P.E.I. premier says plans in place to keep Confederation Bridge open
CBC
With the possibility of a demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions this weekend on the P.E.I. side of the Confederation Bridge, Premier Dennis King told the legislature Tuesday there are plans in place to prevent the island from being blocked off from the mainland.
In response to questions from the Official Opposition he also offered what sounded like a warning to any would-be demonstrators who might choose to try to disrupt the flow of traffic at the province's only land link to the mainland.
"While you can gather and while you can peacefully protest, you cannot disrupt the flow of goods and services into this province," King said.
"There are disruption plans that are in place from Transport Canada for areas like the Confederation Bridge and they will be enacted if needed to be."
A Facebook group called PEI Freedom Convey to Ottawa 2022 has been promoting a 24-hour, overnight "dance party" to take place at the former ferry terminal in Borden-Carleton on the P.E.I. side of the Confederation Bridge.
The group has invited people from all four Atlantic provinces to come, urging them to bring camping gear and to participate in a "slow roll" crossing of the bridge.
There were conflicting messages on social media on Tuesday as to whether the event was going ahead as planned or would be postponed.
Another demonstration against pandemic restrictions in Charlottetown on Feb. 12 involved between 500 and 700 vehicles taking part in a "slow roll" convey up the city's main traffic corridor, according to estimates from Charlottetown police.
"Across Canada this month, we've seen how a failure to plan can have critical consequences for people's health and for people's safety," Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker said during question period Tuesday.
"We've watched as bridges, border crossings and downtown cores have been paralyzed by protests."
P.E.I. has ferry access to Nova Scotia for part of the year, but that service won't resume until the spring.
That leaves the Confederation Bridge as the only road link to the mainland.
"Without this structure, we only have a few days of food available on reserve for Islanders," Bevan-Baker said.
"Businesses will be unable to get product to market [and] Islanders needing off-Island health care will be prevented from accessing that care."
A growing number of Manitoba's MRI machines now use artificial intelligence, with a plan to have more than half using the technology by spring.
A mobile unit the Saskatchewan government bought in 2002 for providing mammograms to Saskatchewan women will soon retire.
The Prince Edward Island government is rolling out the province’s first-ever policing standards, which officials say will make police services more consistent, transparent and better supported.
Residents in Niagara Falls, Ont., continue to wait for news on the future of Marineland’s property and dozens of animals, including up to 30 belugas and four dolphins — nearly two months after the federal government turned down the theme park's request to export the mammals.
Canadian travellers hoping for a new year without having to worry about a labour dispute may be out of luck, as 2026 will see most major airlines from this country facing off with unions across the bargaining table.
Food prices are soaring. Food prices keep climbing. Food prices are defying cooling inflation.
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
Ontario legislation that mandated air conditioning in all resident rooms in long-term care (LTC) homes has saved dozens of lives, according to a new study.
Gusty winds, rapid fall in temperature prompt special weather statement for Waterloo region and area
The mid-week warmup in Waterloo region, Guelph and area will abruptly come to an end on Friday, Environment and Climate Change Canada warns.
Water in two more schools in the N.W.T. show lead levels above Health Canada's guidelines for drinking water, according to the territorial government.
Ontario's ethics watchdog says it will investigate whether the province's labour minister contravened any laws in his handling of a controversial training fund.
Mitchell Rose, the 32-year-old man charged with three counts of attempted murder in St. John’s, will spend the next month on the forensic unit of a psychiatric hospital.
Nearly eight years after Halifax sold the historic Khyber building in the hopes it could be revived, the municipality says the site has become a “threat to safety” — and is taking it back.