Fundy Albert mayor resigns, blaming province
Bob Rochon cites amalgamation challenges in letter
A mayor in southeastern New Brunswick announced his resignation Friday afternoon, partially putting blame on the provincial government.
Bob Rochon, mayor of Fundy Albert, posted a letter to social media explaining the issues the municipality had faced with amalgamation and within the council.
"... It has become clear to me that I no longer have the confidence and trust of members of council," Rochon wrote in the letter. "Without that, I am ineffective as mayor."
When reached by phone Saturday, Rochon declined an interview and would not answer questions about why councillors had lost confidence in him.
Rochon had been slated to serve as mayor until 2026.
His letter went on to describe the years since New Brunswick's local government amalgamation in 2023 as "turbulent."
He said the province "did little" to assist with challenges such as how to structure local government, managing complex budgets, addressing infrastructure gaps and planning for the future.
"In the end, we are left to our own devices with little or no assistance, or guidance from provincial government," Rochon wrote.
CBC News reached out to the Department of Local Government for comment and is awaiting a response.
Fundy Albert is a sweeping municipality south of Moncton that's made up of the former villages of Alma, Riverside-Albert, Hillsborough and five local service districts.
Rochon was previously the mayor of Hillsborough before amalgamation.
Under former Premier Blaine Higgs, many municipalities in New Brunswick were forced to amalgamate, cutting the number of local entities from 340 to 90.
Rochon's letter said his resignation goes into effect Dec. 31.
Under the province's local government act, the deputy mayor will fill the vacancy of mayor until a byelection is called.
Deputy mayor shares amalgamation concerns
In a phone interview, Fundy Albert Deputy Mayor John Ereaux said Rochon's resignation came as a surprise to council when he read the letter at the end of a special budget approval meeting on Friday.
While Ereaux declined to speak to Rochon's comments about a lack of confidence from council, he said he shares his concerns about amalgamation.
"We feel it's been a very difficult, tumultuous time since amalgamation two years ago."
He said Fundy Albert is "an extreme" version of amalgamation troubles, namely with differing tax rates.
While residents across the municipality all receive similar services, Ereaux said the tax rate for what was the village of Alma is about 60 per cent higher than the neighbouring local service district, as an example.
"What we found is that everyone in Fundy Albert feels like they're being treated unfairly, which is strange," Ereaux said.
Deputy
Mayor John Ereaux said residents have expressed concern over differing
tax rates and what they feel is a lack of local representation under the
new municipality. (Municipality of Fundy Albert)
Fundy Albert is not the only municipality to face the growing pains of amalgamation.
Lakeland Ridges had its council suspended, Sunbury-York South saw concern over plans for a new town hall, and St. Stephen had fire firefighters resign after amalgamation joined several fire departments together.
The other five Fundy Albert councillors either did not respond or declined to comment on Rochon's resignation when contacted.
"We have not been able to function well," Ereaux said of council.
"I think all the council members would feel that they wished we could have been more effective and got more done."
When asked, Ereaux said he is not considering a run for mayor.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Council Members
Robert (Bob) Rochon
EXMayor
Email: rochonb@gmail.com
Phone: 506 875 9883
Phone: 506 875 9883
John Ereaux
Ward 1 Councillor & Deputy Mayor
Email: j.ereaux@fundyalbert.ca
Phone: 506 380 3051
Phone: 506 380 3051
Loretta Elderkin
Ward 2 Councillor
Email: l.elderkin@fundyalbert.ca
Phone: 506 381 5864
Phone: 506 381 5864
Jeff Land
Ward 3 Councillor
Email: j.land@fundyalbert.ca
Phone: 506 874 1103
Phone: 506 874 1103
Jeff Jonah
Ward 4 Councillor
Email: jeffjonah@gmail.com
Phone: 506 866 4000
Phone: 506 866 4000
Jim Coates
Ward 5 Councillor
Email: j.coates@fundyalbert.ca
Phone: 506 734 2736
Phone: 506 734 2736
Heather Ward Russell
Ward 6 Councillor
Email: h.russell@fundyalbert.ca
Phone: 506 380 9663
Phone: 506 380 9663
Bob Rochon
506 875 9883
rochonb@gmail.com
Deputy
Mayor John Ereaux
j.ereaux@fundyalbert.ca
506 380 3051
derek.haggett@bellmedia.ca
https://www.legnb.ca/en/members/current/200/aaron-kennedy
Aaron Kennedy
- Minister of Local Government
- Minister responsible for Service New Brunswick
Aaron Kennedy defeated Blaine Higgs in the riding of Quispamsis, who had been serving in that riding since 2010 and as Premier of New Brunswick since 2018.
Kennedy previously worked for the town of Quispamsis, where in 2011 he began serving as the town's communications manager. In July 2021, Kennedy began serving as the interim chief administrative officer; his term finished in August 2024 after his role was succeeded by a permanent hire and he pursued the Liberal nomination for the 2024 electionMinisters
| # | Minister | Term | Government |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Trevor Holder | February 14, 2006 - October 3, 2006 | under Bernard Lord |
| 2. | Victor Boudreau | October 3, 2006 - October 31, 2007 | under Shawn Graham |
| 3. | Carmel Robichaud | October 31, 2007 - November 12, 2008 | |
| 4. | Bernard LeBlanc | November 12, 2008 - January 4, 2010 | |
| 5. | Chris Collins | January 4, 2010 - October 12, 2010 | |
| 6. | Bruce Fitch | October 12, 2010 - March 15, 2012 | under David Alward |
Merged with Department of Environment
| |||
| 7. | Daniel Allain | September 29, 2020 – June 27, 2023 | under Blaine Higgs |
| 8. | Glen Savoie | June 27, 2023 - November 2, 2024 | |
| 9. | Aaron Kennedy | November 2, 2024 - present | under Susan Holt |
N.B. Power executives, judges among list of highest-paid provincial employees in 2023
Fired N.B. Power CEO remains top earner
Keith Cronkhite, the CEO of N.B. Power who was fired in July 2022, was the province's top-paid public servant in 2023. He earned between $575,000 and $599,999 that year.
The information was released as part of a list of all government employees making over $80,000 in the previous year, known as the "Sunshine List."
Cronkhite topped the list for a fourth straight year.
Published each December, the salaries are published online but only include a salary range for each person instead of an exact number.
Cronkhite's 2023 salary was larger than his past salaries, likely due to a severance payout. He made between $600,000 and $624,999 in 2022, and between $475,000 and $499,999 in 2021.
The company's replacement CEO, Lori Clark, who stepped in as acting president in July 2022 and was appointed CEO in March 2023, came second on this year's list, making between $475,000 and $499,999.
N.B. Powers' Darren Murphy, chief financial officer and senior vice-president of corporate services and major projects, came in eighth, making between $375,000 and $399,999.
Point Lepreau workers place high
Leaders of Point Lepreau, N.B. Power's besieged nuclear plant, also placed high. It was shut down for eight months in 2024 due to generator trouble.
Darren Elliott made between $350,000 and $374,999. A LinkedIn account with the same name lists him as a shift supervisor at the plant since 2015.
The
Point Lepreau nuclear station was shut down for much of this year. Two
leaders at the plant place high on the sunshine list in 2023. (Marc Godbout/Radio-Canada)
Mark Power made between $325,000 and $349,999. An N.B. Power bulletin from 2018 announced Power as the new station director for Point Lepreau.
N.B. Power employees made up 51 of the top 100 spots on this year's list. This comes as the utility just won the ability to raise customer rates an average of 19 per cent over two years.
Judges and healthcare workers
Judges came next on the list, with Jacques Desjardins and Kenneth Oliver making between $400,000 and $424,999. Oliver retired in December 2023 while the subject of a disciplinary proceeding for misconduct.
The profession dominates the highest earner spots this year, with 26 of the top 35 earners in the province listed as judges.
Judges made up most of the highest-earning spots on the list. (CBC)
The fifth-highest paid public employee of 2023 was Dragana Kelly of Horizon Health Network, who is not an executive. She made $400,000 and $424,999, an increase of about $25,000 from 2022. That's more than the salaries of both health authority executives.
The Nurses Association of New Brunswick lists her as a registered nurse since 2017 in the Veterans Health Unit in Fredericton.
Vitalité Health Network's France Desrosiers earned between $350,000 and $374,999, unchanged from her salary the previous year. She faces pressure this year for the health authority's involvement in travel nurse contracts during the pandemic.
Horizon CEO Margaret Melanson earned between $325,000 and $349,999, an increase from the previous year. She was made permanent CEO in May 2024 after being interim CEO following the firing of CEO John Dornan under the Blaine Higgs government.
Melanson now finds Dornan as her boss after he was appointed health minister by Premier Susan Holt this fall.
Margaret Melanson, CEO of Horizon, saw her salary increase this year. (Horizon/Zoom)
Susan Brien, Horizon's senior vice-president for medical, academic and research affairs, made the same amount as Melanson.
Jennifer Russell, who resigned as the province's chief medical officer of health in October 2023, made between $300,000 and $324,999. That's a slight decrease from her salary the previous year.
Yves Léger, who's been the acting chief medical officer since Russell's departure, also made between $300,000 and $324,999 for 2023.
Kim Barker with the Health Department also made that same amount. She's the medical officer of health for the Saint John region, taking the job after resigning from a similar post in Northern Ontario after a scandal.
Mark McKelvie, Fredericton's medical officer, made between $250,000 and $274,999.
Other various roles
Lori Stickles, CEO of N.B. Liquor, made between $300,000 and $324,999 for 2023.
Service New Brunswick CEO Allan Roy made between $250,000 and $274,999.
Higgs earned just over $220,000 in 2023, which accounts for his salary plus a ministerial top-up and car and travel expenses.
Former premier Blaine Higgs made just over $220,000 in 2023. (Stephen MacGillivray/The Canadian Press)
Louis Leger, Higgs's former chief of staff who left in January 2023, received a severance of $200,000 to $224,999.
The highest-paid deputy minister was Cheryl Hansen of the Finance and Treasury Board, making between $300,000 and $324,999. She was also clerk of the executive council under the Higgs government. Eric Beaulieu of the Health Department came second with between $225,000 and $249,999.
The largest retirement payment, between $225,000 and $249,999, went to Mary Ellen Kingston-Ritchie, the director of student development for New Brunswick Community College.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.D. Irving given green light on Brighton Mountain wind farm project
Province approves first phase of $550M development
A large wind farm proposal from J.D. Irving, a first for the company, has been given approval by the province to proceed.
Known as the Brighton Mountain Wind Farm, the $550-million project is near the hamlet of Juniper in Carleton County.
A provincial document dated Nov. 5 gives the company approval for Phase 1 of the project, which company documents available on the project website outline as up to 34 turbines on the northern half of the project property with a capacity of up to 200 megawatts.
"Now that the project has been approved, we are looking forward to working with stakeholders and the local community to make the project a reality and, in doing so, help New Brunswick achieve its long-term renewable energy goals," JDI spokesperson Anne McInerney said in an email statement Friday.
The company has previously said it planned to break ground in 2025 once it had approval. The approval document from the province says construction must begin within five years.
The second phase, which would include up to 24 turbines with a capacity of up to approximately 150 megawatts, would need its own approval.
When the project was first announced in May, J.D. Irving said it planned to sell the energy to N.B. Power. N.B. Power spokesperson D'Arcy Walsh said in an email Friday that the utility still does not have a power purchasing agreement in place for the project.
A
map shows where each of the 58 turbines will be spaced out on the
project site, marked by numbers. Only those on the northern half of the
site have been approved by the province. (J.D. Irving)
JDI completed an environmental impact assessment in April, and now must adhere to all the obligations and mitigation measures detailed, according to the approval from the province.
At a public meeting in Juniper in August, several locals spoke out against the project, citing environmental concerns and what they called a lack of communication from the company.
JDI set up an email address to answer questions about the project, as well as a website detailing the plans and linking to the complete environmental assessment.
The website JDI set up for the project estimates that just 0.3 per cent of the property will have to be cleared for the project, or about 227 hectares. The company also said existing forest roads would be used as much as possible for construction.
Guidelines from the province's approval include halting construction if any archeological remains or nesting migratory birds are discovered at the site. Additional approvals are required for any construction on or near wetlands.
JDI must also conduct post-construction bird and bat studies to submit to the federal and provincial governments, the approval said.
The wind turbines must be decommissioned within a year of when they stop operating and the province requires a decommission plan that includes site reclamation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debt assigned to N.B. Power customers for utility financial misfortunes grows
Customers facing 6 more years of surcharges, mostly to pay for Lepreau breakdowns
A $54.1-million surcharge being paid by N.B. Power customers this year, to reimburse the utility for past financial misfortunes, has made no progress on retiring a $236.1-million debt the payments were originally meant to deal with.
In evidence filed this month with the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board, N.B. Power has revealed a pair of "variance" accounts, set up two years ago to transfer the risk of unexpectedly poor financial results — or the benefits of surprise good results — from itself to customers, carried a combined net deficit of $245.5 million, as of Oct. 31.
That's $9.4 million worse than a year ago in October, even though N.B. Power customers have been paying surcharges since April to reduce the accumulated debt.
"This balance represents an amount to be recovered from customers," wrote the utility, in its annual submission about the accounts.
"NB Power proposes to collect the Variance Account balance of $245.5 million over the next six fiscal years," the document said.
N.B.
Power president Lori Clark told an Energy and Utilities Board hearing
in June that surcharges customers are paying on their bills are mostly
related to past problems experienced at the Point Lepreau nuclear
station. (Pat Richard/CBC)
Frustrated with years of poor financial results at the utility, the New Brunswick government implemented a new system two years ago to make electricity customers responsible for financial reversals or windfalls at N.B. Power that are considered "beyond the control of management."
Events subject to the scheme include nuclear and hydro electricity production that is higher or lower than budgeted, spikes or dips in the price of fuels used to generate electricity, unexpected changes in domestic and international prices, and demand for power and assorted other variances.
WATCH | The customer pays: Why you get billed extra when trouble strikes at N.B. Power:
According to the utility, unhappy surprises from the "risks and uncertainties" it faces have "historically impacted the corporations's ability to meet its financial targets," resulting in the decision to transfer those risks to customers.
To date, under the new system, N.B. Power's financial reversals have continued to outpace windfalls, resulting in customers owing the utility significant amounts in a short period of time.
Two major equipment malfunction events at the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, in late 2022 and again this year, have accounted for most of the poor results that customers must now pay for.
 N.B.
Power's average residential customer owes about $313 for recent
problems sufferred by the utility, including two major equipment
failures at the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, and will be
billed about $68 in surcharges this year. (Roger Cosman/CBC) |
As of Oct. 31, the average N.B. Power residential customer was individually responsible for about $313 of the financial variance deficit and is to be charged about $68 in special payments this year, and again next year, toward that amount.
The utility says with no further surprises in its operations, the current balance will be recovered over a six-year period.
However, surprises have been commonplace and amounts owed by customers can be pushed higher or lower by any number of factors at any time.
In an appearance in front of the Energy and Utilities Board in June, N.B. Power president Lori Clark said the new accounts could work in customer's favour — if the utility experiences better luck in the future than it has in the recent past.
"It doesn't always move in the direction of it being a cost," said Clark.
All
N.B. Power customers are paying surcharges to deal with past
operational problems encountered by the utility. Saint John Energy bills
have included an 'N.B. Power Rate Rider' since April. (Robert Jones/CBC)
"Because of Lepreau's performance the prior year, it ended up being a charge to customers. In the future that could also be a credit to customers."
To date, the surprises have been mostly negative. And while shifting poor results into a separate account has added costs to customers, it has had the opposite effect on N.B. Power's financial statements.
Earlier this month the utility reported $73 million in net earnings for the first six months of its current fiscal year, to the end of September.
The half-year result was its best in 13 years.
It came after more than $100 million in costs of an unscheduled summer-long outage at the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station were subtracted out and added to the variance account that customers are now responsible for.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
---------- Original message ---------
Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the
wildfires in our region?
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Residents of Belleisle area grateful to volunteers who battled
out-of-control wildfire
Lessons learned, needed equipment identified after last week's fire
Mia Urquhart · CBC News · Posted: Jun 05, 2023 7:00 AM ADT
Aerial shot of a forest fire Capt. Mike Sherwood, of the Belleisle
Valley Fire Department, used a drone to help follow a fast-moving fire
last week and to help direct firefighters battling the blaze on the
ground. (Submitted by BVFD)
Around the same time a giant wildfire started near Saint Andrews on
May 28, one began in the woods in the hills above Belleisle Bay,
located roughly west of Hampton, north of Saint John.
In both fires, a local fire department of volunteers answered the
call. Both departments dealt with similar conditions — a fire in the
woods being driven by very strong winds toward people's homes.
When the call first came in around 1 p.m., Belleisle Valley Fire
Department Capt. Mike Sherwood couldn't even see the smoke from across
Belleisle Bay at his family's camp.
Within hours, however, heavy smoke was driven into the area by very
strong winds, said Sherwood, forcing some people to leave that area on
the opposite side of the bay.
A smiling man in a ball cap wearing firefighter gear and sunglasses.
Sherwood said they've received so many inquiries about how to make
donations to the volunteer fire department that they've set up a new
email address for direct deposits. (Submitted by Mike Sherwood)
Closer to the fire, homeowners were convinced it was right on top of
them because of the way the smoke blew close to the ground and far out
ahead of the fire.
"The smoke was being carried so far, so fast, that people thought the
fire was in their backyard, when in fact it was still roughly
three-quarters of a kilometre from many homes along the bay, up on top
of the hill," said Sherwood.
WATCH | Drone gets close look to help officials fight fire:
Fire department flies drone to assess forest fire with no water
bombers available
Duration 0:47
The Belleisle Valley Fire Department says it was granted special
permission to fly drone over fire to help craft a plan of attack.
The close call was enough for residents to want to express their
gratitude for the volunteers who answer the calls in the community.
In a post on the community's social media page, Sherwood said they've
received so many inquiries about how to make donations to the
department that they've set up a new email address for direct deposits
to the department.
He also said he's hoping to use those funds to buy a drone for the
fire department since "more and more the DNR [Department of Natural
Resources] is relying on local departments to fight the fires."
It was his personal drone that he used, and it sustained some damage
because of the heat. He said he'd like to buy a drone equipped with
thermal imaging, which means it wouldn't have to fly as close to
identify hot spots.
An arial shot of a number of cars on a dirt road, surrounded by
charred black forest. The fire began after strong winds pushed trees
into power lines, causing the power to arc to the ground and catch
fire. (Submitted by BVFD)
He said the information provided by the drone was invaluable in
directing firefighters and resources in the fire zone.
Sherwood said he was given clearance and approval by the Department of
Natural Resources and Energy to use the drone to create a plan of
attack because they weren't able to acquire any water bombers —
otherwise, it's illegal to fly a drone in the area of a forest or
wildfire.
With the help of the drone, Sherwood said they were "able to direct
the crews who were lugging 500 feet of hose through the woods from the
truck that was actually pumping the water."
The drone was able to direct those on the ground to the easiest route
through the woods.
"On the ground, there could be a roadway 10 feet away from you, and
you'd never see it. That drone gave us a birds-eye view and allowed us
to fight that fire a lot easier."
Provincial resources during wildfires
The Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development "does not
offer direct financial support, the department provides training to
fire departments on an annual basis," according to the department when
asked about funding for volunteer departments.
In an email, a spokesperson said expenses are covered when "assistance
is required" from fire departments.
The message said the department can also "provide trained wildland
firefighters as well as logistical, operation and planning resources"
and aerial support.
"Emergency Measures Organization provides logistics related to
evacuations and community support. We also would like to mention
others agencies including the forest industry, N.B. Power, the Red
Cross and all other groups who help provide assistance during these
times."
From clear skies to thick smoke
When Sherwood reached the fire department to gear up on the afternoon
of May 28, the response was "pretty sparse," he said, which isn't
unusual for a Sunday afternoon. Later that day, though, as smoke and
word about the fire spread, they had 29 firefighters on the scene.
They also had help from Norton and Wickham fire departments.
Sherwood said the fire started on Valley Road when a tree rubbed on
the power lines because of the strong winds and resulted in "arcing"
to the ground.
"By the time we headed out with the trucks, it was obvious that we had
something big going on," said Sherwood.
Valley Road is located over the hill from Belleisle Bay, upriver from
the ferry on the Kars side. Heavy winds pushed the smoke over the hill
and across the bay to the southeast.
The fire itself burned in that direction for about three kilometres,
toward homes and cottages along the bay.
But unlike the Stein Lake fire in Chamcook, a twist of fate and wind
direction helped prevent disaster in Belleisle.
A drone shot of a forest fire. The fire started around 1 p.m. on May
28 on Valley Road in Kars, and strong winds blew it over the hill
toward Belleisle Bay. (Submitted by BVFD)
"In most cases you can say it always could have been worse, but Mother
Nature helped us out in this one for sure," said Sherwood.
The winds turned about 180 degrees and drove the fire back along the
same path it had already burned.
That, said Sherwood, is what prevented the situation from being a
disaster. Without it being driven by the winds, firefighters were able
to stop the fire from advancing further toward the bay and the
structures along its shores.
Sherwood estimates the fire came to within three-quarters of a
kilometre of the nearest home.
He said no homes were officially evacuated, although the residents of
the house that was considered closest to the fire's path had packed a
few things and left — with four family members joining the fire
department's efforts to fight the blaze.
Having gotten lucky by the change of wind direction, Sherwood said the
fire, although out of control, wasn't deemed serious enough to warrant
diverting water bombers from the fire in the Saint Andrews area, which
started around the same time.
Eventually the fire was brought under control, but it still wasn't
declared officially "out" by Sunday night.
A grateful community responds
Like the firefighters who worked around the clock to battle the
out-of-control forest fire in Chamcook and Bocabec, the efforts of the
Belleisle Valley Fire Department were immediately on the minds of
Belleisle-area residents.
Sherwood said the local food truck cooked up 50 hamburgers while an
across-the-road-neighbour from the fire station made 50 hotdogs.
Sherwood said they often receive donations from those who have been
helped by the department. It's often used to buy new equipment or
water for the firefighters, which can be significant.
An aerial shot of a forest fire and lots of smoke. The fire tore
through the woods toward houses and cottages on the Kars side of
Belleisle Bay before the winds turned 180 degrees and pushed it back
along its original path. (Submmited by BVFD)
"I have no idea how much water we drank that day, but it was in the
hundreds of gallons. That all has to come from somewhere and that's
typically what the donations are for."
The severity of this fire, however, seems to have hit residents close
to home and the appreciation seems to be "deeper," said Sherwood.
"There was a lot of uncertainty with the way the wind was blowing
because if you were running through the woods, I don't think you could
have kept ahead of that fire," he said.
"Things were happening and changing that fast and that fluidly. So
yes, people were scared and I think they're very appreciative that we
were able to deal with that situation and stop it."
Lightening the load
Sherwood also hopes to buy forestry hoses for the department with any
extra money donated by residents. Forestry hoses are smaller and
lighter than regular hoses and make trekking through heavy terrain far
from the trucks a lot easier on firefighters.
"That firefighter is going to last four or five times longer before
he's completely and utterly exhausted," said Sherwood
"It's just like carrying a garden hose versus carrying about 50 pounds
of rubber-wrapped firefighting hose."
With the way the climate is changing, Sherwood anticipates that fire
departments will be dealing with more forest fires in the future.
"And the better equipped we are to deal with it, the faster that's
going to be put out."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mia Urquhart
Mia Urquhart is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick, based in Saint
John. She can be reached at mia.urquhart@cbc.ca.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
11 Comments
David Amos
Tune into the 25 minute mark of
Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the
wildfires in our region?
Corrie Weatherfield
From caption under picture . . . "strong winds pushed trees into power
lines" . . . gotta love the careful maintenance work of the outfit
that looks after those power lines
David Amos
Reply to Corrie Weatherfield
Now you know why I called
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Volunteer firefighter shortage putting communities at risk, chiefs say
Fire departments are struggling to recruit enough volunteers to
quickly respond to calls
Alexandre Silberman · CBC News · Posted: Jun 06, 2023 6:00 AM ADT
Petitcodiac Fire Chief Craig Ramsey leans against the door of a red
fire truck Chief Craig Ramsey said the Petitcodiac Fire Department.
It's is one of a growing number of communities struggling to find
enough volunteers. (Alexandre Silberman)
At the Petitcodiac fire station, Chief Craig Ramsey worries he might
be short of firefighters for the next emergency call. Most daytime
hours, only three-to-five volunteers are typically available.
"It's extremely concerning," he said. "From time-to-time we have
excellent coverage and there's times we have very poor coverage."
Petitcodiac is one of a growing number of communities in New Brunswick
and across Canada struggling to find enough volunteers to keep
residents safe.
While cities employ career firefighters, small towns and villages rely
on volunteers.
Peter Saunders pictured next to a fire truck, wearing a yellow
reflective vest Peter Saunders has been a volunteer firefighter for
more than 30 years and is a former chief. He's also the mayor of the
newly amalgamated village of Three Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac.
(Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Out of the more than 5,000 firefighters in the province, about 95 per
cent are volunteers, according to the New Brunswick Association of
Fire Chiefs.
Petitcodiac's station currently has 23 volunteers, but Ramsey said the
department needs at least five more.
In the small community around 42 kilometres southwest of Moncton, many
residents once worked at a large sawmill. But after the operation
closed, most now drive to work in the city. At times, that leaves as
few as two volunteers to respond to an emergency, forcing a reliance
on mutual aid from surrounding communities.
24-7 commitment
Peter Saunders is mayor of the newly amalgamated village of Three
Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac. He's been a volunteer firefighter
for more than 30 years and previously served as chief.
Saunders, 61, works at a building supplies store in the village of
1,400 people, where he keeps his radio on to monitor for calls. Being
a volunteer firefighter is a 24-7 role and is disruptive to family,
home and work life.
"One minute you're washing dishes, the next minute you're at the end
of a hose line or you're driving a truck," Saunders said.
WATCH | Volunteer firefighters rush to an emergency call:
Inside a rural New Brunswick fire department struggling to find volunteers
Duration 2:19
Petitcodiac is one of a growing number of small communities without
enough volunteer firefighters to respond to emergencies at all hours.
Despite working dangerous situations, most volunteers only receive a
few hundred dollars a year to cover their mileage. If they reach
enough hours, they are also eligible to claim a $3,000 federal tax
credit.
It's also a big time commitment just to get started. It takes 100
hours to do the basic course to become a volunteer firefighter in New
Brunswick. Most members also have to commit to regular training
one-to-two-nights a week, in addition to responding to calls.
Saunders's father was a volunteer first responder with St. John
Ambulance, which encouraged his involvement. But he's seen interest
decline over his time with the fire department.
"I believe that we do make a difference, even though there are bad
situations. It's the helping people and to have them comfortable in
the toughest situations," he said.
Recruitment challenges
The New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs doesn't have exact
numbers on the shortage, but president Scott Poupart, a volunteer
firefighter near Bathurst, estimates most volunteer departments need
an additional six to 12 firefighters on their rosters.
"We're all in a continual recruitment and retention mode," he said.
Canada lost 30,000 firefighters over the past six years, according to
a national survey.
Most firefighters in New Brunswick are over the age of 50, and many
long-serving volunteers are expected to retire in the coming years.
Ramsey, who has been a firefighter for 20 years, attributes the
recruitment struggles to several factors, including changing family
dynamics and a decline in volunteerism in general.
Another challenge is that the responsibilities of a firefighter have
greatly expanded beyond fires. Calls now include car accidents,
medical calls, off-road rescues, overdoses and forest fires. The
varying incidents require more specialized training.
The number of calls is now on the rise, with Petitcodiac firefighters
responding to more than 150, on average, per year.
Since Saunders started, he said the types of emergencies firefighters
respond to and provincial regulations have all expanded. Some calls
can be traumatic, including grim car accidents, he said.
"You're asking for a lot for someone to be a volunteer today in the
fire department business. For a thank you, for a handshake, for that
barbecue. It's a lot," he said.
Possible solutions
As the number of volunteer firefighters decline, some departments are
starting to pay members per call or hiring full-time chiefs —
substantial costs for rural communities already footing the bill for
expensive firefighting equipment. Others are hiring a few career
firefighters to supplement the volunteers.
Scott Poupart wearing uniform stands beside a banner with fire chiefs
association logo Scott Poupart is a volunteer firefighter near
Bathurst and president of the New Brunswick Association of Fire
Chiefs. (Submitted by Scott Poupart)
Saunders suggests one solution could be recruiting volunteers in
whatever capacity they're willing to lend a hand.
"Maybe there's some people who don't want to go near car accidents, or
maybe there's some people who don't want to wear an air pack. That's
fine, but I'm telling you there's a job for you somewhere that you're
going to be comfortable with," he said.
Firefighter associations are also lobbying the federal government to
increase the volunteer tax credit to $10,000 from $3,000 per year.
Poupart said while the field is dangerous, there are ways to make it
more appealing and accessible.
"We need to draw that new blood into the fire service, and the only
way we're going to do that is by making our training flexible enough,
putting some incentives in place, whatever they may be," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandre Silberman
Video journalist
Alexandre Silberman is a video journalist with CBC News based in
Moncton. He has previously worked at CBC Fredericton, Power &
Politics, and Marketplace. You can reach him by email at:
alexandre.silberman@cbc.ca
Follow Alexandre on Twitter
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
26 Comments
David Amos
I remember the Petitcodiac Fire Dept coming to a former friend's farm
many times in 2008
Shawn Tabor
Reply to David Amos
That was truly interesting.
David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor
You know all about it
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 15:34:16 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: office@rogersvillenb.ca, krista.lambert@doaktown.ca,
Robert.white@arcadianb.ca, Melanie.savoie@richibucto.org,
marcandre.godin@bereford.ca, bell001@nb.aibn.com,
village@saint-antoine.ca, Jocelyne.Hachey@csrchaleurrsc.
office@threeriversnb.ca, office@florencevillebristol.ca
vilprock@nb.aibn.com, dbrc-crcb@bathurst.ca,
Jason.gaudet@easterncharlotte.
shane@villageofrexton.com, CAO@fundyalbert.ca, john@towngbw.ca,
remi.leblanc@bouctouche.ca, info@rsc5.ca, gilles.legacy@dalhousie.ca,
Village.harvey@rogers.com, clerk@hanwell.nb.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, Eric.gagnon@grandsault.ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Angèle McCaie <gm@rogersvillenb.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 10:52:18 -0700
Subject: Hors du bureau / Out of Office Re: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum
- Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application / Forum Public Virtuel
- Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande d'établissement des tarifs
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
Angèle McCaie n’est plus une employée de la municipalité de
Nouvelle-Arcadie. Pour la réception, vous pouvez appeler le (506)
775-2080 ou envoyer un courriel à office@rogersvillenb.ca
***
Angèle McCaie no longer works for the municipality of
Nouvelle-Arcadie. For the reception, you can call (506) 775-2080 or
send an email to office@rogersvillenb.ca
Merci beaucoup/ Thank you!
--
** Notez bien que le 21 avril 2023 sera ma dernière journée comme
directrice municipale de Nouvelle-Arcadie.
** Please note that April 21st 2023 will be my last day as General
Manager for Nouvelle-Arcadie.
Angèle McCaie (elle / she / her)
Directrice Générale
Nouvelle-Arcadie
10989 rue Principale
Rogersville, NB
E4Y 2L6
Tél: (506) 775-2080
Cell: (506) 625-2887
Télécopieur: (506) 775-2090
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca" <Karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 19:52:05 +0200
Subject: Out of Office
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
I will be out of the office on Medical Leave for a few months. I will
be periodically checking my email, to keep updated.
If this is of an urgent matter , please email the Acting Assistant
Clerk Krista Lambert at krista.lambert@doaktown.ca or call
(506)365-7970 ext: 103.
If your matter has to do with water, sewer or transportation, please
contact our Public Works Supervisor, Shawn Brown at 506-365-0138.
Thank You!
Karen Petitpas
CAO/Clerk
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 14:52:04 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: joey@gssc-cesb.ca, Karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca,
comptabilite@saint-leonard.ca, Stephanie.thorne@nbse.ca,
scoulombe@saintquentin.ca, bettyann@commissionrestigouche
rogervil@nbnet.nb.ca, Jamie.degrace@airbathurst.com,
direction@neguac.com, Kathryn.clark@nackawic.com,
carole.tremblay@kedgwick.ca, dave.brown@lameque.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 14:11:32 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: cemmerson@quispamsis.ca
Stephen P. Wilbur
Called to the bar: 1983 (NB)
Wilbur & Trueman
706B Coverdale Rd.
Riverview, New Brunswick E1B 3L1
Phone: 506-387-7715
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Bowen, Natalie" <nbowen@quispamsis.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 16:26:22 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power
Rate Design Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 -
Énergie NB Demande d'établissement des tarifs
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Please forward any inquiries to cemmerson@quispamsis.ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 09:26:14 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
** Message blocked **
Your message to mctdev@nb.aibn.com has been blocked. See technical
details below for more information.
The response from the remote server was:
554 Access Denied
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 13:26:13 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: vnorton <vnorton@nbnet.nb.ca>, jborne@dorchester.ca,
fallon@town.woodstock.nb.ca, earsenault@mcadamnb.com,
Tara.Olesen@sussex.ca, Claudette.maclean@snbsc.ca,
denise.guitard@shediac.ca, dianneayles@salisburynb.ca,
cspear@townofstandrews.ca, ashleyburchell@rothesay.ca,
scott.sparks@vonm.ca, michelle.dickinson@municipalit
mctdev@nb.aibn.com, caroline@memramcook.com, Paul.lang@csrk.ca,
admin.kvfd@nb.aibn.com, info@townofhampton.ca,
clerk@villageofgrandmanan.com
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>,
info@rsc8.ca, nbowen@quispamsis.ca
https://mac-ccm.com/board-of-d
Municipal Advisory Corporation Inc
Brenda Knight, Secretary
628 Route 715
Jemseg, NB
E4C 3P2
506-471-2653
https://mac-ccm.com/directory/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 13:57:44 +0000
Subject: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: "ceo@fermenbfarm.ca" <ceo@fermenbfarm.ca>,
"louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.
"frederic.gionet@cfib.ca" <frederic.gionet@cfib.ca>,
"Ron.marcolin@cme-mec.ca" <Ron.marcolin@cme-mec.ca>,
"David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.c
"david.sollows@gnb.ca" <david.sollows@gnb.ca>,
"hanrahan.dion@jdirving.com" <hanrahan.dion@jdirving.com>,
"nrubin@stewartmckelvey.com" <nrubin@stewartmckelvey.com>,
"coneil@stewartmckelvey.com" <coneil@stewartmckelvey.com>,
"lmclements@stewartmckelvey.co
"pbowman@bowmaneconomics.ca" <pbowman@bowmaneconomics.ca>,
"brudderham@stewartmckelvey.co
"JohnFurey@fureylegal.com" <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>,
"jpetrie@nbpower.com" <jpetrie@nbpower.com>,
"NBPRegulatory@nbpower.com" <NBPRegulatory@nbpower.com>,
"lgordon@nbpower.com" <lgordon@nbpower.com>, "SWaycott@nbpower.com"
<SWaycott@nbpower.com>, "George.Porter@nbpower.com"
<George.Porter@nbpower.com>, "kevgibson@nbpower.com"
<kevgibson@nbpower.com>, Veronique Otis <Veronique.Otis@nbeub.ca>,
"Young, Dave" <Dave.Young@nbeub.ca>, "Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
<Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
<Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>, NBEUB/CESPNB <General@nbeub.ca>,
"Colwell, Susan" <Susan.Colwell@nbeub.ca>,
"bhavumaki@synapse-energy.com" <bhavumaki@synapse-energy.com>
"mwhited@synapse-energy.com" <mwhited@synapse-energy.com>,
"prhodes@synapse-energy.com" <prhodes@synapse-energy.com>,
"alawton@synapse-energy.com" <alawton@synapse-energy.com>,
"jwilson@resourceinsight.com" <jwilson@resourceinsight.com>,
"pchernick@resourceinsight.com
Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>, "alain.chiasson2@gnb.ca"
<alain.chiasson2@gnb.ca>, "rdk@indecon.com" <rdk@indecon.com>,
"tammy.grieve@mcinnescooper.co
"paul.black@twinriverspaper.co
"Hoyt, Len" <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>,
"tyler.rajeski@twinriverspaper
<tyler.rajeski@twinriverspaper
"darcy.ouellette@twinriverspap
<darcy.ouellette@twinriverspap
<dan.murphy@umnb.ca>, "jeff.garrett@sjenergy.com"
<jeff.garrett@sjenergy.com>, "shelley.wood@sjenergy.com"
<shelley.wood@sjenergy.com>, "dan.dionne@perth-andover.com"
<dan.dionne@perth-andover.com>
<pierreroy@edmundston.ca>, "ryan.mitchell@sjenergy.com"
<ryan.mitchell@sjenergy.com>, "sstoll@stollprofcorp.com"
<sstoll@stollprofcorp.com>, "pzarnett@bdrenergy.com"
<pzarnett@bdrenergy.com>
Good morning,
Please note below the information for the Virtual Public Forum related
to Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application
The Virtual Public Forum will take place via Zoom videoconference on
June 1st, 2023, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
It should also be noted that registered interveners are permitted to
observe the public forum but may not make a presentation. The public
forums are intended for those who have not registered as interveners
to make submissions about the application.
Zoom Videoconference information:
Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application /
Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
Join Zoom Meeting via telephone:
855-703-8985 Canada Toll-free
Or
Join Zoom Meeting via web:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8733
Meeting ID: 873 3880 6224
Passcode: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Bonjour,
Veuillez noter ci-dessous l'information pour le forum public virtuel
relative à l'instance 529 - Énergie NB - Demande d'établissement des
tarifs
La session du forum public virtuel va se dérouler sur la plateforme
Zoom par vidéoconférence le 1er juin 2023, de 14 h à 16 h.
Il est aussi à noter que les intervenants inscrits sont autorisés à
observer le forum public, mais ne peuvent pas faire une présentation.
Les forums publics sont destinés à ceux qui ne se sont pas inscrits en
tant qu'intervenants pour faire des observations sur la demande.
Information sur la plateforme Zoom par vidéoconférence :
Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs / Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB
Power Rate Design Application
Rejoignez la réunion Zoom par téléphone :
855-703-8985 Canada sans frais
Ou
Rejoignez la réunion Zoom via le Web :
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8733
ID de réunion: 873 3880 6224
Code secret: xxxxxxxxxxx
Regards / Cordialement,
Melissa Curran
Deputy Chief Clerk / Greffière en chef adjointe
(506) 658-2504 (General/Général)
(506) 643-7334 (Direct/Directe)
[Text Description automatically generated]
Confidentiality Notice
This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. It must not be forwarded unless permission has been
received from the sender. Disclosure to anyone other than the intended
recipient does not constitute a waiver of privilege. If you have
received this message inadvertently, please notify the sender, delete
the message and then delete your response. Thank you.
Avis de confidentialité
Ce message ainsi que tout fichier qui pourrait l'accompagner sont
confidentiels et destinés uniquement à l'usage de la personne ou de
l'entité à laquelle ils sont adressés. Il ne doit pas être réacheminé
sans la permission de l'expéditeur. La divulgation à toute personne
autre que le destinataire prévu ne constitue pas une renonciation au
privilège. Si vous avez reçu ce message par inadvertance, veuillez en
informer l'expéditeur, supprimer le message, puis votre réponse.
Merci.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Re Virtual Public Forum and Volunteer Firefighters
To: <vnorton@nbnet.nb.ca>, <office@threeriversnb.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, Holland, Mike (LEG) <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Tammy.Scott-Wallace <Tammy.Scott-Wallace@gnb.ca>, Gary.Crossman <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, Ross.Wetmore <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, <Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca>
Date: Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Re Virtual Public Forum and Volunteer Firefighters
To: <vnorton@nbnet.nb.ca>, <office@threeriversnb.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, Holland, Mike (LEG) <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Tammy.Scott-Wallace <Tammy.Scott-Wallace@gnb.ca>, Gary.Crossman <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, Ross.Wetmore <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, <Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca>
Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the
wildfires in our region?
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Residents of Belleisle area grateful to volunteers who battled
out-of-control wildfire
Lessons learned, needed equipment identified after last week's fire
Mia Urquhart · CBC News · Posted: Jun 05, 2023 7:00 AM ADT
Aerial shot of a forest fire Capt. Mike Sherwood, of the Belleisle
Valley Fire Department, used a drone to help follow a fast-moving fire
last week and to help direct firefighters battling the blaze on the
ground. (Submitted by BVFD)
Around the same time a giant wildfire started near Saint Andrews on
May 28, one began in the woods in the hills above Belleisle Bay,
located roughly west of Hampton, north of Saint John.
In both fires, a local fire department of volunteers answered the
call. Both departments dealt with similar conditions — a fire in the
woods being driven by very strong winds toward people's homes.
When the call first came in around 1 p.m., Belleisle Valley Fire
Department Capt. Mike Sherwood couldn't even see the smoke from across
Belleisle Bay at his family's camp.
Within hours, however, heavy smoke was driven into the area by very
strong winds, said Sherwood, forcing some people to leave that area on
the opposite side of the bay.
A smiling man in a ball cap wearing firefighter gear and sunglasses.
Sherwood said they've received so many inquiries about how to make
donations to the volunteer fire department that they've set up a new
email address for direct deposits. (Submitted by Mike Sherwood)
Closer to the fire, homeowners were convinced it was right on top of
them because of the way the smoke blew close to the ground and far out
ahead of the fire.
"The smoke was being carried so far, so fast, that people thought the
fire was in their backyard, when in fact it was still roughly
three-quarters of a kilometre from many homes along the bay, up on top
of the hill," said Sherwood.
WATCH | Drone gets close look to help officials fight fire:
Fire department flies drone to assess forest fire with no water
bombers available
Duration 0:47
The Belleisle Valley Fire Department says it was granted special
permission to fly drone over fire to help craft a plan of attack.
The close call was enough for residents to want to express their
gratitude for the volunteers who answer the calls in the community.
In a post on the community's social media page, Sherwood said they've
received so many inquiries about how to make donations to the
department that they've set up a new email address for direct deposits
to the department.
He also said he's hoping to use those funds to buy a drone for the
fire department since "more and more the DNR [Department of Natural
Resources] is relying on local departments to fight the fires."
It was his personal drone that he used, and it sustained some damage
because of the heat. He said he'd like to buy a drone equipped with
thermal imaging, which means it wouldn't have to fly as close to
identify hot spots.
An arial shot of a number of cars on a dirt road, surrounded by
charred black forest. The fire began after strong winds pushed trees
into power lines, causing the power to arc to the ground and catch
fire. (Submitted by BVFD)
He said the information provided by the drone was invaluable in
directing firefighters and resources in the fire zone.
Sherwood said he was given clearance and approval by the Department of
Natural Resources and Energy to use the drone to create a plan of
attack because they weren't able to acquire any water bombers —
otherwise, it's illegal to fly a drone in the area of a forest or
wildfire.
With the help of the drone, Sherwood said they were "able to direct
the crews who were lugging 500 feet of hose through the woods from the
truck that was actually pumping the water."
The drone was able to direct those on the ground to the easiest route
through the woods.
"On the ground, there could be a roadway 10 feet away from you, and
you'd never see it. That drone gave us a birds-eye view and allowed us
to fight that fire a lot easier."
Provincial resources during wildfires
The Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development "does not
offer direct financial support, the department provides training to
fire departments on an annual basis," according to the department when
asked about funding for volunteer departments.
In an email, a spokesperson said expenses are covered when "assistance
is required" from fire departments.
The message said the department can also "provide trained wildland
firefighters as well as logistical, operation and planning resources"
and aerial support.
"Emergency Measures Organization provides logistics related to
evacuations and community support. We also would like to mention
others agencies including the forest industry, N.B. Power, the Red
Cross and all other groups who help provide assistance during these
times."
From clear skies to thick smoke
When Sherwood reached the fire department to gear up on the afternoon
of May 28, the response was "pretty sparse," he said, which isn't
unusual for a Sunday afternoon. Later that day, though, as smoke and
word about the fire spread, they had 29 firefighters on the scene.
They also had help from Norton and Wickham fire departments.
Sherwood said the fire started on Valley Road when a tree rubbed on
the power lines because of the strong winds and resulted in "arcing"
to the ground.
"By the time we headed out with the trucks, it was obvious that we had
something big going on," said Sherwood.
Valley Road is located over the hill from Belleisle Bay, upriver from
the ferry on the Kars side. Heavy winds pushed the smoke over the hill
and across the bay to the southeast.
The fire itself burned in that direction for about three kilometres,
toward homes and cottages along the bay.
But unlike the Stein Lake fire in Chamcook, a twist of fate and wind
direction helped prevent disaster in Belleisle.
A drone shot of a forest fire. The fire started around 1 p.m. on May
28 on Valley Road in Kars, and strong winds blew it over the hill
toward Belleisle Bay. (Submitted by BVFD)
"In most cases you can say it always could have been worse, but Mother
Nature helped us out in this one for sure," said Sherwood.
The winds turned about 180 degrees and drove the fire back along the
same path it had already burned.
That, said Sherwood, is what prevented the situation from being a
disaster. Without it being driven by the winds, firefighters were able
to stop the fire from advancing further toward the bay and the
structures along its shores.
Sherwood estimates the fire came to within three-quarters of a
kilometre of the nearest home.
He said no homes were officially evacuated, although the residents of
the house that was considered closest to the fire's path had packed a
few things and left — with four family members joining the fire
department's efforts to fight the blaze.
Having gotten lucky by the change of wind direction, Sherwood said the
fire, although out of control, wasn't deemed serious enough to warrant
diverting water bombers from the fire in the Saint Andrews area, which
started around the same time.
Eventually the fire was brought under control, but it still wasn't
declared officially "out" by Sunday night.
A grateful community responds
Like the firefighters who worked around the clock to battle the
out-of-control forest fire in Chamcook and Bocabec, the efforts of the
Belleisle Valley Fire Department were immediately on the minds of
Belleisle-area residents.
Sherwood said the local food truck cooked up 50 hamburgers while an
across-the-road-neighbour from the fire station made 50 hotdogs.
Sherwood said they often receive donations from those who have been
helped by the department. It's often used to buy new equipment or
water for the firefighters, which can be significant.
An aerial shot of a forest fire and lots of smoke. The fire tore
through the woods toward houses and cottages on the Kars side of
Belleisle Bay before the winds turned 180 degrees and pushed it back
along its original path. (Submmited by BVFD)
"I have no idea how much water we drank that day, but it was in the
hundreds of gallons. That all has to come from somewhere and that's
typically what the donations are for."
The severity of this fire, however, seems to have hit residents close
to home and the appreciation seems to be "deeper," said Sherwood.
"There was a lot of uncertainty with the way the wind was blowing
because if you were running through the woods, I don't think you could
have kept ahead of that fire," he said.
"Things were happening and changing that fast and that fluidly. So
yes, people were scared and I think they're very appreciative that we
were able to deal with that situation and stop it."
Lightening the load
Sherwood also hopes to buy forestry hoses for the department with any
extra money donated by residents. Forestry hoses are smaller and
lighter than regular hoses and make trekking through heavy terrain far
from the trucks a lot easier on firefighters.
"That firefighter is going to last four or five times longer before
he's completely and utterly exhausted," said Sherwood
"It's just like carrying a garden hose versus carrying about 50 pounds
of rubber-wrapped firefighting hose."
With the way the climate is changing, Sherwood anticipates that fire
departments will be dealing with more forest fires in the future.
"And the better equipped we are to deal with it, the faster that's
going to be put out."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mia Urquhart
Mia Urquhart is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick, based in Saint
John. She can be reached at mia.urquhart@cbc.ca.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
11 Comments
David Amos
Tune into the 25 minute mark of
Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the
wildfires in our region?
Corrie Weatherfield
From caption under picture . . . "strong winds pushed trees into power
lines" . . . gotta love the careful maintenance work of the outfit
that looks after those power lines
David Amos
Reply to Corrie Weatherfield
Now you know why I called
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Volunteer firefighter shortage putting communities at risk, chiefs say
Fire departments are struggling to recruit enough volunteers to
quickly respond to calls
Alexandre Silberman · CBC News · Posted: Jun 06, 2023 6:00 AM ADT
Petitcodiac Fire Chief Craig Ramsey leans against the door of a red
fire truck Chief Craig Ramsey said the Petitcodiac Fire Department.
It's is one of a growing number of communities struggling to find
enough volunteers. (Alexandre Silberman)
At the Petitcodiac fire station, Chief Craig Ramsey worries he might
be short of firefighters for the next emergency call. Most daytime
hours, only three-to-five volunteers are typically available.
"It's extremely concerning," he said. "From time-to-time we have
excellent coverage and there's times we have very poor coverage."
Petitcodiac is one of a growing number of communities in New Brunswick
and across Canada struggling to find enough volunteers to keep
residents safe.
While cities employ career firefighters, small towns and villages rely
on volunteers.
Peter Saunders pictured next to a fire truck, wearing a yellow
reflective vest Peter Saunders has been a volunteer firefighter for
more than 30 years and is a former chief. He's also the mayor of the
newly amalgamated village of Three Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac.
(Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Out of the more than 5,000 firefighters in the province, about 95 per
cent are volunteers, according to the New Brunswick Association of
Fire Chiefs.
Petitcodiac's station currently has 23 volunteers, but Ramsey said the
department needs at least five more.
In the small community around 42 kilometres southwest of Moncton, many
residents once worked at a large sawmill. But after the operation
closed, most now drive to work in the city. At times, that leaves as
few as two volunteers to respond to an emergency, forcing a reliance
on mutual aid from surrounding communities.
24-7 commitment
Peter Saunders is mayor of the newly amalgamated village of Three
Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac. He's been a volunteer firefighter
for more than 30 years and previously served as chief.
Saunders, 61, works at a building supplies store in the village of
1,400 people, where he keeps his radio on to monitor for calls. Being
a volunteer firefighter is a 24-7 role and is disruptive to family,
home and work life.
"One minute you're washing dishes, the next minute you're at the end
of a hose line or you're driving a truck," Saunders said.
WATCH | Volunteer firefighters rush to an emergency call:
Inside a rural New Brunswick fire department struggling to find volunteers
Duration 2:19
Petitcodiac is one of a growing number of small communities without
enough volunteer firefighters to respond to emergencies at all hours.
Despite working dangerous situations, most volunteers only receive a
few hundred dollars a year to cover their mileage. If they reach
enough hours, they are also eligible to claim a $3,000 federal tax
credit.
It's also a big time commitment just to get started. It takes 100
hours to do the basic course to become a volunteer firefighter in New
Brunswick. Most members also have to commit to regular training
one-to-two-nights a week, in addition to responding to calls.
Saunders's father was a volunteer first responder with St. John
Ambulance, which encouraged his involvement. But he's seen interest
decline over his time with the fire department.
"I believe that we do make a difference, even though there are bad
situations. It's the helping people and to have them comfortable in
the toughest situations," he said.
Recruitment challenges
The New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs doesn't have exact
numbers on the shortage, but president Scott Poupart, a volunteer
firefighter near Bathurst, estimates most volunteer departments need
an additional six to 12 firefighters on their rosters.
"We're all in a continual recruitment and retention mode," he said.
Canada lost 30,000 firefighters over the past six years, according to
a national survey.
Most firefighters in New Brunswick are over the age of 50, and many
long-serving volunteers are expected to retire in the coming years.
Ramsey, who has been a firefighter for 20 years, attributes the
recruitment struggles to several factors, including changing family
dynamics and a decline in volunteerism in general.
Another challenge is that the responsibilities of a firefighter have
greatly expanded beyond fires. Calls now include car accidents,
medical calls, off-road rescues, overdoses and forest fires. The
varying incidents require more specialized training.
The number of calls is now on the rise, with Petitcodiac firefighters
responding to more than 150, on average, per year.
Since Saunders started, he said the types of emergencies firefighters
respond to and provincial regulations have all expanded. Some calls
can be traumatic, including grim car accidents, he said.
"You're asking for a lot for someone to be a volunteer today in the
fire department business. For a thank you, for a handshake, for that
barbecue. It's a lot," he said.
Possible solutions
As the number of volunteer firefighters decline, some departments are
starting to pay members per call or hiring full-time chiefs —
substantial costs for rural communities already footing the bill for
expensive firefighting equipment. Others are hiring a few career
firefighters to supplement the volunteers.
Scott Poupart wearing uniform stands beside a banner with fire chiefs
association logo Scott Poupart is a volunteer firefighter near
Bathurst and president of the New Brunswick Association of Fire
Chiefs. (Submitted by Scott Poupart)
Saunders suggests one solution could be recruiting volunteers in
whatever capacity they're willing to lend a hand.
"Maybe there's some people who don't want to go near car accidents, or
maybe there's some people who don't want to wear an air pack. That's
fine, but I'm telling you there's a job for you somewhere that you're
going to be comfortable with," he said.
Firefighter associations are also lobbying the federal government to
increase the volunteer tax credit to $10,000 from $3,000 per year.
Poupart said while the field is dangerous, there are ways to make it
more appealing and accessible.
"We need to draw that new blood into the fire service, and the only
way we're going to do that is by making our training flexible enough,
putting some incentives in place, whatever they may be," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandre Silberman
Video journalist
Alexandre Silberman is a video journalist with CBC News based in
Moncton. He has previously worked at CBC Fredericton, Power &
Politics, and Marketplace. You can reach him by email at:
alexandre.silberman@cbc.ca
Follow Alexandre on Twitter
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
26 Comments
David Amos
I remember the Petitcodiac Fire Dept coming to a former friend's farm
many times in 2008
Shawn Tabor
Reply to David Amos
That was truly interesting.
David Amos
Reply to Shawn Tabor
You know all about it
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 15:34:16 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: office@rogersvillenb.ca, krista.lambert@doaktown.ca,
Robert.white@arcadianb.ca, Melanie.savoie@richibucto.org,
marcandre.godin@bereford.ca, bell001@nb.aibn.com,
village@saint-antoine.ca, Jocelyne.Hachey@csrchaleurrsc.
office@threeriversnb.ca, office@florencevillebristol.ca
vilprock@nb.aibn.com, dbrc-crcb@bathurst.ca,
Jason.gaudet@easterncharlotte.
shane@villageofrexton.com, CAO@fundyalbert.ca, john@towngbw.ca,
remi.leblanc@bouctouche.ca, info@rsc5.ca, gilles.legacy@dalhousie.ca,
Village.harvey@rogers.com, clerk@hanwell.nb.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, Eric.gagnon@grandsault.ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Angèle McCaie <gm@rogersvillenb.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 10:52:18 -0700
Subject: Hors du bureau / Out of Office Re: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum
- Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application / Forum Public Virtuel
- Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande d'établissement des tarifs
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
Angèle McCaie n’est plus une employée de la municipalité de
Nouvelle-Arcadie. Pour la réception, vous pouvez appeler le (506)
775-2080 ou envoyer un courriel à office@rogersvillenb.ca
***
Angèle McCaie no longer works for the municipality of
Nouvelle-Arcadie. For the reception, you can call (506) 775-2080 or
send an email to office@rogersvillenb.ca
Merci beaucoup/ Thank you!
--
** Notez bien que le 21 avril 2023 sera ma dernière journée comme
directrice municipale de Nouvelle-Arcadie.
** Please note that April 21st 2023 will be my last day as General
Manager for Nouvelle-Arcadie.
Angèle McCaie (elle / she / her)
Directrice Générale
Nouvelle-Arcadie
10989 rue Principale
Rogersville, NB
E4Y 2L6
Tél: (506) 775-2080
Cell: (506) 625-2887
Télécopieur: (506) 775-2090
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca" <Karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 19:52:05 +0200
Subject: Out of Office
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
I will be out of the office on Medical Leave for a few months. I will
be periodically checking my email, to keep updated.
If this is of an urgent matter , please email the Acting Assistant
Clerk Krista Lambert at krista.lambert@doaktown.ca or call
(506)365-7970 ext: 103.
If your matter has to do with water, sewer or transportation, please
contact our Public Works Supervisor, Shawn Brown at 506-365-0138.
Thank You!
Karen Petitpas
CAO/Clerk
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 14:52:04 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: joey@gssc-cesb.ca, Karen.petitpas@doaktown.ca,
comptabilite@saint-leonard.ca, Stephanie.thorne@nbse.ca,
scoulombe@saintquentin.ca, bettyann@commissionrestigouche
rogervil@nbnet.nb.ca, Jamie.degrace@airbathurst.com,
direction@neguac.com, Kathryn.clark@nackawic.com,
carole.tremblay@kedgwick.ca, dave.brown@lameque.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 14:11:32 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: cemmerson@quispamsis.ca
Stephen P. Wilbur
Called to the bar: 1983 (NB)
Wilbur & Trueman
706B Coverdale Rd.
Riverview, New Brunswick E1B 3L1
Phone: 506-387-7715
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Bowen, Natalie" <nbowen@quispamsis.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 16:26:22 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power
Rate Design Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 -
Énergie NB Demande d'établissement des tarifs
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Please forward any inquiries to cemmerson@quispamsis.ca
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 09:26:14 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
** Message blocked **
Your message to mctdev@nb.aibn.com has been blocked. See technical
details below for more information.
The response from the remote server was:
554 Access Denied
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 13:26:13 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: vnorton <vnorton@nbnet.nb.ca>, jborne@dorchester.ca,
fallon@town.woodstock.nb.ca, earsenault@mcadamnb.com,
Tara.Olesen@sussex.ca, Claudette.maclean@snbsc.ca,
denise.guitard@shediac.ca, dianneayles@salisburynb.ca,
cspear@townofstandrews.ca, ashleyburchell@rothesay.ca,
scott.sparks@vonm.ca, michelle.dickinson@municipalit
mctdev@nb.aibn.com, caroline@memramcook.com, Paul.lang@csrk.ca,
admin.kvfd@nb.aibn.com, info@townofhampton.ca,
clerk@villageofgrandmanan.com
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>,
info@rsc8.ca, nbowen@quispamsis.ca
https://mac-ccm.com/board-of-d
Municipal Advisory Corporation Inc
Brenda Knight, Secretary
628 Route 715
Jemseg, NB
E4C 3P2
506-471-2653
https://mac-ccm.com/directory/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2023 13:57:44 +0000
Subject: Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design
Application / Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
To: "ceo@fermenbfarm.ca" <ceo@fermenbfarm.ca>,
"louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.
"frederic.gionet@cfib.ca" <frederic.gionet@cfib.ca>,
"Ron.marcolin@cme-mec.ca" <Ron.marcolin@cme-mec.ca>,
"David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.c
"david.sollows@gnb.ca" <david.sollows@gnb.ca>,
"hanrahan.dion@jdirving.com" <hanrahan.dion@jdirving.com>,
"nrubin@stewartmckelvey.com" <nrubin@stewartmckelvey.com>,
"coneil@stewartmckelvey.com" <coneil@stewartmckelvey.com>,
"lmclements@stewartmckelvey.co
"pbowman@bowmaneconomics.ca" <pbowman@bowmaneconomics.ca>,
"brudderham@stewartmckelvey.co
"JohnFurey@fureylegal.com" <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>,
"jpetrie@nbpower.com" <jpetrie@nbpower.com>,
"NBPRegulatory@nbpower.com" <NBPRegulatory@nbpower.com>,
"lgordon@nbpower.com" <lgordon@nbpower.com>, "SWaycott@nbpower.com"
<SWaycott@nbpower.com>, "George.Porter@nbpower.com"
<George.Porter@nbpower.com>, "kevgibson@nbpower.com"
<kevgibson@nbpower.com>, Veronique Otis <Veronique.Otis@nbeub.ca>,
"Young, Dave" <Dave.Young@nbeub.ca>, "Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
<Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
<Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>, NBEUB/CESPNB <General@nbeub.ca>,
"Colwell, Susan" <Susan.Colwell@nbeub.ca>,
"bhavumaki@synapse-energy.com" <bhavumaki@synapse-energy.com>
"mwhited@synapse-energy.com" <mwhited@synapse-energy.com>,
"prhodes@synapse-energy.com" <prhodes@synapse-energy.com>,
"alawton@synapse-energy.com" <alawton@synapse-energy.com>,
"jwilson@resourceinsight.com" <jwilson@resourceinsight.com>,
"pchernick@resourceinsight.com
Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>, "alain.chiasson2@gnb.ca"
<alain.chiasson2@gnb.ca>, "rdk@indecon.com" <rdk@indecon.com>,
"tammy.grieve@mcinnescooper.co
"paul.black@twinriverspaper.co
"Hoyt, Len" <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>,
"tyler.rajeski@twinriverspaper
<tyler.rajeski@twinriverspaper
"darcy.ouellette@twinriverspap
<darcy.ouellette@twinriverspap
<dan.murphy@umnb.ca>, "jeff.garrett@sjenergy.com"
<jeff.garrett@sjenergy.com>, "shelley.wood@sjenergy.com"
<shelley.wood@sjenergy.com>, "dan.dionne@perth-andover.com"
<dan.dionne@perth-andover.com>
<pierreroy@edmundston.ca>, "ryan.mitchell@sjenergy.com"
<ryan.mitchell@sjenergy.com>, "sstoll@stollprofcorp.com"
<sstoll@stollprofcorp.com>, "pzarnett@bdrenergy.com"
<pzarnett@bdrenergy.com>
Good morning,
Please note below the information for the Virtual Public Forum related
to Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application
The Virtual Public Forum will take place via Zoom videoconference on
June 1st, 2023, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
It should also be noted that registered interveners are permitted to
observe the public forum but may not make a presentation. The public
forums are intended for those who have not registered as interveners
to make submissions about the application.
Zoom Videoconference information:
Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB Power Rate Design Application /
Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs
Join Zoom Meeting via telephone:
855-703-8985 Canada Toll-free
Or
Join Zoom Meeting via web:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8733
Meeting ID: 873 3880 6224
Passcode: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Bonjour,
Veuillez noter ci-dessous l'information pour le forum public virtuel
relative à l'instance 529 - Énergie NB - Demande d'établissement des
tarifs
La session du forum public virtuel va se dérouler sur la plateforme
Zoom par vidéoconférence le 1er juin 2023, de 14 h à 16 h.
Il est aussi à noter que les intervenants inscrits sont autorisés à
observer le forum public, mais ne peuvent pas faire une présentation.
Les forums publics sont destinés à ceux qui ne se sont pas inscrits en
tant qu'intervenants pour faire des observations sur la demande.
Information sur la plateforme Zoom par vidéoconférence :
Forum Public Virtuel - Instance 529 - Énergie NB Demande
d'établissement des tarifs / Virtual Public Forum - Matter 529 - NB
Power Rate Design Application
Rejoignez la réunion Zoom par téléphone :
855-703-8985 Canada sans frais
Ou
Rejoignez la réunion Zoom via le Web :
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8733
ID de réunion: 873 3880 6224
Code secret: xxxxxxxxxxx
Regards / Cordialement,
Melissa Curran
Deputy Chief Clerk / Greffière en chef adjointe
(506) 658-2504 (General/Général)
(506) 643-7334 (Direct/Directe)
[Text Description automatically generated]
Confidentiality Notice
This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. It must not be forwarded unless permission has been
received from the sender. Disclosure to anyone other than the intended
recipient does not constitute a waiver of privilege. If you have
received this message inadvertently, please notify the sender, delete
the message and then delete your response. Thank you.
Avis de confidentialité
Ce message ainsi que tout fichier qui pourrait l'accompagner sont
confidentiels et destinés uniquement à l'usage de la personne ou de
l'entité à laquelle ils sont adressés. Il ne doit pas être réacheminé
sans la permission de l'expéditeur. La divulgation à toute personne
autre que le destinataire prévu ne constitue pas une renonciation au
privilège. Si vous avez reçu ce message par inadvertance, veuillez en
informer l'expéditeur, supprimer le message, puis votre réponse.
Merci.
---------- Original message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 2:38 PM
Subject: Deja Vu Anyone?
To: martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, <cityclerk@fredericton.ca>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, <michelle.dickinson@municipalityofgrandlake.ca>, <aidan.cox@cbc.ca>, <mayor.doucet@hampton.ca>, <nipun.tiwari@cbc.ca>, kathy.bockus <kathy.bockus@gnb.ca>, <perry.brad@radioabl.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, <victor.boudreau@shediac.ca>, <vanessa.hachebreau@municipalitedeshautesterres.ca>, <janice.conley@threeriversnb.ca>, <clerk@frederictonjunction.ca>, <julie.jacob@caraquet.ca>, <jeff.silliphant@gmail.com>, <cao@fundyalbert.ca>, <canterbury@nb.aibn.com>, <jeanmccumber@fundystmartins.ca>, <linda.sullivanbrown@fundyshores.ca>, <cao@centralyork.ca>, <wanda.st-laurent@bellebaie.ca>, <jeff.renaud@chocolatetown.ca>, <robert.white@arcadianb.ca>, <erin.sweet@butternutvalley.ca>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 2:38 PM
Subject: Deja Vu Anyone?
To: martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, <cityclerk@fredericton.ca>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, <michelle.dickinson@municipalityofgrandlake.ca>, <aidan.cox@cbc.ca>, <mayor.doucet@hampton.ca>, <nipun.tiwari@cbc.ca>, kathy.bockus <kathy.bockus@gnb.ca>, <perry.brad@radioabl.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, <victor.boudreau@shediac.ca>, <vanessa.hachebreau@municipalitedeshautesterres.ca>, <janice.conley@threeriversnb.ca>, <clerk@frederictonjunction.ca>, <julie.jacob@caraquet.ca>, <jeff.silliphant@gmail.com>, <cao@fundyalbert.ca>, <canterbury@nb.aibn.com>, <jeanmccumber@fundystmartins.ca>, <linda.sullivanbrown@fundyshores.ca>, <cao@centralyork.ca>, <wanda.st-laurent@bellebaie.ca>, <jeff.renaud@chocolatetown.ca>, <robert.white@arcadianb.ca>, <erin.sweet@butternutvalley.ca>
https://davidraymondamos3.blog
Tuesday, 15 August 2023
Software outage prompts cancellation of Fredericton city council meeting
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canad
Software outage prompts cancellation of Fredericton city council meeting
City relies on eScribe software to provide legally required
simultaneous English-French translation
Aidan Cox · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2023 6:00 AM ADT
. A software outage prompted Fredericton city councillors to
postpone their regular council meeting on Monday night. (City of
Fredericton)
Calamitous weather and natural disaster have typically given reason to
cancel a Fredericton city council meeting.
But on Monday, city councillors voted to call off their regular
meeting because of an outage of the software that facilitates the
provision of simultaneous translation in French or English.
"It was very disappointing," Mayor Kate Rogers said immediately after
councillors voted to postpone the meeting until next Monday evening.
Rogers said the city uses software by a company called eScribe to live
stream its meetings online, and to allow interpreters to listen to the
meeting and translate what's being said, typically from English to
French.
Documents relevant to the meeting agenda are also uploaded online
through the software, which can then be accessed by councillors and
the public.
However, the software stopped working at about 6:30 p.m. with no clear
timeline for when it would be up again, Rogers said.
"We had figured out how we could do the meeting with [physical]
documents, but we still couldn't reconcile how we could get the
meeting, you know, through the feed and and out into the public."
A woman wears a blue jacket while standing in the Fredericton city
council chambers. Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers says the translation
service is necessary to serve the city's French-speaking residents and
to meet requirements of the Official Languages Act. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
Rogers said the meeting would have still been available to viewers
through cable television, but the online live feed would have been
unavailable, and the city would have violated its Official Languages
Act requirement to provide simultaneous translation in French.
"So it is a requirement that we do it, and again, we're also very
committed to doing it because of the number of francophone residents
that we have in Fredericton."
CBC News emailed eScribe on Monday night requesting an interview about
what happened to its software but did not receive a response before
deadline.
A unique reason to cancel meeting
The City of Fredericton has been using eScribe's software for its live
feed of the meeting and providing simultaneous translation since 2013,
said Amy Cronkhite, the city's assistant clerk.
A woman wearing a pink blazer while standing in Fredericton council
chambers. Assistant city clerk Amy Cronkhite says council meetings
have had to be cancelled in the past because of flooding and a
snowstorm. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
And while it's the first time the technology's failure has prompted
the cancellation of a meeting, other circumstances have forced the
postponement of meetings.
"Once we had 80 centimetres [of snow] and they shut it down," Cronkhite said.
"And we had a flood where you couldn't get into city hall."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aidan Cox
Journalist
Aidan Cox is a journalist for the CBC based in Fredericton. He can be
reached at aidan.cox@cbc.ca and followed on Twitter @Aidan4jrn.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
5 Comments
David Amos
The Fredericton Police acting as Aides-de-Camp for the Crown know that
I am illegally barred in only 1 official language
David Amos
"the city would have violated its Official Languages Act requirement
to provide simultaneous translation in French."
Does this hold true for all the Towns etc?
Mathieu Laperriere
Reply to David Amos
No
G. Timothy Walton
Reply to David Amos
Just those with 20% official language minorities.
David Amos
Reply to G. Timothy Walton
What about up north?
David Amos
Content Deactivated
This is newsworthy?
https://davidraymondamos3.blog
Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Hampton honoured for helping seniors get the most out of town life
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canad
Hampton honoured for helping seniors get the most out of town life
Hampton Mayor Robert Doucet says being connected to events and
services keeps seniors from feeling isolated
Nipun Tiwari · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2023 6:10 PM ADT
Older woman shoulders up wearing a light colored patterned top,
glasses with short white hair. Green grass and brown building in
background.
Lois Moore has lived in Hampton since 1978 and says that having access
to businesses and public services and spaces are key to making
communities more welcoming to seniors. (Roger Cosman/ CBC News)
From beautifully maintained parks to resource centres that connect
people to needed services, Hampton has made strides in engaging
seniors in community life, says Lois Moore, who has lived in the
southern New Brunswick town for more than 30 years.
To Moore, making a community more welcoming to seniors simply comes
down to ease, accessibility and communication — to keep seniors from
feeling isolated.
"Making access for physical activity, which are our trails, easy
access to businesses, places to sit when people are walking on the
trails … making them aware of what's going on in the community," Moore
said as she described why Hampton deserved the honour it received
Tuesday.
Hampton, about 30 kilometres northeast of Saint John, is the latest
place to be recognized by the New Brunswick Age-Friendly Community
Recognition Program.
The program honours communities, from cities as large as Fredericton
to villages like New Maryland, based on a set of milestones that
include establishing assessing the senior community's needs and
creating an action plan.
Woman picture from shoulders up wearing blue blazer with short grey
hair. Kathy Bockus, minister responsible for seniors, says that
accessibility is key to making seniors feel like they are a part of
their communities. (Roger Cosman / CBC News)
Dorothy MacDonald, who also lives in Hampton, agreed with Moore that
the town of about 4,400 helps seniors connect with what they need.
"Because they have to find out things on their own," she said.
"Sometimes when you're at a certain age and you've got to do that,
it's just too much work. Whereas this way they have it and then their
friends find out about it and they get them involved."
Hampton is the 13th community to get a certificate for being "age
friendly" since the program began in 2017, and it's the first to be
recognized since 2020.
Kathy Bockus, the minister responsible for seniors, said it's
important for residents to feel like they're part of the community,
and accessibility is part and parcel of that. To Bockus, the award to
the town reflects that commitment.
"It's meaningful for the residents here and for the community," Bockus
said. "It shows that they have empathy with their seniors. They want
their community to be welcoming and accessible for seniors and they
want seniors to enjoy living here."
Present wins and future goals
Hampton Mayor Robert Doucet said that when seniors don't have any
connection to events and services in their community, it can lead to a
sense of isolation.
"They're living alone and they don't have any connection to
organizations or events going on."
Older man pictured from shoulders up wearing a navy blue blazer over
a black button shirt with grey beard and grey hair.Hampton Mayor
Robert Doucet says that seniors can feel isolated when they don't have
any connection to events and services within their communities. (Roger
Cosman / CBC News)
Doucet sees the award as victory because it's a sign his town has
taken steps to be a place seniors enjoy living in — results of which
are all around him.
"I see the involvement of seniors in the events they go to, in the
exercise programs, and the social aspects of things," he said.
"They are now realizing 'Gee, I got something else I can go to so I
can meet some people, and we can become friends or we go to tea and
coffee or just go to the exercise programs."
Older woman pictured shoulders up with glasses and short grey hair
with green grass and brown building in background. Dorothy
MacDonald has lived in Hampton since 1990 and says that one area that
she hopes to see improvement is transportation to bigger communities,
such as Saint John and Quispamsis. (Roger Cosman / CBC News)
MacDonald said seniors who live in small towns like Hampton may not
want to live in cities, but they do want access to them, so it's good
to have all the information making that possible. They could also use
a way to make the trip in.
MacDonald is happy with the access to services she has within the town
but still thinks there is progress to be made in other areas,
particularly transportation.
"We do lack that a bit — people still like to go into Saint John or
Quispamsis and they don't have that access. So I think to me that's
one of the biggest hurdles we're facing right now."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nipun Tiwari
Reporter
Nipun Tiwari is a reporter assigned to community engagement and based
in Saint John, New Brunswick. He can be reached at
nipun.tiwari@cbc.ca.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
0 comments
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Oh My My
David Amos
Content Deactivated
I trust that the Mayor and minister responsible for seniors know why
one old man avoids going to Hampton
https://www.country94.ca/2021/
Robert Doucet Takes Next Step As Hampton’s Mayor
Saint John, NB, Canada / Country 94
Brad Perry
May 26, 2021 | 5:07 PM
Robert Doucet Takes Next Step As Hampton's Mayor
Robert "Dewey" Doucet. (Image: Town of Hampton)
A promotion of sorts for the new municipal leader in the town of Hampton.
Robert Doucet is the new mayor-elect after 13 years on council,
including seven as deputy mayor.
Doucet, whose nickname is Dewey, said running for mayor was something
he had planned on doing after a couple of terms on council
“Just to take the next level up for a while and see how it goes and
work with the team to get what we want and need in Hampton,” said
Doucet, who was elected by acclamation.
Doucet said his number one priority for the upcoming term is the new
regional facility, which is something they have been working on for
several years.
“Meeting with the provincial government on that to see if we can get
it across the finish line,” he said.
The mayor-elect said he also wants to focus on policing issues in the
town, such as speeding.
He wants to sit down with the RCMP and develop a plan to focus on
problem areas in the town.
Doucet will have a mix of old and new faces around the council table
to help him out over the coming years.
Incumbent Todd Beach and former mayor Ken Chorley will be joined by
Jeremy Salgado and Kim Tompkins.
“It’s nice to have that experienced councillors there and someone like
Ken,” said Doucet. “He’s been a wonderful teacher for us and basically
I’ve learned a lot from him and it’s nice to know that if I need him,
I can draw from him.”
Brad Perry
Regional News Director
Follow | Contact
Regional news director for Acadia Broadcasting's New Brunswick radio
stations. A self-described weather geek who wakes up way before the
sun to keep you informed.
>>>
>>> ---------- Original message ----------
>>> Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 19:01:11 -0700 (PDT)
>>> From: "David Amos" motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
>>> Subject: Now everybody and his dog knows TJ Burke and his cop buddies
>>> allegations against me are false and you had the proof all along EH
>>> Chucky?
>>> To: oldmaison@yahoo.com, nbombud@gnb.ca, dan.bussieres@gnb.ca,
>>> jacques_poitras@cbc.ca, news@dailygleaner.com,
>>> kcarmichael@bloomberg.net, advocacycollective@yahoo.com,
>>> Easter.W@parl.gc.ca, Comartin.J@parl.gc.ca, cityadmin@fredericton.ca,
>>> info@gg.ca, bmosher@mosherchedore.ca, rchedore@mosherchedore.ca,
>>> police@fredericton.ca, chebert@thestar.ca, Stoffer.P@parl.gc.ca,
>>> Stronach.B@parl.gc.ca, Matthews.B@parl.gc.ca, alltrue@nl.rogers.com,
>>> Harper.S@parl.gc.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca, Dryden.K@parl.gc.ca,
>>> Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca
>>> CC: dgleg@nb.aibn.com, brad.woodside@fredericton.ca,
>>> whalen@fredericton.ca, david.kelly@fredericton.ca,
>>> cathy.maclaggan@fredericton.ca
>>> tom.jellinek@fredericton.ca, scott.mcconaghy@fredericton.ca
>>> marilyn.kerton@fredericton.ca, walter.brown@fredericton.ca,
>>> norah.davidson@fredericton.ca, mike.obrien@fredericton.ca,
>>> bruce.grandy@fredericton.ca, dan.keenan@fredericton.ca,
>>> jeff.mockler@gnb.ca, mrichard@lawsociety-barreau.nb
>>> cynthia.merlini@dfait-maeci.gc
>>> scotta@parl.gc.ca, michael.bray@gnb.ca, jack.e.mackay@gnb.ca
>>> http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-b
>>>
>>> http://www.canadaeast.com/ce2/
>>>
>>> http://oldmaison.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>> http://oldmaison.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>> http://oldmaison.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>> http://maritimes.indymedia.org
>>>
>>> Methinks your liberal pals just made a major faux pas N'est Pas?
>>> Scroll down Frenchie and go down?.
>>>
>>>
>>> Threat against Burke taken seriously
>>>
>>> By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
>>> dgleg@nb.aibn.com
>>> Published Thursday May 24th, 2007
>>> Appeared on page A1
>>> An RCMP security detail has been guarding Justice Minister and
>>> Attorney General T.J. Burke because of threats made against him
>>> recently.
>>>
>>> Burke, the Liberal MLA for Fredericton-Fort Nashwaaksis, wouldn't
>>> explain the nature of the threats.
>>>
>>> "I have had a particular individual or individuals who have made
>>> specific overtures about causing harm towards me," he told reporters
>>> Wednesday.
>>>
>>> "The RCMP has provided security to me recently by accompanying me to a
>>> couple of public functions where the individual is known to reside or
>>> have family members in the area," said Burke. "It is nice to have some
>>> added protection and that added comfort."
>>>
>>> The RCMP provides protection to the premier and MLAs with its VIP
>>> security
>>> unit.
>>>
>>> Burke didn't say when the threat was made but it's believed to have
>>> been in recent weeks.
>>>
>>> "When a threat is posed to you and it is a credible threat, you have
>>> to be cautious about where you go and who you are around," he said.
>>> "But again, I am more concerned about my family as opposed to my own
>>> personal safety."
>>>
>>> Burke said he doesn't feel any differently and he has not changed his
>>> pattern of activity.
>>>
>>> "It doesn't bother me one bit," he said. "It makes my wife feel awful
>>> nervous."
>>>
>>> Burke served in an elite American military unit before becoming a
>>> lawyer and going into politics in New Brunswick.
>>>
>>> "(I) have taken my own precautions and what I have to do to ensure my
>>> family's safety," he said. "I am a very cautious person in general due
>>> to my background and training.
>>>
>>> "I am comfortable with defending myself or my family if it ever had to
>>> happen."
>>>
>>> Burke said it is not uncommon for politicians to have security concerns.
>>>
>>> "We do live unfortunately in an age and in a society now where threats
>>> have to be taken pretty seriously," he said.
>>>
>>> Since the terrorism attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001,
>>> security in New Brunswick has been
>>> beefed up.
>>>
>>> Metal detectors were recently installed in the legislature and all
>>> visitors are screened.
>>>
>>> The position of attorney general is often referred to as the
>>> province's "top cop."
>>>
>>> Burke said sometimes people do not differentiate between his role as
>>> the manager of the justice system and the individual who actually
>>> prosecutes them.
>>>
>>> "With the job sometimes comes threats," he said. "I have had numerous
>>> threats since Day 1 in office."
>>>
>>> Burke said he hopes his First Nations heritage has nothing to do with
>>> it.
>>>
>>> "I think it is more of an issue where people get fixated on a matter
>>> and they believe you are personally responsible for assigning them
>>> their punishment or their sanction," he said.
>>>
>>> Is the threat from someone who was recently incarcerated?
>>>
>>> "I probably shouldn't answer that," he replied.
>>>
>>> Reporters asked when the threat would be over.
>>>
>>> "I don't think a threat ever passes once it has been made," said
>>> Burke. "You have to consider the credibility of the source."
>>>
>>> Bruce Fitch, former justice minister in the Conservative government,
>>> said "every now and again there would be e-mails that were not
>>> complimentary."
>>>
>>> "I did have a meeting with the RCMP who are in charge of the security
>>> of the MLAs and ministers," said Fitch.
>>>
>>> "They look at each and every situation."
>>>
>>> Fitch said he never had bodyguards assigned to him although former
>>> premier Bernard Lord and former health minister Elvy Robichaud did
>>> have extra security staff assigned on occasion.
>>>
>>> He said if any MLA felt threatened, he or she would discuss it with the
>>> RCMP.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.archive.org/details
>>>
>>> Small World EH Chucky Leblanc?
>>>
>>> "Lafleur, Lou" lou.lafleur@fredericton.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> From: "Lafleur, Lou" lou.lafleur@fredericton.ca
>>> To: "'motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com'" motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com,
>>> "Lafleur, Lou" lou.lafleur@fredericton.ca
>>> Subject: Fredericton Police Force
>>> Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:21:13 -0300
>>>
>>> Dear Mr. Amos
>>>
>>> My Name is Lou LaFleur and I am a Detective with the Fredericton
>>> Police Major Crime Unit. I would like to talk to you regarding files
>>> that I am investigating and that you are alleged to have involvement
>>> in.
>>>
>>> Please call me at your earliest convenience and leave a message and a
>>> phone number on my secure and confidential line if I am not in my
>>> office.
>>>
>>> yours truly,
>>> Cpl. Lou LaFleur
>>> Fredericton Police Force
>>> 311 Queen St.
>>> Fredericton, NB
>>> 506-460-2332
>>> ______________________________
>>> This electronic mail, including any attachments, is confidential and
>>> is for the sole use of the intended recipient and may be privileged.
>>> Any unauthorized distribution, copying, disclosure or review is
>>> prohibited. Neither communication over the Internet nor disclosure to
>>> anyone other than the intended recipient constitutes waiver of
>>> privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately
>>> notify the sender and then delete this communication and any
>>> attachments from your computer system and records without saving or
>>> forwarding it. Thank you.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> ---------- Original message ----------
>>>> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>>>> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:15:59 -0400
>>>> Subject: Hey Ralph Goodale perhaps you and the RCMP should call the
>>>> Yankees Governor Charlie Baker, his lawyer Bob Ross, Rachael Rollins
>>>> and this cop Robert Ridge (857 259 9083) ASAP EH Mr Primme Minister
>>>> Trudeau the Younger and Donald Trump Jr?
>>>> To: pm@pm.gc.ca, Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca,
>>>> Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca, djtjr@trumporg.com,
>>>> Donald.J.Trump@donaldtrump.com
>>>> Frank.McKenna@td.com, barbara.massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>>>> Douglas.Johnson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>>>> washington.field@ic.fbi.gov, Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>>>> gov.press@state.ma.us, bob.ross@state.ma.us, jfurey@nbpower.com,
>>>> jfetzer@d.umn.edu, Newsroom@globeandmail.com, sfine@globeandmail.com,
>>>> .Poitras@cbc.ca, steve.murphy@ctv.ca, David.Akin@globalnews.ca,
>>>> Dale.Morgan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, news@kingscorecord.com,
>>>> news@dailygleaner.com, oldmaison@yahoo.com, jbosnitch@gmail.com,
>>>> andre@jafaust.com>
>>>> Cc: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.co
>>>> wharrison@nbpower.com, David.Lametti@parl.gc.ca, mcu@justice.gc.ca,
>>>> Jody.Wilson-Raybould@parl.gc.c
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>> From: "Murray, Charles (Ombud)" <Charles.Murray@gnb.ca>
>>>>> Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2019 18:16:15 +0000
>>>>> Subject: You wished to speak with me
>>>>> To: "motomaniac333@gmail.com" <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>>>>>
>>>>> I have the advantage, sir, of having read many of your emails over the
>>>>> years.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> As such, I do not think a phone conversation between us, and
>>>>> specifically one which you might mistakenly assume was in response to
>>>>> your threat of legal action against me, is likely to prove a
>>>>> productive use of either of our time.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> If there is some specific matter about which you wish to communicate
>>>>> with me, feel free to email me with the full details and it will be
>>>>> given due consideration.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Charles Murray
>>>>>
>>>>> Ombud NB
>>>>>
>>>>> Acting Integrity Commissioner
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> From: Justice Website <JUSTWEB@novascotia.ca>
>>>>>> Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:21:11 +0000
>>>>>> Subject: Emails to Department of Justice and Province of Nova Scotia
>>>>>> To: "motomaniac333@gmail.com" <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mr. Amos,
>>>>>> We acknowledge receipt of your recent emails to the Deputy Minister
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> Justice and lawyers within the Legal Services Division of the
>>>>>> Department of Justice respecting a possible claim against the
>>>>>> Province
>>>>>> of Nova Scotia. Service of any documents respecting a legal claim
>>>>>> against the Province of Nova Scotia may be served on the Attorney
>>>>>> General at 1690 Hollis Street, Halifax, NS. Please note that we will
>>>>>> not be responding to further emails on this matter.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Department of Justice
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 8/3/17, David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If want something very serious to download and laugh at as well
>>>>>>> Please
>>>>>>> Enjoy and share real wiretap tapes of the mob
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://thedavidamosrant.blogsp
>>>>>>> ilian.html
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/s
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> As the CBC etc yap about Yankee wiretaps and whistleblowers I must
>>>>>>>> ask them the obvious question AIN'T THEY FORGETTING SOMETHING????
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What the hell does the media think my Yankee lawyer served upon the
>>>>>>>> USDOJ right after I ran for and seat in the 39th Parliament
>>>>>>>> baseball
>>>>>>>> cards?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://archive.org/details/ITr
>>>>>>>> 6
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://davidamos.blogspot.ca/2
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.archive.org/details
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://archive.org/details/Par
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---------- 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/Ba
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> January 11th, 2016 https://archive.org/details/Ja
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> April 3rd, 2017
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://archive.org/details/Ap
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 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/Ma
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---------- Original message ----------
>>>>>>> From: justin.trudeau.a1@parl.gc.ca
>>>>>>> Date: Thu, Oct 22, 2015 at 8:18 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: Réponse automatique : RE My complaint against the CROWN in
>>>>>>> Federal Court Attn David Hansen and Peter MacKay If you planning to
>>>>>>> submit a motion for a publication ban on my complaint trust that you
>>>>>>> dudes are way past too late
>>>>>>> To: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Veuillez noter que j'ai changé de courriel. Vous pouvez me rejoindre
>>>>>>> à
>>>>>>> lalanthier@hotmail.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Pour rejoindre le bureau de M. Trudeau veuillez envoyer un courriel
>>>>>>> à
>>>>>>> tommy.desfosses@parl.gc.ca
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Please note that I changed email address, you can reach me at
>>>>>>> lalanthier@hotmail.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> To reach the office of Mr. Trudeau please send an email to
>>>>>>> tommy.desfosses@parl.gc.ca
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Merci ,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://davidraymondamos3.blogs
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Canada’s and Canadians free ride is over. Canada can no longer hide
>>>>>>> behind Amerka’s and NATO’s skirts.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> When I was still in Canadian Forces then Prime Minister Jean
>>>>>>> Chretien
>>>>>>> actually committed the Canadian Army to deploy in the second
>>>>>>> campaign
>>>>>>> in Iraq, the Coalition of the Willing. This was against or contrary
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> the wisdom or advice of those of us Canadian officers that were
>>>>>>> involved in the initial planning phases of that operation. There
>>>>>>> were
>>>>>>> significant concern in our planning cell, and NDHQ about of the
>>>>>>> dearth
>>>>>>> of concern for operational guidance, direction, and forces for
>>>>>>> operations after the initial occupation of Iraq. At the “last
>>>>>>> minute”
>>>>>>> Prime Minister Chretien and the Liberal government changed its mind.
>>>>>>> The Canadian government told our amerkan cousins that we would not
>>>>>>> deploy combat troops for the Iraq campaign, but would deploy a
>>>>>>> Canadian Battle Group to Afghanistan, enabling our amerkan cousins
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> redeploy troops from there to Iraq. The PMO’s thinking that it was
>>>>>>> less costly to deploy Canadian Forces to Afghanistan than Iraq. But
>>>>>>> alas no one seems to remind the Liberals of Prime Minister
>>>>>>> Chretien’s
>>>>>>> then grossly incorrect assumption. Notwithstanding Jean Chretien’s
>>>>>>> incompetence and stupidity, the Canadian Army was heroic,
>>>>>>> professional, punched well above it’s weight, and the PPCLI Battle
>>>>>>> Group, is credited with “saving Afghanistan” during the Panjway
>>>>>>> campaign of 2006.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What Justin Trudeau and the Liberals don’t tell you now, is that
>>>>>>> then
>>>>>>> Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien committed, and deployed the
>>>>>>> Canadian army to Canada’s longest “war” without the advice, consent,
>>>>>>> support, or vote of the Canadian Parliament.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What David Amos and the rest of the ignorant, uneducated, and
>>>>>>> babbling
>>>>>>> chattering classes are too addled to understand is the deployment of
>>>>>>> less than 75 special operations troops, and what is known by
>>>>>>> planners
>>>>>>> as a “six pac cell” of fighter aircraft is NOT the same as a
>>>>>>> deployment of a Battle Group, nor a “war” make.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Canadian Government or The Crown unlike our amerkan cousins have
>>>>>>> the “constitutional authority” to commit the Canadian nation to war.
>>>>>>> That has been recently clearly articulated to the Canadian public by
>>>>>>> constitutional scholar Phillippe Legasse. What Parliament can do is
>>>>>>> remove “confidence” in The Crown’s Government in a “vote of
>>>>>>> non-confidence.” That could not happen to the Chretien Government
>>>>>>> regarding deployment to Afghanistan, and it won’t happen in this
>>>>>>> instance with the conservative majority in The Commons regarding a
>>>>>>> limited Canadian deployment to the Middle East.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> President George Bush was quite correct after 911 and the terror
>>>>>>> attacks in New York; that the Taliban “occupied” and “failed state”
>>>>>>> Afghanistan was the source of logistical support, command and
>>>>>>> control,
>>>>>>> and training for the Al Quaeda war of terror against the world. The
>>>>>>> initial defeat, and removal from control of Afghanistan was vital
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 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.Fo
>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://davidraymondamos3.blogs
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sunday, 19 November 2017
>>>>>> Federal Court of Appeal Finally Makes The BIG Decision And Publishes
>>>>>> It Now The Crooks Cannot Take Back Ticket To Try Put My Matter Before
>>>>>> The Supreme Court
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Amos v. Canada
>>>>>> Court (s) Database
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
>>>>>> Date
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2017-10-30
>>>>>> Neutral citation
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2017 FCA 213
>>>>>> File numbers
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A-48-16
>>>>>> Date: 20171030
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Docket: A-48-16
>>>>>> Citation: 2017 FCA 213
>>>>>> CORAM:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> WEBB J.A.
>>>>>> NEAR J.A.
>>>>>> GLEASON J.A.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> BETWEEN:
>>>>>> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
>>>>>> Respondent on the cross-appeal
>>>>>> (and formally Appellant)
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
>>>>>> Appellant on the cross-appeal
>>>>>> (and formerly Respondent)
>>>>>> Heard at Fredericton, New Brunswick, on May 24, 2017.
>>>>>> Judgment delivered at Ottawa, Ontario, on October 30, 2017.
>>>>>> REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> THE COURT
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Date: 20171030
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Docket: A-48-16
>>>>>> Citation: 2017 FCA 213
>>>>>> CORAM:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> WEBB J.A.
>>>>>> NEAR J.A.
>>>>>> GLEASON J.A.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> BETWEEN:
>>>>>> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
>>>>>> Respondent on the cross-appeal
>>>>>> (and formally Appellant)
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
>>>>>> Appellant on the cross-appeal
>>>>>> (and formerly Respondent)
>>>>>> REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY THE COURT
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I. Introduction
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [1] On September 16, 2015, David Raymond Amos (Mr.
>>>>>> Amos)
>>>>>> filed a 53-page Statement of Claim (the Claim) in Federal Court
>>>>>> against Her Majesty the Queen (the Crown). Mr. Amos claims $11
>>>>>> million
>>>>>> in damages and a public apology from the Prime Minister and
>>>>>> Provincial
>>>>>> Premiers for being illegally barred from accessing parliamentary
>>>>>> properties and seeks a declaration from the Minister of Public Safety
>>>>>> that the Canadian Government will no longer allow the Royal Canadian
>>>>>> Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Forces to harass him and his clan
>>>>>> (Claim at para. 96).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [2] On November 12, 2015 (Docket T-1557-15), by way of
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> motion brought by the Crown, a prothonotary of the Federal Court (the
>>>>>> Prothonotary) struck the Claim in its entirety, without leave to
>>>>>> amend, on the basis that it was plain and obvious that the Claim
>>>>>> disclosed no reasonable claim, the Claim was fundamentally vexatious,
>>>>>> and the Claim could not be salvaged by way of further amendment (the
>>>>>> Prothontary’s Order).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [3] On January 25, 2016 (2016 FC 93), by way of Mr.
>>>>>> Amos’ appeal from the Prothonotary’s Order, a judge of the Federal
>>>>>> Court (the Judge), reviewing the matter de novo, struck all of Mr.
>>>>>> Amos’ claims for relief with the exception of the claim for damages
>>>>>> for being barred by the RCMP from the New Brunswick legislature in
>>>>>> 2004 (the Federal Court Judgment).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [4] Mr. Amos appealed and the Crown cross-appealed the
>>>>>> Federal Court Judgment. Further to the issuance of a Notice of Status
>>>>>> Review, Mr. Amos’ appeal was dismissed for delay on December 19,
>>>>>> 2016.
>>>>>> As such, the only matter before this Court is the Crown’s
>>>>>> cross-appeal.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> II. Preliminary Matter
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [5] Mr. Amos, in his memorandum of fact and law in
>>>>>> relation to the cross-appeal that was filed with this Court on March
>>>>>> 6, 2017, indicated that several judges of this Court, including two
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the judges of this panel, had a conflict of interest in this appeal.
>>>>>> This was the first time that he identified the judges whom he
>>>>>> believed
>>>>>> had a conflict of interest in a document that was filed with this
>>>>>> Court. In his notice of appeal he had alluded to a conflict with
>>>>>> several judges but did not name those judges.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [6] Mr. Amos was of the view that he did not have to
>>>>>> identify the judges in any document filed with this Court because he
>>>>>> had identified the judges in various documents that had been filed
>>>>>> with the Federal Court. In his view the Federal Court and the Federal
>>>>>> Court of Appeal are the same court and therefore any document filed
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> the Federal Court would be filed in this Court. This view is based on
>>>>>> subsections 5(4) and 5.1(4) of the Federal Courts Act, R.S.C., 1985,
>>>>>> c. F-7:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 5(4) Every judge of the Federal Court is, by virtue of his or her
>>>>>> office, a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal and has all the
>>>>>> jurisdiction, power and authority of a judge of the Federal Court of
>>>>>> Appeal.
>>>>>> […]
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 5(4) Les juges de la Cour fédérale sont d’office juges de la Cour
>>>>>> d’appel fédérale et ont la même compétence et les mêmes pouvoirs que
>>>>>> les juges de la Cour d’appel fédérale.
>>>>>> […]
>>>>>> 5.1(4) Every judge of the Federal Court of Appeal is, by virtue of
>>>>>> that office, a judge of the Federal Court and has all the
>>>>>> jurisdiction, power and authority of a judge of the Federal Court.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 5.1(4) Les juges de la Cour d’appel fédérale sont d’office juges de
>>>>>> la
>>>>>> Cour fédérale et ont la même compétence et les mêmes pouvoirs que les
>>>>>> juges de la Cour fédérale.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [7] However, these subsections only provide that the
>>>>>> judges of the Federal Court are also judges of this Court (and vice
>>>>>> versa). It does not mean that there is only one court. If the Federal
>>>>>> Court and this Court were one Court, there would be no need for this
>>>>>> section.
>>>>>> [8] Sections 3 and 4 of the Federal Courts Act provide
>>>>>> that:
>>>>>> 3 The division of the Federal Court of Canada called the Federal
>>>>>> Court
>>>>>> — Appeal Division is continued under the name “Federal Court of
>>>>>> Appeal” in English and “Cour d’appel fédérale” in French. It is
>>>>>> continued as an additional court of law, equity and admiralty in and
>>>>>> for Canada, for the better administration of the laws of Canada and
>>>>>> as
>>>>>> a superior court of record having civil and criminal jurisdiction.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3 La Section d’appel, aussi appelée la Cour d’appel ou la Cour
>>>>>> d’appel
>>>>>> fédérale, est maintenue et dénommée « Cour d’appel fédérale » en
>>>>>> français et « Federal Court of Appeal » en anglais. Elle est
>>>>>> maintenue
>>>>>> à titre de tribunal additionnel de droit, d’equity et d’amirauté du
>>>>>> Canada, propre à améliorer l’application du droit canadien, et
>>>>>> continue d’être une cour supérieure d’archives ayant compétence en
>>>>>> matière civile et pénale.
>>>>>> 4 The division of the Federal Court of Canada called the Federal
>>>>>> Court
>>>>>> — Trial Division is continued under the name “Federal Court” in
>>>>>> English and “Cour fédérale” in French. It is continued as an
>>>>>> additional court of law, equity and admiralty in and for Canada, for
>>>>>> the better administration of the laws of Canada and as a superior
>>>>>> court of record having civil and criminal jurisdiction.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 4 La section de la Cour fédérale du Canada, appelée la Section de
>>>>>> première instance de la Cour fédérale, est maintenue et dénommée «
>>>>>> Cour fédérale » en français et « Federal Court » en anglais. Elle est
>>>>>> maintenue à titre de tribunal additionnel de droit, d’equity et
>>>>>> d’amirauté du Canada, propre à améliorer l’application du droit
>>>>>> canadien, et continue d’être une cour supérieure d’archives ayant
>>>>>> compétence en matière civile et pénale.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [9] Sections 3 and 4 of the Federal Courts Act create
>>>>>> two separate courts – this Court (section 3) and the Federal Court
>>>>>> (section 4). If, as Mr. Amos suggests, documents filed in the Federal
>>>>>> Court were automatically also filed in this Court, then there would
>>>>>> no
>>>>>> need for the parties to prepare and file appeal books as required by
>>>>>> Rules 343 to 345 of the Federal Courts Rules, SOR/98-106 in relation
>>>>>> to any appeal from a decision of the Federal Court. The requirement
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> file an appeal book with this Court in relation to an appeal from a
>>>>>> decision of the Federal Court makes it clear that the only documents
>>>>>> that will be before this Court are the documents that are part of
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> appeal book.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [10] Therefore, the memorandum of fact and law filed on
>>>>>> March 6, 2017 is the first document, filed with this Court, in which
>>>>>> Mr. Amos identified the particular judges that he submits have a
>>>>>> conflict in any matter related to him.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [11] On April 3, 2017, Mr. Amos attempted to bring a motion
>>>>>> before the Federal Court seeking an order “affirming or denying the
>>>>>> conflict of interest he has” with a number of judges of the Federal
>>>>>> Court. A judge of the Federal Court issued a direction noting that if
>>>>>> Mr. Amos was seeking this order in relation to judges of the Federal
>>>>>> Court of Appeal, it was beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal Court.
>>>>>> Mr. Amos raised the Federal Court motion at the hearing of this
>>>>>> cross-appeal. The Federal Court motion is not a motion before this
>>>>>> Court and, as such, the submissions filed before the Federal Court
>>>>>> will not be entertained. As well, since this was a motion brought
>>>>>> before the Federal Court (and not this Court), any documents filed in
>>>>>> relation to that motion are not part of the record of this Court.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [12] During the hearing of the appeal Mr. Amos alleged that
>>>>>> the third member of this panel also had a conflict of interest and
>>>>>> submitted some documents that, in his view, supported his claim of a
>>>>>> conflict. Mr. Amos, following the hearing of his appeal, was also
>>>>>> afforded the opportunity to provide a brief summary of the conflict
>>>>>> that he was alleging and to file additional documents that, in his
>>>>>> view, supported his allegations. Mr. Amos submitted several pages of
>>>>>> documents in relation to the alleged conflicts. He organized the
>>>>>> documents by submitting a copy of the biography of the particular
>>>>>> judge and then, immediately following that biography, by including
>>>>>> copies of the documents that, in his view, supported his claim that
>>>>>> such judge had a conflict.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [13] The nature of the alleged conflict of Justice Webb is
>>>>>> that before he was appointed as a Judge of the Tax Court of Canada in
>>>>>> 2006, he was a partner with the law firm Patterson Law, and before
>>>>>> that with Patterson Palmer in Nova Scotia. Mr. Amos submitted that he
>>>>>> had a number of disputes with Patterson Palmer and Patterson Law and
>>>>>> therefore Justice Webb has a conflict simply because he was a partner
>>>>>> of these firms. Mr. Amos is not alleging that Justice Webb was
>>>>>> personally involved in or had any knowledge of any matter in which
>>>>>> Mr.
>>>>>> Amos was involved with Justice Webb’s former law firm – only that he
>>>>>> was a member of such firm.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [14] During his oral submissions at the hearing of his
>>>>>> appeal Mr. Amos, in relation to the alleged conflict for Justice
>>>>>> Webb,
>>>>>> focused on dealings between himself and a particular lawyer at
>>>>>> Patterson Law. However, none of the documents submitted by Mr. Amos
>>>>>> at
>>>>>> the hearing or subsequently related to any dealings with this
>>>>>> particular lawyer nor is it clear when Mr. Amos was dealing with this
>>>>>> lawyer. In particular, it is far from clear whether such dealings
>>>>>> were
>>>>>> after the time that Justice Webb was appointed as a Judge of the Tax
>>>>>> Court of Canada over 10 years ago.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [15] The documents that he submitted in relation to the
>>>>>> alleged conflict for Justice Webb largely relate to dealings between
>>>>>> Byron Prior and the St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador office of
>>>>>> Patterson Palmer, which is not in the same province where Justice
>>>>>> Webb
>>>>>> practiced law. The only document that indicates any dealing between
>>>>>> Mr. Amos and Patterson Palmer is a copy of an affidavit of Stephen
>>>>>> May
>>>>>> who was a partner in the St. John’s NL office of Patterson Palmer.
>>>>>> The
>>>>>> affidavit is dated January 24, 2005 and refers to a number of e-mails
>>>>>> that were sent by Mr. Amos to Stephen May. Mr. Amos also included a
>>>>>> letter that is addressed to four individuals, one of whom is John
>>>>>> Crosbie who was counsel to the St. John’s NL office of Patterson
>>>>>> Palmer. The letter is dated September 2, 2004 and is addressed to
>>>>>> “John Crosbie, c/o Greg G. Byrne, Suite 502, 570 Queen Street,
>>>>>> Fredericton, NB E3B 5E3”. In this letter Mr. Amos alludes to a
>>>>>> possible lawsuit against Patterson Palmer.
>>>>>> [16] Mr. Amos’ position is that simply because Justice Webb
>>>>>> was a lawyer with Patterson Palmer, he now has a conflict. In
>>>>>> Wewaykum
>>>>>> Indian Band v. Her Majesty the Queen, 2003 SCC 45, [2003] 2 S.C.R.
>>>>>> 259, the Supreme Court of Canada noted that disqualification of a
>>>>>> judge is to be determined based on whether there is a reasonable
>>>>>> apprehension of bias:
>>>>>> 60 In Canadian law, one standard has now emerged as the
>>>>>> criterion for disqualification. The criterion, as expressed by de
>>>>>> Grandpré J. in Committee for Justice and Liberty v. National Energy
>>>>>> Board, …[[1978] 1 S.C.R. 369, 68 D.L.R. (3d) 716], at p. 394, is the
>>>>>> reasonable apprehension of bias:
>>>>>> … the apprehension of bias must be a reasonable one, held by
>>>>>> reasonable and right minded persons, applying themselves to the
>>>>>> question and obtaining thereon the required information. In the words
>>>>>> of the Court of Appeal, that test is "what would an informed person,
>>>>>> viewing the matter realistically and practically -- and having
>>>>>> thought
>>>>>> the matter through -- conclude. Would he think that it is more likely
>>>>>> than not that [the decision-maker], whether consciously or
>>>>>> unconsciously, would not decide fairly."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [17] The issue to be determined is whether an informed
>>>>>> person, viewing the matter realistically and practically, and having
>>>>>> thought the matter through, would conclude that Mr. Amos’ allegations
>>>>>> give rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias. As this Court has
>>>>>> previously remarked, “there is a strong presumption that judges will
>>>>>> administer justice impartially” and this presumption will not be
>>>>>> rebutted in the absence of “convincing evidence” of bias (Collins v.
>>>>>> Canada, 2011 FCA 140 at para. 7, [2011] 4 C.T.C. 157 [Collins]. See
>>>>>> also R. v. S. (R.D.), [1997] 3 S.C.R. 484 at para. 32, 151 D.L.R.
>>>>>> (4th) 193).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [18] The Ontario Court of Appeal in Rando Drugs Ltd. v.
>>>>>> Scott, 2007 ONCA 553, 86 O.R. (3d) 653 (leave to appeal to the
>>>>>> Supreme
>>>>>> Court of Canada refused, 32285 (August 1, 2007)), addressed the
>>>>>> particular issue of whether a judge is disqualified from hearing a
>>>>>> case simply because he had been a member of a law firm that was
>>>>>> involved in the litigation that was now before that judge. The
>>>>>> Ontario
>>>>>> Court of Appeal determined that the judge was not disqualified if the
>>>>>> judge had no involvement with the person or the matter when he was a
>>>>>> lawyer. The Ontario Court of Appeal also explained that the rules for
>>>>>> determining whether a judge is disqualified are different from the
>>>>>> rules to determine whether a lawyer has a conflict:
>>>>>> 27 Thus, disqualification is not the natural corollary to a
>>>>>> finding that a trial judge has had some involvement in a case over
>>>>>> which he or she is now presiding. Where the judge had no involvement,
>>>>>> as here, it cannot be said that the judge is disqualified.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 28 The point can rightly be made that had Mr. Patterson been
>>>>>> asked to represent the appellant as counsel before his appointment to
>>>>>> the bench, the conflict rules would likely have prevented him from
>>>>>> taking the case because his firm had formerly represented one of the
>>>>>> defendants in the case. Thus, it is argued how is it that as a trial
>>>>>> judge Patterson J. can hear the case? This issue was considered by
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> Court of Appeal (Civil Division) in Locabail (U.K.) Ltd. v. Bayfield
>>>>>> Properties Ltd., [2000] Q.B. 451. The court held, at para. 58, that
>>>>>> there is no inflexible rule governing the disqualification of a judge
>>>>>> and that, "[e]verything depends on the circumstances."
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 29 It seems to me that what appears at first sight to be an
>>>>>> inconsistency in application of rules can be explained by the
>>>>>> different contexts and in particular, the strong presumption of
>>>>>> judicial impartiality that applies in the context of disqualification
>>>>>> of a judge. There is no such presumption in cases of allegations of
>>>>>> conflict of interest against a lawyer because of a firm's previous
>>>>>> involvement in the case. To the contrary, as explained by Sopinka J.
>>>>>> in MacDonald Estate v. Martin (1990), 77 D.L.R. (4th) 249 (S.C.C.),
>>>>>> for sound policy reasons there is a presumption of a disqualifying
>>>>>> interest that can rarely be overcome. In particular, a conclusory
>>>>>> statement from the lawyer that he or she had no confidential
>>>>>> information about the case will never be sufficient. The case is the
>>>>>> opposite where the allegation of bias is made against a trial judge.
>>>>>> His or her statement that he or she knew nothing about the case and
>>>>>> had no involvement in it will ordinarily be accepted at face value
>>>>>> unless there is good reason to doubt it: see Locabail, at para. 19.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 30 That brings me then to consider the particular
>>>>>> circumstances
>>>>>> of this case and whether there are serious grounds to find a
>>>>>> disqualifying conflict of interest in this case. In my view, there
>>>>>> are
>>>>>> two significant factors that justify the trial judge's decision not
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> recuse himself. The first is his statement, which all parties accept,
>>>>>> that he knew nothing of the case when it was in his former firm and
>>>>>> that he had nothing to do with it. The second is the long passage of
>>>>>> time. As was said in Wewaykum, at para. 85:
>>>>>> To us, one significant factor stands out, and must inform
>>>>>> the perspective of the reasonable person assessing the impact of this
>>>>>> involvement on Binnie J.'s impartiality in the appeals. That factor
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> the passage of time. Most arguments for disqualification rest on
>>>>>> circumstances that are either contemporaneous to the decision-making,
>>>>>> or that occurred within a short time prior to the decision-making.
>>>>>> 31 There are other factors that inform the issue. The Wilson
>>>>>> Walker firm no longer acted for any of the parties by the time of
>>>>>> trial. More importantly, at the time of the motion, Patterson J. had
>>>>>> been a judge for six years and thus had not had a relationship with
>>>>>> his former firm for a considerable period of time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 32 In my view, a reasonable person, viewing the matter
>>>>>> realistically would conclude that the trial judge could deal fairly
>>>>>> and impartially with this case. I take this view principally because
>>>>>> of the long passage of time and the trial judge's lack of involvement
>>>>>> in or knowledge of the case when the Wilson Walker firm had carriage.
>>>>>> In these circumstances it cannot be reasonably contended that the
>>>>>> trial judge could not remain impartial in the case. The mere fact
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> his name appears on the letterhead of some correspondence from over a
>>>>>> decade ago would not lead a reasonable person to believe that he
>>>>>> would
>>>>>> either consciously or unconsciously favour his former firm's former
>>>>>> client. It is simply not realistic to think that a judge would throw
>>>>>> off his mantle of impartiality, ignore his oath of office and favour
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> client - about whom he knew nothing - of a firm that he left six
>>>>>> years
>>>>>> earlier and that no longer acts for the client, in a case involving
>>>>>> events from over a decade ago.
>>>>>> (emphasis added)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [19] Justice Webb had no involvement with any matter
>>>>>> involving Mr. Amos while he was a member of Patterson Palmer or
>>>>>> Patterson Law, nor does Mr. Amos suggest that he did. Mr. Amos made
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> clear during the hearing of this matter that the only reason for the
>>>>>> alleged conflict for Justice Webb was that he was a member of
>>>>>> Patterson Law and Patterson Palmer. This is simply not enough for
>>>>>> Justice Webb to be disqualified. Any involvement of Mr. Amos with
>>>>>> Patterson Law while Justice Webb was a member of that firm would have
>>>>>> had to occur over 10 years ago and even longer for the time when he
>>>>>> was a member of Patterson Palmer. In addition to the lack of any
>>>>>> involvement on his part with any matter or dispute that Mr. Amos had
>>>>>> with Patterson Law or Patterson Palmer (which in and of itself is
>>>>>> sufficient to dispose of this matter), the length of time since
>>>>>> Justice Webb was a member of Patterson Law or Patterson Palmer would
>>>>>> also result in the same finding – that there is no conflict in
>>>>>> Justice
>>>>>> Webb hearing this appeal.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [20] Similarly in R. v. Bagot, 2000 MBCA 30, 145 Man. R.
>>>>>> (2d) 260, the Manitoba Court of Appeal found that there was no
>>>>>> reasonable apprehension of bias when a judge, who had been a member
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the law firm that had been retained by the accused, had no
>>>>>> involvement
>>>>>> with the accused while he was a lawyer with that firm.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [21] In Del Zotto v. Minister of National Revenue, [2000] 4
>>>>>> F.C. 321, 257 N.R. 96, this court did find that there would be a
>>>>>> reasonable apprehension of bias where a judge, who while he was a
>>>>>> lawyer, had recorded time on a matter involving the same person who
>>>>>> was before that judge. However, this case can be distinguished as
>>>>>> Justice Webb did not have any time recorded on any files involving
>>>>>> Mr.
>>>>>> Amos while he was a lawyer with Patterson Palmer or Patterson Law.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [22] Mr. Amos also included with his submissions a CD. He
>>>>>> stated in his affidavit dated June 26, 2017 that there is a “true
>>>>>> copy
>>>>>> of an American police surveillance wiretap entitled 139” on this CD.
>>>>>> He has also indicated that he has “provided a true copy of the CD
>>>>>> entitled 139 to many American and Canadian law enforcement
>>>>>> authorities
>>>>>> and not one of the police forces or officers of the court are willing
>>>>>> to investigate it”. Since he has indicated that this is an “American
>>>>>> police surveillance wiretap”, this is a matter for the American law
>>>>>> enforcement authorities and cannot create, as Mr. Amos suggests, a
>>>>>> conflict of interest for any judge to whom he provides a copy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [23] As a result, there is no conflict or reasonable
>>>>>> apprehension of bias for Justice Webb and therefore, no reason for
>>>>>> him
>>>>>> to recuse himself.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [24] Mr. Amos alleged that Justice Near’s past professional
>>>>>> experience with the government created a “quasi-conflict” in deciding
>>>>>> the cross-appeal. Mr. Amos provided no details and Justice Near
>>>>>> confirmed that he had no prior knowledge of the matters alleged in
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> Claim. Justice Near sees no reason to recuse himself.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [25] Insofar as it is possible to glean the basis for Mr.
>>>>>> Amos’ allegations against Justice Gleason, it appears that he alleges
>>>>>> that she is incapable of hearing this appeal because he says he wrote
>>>>>> a letter to Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien in 2004. At that time,
>>>>>> both Justice Gleason and Mr. Mulroney were partners in the law firm
>>>>>> Ogilvy Renault, LLP. The letter in question, which is rude and angry,
>>>>>> begins with “Hey you two Evil Old Smiling Bastards” and “Re: me suing
>>>>>> you and your little dogs too”. There is no indication that the letter
>>>>>> was ever responded to or that a law suit was ever commenced by Mr.
>>>>>> Amos against Mr. Mulroney. In the circumstances, there is no reason
>>>>>> for Justice Gleason to recuse herself as the letter in question does
>>>>>> not give rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> III. Issue
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [26] The issue on the cross-appeal is as follows: Did the
>>>>>> Judge err in setting aside the Prothonotary’s Order striking the
>>>>>> Claim
>>>>>> in its entirety without leave to amend and in determining that Mr.
>>>>>> Amos’ allegation that the RCMP barred him from the New Brunswick
>>>>>> legislature in 2004 was capable of supporting a cause of action?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> IV. Analysis
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A. Standard of Review
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [27] Following the Judge’s decision to set aside the
>>>>>> Prothonotary’s Order, this Court revisited the standard of review to
>>>>>> be applied to discretionary decisions of prothonotaries and decisions
>>>>>> made by judges on appeals of prothonotaries’ decisions in Hospira
>>>>>> Healthcare Corp. v. Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, 2016 FCA 215,
>>>>>> 402 D.L.R. (4th) 497 [Hospira]. In Hospira, a five-member panel of
>>>>>> this Court replaced the Aqua-Gem standard of review with that
>>>>>> articulated in Housen v. Nikolaisen, 2002 SCC 33, [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235
>>>>>> [Housen]. As a result, it is no longer appropriate for the Federal
>>>>>> Court to conduct a de novo review of a discretionary order made by a
>>>>>> prothonotary in regard to questions vital to the final issue of the
>>>>>> case. Rather, a Federal Court judge can only intervene on appeal if
>>>>>> the prothonotary made an error of law or a palpable and overriding
>>>>>> error in determining a question of fact or question of mixed fact and
>>>>>> law (Hospira at para. 79). Further, this Court can only interfere
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> a Federal Court judge’s review of a prothonotary’s discretionary
>>>>>> order
>>>>>> if the judge made an error of law or palpable and overriding error in
>>>>>> determining a question of fact or question of mixed fact and law
>>>>>> (Hospira at paras. 82-83).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [28] In the case at bar, the Judge substituted his own
>>>>>> assessment of Mr. Amos’ Claim for that of the Prothonotary. This
>>>>>> Court
>>>>>> must look to the Prothonotary’s Order to determine whether the Judge
>>>>>> erred in law or made a palpable and overriding error in choosing to
>>>>>> interfere.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> B. Did the Judge err in interfering with the
>>>>>> Prothonotary’s Order?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [29] The Prothontoary’s Order accepted the following
>>>>>> paragraphs from the Crown’s submissions as the basis for striking the
>>>>>> Claim in its entirety without leave to amend:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 17. Within the 96 paragraph Statement of Claim, the Plaintiff
>>>>>> addresses his complaint in paragraphs 14-24, inclusive. All but four
>>>>>> of those paragraphs are dedicated to an incident that occurred in
>>>>>> 2006
>>>>>> in and around the legislature in New Brunswick. The jurisdiction of
>>>>>> the Federal Court does not extend to Her Majesty the Queen in right
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the Provinces. In any event, the Plaintiff hasn’t named the Province
>>>>>> or provincial actors as parties to this action. The incident alleged
>>>>>> does not give rise to a justiciable cause of action in this Court.
>>>>>> (…)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 21. The few paragraphs that directly address the Defendant
>>>>>> provide no details as to the individuals involved or the location of
>>>>>> the alleged incidents or other details sufficient to allow the
>>>>>> Defendant to respond. As a result, it is difficult or impossible to
>>>>>> determine the causes of action the Plaintiff is attempting to
>>>>>> advance.
>>>>>> A generous reading of the Statement of Claim allows the Defendant to
>>>>>> only speculate as to the true and/or intended cause of action. At
>>>>>> best, the Plaintiff’s action may possibly be summarized as: he
>>>>>> suspects he is barred from the House of Commons.
>>>>>> [footnotes omitted].
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [30] The Judge determined that he could not strike the
>>>>>> Claim
>>>>>> on the same jurisdictional basis as the Prothonotary. The Judge noted
>>>>>> that the Federal Court has jurisdiction over claims based on the
>>>>>> liability of Federal Crown servants like the RCMP and that the actors
>>>>>> who barred Mr. Amos from the New Brunswick legislature in 2004
>>>>>> included the RCMP (Federal Court Judgment at para. 23). In
>>>>>> considering
>>>>>> the viability of these allegations de novo, the Judge identified
>>>>>> paragraph 14 of the Claim as containing “some precision” as it
>>>>>> identifies the date of the event and a RCMP officer acting as
>>>>>> Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor (Federal Court Judgment at
>>>>>> para. 27).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [31] The Judge noted that the 2004 event could support a
>>>>>> cause of action in the tort of misfeasance in public office and
>>>>>> identified the elements of the tort as excerpted from Meigs v.
>>>>>> Canada,
>>>>>> 2013 FC 389, 431 F.T.R. 111:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [13] As in both the cases of Odhavji Estate v Woodhouse, 2003
>>>>>> SCC
>>>>>> 69 [Odhavji] and Lewis v Canada, 2012 FC 1514 [Lewis], I must
>>>>>> determine whether the plaintiffs’ statement of claim pleads each
>>>>>> element of the alleged tort of misfeasance in public office:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> a) The public officer must have engaged in deliberate and unlawful
>>>>>> conduct in his or her capacity as public officer;
>>>>>>
>>>>>> b) The public officer must have been aware both that his or her
>>>>>> conduct was unlawful and that it was likely to harm the plaintiff;
>>>>>> and
>>>>>>
>>>>>> c) There must be an element of bad faith or dishonesty by the public
>>>>>> officer and knowledge of harm alone is insufficient to conclude that
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> public officer acted in bad faith or dishonestly.
>>>>>> Odhavji, above, at paras 23, 24 and 28
>>>>>> (Federal Court Judgment at para. 28).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [32] The Judge determined that Mr. Amos disclosed
>>>>>> sufficient
>>>>>> material facts to meet the elements of the tort of misfeasance in
>>>>>> public office because the actors, who barred him from the New
>>>>>> Brunswick legislature in 2004, including the RCMP, did so for
>>>>>> “political reasons” (Federal Court Judgment at para. 29).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [33] This Court’s discussion of the sufficiency of
>>>>>> pleadings
>>>>>> in Merchant Law Group v. Canada (Revenue Agency), 2010 FCA 184, 321
>>>>>> D.L.R (4th) 301 is particularly apt:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> …When pleading bad faith or abuse of power, it is not enough to
>>>>>> assert, baldly, conclusory phrases such as “deliberately or
>>>>>> negligently,” “callous disregard,” or “by fraud and theft did steal”.
>>>>>> “The bare assertion of a conclusion upon which the court is called
>>>>>> upon to pronounce is not an allegation of material fact”. Making
>>>>>> bald,
>>>>>> conclusory allegations without any evidentiary foundation is an abuse
>>>>>> of process…
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To this, I would add that the tort of misfeasance in public office
>>>>>> requires a particular state of mind of a public officer in carrying
>>>>>> out the impunged action, i.e., deliberate conduct which the public
>>>>>> officer knows to be inconsistent with the obligations of his or her
>>>>>> office. For this tort, particularization of the allegations is
>>>>>> mandatory. Rule 181 specifically requires particularization of
>>>>>> allegations of “breach of trust,” “wilful default,” “state of mind of
>>>>>> a person,” “malice” or “fraudulent intention.”
>>>>>> (at paras. 34-35, citations omitted).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [34] Applying the Housen standard of review to the
>>>>>> Prothonotary’s Order, we are of the view that the Judge interfered
>>>>>> absent a legal or palpable and overriding error.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [35] The Prothonotary determined that Mr. Amos’ Claim
>>>>>> disclosed no reasonable claim and was fundamentally vexatious on the
>>>>>> basis of jurisdictional concerns and the absence of material facts to
>>>>>> ground a cause of action. Paragraph 14 of the Claim, which addresses
>>>>>> the 2004 event, pleads no material facts as to how the RCMP officer
>>>>>> engaged in deliberate and unlawful conduct, knew that his or her
>>>>>> conduct was unlawful and likely to harm Mr. Amos, and acted in bad
>>>>>> faith. While the Claim alleges elsewhere that Mr. Amos was barred
>>>>>> from
>>>>>> the New Brunswick legislature for political and/or malicious reasons,
>>>>>> these allegations are not particularized and are directed against
>>>>>> non-federal actors, such as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative
>>>>>> Assembly of New Brunswick and the Fredericton Police Force. As such,
>>>>>> the Judge erred in determining that Mr. Amos’ allegation that the
>>>>>> RCMP
>>>>>> barred him from the New Brunswick legislature in 2004 was capable of
>>>>>> supporting a cause of action.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [36] In our view, the Claim is made up entirely of bare
>>>>>> allegations, devoid of any detail, such that it discloses no
>>>>>> reasonable cause of action within the jurisdiction of the Federal
>>>>>> Courts. Therefore, the Judge erred in interfering to set aside the
>>>>>> Prothonotary’s Order striking the claim in its entirety. Further, we
>>>>>> find that the Prothonotary made no error in denying leave to amend.
>>>>>> The deficiencies in Mr. Amos’ pleadings are so extensive such that
>>>>>> amendment could not cure them (see Collins at para. 26).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> V. Conclusion
>>>>>> [37] For the foregoing reasons, we would allow the Crown’s
>>>>>> cross-appeal, with costs, setting aside the Federal Court Judgment,
>>>>>> dated January 25, 2016 and restoring the Prothonotary’s Order, dated
>>>>>> November 12, 2015, which struck Mr. Amos’ Claim in its entirety
>>>>>> without leave to amend.
>>>>>> "Wyman W. Webb"
>>>>>> J.A.
>>>>>> "David G. Near"
>>>>>> J.A.
>>>>>> "Mary J.L. Gleason"
>>>>>> J.A.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
>>>>>> NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A CROSS-APPEAL FROM AN ORDER OF THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE SOUTHCOTT
>>>>>> DATED
>>>>>> JANUARY 25, 2016; DOCKET NUMBER T-1557-15.
>>>>>> DOCKET:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A-48-16
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> STYLE OF CAUSE:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> PLACE OF HEARING:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Fredericton,
>>>>>> New Brunswick
>>>>>>
>>>>>> DATE OF HEARING:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> May 24, 2017
>>>>>>
>>>>>> REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> WEBB J.A.
>>>>>> NEAR J.A.
>>>>>> GLEASON J.A.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> DATED:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> October 30, 2017
>>>>>>
>>>>>> APPEARANCES:
>>>>>> David Raymond Amos
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For The Appellant / respondent on cross-appeal
>>>>>> (on his own behalf)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Jan Jensen
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For The Respondent / appELLANT ON CROSS-APPEAL
>>>>>>
>>>>>> SOLICITORS OF RECORD:
>>>>>> Nathalie G. Drouin
>>>>>> Deputy Attorney General of Canada
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For The Respondent / APPELLANT ON CROSS-APPEAL
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
On 8/16/23, David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
> https://davidraymondamos3.blog
>
> Tuesday, 15 August 2023
>
> City of St. John's rejects owner's pleas to tear down burnt-out house.
> Now she says she's stuck
>
> https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
>
> City of St. John's rejects owner's pleas to tear down burnt-out house.
> Now she says she's stuck
>
> 'What's crushing me is I'm one small business lady in their town — who
> cares if I'm OK in the end?'
>
> Ariana Kelland · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2023 5:30 AM ADT
>
>
> A woman wearing a black dress and red lipstick stands in a vacant
> living room. There is marker on the walls and a hole in the drywall.
> Few items remain in Tiffany Elton's former home on Summer Street, as
> she sells all she can to keep herself afloat. (Ariana Kelland/CBC)
>
> A burning smell lingers inside Tiffany Elton's former home. Holes cut
> throughout the drywall reveal charred wood, releasing a scent Elton
> knew was there all along.
>
> "I don't need a puffer anymore," she said, explaining her breathing
> has improved since moving out. It's a bright spot in an otherwise
> dreary situation.
>
> "I live in my mother's basement. And then also I run a business, so I
> do a lot of production from home as well. So it's been a little bit
> difficult there and she wants her TV room back at some point."
>
> Elton is stuck with her 776-square-foot home in central St. John's.
> She can't live in it, she can't sell it for someone to occupy, and
> without an affordable builder and money for a costly teardown, she has
> few options.
>
> "It hurts to see your house like this. Like all the kitchen cabinets,
> I sold them. They're gone. I've been taking the doors off, just
> getting all the stuff out and selling what I can, piece by piece,
> whatever I can sell," she said.
>
> Read the original CBC Investigates report here: When a house isn't a
> home
>
> Elton purchased the home on Summer Street in July 2020 for $168,000.
> The following spring, she discovered an opening at the front of her
> house which led her down a frustrating fact-finding mission that still
> hasn't concluded.
>
> A CBC News investigation in January 2022 revealed Elton's home was
> originally a double-car garage that had been in a fire and rebuilt as
> a home by covering up the charred walls with new drywall.
>
> The property was sold as a home years before, despite the city having
> never inspected the property following its conversion. It had
> exchanged hands multiple times since the 1980s, and the city had been
> collecting property tax on what it considered to be a residential
> property.
>
> Soot lays on pink insulation in an attic that is encased in blackened
> wood. There is a rusty metal casing where a light once was. A
> metal casing still hangs inside Tiffany Elton's attic signaling that
> the property was once a commercial garage. (Paul Pickett/CBC)
>
> After Elton alerted the city to the problem, she was handed a long
> list of fine notices. The property doesn't have an occupancy
> certificate and now cannot be lived in.
>
> "I need it torn down. I think the city should have to tear it down
> because they're the ones who got me in this mess," Elton said.
>
> In 1986, the owners applied to have the garage converted into a home,
> and the city council of the day approved the conversion.
>
> However, there is no record on file that indicates the city ever
> received a permit application to do that work or inspected the
> property after its conversion to a residence.
>
> The city does not have a record of the fire at the property, although
> it is evident that there was one. The only permit application made to
> the city was for window and siding replacement in 2006.
>
> As the city never received an application for a permit to work on the
> property, there is no record of an inspection ever being done or an
> occupancy permit being issued.
> WATCH | In the original CBC Investigates report, Tiffany Elton
> describes her shock at discovering her new home's true history:
>
> St. John's woman discovers she bought a garage — not a house
> Duration 6:29
> Tiffany Elton is saddled with a house that is inhabitable after
> learning it was in a fire prior to her puchasing it.
>
> In January, Elton's lawyer Joe Thorne wrote the city a letter urging
> them to demolish the property for her.
>
> "While many of these problems can be laid at the feet of others, the
> city bears some responsibility as well," Thorne wrote.
>
> "The cost of the demolition work is a significant burden to Ms. Elton
> but would be very little to the city."
> Request denied
>
> The city denied the request and said it didn't fall under the criteria
> it sets out for demolition, including when a property is condemned or
> becomes a public nuisance.
>
> "Further, the city denies any negligence or negligent
> misrepresentation on its part. As previously set out, no permits were
> ever sought or issued for any work at 11 Summer St. with the exception
> of windows in or about 2006," a city lawyer wrote in a letter to
> Elton's lawyer.
>
> "The city had no knowledge that the extensive changes were actually
> made to the property. All compliance letters state that a request
> does not result in an inspection of the property. While your client is
> able to pursue any claim she chooses, the city will strongly resist
> any claim in this matter."
>
> The City of St. John's declined to comment on the matter.
>
> A woman wearing a black dress has her hand land on a for sale sign
> outside a beige home. Tiffany Elton stands outside her former home on
> Summer Street. The property is for sale, but whoever buys it next can
> only tear it down. (Ariana Kelland/CBC)
>
> "My city has been dragging me through [this] for three years and, I
> feel like, treating me like I am at fault when I did not do this, and
> it feels nefarious. It feels like they're sticking me with this when
> it was their mistakes," Elton said.
>
> "And what's crushing me is I'm one little small business lady in their
> town — who cares if I'm OK in the end? It's their money that they're
> protecting, and I think it's the principle of the matter to them. It
> would be admitting fault in a way to help me out of this."
>
> The cost to tear down 11 Summer St. is around $20,000.
>
> Leaving the property opens Elton up to the potential of liability —
> her home insurance dropped her because it's not actually a home.
>
> "It's still my responsibility. I'm still paying property taxes on it
> as well, so as long as it's standing, it's a worry for me and a
> stressor for me."
>
> Thorne was, however, able to advocate for Elton to settle with title
> insurance to discharge the mortgage, reversing a previous decision.
> Court too costly
>
> Elton explored the option of bringing the former owner and others to court.
>
> She has found a duct for a propane stove cut through the burnt wood in
> the living room, suggesting the person who installed it knew the
> property had been in a fire. However, she's been advised taking the
> matter to court would be extremely costly.
>
> "And in going to court, you have to bring everybody to court who were
> a part of it," she added.
>
> In an email to questions from CBC News last year, the previous owner
> stated they were not aware of any issues with the home in the 10 years
> they owned the property.
>
> A metal duct sticks through drywall and burnt wood. After being
> contacted by a previous tenant of the property, Tiffany Elton found a
> propane stove had been installed in the living room. Whoever installed
> it would have had to cut through the burnt wood to do so. (Ariana
> Kelland/CBC)
>
> Now 42, Elton has drained whatever savings she had and has no house to
> call her own. She is now trying to sell the property as is, for
> someone to tear down.
>
> "It's your biggest purchase and there's no way out. There's no way
> out," Elton warned.
>
> "Nobody has that much money in savings to take it to court to find a
> solution. So whatever you buy, you're stuck with it."
>
> Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
> ABOUT THE AUTHOR
>
> Ariana Kelland
>
> Investigative reporter
>
> Ariana Kelland is a reporter with the CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
> bureau in St. John's. She is working as a member of CBC's Atlantic
> Investigative Unit. Email: ariana.kelland@cbc.ca
>
> Follow Ariana Kelland on Twitter
>
> CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
>
>
>
>
> 399 Comments
>
>
>
> David Amos
> "Thorne was, however, able to advocate for Elton to settle with title
> insurance to discharge the mortgage, reversing a previous decision."
>
> IMHO Mr Thorne and the Mayor should talk and FCT should sue the lawyer
> who failed to do his job on their behalf and their client Madame Elton
>
>
>
>
> Peter Stride
> Disgraceful behaviour by the city..like she says this was approved by
> the Council years ago...and home inspections are not that forensic.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Peter Stride
> I agree
>
>
>
> Andrew Bickmore
> Did she have a home inspection done prior to purchasing the property?
> A home inspection would have found some of the shortcomings and
> deficiencies with the property.
>
>
> Tiffany Elton
> Reply to Andrew Bickmore
> I did.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Tiffany Elton
> Sue the dude
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Tiffany Elton
> Do you have a mortgage?
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Tiffany Elton
> Say Hey to Mayor Danny Breen for me
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Tiffany Elton
> I just called and introduced myself correct?
>
>
>
> https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
>
> St. John's woman facing prospect of full teardown of garage-turned-home
> Tiffany Elton is bracing for costly remediation as lawyer steps in pro bono
>
> Ariana Kelland · CBC News · Posted: Apr 26, 2022 5:30 AM ADT
>
>
>
> Tiffany Elton is still living on Summer Street in St. John's, as her
> lawyer attempts to save her home and her finances. (Ariana
> Kelland/CBC)
>
> A St. John's woman who believed she bought her forever home is facing
> the possibility of having to tear the property down and start from
> scratch, but now has the backing of a lawyer who has taken on the
> case.
>
> Tiffany Elton purchased her first home in July 2020, but soon learned
> the property had significant issues — the biggest being that the
> structure had been a fire-damaged commercial garage.
>
> Contractors have provided her with two options to deal with myriad
> structural and electrical defects outlined by the City of St. John's,
> after Elton approached the municipality with her concerns.
>
> Both remediation and rebuilding, she said, cost about the same as the
> purchase price she paid nearly two years ago.
>
> "I need $160,000 and I need to tear down and rebuild the house in 4½
> months because the deadline (with the city) is fast approaching,"
> Elton said in a recent interview.
>
> "There seems to be three separate building issues. One being that it
> was a garage, so it is still structurally a garage. Then there's
> across the front foundation where the garage door was. Then there's
> the fire issues."
>
> CBC Investigates: When a house isn't a home
>
> Elton purchased what she believed was a recently renovated bungalow
> but soon began unraveling details about the history of 11 Summer St.
> after rodents found a way into her home.
>
> She discovered the building was a commercial garage that had been
> converted to a residential home decades before, without the proper
> permits from the city. The garage had been in a significant fire, and
> the structure was charred black.
>
> Elton was issued a long list of fine notices by the City of St. John's
> after she alerted them to the issues. She has until September to
> rectify all of the defects. If she doesn't, she could have to pay up
> or get out.
>
> Joe Thorne, a partner in the St. John's office of Stewart McKelvey,
> offered Elton his services pro bono. (Paul Pickett/CBC)
>
> "Sometimes when you notify an authority about an issue, it backfires,"
> said lawyer Joe Thorne, a partner in the St. John's office of Stewart
> McKelvey.
>
> "Calling in the city was intended to address a certain issue that she
> had and now the city has gone in and said, 'Well, there's no occupancy
> permits for this house and you have major structural issues.'"
>
> Thorne took on Elton's case pro bono after seeing her story profiled
> by CBC Investigates in January.
>
> "Honestly, my heart just went out to her," he said.
>
> "She's really been was a victim of her circumstances, and whether or
> not someone is legally responsible for that, she is a victim of the
> process and I really wanted to help out if we could."
>
> Thorne said Elton tried to protect herself during the home buying
> process by getting a home inspection, a lawyer, and title insurance.
> But she's still left in a unenviable position.
> Legal assistance
>
> Thorne said he has been investigating the previous owners of the home
> and whether anyone knew or ought to have known about the fire damage.
>
> Elton said many people came forward to her following the story with
> information on the history of the property, which could be helpful in
> the future.
>
> In an email to CBC News in January, the previous owner said she had no
> idea that the property had been a garage that was significantly
> damaged by fire.
>
> They owned it for 10 years before selling to Elton. The property has
> changed hands multiple times since its conversion 35 years ago.
>
> Bringing a case to court would be a lengthy and costly process, and
> Elton says she doesn't have much time left.
>
> In 1986, the owners applied to have the garage converted into a home
> and the city council of the day approved the conversion.
>
> However, there is no record on file that indicates the city ever
> received a permit application to do that work or inspected the
> property after its conversion to a residence.
>
> Despite that, the city has acknowledged that the property was able to
> be sold as a residential home for decades.
>
> Soot lays on pink insulation in an attic that is encased in blackened
> wood. There is a rusty metal casing where a light once was. A
> metal casing still hangs inside Elton's attic, signalling that the
> property was once a commercial garage. (Paul Pickett/CBC)
>
> As the city now knows the extent of the damage to Elton's house, it is
> requiring significant work to be done.
>
> "You're dealing with a municipality and they've got their policies and
> procedures and they need to make sure that homes are safe for
> occupancy and all those things," Thorne said.
>
> "But there also needs to be room to consider, you know, Tiffany
> herself and not just the property, but the person behind the property,
> who owns the property."
>
> Elton said the city has helped by providing a letter for her title
> insurance company that outlines the issues with the property.
>
> She said she understands the city is limited by its own acts and
> codes, but that doesn't remedy her predicament.
>
> The City of St. John's declined a request for an interview.
> Help from the public
>
> While the challenges ahead may seem insurmountable, Elton said, she is
> encouraged by small steps along the way.
>
> After many failed attempts, Thorne and his team convinced an adjuster
> from the title insurance company to assess the property.
>
> And in the weeks following her story airing, her small business got an
> uptick in sales.
>
> But nothing, she said, has been more helpful than getting free legal help.
>
> "As you can imagine, it's an emotional roller-coaster. So it's been
> tough getting through it all," Elton said.
>
> "But just to have that counsel is excellent."
>
> Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
> ABOUT THE AUTHOR
>
> Ariana Kelland
>
> Investigative reporter
>
> Ariana Kelland is a reporter with the CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
> bureau in St. John's. She is working as a member of CBC's Atlantic
> Investigative Unit. Email: ariana.kelland@cbc.ca
>
> Follow Ariana Kelland on Twitter
>
> CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
>
>
>
>
> 132 Comments
>
>
>
> David Amos
> Hmmm
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to David Amos
> I hope my calls and emails to Joe and Danny Boy are of assistance to
> the young lady
>
>
>
>
> Jeff Davis
> Title insurance, is it really worth anything?
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Jeff Davis
> If you get lucky and run into an ethical lawyer
>
>
>
>
> Glenn Foster
> Good for Joe. I hope it ends well
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Glenn Foster
> Me too
>
>
>
>
> Nel Ndoku
> I am under the impression that the home inspector who inspected the
> property and the lawyer who conducted the homework should be on the
> hook if they failed with their jobs. Isn't there a reason they were
> hired and paid in thousands?
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Nel Ndoku
> Good question and what about the Title Insurance?
>
>
>
>
> Lloyd Luby
> The city has a "don't tell, don't ask" philosophy when it comes to
> permitting. When asked, they will say you have to have a permit to
> renovate, but don't flag the inquiry for a follow up. Even if you
> obtain a renovation permit, they don't request a follow up inspection
> to see that you adhered to the permitted renovations. That also
> applies to occupancy permits it would seem where no permit requested;
> no problem. (though through some unknown mechanism the city has been
> made aware of some unpermitted renos, mostly decks in heritage zones
> where the homeowner has gotten bitten - perhaps a neighbour ratted
> them out.) Someone, those 35 years ago failed to obtain the correct
> permits along the way, and whoever sold it as permitted to inhabit is
> at fault according to logic. The lawyer and realtor at the time are
> also culpable. Perhaps such details should also be included in the
> title search to ensure that if a building changes as this one did, (or
> if it didn't) it will be known to have required a permitted for that
> change. That's not to say that the city shouldn't do better at
> enforcing such requirements for permits.
>
>
> Paul Parsons
> Reply to Robert Reader
> You must be a city of St. John's employee. A lot of truth to what Mr. Luby
> said.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Paul Parsons
> Ditto
>
>
>
>
> John Smith
> A person I know recently applied for a mortgage, and between the
> inspections from the bank, and the insurance company, the place was
> thoroughly looked over....especially the insurance guy looked over the
> place with a fine toothed comb.....
>
>
> Steve Dueck
> Reply to John Smith
> Too bad the same didn't happen with this lady's inspection. The
> inspector should be identified so that others will know to stay away
> from this person when looking for a good, thorough, inspection.
>
>
> Olivia Massey
> Reply to Steve Dueck
> If you read the original article that was published in January you
> will see that the inspector suggested and Ms. Elton, the current
> owner, was willing to pay for installation of a ceiling hatch to allow
> access to the attic...the sellers refused the request. But, this is
> beyond the point of laying blame onto the current owner because if she
> had rejected the deal subsequent to the inspection, someone else would
> be dealing with it. The issue now is that the city was grossly
> negligent regarding permitting and inspections when the building
> changed from a commercial-use property to a residential-use property
> and also with regard to every subsequent upgrade in the last 35 years.
> Furthermore, the permitting and inspections did not occur yet the city
> easily changed the taxes levied on the property from commercial use to
> residential use and are now attempting to lay the cost of rectifying
> the situation they abetted by their negligence onto Ms. Elton.
>
>
> Nancy Jones
> Reply to Olivia Massey:
> Perfectly stated.
>
>
> Olivia Massey
> Reply to Nancy Jones
> Thank you! It's amazing to me that so many simply want to lay blame on
> the owner and/or the inspector without acknowledging that the city's
> laxity abetted the current condition of the property, and,
> furthermore, that the city is attempting to make Ms. Elton pay for
> their negligence in basically allowing renovations to occur without
> permits and inspections...yet the city is collecting taxes on an
> improved property. We can and we should "fight city hall" when the
> situation warrants it and I believe Ms. Elton's situation warrants it!
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Olivia Massey
> I concur
>
>
>
>
> jon mcgrath
> Banker scamm
>
>
> David Amos
> Content Deactivated
> Reply to jon mcgrath
> I don't think so I have no doubt they chased the Title Insurance dudes
> and the lady will wind up with a debt free property saddled with
> strange liabilities brought on by a city trying to cover up their
> wrongs
>
>
>
>
>
> Jan Barriault
> how did her building inspector not flag any problems prior to
> purchase? maybe her legal guy should look at making case against home
> inspector??
>
>
> Olivia Massey
> Reply to Jan Barriault
> As noted in the original article published in January, Ms. Elton's
> inspector suggested and Ms. Elton was willing to pay to have a ceiling
> hatch installed to allow access to and inspection of the attic. The
> sellers refused to allow it; therefore, the inspector was unable to
> inspect the attic. However, the point now is not to assess blame...the
> point is to address the city's lax permitting and lack of inspections
> of this property over 35 years when the building's usage changed from
> commercial-use to residential-use. The city issued no permits and
> performed no inspections yet changed the building's status for tax
> levies to residential use. Now, the city is attempting to rectify
> their gross negligence on the back of and from the pocketbook of the
> current owner, Ms. Elton.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Olivia Massey
> Bingo
>
>
>
>
> Barbara Shortall
> The silence from the Mayor is deafening.
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Barbara Shortall
> I noticed that too
>
>
>
> Jan Barriault
> how did her building inspector not flag any problems prior to
> purchase? maybe her legal guy should look at making case against home
> inspector??
>
>
> Olivia Massey
> Reply to Jan Barriault
> As noted in the original article published in January, Ms. Elton's
> inspector suggested and Ms. Elton was willing to pay to have a ceiling
> hatch installed to allow access to and inspection of the attic. The
> sellers refused to allow it; therefore, the inspector was unable to
> inspect the attic. However, the point now is not to assess blame...the
> point is to address the city's lax permitting and lack of inspections
> of this property over 35 years when the building's usage changed from
> commercial-use to residential-use. The city issued no permits and
> performed no inspections yet changed the building's status for tax
> levies to residential use. Now, the city is attempting to rectify
> their gross negligence on the back of and from the pocketbook of the
> current owner, Ms. Elton.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Olivia Massey
> Bingo
>
>
>
> Sholunish Mishmikin
> That guy in portapique has room in his garage now that his cruiser is
> gone, she could move in there
>
>
> Doug Chafe
> Reply to Sholunish Mishmikin
> Not the sharpest knife in the drawer are you?
>
>
> Olivia Massey
> Reply to Sholunish Mishmikin:
> Your comment isn't funny in any way, shape, or form. And equating the
> two events is disrespectful to the loss of lives, as well as to the
> survivors, of the Portapique event. You must suffer from a cerebral
> disconnect if you think your lame attempt at humour at the expense of
> the Portapique residents is acceptable.
>
>
> David Amos
> Reply to Olivia Massey
> Ask yourself why the nasty comment was not deactivated long ago
>
>
>
>
> Re How to protect yourself from real-estate title fraud
>
> David Amos
> <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.c
> To: bking@kinginternationalgroup.c
> info@ctic.ca, info@soloontario.ca, info@stonegatelegalservices.ca
> paladinparalegal@gmail.com, cassandra@weatherstonparalegal
> charlenelewin@sympatico.ca, dan@sfglegal.ca, elaine@pageparalegal.com,
> shemeshparalegal@gmail.com, lorrie@mcculloughlegalservices
> inquire@paralegalonbroadview.c
> sarahteal@sarahteallegal.com, teri@landriautlegal.com,
> denaliparalegal@gmail.com, info@wjburgesslegal.com,
> Pilonlaw@gmail.com, "claude.poirier" <claude.poirier@snb.ca>,
> "john.mcnair" <john.mcnair@snb.ca>, Erin.Hardy@snb.ca, "alan.roy"
> <alan.roy@snb.ca>, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore"
> <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin" <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>,
> "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason"
> <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
> <freedomreport.ca@gmail.com>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>,
> "Bill.Blair" <Bill.Blair@parl.gc.ca>, "Brenda.Lucki"
> <Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "hugh.flemming" <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>,
> MRichard@lawsociety-barreau.nb
> kevhache@nb.sympatico.ca, "greg.byrne" <greg.byrne@gnb.ca>,
> "kris.austin" <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, austin@gnb.ca, "David.Coon"
> <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>,
> Patrick.Windle@snb.ca, windlejim <windlejim@rocketmail.com>,
> priscilla.hwang@cbc.ca, torontotips@cbc.ca, john.lancaster@cbc.ca
> Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>,
> mthiele@ottawalawyers.com, hlankin@barristonlaw.com, mcu
> <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, debsmith@fnf.com,
> corporate.communications@first
> investor.relations@firstam.com
>
>
> https://davidraymondamos3.blog
>
> Saturday, 14 January 2023
>
> How to protect yourself from real-estate title fraud
>
> https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
>
> How organized crime has mortgaged or sold at least 30 GTA homes
> without owners' knowledge
> Future of title insurance could be at risk if this real estate fraud
> trend continues
>
> John Lancaster, Nicole Brockbank, Farrah Merali · CBC News · Posted:
> Jan 23, 2023 5:00 AM AST
>
---------- Original message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jan 21, 2023 at 1:45 PM
Subject: In 2018 Mikey Holland said "I hear constantly, 'Yup you want my vote and I'm not going to see you again for four years."
To: <Nathalie.G.Drouin@pco-bcp.gc.ca>, <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, <georges.r.savoie@neguac.com>, David.Coon <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, Rene.Legacy <Rene.Legacy@gnb.ca>, robert.mckee <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, <jbosse3058@gmail.com>, robert.gauvin <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, Dorothy.Shephard <Dorothy.Shephard@gnb.ca>, charles.murray <charles.murray@gnb.ca>, <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, Bill.Oliver <Bill.Oliver@gnb.ca>, Bill.Hogan <Bill.Hogan@gnb.ca>, <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, <John.williamson@parl.gc.ca>, <kerri.froc@unb.ca>, <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>, Mike.Comeau <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, Holland, Mike (LEG) <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Michelle.Boutin <Michelle.Boutin@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, Bill.Blair <Bill.Blair@parl.gc.ca>, Bev.Busson <Bev.Busson@sen.parl.gc.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, michelle.conroy <michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>, andrea.anderson-mason <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, andre <andre@jafaust.com>, <Dominic.Cardy@gnb.ca>, <news@dailygleaner.com>, <oldmaison@yahoo.com>, <jbosnitch@gmail.com>, Arseneau, Kevin (LEG) <kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, <kevin.leahy@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, ministryofjustice <ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca>, premier <premier@gov.ab.ca>, Jacques.Poitras <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, Katie.Telford <Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, jagmeet.singh <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>, Office of the Premier <scott.moe@gov.sk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.bc.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nt.ca>, premier <premier@gov.yk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.pe.ca>, premier <premier@leg.gov.mb.ca>, PREMIER <PREMIER@gov.ns.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nl.ca>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jan 21, 2023 at 1:45 PM
Subject: In 2018 Mikey Holland said "I hear constantly, 'Yup you want my vote and I'm not going to see you again for four years."
To: <Nathalie.G.Drouin@pco-bcp.gc.ca>, <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, <georges.r.savoie@neguac.com>, David.Coon <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, kris.austin <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, Rene.Legacy <Rene.Legacy@gnb.ca>, robert.mckee <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, <jbosse3058@gmail.com>, robert.gauvin <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, Dorothy.Shephard <Dorothy.Shephard@gnb.ca>, charles.murray <charles.murray@gnb.ca>, <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, Bill.Oliver <Bill.Oliver@gnb.ca>, Bill.Hogan <Bill.Hogan@gnb.ca>, <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, <John.williamson@parl.gc.ca>, <kerri.froc@unb.ca>, <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>, Mike.Comeau <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, Holland, Mike (LEG) <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Michelle.Boutin <Michelle.Boutin@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, Bill.Blair <Bill.Blair@parl.gc.ca>, Bev.Busson <Bev.Busson@sen.parl.gc.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, michelle.conroy <michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>, andrea.anderson-mason <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, andre <andre@jafaust.com>, <Dominic.Cardy@gnb.ca>, <news@dailygleaner.com>, <oldmaison@yahoo.com>, <jbosnitch@gmail.com>, Arseneau, Kevin (LEG) <kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, <kevin.leahy@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, ministryofjustice <ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca>, premier <premier@gov.ab.ca>, Jacques.Poitras <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, Katie.Telford <Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, jagmeet.singh <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>, Office of the Premier <scott.moe@gov.sk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.bc.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nt.ca>, premier <premier@gov.yk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.pe.ca>, premier <premier@leg.gov.mb.ca>, PREMIER <PREMIER@gov.ns.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nl.ca>
The words of the Minister overseeing NB Power causes me to wonder if
he has bothered to visit the warming centre in his riding that the new
Village of Fundy Albert has set up
https://davidraymondamos3.blog
Friday, 20 January 2023
Power remains out for hundreds after linesman's death in southeast NB
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canad
Power remains out for hundreds after linesman's death in southeast NB
WorkSafeNB still investigating the accident that also injured a second worker
Mia Urquhart · CBC News · Posted: Jan 19, 2023 6:18 PM AST
Thick ice coats power lines and a power pole.Power infrastructure is
still covered in ice on Thursday in a part of southeast New Brunswick
where a linesman died Tuesday night. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
About 800 customers are still without power in the area where an N.B.
Power linesman died on Tuesday night while trying to restore power
after an ice storm.
N.B. Power's website shows an ongoing outage in an area near Hopewell
Rocks. The estimated restoration time is between 8 and 9 p.m. Friday.
As a result, the new Village of Fundy Albert has set up a warming
centre at 9 Bicentennial Rd.
Mayor Bob Rochon said the warming centre will remain open from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m. until power is restored. He said it's being powered by a
generator.
In addition to being able to charge devices, residents can grab a
coffee and sweets, he said.
N.B. Power was asked if the delay in restoring power to the area was
due to the ongoing investigation into the death, but spokesperson Marc
Belliveau referred inquiries to WorkSafeNB.
Tree limbs bent to the ground with the weight of a layer of thick ice.
Many trees bent, cracked or snapped completely under the weight of the
ice. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
Laragh Dooley, a spokesperson for WorkSafe, did not answer a list of
questions sent on Thursday afternoon.
"At this time all we can tell you is that WorkSafeNB continues to
investigate this tragic incident," she said in a brief emailed
response.
"We cannot comment on the injured workers condition, only to say it
was serious. Our thoughts are with the families of both workers."
A map shows a red x in the southeast corner of the province of New
Brunswick.The X indicates the area where an N.B. Power linesman was
killed on Tuesday night after falling from a pole. A second man was
taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries,
according to an RCMP spokesperson. (Google maps)
Few details are being released about what happened Tuesday night in
the woods in Curryville.
Cpl. Kevin Glode of the Caledonia detachment of the RCMP said officers
responded to the call just before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
He said two workers had fallen from a power pole in the woods. One of
them died at the scene and the other was taken to hospital with
serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Power lines covered in ice. Power lines in the southeast corner of the
province remain coated in a thick layer of ice. This was the scene on
Thursday. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
Glode said police determined there was "no criminality" involved in
the incident and turned the scene over to investigators with
WorkSafeNB.
Resident Caitlin Rutledge, who lives on the Caledonia Mountain Road,
was out of power for almost four days — from early Monday morning
until Thursday. She said the scene left in the ice storm's wake was
"apocalyptic."
"There was a bunch of power lines down. They're all up now. But our
phone line actually got ripped out of our house. All our bushes are
destroyed. There's a bunch of fallen trees in our backyard. Lots of
damage done within the whole area."
An ice-covered tree over a power line. Cleanup from this week's ice
storm continues in the Fundy Albert area in southeast New Brunswick.
(Shane Fowler/CBC)
She said pretty much everything is encased in an inch of ice.
While the majority of residents lost power, Rochon, the mayor, said
some residents are on a different grid.
"But for the most part, everyone from Riverside Albert down to Alma
are without power."
Heavy equipment are still in the area. This was the scene in the area
on Thursday. A thick layer of ice remains on almost everything. (Shane
Fowler/CBC)
Rochon said transmission lines to the community are "still coated in ice."
He said the higher elevations were particularly hard hit "and the
infrastructure basically crumbled."
"The only storm of this magnitude that I recall was back in the 1980s,
when I was here as a police officer, and it was probably as bad if not
worse than this.
"But I haven't seen anything of this magnitude for quite some time."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mia Urquhart
Mia Urquhart is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick, based in Saint
John. She can be reached at mia.urquhart@cbc.ca.
With files from Shane Fowler
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
11 Comments
David Amos
Methinks this is going down Minister Mikey Holland's neck of the woods
yet we have not heard a peep from him yet N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Some residents in Fundy Albert under boil-water advisory
Problem caused by a power outage affecting distribution system
CBC News · Posted: Jan 20, 2023 1:10 PM AST
Residents of the Riverside-Albert have been told to boil water before
consuming. (Olivia Stefanovich/CBC)
A prolonged power outage impacting a water distribution system has
prompted the Village of Fundy Albert, in southeastern New Brunswick,
to issue a boil water advisory for some residents.
Residents in Riverside-Albert should boil water for at least one
minute before consuming.
This includes when using water for "mixing juice, dental hygiene,
washing vegetables, making ice or any other activity requiring human
consumption."
The municipality is also advising that infant formula be prepared
using bottled water, and young children should be sponge-bathed to
avoid any inadvertent consumption.
Residents on well water are not impacted by the advisory.
The village said the advisory would be in place until further notice.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
2 Comments
Hugh Smith
Power outage, Picture of electric stove, Boil water advisory.
Hmm.....something doesn't add up
David Amos
Reply to Hugh Smith
Methinks Minister Mikey Holland's electric stove must be working just
fine N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Fundy Albert customers expected to have power back Sunday: N.B. Power
Outage still affecting about 630 customers
CBC News · Posted: Jan 21, 2023 11:29 AM AST
Heavy equipment are still in the area. N.B. Power trucks in the area
on Thursday. The utility predicts power will be restored on Sunday.
(Shane Fowler/CBC)
A prolonged power outage still has more than 630 customers without
power in the Fundy Albert area of southeastern New Brunswick.
Dominique Couture, an N.B. Power spokesperson, said in a statement
that restoration work is underway in Albert County, but "due to the
complexity of the repairs required, this may take time."
She said the utility expects power to be restored to customers
sometime on Sunday. N.B. Power is working with New Brunswick's
Emergency Measures Organization, said Couture, to provide support to
those affected.
A warming centre at 9 Bicentennial Road in Riverside-Albert has been
set up since Jan. 18.
Power lines covered in ice. On Thursday, power lines in the
southeast corner of the province remained coated in a thick layer of
ice. Fundy Albert's mayor said there was a lot of damage from ice.
(Shane Fowler/CBC)
Fundy Albert Mayor Robert Rochon was at the warming centre Saturday
morning when speaking with CBC News.
"The people in rural Albert County, where we are, are quite resilient," he said.
Rochon said it is now Day 6 of no power for some residents. As of
Saturday, the plan is to keep the warming centre open until 9 p.m.
He said there will soon be warming centres in the Village of Alma.
Rochon said the concern is for the community's elderly and vulnerable
populations.
Power remains out for hundreds after linesman's death in southeast NB
Some residents in Fundy Albert under boil-water advisory
"Some of them have been without power for up to six days now," he
said. "In some cases, their homes are getting quite cold."
Rochon said N.B. Power crews appear to be working "feverishly" to
restore power, but he said there was a lot of damage because of ice at
higher elevations.
Man in ball cap and camoflauge-coloured jacket. Fundy Albert Mayor
Robert Rochon said the community's warming centre will now be open
until 9 p.m. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
On Wednesday, an N.B. Power lineman died while working to restore
power to the area. Another was seriously injured.
On Friday, residents of Riverside-Albert were advised to boil water
for at least one minute before consuming because of a
water-distribution system issue caused by the power outage.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
Deja Vu Anyone???
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canad
'We've been virtually ignored': Albert County demands government attention
Candidates say tourism potential won't be realized without basic
services like clean water and cell service
Vanessa Blanch · CBC News · Posted: Sep 13, 2018 9:41 AM ADT
Green Party candidate Moranda van Geest said with government
investment, the Pollett River could become a major tourist attraction
in New Brunswick. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
In a riding that includes some of New Brunswick's most iconic places,
candidates in Albert, say voters are demanding an MLA who will improve
basic services in their area.
"Albert County doesn't have much infrastructure," said Green Party
candidate Moranda van Geest. "We can make it more special and
different than any other place but we've been virtually ignored by the
government."
Vote Compass: A political guide to the 2018 provincial election
The area has been a reliable one for the Progressive Conservative
Party, whose candidates have won every election since 1999.
PC candidate Mike Holland said voters in Albert want an MLA who
will listen to people in rural communities. These unique "camo signs"
have been requested by supporters by a ratio of 3:1 over his "suit
signs." (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
Going door-to-door in the riding, which stretches from Salisbury to
Alma to Elgin, PC candidate Mike Holland has spoken with many voters
who don't feel their voices are being heard in Fredericton.
"I hear constantly, 'Yup — you want my vote and I'm not going to see
you again for four years.'"
"We're sitting on a gold mine in the Albert riding. I believe that
non-resident dollars coming to our riding in the form of tourism —
that's so much better than … a New Brunswick taxpayer funded dollar,"
he said.
'Drinking water is non-negotiable'
While Hopewell Rocks and Fundy National Park alone bring in thousands
of visitors, the neighbouring village of Alma struggles with
near-constant boil-water orders.
"It's the 21st Century. Drinking water is non-negotiable," Holland said.
Under boil order again, Alma finds need for water fix becoming urgent
Liberal candidate Catherine Black pointed out that the population of
the Alma area grows to nearly 3,000 people during the summer months,
and for local businesses trying to serve them, a good water supply is
key.
"They're a small community of less than 300 people — obviously they
don't have the tax base to be able to fix the problems themselves."
Liberal candidate Catherine Black isn't deterred by the fact that the
riding of Albert has been held by the Progressive Conservative Party
for nearly 20 years. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
Black said she's already speaking with Liberal MP Alaina Lockhart
about how the problem could be solved, although she cautions voters to
temper their expectations for their next MLA.
"Whoever gets this role, we can't fix everybody's problems immediately
and four years, while it seems like a long time, there's only so much
you can move forward."
Lack of cell phone service 'ridiculous'
Van Geest, who lives in Elgin, is also pushing for what she considers
basic services.
What is now a trickle of tourists who come to enjoy the Pollett River,
could be a wave for this "Class A" river, she said.
Gordon Falls is a popular spot along the Pollett River in Elgin for
hikers and swimmers during the summer months. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
"We would like to see a public park here in Elgin — which would be a
great boost to the economy and also if we have a public park it will
save lives because numerous accidents always happen here in this
river."
With sites like the Gibson Gorge and Gordon Falls attracting hundreds
of visitors, who jump from the steep banks into the cold water during
the hot summer months, van Geest wants a safe way down to the river
for everyone.
Gibson Falls dangerous, warns fire chief
"You can see they put their own lives in danger to try to get these
people out and they want to build a safe way down but it's always
fallen on deaf ears. So this is an opportunity to bring it to the
forefront."
Elgin Fire Department Chief Kent Steeves has been pushing for a new
cell phone tower for the area, and asking for government support to
get it.
Elgin chief steps up call for cell service in Albert County
Van Geest says it's just another example of the basic infrastructure
the area needs if it's going to reach its potential.
Moranda van Geest
points to the rock ledge people jump from. The Green Party candidate
wants the Pollett River protected. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
"I find it a bit ridiculous," she said. "We had somebody from Rhode
Island … and they said, 'There is an app here to go on the bike
trails.' Well good luck using your app — we don't have cell phone
service."
The other candidates in the Albert riding are Betty Weir for the NDP,
Sharon Buchanan for the People's Alliance of New Brunswick and James
Wilson, who is running as an independent.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
https://davidraymondamos3.blo
Thursday, 19 January 2023
Province promises N.B. forest report by April after seven years of
missed deadlines
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Province promises N.B. forest report by April after seven years of
missed deadlines
Green leader says department first promised report in 2016 and raps
lack of ‘annual plan’
Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Jan 18, 2023 3:52 PM AST
Tom MacFarlane, the deputy minister at the Department of Natural
Resources and Energy Development, acknowledged his department missed
several of its own deadlines for the report. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
A report on the state of the province's forests that was first
promised almost seven years ago should finally be public before April
1, a committee of the legislature was told Wednesday.
Tom MacFarlane, the deputy minister of natural resources and energy
development, acknowledged that his department has missed several
deadlines it gave itself, starting in June 2016, to finish and publish
the report.
He made the new commitment after Green Leader David Coon hammered the
department for repeatedly promising the report and then not delivering
it.
"Delay after delay after delay after delay," Coon said during a
meeting of the legislature's public accounts committee.
"The question is, Mr. MacFarlane, what is it you don't want the
members of the public and this legislature to know about the state of
our forest?"
No annual plan
Earlier in the morning, Coon also forced MacFarlane to admit that the
department had not published an annual plan listing its objectives — a
plan required under provincial law to be posted on the department's
website.
"I'm not aware as to why we haven't published an annual plan," MacFarlane said.
He said the department has been using a mandate letter from Premier
Blaine Higgs as a guide — though he didn't realize that mandate
letters are kept confidential by the current government.
"I guess I thought they are made public centrally, and I'm told they
are not public," he said. "But we have not produced an annual plan."
Mandate letters are given by a new premier to each new minister and
their department, outlining the government's priorities.
Liberal premier Brian Gallant made them public for the first time in
2014 but current Premier Blaine Higgs has reverted to not releasing
them.
The province's Accountability and Continuous Improvement Act requires
departments to publish annual plans laying out their objectives for
each fiscal year.
That allows the department, MLAs and the public to compare the plan's
objectives to results laid out in a subsequent annual report.
Why plan is needed
With a report but no plan, Coon said, "it's extremely difficult for us
to do our work in holding the department accountable in how it uses
tax dollars if we don't know what those goals and objectives in the
plan are."
The act says departments "shall" prepare an annual plan to "set out
the goals and objectives" during a given year and establish "a
strategic direction," then "identify objective performance measures"
for those goals.
It also says the minister for the department "shall make the annual
plan public by publishing it on the department's website" within three
months of the start of the fiscal year.
'Delay after delay after delay after delay,' said Green Party Leader
David Coon of a forest report promised seven years ago. (Jacques
Poitras/CBC)
On the state of the province report, Coon said the last one was in
2008 and pointed out the auditor general recommended in 2015 that the
department issue new versions more frequently to report on how forests
are being managed for ecological sustainability.
Coon said the department committed to a new report by June 2016, told
him in 2017 it was "coming soon," assured him in 2019 that it would be
tabled in the legislature in 2020, and in 2021 told him it would be
ready that summer.
He said there was then another promise it would be done in 2022.
"Certainly there's been a number of things that have impacted our
ability to deliver that report," MacFarlane said.
"I can promise you that that report is in draft form right now and we
are anticipating to get that out this fiscal year."
Department has other priorities
He blamed "limited staff" for the delay and a focus on other more
important programs.
"I can apologize for missing our targets and notions of the past, but
certainly we've been prioritizing a lot of our initiatives," he said.
"It's limited resources that we have, and we try to make sure that
we're focused on the items that require the highest priority."
Assistant deputy minister Chris Ward added that the raw data that
would be used in a state of the forest report is available on the
department's online open data portal.
"There's no hiding data," Ward said. "For those that are interested in
data, it's online."
The discussion with Coon over missed deadlines is the latest in a
series of exchanges between the Green leader and the department.
N.B. receiving less than nothing on softwood pulpwood after Crown
timber royalty changes
'Conservation is a priority,' minister tells skeptics of land
protection plan
In 2020 he chided MacFarlane for the department for not having
produced an emissions-reduction strategy three years after the release
of the province's climate change plan.
During that session, department officials also said New Brunswick
would miss its goal of having 2,500 electric vehicles on the
province's roads by the end of 2020. There were only 429 at the end of
2019.
On Wednesday, MacFarlane was able to report that the province is on
track to meet its next EV target of 20,000 by 2030.
He said supply chains were a problem until last fall but are showing
signs of improvement now, with more electric vehicles available for
sale now and federal and provincial rebate programs helping to spur
sales.
"We're seeing our numbers increase significantly so we're very hopeful
that holds," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jacques Poitras
Provincial Affairs reporter
Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New
Brunswick since 2000. He grew up in Moncton and covered Parliament in
Ottawa for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. He has reported on
every New Brunswick election since 1995 and won awards from the Radio
Television Digital News Association, the National Newspaper Awards and
Amnesty International. He is also the author of five non-fiction books
about New Brunswick politics and history.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
60 Comments
David Amos
Methinks we should not hold our breath waiting for another April Fools
Joke the NB Power rate hike due that day will be enough to cause a lot
of folks to faint anyway N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Methinks its rather amusing watching all the comments come and go N'esy Pas?
Greg Meahan
DMs know what is made public and what is not. It is not credible that
this one did know his mandate was private. Not at all. That or he is
completely and utterly incompetent. It is one of those situations
where there is no in-between.
David Amos
Reply to Greg Meahan
Go Figure
Kyle Woodman
Where is Mike Holland? The buck stops with him. Does he even live in
New Brunswick anymore?
David Amos
Reply to Kyle Woodman
Who cares?
Jimmy Belafonte
Report findings- Irving is grifting NB.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Jimmy Belafonte
LOL
David Amos
Reply to Jimmy Belafonte
Thats my favourite comment today
Jim Johnston
Content Deactivated
Forest management in NB is a joke. Essential information is held back
and it is very difficult to clearly analyze it. It comes down to the
fact that we pay more out to manage the forest than we receive in
revenue from selling the wood. The only viable solution I see is to
keep what we want for recreational and environmental issues and sell
off the rest to the federal government who could use it to settle up
with our First Nations.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Jim Johnston
Surely you jest
John Grail
Guessing this isn't a top priority for the Irvings...
Jos Allaire
Reply to John Grail
It is! a priority They don't want a report.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Jos Allaire
Methinks that order can be found within MacFarlane's confidential
mandate letter from Higgy N'esy Pas?
Jack Bell
Reply to John Grail
If Irving is against it, then you know it's good for NB
Jos Allaire
Reply to David Amos
You got it Dasvid!
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Jos Allaire
BTW I have no doubt lots of folks heard MacFarlane mention the
confidential mandate letter on CBC this morning
Peter Churcher
Content Deactivated
David Coon is always trying to find a conspiracy. I doubt that if we
ever had him lead the province that he would do any better. One simply
has to drive around our Province and despite reports to the contrary
we do have a lot of trees. Tens of thousands of acres of trees.
Rosco holt
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
Allot of trees that is shipped to the states.
Peter Churcher
Content Deactivated
Reply to Rosco holt
Yes but without the forestry business and there revenue it brings in
we would be a lot worse off.
Dan Lee
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
what revenue? we are paying them to cut our wood...... jesus
Robert Buck
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
I think you missed something on the revenue the forestry brings in.
Ask the private woodlot owners.
Peter Churcher
Content Deactivated
Reply to Dan Lee
Not to debate the obvious but the forestry industry also employs
thousands of New Brunswickers and yes they do pay us money to harvest
timber on Crown lands. Do you advocate that we get rid of one of our
only industries?
Dan Lee
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
they pay us? hen....sh..t.........we pay them to
cut......plant.......pour poison on them........i can show you
plantations of a certain company with big big timber........
Al Clark
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
Well there ya go.
NB Forest report
"thars A lot of trees"
Hit print and it's miller time!
Pshew that was 7 yrs haaaard work
Dennis Atchison
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
Yes. My interview with Ken Hardie, then the General Manager of the
Small Woodlot Owners Federation, detailed clearly how we citizens were
subsidizing big industry and as you say, "... paying them to cut our
wood". Here is the interview in case no one believes "facts" ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Don Corey
Content Deactivated
Reply to Dan Lee
Yes, the forest industry does pay royalties. No, we don't "pay them to
cut". Yes, the department reimburses Licensees for necessary
silviculture conducted on crown lands; that has been the case since
the Crown Lands and Forests Act back around 1981, so nothing new here.
As to the "poison", that's your word for it.....not mine.
James Hickey
Reply to Don Corey
we lose money on our crown forests , how can anyone lose money selling wood
Don Corey
Reply to Dennis Atchison
Ken Hardie is a smart guy, but he also has his own agenda; and it's
generally in conflict with the forest industry. Then there is the
department, which sets annual crown royalty rates. The "facts" are far
more complicated than Hardie's take on the situation. However, he is
absolutely right on about royalty rates (especially for
sawlogs.....softwood and hardwood). They are way TOO LOW.
James Hickey
Reply to Don Corey
who do you work for
Don Corey
Reply to James Hickey
I'm retired. No, I didn't work for Irving, or DNR, but I do know what
I'm talking about.
Don Corey
Reply to James Hickey
Good question. Our crown lands should be managed as a net source of
revenue to the province. For example, what used to be Fraser Freehold
land (over 700,000 acres) in NW NB is now owned and managed by Acadian
Timber. They generate a significant profit every year, selling their
wood to mills in NB and Maine as well as providing recreational
opportunities (at a cost) to the public.
David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
Amen
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Don Corey
"I'm retired. No, I didn't work for Irving, or DNR, but I do know what
I'm talking about."
Me too
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Peter Churcher
Say Hey to Mikey Holland for me will ya? Tell him I know why he never
voted for me.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Dan Lee
Amen
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Dennis Atchison
Methinks its interesting that you are allowed to promote yourself N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to Rosco holt
Bingo
Richard Ames
Irving doesn't like to share information. As leader of the Green
Party, he should know that.
Rosco holt
Reply to Richard Ames
Just like the Irving Premier. Data shmata.
Sam Smithers
Content Deactivated
Reply to Richard Ames
PCs getting data delivered that the Liberals did not, what else is new.
James Hickey
Content Deactivated
Reply to Rosco holt
Frank McKenna and bud bird started the giveaway so do not blame higgs
although he has not fixed it
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to James Hickey
What you say is true about Franky Boy and his many cohorts not just
his buddy Bird. However our little Lord promised if he were to be
elected to reverse the foul play practiced against private woodlot
owners and their fellow stakeholders in Crown land but never did and
no government has done so since. Methinks Higgy is just the latest
ringmaster in this circus N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Sam Smithers
I heard that your hero Higgy has no respect for data
David Amos
Reply to Rosco holt
Well put
David Amos
Reply to Richard Ames
Yup
Archara Goldehere
Reply to Sam Smithers
7 years late wow come on lol you are very funny if you think this is ok lol
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
New Brunswick goes quiet on whether forest companies really face $50M
royalty hike
Minister mum on whether major increase announced in July is as large
as first claimed
Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Sep 28, 2022 9:00 AM ADT
New Brunswick applies 20 different royalty rates to trees cut on
Crown land, down from 38 last year. In July the province said it
expects to earn an additional $50 million from rate increases but
won't confirm that is still what is expected. (Submitted by Ben Sweet)
The New Brunswick government says forestry companies will pay "tens of
millions of dollars" more in timber royalties this year than last
year, but it appears to have backed away from a widely circulated
claim in July that extra revenue for the province could reach $50
million
What caused the shift is not entirely clear, and so far provincial
officials are not answering questions about it.
In a letter released last week criticizing a CBC News story that
showed royalty rates on softwood pulpwood are being lowered by the
province, Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike
Holland said most types of wood taken from provincially owned forests
carry higher prices than last year, and forestry companies are paying
more.
"Let me be clear, this new fee structure will result in tens of
millions of dollars in additional revenue for the province of New
Brunswick," says the three-page open letter signed by Holland and
released publicly last Friday.
"Total timber royalties could top $100 million."
That's a subtle but potentially significant revision of earlier
estimates that the province would receive $50 million this year from
increasing royalty rates.
Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland
released a letter last week suggesting higher timber royalties "could
top $100 million" this year. An estimate he gave in July was millions
more. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
According to government budget documents, "forest royalties" for the
current year were originally projected to reach $68.1 million prior to
the change in royalty rates.
Reaching $100 million instead would require $32 million in additional
royalty revenue, not $50 million, and in Holland's new letter hitting
that lower target is only phrased as something that "could" happen.
Questions to Holland's department about whether the original estimate
of companies paying $50 million more for Crown wood this year is still
valid or has been revised downward have gone unanswered since last
week.
Additional questions about whether the original estimate might have
been a miscalculation or misstatement or whether royalty rates were
ultimately set lower than first planned have also received no
response.
New Brunswick Finance Ernie Steeves updated his budget numbers in a
first-quarter report in August, but the document included no
projections on revenue increases expected from increased timber
royalties. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
In early July, Holland gave multiple interviews to New Brunswick media
outlets to announce royalty rates were increasing by $50 million this
year.
According to Holland at the time, average royalty rates for companies
taking wood from provincially owned forests would be climbing $10 per
cubic metre. Multiplied over the five million cubic metres or more
companies take for mills each year in New Brunswick, he put the
expected revenue increase at $50 million.
"We've instigated an increase for this year, a fairly significant
increase," Holland told CBC News. "It could project up to $50 million
worth of additional revenue to the province for this fiscal year."
Similar stories appeared in other media outlets in the province, all
mentioning the $50 million figure.
However, when new royalty rates took effect in August, the average
increase of $10 per cubic metre was not apparent in the regulations.
Single large trees like this spruce in the Pocologan watershed often
carry multiple royalty rates when found and cut on Crown land. In New
Brunswick this year large trunks used for making softwood lumber have
had royalties increase, but rates on pulpwood made from the smaller
tree tops have gone down. (Submitted by Ben Sweet)
It is a difficult issue to track exactly because in addition to
adjusting rates, the province condensed what had been 38 separate
timber royalty categories into 20. Despite that, it appears clear
enough that average royalties have not increased by the $10 amount
quoted in July.
According to figures compiled by the New Brunswick Forest Products
Commission, about 60 per cent of the wood taken from Crown land in New
Brunswick is spruce, pine and fir tree "roundwood" sent to sawmills
and cut into lumber. The average royalty on that material has
increased about $9 per cubic metre.
A further 25 per cent of the wood cut on Crown land is poplar and
other hardwood used for pulp, and royalties on most of that increased
just $2.32 per cubic metre.
Combined, those royalty increases should be worth about $30 million in
new revenue if companies cut at normal levels, but it is difficult to
see where an additional $20 million would come from.
Some smaller volume species taken from provincial forests like
hardwood sawlogs did see royalty charges jump more than $10 per cubic
metre, but others fell well below that amount, including softwood
pulpwood, which had its royalty rate cut.
In his letter, Holland said he is "serious" about getting "the maximum
value for our Crown lands for all New Brunswickers. Whether that
includes $50 million increased timber royalties this year, or some
lesser amount his department won't say.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Jones
Reporter
Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick
since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New
Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the
adoption of price regulation in 2006.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
90 Comments
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Oh My My
"In a letter released last week criticizing a CBC News story that
showed royalty rates on softwood pulpwood are being lowered by the
province, Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike
Holland said most types of wood taken from provincially owned forests
carry higher prices than last year, and forestry companies are paying
more.
"Let me be clear, this new fee structure will result in tens of
millions of dollars in additional revenue for the province of New
Brunswick," says the three-page open letter signed by Holland and
released publicly last Friday."
Methinks Minister Mikey doesn't like Mr Jones poking holes in his
stuffed shirt N'esy Pas?
Kyle Woodman
Mike Holland sold out our resources in exchange for a Turkey Hunt for
him and his buddies. What a disgrace.
Lou Bell
Reply to @Kyle Woodman
Former Premier McKenna sold out Anglophone NBers for votes . What a disgrace
Lou Bell
Reply to @Kyle Woodman
The former Liberals attempted to pilfer an uNDISCLOSED 130 MILLION
taxpayer dollars for their " Phonie Games "
Lou Bell
Reply to @Lou Bell:
That's a disgrace Kyle !
Kyle Woodman
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Do you have any new material?
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Lou Bell:
So in your books McKenna and Mike Holland are both a disgrace. Thanks
for the admission Lou.
Brian Buchannon
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Yes, both liberals and cons have been bad for us, on this I agree
Lou Bell
Reply to @Fred Brewer: Comprehension isn't that hard Fred . Never said
it and it's not there , but you go ahead and spin it !
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Let's see:
Kyle said Holland was a disgrace.
Rather than rebut that statement, your response was that McKenna was a disgrace.
Logical inference is that you were making a parallel comparison
between Holland and McKenna.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to @Kyle Woodman
Methinks she and her buddy Cardy must have ran out of butter tarts N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Dom and justin just gave millions OF OUR MONEY to the Irvings in the
port of Halifax !!! Dom had to confirm he is good friends with Jim
Irving in his personal disclosure after he was elected ! Liberals need
to TRY HARDER !!!
Michael Cain
Reply to @Lou Bell
Jim is forestry, isn't he?
Dan Stewart
Reply to @Lou Bell
LOL..So, what about this story Lou? You need to try harder..
Lou Bell
Reply to @Dan Stewart
Another Liberal enabled CBC story , just another " nothing burger "
from the CBC , as usual .
Lou Bell
Reply to @Michael Cain
And also in shipbuilding . Try to keep up .
Dan Stewart
Reply to @Lou Bell
LOL.. Yep.. thats the typical excuse a good Con likes to use when they
can't really defend their parties actions... No surprise there right
lou?
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to @Dan Stewart
Methinks Lou understands why I feel honoured by the fact that Higgy
and all the other PCs who live in Fundy Royal and sent me butter tarts
have never voted for me N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canad
N.B. receiving less than nothing on softwood pulpwood after Crown
timber royalty changes
Timber royalties in New Brunswick increased in August but with one
notable exception
Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Sep 23, 2022 8:00 AM ADT
A stump from a recently cut spruce tree in Charlotte County. On Crown
land, New Brunswick has cut royalties on softwood pulp so low the wood
has become cheaper than free to companies that cut it. (Robert
Jones/CBC)
The New Brunswick government reset timber royalties as promised last
month but not all charges to forest companies went up as the province
has been suggesting, including to MLAs last week.
In one case, royalties levied for cutting softwood pulpwood on Crown
land have been slashed to levels so low the wood is now effectively
being made available for less than free to companies that cut it.
Liberal finance critic René Legacy said that is a surprise to him,
especially since MLAs on the legislature's public accounts committee
put questions about timber royalties to the Department of Natural
Resources and Energy Development just last week.
"We were in committee asking questions and there was no indication
this was happening," said Legacy.
René Legacy, the Liberal MLA for Bathurst West-Beresford and the
party's finance critic, says he is surprised government forestry
officials did not disclose during their appearance before MLAs last
week that softwood pulpwood timber royalty rates have been cut.
(Jacques Poitras/CBC)
"We never seem to get the complete picture."
According to new regulations filed Aug. 30, the province reset what it
charges forest companies to cut trees in publicly owned forests. Most
royalty rates on most types of wood have increased but with
exceptions.
Amounts the province charges forest companies for spruce, fir and jack
pine pulpwood cut on Crown land dropped more than half in August from
$7.59 to $3.40 per cubic metre.
New Brunswick hikes Crown timber fees 30 per cent
Higher prices for everyone selling wood to New Brunswick mills expected soon
Other softwood species used for pulp, like red pine, also fell to
$3.40 per cubic metre but from a previous level of $5.50.
Royalty is now less than fee paid to companies
A royalty of $3.40 is too low to generate net revenue for government
because of a $3.90 fee the province is required to return to forest
companies on every cubic metre of qualifying wood they cut on Crown
land. That includes all pulpwood.
The "licence management service fee" is listed in regulations as
"compensation for forest management expenses" that companies incur
looking after Crown forests on behalf of the province.
Because the management fee owed by the province to companies on every
cubic metre of softwood they cut for pulp is now 50 cents higher than
what the province gets back in royalties, it has become a net loser on
softwood pulp that companies take on Crown land.
That amount varies annually but over the last five years companies
have been cutting between 150,000 and 260,000 cubic metres of softwood
pulpwood from Crown holdings.
Most softwood pulpwood in New Brunswick ends up in J.D. Irving Ltd.
mills, such as the company's Saint John pulp mill, after passing
through JDI's chipping operation in Sussex. (Robert Jones/CBC)
The cut in royalty charges on softwood pulp was not mentioned by
government forestry officials last week when Legacy and Progressive
Conservative MLA Ross Wetmore both asked questions about the subject
at the public accounts committee.
Chris Ward, assistant deputy minister of Natural Resources, told
Wetmore simply that "higher timber royalty rates" in the province had
taken effect.
'Looks to me like a quid pro quo'
Green Party Leader David Coon, who was also at the committee hearing,
was also unaware that royalty rates on softwood pulp had been cut.
He worries that will force private sellers of softwood pulp to lower
their own prices or lead forest companies to bypass private sellers in
favour of accessing more softwood pulp from Crown land.
Surging lumber prices generate better prices for New Brunswick
trees — in Maine
N.B. fixes to wood pricing system not enough to satisfy U.S.
"It's dreadful. It's another big impact on woodlot owners," said Coon,
who wondered if it was done to quiet criticism among forestry
companies about rates increasing on other types of timber.
"It looks to me like a quid pro quo."
Most softwood pulpwood in New Brunswick, including most of the
softwood pulp cut on Crown land and by smaller woodlots, goes to J.D
Irving Ltd.'s Sussex wood chipping facility.
Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland
announced in July timber royalties in New Brunswick would be
increasing. There was no mention of decreases also happening. (Jacques
Poitras/CBC)
The company's vice-president of communications, Anne McInerney,
referred questions about the royalty changes to the province.
In a written statement, the department said softwood pulp is a small
percentage of wood cut in New Brunswick and that prices paid to
private sellers of softwood pulp are already depressed with the lower
royalty rate following that trend, not leading it.
"The softwood pulpwood market has been relatively weak and the
Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development has seen
significant volume of material either left in the woods during harvest
operations or used instead as roundwood biomass," said the statement.
"The Department expects this new rate to better reflect fair market
value and result in better utilization of this resource."
The department also said other higher-value wood with higher royalty
rates are cut at the same time as softwood pulp, earning more than
enough so "the Crown is never losing money."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Jones
Reporter
Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick
since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New
Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the
adoption of price regulation in 2006.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
123 Comments
David Amos
Methinks the silence of the Private Woodlot Owner Associations is
deafening N'esy Pas?
Gil Murray
Department of Natural Resources = Irving subsidiary. Bought years ago.
David Amos
Reply to Gil Murray
Yup
donnie hicks
A lot of that free pulp fibre is going straight to Macon
Georgia,Irving new tissue 470 million plant built in 2019.And 400
million expansion in 2022.Thats a lot New Brunswick natural resources
leaving our province making jobs for americans.Irvings invested one
billion there since 2017.All that wood should stay in N.B.What a shame
David Amos
Reply to donnie hicks
Well Put Sir
Kyle Woodman
Remember when Higgs said we were broke and everyone had to tighten
their belt. Well I guess he only meant people who don’t run in his
circles.
Ken Grant
Reply to @Kyle Woodman:
Don’t believe anything Higgs says.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Ken Grant
Methinks many folks would agree that its not wise to believe anything
any politician says. Thats why so many of us don't bother to vote
N'esy Pas?
Fred Brewer
Does Higgs not realize the permanent damage he is doing to his
reputation and to his party?
In the next election, the Liberals could run a soup can for Premier
and I would vote for the soup can rather than vote for the Cons.
Ken Grant
Reply to @Fred Brewer:
The Libs have done the same. The one family will always prosper at the
expense of the peasants
David Amos
Reply to Ken Grant
Oh So True
Brian mcknight
The Higgins Corporate Junta clearly rewards its benefactors.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Brian mcknight
Yup
Fred Brewer
This has to be the clearest indication to date, that NB is owned by
the Irving Empire. When are we changing our provincial name to
Irvingland?
David Amos
Reply to @Fred Brewer
Hmmm
Robert Buck
Only in New Brunswick!!!!
Bill Smith
Reply to @Robert Buck:
nah, in Ontario we pay the US to take our excess electricity while the
prices for Ontarians keep climbing
David Amos
Reply to Bill Smith
Wow
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada
Surging lumber prices generate better prices for New Brunswick trees — in Maine
Sellers claim stagnant timber royalties keep wood a bargain for local mills
Robert Jones · CBC News · Posted: Mar 07, 2022 7:00 AM AST
New Brunswick forest owners say prices paid by mills for logs in Maine
are up to 70 per cent more than in New Brunswick. They blame low New
Brunswick timber royalties for undercutting prices (Sean
Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
International lumber prices are surging again and private sellers of
wood in New Brunswick say that's been helping them get better prices
for their softwood logs. In Maine.
Linda Bell, the general manager of the Carleton-Victoria Forest
Products Marketing Board in Florenceville, N.B., said prices being
paid for saw logs at mills across the border are up to 70 per cent
higher than in New Brunswick. That makes the longer hauling distances
and increased paperwork required to serve U.S. mills worthwhile, she
said.
"What we're seeing in Maine is is an increased demand and increased
pricing," said Bell, who estimated a quarter of softwood cut by
private sellers in her area is now leaving the province.
"The price of lumber is up and their markets are really good."
Pleasant River Lumber in Maine is one of the companies buying softwood
from New Brunswick to run its mills (Pleasant River Lumber/Facebook)
Prices for lumber in North America have almost tripled since August
and are nearing record levels set last spring.
A series of shocks to lumber supplies, including historic flooding in
British Columbia in November and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have
taken turns roiling markets.
Russia is a significant global exporter of softwood lumber.
Much of its trade is with China, but tightening sanctions on Russia
have "goosed" nervous lumber markets that were already elevated,
according to wood product analyst Dustin Jalbert, who is with the
online commodity price reporting service fastmarkets.com.
Wood product analyst Dustin Jalbert said a number of factors have been
pushing lumber prices higher for months with the Russian invasion of
Ukraine the latest event making traders nervous. (Submitted by Dustin
Jalbert)
"Russia is probably the largest softwood timber resource on the planet
and there's a lot of lumber production," Jalbert said in an interview.
"This Russia Ukraine situation is only adding to the fear out in the
marketplace that there's not going to be enough building material
supply as we head into the prime home-building season."
In New Brunswick, forestry companies have been setting revenue records
during the pricing bumps, but those who cut and sell trees have
complained for more than a year that little of that bounty has been
making its way back to them or flowing to the province.
New Brunswick mills are supplied mostly from timber cut on publicly
owned Crown land.
Russia is a major lumber exporter and sanctions imposed on the country
following its invasion of Ukraine have caused worry in lumber markets.
(Maksim Levin/Reuters)
Private sellers contend that because the New Brunswick government does
not raise the price it charges for trees to match rising lumber prices
as most provinces do, prices they can charge mills as a result are
kept artificially low.
"When they're getting subsidized rates from Crown and a lot of their
supply comes from Crown they don't need our wood," said Bell.
"Therefore, the price is down and the demand is just not there."
Last month Statistics Canada reported New Brunswick forestry companies
rode elevated prices for a variety of wood products, mostly lumber and
plywood, to a record $2.6 billion in sales in 2021.
Softwood logs are loaded for processing at the J.D. Irving Ltd.
sawmill in Chipman. New Brunswick wood product mills made a record
$2.6 billion in 2021 but paid the same timber royalty rates they did
in 2016. (Gerard Sirois/GNB)
That was $1.3 billion higher than sales in 2016 even though prices
charged to forest companies by the province for the use of Crown wood
in both years were identical.
That's different from most provinces, which move what they charge for
trees up and down with the price of lumber to connect the value of
trees to the value of goods they are turned into.
In British Columbia, timber royalties have more than doubled in three
years as lumber prices have risen.
B.C. has made $558 million more from timber royalties than it was
budgeting this year alone, and those royalties are set to jump again
on April 1, when rates are next updated.
Next door in Alberta, timber royalties change even faster. They have
jumped five times since September and in March hit prices four times
higher than what New Brunswick is currently charging.
"Timber dues rates are based on the current market prices of forest
products," the province explains on its website.
"These charges ensure Albertans receive fair compensation for the use
of publicly owned forest resources."
Historic flooding in British Columbia in November that paralyzed
transportation routes such as Highway 7 at Ruby Creek is one of
several factors that have been pushing lumber prices up for the past
seven months. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
Last year, New Brunswick Natural Resources Minister Mike Holland
criticized timber royalty systems that rise and fall with lumber
prices even though every province west of New Brunswick uses some form
of floating charges.
Holland said New Brunswick's "stable steady" approach, where it set
rates back in 2015 and has not changed them since, has been better
over the long term.
"I've explained it several times that if we had to follow that model
of chasing the commodity from 2015 that Alberta did, because of the
significant swings not just high but low, there would been over $50
million over that five-year period that we as New Brunswick would have
left on the table," Holland told reporters last spring.
But that analysis no longer holds.
Alberta timber royalties have averaged more than double New
Brunswick's in the last year because of high lumber prices. They would
have raised $100 million more than New Brunswick rates could raise had
they been used instead.
That means over the last six years New Brunswick's royalty system
raised $50 million less from forestry companies than Alberta's system
would have.
Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland said
last year that New Brunswick made $50 million more over five years
from timber royalties than if it had tied rates to lumber prices like
Alberta. Over six years the amount has flipped to $50 million less.
(Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Holland's office did not immediately respond last week to a request
for comment about the current resurgence in lumber prices or whether
the province might reconsider its position not to tie the price of
trees in some way to the price of lumber, given revenues other
provinces have been raising.
Bell hopes the province does consider it.
She said higher prices New Brunswick sellers are getting for their
logs in Maine than they can get at home tells her prices locally are
artificially low.
She believes higher timber royalties imposed during strong lumber
markets would be affordable for companies, raise more money for the
province, and let local sellers charge amounts similar to what other
jurisdictions pay.
"They have no Crown wood. They're on an open market," Bell said about
the trade for logs in Maine.
"We're seeing pricing closer to fair market values there, than what we
see in New Brunswick."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Jones
Reporter
Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick
since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New
Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the
adoption of price regulation in 2006.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
No comments:
Post a Comment