Trucker charged in border confrontation

AMHERST — An Amherst area man is facing charges following an altercation with a vehicle compliance officer at the Nova Scotia weigh scale in Fort Lawrence on Wednesday evening.

“We did arrest a 50-year-old East Amherst man and he was taken back to the detachment and released on conditions,” Cpl. Jennifer Clarke of the Nova Scotia RCMP said. “He is facing charges of assaulting a peace officer.”

Clarke said the man will appear in court on Sept. 14.

Witnesses said the truck driver was upset with an inspection and grabbed the vehicle compliance officer by the neck.

Rachel Boomer of the province's Environment Department confirmed a conservation officer working at the border “observed an altercation between a truck driver and a TIR employee at the scale house.”

Boomer said staff intervened and detained the assailant until RCMP arrived.

The matter is under investigation.

RCMP were at the border in mid-march when the province first placed restrictions on travellers coming into Nova Scotia. Clarke said officers are not on-site daily, but are available to provide support to their provincial counterparts to make sure things are operating safely.

Jason Maclean, president

of the NSGEU, said while the incident didn't involve the conservation officers meeting traffic as it enters the province he said it's an example of how all motorists need to show respect toward workers.

“I hope people don't take their frustrations out on the people who are working the border because they are just following orders,” Maclean said. “They just want to make sure Nova Scotia stays safe and they're doing their best with what they're given. People believe that because there's a bubble it should be free-flowing, but there has to be checks and balances.”

He is also reminding the province of the need to provide personal protective equipment to its staff.

“You have Dr. Strang and the premier telling people to wear masks, but they're not providing it to their own staff,” Maclean said.

Most of the workers, he said, are wearing masks they bring from home or ones provided by EHS.

Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-mccrossin said Premier Stephen Mcneil is not giving the border the attention it deserves and is inviting him to the area to see for himself.

“There's complete mismanagement. Since the bubble opened there have been major traffic and safety concerns and so far there has been no solution,” she said. “Both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia underestimated the need for the bubble and underestimated the traffic that happened.”

She said P.E.I. Premier Dennis King was at the Confederation Bridge in Borden to greet traffic and see the situation for himself while Nova Scotia's premier was nowhere to be found around the border with New Brunswick.

“People are getting frustrated because the border wait times are really unnecessary if there were better management,” she said.

She said there should be one form for all three provinces and suggested people only be required to fill out the form if they are entering the bubble from outside the region.

If the border checkstops are required, she is suggesting a lane for local residents, essential workers and trucks.

“There should be a pass for Cumberland County residents and workers as well as truckers so there is free movement back and forth,” Smith-mcCrossin said.