Parents in Newfoundland and Labrador can breathe a sigh of relief as the province signs a deal that will extend the federal child-care program.

A new study from McGill University says Conservative MPs far outpace their Liberal and NDP counterparts in online engagement, partly due to the their voices being amplified on X.

The report from McGill’s Media Ecosystem Observatory found in 2024, online posts from federal Conservative MPs garnered 61 per cent more engagement – likes, shares and comments – than those from Liberal and NDP MPs combined.

It found that engagement with Conservative politicians on X has increased 52 per cent since Elon Musk, a key ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, took over the platform previously known as Twitter in 2022.

The post OPINION: Canadians must stand up to Trump’s trade war appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

Ice fishing shelters must be removed:

• on or before March 9, 2025 on the Red River,
• on or before March 15 in Area B of the Southern Division (see map on page 16),
• on or before March 31 in the rest of the Southern Division and
• by April 15 in the Northwest, North Central and Northeast Divisions, or when requested to do so by a Conservation Officer due to unsafe ice conditions.

All ice fishing shelters left unattended must clearly display on the outside of the shelter in block letters at least 5 cm in height, the owner’s full name or Customer Identification Number, and phone number.

Shelters must be stored or disposed of away from the shore and on private property.

Manitoba Parks Branch requires that ice fishing shelters in provincial parks meet size, location and use standards and may not be used for overnight sleeping accommodation.

For more information including specific details, please contact your local Manitoba Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources office.

For more information see the 2024 Manitoba Angler's Guide

Pedestrians now get a head start when crossing the road at nearly 100 intersections in downtown Winnipeg.

The owner of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, B.C., has confirmed eight people were aboard a gondola that fell to the ground Monday morning.

Resorts of the Canadian Rockies says its patrol team and first responders were immediately dispatched after it happened around 9:20 a.m., but no one was seriously injured in the incident.

It says its preliminary investigation suggests that a lift hanger broke while the cabin was leaving the bottom station, causing it to fall one metre.

Letter to the Editor

Do you know of any government official who may be able to help with this problem? None of the people I emailed have responded.

I am sending this to Lieutenant Governor Joan Marie Aylward, Premier Andrew Furey, Opposition Leader Tony Wakeman, NDP Leader James Dinn, the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Peter Cowan of CBC, and NTV legislative reporter Ben Cleary.

The Town of CBS development regulations 2011-2021 state as follows:

Pg 45 #5.28

           #1 Removal or placement of soil or other material, or alteration to the natural grade or drainage of a property which adversely affects a watercourse or adjacent property shall not be permitted.

           #5.32. 1 Land shall be used and graded in a manner that does not alter the natural flow of water or result in run-off from land or development causing damage to other property.

In September 2018 I notified the Town of CBS concerning a contractor working for the Town dumping re-construction waste on a natural surface water course on private property.

On Sept. 20, 2018, the Town sent an inspector and notified the property owner with a report (a stop work order I was told) to cease backfilling and get a proper permit. Dumping did not cease and on Oct. 8^th, 2018, my wife and I went to the Town engineering department and complained again but there was no follow up to stop the dumping and it continued for another two years. Within that two years I still complained but was just ignored.

My Daughter moved into her new home in February 2017 and for five years everything was fine. In February 2022 her home got flooded out with water coming up under the floor, and hasn’t gone down since, with the sump pump just keeping ahead of it.

I went to ATIPP and results proved that:

#1 no permit issued to property owner.

#2 no permit issued to the contractor working for the Town.

#3 no stop work order issued to the contractor.

#4 Town did nothing to stop the backfilling. Why? They wouldn’t tell me.

Thousands of tons of re-construction waste and asphalt was dumped and as a result I believe the ground water table has been altered. I had two meetings with the Town and they refused to do anything to correct the problem.

I then contacted Municipal Affairs in 2022. I got nowhere, only to be told to hire a lawyer.

Towns have to go to Municipal Affairs to get permission to make by-laws, yet when they ignore enforcing them, Municipal Affairs says they can’t do anything about it, yet article #103 of the Municipal Planning Act 2000 says they can, yet they will not do anything to make the Town enforce it.

I believe legislation needs to change to stop towns like CBS being above the law and no government department can stop them. Minister John Haggie is giving towns full control over handling by-laws. Please don’t let this happen. I agree with towns handling their own regulations and by-laws obtained through the Municipalities Act, but when they ignore them and turn a blind eye as to what is going on, they should be held accountable. Minister Haggie already knows what went on with the Town of CBS not enforcing their by-law. Why is he now dropping all responsibility?

All I wanted was for the Town to have the property owner install a proper drain to handle the water flow before it was diverted to our and others property. If they had listened when I first complained this wouldn’t have happened, but now that the damage is done, they don’t care.

The public should not be subject to stress and anxiety created by this town. One recent Saturday just before 11 p.m., until Sunday 4 a.m., we had a power outage in our area. Luckily we were home. My daughter, my wife, and I managed to set up my portable generator and kept the flooding at bay. The last time my daughter got flooded out I sent a video to my ward councillor. To this day he has not responded. There again, who cares?

Can you help make us a Happy New Year?

Harry Tucker

CBS

The post CBS resident picks bone with council, Municipal Affairs appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Mark Carney’s leadership campaign says he has given a “full and robust conflict of interest management plan” to the country’s ethics commissioner.

In a media statement, the campaign says that as part of that plan, Carney has divested all of his assets other than personal real estate into a blind trust.

British police arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter as they searched for answers about why a cargo ship hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England, setting both vessels ablaze. One sailor was presumed dead.

The post OPINION: An open letter to a sister destroyed by social media appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

Letter to the Editor

My name is Winnie Myers from Avondale. My family and I were at Jungle Jim’s in CBS for a celebratory birthday party for my daughter on Feb. 11. Unfortunately, I was only inside for about 10 minutes when I became very ill suffering from one of the worst episodes of Ménière’s disease that I have ever experienced. I was unable to raise my head or move and was suffering from terrible vertigo. Almost immediately I was approached by two male first responders and a lady paramedic who just happened to be there to enjoy a nice evening. None were on duty but were absolute angels to me. I don’t know who they were, but they helped me out of a very tense, uncomfortable, debilitating situation. You have my deepest gratitude. Also thank you to the Firemen and the Ambulance attendants who arrived asap. Thankfully I’m much better now and want to say a ‘Sincere Thank You’ to all who helped me and my family through such an uncomfortable situation. There definitely are some wonderful caring people around and although I wasn’t able to focus on your faces and I don’t know your names, thank you a thousand times.

My deepest gratitude is yours.

Winnie Myers,

Avondale

The post Avondale woman grateful for help from off duty paramedics appeared first on The Shoreline News.

It's bound to be a "reel" good time on Falcon Lake this weekend as the Falcon Lake Winter Fish-Off kicks off.

Ian Young, coordinator of the Fish-Off, says March 15 marks the 20th year of the competition. He is very much looking forward to it.

"An ice fishing derby is what it is, but I mean it's almost more of a winter festival or an ice fishing festival," he says, noting this particular festival — if it's not the biggest — is one the largest ice fishing derbies in Canada.

"We've had as many as 2,000 people on the ice, and we give away over $80,000 worth of cash in prizes," Young says.

This year, he says the grand prize is $20,000, and the second place prize is a Yamaha Grizzly.

Overall, he says there are 50 guaranteed prizes for the top 50 fish caught during the derby this Saturday.

But the real prize may be in the mission behind the derby, Young says, explaining that it's raising money for the St. Amant foundation.

"We're raised over $100,000 for the St. Amant Foundation over the years, and we're going to keep driving that up. There's a 50/50 (raffle) on the ice, that typically goes over $10,000," he says.

Considering everything that's happening on the ice, he says this event is more than just an ice fishing excursion, and needs to be experienced to be understood.

"Ice fishing is one thing, and the Falcon Lake Winter Fish-Off is a different thing. Ice fishing is involved, but there's so much more going on," he says.

Young notes things will look a little different this year than others.

The prize presentation and beer gardens will be a five minute walk down from the derby site in the backyard of the Hotel at Falcon Lake.

"(We're) trying to create a more full weekend event out of it, and an after party vibe at the hotel," Young says. "The Hotel at Falcon Lake has this beautiful backyard area that they've set up that has fire pits and backyard games and stuff."

All in all, it's a community and team effort, he says.

"It is so much work, and so stressful to put this event on," he says. "You get so grateful for everybody that helped pull it off... so once the event is done, you're just kid of overwhelmed. Or at least I am."

Young says tickets for the fish-off are available in various stores in Winnipeg, Lockport, Falcon Lake and Kenora area, but also online at winterfishoff.ca. 

Online ticket sales close on March 14 at 4:30 p.m., but those that miss it can also get their tickets on the ice day-of.

Written with files from Corny Rempel

By Mark Squibb

Paradise Mayor Dan Bobbett spoke before a large crowd of businesspeople last week at the annual Mount Pearl – Paradise Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Mayor’s Outlook Luncheon.’

Bobbett noted 2025 is an election year, and that election years cause one to reflect on their time in office.

Bobbett is serving his twentieth year on council, having been elected in 2005.  Twelve of those years he has served as mayor.

“When I was first elected, the population of Paradise was 12,500, and Topsail Road was two lanes,” said Bobbett. “We were in the old town hall by Octagon Pond, the community centre and soccer fields were down by where Sobeys is now, and the Paradise Double Ice Complex was a dream we hoped would become a reality. Fast forward to today and our population is over 23,000. We are the third largest municipality in the province, and a strong economic player in the region.”

Bobbett reminisced on the refurbishment of the building that became the new town hall, as well as the construction of Paradise Park, Double Ice Complex, Paradise Plaza, and the St. Thomas Line Community Centre, along with the expansion of public works services, the opening of Paradise fire station, widening of Topsail Road, completion of the multisport turf at Diane Whalen Park, and more.

Bobbett also reminisced on the construction of the roundabout at Karwood Drive and Kenmount Road back in 2014. While roundabouts are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, that was not always the case, and if you did not already know, the Karwood Drive roundabout, aside from roundabouts constructed at the Robin Hood Bay garbage facility to better improve onsite traffic circulation, was the first roundabout built in the province.

“Critics at the time questioned council’s decision, yet we held fast,” said Bobbett. “The data, and the research, and the benefits are clear. Traffic flows easily in that area.”

Looking ahead to the future, Bobbett spoke of The town’s commitment to leak detection, upcoming participation in the 2025 Canada Summer Games, continuation of water and sewer work, commissioning of the new St. Thomas Line lift station this summer, further development of Paradise Park, and development of a new baseball field.

“Paradise is not the same town it was when I first stepped into the council chambers,” concluded Bobbett. “We’ve grown, we’ve adapted, and we’ve pushed forward, always with an eye to the future. A lot can happen in two decades, and it’s an honour to be a part of shaping our town. And the work is just starting. Through careful planning, evidence-based decisions, and strategic investments, we are poised to continue to be a strong municipality that residents and businesses are proud to call home. As I like to say, it’s a great day in Paradise, and those great days have tuned into great years.”

The post Bobbett reflects on two decades of growth in Paradise appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Subscribe now

Two brothers facing serious firearms charges stemming from an alleged shooting incident in a rural area near Fredericton will stand trial next year.

Logan Cullins, 35, of Route 104 in Millville, and Lucas Cullins, 32, of Dunns Crossing Road in Fredericton, previously elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to several charges stemming from an alleged shooting incident.

Both are accused of discharging a rifle at Bryden Briand with intent to wound, maim or endanger his life; pointing a firearm at Briand and Chantale Harper, using a rifle in a careless manner and possessing the non-restricted rifle without a licence.

Lucas Cullins is also charged with uttering a threat to Harper to cause death or bodily harm to her and Briand, and uttering a threat to kill an animal belonging to Harper.

Read more

Officials with the CB Senior Blues Hockey team took a moment prior to the start of their semi-final series against the Clarenville Caribous to present a donation to the Sammy’s Climb High Foundation. That’s the charity dedicated to the memory of six-year-old sportsman Sammy Porter who drowned several years at a local swimming hole. The foundation raises money to help children meet the cost of sports registrations and equipment. It was started by Sammy’s family because the young hockey and softball player was known to remark that he felt it was unfair that some of his friends and classmates couldn’t afford to play sports. Blues president Pat Rose noted this is the third year that the senior hockey team has been able to make a donation. As in previous years, the funds were raised at a Superheroes game at CBS Arena featuring the Blues players clad in uniforms depicting Sammy’s cartoon superheroes and playing against one of the Avalon East League rivals, in this year’s case, the St. John’s Capitals. This year’s donation amounted to $15,300. That’s on top of the $11,000 donated the first year, and $13,000 donated last year, bringing the grand total so far to over $39,000. On hand for the presentation were, from left: Sammy’s uncle Adam Gear, his brother Aiden Porter, his great uncle Paul Connors, Blues Vice President Aaron Perry and Blues President Pat Rose. Craig Westcott photo

The post CB Blues donate to Sammy’s Climb High Foundation appeared first on The Shoreline News.

The post Ville de Québec offers reduced-price clinics to microchip, register dogs and cats appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

By Craig Westcott

Developers who need to tear up a street or do any other kind of work that necessitates a disruption in water services anywhere in Conception Bay South this summer will find themselves governed by a new by-law that sets some rules about how the work will be conducted.

Anyone needing to close off the water will have to make a written request to the Town’s Department of Engineering at least seven days prior to the planned disruption date. The request will have to outline why the disruption is necessary, the estimated time it will take, and give some details about the work to be carried out.

Staff will then assess the application to see if the water disruption is necessary, if the proposed disruption date is okay, and if there are any other factors that should be considered.

“A water disruption will only be granted if it is deemed absolutely necessary in order to complete the task,” the by-law reads. 

Such requests will be approved at the discretion of the Director of Engineering, or an assigned representative. The applicant must also follow all occupational health and safety regulations with respect to construction activities and traffic management.

“I believe this is a new policy,” said Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse, who made the motion to adopt the by-law at the February 18 meeting of council.

Contractors and developers will also have to hand deliver notices to properties on streets that will be affected by a disruption at least 72 hours before the disruption is to start. A detailed notice will also have to be posted on the Town’s website and social media pages. 

The person responsible for the work will also have to purchase radio ads to be played three times daily giving notice of the disruption. “This item may have some discretion if the work is four hours or less and the disruption impacts are considered minimal,” the by-law states.

All costs associated with the public notices will be the responsibility of the applicant.

All schools in the area affected by the water disruption, along with medical or long-term care facilities, and childcare centres will also have to be notified.

“So, residents will know what to expect if there’s going to be a water disruption,” said Gosse.

“And we provide it (the policy) to developers or others who might be causing some sort of interruption, so they know what to do and how to notify people,” added Mayor Darrin Bent.

On a related note, the Town has also adopted a Traffic Disruption Policy, which may come into effect in the case of a water disruption.

The post CBS adopts water disruption policy appeared first on The Shoreline News.

The post REVIEW: Kintsugi steeped in story without skimping on circus appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

Manitoba union workers at three child and family services agencies may go on strike in a couple of weeks if a tentative agreement can’t be reached with their employers.

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bay Roberts councillors gave a formal welcome to the Town’s new director of protective services, Gregory Squires, at the February 18 public council meeting, and also discussed the possibility of participating with other towns in the sharing of a regional by-law enforcement officer.

In the meantime, Squires will also serve as the by-law enforcement officer for the Town of Bay Roberts.

Chief Administrative Officer Dave Tibbo noted the role previously known as “municipal enforcement officer” will now be called “by-law enforcement officer” under the new Towns and Local Service District Act. A motion was made and passed to appoint Squires the by-law enforcement officer.

Following this, Squires asked council for a motion to purchase a truck for the Conception Bay North by-law enforcement officer.

That’s a regional position in the process of being created. The regional officer will serve the towns of Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace, Spaniard’s Bay, and North River, and will report to Squires.  

Funding for the officer’s vehicle is being provided through a Provincial government grant.

A motion was made to purchase a grey 2024 Chevrolet Colorado from Woodward Motors in the amount of $50,000, the lowest of three quotes that the Town received. Once again, all members voted in favour, and the motion passed.

Councillor Dean Franey asked when the towns will advertise the position.

CAO Tibbo said the job description has been completed and needs to be approved by the regional partners, but he expected to see it posted that week and remain up for 10 business days.

Tibbo said their goal is for the officer to start by March 1. The position is on a one-year trial basis.

“Let’s hope it’s a doorway to bigger projects,” said Deputy Mayor Geoff Seymour.

The post Bay Roberts hires new director of protective services appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

He’s already made history as the youngest elected councillor in the Town of Heart’s Content

Now twenty-eight-year-old Riley Balsom, only child of Rick and Petrina Balsom, is running to become the MHA for Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde district.

He’ll be up against political veteran and Liberal Party stalwart Steve Crocker, if the Province’s current Tourism Minister seeks re-election.

Balsom attended Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador where he majored in history and minored in French, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2018. Most recently he worked as the e-commerce operations department manager at Walmart in Carbonear, a job he gave up to pursue a political career.

That was several weeks ago, when a provincial election was widely expected to be called any day. The unexpected news of Premier Andrew Furey’s resignation last week means the governing Liberals will have to put off a provincial vote at least until the party chooses a new leader.

Politics, meanwhile, has long been a passion of Balsom. Starting when he was 18, Balsom served on the executive of the PC District Association for Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde for a decade. For the first five years he was secretary, and for the last five he served as president. He resigned from the presidency in October and announced his bid for the party’s nomination in the district.

 “I’ve been involved in campaigns for a long time,” said Balsom. “I can remember back in 2014 when we had a byelection here in the district. I’d leave class on Friday afternoon and I’d head out and meet up with the team wherever we were to and just start knocking doors.”

In 2021, he was elected to the Heart’s Content council. “It’s a position I thoroughly enjoy,” said Balsom. He is taking a leave of absence from council to focus on the provincial campaign.

“I want to give back to the residents of the district through positive, dedicated service,” said Balsom. “This is my first time putting my name forward to run provincially, and I’m a firm believer that, if I’m successful in my bid, that I work for the people, not the other way around. Being able to be afforded the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the residents of Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde no matter the community and no matter your political stripe is the reason I want to run.”

Balsom said he supports the direction that PC Party Leader Tony Wakeham, is taking. “His ideas, his vision for the province I believe is exactly what we need after these last few hard years we’ve all had to endure,” saif the candidate. “It’s time for positive, forward-thinking ideas to bring us back to our full potential.”

Balsom said Wakeham has attracted many young people to the party.

“In the nomination vote for my district, almost a thousand people came out to vote on a Saturday, and that tells me that people want change, and I am excited to be a part of that change,” said Balsom

As the district’s PC candidate, road safety and infrastructure, fixing the healthcare system, increasing support for seniors, and addressing rising crime rates are some of the issues he intends to focus on, Balsom said.

The post Young PC candidate pursuing his heart’s content in politics appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Mark Squibb

Members of the Holy Spirit High improvisational theatre team— improv for short— will represent the province at a national improv competition in Ottawa this April.

Improve is theatre – but without a script. Participants are given a prompt – such as ‘Going to the Dentist’ –and must develop a skit on the spot, working off one another to develop characters and tell an interesting story. Skits are usually a few minutes long and are usually comedic in nature.

Participants don’t have to worry about forgetting their lines — there are none— but they do have to be quick on their feet and be able to bounce lines off one other.

Holy Spirit student and improv club member Jess Hynes said the key to improv is “trusting your gut, submitting yourself to the moment, and having fun.”

‘Public Speaking’ is often touted as the most common of fears, and while students admit that performing in front of an audience can be nerve wracking, they say improv has helped them overcome some of their fears.

“When it comes to performing in front of people, I think it really helps to be doing it with your friends, and not afraid of being embarrassed,” said improv member Danika Hodder. “For me, I was afraid of making a fool of myself, and I overthought a lot of things, when I really didn’t need to. It’s all about having good time, and spending time with friends and making art. It’s really helped me overcome my fear of speaking in front of people. That’s what I love about improve.”

Teacher Michelle King said Holy Spirit High has a rich history of improv, having sent teams to national competitions in the past, but COVID-19 waylaid the schools improv program.

This year’s team is the school’s first since the pandemic.

“The team came together in October and it’s been amazing to see them grow together and build these really strong friendships,” said King. “They have such a love for the game.”

King said improv teaches skills that they can take with them beyond the theatre.

“Students learn how to collaborate with each other, they learn how to use their creativity, they learn public speaking skills, and problem-solving skills,” said Michelle King.

Students agree that practising improv comes with many benefits.

“This has helped me talk to people better and speak in front of an audience, which is something that I used to struggle with in the past,” said Hynes.

To earn a spot at nationals, the team first competed successfully against other high schools from across the Avalon in a regional competition, and then in the provincial finals.

The Holy Spirit High improv team are heading to nationals this spring. In the back, from left, are Meadow Baker, Jaxson Ferrie, Jess Hynes, Liam Forristall, and Logan Savory. In the front, from left, are Olivia Schaab, Danika Hodder, Emma Neubert, and Keeley Brien. Holy Spirit High photo

The post This crowd is never stuck for words appeared first on The Shoreline News.

One person has been found dead and two others were located alive Tuesday in a search and rescue mission outside Quaqtaq.

They are three in a group of four overdue anglers who left the community on March 6 for a trip to Roberts Lake, about 40 kilometres north of Kangirsuk.

“We were informed [Monday] that they should have been back, but they weren’t,” said Quaqtaq Mayor Charlie Tukkiapik in a phone interview.

The search and rescue operation began Monday.

Tukkiapik said he was alerted at around 3 a.m. Tuesday that search and rescue had found one from the group — a female — dead.

He said the Nunavik Police Service, Canadian Rangers and the search and rescue members met at around 3:30 a.m. to discuss their next steps.

“They then were dispersed to look for the other three that were still not found at the time,” Tukkiapik said.

The teams found two people who were alive Tuesday morning, “which was very nice, a mother and daughter that were found.”

The group was on their way back to Quaqtaq as of 11 a.m. ET.

One other person remains missing. Tukkiapik said it is believed that person, who is male, did not survive based on information gleaned from the survivors.

“Very luckily, the daughter of the deceased lady is alive, with the granddaughter, so this is amazing,” he said.

The location of the final person is known, Tukkiapik said, and there are rangers and search and rescue at the site already. The final person is believed to be close to his snowmobile.

The post REVIEW: Disney on Ice: Let’s Dance! brings magical beats to the Videotron Centre appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

With a federal election call expected within weeks and a Liberal incumbent certainly running for a fourth term in Saint John-Kennebecasis, some Conservatives in the riding are keen to get cracking on their own campaign — if only they could. 

The provincial Fisheries Minister is defending the government’s decision to go to the Boston Seafood Show next week, despite the threat of 25 per cent tariffs on exports hitting next month.

Being the topic of the VOCM Question of the Day, most respondents believe the exercise is a waste of time and money as Donald Trump’s mind is already made up.

Minister Gerry Byrne says there’s a reason why seafood companies from Newfoundland and Labrador choose to focus on the United States market. He notes that Boston is the largest seafood show in the world, with 176 countries in attendance.

Byrne says the buyers they want to connect with to help diversify the province’s markets will be at that event.