(NB-PC-Francophone)
New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservatives say they’ve created their first official languages committee.
A news release says the committee’s mandate includes ensuring the French language and culture is reflected in the party’s actions and direction.
The party says French-born René Ephestion was elected chair of the committee.
(The Canadian Press)
—
(NB-Acute-Care-Beds)
The outgoing chair of the patient safety committee of New Brunswick’s largest health agency is warning about the impact of a shortage of nursing home beds.
Dr. Stephen Bolton said Tuesday the number of hospital beds occupied by people awaiting long-term care represents “a clear and present danger to our clinical operations in Horizon Health.”
He spoke during a board meeting in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Bolton says about 571 patients are waiting for a nursing home bed or access to services in order to return home, as of May 31st — a third of all of the regional health authority’s hospital beds.
(CBC News)
—
(NS-Police-Review)
The Nova Scotia government says it is considering a larger role for the Mounties as the province restructures and modernizes its policing services.
Justice Minister Becky Druhan announced changes yesterday aimed at improving policing, resulting from a review launched in September 2023.
The review was announced about six months after the Mass Casualty Commission released a final report that was critical of the Mounties handling of the mass shooting in Nova Scotia that left 22 people dead in April 2020.
Other changes announced yesterday included creating community safety boards, recruiting more officers, and adding more resources for police in the field.
(The Canadian Press)
—
(NS-Air-Conditioning)
A woman on income assistance says some Nova Scotians living in poverty need help purchasing air conditioning to help prevent illness.
Julie Leggett of New Glasgow says she managed to win an appeal last summer before the income assistance board to get funding for her unit.
However, that decision isn’t binding, and the Department of Social Development confirmed yesterday it’s not making provision of the units a part of its policy.
Leggett says the result is saddening because it’s likely to mean some people will become sick due to extreme heat — and that will end up costing the public health system money.
(The Canadian Press)
—
(NL-Auditor-Report)
A new audit of Newfoundland and Labrador’s contracts with private travel nurse agencies flags possible fraud.
The report yesterday from the auditor general’s office underlines millions in overpayments and invoices paid without proper justification.
Denise Hanrahan’s report also says the health authority used emergency exemptions to skirt their own rules for procurement.
Her audit found health authority staff made money renting accommodations to travel nurses, including a director involved in agency nurse recruitment.
(The Canadian Press)
—
(NS-Home-Sharing)
The Nova Scotia government says a total of 60 contracts were signed through Happipad over the course of the nearly two-year, 1.3 million dollar contract the province signed with the home-sharing platform.
That works out to about 21-thousand-660 dollars per lease.
A spokesperson with the Department of Growth and Development says between August 2023 and the end of April 2025, there were 956 hosts who signed up for Happipad and one-thousand-853 renter signups.
Spokesperson Chloee Sampson says in some cases, hosts and renters may have chosen to set up a lease without using the Happipad platform.
(The Canadian Press)
—
