N.S. Tories to present spring budget Tuesday as premier distances himself from Speaker over COVID warning
Nova Scotia’s spring budget is to be presented today. It’s the first budget for the Progressive Conservative government under Premier Tim Houston. The budget is expected to spend heavily on the province’s ailing health-care system as the Tories promised during last summer’s election campaign. Houston has warned to expect significant deficits over the next couple of years.
Meanwhile, Houston is distancing himself and his government from a decision by the Speaker to issue a COVID-19 exposure notice at the legislature over the weekend. In an unusual move, the Premier tweeted on Monday that the decision to issue the notice and close the building to the public was made by Speaker Keith Bain alone. The premier was reacting to a memo circulated to members of the legislature on Saturday by the Speaker, warning of a COVID-19 exposure inside the building. Critics of the memo took to social media to complain of a double standard, because the province had stopped issuing COVID-19 exposure notifications to the public. Houston says there should not be two different standards for politicians and for the public. In an email, the Office of the Speaker says the decision to close the legislature to the public was temporary and was made to ensure the House of Assembly can “successfully fulfil its duties.” The email says that Bain, a member of the Progressive Conservatives, will not be commenting further on the matter. (The Canadian Press)
RCMP officers doubted reports about replica police cruiser
The first three RCMP officers to respond to the mass shooting in Nova Scotia in April 2020 testified on Monday that they were initially doubtful the killer was in a marked RCMP vehicle. Const. Stuart Beselt, the team leader that night, told the inquiry that as the three were driving at top speed to the scene of the shootings in Portapique, they had to keep an open mind about what they were being told by the dispatcher. Beselt says he could never have imagined that the suspect’s vehicle was an exact replica of a fully marked RCMP police cruiser, complete with emergency lights. He and Const. Aaron Patton told the inquiry that had the three officers encountered the vehicle in the darkened enclave, they probably would have hesitated as they moved in on foot, making them easy targets for the gunman. Beselt and Patton offered their testimony along with Const. Adam Merchant as members of a witness panel, answering questions from inquiry lawyer Roger Burrill. Their testimony marked the first time the inquiry has heard from anyone directly involved in the worst mass shooting in modern Canadian history. (The Canadian Press)
Apology to Canada’s first Black battalion to come this summer: defence minister
The federal government says it will issue a formal apology this summer for the discrimination suffered by members of Canada’s only all-Black unit to serve in the First World War. Defence Minister Anita Anand says the government has been in consultation with descendants of the 600 members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion over the last year. Anand’s predecessor, former defence minister Harjit Sajjan, first announced a year ago that plans were in the works for a formal apology that would highlight the fact that hundreds of Black men in Canada were turned away when they volunteered to fight overseas in 1914. Following two years of protests, the Canadian military was granted approval in 1916 to establish a segregated, non-combat battalion. Quebec Liberal MP Greg Fergus says the apology is long overdue and represents a step toward celebrating the contribution of the battalion in Canadian history. Anand says the official apology will take place on July 9th in Truro. (The Canadian Press)
Province, Ottawa announce $916,000 in community housing grants
On Monday, the provincial and federal governments announced $916,000 in grants to community housing organizations across Nova Scotia. 18 organizations are receiving grants, which includes $7,159 for Viola’s Place in New Glasgow. The funding through the Community Housing Capacity Building Program will be used for governance and operations reviews, plans for growth and development, the creation of community land trusts and other capacity building needs. The Community Housing Capacity Building Program is jointly funded through the Canada-Nova Scotia Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy.
Organizations receiving grants:
— Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality: $160,412 (two grants)
— Strait Area Housing Development Society, Port Hawkesbury: $85,000
— Tawaak Housing Association, Halifax Regional Municipality: $74,750
— Housing Trust Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality: $74,750
— Preston Area Housing Fund, Halifax Regional Municipality: $65,090
— DownTheMarsh Community Land Trust, Truro: $63,900
— YWCA, Halifax Regional Municipality: $58,200
— Wenjikwom Housing Commission Society, Truro: $57,500
— Cape Breton Community Housing Association, Cape Breton Regional Municipality: $46,000
— New Dawn, Cape Breton Regional Municipality: $46,000
— Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust, Halifax Regional Municipality: $40,000
— Queen’s Care, Liverpool: $40,000
— Dartmouth Non-Profit, Halifax Regional Municipality: $28,600
— Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, Antigonish/Kentville: $22,425
— Old School Community Gathering, Musquodoboit Harbour, Halifax Regional Municipality: $17,250
— Alice Housing, Halifax Regional Municipality: $16,958
— New Ross, Lunenburg County: $12,650
— Viola’s Place, New Glasgow: $7,159
Canada to offer language training, employment assistance to Ukrainians fleeing war
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said yesterday the government will help Ukrainians arriving in Canada find a job and learn to speak English or French. Applications opened March 17 for a program to allow an unlimited number of Ukrainians fleeing war in their home country to come to Canada for up to three years while they decide whether they want to apply for permanent residency. Those who are approved can work or study in Canada during their stay. The Immigration Department says nearly 60,000 Ukrainians and their family members have applied for the program so far. The department estimated it would take about two weeks to process each application, so Ukrainians could begin to arrive under the new program as early as this weekend. (The Canadian Press)
Tearmann Celebration of Art returns May 6th
Photo: Rayann Toner, Executive Director, Tearmann Society (left) and Carolyn Sexton, Tearmann Society Board member and Chair of the Celebration of Art event admire a watercolour painting held by artist Steve Cleroux which he has created to help support of the Tearmann Society fundraiser. (submitted)
Tearmann Society Board of Directors, Fundraising Committee and Executive Director Rayann Toner have announced the return of Tearmann’s Celebration of Art on Friday, May 6 at the Museum of Industry. Doors will open at 6:30pm for viewing of the art pieces and the official program will get underway at 7:30pm. There will also be a remembrance of and tribute to the late Karen O Hara, one of the founders of Tearmann and the Society’s first and longest serving Executive Director.
Tickets are $40 each and may be purchased from members of the Tearmann Board of Directors, at Big Al’s, New Glasgow or Hector Building Supplies, Stellarton.
