14 Comments

Regarding the cost - Statscan just reported that non-residential construction costs have ballooned in the Moncton area due to increases in concrete pricing. Hard to see how that will be different for Grand Lake. Austin's incredibly good fortune does not end with the prison in his riding. Wes McLean (Higgs former deputy chief of staff until 2021) successfully lobbied on behalf of Axon Enterprises starting back in May to procure all the new tasers and body cameras for Dept of Justice and Public Safety. Christmas is coming early for police, and Kris Kringle gets to hand out all the toys.

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Defund the Police ! No new jails, No M16 machine guns!

Mental health and Addiction Treatment is what we need. Stable Housing and affordable Food , stop the price gouging.

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Sad but appears most are from area.

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Daniel, I'm not saying take away all the police funding, but I am saying do not militarize them

they do not need M16 machine guns in New Brunswick.

We do not need a 42 million jail in Minto.

What we really need our proper addiction treatment programs and centers.

We need a proper detox center.

We need jobs and guidance we do not need jail time and taking away people's licenses for minor infractions making them unemployable.

People need affordable housing and food

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Really Larry, ask those three RCMP officers in Moncton if they need carbines, right we can’t

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I agree with the experts. We need to address the social problems. There is not enough long term detox beds in the province, our mental health services are seriously lacking, as well as addictions counseling.

Compared to the life many of these people live, jail is hardly a deterrent. 3 meals a day, a gym to work out in, reunite with some old buddies, someone does your laundry for you.

We really need to think about the long term here, not short term solutions.

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The lack of detox beds and mental health services is not the problem. Those are SYMPTOMS of the problem. Look a tiny bit deeper and realize what the real PROBLEMS are. Then, think of solutions to THOSE problems.

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No, lack of detox and mental health services....

IS A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM.

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I don't recall you doing an article on the ballooning cost of the Fredericton Payhouse....Oops, Playhouse, whose estimates have gone from 45 million to 81 million, and the small numbers of people who will use it. And, if you're trying to imply something fishy about the new Institution going into Minister Kris Austin's riding, you've got the wrong fella to try to catch. He's one of the rare, but honest, politicians. But, thanks for covering this news item so quickly. Nice job!

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I haven't written about the Playhouse, but you seem to suggest my silence indicates some kind of endorsement. That's a leap. I simply haven't been moved to write about it. Furthermore, municipal politics is a little outside of my usual area of focus.

And I didn't imply there was something fishy about the new jail location being in Mr. Austin's riding. I said the optics are bad, and added that's difficult to avoid in many governance situations and that it wasn't the main issue.

As for Mr. Austin's integrity, his defection (and essentially destruction) from his grassroots party to the PCs has prompted some to call his character into question - and it's a legitimate criticism.

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I have written about the ballooning costs of the new Playhouse, and let's go a step further, I volunteered and helped his People's Alliance Party, during elections.

There is a place for fresh thinking in NB politics,.but, it's old school patronage and cronyism we are seeing in the Kingdom of Higgs !

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Don’t hold back. Well we know now what party you are not a fan of.

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I was in Moncton that day.

Do you know the difference between a carbine and a long rifle ?

I do, a long rifle.is much more accurate, it can run in semi automatic mode, superior range, and would have saved lives.

So would better training, better protection, better communication, etc...

and let's not forget....better mental health care, would take pressure off society as a whole. It may have even prevented the situation in the first place.

A carbine has a short barrel, and is less accurate.

Both can have large bullet magazines.

The gun Austin has supposedly approved would add the automatic firing option.

Anyone that has ever been in a war, military conflict situation, trained professionally, etc... Would tell you, seldom can you use the automatic function, the sheer number of bullets it requires is not functionable in a police street situation.

Do not militarize police, it can only lead to more of the us versus them frictional relationship, we don't want.

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Defund the police and send a social worker. Hillarious. You have been watching too much of the Communist Broadcasting Corp or the Clinton News Network. In the real world; we need more police as the people of rural New Brunswick will tell you. Only people who are unaffected by crime scream defund the police.

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