Shift (NB)

The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick is calling on the province to act on municipal financial reform. Vanessa Vander Valk spoke with Andrew Black, the president of the union and the mayor of Tantramar.

A New Brunswick business man was featured on a big American game show last week. If you've seen Snake Oil, you'll know it features unusual products. The contestants have to decide which products are real, and which are Snake Oil. The Fiddlehead Casket Company is certainly real and so is owner Jeremy Burrill who spoke with Vanessa Vander Valk.

New Brunswick recorded the largest increase in disability rates in the country between 2017 and 2022. Advocates for people with disabilities say these numbers will have significant implications for all aspects of public policy. Haley Flaro, the executive director of Ability New Brunswick, spoke with Vanessa Vander Valk.

There's a lot of togetherness and good cheer associated with the holiday season. But there's also a lot of energy and expense. Vanessa Vander Valk spoke with Natalie Foreman who is focused on reducing the carbon footprint associated with the holidays.

Birder Alain Clavette went on a bit of a fact finding mission. You may have heard of areas designated as important bird areas. Well now biologists are looking beyond birds to areas with a lot of biodiversity.

Remembering Senator Noël Kinsella. Vanessa Vander Valk spoke with Michael Read, a man who counted the senator as a friend and mentor.

The effects of Agent Orange spraying at CFB Gagetown in the 1970s continue to be felt not only in Canada, but south of the border as well. Vanessa Vander Valk spoke with Maine Public Radio’s Carol Bousquet about a state commission looking at Maine veterans who may have been exposed.

Shift’s political panel examine the province’s energy plan, the CUPE pension vote and NB Power.

It’s been about a year since New Brunswick implemented municipal reform. The reform condensed 340 communities into 77 local governments and 12 rural districts. Vanessa Vander Valk spoke with three mayors: Kevin Nicklin is the mayor of Grand Lake, Derek Pleadwell is the mayor of Arcadia and Jean-Guy Levesque is the mayor of Campbellton.

The staff at Science East are having a Yankee swap or White Elephant gift exchange at the end of the week. Shift’s science columnist Michael Edwards is considering a strategy based on game theory. He spoke with Vanessa Vander Valk.