Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology Minister, Tony Andersen handed down his last budget as Treasurer of the Fourth Nunatsiavut Assembly yesterday.

In housing, is a priority area for Nunatsiavut communities. The Government of Canada has committed an additional $7.5 million under the FFA for 2022-23 fiscal year, bringing the total amount for housing to $41 million. There are commitments of over $15 million to the home and emergency repairing programs in design and construction of senior’s units and quadplexes in Nain and Hopedale and a quadplex in Makkovik and for land development in Nunatsiavut.

In Language, revitalization Inuktitut is an upmost importance. The approval of Nunatsiavut Language Strategy Inuttitut UKâlluta, ilinniatitsiluta InosiKalluta and the associated funding allocated under Budget 2022-23 will build on the progress today of Labrador Inuit speaking Inuktitut and using Inuttitut as their first language.

Other highlights are increased funds have been committed for self-government. These funds are meant to cover the administration activities of operating a government-legal, finance, human resources, information technology, and elections, etc. This has allowed the Nunatsiavut Government to increase the funding for operations of the Inuit Community Governments.

Nunatsiavut Government civil servants will receive a 2% wage increase effective April 1, 2022.

Minister Andersen says “I’m proud of the work we have accomplished over the years, and I see the progress we have made in improving the lives of Labrador Inuit. I see a growth in the programs and services provided, in the number of Labrador Inuit finding employment with us, in progress being made within the Inuit communities. This year’s budget will allow us to continue on with the progress we have made.”

Yesterday, Dr. Fitzgerald held the last regularly scheduled COVID-19 briefing.

She also confirmed plans to repeal the State of Public Health Emergency as of 12:01 A.M. Monday, March 14th.

This Friday will mark two years since the province’s first COVID-19 press briefing, and it has been a very long two years, to say the least.

While we and others may not have agreed with every single decision of hers throughout the pandemic, her results are undeniable: N.L. has the most vaccinated population against COVID-19 in the world.

Thank you, Dr. Fitzgerald and your team for keeping Newfoundland and Labrador safe and healthy.

Best of luck with whatever and wherever life or your career brings you next.

You’ve certainly made us all very #NLProud, indeed.

The Hopedale Inuit Community Government has quite a few things on the go.

Marjorie Flowers is the AngajukKâk for Hopedale.

She says they are still short staffed with some of their positions but will be looking over some applications for the next couple weeks.

Flowers also says that their CEEP program couldn’t go ahead this year as they couldn’t get their materials flown in.

Click here to see what they have on the go with the Hopedale ICG.

Today, Wednesday March 9, 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador has 596 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. On Tuesday, March 8, there were 535 new cases.

There are 20 people in hospital because of COVID-19, 15 in non-critical care and five in critical care. There have been 315 new recoveries since yesterday – 231 in the Eastern Health region, 57 in the Central Health region,18 in the Western Health region and nine in the Labrador-Grenfell region, and 24,334 people have recovered.

The breakdown of the 596 cases for today is as follows:
· Eastern Health region – 447
· Central Health region – 68
· Western Health region – 71
· Labrador-Grenfell Health region – 10

There are currently 3,675 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:
· Eastern Health – 2,853
· Central Health – 337
· Labrador-Grenfell Health – 87
· Western Health – 398

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting its sixty-ninth, seventieth, seventy-first and seventy-second deaths from COVID-19. In the Eastern Health region, there is one male between 60-69 years of age and another male between 80-89 years of age. There is one male in the Central Health region between 80-89 years of age, and a male between 70-79 years of age in the Western Health region. The department is sending its condolences to the families of these individuals and asks everyone to respect the families’ privacy at this time.

A total of 3,498 tests were completed since Monday. To date, 524,725 tests have been administered.

The Nunatsiavut Government is advising Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement that the following COVID-19 emergency support programs will be extended:

The Emergency Food Supplement Program – the purpose of this program is to ensure individuals and families impacted by COVID-19 and those most vulnerable to the virus have sufficient nutritious food to support their health and wellness. Adequate nutrition is crucial for maintaining good health and having the ability to fight off infection. This program is extended to September 30, 2022.

The Cleaning Supply Program – the purpose of this program is to ensure individuals and families impacted by COVID-19 and those most vulnerable to the virus have sufficient cleaning supplies to support their health and wellness. This program is extended to September 30, 2022.

The Emergency Heat Subsidy Program – purpose of this program is to provide those most vulnerable and those economically affected by the global pandemic with home heating costs. This program is extended to May 31, 2022.

Medical Transportation Through funding from the Nunatsiavut Government’s COVID-19 Indigenous Community Support Fund allocations, LGH will provide two extra scheduled medical flights per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). These extra flights will result in less time for people having to be away from their home communities and families, and will also reduce costs for accommodations, which are difficult to secure during the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative will remain in effect until further notice.

Interim leader of the NL NDP, Jim Dinn and Independent MHA, Lela Evans have called in an in – person news and conference for this afternoon.

NDP president Kyle Rees will also be in attendance. There’s no indication as to the subject matter of the availability, however Lela Evans left the PC Party a year ago to sit as independent.

It’s taking place at 1:30pm at the Confederation Building, VOCM will be hosting.

Four new COVID-related deaths are being reported in the province today, but despite that, Special Measures Orders imposed nearly two years ago at the onset of the pandemic will officially come to an end on Monday, March 14th.

That means nearly all COVID restrictions are coming to an end, but some precautions will remain in effect in certain circumstances.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald indicated in the provincial government’s last regularly scheduled live COVID briefing that living with high levels of a relatively mild disease, just like seasonal flu, means that some people remain highly vulnerable to severe illness.

That’s why, she says, it will still be important to wear masks, exercise physical distancing and avoiding high risk situations such as crowded gatherings.

Fitzgerald says even though the mask mandate is lifting on Monday, the wearing of masks is still strongly recommended – at least for the next few weeks.

She says they expect the current COVID wave to subside by about mid-April as the weather improves and more activities move outdoors.

There is a Heritage Festival that will go ahead in Hopedale from April 19th to the 23rd.

Danielle Pottle is the volunteer for the Festival Committee.

She says they will have a week long of events for the community ranging from women self-care, children’s events, free community breakfast, community feast, traditional dress competition, and more.

She also adds that they haven’t gathered for festivals due to the pandemic.

Click here to hear more from Pottle.

Today is international Women’s Day.

To celebrate the international day that celebrates the many achievements of women, the Nain Safe House will be handing out plates of sweets to any woman who would like one.

Come to the shelter any time after 12 noon to receive a plate, plates are limited.

If there are any senior women without transportation, please call the shelter at 922-1230 and we will arrange a drop off.

To celebrate International Women’s Day the Nain Safe House will be drawing names for 2 bags of goodies. To have your name entered and the name of who inspires you entered, tell us about the woman who inspires you by either commenting on their Facebook post, emailing Nicole at nainsafehouse@nf.aibn.com or calling 922-1230.

Hopedale celebrates International Women’s Day with door prizes that includes a drum of stove oil donated by the Selma Onalik safe house, another donation was a full year of water and sewer wages paid in full.

This included women ages 18 plus. There were over 100 names entered for these door prize draws

They also had Mary Brown’s given out to women ages 18 plus on Sunday.

They will be having a women’s spa day during the upcoming heritage festival to extend their celebration of women.

Makkovik received Pizza Delight to give to women and girls of their community.

Makkovik DHSD also gave out homemade chili to give the women and girls of their choice of what they wanted, and to the ones who did not receive Pizza Delight.

The community of Postville are celebrating International Women’s Day with a takeout meal of homemade goulash and garlic bread to women and girls who have signed up.

They had about 80 women and girls signed up for this delicious homemade meal.

Rigolet also celebrates today with a home cooked meal.

This meal is for women 18 plus, they are providing chili with a bun to either take home or stay and eat.

They will be also be drawing a door prize to end off their celebration of International Women’s Day.

The Nunatsiavut Government is advising that, effective immediately, it will no longer be discouraging non-essential travel to, from and within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area.

Public Health measures around COVID-19 in the province have been significantly relaxed in recent weeks, with the next changes coming into effect on March 14. At that time, while the wearing of masks will still be strongly recommended, Public Health restrictions on formal and informal gatherings, as well as measures on numbers of individuals permitted at public venues, will be lifted, and out of province travellers will no longer have to isolate and get tested.

The lifting of restrictions does not mean that COVID-19 has gone away. It will still be with us for some time to come.