PCs promise high-dose flu shots for seniors, People's Alliance tackles child poverty

Some returning offices in New Brunswick have been allowing peopleto vote at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Harpelle, a spokesperson for Elections New Brunswick, said insome isolated occurrences returning offices have opted to use a "contactless approach," where staff or volunteers have delivered vote-by-mail packages to votersat their homes.

"I will simply credit the determination and resourcefulness of our returning office staff, who are doing their utmost to make sure New Brunswickers who want to vote can," he said in an email.

Harpellecouldn't say what kind of voter qualified for the home service or provide any further information.

On the first day of advance polls on Saturday,more than 63,000 New Brunswick residents castballots.

In the 2018provincial election, just over 43,500 electors voted onthe first day of advance polls.

• New Brunswick Poll Tracker

Harpelle attributed the spike to goodweather and the organization's Vote Early, Vote Safely campaign.

Voters will have anotherchance to cast ballots on Tuesday between 10a.m. and 8p.m., in advance of the Sept.14 provincial election.

Here's what political party leaders are saying:

PCs would provide for free high-dose flu shots for seniors

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgssays he will getpharmacists to take on a greater role in health care and reduce unnecessarytrips to the doctor a promisemadein theprovincial budget earlier this year.

At a stop in Perth-Andover, Higgs said that if he's re-elected, pharmacists wouldbe able to diagnose and treat uncomplicated cases of urinary tract infection and refill certain prescriptions such as blood thinners and drugs forblood pressure conditions and Type 2 diabetes.

Higgs said aPC governmentwould alsowork with the New Brunswick Pharmacists' Associationto identify ways to work together and improve access to health care.

He said hewould provide forfree high-dose flu vaccinations for seniors.For more thana decade, Higgssaid it has beenshown that the higher dose of antigen in the vaccine gives people over65 a better immune response and better protection against the flu.

The province has already procured the high-dose vaccine, and the shot should be available by October. Six other provinces and two territories already offer the high-dose shots..

"Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever this season to protect yourself and the people around you from flu. It will also help reduce the strain on our healthcare system in light of the ongoing COVID pandemic," said Higgs.

The spring budget also included funding for universal flu shots for New Brunswick.

People's Alliance directsfocus on child poverty

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin says he would make sure every school in the province has food programs available to all students

"We are facing a worsening situation in this province with families and children who are struggling on many fronts and that's been compounded by the pandemic and the negative impacts it's having on businesses and their employees,"Austin said during a stop in Saint John on Saturday.

"We cannot sit by and ignore the needs of New Brunswickers who are struggling, including some of our most vulnerable; our children."

Austin cited New Brunswick's 2019 Child Poverty Report Card, which foundthat one in three people accessing food banks in the province is a child.

He said the child poverty rate in Saint John is 31.5 per cent, the second highest rate in the province, below Campbellton, where itis 36.4 per cent.

Austin said his party would provide sustained funding for poverty reduction programs as well as
streamlinethe New Brunswick Daycare Assistance Program for school-aged children.

"By working with child poverty advocates and agencies, together we can and must do better," he said.

Liberals reaffirm commitment to systemic racism inquiry

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers met with Chief George Ginnish of the Natoaganeg First Nation on Saturday to reaffirm his party'scommitmentto holding an inquiry into systemic racism in the justice system something he has promised throughout the election campaign.

Ginnishhas said hewants the government of New Brunswick to look into the justice system as other provinces have.

"You cannot continue to pretend that there aren't issues," Ginnishsaid.

Calls for an independent inquiry into systemic racism in the New Brunswick justice system y.have grownlouder sincethe fatal police shootings of two members of the Indigenous community this summer.

Chantel Moore, 26,from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in British Columbia, was killed by Edmundston police during a wellness check on July 4. Eight days later, 48-year-old Rodney Levi orMetepenagiag First Nation near Miramichi was killed by RCMP.

The NDP and Green Parties also support an inquiry.

GreenParty incumbent Kevin Arseneaujoined othercandidates inPokemouche to officially launch the local campaign in the Acadian Peninsula.

Where the leaders are over the weekend

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers will be making an announcement in Saint John on Monday at 10:30 a.m.

NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomason will be making an announcement at 11:30 a.m. in Saint John.

PC Leader Blaine Higgs will be attending virtual church on Sunday and spending time withfamily.

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin willbe in Chipman, Minto, Maugerville and Sheffield on Sunday.

He'llcampaignwith Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton candidate Craig Rector on Monday. They will holda Purple Wave and Meet and Greet at Gateway across from Sobeys on Miramichi Drive at 10 a.m.

Austin will make an announcement regarding tourism in Hartland at the covered bridge at 1 p.m. He'll be joined by Carleton candidate Graham Hill and Mayor Darrin Foster.

Austin and Gill will meet with residents in Woodstock at 2 p.m.

Green Party Leader David Coon will be making an announcement.

Standings at dissolution:PCs 20, Liberals 20, Greens, 3, People's Alliance 3, Independent 1, vacancies 2

For complete coverage|Links to all New Brunswick votes 2020 stories