Labrador Morning

The weather on the North coast of Labrador has led to many flight delays, weather holds and cancellations recently. Mushuau Innu Chief John Nui spent 10 days in Goose Bay waiting for good weather so he could return home to Natuashish. He spoke with us about how these impacted flights have been impacting his community. Last Thursday, Moya Greene delivered her report on the economic future of the province, which was been 6 months in the making. The 338-page document was filled with recommendations for tax increases, service cuts, and privatization, all to help bring the province back to black in five to six years. Co- host of the NL Morning show, Martin Jones, spoke with Lorraine Michael, former leader of the provincial New Democratic Party, former Liberal Premier Roger Grimes and

Sandy Collins who is a former MHA for Terra Nova and cabinet minister for the PC government.

The pandemic has affected the lives of people with substance use issues. We hear about a new report when we speak with Alex Maheux from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. A strongly worded report from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has been handed down to the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay regarding their body camera program. The CBC's Meg Roberts tells us what was in that report. Not everyone gets honoured with a civic holiday in their name, but not everyone is Levi Pottle. We speak with his granddaughter Elsie Wolfrey. We get reactions on the Moya Greene report released yesterday. Peter Woodward, Chad Letto, and Amy Norman join us. Also, we hear from Yvette Coffey, the president of the province's nurses union. It's Friday and you know that means we're hanging with the Waynes. We hear from Film and TV reviewer Wayne Walsh about the television show The Serpent, and the movie The Pedal Movie. We also hear from book reviewer Wayne Button about the novel Nothing To Envy by Barbara Demick.

The 23rd Canadian Census rolled out across the country this week. We talk about why this demographic tool is vital to knowing how and where resources should be allocated in Canada. Murtaza Haider joins us. We hear about a Virtual Science Rendezvous being hosted by the College of the North Atlantic in Labrador West. Instructor Gurinder Kaur and student Sam Benson joins us. We hear from Peter Penashue about how his grandson was transported from Sheshatshiu to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in his mother's vehicle instead of an ambulance. We also hear reaction to this story from Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans and Labrador Grenfell Health CEO Heather Brown. The United Steelworkers union in Labrador West is urging members to remain calm and vigilant as precautions are being taken around a possible case of COVID-19. The president of Local 5795 Mike Furlong joins us. Ice Forecaster Doug Leonard from Environment and Climate Change Canada will join us to talk about present conditions on the coast, following a weird winter season. Finally, two men from Sweden designed the sledge in the 1960s because they wanted to play hockey despite their physical disabilities, now Labrador West is gaining interest in the sport. Evelyn Ryan from the Town of Labrador City joins us to talk about it.

Environmentalists might not be thrilled with the province's oil and gas renewal plan, but oil industry players are. We hear from Charlene Johnson, the head of the offshore industry association. All of the dogs that left Natuashish over the winter easily found homes on the island. We hear from volunteer Linda Humby about that effort. We hear from former Innu Nation Deputy Grand Chief Simeon Tshakapesh on his concerns about the care that Innu recieve from Labrador Grenfell Health. We learn about a new scholarship for a graduate from Northern Lights Academy in Rigolet in memory of Anita Rich. Susan Dyson joins us. The second team of health professionals were sent to Ontario yesterday, but we're checking in with a nurse from the first team who is originally from Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Jennifer Hinks joins us. A couple dozen people are learning how to play the organ along Labrador's coast. We hear from Dr. Tom Gordon who is teaching the classes, and student Nicholas Flowers from Hopedale. Finally, we return to our monthly check-in with the Labrador West Arts and Culture Centre and the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre to find out what's on stage.

It's been more than a year of disrupted learning for most elementary and high school students. What can schools be doing now to prepare for next September? Education professor Joel Westheimer joins us. We speak with a director and a puppeteer who will be performing at the Arts and Culture Centre in Labrador West. Jamie Skidmore and Lucas Ings-Simms join us. We learn about how to tap birch trees and what you can do with the sap you've collected when we go into the woods with Nicholas Parrott. Battle Harbour is getting some national attention in this month's Canadian Geographic. We speak with writer Michael Crummey and photographer Michael Winsor. SmartICE has been recognized by the provincial Environmental Industry Association. We hear from them as they receive their award. Finally, the federal government is turning its attention to next steps in the pandemic, but the opposition parties are trying to bring them back to the here and now. Heather Scoffield from the Toronto Star joins us to talk about that and other stories from the nation's capital.

Sweatpants and stretchy waistbands have become the de facto uniform of this pandemic, our choice of comfort rather than style. Fashion journalist, style editor and host of the Beyond Style Matters podcast Jeanne Beker shares her thoughts on these fashion trends. Mina Campbell of North West River explains how her family tradition of seal hunting has been challenging this year due to environmental conditions. The new price of snow crab has fish harvesters in Labrador feeling hopeful for the season ahead, while others are still concerned about the announced cuts to their quotas. Alton Rumbolt, of Mary's Harbour, spoke with Labrador Morning about the process of bringing a price to the panel. How much wood would a wood stove burn if that wood stove was high-efficiency? The Nunatsiavut Government is implementing a program that will allow it's members to replace their current wood stoves with a more efficient model. Nick Mercer, Regional Energy Co-ordinator with the Nunatsiavut Government, tells us about that program. One of Happy Valley-Goose Bay's favourite summer sports, the Shriner Indoor Soccer program, will resume after a long pandemic break. We have a conversation with Ronnie Elson who is the president of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Minor Soccer Association. The pandemic has been a boom time for grocery stores but, as hard as we might try to use up everything we buy, sometimes we wind up throwing out produce. Not surprisingly, our Home Hacker Jacenta Hudson has found a way to max out all of your fruits and veggies. Finally, it's news that nobody in this country, and especially parents, want to hear. Babies or teenagers dying of COVID-19. As these stories emerge it's renewing concerns about how the coronavirus is affecting the health of younger and younger people.Our house doctor Peter Lin has been looking into this and shares his insight with us.

Unfortunately, it's that time of year when bicycles seem to go missing. We hear from Corporal Jolene Garland from the RCMP on what steps you should take if your bicycle gets stolen. There's an update to a tax increase that had mobile vendors paying eight times the amount of tax they were paying last year in Labrador City. We hear from Mayor Fabian Benoit on what has changed. Open water earlier in the season means an earlier start to getting out in it. We hear from Guido Rich who made the trip from Rigolet to Cartwright in speedboat on April 22nd. We hear from sexual assault survivor Arlene Michelin about how sharing your story can help you heal. The Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous Tourism Association may be dealing with a $1-million shortfall in federal funding. We speak with chairperson Tara Saunders. It's Friday so we're hanging with the Waynes. Wayne Walsh tells us about movies The Game Changers and The Campaign, while Wayne Button talks about the book We Need To Talk About Kevin. Finally, we talk to Greg Thomson of Charity Intelligence to find out how the pandemic has affected the generosity of Canadians, and what more the federal government can do to help.

With much of the country caught in the grip of a third wave of Covid, what are experts saying now about how the disease affects children? We talk to pediatrician Dr. Jeremy Friedman of SickKids Hospital in Toronto about kids and COVID ahead. Former residents of Wabush are being invited to come home next year. We speak with committee member Gail Hodge about plans for Come Home To Wabush 2022. There may still be a pile of snow in your front yard but that doesn't mean it's too early to start planning this year's vegetable garden. We hear some tips on backyard vegetable gardening from Lloyd Hicks and Jamie Jackman. We speak with Greg Penney from JP Forestry about their plans to sell the leftover timber from the construction of Muskrat Falls. The Nunatsiavut Government is looking for construction proposals for a project that will help keep people's packages out of bad weather. Minister Tyler Edmunds joins us. We catch up with a Labradorian living in Spain about how the fourth wave of COVID-19 is going in that country. Noel Riggs joins us. We continue CBC NL's Thin Ice series with a look at how northern Labrador's climate has changed in the spring and summer months.

Two patients who need surgery in this province are sharing their frustrations. The CBC's Bernice Hillier tells us how surgery delays caused by pandemic restrictions are affecting their health and quality of life. Suzanne Dooley from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society is looking for Labradorians to submit photos that "capture the natural beauty and uniqueness of Labrador". She joins us today. There's going to be more room at the overcrowded Mushuau Innu school in Natuashish. We hear about the expansion from principal Jesse Smith. The community of Natusashish is still reeling over the latest tragedy that saw someone die in a fire. We hear from Chief John Nui. Peter Penashue joins us to remember Sebastien Penunsi, a community leader and one of the last of the nomadic hunters who followed the caribou all over Labrador. For this week's Labrador Away, we touch base with a native of Charlottetown living in Timmins, Ontario. Brenda Roberts joins us. Was last week's federal budget "historic" or "unprecedented"? Riley Yesno doesn't think so. She speaks with us about what the budget means for indigenous communities. Finally, the Biden administration marks its first one hundred days in office today. We hear from David Shribman of McGill University about what this American administration means for Canada.

The RCMP in Nain are asking residents for their input when it comes to policing the community. We hear from RCMP detachment commander Hannah McKean and Nain AngajukKak Joe Dicker. After our previous story about the working conditions of nurses in Labrador, we speak with Heather Brown, the CEO of Labrador Grenfell Health, on how staffing shortages are affecting the health authority. We hear from former Nunatsiavut Government president William Andersen on the comments Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq made about Labrador MP Yvonne Jones. The opening of the Central Labrador YMCA is getting closer and closer. We chat with CEO Jason Brown about the progress. In the past we spoke with Labrador City artist Tanea Hynes about an exhibit she was working on. That exhibit is now on display at the Rooms in St. John's. We catch up with Tanea to look at what was on the display. Heather Scoffield of the Toronto Star joins us once again to talk about Ottawa's strategy for vaccine rollouts and the fight to contain the virus. Finally, we hear from Jennifer Hinks, a critical care nurse practitioner originally from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, as she leaves with other nurses from Newfoundland and Labrador to fight COVID in Ontario.