The Higgs government has won final approval for legislation that will force five public-sector employee groups into a shared-risk pension system, a setback for the Canadian Union of Public Employees but a major win for Premier Blaine Higgs.

Smith Dance Academy raises $2,800 for Hartland child battling health issues

The young dancers of Smith’s Dance Academy care about dancing, but they care about many things, including those in their community who need support.

On Friday, Dec. 8, Smith Dance Academy took to the stage at McCain Community Theatre at Woodstock High School as part of the SDA Cares Performance Fundraiser.

In addition to showcasing their skills on stage and invoking the holiday spirit, the young dancers raised more than $2,800 to help support a five-year-old Hartland boy’s battle with brain tumours.

The academy directed donations collected as admission to the dance recital to the medical care of Albert, the son of Ben and Alyssa Wiseman.

Smith Dance Academy Director Amanda Boone said the funds would help the family’s travel and other costs as Albert continues treatment at the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax.

The post Young dancers show they care first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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Police have released new details on a “significant bust” arising from the execution of four search warrants in two locations in Fredericton late last month.

As the Fredericton Independent reported previously, Jason Mollins, 39, of Emmerson Street in Fredericton, was arrested Nov. 30 and charged with a long list of alleged offences.

Among them are possession of methamphetamines, cocaine, hydromorphone and fentanyl, all for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a 9-mm handgun in violation of a court-ordered firearms prohibition; and numerous counts of possession of stolen property.

The Crown objected to his release, and after a bail hearing held last week, he was remanded pending the outcome of the case against him.

Evidence presented at that bail hearing and the judge’s reasons for denying bail are subject to a publication ban until the case against Mollins concludes.

He’s due back in court Dec. 20 to elect mode of trial on the indictable charges and to enter pleas.

The Fredericton Police Force, in a news release issued Tuesday, revealed additional details about the case.

It said Mollins’ arrest arose as a result of four search warrants executed at two different locations in Fredericton on Nov. 30.

The city police force’s street and drug-crimes team led those searches, the release said, and that team was aided by the police force’s emergency response team; integrated enforcement units from Fredericton, Woodstock and Miramichi; RCMP Police Dog Services; and the Department of Justice and Public Safety’s K-9 unit.

“The efforts were the result of an investigation over the past several months and represents a significant bust for the Fredericton area,” the release stated.

“This seizure and arrest will have a direct impact on the drugs available on the streets, and the criminal activity associated to the industry.”

It said officers seized what’s believed to be the following drugs in the detailed quantities:

• 822 grams of fentanyl,

• 241 grams of cocaine,

• 494 grams of methamphetamine,

• 468 suspected hydromorphone pills

• and 24 grams of hashish.

The searches also led to the seizure of numerous weapons, namely a 9-millimetre handgun; a 12-gauge shotgun, two 22-calibre rifles, three pellet guns, a crossbow and various types of ammunition.

The release also noted that two motor-vehicles and other stolen property were recovered: a 2017 Jaguar XE, a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500, three snowblowers, a woodchipper, a generator and a TYM tractor with snowblower.

The latter item had been reported to police as stolen, the force reported, and it had been painted to cover its original colour.

“The total value of the recovered items is approximately $58,000,” the release said.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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COVID-19 has killed two more New Brunswickers, hospitalized two children, and sent a growing number of people to intensive care, while flu cases and hospitalizations continue to climb, data released by the province Tuesday shows.

Woodstock-area RCMP officer Osama Ibrahim, 29, was found guilty of assault, choking during an assault, carrying, using or threatening to use a weapon during an assault, and breach of trust. He was found not guilty of sexual assault. 

The New Brunswick government says an essential services law is constitutional and that a lawsuit by nursing home workers challenging it is premature.

Six houses of worship participate in community’s innovative Open House Tour of Churches

Six historic Woodstock churches opened their doors Sunday afternoon, Dec. 10, welcoming visitors, offering tours, providing Christmas music and serving food and drinks as part of the innovative Open House Tour of Churches.

Between 2 and 5 p.m., the six churches — Woodstock Baptist Church, Bethel Pentecostal Assembly, St. James United Church, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, St. Luke’s Anglican Church and St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church — welcomed guests.

Rev. Ron Ecker, pastor of Bethel Pentecostal Assembly and chair of the local ministerial association, said the tour offered an excellent opportunity for the public to see inside the many churches in the community.

He said he loved the idea when representatives from St. Paul’s Presbyterian suggested it.

Ecker, along with church staff and congregation members, greeted visitors, offered tours and explained the history of the Pentecostal church, which opened in the 1960s.

He pointed to the many flags displayed on the church’s sanctuary walls, welcoming the several nationalities among Bethel Assembly’s diverse congregations, including many Filipino church members.

The new and modern Woodstock Baptist Church welcomed visitors and church members throughout the afternoon tour. It closed with the second of two performances on the day of its “Brand New Hallelujah,” a Christmas Cantata.

Those entering the St. James United Church’s sanctuary during the open tour immediately heard the recorded music of former organist Roberta White.

Church representatives encouraged visitors to tour the building, including the downstairs, to view the murals depicting Bible stories and the touching display of memorial angels.

St. Paul’s Presbyterian offered music throughout the tour hours, starting with the handbell choir at 2 p.m., followed by popular local pianist J. P. Nadeau at 3 p.m.

Local veterinarian and church organist Dr. Nolan Golding brought St. Paul’s historic pipe organ, dating back to 1906, to life during the final hour of the open house.

Rick Wilson and Ardith MacDonald were among those on hand to greet visitors to St. Luke’s Anglican Church to see its Christmas decor.

The Mitten Tree sat at the heart of the Christmas display. In partnership with the Salvation Army, the church collects mittens on the tree and toys around it to present to children throughout the community.

St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church offered live music through Sunday afternoon’s open house, including the Knowlesville Musicians, who provided music and song, including piano, fiddle, and a string assemble.

Woodstock businessman and musician John Thompson offered harp music, while the Hansons, Mary, Sandra and Thomas entertained with piano, voice and trumpet, respectively.

The post Woodstock churches open their doors to Christmas visitors first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Fredericton man awaiting sentencing for an allegation he had methamphetamines for trafficking now finds himself in custody, accused of breaching the terms of his release.

Lawrence (Larry) Steven Chippin, 62, of Dundonald Street, was convicted after trial in Fredericton provincial court this year for possession of meth for the purpose of trafficking.

He had been scheduled for a sentencing hearing for the drug-trafficking offence last month, but it was adjourned at that time because the court heard Chippin had new, pending charges.

His case was back in provincial court Monday, both to reschedule the sentencing hearing but also for his first appearance on the afore-mentioned new allegations.

Chippin now stands charged with breaching a curfew condition and requirement to reside at a Dundonald Street apartment on three occasions: Feb. 2, Oct. 4 and Nov. 25.

He’s also now charged with simple possession of crystal meth, also on Oct. 4.

Chippin appeared by telephone in Fredericton provincial court Monday from the city police station cellblock.

The Crown objected to his release, and Judge Natalie LeBlanc remanded him pending a bail hearing, which she set for Thursday.

She also scheduled his new sentencing date for Jan. 8.

During his appearance in court, Chippin seemed at a loss as to why he’d been arrested again.

He said he’s been living at a Kingsley Road residence for some time now, having moved from the Dundonald Street location a while ago.

LeBlanc told him that for a defendant to stray from any condition of a release order, he or she would first have to apply to the court to change it.

Meth operation in motel room

Chippin’s conviction for meth possession for trafficking purposes stemmed from a Fredericton Police Force investigation focusing on activity at the motel room in which he was living two years ago.

That probe, court heard, culminated in officers executing a search warrant at Room 221 at the Days Inn on Prospect Street on July 30, 2021.

Evidence at trial showed that police found meth in crystal and pill form in plain sight in the motel room, as well as other items associated with drug trafficking, such as dime baggies, scoresheets and digital scales.

Officers also found a laptop computer on which there were Facebook Messenger conversations on Chippin’s account through which drug transactions were conducted. 

The defendant testified the drugs all belonged to Eddie Sivret Jr., who paid some of the cost of the motel room for his trafficking activity. He said he turned a blind eye to what Sivret was doing, and also claimed Sivret had used his laptop and Facebook account.

Sivret was unavailable as a witness because he died in 2021, after the motel raid and Chippin’s arrest.

Judge Cameron Gunn, in rendering his decision on the trial, said even if he believed Chippin - which he didn’t - the defendant’s own account shows he was involved in trafficking activity and had both constructive and joint possession of the drugs.

"The evidence of knowledge here is simply overwhelming," Gunn said in his decision.

In addition to the trafficking offence, Chippin is set to be sentenced in January for other crimes as well: personal possession of cocaine and meth in Fredericton on May 19, 2021; and a violation of a police undertaking on July 5, 2021, requiring him to reside at a McGee Street home in Lincoln and to observe a curfew there.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Greg Hall has seen his fair share of high winds and tropical storms. But the results of Monday’s wind and rain storm still came as a surprise to him.

Saint John councillors expressed frustration again Monday night with the city's inability to spread the property tax burden around so residential property owners don't carry most of it.

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A Fredericton woman accused of a serious cocaine-trafficking charge needs a new lawyer, as her previous counsel had to be removed from the record Monday due to a potential conflict.

Shelley Darlene Gosman, 37, of Doone Street, was scheduled to elect mode of trial and enter pleas Monday on a handful of charges.

She’s accused of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possessing cash believed to be the proceeds of crime June 16.

Gosman also faces lesser June 13 charges of uttering a threat to Caitlyn Bault-Gallant to damage Budget Rent a Car property and damaging a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 belonging to the car-rental business.

When Fredericton provincial court Judge Natalie LeBlanc called Gosman’s case Monday morning, the defendant wasn’t present, but her defence counsel - Legal Aid New Brunswick staff lawyer Angèle Normand - was.

However, Normand told court she was unable to continue as Gosman’s counsel, noting that a potential conflict of interest within her office had been identified.

She asked to be removed as counsel of record, noting that the legal aid commission would arrange for a new lawyer to be assigned to the defendant’s case.

LeBlanc granted Normand’s motion for removal.

Meanwhile, in light of Gosman’s non-attendance in court Monday, prosecutor Gwynne Hearn asked for a warrant to be issued for her arrest, and the judge obliged on that request as well.

A short time later, though, as the court continued with the morning pleas, Gosman arrived at the courtroom, after Normand had left.

When LeBlanc asked her why she was late, Gosman answered, “It took longer to walk here than I thought.”

The judge emphasized the importance of arriving to court on time, or in the alternative, to contact the court if one expects to be late. LeBlanc said an arrest warrant was ordered, but she vacated it given Gosman’s appearance, tardy as it was.

The court also explained to Gosman that Normand had been removed as her defence counsel. LeBlanc told her she needed to contact Legal Aid New Brunswick to learn when a new lawyer would be appointed and who that would be.

The judge adjourned the case to Jan. 2 to allow that process to unfold.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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An 88-unit townhouse development proposed for Fredericton's north side fell just short of the city council votes it needed Monday night to go ahead.

Businesses and other groups in Miramichi are ending a court challenge against the opening of an emergency homeless shelter near the city's waterfront.

A devotional to spiritual lust, a cracking open and a manifestation, DenMother’s latest single marks a new beginning.   Matt Carter  Sabarah Pilon is constantly in motion. Known to many as…

The post DenMother shares new single, Holy appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

New Brunswick's official languages commissioner took aim at the Higgs government Monday for failing to "make real progress" toward the equality of the two official language communities with the revision of the Official Languages Act.

Enjoy a look at some beautiful photos of New Brunswick, submitted by you. 

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The Fredericton Police force is investigating a hit-and-run incident from last month, and it’s turning to the public for help in identifying the woman who was at the wheel.

The police force issued an alert through social media Monday morning reporting it was investigating an incident in which a pedestrian was struck at the intersection of George and York streets at about 6:50 p.m. Nov. 16.

“While walking his dog, a male was struck in the crosswalk by a vehicle that did not stop and proceeded through the red light,” the force stated. 

“The vehicle is described as a white Honda or Hyundai sedan.”

The driver and sole occupant of the car was described as a Caucasian woman between 40 and 60 years of age with light brown/blonde hair, it said.

“The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and the dog was uninjured,” police spokesperson Megan Barker told the Fredericton Independent on Monday.

Witnesses to the incident or those who might have video footage of it are urged to contact the Fredericton Police Force by calling 506-460-2300 or emailing [email protected].

Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Tipsters should cite police file no. 23-29439.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A Fredericton man is due back in court early in the new year to answer to allegations of illegal possession of a handgun and impaired driving.

Brian Christopher Paul, 44, of Maliseet Drive, made his first appearance in Fredericton provincial court Monday on numerous charges, most stemming from allegations about a handgun.

He’s accused by the Fredericton Police Force of possessing a 9-mm SCCY CX-2 handgun  while prohibited from having firearms by a court order; possessing the handgun knowing he didn’t have a licence or registration certificate for it; occupying a motor vehicle while knowing that firearm was in there; possessing that loaded, prohibited handgun without authorization; and impaired driving.

The charges allege Oct. 4 events in Fredericton.

Paul noted he was seeking time to retain legal counsel, and Judge Natalie LeBlanc set the matter over to Jan. 2 for pleas.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Unseasonably high temperatures and wet weather are plaguing much of the province Monday, with heavy rain, high winds and warmer than usual weather in store.

A deadline change for international students to submit immigration documents to NBCC after they were accepted led to the college cancelling many students' acceptance.

The cost to consumers of new federal government clean fuel regulations has been a central point of attack on Ottawa by the New Brunswick government for months but a new report suggests there might have been no effect at all if New Brunswick had higher environmental standards for itself and had adopted bio-diesel and ethanol rules on its own like most other provinces.

Fredericton’s favourite live band, The Hypochondriacs, have set aside two nights in January for a live recording and they are inviting friends and fans to be a part of it.…

The post The Hypochondriacs Announce Live Album Recording appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Fredericton poet laureate Jordan Tretheway will host a poetry reading and book launch on January 25 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Over the past year, Fredericton’s poet laureate Jordan Tretheway…

The post Book Launch with Poet Laureate Jordan Tretheway appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

CSAC’s renewed membership drive offers a number of perks associated with the Centre’s diverse programming.   The Charlotte Street Arts Centre has announced the return of its annual membership program,…

The post Charlotte Street Arts Centre Launches Membership Program appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

A group representing Black students at Mount Allison Univeristy is calling for more transparency and consultation after the university’s Black Resource and Information Centre was the target of vandalism and hate speech.

Scenes from markets on first weekend of December

Christmas shoppers seeking unique and heartfelt gift options can find what they want while supporting Upper St. John River Valley craftspeople, artisans and artists at the many crafts fairs during the holiday season.

The first weekend of December saw a pair of vendor markets showcasing a wide selection of handmade creations.

On Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1 and 2, Wotstak (Woodstock) First Nation hosted its annual Christmas Bazaar, while vendors gathered at the Woodstock Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 on Sunday, Dec. 3, for the Holly Jolly Craft Market.

Craft artist Sandy Carrier of Belleville offered Sandy’s Creations, including unique Christmas decorations, at both events.

She said both vendors and shoppers enjoy craft markets.

Carrier added the Upper St. John River Valley benefits from the many talented craft artists in the area.

Beyond the business aspect of local craft markets, they provide an excellent atmosphere for socializing and sharing the Christmas spirit.

Area residents took advantage of several craft fairs throughout December, including two next door to each other in downtown Woodstock on Saturday, Dec. 9.

The Elks Club hosted a market with “lots of vendors” on Saturday.

Next door, the Creek Village Gallery and Café provided a chance to meet its many amazing artists and artisans and buy their creations at the galley’s Mini Craft Fair.

Creek Village will host an additional Mini Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The Woodstock Farm and Craft Market on King Street in downtown Woodstock has provided farm products, baked goods, and arts and crafts for the past half-century. It is open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The post Craft markets offer unique and heartfelt gift options first appeared on River Valley Sun.

After dealing with snow and cold last week, New Brunswick is set for the exact opposite over the next 24 hours.

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The federal weather service has issued a heavy rainfall alert for Monday for most of New Brunswick, and that includes Fredericton and surrounding communities.

In an update posted at 4:42 a.m. Sunday, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather service reissued the rainfall warning for Monday for the province.

“Heavy rain is expected,” it said. “The frozen ground has a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.”

For Fredericton, the weather service called for a chance of showers throughout the day Sunday, but by 7 p.m. Sunday night, that changes to a 100 per cent chance of rain, at times heavy.

Rainfall is expected to amount to 40 to 70 millimetres by Monday morning, but areas that see the heaviest rain will see the potential for even more, Environment and Climate Change Canada reported.

The rainfall is predicted to continue until Monday evening, it said.

“Strong winds and mild temperatures will accompany the rain, leading to significant snowmelt and runoff,” the alert stated, adding it’s likely to change to snow over parts of northwest New Brunswick before the precipitation ends Monday night.

“Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.”

The federal weather service is calling for temperatures as high as 13 C in Fredericton on Monday.

The New Emergency Measures Organization issued an advisory about the impending rainstorm through social media, and NB Power reported it’s monitoring the situation as well.

“We are currently monitoring the weather,” the provincial utility said on social media. “Crews are ready to respond, if outages occur.”

The Fredericton Independent can be reached at [email protected].

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Passing his road test with Service New Brunswick turned into a test of patience for Shubham Rathore of Moncton, who wanted to upgrade to a Class 4 licence, which would allow him to work as a taxi driver.

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery’s new curator of Canadian art says he’s honoured to help the gallery enrich its collection.

New Brunswick's first on-reserve women's shelter will serve all of the province's Mi'kmaw and Wolastoqiyik communities.

Canada suffered a familiar fate in the Para Hockey Cup final on Saturday as the United States came out on top again for its eighth straight gold medal at the tournament.

The Université de Moncton will keep the name it’s had for the past 60 years.

More witnesses testify at Rodney Butler trial in Woodstock

By Judy Cole Underhill

Two more witnesses at the Rodney Butler trial on Friday told the Provincial court they witnessed a kidnapping at gunpoint while seated around a kitchen table at the home of their friend in Scotts Siding.

RCMP charged Butler, 49, of Bulls Creek, with reckless discharge of a firearm, indictable assault, uttering threats, using a handgun to kidnap Chris Demerchant, unlawful confinement, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, possession of a firearm without a licence, and illegal possession of a firearm in a vehicle on Nov. 13, 2021, at Bulls Creek.

The next day, the RCMP was on the scene of a fatal shooting on Route 165 at Bulls Creek. Christine Pelletier-Thibodeau, 35, died as a result of her injuries. Over the next several days, police tape was erected around the property, including Butler’s residence, which was surrounded by a vehicle salvage yard.

On Dec. 8, Krista Grant of Canterbury testified she and her best friend, Kenneth Hatheway, were out gathering fir tips when they decided to stop at the home of their friend Chris Demerchant around 6:30 p.m. Ryan Purvis was there when they arrived. She said Purvis was staying with Demerchant at the time. (Purvis later died in an unrelated 2023 drowning in Woodstock.)

Shortly after their arrival, Purvis left to work on a car that broke down in the woods near Benton. They were seated around the kitchen table with Demerchant when Butler and Pelletier-Thibodeau drove into the yard and entered the home.

Grant said Butler and Demerchant were business partners “doing their car thing.” Butler seemed angry on the day of the incident and wanted to know Purvis’ whereabouts. Demerchant told him Purvis was up the road working on a car.

Butler began to shout and swear at Demerchant and then drove a hunting knife into the center of the table. Grant said she was seated nearby.
“I knew when the knife went in the table, it was serious,” Grant told the court.

Grant stood to say she was leaving, but Pelletier-Thibodeau yelled for her to stay seated. When Demerchant stood, Butler head-butted him, made threats, and insisted he go with him to find Purvis. As they moved toward the door, Pelletier-Thibodeau announced everyone was leaving.

“Rodney said: ‘Krista, you didn’t see me tonight,’” Grant testified. “I said, sounds good to me, buddy.”

Butler then remarked to Demerchant, “Same goes for you.”

Demerchant replied: “I don’t know you.”

Grant said Butler “went ballistic” and pulled a handgun from his waistband.

“I paid your debt,” Butler yelled at Demerchant. “I should shoot you right in the eye.”

“They proceeded to drag Chris out the door without his shoes on,” Grant recalled. “They made him go at gunpoint. He didn’t want to go.”

Demerchant protested to Butler, saying he had family obligations and couldn’t leave.

One by one, the group exited Demerchant’s home. Butler, Pelletier-Thibodeau, Demerchant, and Timothy Grant, who was waiting outside, left together in a Ford Escape. She and Hatheway drove away in his vehicle, both upset by the incident.

They drove to the store in Canterbury and then returned to Scotts Siding, where they saw a van in the ditch with its lights on and bullet holes in the windshield. They checked to see if Demerchant had returned home.

“We didn’t see anyone,” she told the court.

Grant said she made a phone call to Troy Demerchant to warn him his brother had been taken at gunpoint. Troy Demerchant advised them to leave Scotts Siding immediately. She called him again from a churchyard in Canterbury but didn’t call the police.

The next day, Grant said she received a phone call from Chris Demerchant, who told her he had been beaten and wanted her to come over. When she arrived, she didn’t recognize her friend.

“He was beat to pieces,” Grant told the court. “He was all beat to hell. His clothes were ripped. He was covered in blood.”

Grant attended to his wounds, noting Demerchant’s “head was smashed in, and his were eyes swollen shut.” She used salt water to help open his eyes. Demerchant muttered someone else had been shot, but he didn’t know if they survived.

Wiping away tears on the witness stand, Grant said the events surrounding Pelletier-Thibodeau’s death were upsetting for both her and Hatheway.

“I’m sorry someone died,” Grant testified. “I didn’t want to be here today or participate in these hearings at all. I didn’t want any blowback from Rodney or consequences for me or my loved ones.”

During cross-examination, Grant admitted to having a criminal record. She said she didn’t see Ryan Purvis again until 14 months after he got out of jail. She never knew Purvis to carry a gun but acknowledged Demerchant did have guns for hunting.

Grant also testified she saw Butler use alcohol and cocaine in the past and explained that a “goober” used by Butler on the day of the incident was another word for an ice (meth) pill.

Kenneth Hatheway of Irish Settlement testified he was also sitting at the kitchen table inside Demerchant’s home when Butler and Pelletier-Thibodeau arrived. He said the meeting made him fear for his life.
“Tensions were high,” Hatheway told the court. “Rodney had a bone to pick with Chris. They heatedly discussed whatever it was that was bothering him. Rodney pulled a knife out and stabbed it into the table to make his point.”

Hatheway said he did not speak during the incident. He saw Butler get in Demerchant’s face, but Demerchant seemed calm.

“Things went haywire,” Hatheway said when Demerchant answered Butler: “I don’t know you,” as if he was “disowning him.” Hatheway believed Butler misunderstood Demerchant’s statement when he pulled out the handgun.

“I thought we were all dead,” Hatheway stated.

As everyone prepared to leave, Hatheway said he was the first one out the door. On his way outside, he passed Timothy Grant. He hadn’t known him or Pelletier-Thibodeau before that day.

Hatheway saw Demerchant get in a vehicle with Butler, Pelletier-Thibodeau and Timothy Grant. He left the driveway with Krista Grant in his vehicle. They found out later that Pelletier-Thibodeau had been shot and killed at Butler’s home in Bulls Creek.

“It’s a tragic event,” Hatheway told the court. “Someone lost their life. It’s regrettable because it could have been prevented.”

Crown Prosecutors Rodney Jordan and Gwynne Hearn and Defence Counsel Alex Pate led the trial proceedings on Dec. 8 before Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean.

The trial was adjourned to Jan. 11 at 9:30 a.m. when Chris Demerchant is expected to deliver a full day of testimony. The crown will also present more police evidence.

The post Friends visiting Scott Siding witness violence, kidnapping at gunpoint first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Saint Johners will likely be familiar with the sound of the Trinity Church bells. They rang out every hour, half-hour and quarter-hour — until one day, they stopped.

Newly appointed curator of Indigenous Art at Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Emma Hassencahl-Perley is Wolastoqiyik from Neqotkuk First Nation in New Brunswick. She's curated a new exhibition featuring the work of renowned Indigenous artists.

About a hundred people gathered to pray to the Petitcodiac River in Moncton. A Hindu ritual called Ganga Aarti, the community also chanted and lit 1200 clay lamps.

St. Stephen is getting a round-the-clock drop-in centre for homeless people, after a week of controversy that saw the local council declaring a state of emergency and the province cancelling it.

Not all family dynamics are as cheerful as Whoville, so therapist Kayla Breelove Carter has some advice on how to set boundaries in conversations around personal matters, politics and religion this upcoming holiday season.

A New Brunswick judge has denied a motion to certify a class action by eight women alleging a Moncton nurse inappropriately administered a drug that resulted in the emergency births of their babies.

The Higgs government cut short debate on controversial pension legislation again Friday, putting another limit on top of the legislature’s already restricted consideration of the bill.

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A former New Brunswick deputy attorney general who stole hundreds of thousands in client funds seven years ago will learn days before Christmas how long his stint in prison will be.

Yassin Choukri, 56, of Riverview but formerly of Fredericton, appeared before Court of King’s Bench Justice Robert Dysart at the Moncton Law Courts on Friday for a sentencing hearing.

Choukri had originally opted for a King’s Bench trial by judge and jury trial on eight counts of fraud but this fall, he pleaded guilty instead to a single count of indictable theft, encompassing those offences.

Crown prosecutor Vicki Doucette, reading in an agreed statement of facts before the court Friday, noted Choukri established a law practice in Fredericton and had numerous clients.

As is customary in private practice, he held thousands of dollars in client funds in his trust account as part of his legal work.

Court heard Friday that in 2016, Choukri’s business partner reported Choukri had apparently left Fredericton and had abandoned his practice, and when addressing the situation, the Law Society of New Brunswick discovered his trust account - in which client funds were supposed to be held - had been emptied. 

Doucette - a Nova Scotia prosecutor who was brought in to handle the case given Chourki’s former role as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney in this province - said he took the following amounts that rightly belonged to the following clients:

• $11,500$ from Milemore Holdings Ltd.,

• $250,000 from Economical Insurance Group,

• $918 from George Bunting,

• $25,000 from Jean Marc Bélanger,

• $112,500 from Sylvie Perreault,

• $31,790 from Albina Stuckless,

• $5,000 from Dorothy McNaughton

• and $44,440 from Allan and Lucilla Wilson.

All told, he took $481,148 that wasn’t his, the prosecutor said, noting that in each instance, Choukri breached his fiduciary duties to those clients.

"The clients' money was used to repay advances of funds drawn mainly from Casino New Brunswick," Doucette said.

She and defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux offered a joint recommendation on sentence Friday: three years in prison.

The prosecution isn’t seeking a restitution order since there’s no chance Choukri will ever be able to repay what he stole.

‘He did not conduct himself with integrity’

Shirley MacLean - the province’s official languages commission - was serving as the law society’s registrar of complaints in 2016 when Choukri’s crimes came to light, and she read a victim-impact statement aloud in court Friday on behalf of the law society.

While the proceedings were conducted mainly in French, MacLean’s statement was in English.

She said it was her role to investigate complaints and facilitate compensation for clients who’d been wronged by their legal counsel.

When Choukri’s business partner advised the law society of his disappearance, MacLean said, the organization stepped in to ensure client files were protected and moved along to new counsel.

“Almost immediately, it became clear there were financial irregularities,” she said.

“No funds were remaining in Yassin Choukri’s trust account.”

The thefts from clients ranged in scope from just under $1,000 to one amounting to a quarter-million-dollar loss, she noted.

Court heard Choukri had represented the Economical Insurance Co. and had received $250,000 in funds in his trust account on behalf of the insurer.

“But the insurance company never received them,” she said.

But it wasn’t just larger corporations that fell victim to Choukri’s misconduct, she said.

There were regular people, who had mortgage money, retainers and other money with Choukri that was supposed to sit protected in his trust account, she said.

“These are not faceless incidents… not victimless crimes,” MacLean said.

The law society itself became a victim of Choukri’s actions from before and after his crimes were discovered, she said.

It was learned that after leaving New Brunswick, Choukri was living in the Toronto area, she said, but he refused to co-operate with the law society’s investigations and complaints processes.

With each complaint, she said, the law society was required to serve him with documents, which he avoided at every turn.

The organization spent almost $5,000 in process serving fees, MacLean said.

Furthermore, it paid out numerous amounts to affected clients in compensation for Choukri’s misconduct, she said, depleting it drastically.

“People trust their lawyers,” MacLean said, noting that Choukri met with clients and told them he’d guard their money or pay them much needed settlements he’d secured for them.

“He deliberately misled them … He did not conduct himself with integrity, but the Law Society of New Brunswick certainly did.”

She said Choukri did harm to the legal progression, noting he’d actually held one of the highest legal positions in New Brunswick when he served as the deputy justice minister and deputy attorney general as part of the Progressive Conservative government of Bernard Lord years ago.

But another victim’s voice was heard Friday that wasn’t damning, and instead offered forgiveness.

Among the clients whose funds were taken was Milemore Holdings Ltd., and representative Larry Fullerton read a statement to the court Friday.

“He was a good lawyer for me… He helped me on a lot of cases,” Fullerton said.

“Mr. Choukri is a good person. He helped me … I forgive him for what he has done.”

He asked Dysart to weigh the good the disgraced lawyer did over his career against the mistakes he’s made.

He said Friday morning’s proceedings marked the first time he’s laid eyes on Choukri since 2015.

“No one’s asked me for this,” Fullerton said, noting it was sad that “a distinguished career… has now gone by the wayside.”

Gambling addiction

The prosecutor noted that precedents direct that a federal prison sentence was necessary to denounce his conduct given the amount of money stolen in this case and the breach of trust Choukri committed against his clients. 

She cited cases with similar circumstances that demonstrate the three-year recommendation was within an appropriate range of sentence in Chourki’s case.

Doucette said the significant amount of money taken from victims and by extension the law society and the breach of trust were aggravating factors the court had to address.

But she also acknowledged there were mitigating factors in Chourki’s favour.

The prosecutor acknowledged and Lemieux emphasized that the first-time offender’s criminal conduct was driven by a gambling addiction.

Chourki was a regular and well-known presence at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton in the years leading up to the theft and his departure from the province.

Lemieux said his client sought counselling and treatment for his gambling issue once his theft came to light.

Court heard that in addition to his trouble with the law and the self-destruction of his career, Choukri is in massive debt. 

The agreed statement of facts filed with the court noted there are three outstanding civil-court judgments against him: $237,889.52 for the Bank of Nova Scotia, $228,129.07 for Canada Law Financing and $275,047.29 for the Law Society of New Brunswick.

Choukri apologized to his victims for taking the money and failing his clients, noting he was deeply remorseful and ashamed for what he’d done.

Dysart reserved his decision on sentence to Dec. 19.

Choukri remains free on conditions pending the sentencing decision.

During the complaints and disciplinary processes the law society pursued in 2017, it was determined Choukri had taken $720,000 in client funds.

Despite the fact the misconduct came to light in late 2016, it wasn’t until the summer of 2020 that the Fredericton Police Force charged him criminally.

A Canada-wide warrant was issued for Choukri’s arrest, and he was arrested in the Toronto area in August 2020.

He was escorted back to New Brunswick in police custody, but he was released on conditions in September.

Though he had been living and practising in Fredericton at the time of his crimes, among the conditions of Choukri’s release was to reside at a friend’s home in Riverview.

Many of the preliminary proceedings in the case unfolded in the courts in Moncton, for the convenience of the various parties involved, but Choukri’s jury trial was supposed to be held in the Fredericton district, where he committed his criminal actions.

However, after he pleaded guilty to the single theft count in Moncton in October, it was decided to hold the sentencing hearing at the Moncton Law Courts.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Seven years after a former Fredericton lawyer fled the province after gambling away hundreds of thousands of dollars of his clients' money, he stood before a judge in Moncton apologizing.

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Public Safety Minister Kris Austin is considering revoking American Iron & Metal's salvage dealers' licence following a scathing report into the massive Sept. 14 fire at the Saint John scrapyard, and has given the company until Dec. 22 to respond.

Rodney Butler on trial for kidnapping, assault, firearms charges in connection with incident that lead to death of Butler’s partner

A key witness in the trial of Rodney Butler told the court about the kidnapping and severe beating of a Scotts Siding man that preceded the shooting death of Butler’s former partner, Christine Pelletier-Thibodeau. Pelletier-Thibodeau, 35, was killed after she accidentally walked into the line of fire.

Butler, 49, of Bulls Creek, is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, indictable assault, uttering threats, using a handgun to kidnap Chris Demerchant, unlawful confinement, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, possession of a firearm without a licence, and illegal possession of a firearm in a vehicle on Nov. 13, 2021, at Bulls Creek.

On the day following the kidnapping, the RCMP was called to the scene of a fatal shooting on Route 165 at Bulls Creek. Over the next several days, police tape was erected around the property, including Butler’s residence, which was surrounded by a vehicle salvage yard.

Timothy Grant, 31, of Canterbury, is also facing charges in relation to the incident. Grant testified for a full day on Dec. 7, describing in detail how he witnessed several acts of violence while in the company of Butler on Nov. 13, 2021.

Grant pleaded not guilty to using a handgun to kidnap Chris Demerchant, unlawful confinement, and indictable assault at Scotts Siding on Nov. 13, 2021. His provincial court trial was adjourned to Feb. 29 and March 1, 2024.

In court on Thursday, Dec. 7, Grant said he was an unwilling participant and only tagged along with Butler that day to help his friend retrieve a vehicle. By that night, however, Grant was scared for his own life and looking for a way to get home safely.

“It was a horrible situation to be in,” Grant told the court. “I got sucked into something I wanted no part of.”

On the day of the incident, Grant testified he arrived at Butler’s residence around 4 p.m. They left for Scotts Siding to pick up an old van at Demerchant’s residence. They were travelling in Pelletier-Thibodeau’s Ford Escape with her behind the wheel. Her young son was strapped in a car seat in the back.

Once at Scotts Siding, Butler got the old van started. Demerchant was not at home, but his mother, who lived next door, agreed to let them take the vehicle. Butler headed toward Skiff Lake, driving the old van while Grant and Pelletier-Thibodeau followed in her Ford Escape.

The old van broke down along the way, so Pelletier-Thibodeau pushed it from behind with her vehicle until they reached a property Butler used at Skiff Lake. Grant said there was damage to the front bumper of Pelletier-Thibodeau’s vehicle.

A little later, they decided to go for beer and food in Canterbury. Grant said he saw Butler pop a pill that he called a “goober.” All was well until Butler said he wanted to assault Ryan Purvis (now deceased in an unrelated 2023 drowning in Woodstock).

The trio dropped Pelletier-Thibodeau’s son off at a babysitter in Woodstock. She drove to a Woodstock First Nation pot store and returned to Scotts Siding. Butler said he wanted to talk to Demerchant about Purvis.

When they arrived, Grant said he could see people sitting at the kitchen table near the front window of Demerchant’s trailer. The three of them walked toward the home. Grant waited on the porch while Butler and Thibodeau went inside. Grant could hear yelling and screaming during an argument between Butler, Pelletier-Thibodeau and Demerchant.

About two minutes later, Grant returned to the car and waited in the front seat. From the vehicle, he saw Butler slam his fist on the kitchen table. They exited the residence with Demerchant, who climbed in the backseat with Butler. Pelletier-Thibodeau got back behind the wheel, and they drove off. Grant thought they were going to find Ryan Purvis.

Another argument quickly ensued between Butler and Demerchant in the backseat. Butler began punching his victim and then pistol-whipped Demerchant around the head with a nine-millimeter handgun. The beating went on.

Grant said he could see what was happening from the front seat. Demerchant tried to fight back but eventually began crying and screaming for Butler to stop. When Butler pointed the gun at his legs, Demerchant screamed, “No, no.”

“He was scared, very scared,” Grant recalled.

During the mayhem, Grant worried for his own safety when, for an instant, the gun came close to the front seat. He said he tried to stop the violence by grabbing Butler around the shoulders, but “it didn’t do any good.”

Demerchant told Butler where Purvis was located, and they headed toward Benton. Pelletier-Thibodeau was still driving. They spotted Purvis up ahead on an old woods road. Purvis was using a different van to jump-start a black Pontiac Grand Prix parked near the woods with a pile of fir tips in the back.

Butler got out and walked toward Purvis, who was seated in the van. Grant said he heard nine or 10 shots being fired. It was around 6:30 p.m., Grant said, and he did not believe Purvis returned any fire. He said Purvis soon fled the scene “full blast” by putting his van in reverse. He struck Pelletier-Thibodeau’s Ford Escape on the way by.

“I was surprised he (Purvis) was still alive,” Grant testified.

Butler returned to the back seat with Demerchant and told Pelletier-Thibodeau to follow Purvis. They drove back to Scotts Siding, where Purvis was sitting in his van with its engine smoking. Thibodeau rear-ended the van as Purvis tried to make his exit. Purvis fell under the van, got up, and ran into Demerchant’s home. Butler went in after him. Still in the vehicle, Grant saw Butler throw a chair. He thought Purvis might have been inside looking for a gun. He said he never saw Purvis again that night.

“I wanted to get out of that yard,” Grant stated. “I thought there could be more gunfire.”

Grant ran out of the driveway and down Scotts Siding Road. Pelletier-Thibodeau followed in the Ford Escape. Then Purvis’ van came barreling out of the driveway in reverse, hit a mailbox and went backwards into a ditch. He saw Butler come up out of the ditch near the van.

By this time, Demerchant was trying to get out of the backseat of Pelletier-Thibodeau’s car.
She tried to stop him, and they began fighting outside the vehicle.

“She was giving him a pretty good going over,” Grant recalled.

Demerchant fell onto the ground, with Pelletier-Thibodeau and Butler both making an attack.

“They were laying the boots to him,” said Grant.

Demerchant struggled to his feet, and Pelletier-Thibodeau and Butler returned him to the backseat of her Ford Escape.

“He wasn’t free to go. He had no choice,” Grant said.

Grant said he did not intervene in the altercation. He returned to the front passenger seat of the Ford Escape. Pelletier-Thibodeau was still driving, and Butler and Demerchant were together again in the backseat. Demerchant was badly injured and bloodied. Their next stop was at the residence of Earl DeLong in Dead Creek, where everyone exited the vehicle.

“I told Chris I wanted no part of it,” Grant said. “I don’t think it registered. He was in shock.”

While Butler, Pelletier-Thibodeau and Demerchant went inside DeLong’s residence, Grant saw his chance to leave. He found service for his cell phone and called his girlfriend to pick him up. He was walking down the road to meet her when he saw the Ford Escape drive by. His girlfriend took him back to Butler’s place at Bull’s Creek so he could retrieve his own vehicle. It was around 9 p.m. On the way home, he notified Demerchant’s family about the incident but didn’t call the police.

“I got hold of his family and let them deal with it,” Grant explained.

The next day, he was shocked when he got a call from Butler, who was crying.

“He said he shot Christine,” Grant testified. “I said ‘where,’ and he said it was about 20 to 30 feet from the front door.”

During their conversation, Grant said Butler explained Pelletier-Thibodeau was killed with the nine-millimetre handgun. The shooting happened outside his home at Bull’s Creek when she accidentally walked into the line of fire.

“I felt bad about it and the fact that Christine lost her life over it,” Grant told the court.

Under cross-examination, Grant said he “tried to stay out of it” but ended up giving a complete statement to the police after he was charged as an accomplice to the kidnapping.

Other testimony at the trial came from three RCMP officers who participated in the investigation as part of the force’s major crime unit.

One officer told the court about multiple bullet holes found in a black Grand Prix parked on a woods road near Benton. The vehicle also had a passenger-side window shot out, and there was broken glass on the ground. Shell casings were found on the road nearby.

Another police officer testified about taking a statement from Chris Demerchant as well as photos of his facial, head and body injuries that required follow-up treatment at a hospital.

There was also police testimony about bloodstains on the inside of the Ford Escape, mainly in the backseat area. A quantity of cannabis and over $1,100 in cash was also found inside the vehicle, along with Pelletier-Thibodeau’s driver’s licence and Butler’s debit card.

Chris Demerchant is expected to take the stand on Dec. 8.

Crown Prosecutor Rodney Jordan and Defence Counsel Alex Pate are participating in the trial proceedings before Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean.

The post Key witness testifies in trial of Bulls Creek man first appeared on River Valley Sun.

The board overseeing the Codiac Regional RCMP has voted to delay work that Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview want complete ahead of deciding whether to keep the Mounties as their police service.

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Though he’s already been in custody more than three months, a suspect in an attempted bank robbery case out of Oromocto went through a long-deferred bail hearing Thursday, but to no avail.

Chad Atkinson, 30, of Farnham Road in Haneytown, has been in custody since his arrest the afternoon of Aug. 30 at the TD Bank branch on Onondaga Street in Oromocto.

He’s accused of attempting to rob the branch and employee Samson Adeyemo, possessing a Crossman Arms Co. pellet gun for the purpose of committing an offence, carrying a concealed weapon and violating a probation order imposed on him in May, stemming from events that day.

Atkinson also faces Aug. 29 counts of driving with an elevated blood-alcohol level and breaching his probation as well.

The defendant had previously asked to defer his bail hearing on the Aug. 30 charges, so it was held finally Thursday in Fredericton provincial court.

Atkinson appeared in court by video-conference from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre for the proceeding.

Evidence presented at the bail hearing and the reasons for the judge’s decision are subject to a publication ban until the case concludes.

Judge Natalie LeBlanc ruled Thursday the Crown had shown cause why Atkinson should remain in custody until his matters before the court are resolved.

The bail hearing was actually held the day before Atkinson’s scheduled trial. However, following LeBlanc’s decision, court heard that the trial will have to be postponed.

Duty counsel Gerald Pugh, who represented Atkinson at the bail hearing, noted that the defendant’s defence counsel - Legal Aid New Brunswick staff lawyer Doug Smith - was unavailable for Friday’s scheduled trial due to illness.

As such, the legal aid commission is endeavouring to reassign his case, so an adjournment of the trial will be unavoidable.

The Oromocto detachment of the RCMP, in a news release issued late this summer, reported it received a call about a robbery in progress after a male suspect entered the TD branch at around 2:15 p.m. Aug. 30 and demanded money.

The release indicated the suspect told bank staff he had a firearm in a backpack he was carrying.

That call prompted a major police response at the bank in the strip mall, with officers armed with rifles surrounding the location. Atkinson was arrested shortly thereafter.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The New Brunswick Museum has secured a new research and collections centre on Saint John's west side, as it prepares to break ground next year on its estimated $150 million new home.

Kris Austin’s comments this week blaming federal Liberal policies for the death of a homeless man in St. Stephen may have shocked some New Brunswickers — but they are hardly a surprise.