NewsBreak26 with Vicki Hogarth: Southwest New Brunswick News Highlights for October 17-24, 2023

White Head Island gets its first Community Centre and Cafe

Dozens of people came out to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on White Head Island on Saturday, October 14, 2023, for the unveiling of the new White Head Community Centre and Cafe, which has been nearly six years in the making.

"The community raised over $45,000 from our little community. It's only 130 full-time residents, so that's quite a substantial sum of money," said John Blum of the White Head Recreational Counci. "MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason also hooked us up with various funding agencies within the provincial and federal governments."

It takes two ferry rides to get to White Head island from mainland New Brunswick, and the peaceful way of life is reason why so many of its residents love to call it home. But when the island's only store and central meeting place closed in 2017, islanders were left without a place to connect with one another.

"The store used to be the unofficial community centre," said Blom. "It was a great way to get to know people. We missed that, and I think we are going to have that. We are going to have our first coffee here on Monday."

The center not only fills the void left by the closure of the island's only store, but also welcomes tourists, becoming a vital island hub.

"We have a few events scheduled," said Blom. "We're going to have a Halloween party for kids, we're going to have a craft night, a game night and morning coffee."

A Gathering of Concerned Citizens: St. Stephen Addresses Issues of Drug Use, Homelessness, and Crime

In an effort to confront the escalating challenges of drug use, homelessness, and crime within their community, St. Stephen residents Cheyann Matthews and Brent MacPherson organized an event at The Vineyard on Victoria Street on Sunday, October 15. The gathering, designed to foster open dialogue, featured a panel of diverse speakers, each bringing a unique perspective to the table.

Sergeant Scott MacKenzie, representing the RCMP, stood alongside Al Smith from The 12 Neighbours Community Tiny Homes initiative. Kristina Drake offered insights into addiction and mental health, while Greg Campbell shared his experiences of homelessness and addiction. Jennifer Anderson-Appopei, the Manager of Addiction and Mental Health Adult Services for Charlotte County, and Richard Hyslop of Needle Dogs completed the panel. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experiences, the speakers candidly shared their perspectives, illuminating the complexities of the issues at hand. They also took questions from the audience.

During the event, Sergeant Scott MacKenzie addressed a query from an audience member regarding the recurring appearance and seeming "catch and release" of known criminals in the community despite their extensive criminal histories. Sergeant MacKenzie shed light on the complexities of the current justice system, emphasizing the stringent criteria RCMP officers must adhere to for arrests, subsequent court referrals, and judicial sentencing. He pointed out that jail overcrowding exacerbates the issue, providing an overview of the challenges faced by the justice system in handling repeat offenders.

Sergeant MacKenzie noted that the absence of a local courthouse in Charlotte County complicates matters further, diverting RCMP resources away from the community.

"It is a stress on our operations — the fact that our courthouse has now moved more than 100 kilometres away," said Sergeant MacKenzie. "So there are issues that have arisen from that, and we are working hard to mitigate those as best we can."

These insights underscore the intricate dynamics contributing to law enforcement struggles in the region, as discussed during the session.

When speaking candidly about his experiences as a once homeless person living in Charlotte County, Greg Campbell said small communities face the added challenge of not having the same resources as more urban areas to deal with issues like an increase in drug use and number of people living on the streets.

"We're in a small community, so there's not a lot, but we still need to have a bit of grace and try to support [the unsheltered and addicted] and send them in the right direction," said Campbell.

Co-organizer Cheyann Matthews stated that the purpose of the meeting was to delve deeper into the issues the community currently faces and discuss how to best address them.

"We are looking for some input from the community for positive direction for the community--to work together to help with some of the issues that we're finding in the community such as homelessness, crime, addictions," said Matthews.

The event drew over 50 attendees, including Mayor Allan MacEachern and three members of the council.

Co-organizer Brent MacPherson said he plans to present the highlights from the meeting to all levels of government and expressed intentions to organize more roundtable discussions in the future.