(NB-Bills-Passed)
New Brunswick’s legislature passed 27 bills during the spring session focused on affordability, public services and economic growth.
Key measures include property tax reforms, pay transparency requirements, expanded job-protected medical leave and easier credential recognition for out-of-province workers.
The government says it also introduced legislation to strengthen lobbying transparency and expand access to midwifery services.
Premier Susan Holt says the bills her ruling Liberals passed will make a difference in the lives of New Brunswickers. (The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Disturbance-Charges)
A 47-year-old Harvey-area man has been charged after a disturbance near York Mills, New Brunswick, led to a lengthy police response.
R-C-M-P say the suspect allegedly approached officers with an edged weapon, barricaded himself inside a residence and displayed a firearm.
Specialized R-C-M-P units, including the Emergency Response Team and crisis negotiators, were deployed before the man was arrested without incident.
Jeremy Drysdale faces multiple charges, including pointing a firearm, assault with a weapon, uttering threats and resisting police. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Illegal-Landfill)
Nova Scotia is seeking to seize equipment allegedly connected to an illegal landfill operation in Upper Hammonds Plains using the province’s Civil Forfeiture Act.
The case is unusual because the legislation is typically used against assets linked to organized crime and drug offences rather than environmental violations.
Court documents allege trucks delivered construction debris and waste to the site, where it was buried and processed using heavy equipment.
Excavation contractor Arni Lively disputes the allegations involving his company and says the province unfairly seized a 300-thousand-dollar soil-screening machine, that he says was not involved in any illegal activity. (CBC News)
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(NL-Indigenous-Womens-Reconciliation-Council)
The Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council met in Stephenville this week to discuss housing, violence prevention and Indigenous education.
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Minister Joedy Wall updated members on housing initiatives, including more than one-million in contracts awarded for projects in Nunatsiavut communities.
The council also received updates on efforts to address gender-based violence, including the province’s new task force and epidemic declaration.
Established in 2022, the council helps advance reconciliation and supports policies affecting Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people in Newfoundland and Labrador. (The Canadian Press)
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(PEI-Employment-Standards-Act)
Prince Edward Island’s new Employment Standards Act will take effect June 30, introducing major updates to workplace rules for employers and employees.
Key changes include up to 27 weeks of unpaid job-protected medical leave, an increase in unpaid sick leave to four days per year and limits on when employers can require sick notes.
The legislation also reduces the maximum work week from 48 to 44 hours and requires most work schedules to be provided at least one week in advance.
The new law follows a comprehensive review that produced 110 recommendations aimed at modernizing the province’s employment standards. (The Canadian Press)
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(NL-Lester-B-Pearson-Scholar-Student)
Julian Murdy, a level two student at Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John’s, has been named Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2026 recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship.
The scholarship, worth about 34-thousand-dollars annually, will allow him to attend Pearson College in Victoria, B-C.
The provincial government contributes 34-thousand-dollars toward the scholarship.
Pearson College brings together students from more than 150 countries to pursue and develop leadership and global citizenship skills. (The Canadian Press)
