MLA’s return to the Legislature today, for the start of the 63rd general assembly.
Newly appointed Lieutenant Governor Arthur Leblanc will deliver a speech from the throne shortly after 1:00, this afternoon.
The Liberals are heading back to Province House with a reduced majority of 27 seats after the May provincial election.
The Progressive Conservatives have 17 seats and the NDP have seven.
Meanwhile, provincial Finance Minister Karen Casey will deliver the budget on Tuesday.
The Liberals are expected to present pretty much the same fiscal blueprint they tabled before the election.
We don’t have gas price predictions, this week.
However, the price of gas in New Brunswick went down by 4.4 cents a litre last night.
Diesel there dropped slightly by a tenth of a cent.
The minimum price for a litre of regular gas in Cape Breton is now $1.16.8.
Diesel went now costs a minimum of $1.05.3 cents a litre on the Island.
Education Minister Zack Churchill say schools across the province have a new student attendance policy.
He says the policy is based on advice from the Council the McNeil government put together to Improve Classroom Conditions.
The Council is made up of teachers and representatives from the Teacher’s Union.
Under the policy, students will be considered absent unless they’re attending an activity that directly relates to their learning.
Grade 10 to 12 students who miss more than 20 per cent of class time for a course could lose their course credit.
And teachers will not be required to prepare additional materials or release test and exam information ahead of their release to the class.
The new attendance policy comes into effect on October 1st.
The provincial government announced 2.2 million dollars this morning for a new MRI unit at the Regional Hospital in Sydney.
The machine will replace the current MRI unit that’s the only one in Cape Breton.
The new machine is expected to give better image quality and faster, more efficient scanning.
The government says a request for proposals for the new MRI will be issued in the next few weeks
The funeral mass for Allan J. MacEachen will take place this afternoon in his hometown of Inverness.
The former Cape Breton MP, federal cabinet minister and Senator died in Antigonish a week ago at the age of 96.
MacEachen served as Minister of National Health and Welfare during the creation of medicare.
During his time as federal Labour Minister, he reformed the labour code and established a new standard for the minimum wage.
His portfolios also included Finance and Secretary of State for External Affairs.
His funeral is due to get underway at 2:00 this afternoon at Stella Maris Church.
