The price of heating fuels is slightly decreased today, while gasoline will see a slight increase.
Gasoline increased by 1.04 cents a litre, while diesel increases by .06 cents.
The price of heating and stove oil goes down by half a cent each, propane remains the same.
There are three new faces in Premier Andrew Furey’s cabinet announced yesterday.
Sarah Stoodley, Elvis Loveless and Derek Bennett were all named into the new cabinet.
Siobhan Coady takes on the Finance portfolio as the new administration prepares a budget by due the end of September. She’s also been named Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for NLC.
Lisa Dempster takes Indigenous Affairs, Labrador Affairs, and is the minister responsible for Status of Women. She will also serve as Deputy House Leader.
Andrew Parsons has been shuffled out of Justice to the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology. Which encompasses the old Natural Resources portfolio. He stays on as Attorney General.
Steve Crocker is the new Minister of Justice and Government House Leader. John Haggie remains as Health Minister, while Tom Osborne takes on Education.
Newfoundland and Labrador is increasing the number of people that can gather at organized events, under a new special measure issued by the province’s chief medical officer of health.
Effective August 24th, gatherings by a “recognized business or organization” may allow up to 100 people — up from 50 — inside a venue for social gatherings such as weddings, funerals and concerts as long as it’s still less than 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity. Outdoor gatherings will also be capped at 100 people.
What qualifies as “recognized” business or organizations are those that can provide oversight and have somebody responsible for ensuring the number of people in the venue falls within the guidelines.
Backyard family events will still be capped at 50 people as long as physical distancing can be maintained with others outside of your bubble.
Organizers of gatherings are required to keep a record of those in attendance for at least two weeks following an event, should it be required for contact tracing.
The SHIELD Project recently held a contest for youth from along the coast.
Denise Cole is the Program Coordinator in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
She says it turned out really well and had 14 videos and 15 youth who performed.
Here are the winners:
1st place went to Ethan Angnatok of Nain, 2nd place went to Emma Meade from Labrador City and 3rd place went to Manasvi Ganti who is also from Labrador City.
Tune into the Teen Rockers show at 3 pm to hear more from Cole on the Labrador Unplugged.
The English River Fish Count in Postville is busy with their numbers this summer.
We spoke with Todd Broomfield who is the Director of Renewable Resources with the Nunatsiavut Government.
He says they still have two crews of six beneficiaries who will be working until October.
Broomfield adds that the numbers they are seeing this year has improved from previous years.
Stay tuned to AtjiKangitut today to find out more on the English River fish Count with Broomfield.
Newfoundland and Labrador will make wearing non-medical masks mandatory in all public spaces beginning Monday.
Masks will be required while using public transit which includes buses, taxi’s, car services and common spaces on ferries.
For office buildings, masks will have to be worn in common areas such as lobbies, elevators, reception areas, conference rooms, washrooms and break rooms.
Municipal and government service building will require masks as well.
Personal-care business including hair salons, tattoo shops and tanning salons, and animal daycares or grooming business will require a mask.
Masks will be mandatory in common areas such as elevators in hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, rental cabins or cottages.
All shopping malls, community markets, retail stores, community museums or historic sites, rental room, community centres or other venues used to host gatherings will also require masks to be worn.
Masks are also required in funeral homes.
There will still be some public areas where masks won’t be required, but under certain conditions.
In places like bars, restaurants, places of worship and entertainment venues, masks will be necessary until seated and as long as there is two metre of physical distancing space between bubbles. People will still have to wear a mask while moving around those spaces.
In fitness centres, dance studios or yoga studios masks will be required until a workout begins and worn again after the workout. The same rule applies for arenas and sports practice facilities when working out. Masks are mandatory in sports-related clubhouses.
If you are receiving treatment that requires you to take off your mask – at a dentist, or a facial treatment at a spa – you may do so for the duration of that treatment.
In K-12 schools and post-secondary schools including colleges, universities and trades schools masks will not have to be worn in classrooms but are required to be worn in common areas such as hallways and school buses by students in Grade 7 and above.
Teachers and staff will also be wearing masks in classrooms, and in places where they cannot physically distance, such as offices or break rooms, moving between classes or preparing food in a cafeteria.
Children under five years old will not have to wear a mask.
Those whose physical condition or mental health prevents them from wearing a mask will not be required to wear a mask. People in these circumstances are also not required to provide proof of their condition for privacy reasons.
Masks will not be mandatory during some medical treatments.
A mask can also be removed when showing identification.
Some workplaces with their own specific health and safety plans will not require masks, along with those that fall under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. However, those workers must still wear masks when they are in a common or public areas such as lobbies, reception areas, hallways, stairways or elevators.
No masks in class exception could change, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald cautioned on VOCM news.
As of next Monday, if out and about in indoor public spaces, you will be required to wear a non medical mask.
Masks at public indoor spaces for everyone 5 years and over will become compulsory or necessary, Monday, August 24th. That includes public transit such as buses, taxis and public areas of ferries, common areas of office buildings, shopping malls and shopping venues, government buildings, town halls, bingo halls, fitness centres, dance studios, movie cinemas, post secondary institutions but not the classrooms, common areas accommodation facilities, restaurants and lounges, and many other places.
People with physical or mental health conditions can apply to be exempt and seated areas of indoor facilities if conditions of social distancing and movement can be met.
One of the key exceptions is for students. In the classrooms students will not have to wear a mask, but can if they want to do so.
Fitzgerald says because of the low prevalence of COVID-19 in the province, students will not be required to wear a mask in their classroom, but Fitzgerald cautions, that could change if the situation changes.
Students will be required to wear a mask on the school bus.
Non-medical masks are recommended in areas where students are unable to exercise physical distancing for an extended period. Students who cannot tolerate a mask for a particular reason will not be required to wear one.
With his father Senator, George Furey and the members of his young family looking on, Andrew Furey was sworn in as the 14th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.
This morning’s swearing in ceremony was different from those in the past.
Concerns about COVID-19 moved the ceremony unto the grounds of Government House under the canopy of a large tent.
Furey leads a minority government and must call an election within the next year.
The new premier’s cabinet will be sworn in at 1pm today.
In his first speech as Premier Andrew Furey empathized the importance of of listening when seeking council in the decision-making that lies ahead. Furey says the most important thing he has learned is to listen. He promises to listen to people because that leads to better decisions.
Furey citied the recent back-to-school plan released this week as an example of coming up with policies through engagement and consultation.
Premier Furey also made a commitment to transparency, something that past administrations had also committed to.
“You’ll know exactly what the hard decisions are, and how they will impact our province, and why we are making them. When asked a question, expect a straight up, fact based answer. No rhetoric, just reality. We will stand and be accountable for our mistakes and will strive to learn from them.”–Premier Andrew Furey.
He says we’re in a better position now then when the pandemic struck.
Furey went around the province and he says he heard some negative comments such as “ why would want to take a job which is like taking over the titanic after it struck an iceberg?” To naysayers “they don’t know us and our resiliency.”
There isn’t much movement expected for the price fuels across the province this week.
George Murphy spokesperson for the Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices is predicting that heating and stove oil and diesel will drop by 1 tenth of a cent a litre and gasoline will increase by 7 tenth of a cent a litre.
August 18th, 2020, for Immediate Release Election for President set for October 6th. Nunatsiavut’s First Minister Tyler Edmunds announced today that the election for President of Nunatsiavut will take place on Tuesday, October 6th, 2020.
Nominations will close at 12 noon (AST) on September 1, 2020, at the office of the Nunatsiavut Electoral Officer, 14 Corte Real Road, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL.
Advanced polls will be held within 10 days prior to the election.
The election was originally scheduled to take place on May 5, but was postponed amid growing concerns over the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the process is properly conducted in accordance with the spirit, intent and requirements of the Labrador Inuit Constitution and the Nunatsiavut Elections Act.
In keeping with Section 116A of the Elections Act, Sarah Townley has been appointed to serve as the moderator for a mandatory Innuttut debate for candidates vying for the office of President.
As per the Act, the moderator shall, within seven days (between September 2-8, 2020 inclusive) of the close of nominations, convene and moderate the debate.
Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement are advised that measures will be implemented at all polling stations to prevent potential exposure and transmission of COVID-19.
Measures may include restricting the number of people at polling stations at the same time, and ensuring safe distances (of at least two meters) between all individuals. Hand sanitizers will be available, and all areas within the polling stations will be disinfected regularly.
Additional measures may be implemented as required. Any inquiries regarding the election should be directed to Nunatsiavut Elections Officer, Nannette Blake.
She can be reached at (709) 896-5683, or by email at nannette.blake@nunatsiavut.com.