Hockey players from NB Power hit the ice in St. Andrews Monday at the WC O'Neill to play in a charity match against local friends of Scott Markowsky a NB Power lineman who was injured in a tragic workplace accident in January that killed another lineman. Markowsky had only recently re-located to the Moncton area from St. Andrews when the accident occurred.

His Charlotte County friends decided to organize a 24-hour hockey game fundraiser beginning Sunday and ending on the long weekend Monday to raise money for the Markowsky family as their friend's long road to recovery begins. Mar-caw-sky's NB Power co-workers were quick to join in the support, playing in the final two hours of the marathon hockey event against Markowsky's former teammates from the Waweig Warriors.

The event raised $11,500 in total for the Markowsky family.

On Friday at a media event in Fredericton, Education Minister Bill Hogan announced that the province has backtracked on its controversial plan to replace French immersion with a new 50/50 French-language learning program at anglophone schools in the fall of 2023.

“We listened intently to the voices of nearly 13,000 New Brunswickers who participated in our consultation sessions over the past month,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan said. “We have taken all we have heard and incorporated it into our decision.”

After holding public meetings across the province and hearing from 13,000 participants from educators and experts to parents and students, the Department of Education has decided not to go ahead with reconstructing the French-language learning framework. Instead, French immersion registration will continue to be open for Grade 1 students.

“The system as it currently stands, is leaving a large portion of children behind and we are committed to addressing the issues causing this,” said Hogan. “We want all high school graduates to be equipped with the skills they need to thrive in life so that no child is left behind. This is not the end, but the beginning of what will be positive and lasting change.”

Chris Collins, Executive Director of Canadian Parents for French New Brunswick, applauds the province for reversing its decision and credits Fundy-the Isles-Saint John West MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason with playing a pivotal role in the decision.  

Finally, since St. Stephen opened the doors to the town's first warming station in late 2022 to accommodate the growing homeless population during the winter months, it's had occupants every single night. On the coldest nights of this winter, it has often reached capacity.

"We have identified 30 individuals in the community who are without shelter and living 'rough,'" said Jim Stewart, Executive Director of the St. Stephen-based nonprofit Neighbourhood Works. 

Stewart and Lori Porelle of Neighbourhood Works are hoping Charlotte County residents will bundle up in support of the growing unsheltered participate in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser. The event is a walk throughout the community designed to show what it's really like for those experiencing homelessness. Participants get sponsored to walk either two-kilometre or five-kilometre distances.

Coldest Night of the Year walks take place across North America, but all the money raised locally will go towards the warming station, transition house and community meals at Neighbourhood Works. Visit CNOY.org to join the walk, volunteer or donate.