Please note that no newsletter will be published on Monday, May 18, due to the Victoria Day holiday. The next issue will be published on Monday, May 25. Have a great long weekend and unofficial start to summer! | | | |
In this issue...
• Nova Scotia removing telephones from hospital bedsides due to aging infrastructure and low demand
• Are those canned "elite" San Marzano tomatoes you just bought authentic?
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• CBC Radio's Under the Influence: There's a first time for everything!
• Surge in Americans looking to become Canadian citizens overwhelms New Brunswick's Provincial Archives
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Trivia: Did you know?
• Quotes of note
• Check out these delicious recipe compilations from Brian Cormier
• Monday, May 25: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
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Nova Scotia removing telephones from hospital bedsides due to aging infrastructure and low demand
This is one of those sad situations where both sides make sense. Most people have a cellphone these days - even many seniors. But what happens to those (seniors or others) who are hospitalized and who don't own a cellphone? For many years, each bed had a telephone next to it, making communication with family and friends much easier. Those days - at least in Nova Scotia - are coming to an end.
Article excerpt: "Bedside telephone service is being phased out of hospitals in Nova Scotia, according to a news release from Nova Scotia Health.
The changes are set to begin May 31, though disconnection dates may vary by site.
To stay in touch with family and friends while in the hospital, the province now encourages patients to bring a cellphone or other device with charging equipment.
For advocates in the community, the decision is a step-back for accessibility.
'My first thought was, ‘Oh no, this is another blow to people who really need services the most,’' says Jennifer Benoit, board member of the Nova Scotia Health Coalition.
She points to patients in rural communities with less cellphone service, seniors and patients with declining cognitive functions as those adversely affected by the change.
'If you put somebody in a hospital and their cognitive function has declined, they may recognize a phone ringing at their bedside, but they may never understand what’s going on with a cellphone.'
Nova Scotia Health says the service is being discontinued due to aging infrastructure and low demand."
Maintaining and upgrading infrastructure with such low demand doesn't seem to make sense - but what is the alternative? I don't know. Nurses taking messages? A "public" cellphone in each unit that can be used by patients for making outside calls? There doesn't seem to be an easy answer. Is it the mandate of a hospital to ensure that each patient has telephone service?
Read: "Very short-sighted": Nova Scotia hospitals phasing out patient bedside telephone service. Related: Changes to inpatient telephone service at Nova Scotia Health.
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Are those canned "elite" San Marzano tomatoes you just bought authentic?
If you watch any cooking shows on TV or subscribe to foodie websites, the San Marzano tomato is considered the best for cooking. If you have canned San Marzano tomoates in your pantry, you're clearly committed to using the best-quality products available.
Foodies, however, are calling out one brand of the product because it doesn't appear to be up to snuff, so to speak. Cento brand canned San Marzano tomatoes are being accused of being - gasp! - a fraud!
Article excerpt: "A proposed class action lawsuit filed in California on Monday alleges 'tomato fraud' by the popular Italian food distributor Cento Fine Foods.
The lawsuit, filed by two California residents, claims the company is illegally and falsely branding its tomato products as containing San Marzano Certified tomatoes.
Cento has dismissed the claims and called the allegations meritless.
San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomato originating in Italy's Campania region and are renowned for their intense, sweet flavor. The lawsuit alleges the tomatoes in Cento's San Marzano tomato products are inauthentic and inferior to the 'Ferrari or Prada' of canned tomatoes, quoting from a blog post on Martha Stewart's website describing the tomatoes.
'Defendant's marketing and labeling of Cento San Marzanos as 'Certified San Marzano' tomatoes is false, misleading, and unfair,' the lawsuit states. 'They lack the taste, consistency, and other physical characteristics associated by consumers with certified San Marzano Tomatoes.'
San Marzano tomatoes are afforded protected status - 'DOP or "Denominazione d'Origine Protetta' - in the European Union, like other region-specific goods including Champagne and Parmesan cheese."
Personally, I've never bought San Marzano tomatoes, although I've certainly heard of them. I don't know what all the fuss is about, but if Martha Stewart swears by them, maybe I'll check them out. But... maybe I'll try another brand until this is all figured out!
Read: Popular Italian food brand accused of "tomato fraud" in new lawsuit company says is meritless.
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CBC Radio's Under the Influence: There's a first time for everything!
Last week's episode of CBC Radio's Under the Influence with host Terry O'Reilly looked at the first time various brand commercials and types of commercials aired - including the first time the world saw Ronald McDonald (see above).
• May 7, 2026 - Debut Commercials: "This week, we take a look at marketing firsts. Specifically, the very first commercials ever produced for famous products and companies. From the debut of the Jolly Green Giant, to the first AIDS PSAs, to the very first pharmaceutical ad, all the way to the first iPhone commercial, we say hello to these products and issues for the very first time." Click here to listen to the episode.
Watch some of the commercials mentioned in the episode:
• First McDonald's commercial featuring Ronald McDonald
• First KFC commercial
• First Jolly Green Giant TV commercial
• First Chef Boyardee TV commercial
• First Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head TV commercial
• "Macho" AIDS TV commercial
Under the Influence airs Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on CBC Radio One; Tuesdays at 4 p.m., Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on Sirius XM Channel 169. The show is also available as a podcast through your favourite podcast provider. Click here for the show's website (note: not regularly maintained) and click here for the show's on-demand audio archive.
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Surge in Americans looking to become Canadian citizens overwhelms New Brunswick's Provincial Archives
Canada has made Canadian citizenship possible for people in the United States whose close ancestors who were born here. With the most recent upheaval going on south of the border, more and more Americans are finding out about the new policy and seeking proof through inquiries into provincial archives.
New Brunswick, which saw scores of residents relocate to the U.S. in the early 1900s, is a popular target of these inquiries, overwhelming the provincial archives with requests for birth documents as Americans seek to determine whether they qualify.
Article excerpt: "What Canada had just done was pass a new law which extended citizenship eligibility to scores of people whose ancestors were born in Canada, including Schmahl.
Soon after Schmahl reached out to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick for help locating his grandmother’s birth record. He wasn’t the only American to do so.
The change in citizenship law has meant a surge of requests from Americans for birth records at the provincial archives.
'So the old slogan, 'be… in this place,' if they can prove that they were in this place through descent, then they are eligible to become Canadian citizens,' said Joanna Aiton Kerr, the provincial archivist.
Aiton Kerr said the calls started coming in December of last year and haven’t slowed down since.
Provincial Archives staff are currently sifting through a backlog of over 1,000 requests, but it’s hard work, especially when they're getting an additional 400 citizenship related requests a month."
If you talk to practically anyone in New Brunswick, they have cousins in the U.S. - mostly in New England, especially Massachusetts. It seems like everyone has "cousins from Boston." Is that earlier migration trend set to reverse itself a bit?
Read: Archives see surge in Americans requesting family records to access Canadian citizenship.
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Trivia: Did you know?
If Detective William Murdoch of CBC's Murdoch Mysteries were alive today, he would be 163 years old this year according to his character's biography.
Murdoch Mysteries has aired on CBC Television since 2008.
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Quotes of note
• 1. "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."
- C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), British author (see photo)
• 2. "I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
• 3. "A good book is an event in my life."
- Stendhal, The Red and the Black
• 4. "No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away."
- Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man
• 5. "I'm not afraid of death because I don't believe in it. It's just getting out of one car, and into another."
- John Lennon
• 6. "Value is more expensive than price."
- Toba Beta, Master of Stupidity
• 7. "I hated high school. I don’t trust anybody who looks back on the years from 14 to 18 with any enjoyment. If you liked being a teenager, there’s something wrong with you."
- Stephen King
• 8. "As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you."
- Fran Lebowitz
• 9. "I don't know much about being a millionaire, but I'll bet I'd be darling at it."
- Dorothy Parker
• 10. "Nothing goes right. I joined Gamblers Anonymous. They gave me two-to-one I don’t make it."
- Rodney Dangerfield
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Monday, May 25: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, May 25, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only).
Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.
It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8-8:15 p.m. Everyone welcome!
Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.
Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, canned goods, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).
Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada, Krista Richard's Community Sports Program and Bicycle Program, Diabetes Canada's D-Camps for kids, and Anglophone East School District's School Supplies Drive, among others.
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.
Facebook event listing: bit.ly/4telREk
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Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In May, the group walks on the Dobson Trail in Riverview. Meetup is in the Trail's parking lot on Quinn Court.
The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.
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About this newsletter
Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.
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