New Brunswick News

Saint John’s Environmental Issues

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:48:22 -0700

Saint John’s Environmental Issues

I am a citizen of Saint John. I don’t want to come across as negative, but many parts of Saint John stink. I just want to take a moment to state what most of the media and politicians in this province are afraid to talk about in a truthful matter. Saint John is an old industrial city and is controlled greatly by one giant company that has had its way too long as far as environmental issues are concerned. Saint John has natural beauty being surrounded by the Bay of Fundy and two major rivers and various lakes. Also, I am not anti business and believe that business is a key part of a vibrant community. What I am against is business turning a blind eye as far as environmental toxins and pollution are concerned. It seems that around here the almighty dollar comes before the environment.

I will begin this article with Mispec Park. I remember going to this beach as a little boy (that was 40 years ago). It used to be packed with people of all ages enjoying a nice summer day. When the tide was out it was one of the nicest beach areas I have ever seen. People could be seen building sand castles, throwing a football or a frisbee, or walking along the dunes. There were even a few brave enough to swim in the frigid Bay of Fundy waters. There is even a small hiking area and picnic area there It was the place to be back then. Now there is Canada’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal being constructed at at Mispec Point and the beach is practically empty. The liquefied natural gas facility is expected to begin operation in late 2008. It seems though Mispec Park as a beach and family park is dying a slow death.

In Saint John it is common practice to dump raw sewage into the harbour. The harbour feeds into the Bay of Fundy, which has a rich ecosystem. Saint John has the distinction of being the only municipality in Canada that discharges raw sewage into streams that run through the heart of its city, and finally into the harbour. Health risks associated with waters receiving raw sewage include amoebic dysentery, cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis A, and a variety of other gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin disorders. There are parts of the city close to the streams and the harbour that a person can actually smell raw sewage. In fact at times you can get a strong whiff of raw sewage while walking along a certain past of Saint John’s main walking trail. The Bay of Fundy has been described by some as the world’s largest toilet because of the density and high tides of the bay. It is difficult for the naked eyes to see the size of the problem. This is totally unacceptable in the twenty-first century to allow this to happen. It will cost millions to solve this problems and we as citizens of this city seem to sit and wait for the problem to get fixed while the three levels of government decide who and how this will be paid by.

Also the pollution levels in Saint John have been something that has lingered in this city for years. It is worse depending on the wind direction and air mass. Sometimes foggy days make the situation worse. I have heard many people that live outside Saint John as saying the city is “dirty and it stinks”. Why is that? A lot has to do with the pollution. I have heard many people that have asthma say that it is worsening by living in the city. Our main shopping district and a couple of sub-divisions are located within two miles of Canada’s largest oil refinery! I made I trip to that area a few weeks ago on a foggy night and the smell was awful. In fact it aggravated my slight asthma condition that night. Again, politicians and media tell us that the issue is not bad at all. But anyone in Saint John knows that one big company primarily controls the government and media..

This is my home city. There are lots of beautiful areas and bright spots in Saint John too. I am not all negative, however some issues need to be addressed, especially where big business and industry controls politicians. Politicians look after big business first and the environment and the average citizen second.

NB Government Proposing Tax Reforms

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:32:48 -0700

The New Brunswick government is proposing tax reforms that would lower corporate tax rates and personal income tax rates, but increase the HST and introduce a carbon tax. In a discussion paper released this week, the New Brunswick government proposes to lower the corporate tax rate from its current 13 per cent to 10 per cent, seven per cent or as low as five per cent. Also the government is looking at lower, flatter and simpler personal income taxes for individuals.The report also suggested increasing Harmonized Sales Tax by two per cent and establishing a carbon tax. Under that plan the HST would climb back to 15% from itâ€™s current 13%. Also a carbon tax is being considered. A carbon tax would encourage energy conservation and the use of cleaner fuels and would lead to fewer emissions in the province.

This proposal has some positive points as well as some negative points. If corporate tax rates do go down, the government hinted that may eliminate other tax credits currently offered to corporations. As well a lower income tax for individuals provides incentives for working harder. However a HST increase is a step in the wrong direction. What do you think New Brunswick?

Saint John Water issues

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:01:43 -0700

About 40,000 residents in the city of Saint John will have to boil water for drinking again this week until at least Friday. While two water orders in February were caused by heavy rainfalls that clouded the water, the current problem was caused by the failure of a chlorine injection line at a water treatment facility. This poses a question. How safe is the water in Saint John?

Water is supplied to the city from Spruce Lake and Loch Lomond Lake and is susceptible to contamination from animals, human dumping, and roads. Motorboats are allowed on operate on Saint John's water supply. The fuel additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether, is just one of the chemicals Saint John Water officials worry could pollute the lakes, giving the water a disgusting smell and taste. It's also thought potentially cause cancer. High levels of trihalomethanes were detected in the water of residents living on the west side of the city this past year. Also, lead has been detected in the water from old pipes. Chlorinating the water is the only protection that is in place currently. The current system has no safeguards if the chlorination fails, a medical health officer in Saint John recently stated. We have an aging infrastructure that needs to be fixed. Also we have heavy industry in the city that potentially could end up in our drinking water supply from soil and runoffs.

There is also an issue with non-drinking water contamination in Saint John. The City of Saint John has one of the oldest municipal water and sewage systems in North America. It has the status as the only Canadian city to have untreated sewage running in open creeks through its core.. Close to half of the cityâ€™s sewage simply flows untreated through raw sewage outfall pipes directly into the Saint John Harbour, Marsh Creek or the St. John River.

For residents of Saint John this is unacceptable, especially where we pay taxes for water and sewage and have the highest municipal tax rate in the province of New Brunswick. Millions of dollars from the municipal, provincial and federal governments are needed to fix this problem.

Government and Media Controlled by the Irving's in New Brunswick

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:44:37 -0700

Irving may be one of the largest employers in the province of New Brunswick, but their influence goes further than that. They own all the major english daily newspapers in the province of New Brunswick. So anyone that reads these newspapers reads a version that is heavily censored and tailored to a certain point of view. Irving is also one of the largest employers in the province, with interests in the forestry, retail, construction, transportation and food sectors.

Our municipal and provincial goverments are heavily influenced by the Irvings as well. Just recently, former Saint John major Norm McFarlane, who was a major force behind providing the Irvings with a huge tax break on the liquefied natural gas facility in the eastern part of the city, was defeated in the municipal election. Irving Paper which runs the pulp and paper mills recently stated that it has examined the possibility of moving operations out of New Brunswick and into Quebec if energy rates don't become more competitive. In effect, the municipal and provincial governments constantly get threatened so they will provide this group of companies with extremely favorable energy and tax rates while the rest of New Brunswick citizens enjoy yearly tax and energy price increases.

This is not about bashing the Irving's or big business. Business is essential for New Brunswick. This is about special treatment for certain businesses as far as taxation and energy costs are concerned. Huge savings for the Irving's translates into higher prices for the rest of us. They need to pay their fair share. In order for this province to truly prosper we need fairness and equality for everyone and every business. We also need freedom of speech and not having the media muzzled when reporting the news.

What do you think New Brunswick?

New Brunswick Tourism Numbers Expected to Decline

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:21:09 -0700

Local tourism could be taking a hit this year. It is estimated that Canada is losing 17 million United States visitors in last few years according to a CTV news report. Tourism in Canada could be in for some future changes. Same day trips are dropping as well. It is going to be interesting to see what happens in New Brunswick this year, with the cruise ships, and the many tourists we receive each year. The reasons for this are the faltering economy in U.S., the high Canadian dollar, and high gas prices. The US is falling into a recession at the moment, so it is quite possible we will see a decline in visitors and revenue this year.

Tourism in New Brunswick is big business. For example in Saint John, since 1989, over one million cruise ship guests visited the city. Based on an Economic Impact Study conducted in 1999, approximately $85 Canadian was spent by each passenger at a port of call. Over the past nineteen years it is estimated that cruise passengers contributed over $117 million into the regional economy according to the report. Add to that, tourists that drive to the province to visit campgrounds and other attractions, it would be huge blow to New Brunswickâ€™s economy if Americans stopped coming north of the border.

New Brunswick Minister Jack Keir's | Wind Energy Announcement

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:20:33 -0700

New Brunswick Energy Minister Jack Keir's announcement at a conference this past Thursday in Saint John said that the plans on creating enough wind energy by 2025 to power 4,500 megawatts, more than double the current output from traditional sources. The Minister is endorsing a wind power study that suggests the province could add 2,500 to 4,500 megawatts of commercially competitive wind power by 2025. In comparison, Point Lepreau's nuclear reactor generates about 630 megawatts and the entire province's generating capacity presently is just under 4,000 megawatts. Unlike nuclear power, it's safe, non-toxic and a clean source of power. New Brunswick has great sites for generating windpower, based on the volume and reliability of the wind and relatively low population. It has an excellent electrical grid and is close to key markets in need of energy, mainly Nova Scotia and the Northeastern United States. The opportunities there are wonderful," Keir said. "Not only for ratepayers of electricity but the environment and a new industry could be built in New Brunswick on this opportunity."

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Wind power is produced in large scale wind farms connected to electrical grids, as well as in individual turbines for providing electricity to isolated locations. Wind energy is clean, plentiful, renewable, widely distributed.. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions when it displaces fossil-fuel-derived electricity

Guardian Angels look to Fredericton

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:46:41 -0700

The Guardian Angels are looking at Fredericton as their next location to set up a citizens' patrol group. I must admit I have a very anxious feeling about this topic. This is a very controversial group and with very good reason. Some think that they are good, however, I consider the Guardian Angels nothing more then a vigilante group.

Unlike other volunteer patrol groups, the Guardian Angels will sometimes use physical force and make citizensâ€™ arrests. The problem I have with this is that unlike policies which have guidelines and structure, they have very little, and you are left to their comprehension and intellect deciding what is right or wrong. A lot of people have not said this but most of the people trying out for Guardian Angels are individuals who wanted to be police officers but could not pass the Psychological exams. The police force didnâ€™t want them and the army wouldnâ€™t take them. So now we are going to have a bunch of â€œwant to be copsâ€ running around thinking they have some type of authority. The whole idea of this scares me as it is a fact that for ever bit of good that they do, they also do that much bad. I think the police and proper authurites are doing a great job and we do not need the Guardian Angels.
What do you think New Brunswick?

Posted by Chuck

Casino to be built in Magnetic Hill Area of Moncton

nospam@example.com (New Brunswick News) — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:30:33 -0700

The New Brunswick government announced recently that the province's first, and only, casino will be built in Moncton. The casino will be located in the Magnetic Hill area. The provincial government confirmed that Sonco Gaming New Brunswick Ltd. will build the gaming facility, a 128-room hotel and an entertainment venue that will seat 1,500. The $90-million project is expected to create 770 full-time equivalent jobs during construction and about 400 full-time jobs when the facility opens in 2010. The government expects to receive about $25 million a year in gambling revenues from the operation. New Brunswick will become the ninth province to have a casino.
There already is a lot of controversy over this project. Although a lot of business and some people from the area are enthused, however, there are others that point out the social cost of gambling and casinos. There is also mixed opinion on the proposed location. Will the casino help the New Brunswick economy? Will the social costs of this casino outweigh the economic benefits? We will find out soon enough.