NewsMakers

[HALIFAX, NS] Halifax doesn’t rock: Only God Knows Why Kid Rock won’t be playing on the Halifax Common this summer. Promoter Harold MacKay recently announced the cancellation of the July 23 date of Halifax Rocks. Kid Rock, Counting Crows and Daughtry were among the headliners slated to perform. Halifax’s Jimmy Swift Band and the Stanfields were also scheduled. “We truly regret that fans of these artists will not get to see them this year,” MacKay said in a release. “We apologize for the disruption and inconvenience this may cause.” A recent phone call and email to MacKay weren’t returned. “I have nothing to add,” he told CBC. MacKay didn’t give a reason for the cancellation. Wednesday was the last day to purchase early bird tickets for the show. The lineup for the show was met with some criticism throughout Halifax’s music scene, on Internet comment boards and blog posts. MacKay says that fans have the option of using their Kid Rock tickets to get into the July 24 Black Eyed Peas show, or to refund their tickets through the Ticket Atlantic Box Office. — By Alex Boutilier, Metro Halifax

[NEW GLASGOW, NS] Chamber hopes to entice local shoppers with coupons: The local chamber of commerce has come up with a new marketing plan to encourage shoppers to shop locally. Faus Johnson, executive director of the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber will be putting together a local coupon book made up of chamber members and potential members offering shopping deals in the area. He said local chamber members will get the first opportunity to advertise their products and services in it. It will be sold by the Chamber of Commerce and school and sports groups looking to fundraise for their own organizations. “We want people to shop in Pictou County,” said Johnson. “A lot of people will go to Halifax to shop when we have things here.” He said the coupon books will be sold for $25 each and there will be close to $500 worth of coupon savings in the book. — By The News, Transcontinental Media

[SYDNEY, NS] Transition house employees have new contract: Employees with the Cape Breton Transition House have settled a new union contract that maintains wage parity with their provincial government counterparts. The 13 employees of the Sydney-based transition house are members of CUPE Local 3008 (B), and the union has been working towards a new contract since their last one expired in 2009. “We’ve been in to bargaining a couple of times with the employer and then we went into conciliation,” explained CUPE national representative Kathy MacLeod. “We’re very pleased with the outcome, we’re very pleased that we were able to successfully conclude this round of bargaining and secure a 2.9 per cent wage increase retroactive to April, 2009.” The three-year deal also includes increases of one per cent in 2010 and 2011. MacLeod noted that the union also achieved a new medical plan that is cost-shared 50-50 with the employer. The three-year contract will expire March 31, 2012. CUPE represents employees in five transition houses across the province — the Cape Breton Transition House, Tearmann House in New Glasgow, Autumn House in Amherst, Juniper House in Yarmouth and Adsum House in Halifax. — By Staff, The Cape Breton Post, Transcontinental Media

[HALIFAX, NS] Multicultural Fest draws record crowd: It might have been the 2,000-passenger cruise ship stopping in next door, or it might have been the perfect weather, but the Multicultural Festival was packed with people this past weekend. Because of scheduling conflicts, the festival moved to the Halifax waterfront from Alderney Landing this year. “We had more people here on Friday and Saturday than we’ve had in other years,” said Heather Ritchie, festival coordinator. Now that everything is over, organizers are going to figure out if the Halifax Seaport location across from Pier 21 is better for the festival.  But Ritchie said that they’ll look at more than just how many people filed through the gate. “We’re not here to make loads of money, we’re here to make a good festival for everybody and just break even,” she said. Opinions among vendors was mixed. Abi Thana at the Tamil Association booth said the festival belongs in Dartmouth. “It was bigger and I’m not a fan of the strip mall set up for the food booths,” she said. Rui Yang at the Sushi Nami booth said she liked the fresh air for the food vendors and it was easier for people to walk up and down. “I’ve never seen so many people in Halifax all together, so it was great,” she said. — By Jennifer Taplin, Metro Halifax

[SYDNEY, NS] Seaside Communications sails into Louisbourg: Seaside Communications announced today that they are offering phone service in the Louisbourg 733 dialing exchange. Seaside is a local cable, internet, and phone provider for over 19,000 homes in Industrial Cape Breton. Louisbourg is the fifth community to receive this locally-provided phone service. Seaside first launched its phone service in 2009 in New Waterford and Glace Bay. — By The Daily Business Buzz, Transcontinental Media

[YARMOUTH, NS] Demonstrators required for Living Wharf program: The Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association is looking for local residents with knowledge of the fishing industry who would like to share their skills and stories with visitors. Living Wharves, a new tourism program for 2010, is being launched in July and will provide opportunities for visitors to connect with local residents, and learn skills and stories related to the fishing industry. These skills could be splicing rope, mending nets, or the construction of a lobster pot. The association is anticipating that this program will become a favourite with visitors, as it provides a venue for them to meet actual fishermen and women in an authentic setting. Living Wharves is the first program of its kind in Nova Scotia and is being promoted throughout the province. The program was successfully tested earlier this year in both Port Maitland and Meteghan River. People interested in participating in this program can contact Julie Walters, tourism development officer, at 902-742‐0497. Demonstrators will be compensated for their participation. — By Carla Allen, The Vanguard, Transcontinental Media

[STEPHENVILLE, NL] Stephenville puts more cash into economic office: Councillor Cec Stein said you have to pay good money to get good work and that’s why he asked council to rescind a motion and provide more than the $75,000 put forward for a new economic development office. The office will be set up for a one-year period and Stein felt the $75,000 just wasn’t going to cut it, as the salary alone would soak a large part of the budgeted amount. Mayor Tom O’Brien said once the office starts and evolves, if more money is needed council could increase the amount. But Stein warned that if the amount gets too high he won’t support it in a second round and asked what salary range council had in mind for the development officer. Councillor Darren Roberts, the town’s finance committee chairman, said they were looking at a $50,000 salary range and as well said at one point he would not support increases if they got too high. Stein asked for a withdrawal of the motion and to make another for $100,000; however, if the money were not all required it would not all be spent. The council members who made and seconded the motion agreed to it being rescinded and made the new motion, which was unanimously accepted. Stein said you want to pay the right amount of money to get the job done right and Roberts said it’s important to not hire “just anybody” for this job. “The success or lack of success of that office will depend directly on the person hired,” O’Brien said. — By Frank Gale, The Western Star, Transcontinental Media

[ST. JOHN’S, NL] Drug shortages squeezing pharmacies: Recently, a patient waited in line at a St. John’s pharmacy to fill a prescription, only to be told that the medication was on back order. Then, the next person in line stepped up for a different drug and was told the same thing. The pharmacist said she’s never seen anything like it before; “pages and pages” of drugs that pharmacies just can’t get. Keith Bailey of Shoppers Drug Mart is one of the pharmacists with the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL) undertaking a survey, trying to get to the bottom of the problem. He said most of the problem seems to be with generic drugs, as opposed to the brand-name variety, but PANL hasn’t been able to put its finger on a single, clear cause for the shortages. Part of the problem, Bailey said, may be that manufacturing drugs isn’t an easy, overnight proposition. The problem isn’t restricted to Newfoundland. A survey conducted by the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists looked into the same problem. The college found that nearly 70 per cent of the time, manufacturers gave no reason for the shortages. Julie Tam, with the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association couldn’t give a single clear reason for the shortages, although she said that there are also shortages among brand-name drugs. One problem, Tam said, was global shortages of the active ingredients in drugs. Another issue is that if a batch of pills isn’t up to Health Canada’s safety standards, it gets tossed and can’t be quickly replaced. — By James McLeod, The Telegram, Transcontinental Media

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] UPEI warns cuts coming: UPEI is warning that steps must be taken to deal with what it describes as a “serious financial challenge” as a result of the elimination of its mandatory retirement policy. The university has posted an open letter on its website where it outlines some of the steps it will be taking to deal with an increase in cost of about $1-million to $1.5-million annually for the next five years. Gary Bradshaw, vice-president of finance at UPEI, said in his letter there will be a reduction in new hiring and overtime, a reallocation of teaching loads that will affect part-time and term teaching positions, a deferral of renovation projects and more. In February, the Human Rights Commission found that UPEI had discriminated against two professors – Thomy Nilsson and Richard Wills – and Yogi Fell, a member of the support staff, by forcing them to retire at age 65. UPEI is now appealing that decision through a judicial review in P.E.I.’s Supreme Court. Yogi Fell, who was a shipper at UPEI, calls Bradshaw’s letter “disgusting” and said the university didn’t save any money when they forced her to retire. Two people were hired to replace her and they reclassified her job, giving her replacements $8,000 more than what she was making. Fell said UPEI should be looking at the top if they want to cut costs. “They quadrupled the management at the university during (UPEI president) Wade MacLauchlan’s tenure,” she said. “We haven’t quadrupled the number of students.” — By Wayne Thibodeau, The Journal Pioneer, Transcontinental Media

[VICTORIA-BY-THE-SEA, PE] New festival puts potato on silver platter: The Island potato’s appeal will be put to the test — and tastes — of tourists. A three-day festival in September will place the spud on a silver platter for both culinary delight and entertainment value. The inaugural Red Sands Potato Fest is feeding into the province’s recent push to play up the Island’s homegrown (and locally fished) culinary offerings as a tourism draw. Details were announced last week for the festival that will serve up the potato in a creative mishmash of events taking place at Victoria-by-the-Sea from September 10-12. The opening night will feature Feast by the Sea with award-winning chef John Pritchard creating a dinner using only foods grown or produced on P.E.I. Following the spud spread, Island artists and artisans will be featured at a local wine and cheese reception. More unique and creative ways to whip up potatoes will be shown on the second day of the festival. Chef demonstrations and samplings will offer a wide array of tater treats. The Multi-Cultural Spud portion of the festival will have new Islanders prepare potatoes in the way they do in their homelands. Well-known chef Michael Smith will participate in the unique Empty Bowls fundraiser in which he will make his famous Island seafood chowder. For a full schedule of events, visit potatofestredsandsshore.com. — By Jim Day, The Guardian, Transcontinental Media