(ELXN-NB)
The first full week of of the New Brunswick election campaign is kicking off today with announcements about housing and affordability planned from the two opposition parties.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt is scheduled to make an announcement in Saint John this morning about the party’s plan for a rent cap.
Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs will also be in Saint John, and is scheduled to hold a media event at a Jean Coutu pharmacy.
Meanwhile in Fredericton, Green Party Leader David Coon is set to make an announcement about plans to “end deep poverty in New Brunswick.”
(The Canadian Press)
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(Elxn-NB)
The New Brunswick Liberals are asking Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs to apologize for a joke he made at the launch of his party’s re-election bid.
At his Thursday night campaign kickoff in Quispamsis, Higgs recounted a purported 2014 conversation between a party canvasser and supporter in which the canvasser was told not to worry about someone who recently died because they supported the Liberals.
Hannah Fulton Johnston, executive director of the New Brunswick Liberal Association, says making light of the death of any New Brunswicker is highly inappropriate for anyone and completely unacceptable for the premier of the province.
When asked about the Liberals’ request for an apology, Progressive Conservative Party Executive Director Doug Williams shifted the focus to past remarks from Liberal Leader Susan Holt and tried to draw a parallel between her and her unpopular federal counterpart, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (The Canadian Press)
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NB-Alert-Ready-Arrests)
R-C-M-P in New Brunswick say a 15-year-old, who was the subject of an Alert Ready, was arrested on Friday along with four others.
They say officers responded to a report of a person with a gun near Moncton High School on Friday around 1 p-m, and identified the 15-year-old suspect.
Police say an alert was sent out around 2:45 p-m, saying the suspect was travelling in a grey Dodge Caravan.
They say five people were found and arrested about an hour later, and the vehicle that they were travelling in was seized. (The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Barn-Fire)
A vegetable farm in New Brunswick suffered the loss of one of its barns this weekend due to a fire.
Riverview firefighters responded to a call before 2 a-m Sunday about a barn on fire at Sunden Farms in Lower Coverdale and the building was quickly engulfed in flames.
Farm owner Jonathan Howe says it’s a shock and serious loss, but they’re relieved that no one was injured.
Howe says the destroyed barn was used to grow leafy greens for lettuce mixes, which represents the loss of about 225 kilogram of produce a week.
(CBC News)
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(NL-Film-Award)
A film made in and based in St. John’s, Newfoundland picked up some major awards at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.
The movie called “Skeet” is described as a redemption story following a man who has been released from prison and forms an unlikely friendship with a refugee.
The film picked up awards for best Atlantic cinematographer and best outstanding performance by an actor.
(VOCM)
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(Atlantic Update by The Canadian Press)
