Moose fences, but also health services demand elected officials

On the night of Friday to Saturday, Amanda Johnson, a resident of Pointe-à-la-Croix in Quebec, struck a moose on her way to Bathurst to attend the birth of her grandson.

For more than two years, Restigouche women have had to travel a hundred kilometers to give birth to their babies at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst. The obstetrics service is no longer offered at the Campbellton Regional Hospital.

Moose fences claimed

For Campbellton Mayor Ian Comeau, the situation is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, this is another incident on top of others […] I don’t know how many accidents it’s going to take, but I think that one, it wakes up the people of the region, the people of the region are a little tired, even disgusted, with what is happeninghe says.

According to the mayor, there is no fence against animals for about 40 kilometers, in a wooded area between Campbellton and Belledune.

The issue is not new. In January, a petition calling for fences garnered over 4,000 signatures. According to the instigator of this one, Yves Goudreau, Prime Minister Blaine Higgs simply told him not to travel at night on this road.

Trouble is, the birth of a baby can’t wait for daylight. We are forced to travel to Bathurst, because the ladies have to go there, the obstetrics department is closed here!launches the mayor of Campbellton, angry.

Unacceptable is the message we sent to Prime Minister Higgs and other ministers as well, I think it’s time they maybe come here to see Highway 11says Ian Comeau, asking that money from the infrastructure budget be immediately invested in the installation of wildlife fencing in his region.

Fences, but also services!

Amanda Johnson, who had a narrow escape during the collision near Charlo, launched an awareness message after this misadventure.

People need to be aware of what we are dealing with here in Campbellton, we have a nice hospital, it has been equipped to provide birthing services. We have to drive to Bathurst to receive these services and it is terribleshe says.

” Everyone here knows the roads are unsafe, everyone knows someone who has had an accident with an animal on the road! “

The mayor of Pointe-à-la-Croix, Pascal Bujold, shares the anger of Amanda Johnson and the citizens of her community.

It’s frustrating, when you know that you can pass by a hospital that provided the service before, and which unfortunately no longer provides the service, it is certain that we are asking the Government of New Brunswick to work with Vitalité to be able to find gynecologists [obstétriciens]he said.

Mayor Bujold reiterates his request to sit on the board of directors of the Vitalité Health Network to discuss issues regarding safety and the hospital care offered. About 15,000 Quebecers have access to this hospital to receive care, through an agreement between the governments of Quebec and New Brunswick.

We don’t ask for charity, it’s just to have our right to speak and to be able to express ourselveshe says.

Campbellton Mayor Ian Comeau is also asking for the return of the obstetrics service to the Hospital, which serves a population of 25,000 Restigouche citizens.

At least, he believes that Vitalité must offer training to nurses, paramedics and doctors stationed in Campbellton to offer this service while waiting for the resumption of full service.

You have to take and give training to people here, for a period of time. Especially in the evening, where it is very dangerous [de conduire à Bathurst]said Ian Comeau, specifying that he hopes to speak at the Annual General Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Vitalité Health Network on Tuesday, in this sense.

With information from Serge Bouchard