Back to Top

In the News

  • Sharp rise in unemployment rate in September

    — Nelson Sergerie

    GASPÉ – The loss of 3,300 jobs has caused the unemployment rate to rise by 2.1% in September, reaching 6.8%. 

    According to Statistics Canada, the losses occurred, both among full-time and part-time employees, as well as due to more than 2,600 people leaving the active job search in the last month. 

    A total of 2,800 full-time positions were eliminated from the job market last month. 

    At 32,800, the figure remains higher than the 29,500 people at the same time last year. However, the number of part-time positions decreased both in the last month and compared to last year. 

    There were 4,500 part-time positions in September, compared with 5,000 in August and 5,600 in September 2022. 

    The number of unemployed individuals increased from 2,000 in August to 2,700 in September. 

    There were 2,600 unemployed individuals a year ago. 

    Taking into account that the labour force, i.e., individuals employed or actively seeking employment, decreased from 42,600 in August to 40,000 in September, the unemployment rate climbed from 4.7% in August to 6.8% in September compared to 6.9% a year ago. 

  • Media Smarts

    — Penny MacWhirter

    Grade 6 students from Shigawake Port Daniel School share their feelings on COVID and how it has impacted their lives.

    How I feel about Covid
    Today I’m going to talk about covid; how I feel, what I want to change and I like it or I hate it. I really hate covid because when it all started in 2019-2020 everybody was on LOCKDOWN. It was a big pandemic. I felt a little mad about that because schools and stores were shut down. Everything changed. One thing that changed is MASKS!!!!!!!! Here it is 2022 and we’re still wearing them!! It’s annoying soooooo bad. One thing that bothers me is the vaccination. They came out with the first one, then the second, then the 3rd!!! What’s next? 4th or 5th? I know it’s saving us but the doctors said the second one was supposed to save us and now it’s still going on. But I think it’s getting a little bit crazy now. Little kids nowadays have to wear a mask. I’m pretty mad but we are still here. That’s a good thing.
    Alexa Hottot

    Covid Rant
    Today I’m going to talk about covid; how I feel, what I want to change and I like it or I hate it. I really hate covid because when it all started in 2019-2020 everybody was on LOCKDOWN. It was a big pandemic. I felt a little Covid has changed my life and other peoples. This is my opinion about Covid-19. I think everyone will get covid before it will end but I suppose if we listened it would be over. It has been like 3 years and don’t get me started on the masks. Have you ever got dog hair in your mask but they are here to help us.
    It’s sad that people think that Covid is fake and tell that to someone who lost family or friends to Covid. Right, like the government killed them. I think covid is an old disease coming back.
    William Meanwell

    Covid!!
    Covid!! I HATE it. Well, I think everyone does. Everywhere you go you need to wear a mask which you CAN’T breath in and you need to stay the 2-metre distance. Some people think that covid is fake, or just a joke! But how could someone make all of this up and get everyone to fake it? Like who would do that? If there was a rating for Covid on how you like it, well, I think pretty much all of the world would rate it a 0/10 because it is not fun at ALL.
    How covid impacted my life
    It didn’t really change my life but there is this one or two things. Every Friday night a couple of my friends and I went to the skating rink to skate but now we can’t just go. You need to rent the whole place so you don’t have any CONTACT with another family. There is also this other thing every winter. On the weekend two of my friends and I from another school go sledding but now they can’t come because of covid.
    Covid has been going on since about 2019 which is for three years! I think they were the worst three years of my LIFE. Do you know why it is called the covid-19? It is because covid started in 2019. I just wish that covid would end by tomorrow. THE END!!
    Alexia Cormier

    Covid!!
    Everyone is stuck at home reading books and playing ps4s but also I hate Covid-19 because everyone who goes to stores shopping wear masks. I wish the Covid-19 was done, so everything can be back to normal. So be safe and stay at home. People who are at school please don’t go to school because I know some kids hate school also. I do too. So don’t go to school because it is in lockdown. So, be safe and stay home.
    Preston Horth

    How Covid Impacted Me From 2019-2022
    It all started in 2019, I was only 9 years old. Just a kid and not ready for the big change the world would take.
    One day I was at home just watching TV with my little brother Davis when we heard that some kind of disease was spreading all around the world and we had to stay home because of it. For the little kids it was a lot harder than the older people because as you know kids just want to explore the world and have fun. But for me it was hard, not seeing my friends, not going to parks and in all having a good childhood. I still had a great childhood but it wasn’t the same. If I had something to say, one thing to describe covid-19 is that it is a mystery, an unfolded piece of paper waiting to be opened. In 2022 I am now 12 years old still waiting for covid-19 to stop and go away, but we will never know when it will end. It’s easier now but still hard; but getting better. Whoever is reading this I hope you have a great day.
    Spirit Martin