dailygleaner.com - Breaking News, New Brunswick, Canada

Magnetic Hill in Moncton to get first New Brunswick Casino

Sonco Gaming New Brunswick Ltd. Partnership, composed of Sonco Gaming New Brunswick Ltd., Navegante Group Inc., Clairvest Group Inc. and 2050631 Ontario Inc. has won the government's approval to operate a casino.

A company named 2050631? Yeah I know numbered companies are common but it never fails to make me more nervous. Must be the impersonal touch of a number. Works for 7-11 though I suppose.

With New Brunswick being only one of 3 provinces to not have a casino you knew this day was coming but it still feels like we lost something with this gamble.

Spink About It

T.J. Burke’s missing blog

Let me say for the record that I think a lot of New Brunswick’s “Blogger General”, N.B. Cabinet Minister T.J. Burke. Since being elected in 2003, he’s matured as a politician, MLA and eventually as a Cabinet Minister. He leaves me with the impression that he’s the kind of guy who sits at cabinet meetings and when everyone else is nodding heads, he jumps in with, “New Brunswickers aren’t going to like this because….” I’m left with that impression because since joining the blogosphere, he’s written some great blogs. These aren’t regurgitations of Liberal news releases or self-congratulatory statements of how fine looking the Premier was today. These are clearly from the heart.

So I wasn’t all that surprised a few weeks ago when Mr. Burke obviously got his property tax bill and went “Whoa, this is ridiculous.” (actually the quote was that property taxes “suck”. See NB Taxpayer for his take.)

But now that plain lingo blog is gone. Zapped from his blog. Why? I have no idea. I can speculate that someone strongly suggested Cabinet Ministers shouldn’t be writing that their property taxes “suck” to he was directed to remove it. For some reason known only to him, the blog is now gone but I’m doubtful if T.J. thinks property taxes suck any less. He was right the first time and that kind of frank talk from our politicians is long overdue. I’m sorry to see he felt the need to remove the blog.

Update - The missing blog in question for your perusal. Why couldn't whoever put the pressure on T.J. to remove the blog realize they were just shooting the messenger and actually deal with the issue instead of wasting time to have it removed? The issue remains whether a Cabinet Minister is told to shut up about it or not.

Spink About It

Guest blog - What If?!

I was thinking about this story, - here - when one of those Irving "What if" commercials came on...

It was the one where they re-arrange the bottom of the Bay of Fundy, post traffic signs and re-route the major super-tanker shipping lanes so that the whales can swim freely and uninterrupted.

And yet they can't do the same for a few birds at Cambridge Narrows. In fact they'd rather have the Migratory Bird Act rewritten so they can build a road right through some prime nesting areas...

I know, birds are not whales, but my "what if" is that Irving's message actually matched it's deeds.

What ever happen in this story anyway? Haven't heard anything in the news papers...

Posted by Kit

Crossposted

New Brunswick flooding to hit record

Note to those still refusing to leave their homes. GET OUT and/or prepare yourself! Government can't fix all of your problems. Those that think the government will bail them out (figuratively and literally) are setting themselves up for massive disappointment.

Update - Downtown Fredericton's resident blogger Charles Leblanc is on the streets (and in the water) taking and uploading excellent photos of the 2008 Flood. Check them out here.

Update 2 - How bad is it likely going to be? This bad.

Crossposted

Is commenting at on-line venues a right or a privilege?

It's a challenge for all on-line forums whether they be newspapers, broadcasters, or blogs (including this one).

What is free speech and what is just plain stupid.

I was reminded of that on the weekend reading the comments from the story in Abbotsford in which 40 were injured when the floor collapsed during a concert at a church.

40 injured and dozens of the comments were just plain idiotic. Obviously someone at CBC thought so too because a number of the comments were cleaned out.

I haven't deleted too many comments. Maybe a dozen and 11 of those were probably from the same person whose name I'll leave out but is familiar to many bloggers for clogging up their blogs with garbage.

My first preference is to pretty much let anything go but when it becomes way off topic, isn't courteous or is a long winded non-sensical diatribe, do I have to accommodate that? I wouldn't allow it in my house and if I was sitting having a coffee with someone who went off half-cocked, I'd move to another table. It's obviously a bit different for media outlets than an individual's own blog but...

By the way, our resident Attorney General blogger just realized property taxes in Fredericton suck. Lucky he doesn't live in Saint John.

Finally, thanks to kit who has been doing some guest blogging once again at Spink About It. Looking forward to hearing more from him.

Spink About It

The Supreme Court of Canada, a criminal’s best friend

I see the Supreme Court of Canada is practicing judicial activism again.

If these were cases brought forward in which the people were searched and not guilty I could understand. That would make sense but if that indeed happened there’s no way to tell. In this case they were both guilty as sin of drug possession. The police did their job and did it well by catching the criminal which last time I checked was their job.

Too bad the SCOC didn’t see that. Criminals must be rubbing their hands in glee tonight. Score another one for crime. Good work SCOC.

Crossposted

The Moncton Times and Transcript, New Brunswick’s National Enquirer?

I’m no great fan of the Moncton Times and Transcript (yes I know this blog runs on the T and T’s website). Back in 2006 two components of the T and T made my “10 people who are screwing up New Brunswick” list.

While their reporting is generally pretty good and fair as are a number of columns(my fellow blogger Brian Cormier comes to mind), the editorials often come across as vindictive and just as often out of touch. There’s a reason so many of their editorials regardless of how long they beat the drum fail to resonate with the public. The public by and large simply doesn’t think the same way as the top offices of the T and T.

I was reminded of this fact again this past weekend while reading the Sleuth which contained this.

“Perhaps our sterling crop of MLAs and cabinet ministers do need a pay raise.

Why else would a certain former cabinet minister and current member of the legislature be seen shopping the other day at ValueVillage?”

What the heck does that even mean? ValueVillage is a business that appeals to a wide variety of people with three locations in New Brunswick . Yet the masterminds at the T and T have just told all their readers that if you shop there you must be hard on your luck. (The Sales Dept. at the T and T should be cringing right now).

I’m convinced the T and T does this kind of stuff purely for shock value. That or they’re completely out of touch and could use some fresh blood and fresh thinking at the editorial stage.

On a more positive note still over at CanadaEast, Robin Hills et al have done a fine job giving the version of Spink About It there a facelift. Still not officially launched but they’re offering the public a sneak peek at the new look of the CanadaEast site. They’ve captured the fine look and feel Ian at Late Night did to Spink About It a year ago.

You may also notice the CanadaEast version is no longer called Spinks from the Right. They have been unable to find a left-minded blogger to fill the gap left by NB Politico so I suggested scrapping the former name in favour of my main blog’s title. They agreed so that’s that.

By the way blogging may be a little light over the next few days although kit has indicated he may jump in with some guest blogs.

Oh and please feel free to continue to shop at Value Village. The T and T might think less of you but really who cares?

Spink About It

Not a bright idea

Okay, so the sign wasn't environmentally correct I guess because it used a classic light bulb.

So the City of Fredericton runs a line through the bulb leaving someone who hasn't read the story in the Daily Gleaner wondering "what the heck is that all about?"

Talk about a confusing message. Just tear it down if it "offends" people that badly.

*sigh*

H/T - Charles Leblanc

Crossposted

Meet me at the Market...maybe

Right smack dab in the middle of a municipal election campaign, the holy grail of downtown Fredericton is up for sale.

The Boyce Farmer's Market is only opened for a few hours once a week (except for special events) and during those hours it is PACKED.

Politicians go there to campaign and I don't think there's a piece of Fredericton Liberal MP Andy Scott propaganda that I receive which doesn't mention him going to the market.

Now it is for sale and the opinions are flying.

City Hall says it is tapped out and can't afford it.

Although it would appear to be a natural fit the City is right, they can't and any municipal candidate who comes to your door and says they can doesn't know what they're talking about.

The City has been getting into projects left, right, and centre and something has to give. Whether it's new rinks, a new convention centre or meddling into a Church's plans to expand by buying a derelict old school, it all costs money and lots of it so I tend to agree they don't have the cash unless they significantly raise taxes (that isn't a suggestion by the way).

What's the solution?

You tell me.

H/T - Awareness

Crossposted

Why rampant divorce rates are everyone's business

Those concerned with society's ongoing laissez faire attitude towards marriage and the skyrocketing divorce rate are often blown off that it's none of their business.

Turns out it is very much everyone's business and governments would be wise to do what they reasonably can to ensure strong marriages.

As I've written here a few times before, there are three things you can do to greatly reduce your risk of living in poverty. 1. ) Finish high school, 2) Marry before having a child, and 3) Don't have a child until you're at least 20. Sound advice our schools should be teaching. #1 they seem capable of but 2 and 3 scare educators as politically incorrect. Too bad. The truth may not be pretty but sometime it needs to be said.

H/T - NB Taxpayer

Crossposted