New Brunswick lifts ban on walking in the woods

The New Brunswick government has lifted its two-week ban on walking in the woods, but the Nova Scotia government continues to fine people for violating its ban.

25 people charged with violating Nova Scotia's woods and fire bans | Saltwire | Francis Campbell, Halifax Chronicle-Herald:

August 27, 2025 - "The Nova Scotia government’s commitment to crack down on people who ignore proclamations to stay out of the woods is not an empty promise. A spokesperson for the Natural Resources Department says there have been 15 charges laid for violations of the provincewide ban on open fires that started on July 30 and 10 charges for violating the woods restrictions that were implemented on Aug. 5.... 

"'To date, the people charged have not yet paid the fine but they have two months to voluntarily do that,' Adele Poirier, communications director with Natural Resources, said in an emailed response.... Those charged are required either to plead guilty and pay the amount payable within two months or to notify the court of an intention to appear in provincial court and plead not guilty and have a trial. A person charged can also plead guilty and make a penalty submission in court.

"The restrictions that came into effect Aug. 5 do not permit hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles in the woods. The trail systems through the woods are off limits and camping is allowed only in campgrounds. The measures are in place on provincial Crown and private land until Oct. 15 or until the exceedingly dry conditions change enough to allow them to be lifted.... Private landowners are free to use their own properties but cannot host others to use wooded areas of their properties.

"On Monday, the New Brunswick government announced that after a two-week closure due to the high risk of wildfires in that province, Crown land would reopen to the public as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt announced that restrictions remain on timber harvesting, which will only be allowed from 6 p.m. to noon and will be reassessed on a daily basis. The New Brunswick government reaffirmed that a provincewide ban on campfires and burning of any kind is still in place. 

"No such lifting of restrictions has been announced in Nova Scotia, where six active wildfires were burning Tuesday.... While the Nova Scotia government has signaled that the woods ban is a very serious measure not to be taken lightly, many residents have voiced their displeasure about the restrictions."
Read more: https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/35-people-charged-nova-scotias-woods-fire-ban-25-thousand-dollar-fine

Jeffrey Evely challenges sweeping travel ban in Supreme Court of Nova Scotia | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release):

August 20, 2025 - "The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that lawyers for Canadian war veteran Jeffrey Evely have filed a Notice for Judicial Review to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, challenging the province’s sweeping travel ban and Mr. Evely’s $28,872.50 fine for walking in the woods. An emergency hearing will be requested.

"Announced by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston on August 5, the ban prohibits people from entering wooded areas for any purpose. Approximately 75 percent of the province is classified as 'woods.' The ban even applies to activities such as hiking, fishing, and walking, even though these carry no risk of starting fires. Mr. Evely is arguing that the travel ban is unreasonable and unconstitutional and violates his right to liberty and security of the person – protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“'Nova Scotia’s travel ban doesn’t target risky activities, but rather treats people as the problem, and bans them from the woods for any purpose. Nova Scotia’s limit on people’s liberties under a blanket claim of ‘safety’ is not rational and has no logical limit,' said constitutional lawyer Marty Moore.

"Mr. Evely, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, connects his past service to the country to the need to resist unreasonable and unconstitutional government edicts. 'I believe that it is important to have the woods ban proclamation reviewed in light of our Charter rights because I served in Afghanistan and Iraq, so I know how hard won these freedoms really are, especially once they are lost,' he said. 'I find the cavalier attitude with which these freedoms have been impaired to be a gross indignity to our fallen soldiers, and a moral injury to those of us still here.'"
Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/jeffrey-evely-challenges-sweeping-nature-ban-in-supreme-court-of-nova-scotia/

Why he purposely entered the woods — getting a $28K fine | CBC News Nova Scotia | August 13, 2025:

2nd Canadian rights group weighs in on hiking ban

A second Canadian province has imposed a summer ban on hiking, fishing, picnicking, and dog walking in the woods on Crown land to prevent wildfires; and a second Canadian rights group has weighed in on the issue.

New Brunswick warned to lift ban on low-risk activities, such as walking, hiking, and fishing, on Crown land | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release): 

August 11, 2025 - ""The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that a legal warning letter has been sent to Premier of New Brunswick Susan Holt and Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development John Herron, urging them to reverse their province-wide ban on public access to Crown land. 

Image generated by Grok, created by xAI.

"The universal ban on access to nature across the province applies to low-risk activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing, or even walking a dog.... 

"Constitutional lawyer Allison Pejovic states that these sweeping restrictions violate Canadians’ right to liberty – protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Ms. Pejovic writes that 'walking through the woods and fishing do not pose a risk of starting fires. Punishing Canadians by restricting their freedom to roam and enjoy nature is disproportionate and not rationally connected to preventing forest fires.'

"Less restrictive measures, such as banning smoking and recreational fires, increasing patrols on Crown land, and improving forest management, could address legitimate fire concerns without violating citizens’ liberty.

"The letter cautions that if the province proceeds with 'overbroad, arbitrary, and grossly disproportionate restrictions,' the province could face a legal challenge.... Ms. Pejovic remarks that 'treating people as the problem rather than targeting actions that actually create fire risks shows a serious and concerning disregard for human rights and individual liberty.'

"The letter urges the province to immediately remove the ban on harmless recreational activities on Crown land."

Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/new-brunswick-warned-to-lift-ban-on-low-risk-activities-such-as-walking-hiking-and-fishing-on-crown-land/

Telegraph-Journal welcomes Libertarians to NB

In an editorial, the Saint John Telegraph-Journal has welcomed the formation of a Libertarian Party in New Brunswick. 

Editorial: Libertarian ideas welcome in N.B. debates | Saint John Telegraph-Journal:

August 8, 2024 - "We were surprised but encouraged to learn a small group of New Brunswickers have founded a local branch of the Libertarian party – committed to ideas such as free markets, smaller government and personal liberty. That’s not to say we endorse the Libertarians for office. Indeed, there is little likelihood ... the new party will come close to earning any seats in the provincial legislature in this fall’s election.

Still, theirs is a point of view that’s a welcome addition to a healthy mix of public policy perspectives. Too often, the sheer size of government and the depth of its involvement in the economy is taken for granted.... We’re under no illusion government is about to take a gigantic retreat – especially with a federal regime that actively pushes the provinces toward more tax-funded projects. But it’s worth more asking ourselves, constantly, whether we ought to be so reliant on government spending and other policy initiatives to solve problems.

"It’s also a necessary balance on the political right. Under Blaine Higgs, the Progressive Conservatives have become more socially conservative. That’s a legitimate point of view, but not one all right-of-centre voters are eager to support. 

"The Libertarians are by no means right about everything. But they have a coherent worldview that deserves a voice in our debates. Let’s hope they rise to the challenge."

Read more: https://tj.news/new-brunswick/editorial-libertarian-ideas-welcome-in-n-b-debates

Libertarian Party formed in New Brunswick

 A Libertarian Party has been formed in New Brunswick, and has a website up. 

Libertarian Party of Canada leader Jacques Boudreau announces new party. Courtesy X.

About Us | Libertarian Party Of New Brunswick:

"Welcome to the Libertarian Party of New Brunswick, where we stand firmly on our principles to ensure all individuals have the freedom to live their lives and pursue their interests as they see fit, as long as they do no harm to another. Our core beliefs revolve around significantly reducing the size and intrusiveness of government, cutting and eliminating taxes at every opportunity, and allowing peaceful, honest people to offer their goods and services without inappropriate interference from the government.

"We believe in a society where peaceful, honest individuals can make their own decisions about how to live their lives, free from the fear of criminal or civil penalties. Founded in 2024, our party has been a consistent advocate for these principles, running many hundreds of candidates every election cycle to promote our vision of a freer, more prosperous New Brunswick.

"As part of the broader Libertarian movement, we are dedicated to expanding individual freedom to its furthest limits. We affirm the principles of no person or institution having the right to initiate the use of force or fraud against another, and that the only moral purpose of government is the preservation of individual rights. We also recognize the voluntary exchange of goods and services as essential for a free and prosperous society.

"By joining the Libertarian Party of New Brunswick, you’re not just becoming a member of a political party; you’re joining a community of like-minded individuals committed to making New Brunswick a better place for all. Together, we can work towards a future where individuals are empowered to make their own choices and live their lives to the fullest, without undue interference from government or other institutions."

Libertarian Party of 

New Brunswick

https://lpnb.ca/

Robust property rights could help build housing

Sign in the window of a boutique in the North End neighbourhood of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Photo by A Disappearing Act, February 27, 2024, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Strengthening Property Rights Part of the Answer to Canada’s Housing Crunch | Epoch Times | Joseph Quesnel, Frontier Centre for Public Policy:

August 1, 2023 - "Housing is a big issue for Canadians.... A poll from Ipsos in the spring [of 2023] showed that about 63 out of every 100 Canadians who don’t own a house have given up on ever getting one. Almost seven out of 10 said that only rich people can afford to own homes.... Canadians may not understand how property rights — or, in many cases, the lack thereof — play a part in the housing shortage, and how robust property rights can help alleviate the problem.

"The recently released Canadian Property Rights Index from the Frontier Centre for Public Policy identified how local laws that control how people can use their land are a major cause for concern across Canada. These laws, known as 'regulatory takings,' can be very limiting. Regulatory or 'constructive' takings refer to local land use or zoning laws that limit how individuals may use their land. Many jurisdictions, provinces, and municipalities in Canada have such laws, with the most restrictive coming from the provinces. As a result, this land can’t be used for building houses.

"Excluding land from development and urban growth puts upward pressure on housing prices. There is a clear connection between urban containment policies and housing affordability. 'Urban containment' is a name for policies that limit the spread of cities and clearly separate city and country land. Wendell Cox, author of the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, has documented how these policies affect housing affordability in all cities around the world.... Policies that limit or ban the development of unused land push up the cost of land and housing. This is certainly not confined to Canada.... 

"British Columbia and Ontario offer two case studies.

• Since the 1970s, B.C. has maintained an Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) as a land use exclusion zone. Designed to protect valuable agricultural land and protect the public from food insecurity, the exclusion zone has created problems for municipalities seeking to grow to accommodate growing populations.... Even though the ALR only covers about five percent of B.C.’s total land, its rules have blocked the housing and development needs of communities.
• In the case of Ontario’s Greenbelt, cynical critics are more often focused on who wants to develop the land than the fact that municipalities are being squeezed and feel that certain lands need to be excluded from the Greenbelt if they are to meet the housing and development needs of their communities.

"Experience with urban containment policies in the United States might serve as an inspiration. Facing housing affordability issues, many states have seen pushback against such policies. States such as Colorado, with more robust democratic systems that allow for referenda and citizen initiatives, rejected overly restrictive urban containment policies and favoured the property rights of land users. Canadians across all provinces and territories should also push back, stop demonizing land developers, and begin to recognize their property rights so we can solve our housing problems."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/strengthening-property-rights-part-of-the-answer-to-canadas-housing-crunch-5434635?ea_src=ca-frontpage&ea_med=top-news-opinion-undefined-title-1

Canadian Property Rights Index 2023: https://fcpp.org/2023/07/17/canadian-property-rights-index-2023/

Parents should be told if minors switch gender, say provincial governments

Education Ministers in four Canadian provincial governments are changing school policies, requiring parents to be informed when minor-age children change gender identity at school. 

Saskatchewan mandates parental consent for name and pronoun changes at school | True North | Elie Cantin-Nantel:

August 22, 2023 - "The Saskatchewan government is requiring children under the age of 16 to obtain parental consent before they change their name or pronouns at school. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is the third premier to stand up for parental rights in the face of rampant gender ideology in public schools. The two others who have taken a pro-parent position on the issue are New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson....

"'Parents must be included in all important decisions involving their children,' said Moe. 'Our government has heard the concerns raised by Saskatchewan parents about needing to be notified and included in their children’s education,' said Education Minister Dustin Duncan in a news release.... The Saskatchewan government is also mandating that schools disclose information about sex-ed teachings to parents and provide them with the option to opt-out.... 

"Speaking to True North [video], Don’t Delete Parents founder Faytene Grasseschi said it’s 'becoming very clear across Canada that parents are voicing common-sense concerns'.... 'What is happening in New Brunswick, Manitoba and now Saskatchewan is waking up the nation, and I expect it will have an impact in other provinces as well.' added Grasseschi. 'Parents are just now waking up to the fact that some schools have been keeping things from them, and they frankly aren’t ok with it.'

"Not everyone in Saskatchewan is, however, on board with the government’s new parental rights policies. Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck accused Moe and Duncan of 'outing vulnerable kids' while NDP MLA Aleana Young accused them of being 'f***king cowards.'"

Read more: https://tnc.news/2023/08/22/sask-parental-consent-school/

New Brunswick’s fight for parental rights (feat. Faytene Grasseschi) | True North | July 2, 3023:

Canadian politicians stampeding away from policy of concealing gender transitions from parents | National Post | Tristin Hopper:

August 30, 2023 - "Canadian politicians are now stampeding away from a policy of public schools unquestionably affirming the self-described gender identity of children without informing their parents.... [T]he standing policy is that staff must immediately affirm the self-described gender identity of students ... and also withhold this information from parents upon request. 'Do not talk to anyone about (a student’s) identity, including parents/caregivers, to whom they have not already disclosed their gender identity,' reads the official guidelines on 'gender identity in schools' published by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

• "In a surprise move last June, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs amended Policy 713 — a document governing gender expression in public schools — to require parental consent before a student could socially transition.... 
• Last week, Saskatchewan also announced that parental consent would henceforth be required for a student under 16 to assume new pronouns or a new name (students over 16 can do it without parental consent).... 
• Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson announced plans earlier this month to amend the province’s Public Schools Act to broaden 'parental rights' surrounding gender identity. 'Parents want to know what’s going on in the day-to-day lives of their children,” Stefanson told reporters on Aug. 17....
•  And just on Monday, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce told a news conference that 'parents must be fully involved' in circumstances when a child decides to go by different pronouns at school.

"According to polls, Canadians are wildly in favour of this new tack. Even before Higgs went public with changes to Policy 713, a May Leger poll found that 57 per cent of Canadians favoured some form of parental notification in cases where a student was changing their gender identity. Only 18 per cent supported the status quo.... The results of an Angus Reid Institute poll released Monday were even more decisive. Of respondents, 78 per cent said that schools should inform parents if a student changes their pronouns, and 43 per cent said it shouldn’t be done without explicit parental consent. Only 14 per cent agreed with the statement 'parents should neither be informed nor have a say — it’s up to the child.'

"Progressive politicians and LGBT rights groups have been quick to call the proposed changes transphobic or even hateful. In a column for CTV, former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said the likes of Higgs and Moe were 'promoting discrimination and intolerance' in a cynical bid for votes. Former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne accused Lecce of using parental rights to 'cover their trans and homophobia.'"

Read more: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/canadian-politicians-transitions-policy

4 provinces oppose federal gun buyback program

Four Canadian provinces have issued a joint statement opposing the Trudeau government's plans to use 'scarce RCMP and municipal police resources to confiscate more than 100,000 legally acquired firearms from Canadians.'

New Brunswick Joins Prairies in Opposing Use of Police for Ottawa’s Gun Confiscation Program | Epoch Times - Isaac Teo:

October 15, 2022 - "New Brunswick has joined forces with Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to oppose the federal government’s gun buyback program. The Yukon Legislature also recently passed a motion against the measures. In a joint statement on Oct. 14, New Brunswick, together with the Prairie provinces, called on the Liberal government to halt plans to use 'scarce RCMP and municipal police resources to confiscate more than 100,000 legally acquired firearms from Canadians.' 

"The joint statement was issued following a discussion on Ottawa’s firearms buyback program at the “Federal, Provincial and Territorial Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety” in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14. The Prairie provinces had already written to their respective RCMP divisions, indicating that no provincial funding should be used to confiscate legal firearms.... The Epoch Times sought comment from Public Safety Canada, which replied that it had forwarded the request to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino’s office. No response was received by publication time.

"The government’s buyback program comes on the heels of 2020 legislation banning more than 1,500 models of what it termed 'assault-style weapons, including AR-15s. Ottawa has said the buyback program 'will be mandatory' and will require anyone who owns guns banned under the new legislation to sell them to the government at prices determined by the feds, or else have them 'lawfully disposed' of.

"Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro said the Liberal government contradicted its earlier claim that it would not have law enforcement administer the program due to high costs.... 'Make no mistake, the federal firearms confiscation program will cost us billions and will not improve public safety,' Shandro said, adding that the Alberta government is 'not legally obligated' to provide the resources and 'will not do so.' Alberta was the first province to announce its opposition to the buyback on Sep. 26. Following Shandro’s announcement, Mendicino said on CTV’s Question Period that Alberta’s attempt to challenge the constitutionality of the federal firearms prohibition is a 'political stunt'....

"Saskatchewan adopted Alberta’s position on Sept. 28. In the joint Oct. 14 statement, Christine Tell, the province’s minister of corrections, policing, and public safety, and Bronwyn Eyre, minister of justice and attorney general, said they are supportive of going after illegal guns, but not guns from law-abiding owners....

"On Oct. 13, the Yukon Legislative Assembly adopted a similar position as the Prairie provinces by passing a motion that 'urges the Yukon government to ensure that territorial policing resources are not diverted to assist in the implementation of the Government of Canada’s gun "buy-back" program.'

"Manitoba, which joined in pushing back on the feds’ buyback program on Sept. 28, said in the statement that the confiscation will have 'little impact' on criminals but will 'further erode' policing resources in the province....

"New Brunswick’s Public Safety Minister Kris Austin wants the RCMP to focus on policing instead of using their 'limited resources' to participate in the buyback program. 'New Brunswick’s bottom line is this: RCMP resources are spread thin as it is. We have made it clear to the Government of Canada that we cannot condone any use of those limited resources, at all, in their planned buyback program,' Austin said."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/new-brunswick-joins-prairies-in-opposing-use-of-police-for-ottawas-gun-confiscation-program_4798553.html

Medical vax mandates no longer make sense

Vaccines make sense, banishing unvaccinated Nova Scotia health workers doesn’t | Saltwire - Paul Schneidereit:

June 22, 2022 - "It’s time for Nova Scotia — desperately short of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals — to drop its mandatory vaccination policy for health-care workers. Although some may twist it that way, that’s not an anti-vaccination position....

"Omicron subvariants, especially the latest BA.4 and BA.5, have demonstrated a remarkable ability to infect even vaccinated individuals or those who’ve previously had the disease. Boosters do raise a person’s level of protection against infection ... but even that fades within months.... [O]micron and its burgeoning subvariants are ... 'an especially stealthy immune invader' which can evade a body’s defences while limiting immune response, increasing danger of future reinfection, warned one British researcher. 

"So, let’s take stock:

• Our health-care system is struggling due to a shortage of health-care professionals.
• Vaccination no longer reliably prevents COVID infection or being infectious.
• Yet hundreds of Nova Scotia health-care workers remain off the job because they won’t get vaccinated.

"That doesn’t make much sense to me....

"Canadian jurisdiction[s] that had mandatory vaccination policies for health-care workers have now dropped them, except for three — Yukon, British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Vaccine mandates for health-care workers ended in Alberta in March, in New Brunswick in early April and in Newfoundland and Labrador on June 1. 

"Last week, Ottawa dropped its vaccine mandate for federal employees and domestic travellers. 

"On Saturday, an arbitrator in a labour dispute between Canadian autoworkers and Stellantis NV, maker of Dodge and Chrysler vehicles, ordered the company to end its vaccine mandate policy. The policy was initially reasonable, the arbitrator ruled, but is no longer defensible in light of evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against the omicron variant. The arbitrator said the company failed to establish any notable difference in risk of transmission of the omicron virus between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. 

"Let’s be clear here. Getting vaccinated (and boosted) is still the smartest thing you can do to protect yourself against COVID-19.... Although being vaccinated doesn’t guarantee you won’t catch the disease, multiple studies have conclusively proven it greatly reduces chances you’ll get seriously ill or die.... Experts say a previous COVID infection is also effective at protecting a reinfected person against serious illness, hospitalization and death.... The most robust protection appears to develop in those who’ve been both fully vaccinated and also previously had COVID-19.... But with omicron, even that’s not a guarantee.

"Look, I think all health-care workers should be vaccinated.... But let’s be practical. We need them. And since there’s no longer a logical argument for sidelining them, it’s time to join Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and other provinces and change course on mandatory vaccination. We’d still have testing and isolation for those who get sick....

"COVID-19 has evolved to become what appears to be a permanent part of humanity’s ecosystem. The current variant, omicron, continues to change and become ever more infectious.... For most people, though, especially if they’ve been fully vaccinated and/or previously infected, catching the disease results in relatively mild symptoms. Meanwhile, health care is in crisis, in large part due to shortages of essential health-care workers. How does keeping health-care workers off the job in this province due to their vaccination status any longer make sense?"

Read more: https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/paul-schneidereit-vaccines-make-sense-banishing-unvaccinated-nova-scotia-health-workers-doesnt-100745973/

New Brunswick lifts all Covid restrictions again

New Brunswick lifts all COVID-19 restrictions for 2nd time, hopes for different outcome | CBC News - Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon:

Jennifer Russell, March 2021. GovNB, Wikimedia Commons.  

March 14, 2022 - "No more provincially mandated masks. No more limits on gatherings or distancing rules. No more legally required isolation for people infected with COVID-19. New Brunswick lifted all remaining COVID-19 restrictions Monday with the end of the mandatory order, nearly two years after it began. ''It doesn't mean that the pandemic is over,' Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said Monday....

'Premier Blaine Higgs declared a state of emergency on March 19, 2020, in response to the pandemic. It was the first province-wide state of emergency in New Brunswick history and gave the government extraordinary powers, such as restricting travel into the province and ordering business closures, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The province had seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the time and four probable cases. No one had been hospitalized. And no one had died.... On Friday, New Brunswick recorded another COVID-related death, raising the pandemic death toll to 317.... As of Friday, 50.6 per cent of the eligible New Brunswickers had received their COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, and 87.3 per cent had received two doses..... 

"In recent days, a number of experts have raised concerns about the government's decision to lift restrictions and questioned the independence of Russell's office, suggesting politics played a role. Russell said throughout the pandemic, decisions about whether to tighten or loosen restrictions have been made by government, based on information from her team. 'These are recommendations. It is up to cabinet to make the final decision. That's what governments do. That's how a democracy works,' she said....

"The province has not said whether any specific hospitalization or case rates would trigger a return of restrictions. 'Given information we have today, we can only talk about what's happening right now,' Russell has said.... 'When we poll the population, they're all very supportive of continuing to do the things that they've been doing all along, whether there's a mandatory order in place or not,' said Russell....

"Hospitals remain at the red alert level, which means masks are still required and general visitors are prohibited. Long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and special care homes, will continue to follow Public Health guidance, including masking and isolating those who are ill. While mandatory restrictions have ended, some businesses and facilities may choose to maintain their own COVID policies to protect their staff and patrons. These may include vaccinations, staying home when sick, proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and maintaining ventilation systems.

"New Brunswick lifted all restrictions before, on July 30, [2021], when it entered the so-called green phase of COVID-19 recovery before reaching its original target to have 75 per cent of New Bruswickers aged 12 and older fully vaccinated. The move came just as Canada's top doctor warned of a variant-driven fourth wave.... Less than two months later, on Sept. 24, the emergency order was reinstated, after the province recorded three more deaths and 78 new cases — both record highs at the time....

"Just two months ago, Higgs announced a move to Level 3 of the COVID-19 winter plan, the most restrictive level, which limited social gatherings to single household bubbles, prohibited public gatherings, closed eat-in restaurants, gyms, salons, spas, entertainment centres and churches. He cited what was then a record-high of 104 COVID hospitalizations, the number of health-care workers off with COVID, and rising cases. The 16-day lockdown would give the province the time it needed to slow the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, and to administer booster doses and vaccinate children aged five to 11, he said.... BA.2 is believed to be about 30 per cent more transmissible than BA.1, which drove the surge in hospitalizations and cases during the fifth wave.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-covid-19-restrictions-lifted-emergency-order-1.6382298

NB gov't drops Covid-vax pass for food stores

NB Government and farmer’s market back down on mandating vaccines for grocery shopping | Lake Superior News - Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release): 

Art: Lake Superior News

December 21, 2021 - ""On December 7, 2021 the Justice Centre sent a demand letter to the Minister of Justice of New Brunswick warning that the government’s new December 4 public health Order, which allowed private businesses to deny services to Covid vaccine-free Canadians, was unconstitutional. The Order implicitly invited grocery stores to make any conditions of entry including requiring vaccination of customers as a condition to shop for food and essentials. The ... letter also noted that the right to food is a fundamental human right enshrined in various international instruments including Article 25 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights amongst other human rights instruments.

"On December 15, the Justice Centre sent the City of Fredericton a demand letter in relation to its vaccinated-only policy at the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market demanding it be immediately reversed for its unprecedented unconstitutional and human rights violations. These warning letters were the first step in what would have proceeded to legal action, had the government not immediately reversed what the Justice Centre views as discriminatory and unconstitutional policies.

"As of today, the New Brunswick public health order has been revised. The government news release announcing this change states: 'An option allowing stores that sell groceries to ask patrons 12 and over for proof of vaccination, instead of implementing distancing requirements, is being removed from the province’s mandatory order.' In the news release, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard now states that “the original intention was to give stores a choice, and that those choosing the proof-of-vaccination option would offer delivery or curbside pickup; it was never the intention for anyone to believe they could not access groceries.'

"The Justice Centre is pleased to report that the Fredericton Boyce Farmer’s Market also following the province’s reversal in Order and made their own announcement today on Twitter, rescinding its mandatory vaccination policy. The market, owned by the New Brunswick Government, and leased to the City of Fredericton at a nominal rate announced a mandatory vaccination policy on December 11, 2021, stating, 'proof of double vaccination (or medical exemption) will be required to shop indoors, for all visitors 12 and over.' No offer for delivery or curbside pickup was offered when this policy was announced....

"'This Order which served to segregate citizens ... would have been the first attempt by a government to  deny essential services and food to Canadians who decide against receiving a Covid vaccine, as is their constitutional right,' states Andre Memauri, Justice Centre Staff Lawyer. 'Today the Government of New Brunswick and the City of Fredericton have corrected their vaccination policies in relation to grocery sales to accord with the Charter and Human Rights legislation and this is a positive step. However, there is work to be done as the revised New Brunswick Order still infringes the Charter as it relates to faith-based venues, by requiring anyone that attends religious services to be fully vaccinated with the new Covid shots for certain events. We will continue our legal work in this regard. The Government has no legal or scientific justification to tell churches and faith based groups who can be allowed to attend services and on what grounds,' adds Mr. Memauri.

"'The Justice Centre will continue to ensure that vaccine-free citizens are not discriminated against by being denied essential services, such as purchasing food at markets and grocery stores. Denying a minority population in this manner is a reprehensible and unlawful act of cruelty and discrimination.'"

Read more: https://lakesuperiornews.com/Public-Safety/nb-government-and-farmers-market-back-down-on-mandating-vaccines-for-grocery-shopping

Most NB food stores not banning Covid-unvaxxed

Raysonho, Sobeys, Richmond Hill, Ontatio, 2020. Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Single-day high of 174 new cases, 2 more deaths | CBC News - Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon:

December 09, 2021 - "All major retailers in New Brunswick ... plan to enforce physical distancing instead of starting to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination, says Public Health. Under the new COVID-19 Winter Action Plan, physical distancing is required in public spaces where proof of vaccination is not required.... 

"[G]rocery stores, retail stores and salons must now enforce physical distancing between patrons, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced last Friday. 'Alternatively, they also have the option of requiring proof of vaccination from all patrons, but we will leave that decision up to individual businesses,' she said.... But 'at this time, all major retailers have indicated they will enforce physical distancing instead of requiring proof of vaccination,' Public Health said Wednesday.

"Sobeys will not be asking customers for proof of vaccination at its New Brunswick stores, confirmed spokesperson Paul Wyke. 'We have followed Public Health requirements and mandates every step of the way, and should the rules from provincial governments change we will always adjust,' he said in an emailed statement. 'The health and safety of our customers and store teammates continues to be our top priority and we have many health and safety measures in place to help keep our customers and teammates safe.'

"Retail businesses can ensure physical distancing of two metres is enforced through measures such as using directional arrows, reducing their capacity and preventing groups from congregating, Public Health said. They can further reduce contacts by offering delivery and curbside pickup options."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/covid-19-new-brunswick-stores-proof-of-vaccination-physical-distancing-1.6279253

Pandemic restrictions are due for a rethink, civil liberties group says | CBC News:

December 14, 2021 - "Cara Zwibel, ​director of the fundamental freedoms program with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said the suggestion that the unvaccinated won't have access to essentials such as food and medicine is worrisome. 'We've been concerned for a long time about premising access to public spaces on vaccination status and what the objective has been throughout,' Zwibel told Information Morning Moncton on Monday.... 'I don't know whether these changes are going to increase vaccination rates or just cause the people who are still hesitant … to dig in and be more resentful,' Zwibel said. 

"'I also wonder at what point people are not going to be willing to live under these conditions,' she said. 'We do still have a situation where governments are dictating how many people we can have in our homes. That's a big departure in a liberal democracy … and I think people may be starting to lose patience with that and really wonder how much longer we can do this.' Given that it seems clear that the virus isn't going away anytime soon, Zwibel said, people should be thinking about 'what we're willing to live with for the long haul'.... 'We have to give people the tools to protect themselves,' she said. 'And we do need to put more power in people's own hands to make decisions for themselves.'"

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/pandemic-rules-civil-liberties-association-1.6284670

Justice centre demands NB grocery store reverse ban on unvaxxed customers | Western Standard:

December 16, 2021 - "The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is demanding a New Brunswick grocery outlet reverse its policy that bans unvaccinated people from shopping there. The JCCF sent the City of Fredericton a demand letter in relation to its vaccinated-only policy at the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market. The New Brunswick government owns the landmark farmer’s market and leases it to the city at a nominal rate. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies because this is not private property, but property owned and managed by government, said the JCCF in a release.

"The farmer’s market announced that as of Dec. 11, 2021, 'proof of double vaccination (or medical exemption) will be required to shop indoors, for all visitors 12 and over.' The policy, which is the first of its kind in Canada that excludes citizens from purchasing grocery essentials on the basis of vaccination status, claims it relies on 'public health guidelines.' The JCCF already sent a demand letter to the Minister of Justice of New Brunswick warning the government’s new public health order of December 4 — allowing private businesses to deny services to vaccine-free Canadians — was unconstitutional....  

"'Our position remains the same in relation to any government denying or inviting private businesses to deny Canadians who have not taken the COVID vaccine to an essential service, such as the purchase of food. Any such act is an unconscionable violation of the Charter and has no scientific or legal justification,' said JCCF lawyer Andre Memauri. 'Vaccine-free citizens have a right to purchase food, including at markets and grocery stores, and the denial of such essential service is a reprehensible and unlawful act of cruelty and discrimination.'

"The three [Conservative] Members of Parliament representing New Brunswick, John Williamson, Rob Moore, and Richard Bragdon, released statements condemning the province’s winter action plan which gave retailers and grocery stores permission to refuse vaccine-free Canadians."

Read more: https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/12/justice-centre-demands-nb-grocery-store-reverse-ban-on-unvaxxed-customers/

NB cannabis monopoly lost $11.7M in first year

Cannabis NB lost $11.7M in its first year of operation | CTV News:

May 1, 2019 - "New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says he'll look at all options, including privatization, after the province's Crown-owned cannabis retailer recorded a big financial loss in its first year of operation. Unaudited year-end results released Tuesday show Cannabis NB lost $11.7 million.

"Higgs said Wednesday  he wasn't surprised the operation lost money, and the government will look at whatever needs to be done to ensure that it is not a drain on the public treasury. He said the province will look for the best model to protect both consumers and taxpayers, and that could include privatization....

"Higgs noted that other provinces, including neighbouring Nova Scotia, have combined their liquor and cannabis sales in the same stores, while New Brunswick built stand-alone stores for Cannabis NB.

"Last October, then Cannabis NB president Brian Harriman said with overhead and start-up costs, he hoped the 20 stores would at least break even in their first fiscal year.

"As the parent company, NB Liquor will consolidate Cannabis NB's results into its year-end results."

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/cannabis-nb-lost-11-7m-in-its-first-year-of-operation-1.4403782
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Provincial trade barriers OK'd by Canada's Supreme Court

Supreme Court upholds law prohibiting Canadians, wherever they live, from buying beer wherever they want | The Star - Tonda MacCharles:

April 19, 2018 - ""Gerard Comeau wasn’t the only one shaking his head when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Thursday there is no 'constitutional guarantee of free trade' within Canada.

"'Money’s more important than liberties, I guess,' said the 64-year-old retired linesman.... Comeau’s bid to strike down the [New Brunswick] Liquor Control Act’s limits on cross-border beer shopping failed, but he became the champion of free-traders across Canada.

"Now some of his supporters hope all the attention his case, and the social media campaign dubbed #freethebeer, brought to the issue will galvanize provincial and federal leaders to drop barriers they say add $50 billion to $130 billion in extra costs to goods and services that cross provincial borders....

"The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the 1867 constitution did not impose 'an absolute free trade regime within Canada' ... [and] any decision to knock down interprovincial trade barriers would be a political one.... It cited the 'need to maintain balance' ... as long as the law’s primary purpose is not aimed at blocking trade across provincial borders.

"Any other interpretation, warned the court, could lead to a whole slew of laws being invalidated: environmental or public health regulations, agricultural controls on the production and distribution of eggs, dairy or poultry, for example, and 'innumerable' other exercises of provincial jurisdiction."

"Lawyer Howard Anglin, of the Canadian Constitutional Foundation, which intervened at the high court in support of Comeau’s arguments, ... believes the ruling actually provides an opportunity for a federal government or federal party leader to push to lower trade barriers, using the federal power to regulate trade and commerce....

"Freer trade between provinces could be a windfall for the provinces, said Anglin, who pointed to a senate committee report that accepted findings by Trevor Tombe and Lukas Albrecht. They say interprovincial barriers cost each Canadian household about $7,500 a year."

Read more: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/04/19/supreme-court-upholds-laws-limiting-amount-of-alcohol-moved-across-provincial-borders.html
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NB enforces beer monopoly despite court ruling

Why New Brunswick is vowing to keep busting anyone importing beer, even after judge said it’s legal | Financial Post - John Williamson:

May 16, 2016 - "Heads the province wins, tails you lose. This appears to be the response of the Gallant government to the recent court decision declaring unconstitutional New Brunswick’s longstanding restrictions on bringing alcohol for personal consumption into the province. The government has until the end of the month to appeal Provincial Court Judge Ronald LeBlanc’s ruling that the law violates the Constitution’s free-trade provisions by blocking the flow of goods within Canada. But already New Brunswick’s Public Prosecutions Office is — despite the court ruling — threatening legal action against residents that enter New Brunswick with more alcohol than is permitted by the provincial government’s liquor regulations.

"New Brunswick resident Gérard Comeau was charged by the RCMP in 2012 and fined $295 for illegally bringing in 14 cases of beer and three bottles of liquor from a Quebec border town into his home province. Under the New Brunswick Liquor Control Act, it is a crime to purchase more than one bottle of liquor or wine or the equivalent of 12 pints of beer from retailers outside of the province. Consumers are instead forced to purchase spirits from the New Brunswick Liquor Corp., a government-owned monopoly that charges double the price for beer as Quebec. "

"According to Luc Labonté, director of the province’s Public Prosecutions Services, the law restricting liquor imports remains in effect because 'in theory' the court ruling applies only to the person who brought the case — Mr. Comeau.... The Supreme Court of Canada has stated only superior courts — not provincial courts — can invalidate a law. Consequently, Judge LeBlanc’s decision is not a binding legal precedent....

"Judge LeBlanc’s ruling, however, makes any conviction under New Brunswick’s law unlikely. After the Comeau decision, anyone charged with the offence of importing alcohol will plead 'not guilty,' knowing his or her trial will rely on the newly established precedent.

"The Canadian Constitution Foundation supported Mr. Comeau in the beer case. The group’s executive director Marni Soupcoff explained, 'It’s true that "in theory’ the law remains on the books, but it would be ridiculous for New Brunswick prosecutors to go to court to enforce it now that one of their own judges has plainly assessed it as unconstitutional.' Ms. Soupcoff believes charging other New Brunswick cross-border beer consumers would be a waste of time and money.

'But costly enforcement that wastes time and money could be exactly what the province intends....
The punishment for New Brunswick consumers wouldn’t be the conviction, but the lengthy and costly court process itself.... Most people will, quite sensibly, keep suffering overpriced alcohol in New Brunswick rather than risk having to fight for their rights."

Read more: http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/why-new-brunswick-is-vowing-to-keep-busting-anyone-importing-beer-even-after-judge-said-its-legal
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NB retiree sues for right to buy Quebec beer

Retiree at heart of cross-border booze-run case getting funding help - Colin Perkel, Canadian Press:

July 23, 2015 - "A man whose drive from New Brunswick to Quebec to buy cheaper beer ended in arrest said Thursday he's looking forward to airing his constitutional challenge in court next month as a defence crowdfunding campaign gets underway.

"In an interview from Tracadie, N.B., Gerard Comeau said he just wants to know whether he has the right to buy his beer in Quebec....

"As part of a sting operation, RCMP arrested Comeau, now 62, in October 2012 when he returned with 12 cases of beer and three bottles of liquor which he bought legally in Pointe-a-la-Croix, Que., just across the river from Campbellton. Police seized the booze and charged him with illegally importing alcohol into his home province.

"Cross-border alcohol shopping is a regular thing in the area and the retired power lineman had been making the run two or three times a year into Quebec to score beer — which costs about half the New Brunswick price — and lottery tickets.

"However, provincial law in New Brunswick — related to federal anti-smuggling efforts implemented at the height of Prohibition — forbids importing more than one bottle of wine or 12 pints of beer — about 19 regular bottles — from any other province. The restrictions, stiffer than importing alcohol from the U.S., carry a $292.50 fine for violators.

"Comeau's case has drawn support from the Canadian Constitution Foundation, which this week launched a crowdfunding drive in an effort to raise $20,000 for a fight that seems destined to be decided by the Supreme Court of Canada.

"A lot of people don't even know that provision is in the law," Karen Selick, the foundation's litigation director, said from Ottawa.... Section 121 of the Constitution is supposed to allow for the free flow of goods across provincial borders but, Selick said, a Supreme Court decision dating to 1921 that narrowly interpreted the section is at the heart of the dispute.

"'We think that case was wrongly decided and that enough time has gone by that the Supreme Court should look at it again,' Selick said.

"The foundation, a registered charity that bills itself as an independent, non-partisan organization that aims to defend Canadian constitutional freedoms, said the trade barriers benefit government monopoly sales agencies while constraining private business and citizens."

Read more: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5749137-retiree-at-heart-of-cross-border-booze-run-case-getting-funding-help/
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Crowdfunding site: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free-beer#/story