 LOCAL NEWS - MAY 4, 2021 - Lower North Shore is soon to have the 2nd dose of Moderna vaccine administered
In February, all adults in Minganie, the Lower North Shore and the MRC of Caniapiscau who wanted to be vaccinated, received the 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from the Moderna company. And now, four months later, residents of the Lower North Shore will be in line to receive the 2nd dose of the vaccine within the next two weeks. CFBS was speaking by email with Pascal Paradis, Communications Advisor of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, requesting some information regarding the next round of vaccinations in the region. The 2nd dose of vaccine is being offered this week in some communities of the Lower North Shore, it is the Moderna vaccine that is being administered. A first part of the vaccinations will take place this week, and another part is scheduled for the week of May 16. In the first part of the Lower North Shore vaccinations, the 2nd dose will be administered in: La Tabatière, St-Augustin, Chevery, Harrington Harbour, Kegaska, Rivière St-Paul, and La Romaine. The other vaccinations will take place during the week of May 16. Anyone who refused the first dose of vaccine, but would now like to be vaccinated, can call Santé Publique at 1-877-644-4545 to say that they want to be vaccinated. They will be contacted as soon as possible with an appointment. Currently 82% of the Lower North Shore population (aged 18 years old and over) have received the first vaccine. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Les Chefs – Classe EHDAA – École Mgr Scheffer LOCAL NEWS - APRIL 23, 2021 - Congrats to the winners of the CSSL for the 23rd OSEntreprendre Challenge! The OSEntreprendre Challenge is a major Québec movement that acknowledges the entrepreneurial initiatives of thousands of participants each year, from young people from elementary school to University to new entrepreneurs. The OSEntreprendre Challenge is deployed and takes root at the local, regional and provincial levels. More than 350 representatives are mobilized in all 17 regions of Québec to help carry the OSEntreprendre Challenge and shine the spotlight on projects in their communities. In total, nine projects from six schools were submitted for this 23rd edition. Sixty-six young entrepreneurs, from kindergarten to secondary 5, put in hundreds of hours of work on projects that will have a concrete impact on their community. The jury was impressed by the quality of the projects submitted and hopes to see the projects of our youth spread throughout our region. École Mgr Scheffer held a ceremony on Thursday morning (April 23rd) at the playground of the school to honour the school's winners of the OSEntreprendre Challenge:
Other winners of the challenge on the Centre de Services Scolaire du Littoral territory are:
Congratulations to all of the students and teachers, what a remarkable achievement you have made! UPDATE: Sarah Iris Foster, Student Life Animator for the CSSL, informed CFBS this afternoon that 2 schools on the Lower North Shore have won the regional competition. Congratulations to:
Both of these finalists will be moving on the the provincial competition! BRAVO to all, we will be cheering for you! You can catch the live OSEntprendre Côte-Nord Gala this evening at 6:30 pm by clicking on the following link here. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  LOCAL NEWS - APRIL 14, 2021 - The North Shore becomes an orange zone tonight at 8PM
As of 8 PM this evening, the North Shore region will be designated at Level 3-Alert (orange). A curfew has been reinstated to begin at 9:30 PM until 5 AM each evening until further notice. Unnecessary social contacts are not allowed, e.g. gatherings with family or friends, etc... The Surete du Québec will also be on patrol in the region to ensure that the health guidelines are being followed. Police officers continue to ensure compliance with health measures and can intervene when individuals are outside their homes during curfew hours, only reasons deemed as essential will be accepted, the Quebec government list of acceptable reasons can be found here. Offenders are liable to fines now ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 if they are unable to adequately justify why they are outside the home. Young people 14 years of age and over are subject to a $500 fine. To enable individuals who are travelling during the curfew because of their work to readily demonstrate that such travel is legitimate, employers are asked to complete the Employer Attestation Concerning Travel During the Curfew Decreed by the Gouvernement du Québec found here. A press briefing was held this afternoon by the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Côte-Nord (CISSS de la Côte-Nord) regarding the COVID-19 situation on the North Shore. The press briefing was by zoom with Mr. Claude Lévesque, interim CEO of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, and Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine. This situation unfolding thus far during the 3rd wave of COVID on the North Shore continues to concern the CISSS de la Côte-Nord. The region has seen an increase in the number of cases in April, with 51 cases, which are mainly in the Haute-Côte-Nord and Manicouagan MRC's, but also in other MRC's as well. Most of our positive tests are due to the British variant, which is 1.7 times more contagious and more virulent. The border regions of the North Shore are seeing an increase in the number of cases. There is a limited capacity of the hospitals in Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles to treat any people hospitalized with severe forms of COVID who may require intensive care, and there would be impacts if there was an offloading of cases to other areas. As previously mentioned, an increased number of cases and hospitalizations will cause a postponement of non-urgent surgeries and diagnostic examinations. To reduce the number of cases during the third wave and to prepare for the summer, the CISSS de la Côte-Nord along with Public Health are issuing the following directives :
If symptoms of COVID develop or if you have COVID related questions, residents are asked to call Santé Publique at 1-877-644-4545, and they will guide you through the steps of what to do. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine LOCAL NEWS - APRIL 12, 2021: NORTH SHORE – CISSS PRESS BRIEF COVERAGE A press briefing was held this morning by the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Côte-Nord (CISSS de la Côte-Nord) regarding the COVID-19 situation on the North Shore. The press briefing was by zoom with Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine, and Mr. Claude Lévesque, interim CEO of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord. The epidemiological situation on the North Shore is getting worse. There is an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 44 cases confirmed since the beginning of April: 25 cases in the Manicouagan RCM, 16 in Haute-Côte-Nord and 1 case each in the Sept-Rivières, Caniapiscau and Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent MRC's. Dr. Richard Fachehoun points out that there have been seven active outbreaks: 3 in Manicouagan, 2 in Caniapiscau and 2 in Haute-Côte-Nord so far during the 3rd wave. "I am very worried because almost all cases (83%) are related to the United Kingdom variant, which is 1.7 times more contagious," said Dr. Fachehoun. "Close to 300 close contacts are currently isolating. The increase in the number of cases will probably continue this week, but the decisions you make will allow us to limit the transmission of the virus and move on to a decrease in the number of cases. The situation is critical. You must reduce your social contacts now and not later, because then it will be too late," he added. An increase in cases is often followed by an increase in hospitalizations, which could affect the health condition of people who need treatments unrelated to COVID-19 (surgeries, for example). The collaboration of the population is essential to make it through this very difficult time. The CISSS de la Côte-Nord would like to remind the population of the importance of the following:
Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Wanda Beaudoin, Mayor of the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon LOCAL NEWS - APRIL 1, 2021 - MAYOR WANDA BEAUDOIN GIVES AN UPDATE TO THE POPULATION An update from the Mayor of the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon, Wanda Beaudoin, regarding:
Listen to the interview with Mayor Beaudoin by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist 
 LOCAL NEWS - April 1, 2021: NORTH SHORE – Free Security training for fishermen being offered in the coming months, sign up now! CFBS was speaking with Geneviève Gélinas, from the Fisheries Workforce Sectoral Committee, to talk about the free training being offered on the maritime safety management system. The training will be offered this summer, but captains interested must sign up soon to take advantage of this training opportunity for themselves, and their crew members on their vessels. For those who would like the training in English, an interpreter will be provided as well at no charge. This new fishing vessel safety requirement was put in place by Transport Canada since 2017 for owners or operators of a fishing vessel. You can register for this free safety training by calling Geneviève Gélinas (418)-361-2626, or by email to formation@pechesmaritimes.org Listen to the interviews with Geneviève Gélinas and I in English, and with Chrissy Letemplier in French, by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
Dr. Richard Fachehoun of Public Health is Concerned about the 3rd wave of COVID-19 for the Region3/31/2021
 Dr. Richard Fachehoun, public health medical consultant to the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, at the press brief for March 31, 2021 LOCAL NEWS - March 31, 2021: NORTH SHORE – CISSS PRESS BRIEF COVERAGE A press briefing was held this morning by the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Côte-Nord (CISSS de la Côte-Nord) regarding the COVID-19 situation on the North Shore. The press briefing was led by Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine, in attendance by zoom. Dr. Richard Fachehoun began by reminding the population that the region is at the yellow alert level, and that the 3rd wave poses a threat. Since March 26th, our region has been at the yellow alert level, thanks to the commitment of people on the North Shore to following the measures in place. Dr. Facheoun reminds that your contribution is essential to keeping the yellow alert level for as long as possible. "I am worried for our region when I see the increased number of cases in Bas-Saint-Laurent, Capitale-Nationale and Saguenay. Also, the proportion of cases related to variants keeps increasing, and variants will be predominant in Québec within two weeks. They are more contagious and more virulent than the basic strain. Based on modelling, only strong adherence to basic measures (physical distancing, use of the mask and handwashing) and screening coupled with intensive tracking and isolation of cases would allow us to avoid a 3rd wave that would be more important with more hospitalizations in people under 65 years of age," said Dr. Facheoun. In order to limit the spread of the variant, a new isolation directive was emitted for people living with a close contact of a case. Therefore, if someone who was in close contact with a case is self-isolating, people in the same household must remain in isolation until the contact receives a first negative test result. During the press briefing, Dr. Facheoun also gave suggestions for safe private gatherings with people from two households:
Stay home and do not receive visitors if any of the following pertains to you:
Dr. Facheoun also took the time to remind everyone that travel outside of the region should be for essential purposes only. If you travel, arrange for tesing on day 1 and day 7, as well as mandatory self isolation for 7 days until you receive a negative test result after day 7. With the upcoming Easter holiday approaching, everyone must also remember that private gatherings should be from two households only. For everyone's safety, please follow the guidelines, concluded Dr. Facheoun. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 29, 2021 - Safeguard your keys with the War Amps! CFBS was speaking with Sofia Benzakour, Communications assistant for the Quebec department of War Amps Canada, about their key tag campaign. The War Amps began their 2021 key tag campaign last month in Quebec, the theme “You Are a Part of What We Do,” marks the 75th anniversary of the Association’s Key Tag program! Since amputee veterans started the Key Tag Service in 1946, more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys have been returned to their owners. Key tags are produced in Canada at The War Amps sheltered workshop, employing persons with disabilities. How do key tags work?
You can order your War Amps key tags by visiting here. Listen to the interviews with Sofia Benzakour and I in English, and with Chrissy Letemplier in French, by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 22, 2021 - Alert level changes come into effect for the region on Friday March 26th After months of restrictions be tightened in the region, the North Shore will be returning to alert level 2 – Early Warning (yellow zone), on Friday March 26th, along with Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Northern Quebec. The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de la Côte-Nord issued a press release last week to remind the population of the adjustments made to the measures currently in place, and the importance of continuing to follow the health safety measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. They ask that the population continue to follow the health instructions and notes that people aged 10 years and over are still required to wear a face covering in interior public places. “These adjustments are the direct result of your respect of the measures, and for that, we thank you. With the increasing proportion of cases related to variants, the situation remains delicate, and we must stay vigilant if we want the North Shore to remain a yellow zone for several weeks or months. Remain careful, get tested if you have symptoms and get vaccinated when it is your turn,” says Dr. Richard Fachehoun, medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine. Here are some of the measures for yellow zones that will come into effect on Friday:
For more information about the coronavirus and the measures in place, visit Québec.ca. CFBS also asked the CISSS de la Côte-Nord if there would be any changes to the entry protocol to the region regarding travel. Pascal Paradis, Communications advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, confirmed by email that there are no changes at this time. This means that anyone travelling for more than 24 hours outside of the region are asked to respect the isolation requirement and Covid testing protocol. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 12, 2021 - La Patience du Lichen by Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier Far away on the north coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence there is a road sign in the middle of the road with the word END: the traveler must stop at this place. However, beyond the limit of the asphalt, there are several hundred kilometers of communities that are accessible only by air, water or ice, depending on the season. We know it well, this is a part of the Lower North Shore. Fascinated since her childhood by the end of Route 138, Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier came to meet us Coasters and recorded our voices to remake poetry from these fragmented territories and our struggles. La patience du lichen is a poetic testimony of rare scope, a report with a big heart that delves into the history and intimacy of our little-known part of Quebec. You can find the link to purchase the book by clicking here. Listen to the interview with Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier, author of La Patience du Lichen, by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 Addison Letemplier, 11 years old CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 12, 2021 - Young lady with Coaster ties wins a gold medal for her Irish Jig As St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, we think of all things Irish, beautiful music, everything green, as well as Irish dancing. Fast paced, controlled and beautiful, this type of dancing is not as easy as it looks to gracefully kick up your feet! CFBS was speaking with Sherrie Martin, originally from St. Augustine on the Lower North Shore, about the amazing accomplishments of her daughter, Addison Letemplier, who has recently won a gold medal for her beautiful, and well trained, professional Irish dancing. Both Sherrie and Addison's Dad, Darcy Letemplier, originally from Blanc-Sablon, are very proud of what their daughter has accomplished. Here is what CFBS learned about this very talented 11 year old who dances with such composed grace and style: How did Addison get started in Irish dancing? "Addison starting Irish dancing at Costello Irish dance school in January of 2018. She was 8 years old when she started. A competition in Irish dance is called a feis, and she competes in about 5-8 feis a year. Before the pandemic hit she was training an average of 10-12 hours a week as a solo Irish dancer plus she was on 3 dance teams. She was on a 4 hand team, 6 hand team and a 8 hand team." Can you tell us about the competitions that she attended? "She competed in her first eastern regional Irish dance championships in December of 2019, and placed in the top 10. Her 4 hand team and 6 hand team won gold, and her 8 hand team won bronze that year. Her 8 hand team was training extremely hard as they were going to dance in Dublin Ireland at the worlds Irish dance championships last April. However is was canceled due to the pandemic." Has the Covid pandemic affected her training? "Once the pandemic hit, Addison continued to train on zoom online with her teachers and friends. She took to the new online training very well but cannot wait to get back in studio with her coaches and friends. She just completed in her first online feis and did very well!" What is Addison's favorite memory in her Irish dance experience so far? "Addison says that her favorite memory is placing in the top 10 at the eastern regional championships, she felt so proud to work hard and then to be able to reach that goal." CFBS would like to congratulate Addison on her remarkable accomplishments, and wish her continued success in her Irish dancing. Very cool Addison! You can watch a video of Addison's dancing by clicking here. Happy all things Irish for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day, may the luck of the Irish be with you! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 11, 2021 - Protect yourselves against fraud and spread awareness! As March is Fraud Prevention Month, CPA Canada has released the results of its latest survey, which reveals the online security practices of Canadians, banking and consumer behavior, and fraudulent dating. As more of our communications and interactions become virtual due to the ongoing pandemic, CPA Canada is stepping up efforts to educate Canadians on how to better protect themselves against fraud by sharing key tips on how to avoid falling victim to online fraud, identity theft and financial schemes. Canadians cannot afford to let their guard down when it comes to fraud, according to a new survey conducted for Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). Almost three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed replied that they had received fraudulent messages, and one-third (33%) had actually been victims of one or more types of fraud during their lifetime. is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada. And, good news, 62% of respondents are taking more precautions today than five years ago to ward off the tricks of scammers. “Scammers are always finding new tricks to abuse people's trust and get their hands on personal information; vigilance is therefore required, ”said Doretta Thompson, head of financial literacy development at CPA Canada. “And as our business has been increasingly done online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to be on guard and protect your confidential data. " CFBS was speaking with David Malamed, a CPA expert in forensic accounting and fraud investigation, as well as Benoit Vachon, a CPA expert in personal finance, about the latest survey results and fraud awareness information. Listen to the interviews with David Malamed in English, and Benoit Vachon in French with Chrissy Letemplier. Click on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 Team Yukon! Left to right: Dustin Mikkelsen (skip), Alexx Peech (third), Brandon Hagen (second), Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), Ray Mikkelsen (Alternate) CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 10, 2021 - Robert Mckinnon is a part of Team Yukon currently at the 2021 Brier in Calgary! Coasters sure know ice and hockey, but another professional sport seems to be gaining a lot of Coaster interest lately ......... Curling! CFBS reached out this week to Jeffery Nadeau, originally from St. Paul's River but now living in Iqaluit, to speak about his current participation in the 2021 Brier tournament being hosted in Calgary. Imagine, to our surprise to hear that there is another participant in the Brier whose roots are closely tied to St. Augustine, right here on the Lower North Shore! Robert Mckinnon, a member of Team Yukon, is also at the Brier competing for a spot to represent Canada at the World Curling Championships. Here is what Robert had to say when speaking to us at CFBS: So how did your interest begin in the sport of Curling? "I grew up playing in a league, bonspiels and cashspiels. Mostly in the last 3 years is when I really started concentrating on competitive play. Our team qualified in 2019 for the 2020 travelers championships, but was postponed due to Covid." Can you tell us a bit about your curling team? "We are a fairly new team, Brandon Hagen (second) Dustin Mikkelsen (Skip) and I, Robert Driscoll-Mckinnon (lead), have been curling together for the last 3 years. We picked up our third, Alexx Peech, and our 5th, Ray Mikkelsen, this season. It's been a dream for all of us to play in the Brier." How is your team doing so far in the championship? "The Brier experience has been amazing so far! We have been struggling with the ice a bit but it doesn't change the fact that we are at the Brier, and playing against all the guys we idolize and watch on TV. It's very high level curling, these are some of the best teams in the world. We have some tough games coming up tomorrow against Botcher and then McEwen. We are gonna put everything else aside and concentrate on those challenging games." Have you been getting a lot of support from back home and well wishes? 'I have a large supportive group of family that lives in St. Augustine, and the surrounding area. It is where my parents grew up. I haven't made it back up there in quite some time, but when things quiet down a bit I'm sure that I'll be planning a visit. I must say, it is very exciting to see how much support we have received from the east coast! Thanks everyone!' Imagine that, 2 Coasters at the Brier! Could this be a new sport for us to embrace here on the LNS? CFBS thanks you Robert Mckinnon for sharing your story, big cheers are being extended to you from the Lower North Shore, we wish you and your teammates an awesome championship! GO TEAM YUKON AT THE 2021 BRIER IN CALGARY! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Team Nunavut from left to right: Greg Howard, Jeff Nadeau, Peter Mackey, Jeff Chown, Brady St Louis CFBS NEWS BLANC-SABLON - MARCH 9, 2021 - Jeffery Nadeau of St. Paul's is a part of Team Nunavut currently at the 2021 Brier in Calgary CFBS reached out to fellow coaster, Jeffery Nadeau, originally from St. Paul's River but now living in Iqaluit, to speak about his current participation in the 2021 Brier tournament being hosted in Calgary. Jeffery was glad to share with us his love for curling and how he became involved in this fun sport: So how did your interest begin in the sport of Curling? Iqaluit "I first stated Curling at the age of 19, only because it was offered at Champlain College in Lennoxville, Quebec as a course. I later moved to Iqaluit, NU in Jan 1991, and started curling once a week at that time, mostly in the mixed league. I curled in the league for about 18 years and then decided that I wanted to play more hockey instead. In 2017 a good friend of mine, Peter Mackey asked if I wanted to curl on his team for the Traveler's Provincial Men’s team which represented Nunavut in Kelowna, BC. I jumped at the chance and since then we have been at the Tim Horton’s Brier in 2018 in Regina, Canadian Senior Men’s Championship in Stratford, ON, Tim Horton’s Brier in 2019 in Brandon, MB, 2019 Senior Men’s Championship in Chilliwack, BC, lost in the play downs for both the Brier and Seniors in 2020, and won the playdowns for the Tim Horton Brier this year after being down 0-2 in the best of 5 playdowns, came back to win 3 straight to win and represent Nunavut in the 2021 Tim Horton Brier in Calgary. We will also be going to 2021 Canadian Seniors Men’s Championship in November which the place is yet to be determined!" What is your greatest memory so far about participating in the sport? "My greatest memory has to be the 2018 Brier in Regina, the crowd was amazing and like most sports were cheering for the underdogs!! It was unreal going out to eat at local restaurants and have people recognize you as Team Nunavut and ask for autographs!! The Brier Patch is the bar of choice for all curlers and fans and that gave the fans an opportunity to say hi to most teams, of course Team Nunavut was there every chance we had. Curling against both Canadian Champions and World Champions is and was amazing, it’s one thing to watch them on TV and another to be on the same ice as them and watch their amazing talent up close! We have never won a game at the Brier but just being here is truly amazing!!!" Can you tell us how it is at a tournament this time around with the ongoing pandemic? "This year, like everywhere, is so different with Covid, we are living in the Calgary bubble and have been tested 3 times for Covid since arriving here. All teams have tested negative and Curling Canada has done an amazing job keeping everyone Safe! I have a brother and cousins living here, and I can’t and won’t get to see them. We sure do miss the fans in the building, but I still have to pinch myself every now and again to make sure I am not dreaming! So far here in Calgary, we have 8 games, 0-4 right now, but playing PEI next and they are also 0-4. I just want to say that the fan's support, both from Nunavut and the people on the Coast, has been amazing over the years and I want to thank you all for the good luck wishes. Even though people leave the coast for different reasons, it will always be HOME to me!" CFBS thanks you Jeffery Nadeau for sharing your story, and we will be cheering you on along with our fellow coasters in wishing you and your teammates the very best! GO TEAM NUNAVUT AT THE 2021 BRIER IN CALGARY! Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist Most of Quebec will be in Orange by Monday, Except Montreal and Several Large Surrounding Regions3/4/2021
 Quebec Premier, Francois Legault, at the press conference on March 3rd, 2021
LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – March 4, 2021: Most of Quebec to move to an orange alert level on Monday, March 8th Most of the province will move to into an orange zone this coming Monday, March 8th, announced Premier Francois Legault during the evening press conference on Wednesday. The areas that will remain as red zones is Montreal, Laval, the Laurentians, Lanaudiere and Monteregie. A move from red to orange will bring a series of changes for regions listed in the change on Monday, such as the curfew moving back from 8pm to 9:30pm, houses of worship will be able to host 100 people instead of the previous limit of 25, restaurants and gyms are open with some restrictions, individual sports in pairs or as a part of a family bubble will be permitted, and outdoor activities will be allowed for up to 8 people. Gatherings in private places (homes) in orange zones remains forbidden, and subject to public health infractions if you are caught. SO WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL TO AND FROM QUEBEC FOR EXAMPLE? CFBS was speaking by email this morning with Marlène Joseph-Blais, Senior Communications and Media Relations Advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord. We asked if the travel recommendations would change for the North Shore when travelling to Quebec city, for medical appointments, for example. This is the response that we had received: "Everyone who enters the North Shore is asked to respect a 7-day preventive self-isolation and avoid social interactions for 14 days. All North Shore residents who travel to another region will be asked to follow the same directives when they get back (exception: you do not need to follow these measures if your travel time is under 24 hours)." - Marlène Joseph-Blais, Senior Communications and Media Relations Advisor for the CISSS de la Côte-Nord Keep in mind that there are exceptions for those who work in the essential services sector. This exception allows for essential workers to attend work if requested by their employer to do so, but no other outside interactions are permitted besides attending their workplace during the preventitive isolation period. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Faculty, students and hairdressers participated in the Shaved Head Challenge at École Mgr Scheffer! BRAVO to all! LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – March 1, 2021: The first shaved head challenge was a huge success at École Mgr Scheffer! CFBS was speaking on Friday with Secondary V students, Madison Letto and Shelby Woodford, of École Mgr Scheffer, about their recent participation in Défi têtes rasées Leucan, The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge on February 25th. Bravo to all who participated as they raised $3000.00, well past their original goal of raising $1000.00! Défi têtes rasées Leucan, The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge, presented by PROXIM, is a major Leucan fundraising activity that mobilizes the community in a spirit of solidarity in order to offer services to families of children with cancer and to invest in clinical research. It is a great gesture of support for children who, during chemotherapy, undergo a change in their body image due to hair loss. Listen to the interviews with École Mgr Scheffer students, Madison Letto in English, and Shelby Woodford in French, about the challenge event and its success. Click on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 26, 2021: Be safe! Follow the public health guidelines during March break, or receive a fine!
CFBS was speaking by email with Denis Chartier, of the local Sûreté du Québec office here in Blanc-Sablon. Officer Chartier would like to notify the following message to the population: "With the spring break period, the Sûreté du Québec will send reinforcement on Lower North Shore to make sure that the Public Health measures will be observed by all. So in the next week, people from the Lower North Shore will see new SQ officers coming to enforce Public Health rules, along with the regular SQ officers of the local police station. To be very clear, the Sûreté du Québec officers are coming from outside of the North shore, and will be COVID tested prior to being deployed on the Lower North Shore, with no exceptions. Most importantly, our citizens from all LNS communities, not only in Blanc-Sablon, need to understand that the reinforcement officers coming have orders to ensure the strict observance of the Public Health rules. Have a safe and happy March break from all of us at the Sûreté du Québec office in Blanc-Sablon." - Denis Chartier, of the local Sûreté du Québec office in Blanc-Sablon. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 23, 2021: Students and faculty at École Mgr Scheffer join the Défi Leucan challenge! Défi têtes rasées Leucan, The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge, presented by PROXIM, is a major Leucan fundraising activity that mobilizes the community in a spirit of solidarity in order to offer services to families of children with cancer and to invest in clinical research. Participants in the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge must collect donations from those around them: family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, community, etc. It is a great gesture of support for children who, during chemotherapy, undergo a change in their body image due to hair loss. Taking part in the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge means being part of a unique family on which children with cancer can count on a daily basis. Support the students of École Mgr Scheffer by donating, you can click here to go to the donation page for our local school. Listen to the interviews with École Mgr Scheffer students, Madison Letto and Danielle Dumas in English, or with Matthew Beaudoin and Shelby Woodford in French, about the challenge. Click on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 Blanc-Sablon Airport Location on Google Maps LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 22, 2021: Phenomenon similar to an Earthquake experience felt in Blanc-Sablon At approximately 7:35 am on Sunday February 21st, an employee of the weather observation station at the Blanc-Sablon airport experienced a phenomenon similar to an earth quake, as the whole building began to shake. "It only lasted for a few seconds, but everything was moving," said Mitchell Leon, a weather observer, who works in collaboration with NAV Canada to report the local weather conditions. CFBS contacted Earthquakes Canada on Sunday to obtain info on what may have occurred at the airport, and received a call back from Stephen Crane, PhD, Research Scientist, at the Canadian Hazards Information Service for Natural Resources Canada. Mr. Crane confirmed that there was no report of an earthquake in the area, however it may possibly have been a cryoseism instead. This is what he had to say about this phenomenon: "Cryoseisms (more commonly referred to as “ice quakes” or “frost quakes”) are felt in Canada almost every winter, occur in cold temperatures, particularly if there has been a sudden drop in temperature. These are not related to earthquakes, but are related to weather. When temperatures fall rapidly, the moisture trapped in the soil begins to freeze. As the moisture freezes, it expands, putting pressure on the surrounding soil and bedrock. Eventually the stress is too much and the soil and bedrock may crack, creating a loud noise and occasionally shaking the ground. These cryoseisms are very localized, so the effects cannot be detected by seismometers (unless in the very rare possibility that it occurs very close to the recording instrument). I can not confirm that a frost quake did occur, as we don’t have any instruments nearby, but I can confirm that it was not an earthquake." - Stephen Crane, PhD, Research Scientist, at the Canadian Hazards Information Service for Natural Resources Canada. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist NORTH SHORE – FEBRUARY 19, 2021: ENHANCED MEASURES BETWEEN THE NORTH SHORE AND NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de la Côte-Nord issued a press release on Thursday (February 18) to inform the population that the entry management protocol for isolated territories now applies to everyone coming into the region from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This protocol includes the following measures for people entering the Lower North Shore, Minganie and Caniapiscau MRC's from other regions of Québec, or from other Canadian provinces or territories:
Note that this protocol does not apply for any road travels of less than 24 hours between Québec and the border villages of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also stated in the press release is that in the coming days, an awareness team from the Red Cross will be sent to the border regions. The teams will be there to welcome visitors who enter the North Shore by plane or using the ferry, in order to inform them of the public health measures to follow. The local Sureté du Québec will maintain an active presence within the communities and with arriving visitors to ensure that the health and safety rules (no gatherings, curfew, etc.) are being followed by all. So why the Red Cross? Wanda Beaudoin, the Mayor of the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon, sent CFBS the following statement regarding why the Red Cross will be assisting with informing the population of the entry protocol: "I am sure the citizens are asking why it is not the rangers doing the sensitization at the airport, the wharf and at the border, we have to say the demand to have the Rangers activated was requested several times by the mayors. However, given the complexity of getting this service activated, the CISSS de la Cote-Nord worked diligently to try to find another alternative to protect its citizens on the Lower North Shore, given the difficulty with the activation of the Rangers. So instead, an agreement was reached by the CISSS and the RED CROSS, to assume the tasks of sensitization of the population about the regulations in place. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the direction of the CISSSS and all of their staff for their hard work in trying to keep us safe as a population, and also to recognize the efforts they put in the organization of the vaccination clinic. We are very lucky as a region to have been vaccinated in a timely manner. Once again, thank you." - Wanda Beaudoin, Mayor of the Municipality of Blanc-Sablon Reminder, if you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, consult the COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool and follow the instructions. You can also call Public Health at 1-877-644-4545 for more information. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 19, 2021: No Curfew Fine Infractions Issued to Date Locally
CFBS was speaking with Denis Chartier, of the local Sûreté du Québec office here in Blanc-Sablon. Officer Chartier informed us that the population is now been respecting the curfew measures issued by the Quebec Government. "The roads have been quiet since we announced that we will now be issuing fines to any curfew infractions," said officer Chartier. The local Sûreté du Québec office here in Blanc-Sablon said on Wednesday February 17th that the leniency period for those who are caught out after the provincial curfew of 9:30 PM for our area without an acceptable reason, has ended. With pressure from their chain of command, the local police have no choice but to issue fines to any curfew infractions. Any persons caught by the Sûreté du Québec on the roads illegally without a valid reason or caught breaking the curfew by hosting gatherings, will be fined. How much you may be wondering? Curfew infraction fines are $1000.00 + $546.00 administration fees, equaling a total of $1546.00. "We are very happy that our citizens have received the message, because it was becoming problematic with those not respecting the curfew in the last weeks,'' said officer Chartier. "We will be on patrol on the weekend as well," he added. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 17, 2021: Break the curfew, receive a fine!
CFBS was speaking this morning with Denis Chartier, of the local Sûreté du Québec office here in Blanc-Sablon. Officer Chartier informed us that the leniency period for those who are caught out after the provincial curfew of 9:30 PM for our area without an acceptable reason, has now ended. "We have stopped a lot of people during our night patrols, and have let them pass with a warning, but we now have pressure from our chain of command to begin issuing fines to any curfew infractions," said officer Chartier. Beginning this evening (Feb 17) at 9:30 PM local time, any persons caught by the Sûreté du Québec on the roads illegally without a valid reason or caught breaking the curfew by hosting gatherings, will be fined. How much you may be wondering? Curfew infraction fines are $1000.00 + $546.00 administration fees, equaling a total of $1546.00. Officer Chartier would also like to remind residents of Labrador that the curfew fines apply to them as well if they cross the border into Quebec after 9:30 PM local time. "We have been seeing a lot of Labrador residents on this side of the border after our curfew hour, everyone needs to be aware that when you cross the provincial border, you must follow the rules of the province that you are in,'' said officer Chartier. He also added that any reasons given as to why you may be out after curfew will be verified by the police. When asked about if there is an update for any border changes from the Quebec Government, officer Chartier said that there has been no new mandate issued to the local SQ. They had been requested on Monday (Feb 15) by public health to be prepared to set up security at the border if needed, but at this time, there is still no mandate set for a security check point to be installed at the Blanc-Sablon border. "We are prepared to go if asked, but this may not be needed now," stated Mr. Chartier. On Friday February 12, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald announced the province has moved back to Alert Level 5 of its response plan in an effort to gain control of the quickly spreading coronavirus variant B117, which health officials say is the cause of the recent outbreak. Under an Alert Level 5, health officials are asking everyone to stay home as much as possible, except to collect essential items, such as groceries and medications. They are also asking people to limit contacts to only those in their immediate household bubble in Newfoundland and Labrador. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  LOCAL NEWS NORTH SHORE - FEBRUARY 16, 2021 - WORKSHOPS NOW AVAILABLE FROM LE MARAIS CFBS was speaking with Dominique Leclerc, a Special Care Counsellor at Clinique interdisciplinaire Le Marais, an interdisciplinary clinic that now offers specialized psychosocial services to the residents of the North Shore territory. Dominique shared information with us today about the new workshops being offered by Le Marais as well as information about the services they offer, for business, school, social and community backgrounds, etc. ABOUT LE MARAIS Le Marais is a private clinic providing specialized psychosocial services. It will bring together professionals from all backgrounds under one roof. This context will help foster an interdisciplinary approach to clients. For more information, you can visit the Facebook page of Clinique interdisciplinaire Le Marais at: https://www.facebook.com/cliniquelemarais/ You may also call Dominique or Marie-Eve at 418-741-3032 or email info@cliniquelemarais.ca. Listen to the interview with Dominique Leclerc by clicking on the sound files below (click on the speaker icon next to the sound file and a media player will open up to hear the interview). Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist
 NATIONAL NEWS – FEBRUARY 16, 2021: No waiting period now for EI benefits
The Federal Government is temporarily waiving the one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance (EI) claimants who establish a new claim between January 31, 2021 and September 25, 2021. This includes claimants of regular, fishing and special benefits. For more information or to submit a claim, visit Employment Insurance. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist  Government of Newfoundland and Labrador border security at the L'anse au Clair/Blanc-Sablon border, which has been in place since November 26, 2020
LOCAL NEWS BLANC-SABLON – FEBRUARY 15, 2021: No changes at the border tonight says the local SQ CFBS received lots of calls and messages today regarding if there will be changes taking place at the border here in Blanc-Sablon tonight at 7 PM. Speaking with Denis Chartier, of the local Sûreté du Québec office here in Blanc-Sablon, Mr. Chartier informed us that they had been requested by public health to be prepared to set up security at the border if needed, but at this time there is no mandate set for the time and date of the security check point to be installed. "We are on hold right now, there will be no check point set up at the border this evening" stated Mr. Chartier. On Friday February 12, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald announced the province has moved back to Alert Level 5 of its response plan in an effort to gain control of the quickly spreading coronavirus variant B117, which health officials say is the cause of the recent outbreak. Under an Alert Level 5, health officials are asking everyone to stay home as much as possible, except to collect essential items, such as groceries and medications. They are also asking people to limit contacts to only those in their immediate household bubble in Newfoundland and Labrador. CFBS also received information from local residents of Blanc-Sablon this afternoon stating that there was no change in cross border travel for essential services, including essential shopping, and that the same procedure is in effect as in the last couple of months with the Newfoundland and Labrador border security. Abbygail Wellman CFBS Journalist |
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