Slow-Moving Disaster

Potential climate-caused catastrophes don't qualify for provincial assistance.

I was in Lamèque last week, an amazing part of New Brunswick, where I learned that the province’s disaster assistance programs are a lot like the politics of climate policy:

Because the crisis is slow-moving, government programs are a poor fit.

Witness the home of Renald and Mabel Guignard:

CBC drone image by Michael Heenan

Their property has been eroding over time, with metres and metres of rock, grass and sand washed into the Gulf of St. Lawrence anytime there’s a major storm.

My story on the Guignard home and the local MLA’s efforts to secure funding to move the house closer to the road is online this morning.

There’s a video, too, beautifully shot by the CBC’s Michael Heenan.

Token Support

Who says July is quiet? The Progressive Conservative leadership race sprang to life last week.

First came the complaint from Daniel Allain’s campaign against his opponent, Don Monahan, about a token-for-votes system that Monahan set up at the campground and drive-in theatre he owns in Sussex. Monahan had an explanation when we went to see him on Monday.

Then there were the two debates, Tuesday in St-Léonard and Thursday in Saint John. I attended the St-Léonard debate along with about 50 PC supporters.

I’ll have some analysis on the debates and the tone of the campaign in the coming week.

In Other News

• Miramichi city council put on hold a proposed bylaw that would have allowed data centres in the city.

• Another iconic covered bridge has shut down.

• Wolastoqey First Nations are speaking out against Ottawa’s closure of a facility they see as essential to saving the Atlantic salmon.

• On last week’s This is New Brunswick podcast, the CBC’s Jordan Gill took an affectionate look at many of the small museums in local communities around the province and what their future holds.

Trade and Tariffs

It was a week, Trump-wise, with the U.S. president announcing new tariffs against Canada (and many other countries). The CBC’s Washington reporter (and proud Johner) Mike Crawley had this look at the tariffs.

The news landed as Canada’s premiers gathered in Charlottetown for their summer meeting, turning the gathering into a Trump strategy session. Diverging views of Canada’s strategy? Maybe, maybe not.

At the same time, nine premiers agreed to further open up interprovincial trade in alcohol.

Trump, trade and the PC leadership race were our topics Friday on Radio-Canada’s Café Politique.

Here’s the menu I mentioned on the panel, from a restaurant in Shippagan, that offers customers two craft beer lists — one from the northern part of the province, one from the south. There may be psychological and cultural barriers between the two regions, but at least the beer flows freely.

The menu raises an interesting question, though: is Miramichi part of northern or southern New Brunswick? From a Shippagan perspective, it’s part of the south. But is it? This would be a good topic for you to weigh in on in the comments below.

Last thing from last week: an appreciation of one of Canada’s shortest-serving prime ministers that I enjoyed reading.

The Man From High River

The Calendar

The next deadline in the PC leadership race is Aug. 14. That’s when anyone hoping to vote in the contest must register with the party. The vote itself will happen by mail with a winner announced Oct. 17.

The Green Party will choose its next leader on Dec. 5. And a sort-of deadline for that internal trade decision is Aug. 31.

Will the news keep coming for the rest of the summer? It’s been pretty busy so far. Be sure to subscribe to not miss any of the major political developments you need to know.

As I stood on the wharf in the former village of St-Raphaël-Sur-Mer last week, watching enormous waves crash over the breakers, I found myself humming this tune. Enjoy.