request, please contact the Premier’s office at
(506) 453-2144 or by email
media-medias@gnb.ca<mailto:med
S’il s’agit d’une demande des médias, veuillez communiquer avec le
Cabinet du premier ministre au 506-453-2144.
Office of the Premier/Cabinet du premier ministre
P.O Box/C. P. 6000 Fredericton New-Brunswick/Nouveau-
Tel./Tel. : (506) 453-2144
Email/Courriel:
premier@gnb.ca/premier.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Info <Info@gg.ca>
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:08:58 +0000
Subject: OSGG General Inquiries / Demande de renseignements généraux au BSGG
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for writing to the Office of the Secretary to the Governor
General. We appreciate hearing your views and suggestions. Responses
to specific inquiries can be expected within three weeks. Please note
that general comments and opinions may not receive a response.
*****
Nous vous remercions d'avoir écrit au Bureau du secrétaire du
gouverneur général. Nous aimons prendre connaissance de vos points de
vue et de vos suggestions. Il faut allouer trois semaines pour
recevoir une réponse à une demande précise. Veuillez noter que nous ne
donnons pas nécessairement suite aux opinions et aux commentaires
généraux.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This message may contain confidential or privileged
information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are
not the intended recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or
copy this email. Please notify the sender immediately if you have
received this email by mistake and delete it from your system.
AVIS IMPORTANT : Le présent courriel peut contenir des renseignements
confidentiels et est strictement réservé à l’usage de la personne Ã
qui il est destiné. Si vous n’êtes pas la personne visée, vous ne
devez pas diffuser, distribuer ou copier ce courriel. Merci de nous en
aviser immédiatement et de supprimer ce courriel s’il vous a été
envoyé par erreur.
---------Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 20:08:44 -0300
Subject: Attn Ian B. Kasper we just talked about cupcakes and CBC correct?
To: ibk@kapoorbarristers.com, "wayne.eyre" <wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca>,
nia_ig.fct@navy.mil, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Ian.Shugart"
<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>, info <info@gg.ca>, mcu
<mcu@justice.gc.ca>, NIA_IG@navy.mil, Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int,
Matt.Gaetz@mail.house.gov, Tammy.Harris@forces.gc.ca,
Jill.Chisholm@justice.gc.ca, Cedric.Aspirault@forces.gc.ca,
Derek.Sloan@parl.gc.ca, Hon.ralph.goodale@canada.ca,
Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, barbara.massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
clare.barry@justice.gc.ca, michael.mcnair@pmo-cpm.gc.ca,
David.Akin@globalnews.ca, dale.drummond@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@
hon.melanie.joly@canada.ca, Jody.Wilson-Raybould@parl.gc.
"andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
Ramesh.Sangha@parl.gc.ca, Marwan.Tabbara@parl.gc.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, ashley.burke@cbc.ca,
Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, "steve.murphy"
<steve.murphy@ctv.ca>
Ian B. Kasper
Called to the bar: 2015 (ON)
Kapoor Barristers
Suite 2900
161 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M5J 2S1
Phone: 416-363-2700
Fax: 416-363-2787
Email: ibk@kapoorbarristers.com
Ian Kasper
416.363.2700 ext 8103
ibk@kapoorbarristers.com
Ian Kasper
416.363.2700 ext 8103
ibk@kapoorbarristers.com
Mr. Kasper joined Kapoor Barristers in 2017. He appears in all courts
on trial and appellate matters.
He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo where he obtained a
Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours). Thereafter he attended Osgoode Hall
Law School, where his studies focused almost exclusively on criminal
law and related topics.
Mr. Kasper completed his articles at the law firm of Greenspan
Humphrey Lavine. Upon his call to the Bar in 2015, he opened a sole
practice in Toronto, where his practice included trial and appeal
matters in criminal law, mental health law, and correctional law.
In addition to his legal career, Mr. Kasper is a reservist in the
Canadian Armed Forces. He enlisted in 2011 and currently parades with
the Governor General's Horse Guards in Toronto.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Evidence lost in case of soldier accused of feeding cannabis-laced
cupcakes to gunners, lawyer says
'The loss of such important evidence was the result of incompetence,'
accused's lawyer says
Ashley Burke · CBC News · Posted: Jul 12, 2021 4:00 AM ET
Bombardier Chelsea Cogswell's court martial is scheduled to start Aug.
3 in New Brunswick. (Submitted)
Evidence in a bizarre case of a Canadian soldier accused of drugging
comrades with marijuana-laced cupcakes was lost by military police,
says the soldier's lawyer — who accuses the Department of National
Defence of conducting a sloppy, incompetent investigation.
Bombardier Chelsea Cogswell's military trial is slated to start next
month. It's believed to be the first of its kind.
She faces 18 charges, including administering a noxious substance to
eight soldiers without their consent in July 2018 at CFB Gagetown. At
the time, the soldiers were taking part in a live-fire exercise
involving explosives and weapons drills.
CBC News has obtained a copy of a court application filed by
Cogswell's lawyer Ian Kasper. In it, Kasper argues the military should
throw out evidence of traces of THC — the main psychoactive compound
in cannabis — gathered from one cupcake wrapper because the other
cupcake wrappers were lost and never tested.
"The chain of command and the military police did not preserve all the
wrappers for further investigation," Kasper wrote in the application.
"The loss of such important evidence was the result of incompetence.
"The chain of command's loss of the cupcake wrappers was so shockingly
negligent as to constitute an abuse of process."
The military is in the midst of an institutional crisis over its
handling of misconduct in the ranks. Critics have said military police
are ill-equipped to investigate offences.
'There's a lack of expertise. A lack of competence'
Military law expert Michel Drapeau has been arguing for years that the
military police do not have the depth, supervision and training to
conduct criminal investigations.
A sniper taking part in a competition between peers at CFB Gagetown in
Oromocto, N.B. (Kevin Bissett/Canadian Press)
Drapeau reviewed the court documents obtained by CBC News. He pointed
out that it took roughly 17 months for the military police to realize
they hadn't secured all of the wrappers, and to investigate where they
went.
"Seventeen months required to discover it is disturbing, to say the
least," he said. "There is something lacking there. It could be a lack
of expertise. It could also be incompetence, obviously."
Cogswell's unusual case made headlines around the world. The
Department of National Defence has said it's believed to be the first
case of a soldier charged with feeding marijuana to colleagues without
their consent.
Cogswell's mother told CBC News strangers have bombarded her with hate
messages online and she found her vehicle keyed in her driveway on one
occasion.
"The military community was entitled to a proper and complete
investigation, not a half-hearted and incomplete one that saw crucial
evidence lost," reads Kasper's application. "The applicant's career
and liberty are on the line."
Regional military prosecutors responded, saying the evidence was never
lost since it was never in government authorities' possession in the
first place.
"Any cupcake wrappers which were not collected had been disposed of by
witnesses or complainants prior to commencement or contemplation of an
investigation," reads the military's response to the court
application. "There was no abuse of process."
'Loopy, anxious and paranoid'
At the time of the incident on July 21, 2018, Cogswell was working at
a mobile canteen at the army's combat training centre in New
Brunswick, according to court martial documents.
Cogswell offered some troops from the gun detachment free cupcakes she
had baked that she said contained coconut oil and avocados, according
to the document. At least nine soldiers ate the cupcakes; within an
hour, some described feeling "high," the court martial documents said.
The charges are related to an incident at this firing range at CFB
Gagetown in Oromocto, N.B. (David Smith/Canadian Press)
"They variously described feeling tired, exhausted, loopy, anxious and
paranoid," said Kasper's court document. "Others, however, believed
they were dehydrated or were suffering heat exhaustion."
Citing safety concerns, the military called off the live fire training
exercise on that hot summer day and loaded those affected into an
air-conditioned truck for assessment. A medical technician on scene
ruled out heat injuries, according to the documents.
The commanding officer called in military police to investigate the
possibility that "the members of the artillery school were suffering
from mind-altering drugs while on a live fire exercise," Kasper's
court document states.
Soldier gathered five wrappers
One of the soldiers who ate a cupcake and felt fine collected about
five wrappers and gave them to the chain of command — one Warrant
Officer Mangrove, according to the court document.
The base military police officer who attended the scene, Cpl. Benjamin
Whitehall, obtained one of the wrappers from a soldier who got it from
Mangrove and tested it for drugs. The test came back negative but
later tested positive for traces of THC, according to both Kasper's
court document and the response from military prosecutors.
The military police only discovered other wrappers existed almost a
year and a half later, in January 2020, after a request from the
accused's lawyer.
"No explanation has been proffered," wrote Kasper. "The only
reasonable conclusion is that they were lost through incompetence. The
wrappers are at the heart of the case ... and they could afford
forensic evidence tending to disprove the offences charged."
The military wrote in its defence that it doesn't know where the other
wrappers went "missing." At the time of the incident, the focus was on
possible health and safety risks, not the "possibility of a future
criminal investigation," said the military prosecutors.
"There is no evidence of any attempt to conceal or destroy evidence in
this case, nor is there any evidence of bad faith on the part of the
Crown," the prosecutors wrote. "In fact, it is more likely than not
that obtaining the missing wrappers would have strengthened the
Crown's case."
Civilian system should investigate military misconduct claims for
now, ex-judge says
Fifth Estate
Commanding officers interfered in sexual assault investigations,
retired military police officer says
Military justice system at crossroads as court hears case on
judges' independence
The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal would not tell CBC News if the
military police involved in the case are with the base or with the
Canadian Forces National Investigative Service unit.
The Military Police Complaints Commission will not confirm that it's
received a complaint in connection to Cogswell's case. In a statement,
the commission said it does not release information or the identity of
complainants or subjects in "non-public interest cases."
Cogswell's court martial is set to begin Aug. 3 in Oromocto, New Brunswick.
Along with charges for administering a noxious substance, Cogswell
also faces nine counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and
discipline and one count of behaving in a disgraceful manner.
Cogswell faces a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment, the
defence department said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashley Burke
Reporter
Ashley Burke is a senior reporter with CBC's Parliamentary Bureau.
Have a story idea? Email her at ashley.burke@cbc.ca
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 15:52:53 -0300
Subject: This important Thats why I just called and tweeted both of
your congressional offices
To: Dawn.McArdle@mail.house.gov, Matt.Gaetz@mail.house.gov,
patrick.parsons@mail.house.gov
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 14:48:36 -0300
Subject: Fwd: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
Howie Anglin?
To: nia_ig.fct@navy.mil, washington field
<washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Ian.Shugart"
<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>
Cc: "Brenda.Lucki" <Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Jonathan.Vance"
<Jonathan.Vance@forces.gc.ca>, "Greta.Bossenmaier"
<Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 11:03:08 +0000
Subject: RE: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
Howie Anglin?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Dear David Amos,
The Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA) Office of the Inspector General
(IG) reviewed your email and attached .WAV file provided to the NIA
Hotline on 2 April 2021. I found no connection to the United States
Navy or United States Naval Intelligence.
Naval Inspectors General exist to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of US Navy Programs, and strive to eliminate and prevent
waste, fraud, and abuse with their respective departments. Naval IGs
are restricted to assessing matters falling within the purview of
their respective commanders.
Citing the lack of an apparent connection to the US Navy or Naval
Intelligence, I am unable to provide further assistance, or provide
direct referral to any other agency or activity.
Sincerely,
Mark Koneda
Investigator
Naval Intelligence Activity
Office of the Inspector General
NIA_IG@navy.mil
(301)669-3030 (unclass)
TSVOIP 560-3030
INSPECTOR GENERAL SENSITIVE INFORMATION - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY The
information contained in this email and any accompanying attachments
may contain Inspector General sensitive or pre-decisional information,
which is protected from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA, 5 USC Section 552). It should not be released
to unauthorized persons. If you are not the intended recipient of this
information, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of
any action in reliance on this information is prohibited. If you
received this email in error, please notify this office by email or by
calling (301) 669-3030.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 12:50 PM
To: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper
made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie
Anglin?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Art.McDonald@forces.gc.ca
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:49:10 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper made a
deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie Anglin?
To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff is LGen Wayne Eyre, he may be
reached at wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Le Chef d'état-major de la Défense par intérim est le LGen Wayne Eyre.
Il peut être rejoint au wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Art McD
He/Him // Il/Lui
Admiral/amiral Art McDonald
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
Canadian Armed Forces
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<
Chef d’état-major de la Defense (CÉMD)
Forces armées canadiennes
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<
----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "McKnight, Gisele" McKnight.Gisele@kingscorecord.
> > > > To: lcampenella@ledger.com
> > > > Cc:motomaniac_02186@hotmail.
> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 2:53 PM
> > > > Subject: David Amos
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Hello Lisa,
> > > > > David Amos asked me to contact you. I met him last June after he
> > became
> > > an
> > > > > independent (not representing any political party) candidate in our
> > > > federal
> > > > > election that was held June 28.
> > > > >
> > > > > He was a candidate in our constituency of Fundy (now called
> > > Fundy-Royal).
> > > > I
> > > > > wrote a profile story about him, as I did all other candidates. That
> > > story
> > > > > appeared in the Kings County Record June 22. A second story, written
> > by
> > > > one
> > > > > of my reporters, appeared on the same date, which was a report on
> the
> > > > > candidates' debate held June 18.
> > > > >
> > > > > As I recall David Amos came last of four candidates in the election.
> > The
> > > > > winner got 14,997 votes, while Amos got 358.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have attached the two stories that appeared, as well as a photo
> > taken
> > > by
> > > > > reporter Erin Hatfield during the debate. I couldn't find the photo
> > that
> > > > > ran, but this one is very similar.
> > > > >
> > > > > Gisele McKnight
> > > > > editor A1-debate A1-amos,David for MP 24.doc debate
2.JPG
> > > > > Kings County Record
> > > > > Sussex, New Brunswick
> > > > > Canada
> > > > > 506-433-1070
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
Raising a Little Hell- Lively Debate Provokes Crowd
By Erin Hatfield
"If you don't like what you got, why don't you change it? If your
world is all screwed up, rearrange it."
The 1979 Trooper song Raise a Little Hell blared on the speakers at
the 8th Hussars Sports Center Friday evening as people filed in to
watch the Fundy candidates debate the issues. It was an accurate, if
unofficial, theme song for the debate.
The crowd of over 200 spectators was dwarfed by the huge arena, but as
they chose their seats, it was clear the battle lines were drawn.
Supporters of Conservative candidate Rob Moore naturally took the blue
chairs on the right of the rink floor while John Herron's Liberalswent
left. There were splashes of orange, supporters of NDP Pat Hanratty,
mixed throughout. Perhaps the loudest applause came from a row towards
the back, where supporters of independent candidate David Amos sat.
The debate was moderated by Leo Melanson of CJCW Radio and was
organized by the Sussex Valley Jaycees. Candidates wereasked a barrage
of questions bypanelists Gisele McKnight of the Kings County Record
and Lisa Spencer of CJCW.
Staying true to party platforms for the most part, candidates
responded to questions about the gun registry, same sex marriage, the
exodus of young people from the Maritimes and regulated gas prices.
Herron and Moore were clear competitors,constantly challenging each
other on their answers and criticizing eachothers’ party leaders.
Hanratty flew under the radar, giving short, concise responses to the
questions while Amos provided some food for thought and a bit of comic
relief with quirky answers. "I was raised with a gun," Amos said in
response to the question of thenational gun registry. "Nobody's
getting mine and I'm not paying 10 cents for it."
Herron, a Progressive Conservative MP turned Liberal, veered from his
party'splatform with regard to gun control. "It was ill advised but
well intentioned," Herron said. "No matter what side of the house I am
on, I'm voting against it." Pat Hanratty agreed there were better
places for the gun registry dollars to be spent.Recreational hunters
shouldn't have been penalized by this gun registry," he said.
The gun registry issues provoked the tempers of Herron and Moore. At
one point Herron got out of his seat and threw a piece of paper in
front of Moore. "Read that," Herron said to Moore, referring to the
voting record of Conservative Party leader Steven Harper. According to
Herron, Harper voted in favour of the registry on the first and second
readings of the bill in 1995. "He voted against it when it counted, at
final count," Moore said. "We needa government with courage to
register sex offenders rather than register the property of law
abiding citizens."
The crowd was vocal throughout the evening, with white haired men and
women heckling from the Conservative side. "Shut up John," one woman
yelled. "How can you talk about selling out?" a man yelled whenHerron
spoke about his fear that the Conservatives are selling farmers out.
Although the Liberal side was less vocal, Kings East MLA Leroy
Armstrong weighed in at one point. "You’re out of touch," Armstrong
yelled to Moore from the crowd when the debate turned to the cost of
post-secondary education. Later in the evening Amos challenged
Armstrong to a public debate of their own. "Talk is cheap. Any time,
anyplace," Armstrong responded.
As the crowd made its way out of the building following the debate,
candidates worked the room. They shook hands with well-wishers and
fielded questions from spectators-all part of the decision-making
process for the June 28 vote.
Cutline – David Amos, independent candidate in Fundy, with some of his
favourite possessions—motorcycles.
McKnight/KCR
The Unconventional Candidate
David Amos Isn’t Campaigning For Your Vote, But….
By Gisele McKnight
FUNDY—He has a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket, a chain on his
wallet, a beard at least a foot long, 60 motorcycles and a cell phone
that rings to the tune of "Yankee Doodle."
Meet the latest addition to the Fundy ballot—David Amos.
The independent candidate lives in Milton, Massachusetts with his wife
and two children, but his place of residence does not stop him from
running for office in Canada.
One has only to be at least 18, a Canadian citizen and not be in jail
to meet Elections Canada requirements.
When it came time to launch his political crusade, Amos chose his
favourite place to do so—Fundy.
Amos, 52, is running for political office because of his
dissatisfaction with politicians.
"I’ve become aware of much corruption involving our two countries," he
said. "The only way to fix corruption is in the political forum."
The journey that eventually led Amos to politics began in Sussex in
1987. He woke up one morning disillusioned with life and decided he
needed to change his life.
"I lost my faith in mankind," he said. "People go through that
sometimes in midlife."
So Amos, who’d lived in Sussex since 1973, closed his Four Corners
motorcycle shop, paid his bills and hit the road with Annie, his 1952
Panhead motorcycle.
"Annie and I rode around for awhile (three years, to be exact)
experiencing the milk of human kindness," he said. "This is how you
renew your faith in mankind – you help anyone you can, you never ask
for anything, but you take what they offer."
For those three years, they offered food, a place to sleep, odd jobs
and conversation all over North America.
Since he and Annie stopped wandering, he has married, fathered a son
and a daughter and become a house-husband – Mr. Mom, as he calls
himself.
He also describes himself in far more colourful terms—a motorcyclist
rather than a biker, a "fun-loving, free-thinking, pig-headed
individual," a "pissed-off Maritimer" rather than an activist, a proud
Canadian and a "wild colonial boy."
Ironically, the man who is running for office has never voted in his life.
"But I have no right to criticize unless I offer my name," he said.
"It’s alright to bitch in the kitchen, but can you walk the walk?"
Amos has no intention of actively campaigning.
"I didn’t appreciate it when they (politicians) pounded on my door
interrupting my dinner," he said. "If people are interested, they can
call me. I’m not going to drive my opinions down their throats."
And he has no campaign budget, nor does he want one.
"I won’t take any donations," he said. "Just try to give me some. It’s
not about money. It goes against what I’m fighting about."
What he’s fighting for is the discussion of issues – tainted blood,
the exploitation of the Maritimes’ gas and oil reserves and NAFTA, to
name a few.
"The political issues in the Maritimes involve the three Fs – fishing,
farming and forestry, but they forget foreign issues," he said. "I’m
death on NAFTA, the back room deals and free trade. I say chuck it
(NAFTA) out the window.
NAFTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement which allows an
easier flow of goods between Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Amos disagrees with the idea that a vote for him is a wasted vote.
"There are no wasted votes," he said. "I want people like me,
especially young people, to pay attention and exercise their right.
Don’t necessarily vote for me, but vote."
Although…if you’re going to vote anyway, Amos would be happy to have
your X by his name.
"I want people to go into that voting booth, see my name, laugh and
say, ‘what the hell.’"
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