Atlantic Update – CP

Source: The Canadian Press – Broadcast wire
Feb 2, 2016

(NB-Budget-Day)

It’s budget day in New Brunswick.

The governing Liberals have said they need to both cut costs and raise revenues.

A source has told The Canadian Press that measures will include slashing 30 per cent of civil service managers.

Kevin Lacey of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says New Brunswick will lose its advantage over other provinces in the region if it increases the H-S-T to 15 per cent from 13 per cent.

(The Canadian Press)

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(NL-Residential-Schools)

Lawyers are expected to meet today in a bid to settle a lawsuit involving former students of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador.

About 12-hundred aboriginal plaintiffs are seeking an apology and damages for abuse and cultural losses.

If no deal is reached in the nearly eight-year-old case, federal lawyers will begin defence arguments February 29th.

(The Canadian Press)

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(Toronto-Pastor-Charged) (N.S., N.B. note)

A Toronto pastor accused of sex crimes in Nova Scotia is maintaining his innocence.

Reverend Brent Hawkes is a native of New Brunswick and officiated at Jack Layton’s state funeral.

R-C-M-P said yesterday the 65-year-old is charged with indecent assault and gross indecency related an alleged sexual assault in the 1970s.

In a statement, Hawkes says he will fight the accusations.

(The Canadian Press)

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(NS-Inmate-Death)

The father of a man who died in a Cape Breton jail says his son might be alive today if he had been taken to hospital for a medical check.

Ernest LeBlanc says his son should have been examined at hospital given his history of drug addiction.

Ernest Jason Marcel LeBlanc arrived Saturday at the Cape Breton Correctional Centre in Sydney and died the next morning.

The elder LeBlanc says his son was in his early 40s, and had tried unsuccessfully to treat his addiction multiple times.

(The Canadian Press)

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(Grenada-Missing-Woman) (N.B. note)

Four witnesses have testified at the preliminary hearing for a man charged in the death of a New Brunswick woman in Grenada.

Akim Frank faces a charge of non-capital murder.

Police say 36-year-old Linnea Veinotte died from blunt force trauma after being struck by a vehicle.

The preliminary inquiry has been adjourned until February 22nd.

(The Canadian Press)

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(Health-PEI-CEO)

The C-E-O of Health P-E-I is stepping down.

Doctor Richard Wedge has announced his retirement after more than 20 years working in health administration on the Island.

Wedge will stay in his position until the end of May.

Efforts are underway to find his successor.

(The Canadian Press)

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(Atlantic Update by The Canadian Press)

(The Canadian Press)

INDEX: ATLANTIC