Partner of man who sought MAID after ER bedsore says hospital staff wouldn't listen to her
Sylvie Brosseau gave an emotional testimony at the public coroner's inquiry into Normand Meunier's death. Meunier died in 2024 after he developed a severe bedsore during a stay at a Saint-Jérôme, Que., hospital.
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CBC
29 minutes ago
- CBC
Soldiers from N.B. serving near Russia return home to increased defence spending
Another six-month rotation of Canadian soldiers in Latvia is coming to an end, and two soldiers from New Brunswick will be among the troops coming home to the news that Canada is increasing and accelerating investments in defence. Lt.-Col. Jacques Pinard and Chief Warrant Officer Jean Sebastien Morin have both been serving among the 2,000 Canadian troops stationed in Latvia, where they're defending the eastern flank of NATO. Based at Camp Adazi, about an hour's drive from the Russian border, they're tasked with protecting a population that lives in a state of vigilance. "There are cameras on every corner," Pinard said. "You can't go anywhere in Latvia without being recorded. And it's accepted by the Latvian public that this is just a thing that's there to provide safety for everyone." The war between Ukraine and Russia is never far from their thoughts, he said. "For instance, drones that are flying around, those are taken very seriously if they haven't been approved prior to having them up in the air, so that is very tightly controlled," Pinard said. On Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged an extra $9 billion this fiscal year to strengthen existing and emerging military capabilities. That includes money to accelerate recruitment. The goal is to bring the Canadian Armed Forces to 71,500 regular and 30,000 primary reserve members by 2030. That's an increase of 13,000 members. Military personnel will also get pay raises. Some new hires may find themselves in Latvia, where Canada's commitment has no end date. The first 100 Canadian soldiers arrived there in 2017, and now Canada leads an international brigade, supported by 14 countries, including NATO's newest member, Sweden. Less than a year after joining NATO, Sweden sent hundreds of troops to join the battle group in February. Soldiers focused on improving health care Providing health care on site is part of Canada's growing responsibility in Latvia. A multidisciplinary health-care team that includes doctors, nurses, a dental team, social workers, physiotherapists and a pharmacy, is expected to expand. "We're definitely looking after a much larger group of individuals from different nations," Morin said in his role as the regimental sergeant major for the multinational medical units. He said Canada is also working to increase its ability to provide medical care to soldiers in the field. "The medical capacity we're trying to build is, well, I would put it as bringing health care as far forward as possible in the battle space," he said. "We will definitely bring everything to where it needs to be and strategically placed so we can ensure the personnel who are injured have the best chance of survival." The Canadians have been leading various military practice exercises, including a simulated response to mass casualty events. New investment good for morale Canada's new spending is sure to benefit all Canadian military bases and boost troop morale, said Christian Leuprecht, a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada. "The prime minister's announcement specifically mentions armoured vehicle and artillery pieces, both of which the Canadian Armed Forces are desperately short on, and are in high demand at [CFB] Gagetown," Leuprecht said from Riga, Latvia, where he's attending a NATO conference on strategic communications. Meanwhile, as long as conflict prevails in Ukraine, Leuprecht said, it's less likely that Russia will have the capacity to focus its aggression elsewhere. That could change quickly, however, if the fighting stops, he said. "If [Putin] sets his sights on a country, chances are it's going to be one of the three smallest countries in the alliance, that being Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania," Leuprecht said. "And Latvia is the country that has the largest Russian-speaking minority and the direct border. So it has always been a very high risk place." It will take several flights over the next few weeks to repatriate Canadian soldiers who are winding up their deployment. Pinard said he'll be returning to New Brunswick to pick up his family and move them to Edmonton. Morin said he hopes to visit family in northern New Brunswick. Neither could be reached for comment on the new spending announcement. A media relations officer at the Department of National Defence was unable to say how the pledge to bring defence spending up to the NATO target of two per cent of Canada's gross domestic product will impact the mission in Latvia, called Operation Reassurance.
CBC
29 minutes ago
- CBC
Province will spend $6.5M to keep paramedic, EMT graduates in N.B.
Social Sharing The province has announced a $6.5-million bursary program for paramedic and emergency medical technician students that train in New Brunswick and commit to working in the province. The program will be available to current and future students until March 2026. To be eligible, paramedics must sign a two-year agreement and emergency medical technicians will need to sign a one-year agreement. Students will then be reimbursed in two payments — the first when they finish school and the second when they complete their "return-of-service" agreement. Craig Dalton, the CEO of EM/ANB Inc., previously known as Ambulance New Brunswick, said the funding will address current staffing shortages and, in turn, reduce the pressure on staff. "The reality of serving today … is that doing what they do in a system that has been beset with staffing shortages is a challenge and it takes a toll," Dalton said. The funding will cover the full cost of training for 273 paramedics and 39 EMT students. Of the paramedics, 75 are currently enrolled and up to 198 would start training in the 2025-26 academic year. WATCH | Reimbursement will help work-life balance, Ambulance N.B. CEO says: Paramedic, EMT students to get tuition money back if they work in N.B. 2 hours ago Duration 2:10 New Brunswick is putting $6.5 million into a tuition reimbursement fund for paramedic and emergency medical technician students who promise to work in the province after they graduate. Health Minister John Dornan said the province is "down by about 200" staff and this recruitment effort will help create a "more comfortable working environment." "We need to have more paramedics and EMTs on the road and this initiative will help ensure there's a pipeline of trained professionals training here to help fulfil current and future vacancies," Dornan said. Dalton said staffing struggles are "like any other health-care profession." "It's been that way for five plus years. So, it's a challenge to get that very small group of talent, and this is a huge tool in our toolbox to be able to do that," he said. Dornan said the role of paramedics is evolving, and the services they provide continue to expand. "It's tougher to be a paramedic today than it was 20 years ago," said Dornan, a doctor and former Horizon Health CEO. He said paramedics are able to put tubes into people's lungs and defibrillate patients in the ambulance. He said the province is also working to allow paramedics to give "clot busters" in the ambulance to help people survive heart attacks. "The ability, the tools that paramedics can use now are way more than they were in the past and they want this, they're asking us to let them do more." In the future, he said paramedics will be "very integrated" with the province's collaborative care teams. "Sometimes a paramedic will come to your door and you might not need to go to the hospital," Dornan said. Dalton said seven additional ambulance units will be introduced across the province this year, "in areas where we are particularly stressed with the services." Ambulance New Brunswick will also work with the province to rethink how units are dispatched. "My message is the system needs to evolve as the environment evolves, and I'm confident that we're doing that," Dalton said. Rebecca Bird has been a paramedic for three years and loves her job, despite it being difficult at times. She attended the announcement in Moncton and is glad the province is helping students. She said she would've liked the same opportunity during her training. According to Medavie HealthEd's website, the 50-week primary care paramedic program costs approximately $21,000. Bird looks forward to having more staff in the province to improve the lives of current staff. "It's really going to help staff our trucks, ensure that we're getting off on time … we're going to be able to help our other colleagues with covering what needs to be covered and hopefully giving us that work-life balance that we desperately need." According to a news release from the province, the program covers training offered by Omni Life Support Training & Consulting, Medavie HealthEd, Oulton College and Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick. Dornan didn't say whether the province would renew the bursary program, but said they would "evaluate" its value.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
As N.S officials discuss $4.5B hospital expansion, CEO says a new one likely needed, too
Karen Oldfield, the interim president and CEO of Nova Scotia Health, speaks to reporters after appearing before the province's public accounts committee where healthcare facilities were top of mind. (CTV Atlantic/Callum Smith) Officials in charge of the $7.4-billion QEII Halifax Infirmary expansion and maintenance project appeared before a legislative committee on Wednesday, offering some details – but not others – about where the project stands and where it's heading. During those discussions though, Karen Oldfield, the interim president and CEO of Nova Scotia Health, said a new hospital may also be required in the coming years. 'I don't want to presuppose an outcome, but I would be shocked if there was not some indication of another major or regional hospital being required in the Central Zone over the course of the planning horizon,' Oldfield said. 'I'm not announcing that, I'm not saying that,' she said. 'I'm intuiting that.' The population growth, particularly in the HRM, 'makes it very necessary to figure out just how we're going to build out the Central Zone,' she continued. But building is only part of the battle. She acknowledged staffing, timing and budgeting are only some components that need to be considered as part of the health authority's master plan. While speaking to reporters, Oldfield said several population factors will put even more pressure on the system. 'We're almost in a race against time to prepare for that peak to have the healthcare facilities ready, to have long-term care facilities ready. 'It's the demographics, it's the age, but it's also the baby boom that's hitting – I think it peaks out at 2035 – where a significant percentage of Nova Scotians are over age 65, and then it comes back down again,' Oldfield said. Acknowledging that a larger percentage of an aging population will likely lead to higher healthcare needs and long-term care needs. Oldfield said when she was appointed to her role by Premier Tim Houston in 2021, Nova Scotia Health did not have a 10-year capital plan, which makes it 'very difficult to plan when you don't have a long-term plan.' Construction update Oldfield said the QEII Halifax Infirmary expansion project's design phase is nearly 75 per cent completed, 'and that work is being shaped by those who use the spaces every day.' The first two cranes arrived last month and two more will arrive later this summer as part of the largest infrastructure project in the province's history. Construction crews started pouring the foundation last month and the concrete structure will rise to the main floor in December, 'marking a significant milestone,' said David Benoit, the CEO of Build Nova Scotia. Benoit reiterated numerous times to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the $7.4-billion price tag – including $4.5-billion in construction costs and $2.9-billion for 30-year maintenance costs – is part of a 'firm fixed price and schedule.' 'If things arise, like tariffs or hurricanes, or unexpected, unforeseeable things, there are clauses in the contract which allow for a conversation to happen,' he said. 'I'm comfortable that we got value for money, but you don't have to take my word for it,' Benoit told the committee. He told reporters a long-awaited 'value for money' document will be released to the public, likely within 'days.' When asked how tariffs could impact costs, John Volcko, PCL Constructors vice president of corporate development, said they learned a lot about price volatility and escalation during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Within our bid, we've got certain allowances, certain contingencies to deal with unexpected things like that,' he told reporters. Interim Liberal leader Derek Mombourquette asked that the contract between the province and Plenary PCL Health (PPH) be tabled at the committee. The expansion will see a new, modern, 14-floor acute care tower with 216 beds, 16 operating rooms, a 48-bed intensive care unit and an emergency department that is nearly twice the size of the current one. It is expected to open in 2031. It's still not clear how many new staff will be needed and how many will come over from the Victoria General (VG) Hospital. Hotel rooms required At the construction peak for the QEII Halifax Infirmary project, there will be 850 to 1,000 workers, Volcko said. About two-thirds of those will be from Nova Scotia and the rest will come from out-of-province 'where there's just not sufficient skilled labour.' In response to a question from the NDP and Liberals, Benoit said there are ongoing discussions with Nova Scotia Community College about the void. For those workers coming from away, Volcko said 'there just was not sufficient time to put up a temporary lodging.' He said all 238 rooms at the Atlantica Hotel will be taken up by workers at some point. 'It's expected eventually we'll take over all the rooms and then there will be a tail where we don't need all the rooms again,' he told reporters. He couldn't say how many more rooms may be needed because he's not sure how many workers will be from out of town. 'Our first objective is to employ local talent, local skilled labour,' Volcko said. 'If our peak is in three years, you know, we've got some time to build a workforce.' Karen Oldfield Karen Oldfield, the interim president and CEO of Nova Scotia Health, speaks to reporters after appearing before the province's public accounts committee where healthcare facilities were top of mind. (CTV Atlantic/Callum Smith) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
