NOVEMBER JOB NUMBERS LOOK GOOD, SAY ECONOMISTS
NOVA SCOTIA JOBLESS RATE NOW THE LOWEST IN CANADA
The latest unemployment numbers for November show the country added about 62,000 new jobs last month, with Nova Scotia leading the pack. Economists had only been expecting about 10 to 20-thousand new paycheques nationwide. However, number crunchers are pointing out the latest job-count stems from information collected from employers in the first half of November – which was before COVID lockdown measures were strengthened in Ontario, Quebec and here in Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia added 10-thousand jobs in November – to drop our unemployment rate to 6.4 per cent, which is the lowest among all the provinces.
The jobs increase across this province in November was mostly in full-time work, with a net gain of 8,800 positions to accompany a net gain of 1,200 part-time jobs. The agency’s numbers show employment in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, had returned to pre-COVID levels by November.
(Uline Photo)
RCMP LOOKING FOR THEIVES WHO STOLE METER AND KNOCKED OUT TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Mystery partly solved on the traffic lights not working Thursday – at the corner of the Trenton Connector and Abercrombie Road. Pictou County RCMP say somebody had the gall to steal the power meter that kept it lit up for drivers to stay safe. Investigators say the crime took place at a building adjacent to the intersection between midnight and 6 o’clock yesterday morning. It could have caused a serious accident, so police would like you to call if you can help. Their number is 902-755-4141. And as always, if you’d like to stay anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
A GAS PRICE REPRIEVE THIS WEEK, DIESEL UP SLIGHTLY
A jump in the value of the Canadian dollar yesterday is protecting us from the forecast of a hike in gas prices. They’re unchanged in Nova Scotia from last week, although diesel prices are up by 1.1 cents per litre, putting your best price for diesel at 96.7 cents in the local pricing zone.
MILITARY HELPING WITH “DRY RUN” ON COVID VACCINE DISTRIBUTION ON MONDAY
Federal and provincial governments will stage a dress rehearsal Monday to test the complex plan to get precious COVID-19 vaccines distributed to every corner of Canada.
Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who was named last week to lead the Canadian military’s role in the vaccine distribution process, says the dry run is intended to get everyone involved comfortable with the intense requirements of distributing a vaccine that has to be kept below -70 C at all times.
A national operations centre established in Ottawa is quarterbacking the effort, and looking at two phases of a vaccine rollout. The first will be over the winter, with about six million doses of vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna, enough to vaccinate three million people with two doses each. Since Monday’s plan is for a trial run of vaccine distribution, Dr. Matthew Oughton at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal says he expects to see problems pop up in the system – after all, he says that’s the purpose of doing Monday’s trial distribution in the first place.
The second effort will start in the spring, when “millions more” doses are expected from Pfizer and Moderna, and likely from at least some of the other five vaccines Canada has signed on to buy. Pfizer’s vaccine could be approved in Canada as early as next week and Moderna’s before the end of December. (Photo Credit – The Big Story)
COVID CASELOAD STILL HIGH, CLOSES ANOTHER NOVA SCOTIA SCHOOL, TRURO AND MILFORD RETAILERS AND FLIGHTS TO HALIFAX ON THE LATEST WATCH LIST
The new caseload for COVID in this province remains in the double-digits. Nova Scotia reported 11 new coronavirus cases in the latest update. Nine are in the Central Health Zone and two people are on the Sipekne’katik First Nation in the Northern Zone, near Shubenacadie. It’s the first time the virus has been detected on a First Nation in the Atlantic Region. One of the Halifax cases is at Citadel High School, which is closed for deep cleaning until at least Tuesday.
Nova Scotia Health Public Health is also advising of potential exposure to COVID-19 at two retail locations in the Northern Zone and two flights. In addition to media releases, all potential exposure notifications are now listed here: http://www.nshealth.ca/covid-exposures. Public Health is currently in the process of contacting all businesses listed below.
Anyone present at the following locations on the specified date and time is asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
- Walmart (140 Wade Rd, Truro) on Nov. 28 between 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 12.
- Foodland (2295 Nova Scotia Trunk 2, Milford) on Nov. 28 between 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It is anticipated that anyone exposed to the virus at this location on the named date may develop symptoms up to, and including, Dec. 12.
Anyone who was on the following flights in the specified rows/seats is asked to continue to self-isolate and immediately visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a COVID-19 test, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. You can also call 811 if you don’t have online access or if you have other symptoms that concern you.
- West Jet flight 232 traveling from Calgary (9:30 a.m.) to Halifax (5:40 p.m.) on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Passengers in rows 1-9 in all seats are asked to continue to self-isolate and immediately visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a test regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
Swoop Flight WO408 traveling from Toronto to Halifax on Friday, Nov 27. Passengers in rows 12-18 in seats A, B, C, D are asked to continue to self-isolate and immediately visit covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to book a test regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms. All other passengers on this flight should continue to self-isolate as required and self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
CSIS SAYS RUSSIAN, CHINA AND IRAN WANT US TO FAIL WITH VACCINE USE
Federal investigators at CSIS have produced 170 pages of evidence against three main countries who want to keep Western countries like Canada from conquering the Coronavirus by spreading fear about the upcoming vaccines. They are Russia, China and Iran, and agents here say their methods involve posting false messages about the safety of the vaccines on social media.
WESTVILLE MAN CHARGED IN THE WAKE OF DEADLY SUMMER CAR CRASH
A fatal single-vehicle crash that took place on the Egypt Road in Hillside last summer has produced serious charges against an 18-year-old Westville man. Connor Roland MacLeod is up on six charges when he faces a local judge in April. Those charges include impaired and dangerous driving. RCMP responded just after 1:30 on the morning on July 16th. A local woman was pronounced dead at the crash site while two other people had to be hospitalized. The crash occurred when the vehicle left the road and flipped over.
TAXI DRIVER ACCUSED OF BILKING CLIENT’S BANK ACCOUNT
A Lower Sackville taxi driver is facing charges after police say he stole thousands of dollars from a client’s bank account after becoming familiar with his client through regular trips. The first reports came into provincial RCMP on Monday of LAST week in Mount Uniacke. Officers were told the accused man, in his fifties, who was driving a taxi in the East Hants area, stole his client’s bank card and gained access to his code number. They say the accused used that information to steal more than $20,000 from the victim over a period of time. RCMP have charged 57-year-old Rodney Bryan McCarthy with theft over $5,000 and uttering threats toward the victim.
PROVINCE WANTS YOU TO WEIGH IN ON NEW RULES OF THE ROAD
The province is looking for your opinions about planned regulations to govern how motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and others use the Nova Scotia road system. The input phase includes regulations that clarify the use of hand-held devices while driving and establish what modes of transportation can even use the road. They also want us to comment on updating hand signals for cyclists and increasing the parking distances between vehicles and curbs. New rules for electric scooters are still in the works and are expected to be part of the next phase.
DR. STRANG’S TIES PART OF TREE AUCTION FOR CHARITY
As we get ready for Christmas, one anonymous person is celebrating with a unique tree, which was won with a bid of more than $8200 dollars at a charity auction. Instead of snowflakes or L-E-D lights, this tree is adorned with ties from Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Robert Strang. Strang’s eclectic tie collection has been thrown into the spotlight during the province’s regular COVID-19 updates, which are streamed online. It was his wife’s idea to wear a different colourful neck-piece every day. The money will go to help the Mental Health Foundation grant peoples’ wishes, and Dr. Strang says that’s just fine with him. (Photo Credit – Fabink Photography)
NOVA SCOTIA WOMEN HONOURED, SOME WITH PICTOU COUNTY STORIES
Six Nova Scotia women are in the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and there are some Pictou County connections.
Three of the women lost their lives in service, Const. Heidi Stevenson of the RCMP, Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough of the Royal Canadian Navy and Capt. Jenn Casey of the Air Force, were named in the new Women of Courage category. This award recognizes women who champion Canada and its values with courage and compassion, even as it means risking their careers, reputations and, sometimes, their lives.
Kelliann Dean, the longest-serving deputy minister in Nova Scotia, was chosen as a CIBC Executive Leader for exemplifying what it means to be a great leader who instills confidence. Heidi Jamieson-Mills, Senior VP of Finance, Reporting and Treasury for Sobeys head office here in Pictou County received an Intact Professionals award.
