Derek Montague

1 month ago | theindependent.ca | Derek Montague

If the Nutrition North Canada program is supposed to make healthy food affordable in the remote regions of northern Canada, then the $145 million federal program can be considered a failure. The people of northern Labrador frequently post pictures on social media showing outrageous prices for grocery items. Last month, Nain resident Mary-Lou Harris shared a picture of freezer-burned meat that was already three-months expired. It cost $73.

Feb 8, 2025 | theindependent.ca | Justin Brake |Derek Montague

It was mid-January and Beverley Murphy was in court to see her son Mitchell, who is facing criminal charges. Mitchell, 32, was appearing virtually, but Beverley didn’t recognize him until her ex-husband, Wayne Brushett, pointed him out on the screen for her. “Oh my God, I could see the bones in his arm,” she told The Independent during a recent interview, saying Mitchell had lost a significant amount of weight since she last saw him in August 2024.

Jan 22, 2025 | thespec.com | Derek Montague

Approximately two dozen unhoused people displaced by a fire at the Labrador Inn in Happy Valley-Goose Bay have received emergency shelter at the Salvation Army, which local MHA Perry Trimper said has provided accommodations at their church. “Everybody’s safe and comfortable,” said Trimper, adding he expects the situation to be resolved within a matter of days. An interior fire at the Labrador Inn Wednesday morning forced emergency crews to evacuate the hotel and homeless shelter.

Jan 22, 2025 | thespec.com | Derek Montague

An interior fire at the Labrador Inn in Happy Valley-Goose Bay has left hotel management and the provincial government looking to house around 20 people for at least one night in the dead of winter. At 10:35 a.m. Happy Valley-Goose Bay firefighters responded to a call at the Inn and arrived within four minutes. According to town Fire Chief Brad Butler, the fire damaged a couple of bathrooms and the hotel’s kitchen area but not the residential area.

Jan 16, 2025 | thespec.com | Derek Montague

A doctor in central Labrador is facing scrutiny following allegations from patients and their families that include a botched surgery, aggressive behaviour, and causing unnecessary pain during standard procedures. Women in Labrador began sharing their experiences with Happy Valley-Goose Bay obstetrician/gynaecologist (OBGYN) Adolf Hamann after a family member of one of Hamann’s patients shared their mother’s experience on social media last fall.