DONALD SOBEY, SON OF GROCERY STORE FOUNDER, REMEMBERED FOR LEADERSHIP, PHILANTHROPY
Photo from Empire Company Limited
Donald Sobey, former president and chairman of Empire Company Ltd. and the son of the Sobey’s grocery store founder has died. He was 86 years old. Michael Medline, president and CEO of Empire and Sobeys Inc., says the companies are indebted to him for his leadership, business acumen and passion. He says Sobey was a great businessperson as well as a visionary philanthropist who believed in nurturing Canadian artists and supporting the next generation of leaders. Stellarton Mayor Danny MacGillivray issued a statement saying “Mr. Sobey, along with his brothers, firmly established their monumental grocery chain in Stellarton. We will always hold a strong appreciation and a deep connection to the Sobey family for all that they have done for our Town.” Flags at Stellarton Town Square have been lowered to half mast. The Square was donated to the Town of Stellarton by the Sobey families. Donald Sobey is survived by his wife, Beth, his three children, and five grandchildren. (With files from The Canadian Press)
Full statement from Mayor MacGillivray: “On behalf of the Town of Stellarton, we wish to extend sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Donald Sobey. Mr. Sobey, along with his brothers, firmly established their monumental grocery chain in Stellarton. We will always hold a strong appreciation and a deep connection to the Sobey family for all that they have done for our Town. Mr. Sobey was a hard worker, starting his days with Sobeys as a grocery bagger and working his way up through the ranks, regardless of his lineage. We have lowered the flags at Stellarton Town Square to half mast. The Town Square was donated to the Town of Stellarton by the Sobey families. It is not only a community gathering place but also serves as a visual reminder of all that they have done for our Town. We recently completed a Heritage Survey. Our residents believe Stellarton’s biggest claim to fame is that we are home to Sobeys, Canada’s second largest food retailer. Considering we have always been known for our coal mining heritage, this is a significant feat. I believe that says it all when it comes to what Mr. Sobey and his family mean to our community in Stellarton. The Town of Stellarton cannot express enough gratitude to Mr. Donald Sobey for his many contribution to the Town. Our thoughts are with the Sobey family at this difficult time.”
GAS DOWN BY ALMOST 10 CENTS IN NEW BRUNSWICK
There was a big drop in New Brunswick gas prices overnight, down 9.3 cents. Diesel is down by 5.1 cents. Nova Scotia will set its fuel prices tonight at midnight.
N.S. ANNOUNCES MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
The province says it’s amending the Municipal Government Act and the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter to provide more transparency and increased accountability for Nova Scotians by their local government. The changes will require municipalities to have a code of conduct for municipal councils. These proposed legislative amendments will require municipalities and village commissions to include requirements outlined by the province in their code of conduct and appoint an independent body to receive and investigate alleged breaches. The amendments will also enable councils or commissions to sanction members found to have breached the code of conduct, allow in-camera discussions about breaches and give additional regulation authority to the minister of Municipal Affairs.
N.S. also says it’s making changes to the Municipal Government Act and the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter that will enable local governments to help businesses become more accessible and support Nova Scotia’s goal of being barrier free by 2030. The changes will give municipalities the ability to provide financial assistance directly to businesses that are making changes to support accessibility for people with disabilities.
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT TO TABLE BUDGET TODAY
Finance and Treasury Board Minister Labi Kousoulis carried on the Canadian tradition of selecting a pair of shoes for budget day. For Nova Scotia’s budget, he had a pair of older shoes resoled at Quinpool Shoe Repair in Halifax, signalling economic renewal to get through COVID-19. Mr. Kousoulis then visited Aerobics First in Halifax to make a donation to their Fit-It-Forward program, which provides properly fitted, quality footwear to those who need assistance. (NS GOV)
Nova Scotia’s Liberal government is to table its first budget today under new Premier Iain Rankin. A government source with knowledge of the fiscal plan says it will contain the goal of getting the province back to balance within four years. Finance Minister Labi Kousoulis has already said his budget will be in deficit because of spending required to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The government source says the budget won’t have any tax or fee increases and will contain a “good-sized” investment in health and long-term care. Rankin has said that despite a “significant deficit,” the budget will target spending in areas where people need immediate help. The premier has singled out mental health as an area of health care that will get increased support. Kousoulis released the 2021-22 capital budget on Tuesday, which included more than one-billion dollars for highway, school and hospital projects. (The Canadian Press)
ANTIGONISH RCMP INVESTIGATING ANTI-INDIGENOUS GRAFFITI
Antigonish County RCMP is investigating after anti-Indigenous graffiti was discovered on Highway 104 near Heatherton. RCMP say they received a complaint from a passing motorist alerting them to the graffiti on Tuesday. The offensive graffiti has since been removed by the department of transportation and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Antigonish RCMP at 902-863-6500. If you would like to remain anonymous you can contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). A secure web tip can be submitted at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or use the P3 Tips App.
PROVINCE REPORTS 5 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LATEST UPDATE
Five new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the latest provincial update. The cases are in Central Zone. Three of the cases are close contacts of previously reported cases. The other two cases are related to travel outside Atlantic Canada. The people are self-isolating, as required. Nova Scotia now has 24 active cases of COVID-19.
One of the people overseeing Nova Scotia’s vaccine rollout says changes are being made to speed up booking so the province can meet its estimated target of offering the first dose to people 16 and up by the middle of June. The associate deputy minister responsible for the COVID-19 immunization strategy, Tracey Barbrick told CBC the province is making it easier for Nova Scotians to book an appointment by phone by increasing capacity to 50 call lines from 30 and said another call centre is on the way. Changes have also been made to how people book appointments online after the province’s website was flooded with visitors in early March and had to shut down for several hours. An online virtual waiting room has been created so that there’s a number of people that are taken into the waiting room, and when a booking option opens up, they’re allowed in to book. On Tuesday, the province released approximate dates for when each age group will get a first dose, if vaccine deliveries arrive as scheduled. (CBC)
WESTJET RESTORING SUSPENDED REGIONAL FLIGHTS FOR ATLANTIC CANADA & QUEBEC CITY
Meanwhile, there was some encouraging news for the travel industry yesterday, WestJet says it is restoring flights to several regional destinations in Eastern Canada that were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline says it will resume flying to Charlottetown, Fredericton, Moncton, Sydney, and Quebec City. WestJet suspended service to the five cities in November. The flights are to resume over six days beginning June 24. In addition, service between St. John’s, N.L., and Toronto will resume June 24 — after flights were suspended in October. A restart of service between St. John’s, N.L., and Halifax will also be moved up to May 6 from the previous target of June 24. (The Canadian Press)
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS’ TRUST SHAKEN BY RANKIN’S ABOUT-FACE ON BIODIVERSITY BILL
Photo: Gretchen Fitzgerald, national director for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, stands in front of the Nova Scotia legislature in Halifax on March 24, 2021. (Global News )
Nova Scotia environmental groups are saying their hopes in the new Liberal premier have been shaken by his government’s about-face on legislation aimed at protecting biodiversity. Premier Iain Rankin made environmental issues a key part of his leadership campaign, and his government in its recent throne speech declared the environment one of three policy pillars. However, Raymond Plourde, wilderness coordinator with the Ecology Action Centre, says the government’s plan to remove enforcement provisions from the law shows the province caving in to what he calls a “misinformation campaign” by the forestry industry that stirred fears among private landowners. The Biodiversity Act tabled two weeks ago originally allowed for enforcement measures on private lands, which comprise about 70 per cent of the province’s land mass, to protect endangered plants and animals, combat invasive species and preserve at-risk ecosystems. However, in a late-day news release on Tuesday, the government announced it is planning to remove emergency orders, offences and fines from the act, and limit the bill’s scope to Crown lands, with some voluntary measures possible for private properties. Gretchen Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, says the campaign against the legislation means that her group will have to fight harder to protect public lands to preserve species such as hemlock trees, mainland moose, peregrine falcons and Blanding’s turtles. (The Canadian Press)
ACTIVITY ON THE PICTOU WATERFRONT THIS WEEK
Facebook Photo: Town of Pictou
You may have noticed machinery and equipment on the Pictou Waterfront this week. The Town says it has engaged a company to conduct core sampling of the harbour bed near the marina and that this is the first step in a replacement plan for the breakwater for the marina on the waterfront. Pictou has been working towards a plan for upgrades to Market Wharf and a new permanent breakwater structure. Updates will be provided as the project progresses on the town Facebook page and the website.
