News
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Municipality's right to decide
Posted by Sarah Rennick · July 19, 2010 12:00 PM
19 JULY 2010
Provincial government must respect municipality’s right to decide
The New Brunswick Green Party is calling on the provincial government to respect the democratic decision of the Town of Sackville to prohibit oil and gas exploration within municipal boundaries.
At a council meeting, the Sackville Town Council voted to prohibit exploration by Petroworth Resources Inc. on 18 square kilometres of town land that is part of a larger 90-square kilometre zone, or more than 35,000 hectares in southwestern New Brunswick. Premier Shawn Graham’s father Alan Graham is Chairman of Petroworth Resources Inc.
Councillor Margaret Tusz-King who is also the Green Party candidate for the Tantramar Riding, led the municipal opposition to the motion to approve exploration. She cited several reasons including inadequate provincial regulations to protect people, lands and animals; lack of an escrow account in case of environmental catastrophe; and the demonstrated dangers of water contamination in the actual mining of shale oil or gas.
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Green Party would establish community health centres throughout the province
Posted by Sarah Rennick · June 29, 2010 12:00 PM
29 JUNE 2010
At its policy meeting in Moncton last Saturday, the New Brunswick Green Party adopted a suite of health-related policies, including the establishment throughout the province of collaborative care clinics as the most effective method of providing health care services to all New Brunswickers.
The health policy was authored by Green Party Health Critic and nominated candidate in Fredericton-Silverwood Jim Wolstenholme. Wolstenholme was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan and CEO of the Miramichi Health Authority. The policy reflects the recommendations of the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s model of a patient-centered “medical home” that provides collaborative, accessible and lifelong care to people.
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NBGP Takes on Property Taxes
Posted by Sarah Rennick · April 22, 2010 12:00 PM
22 APRIL 2010
Fredericton: Green Party leader Jack MacDougall revealed today that property tax issues are going to be an important piece of that party’s election platform.
“This form of taxation is unjust in many ways. While we recognize it the primary source of revenue for municipalities, this cannot excuse its basic unfairness.”
With property tax bills arriving in people’s mailboxes last year, the problem of soaring assessments unconnected to any property improvements is receiving a lot of public attention. MacDougall says the process of assessment has to change.
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Budget undermines equality, communities and the environment
Posted by Sarah Rennick · March 18, 2009 12:00 PM
18 MARCH 2009
The provincial budget received a failing grade from New Brunswick’s newest political party, the Greens. According to party president Janice Harvey, it will take the province in exactly the opposite direction from that set by the party’s Charter of Principles, which includes a commitment to equality, social justice and ecological sustainability.