July would start with a new tax hitting Canadians at the gas pumps.
The price of gas, diesel and home heating fuel began to climb as the controversial carbon tax came into effect July 1. Add on the effects of record-high inflation, and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians really began to feel the pinch.
That prompted Premier Andrew Furey to double down on his position against the federal measure, joining his Atlantic Canadian counterparts in launching a campaign against the controversial clean fuel regulations.
Furey claimed the tax was disproportionately effecting Newfoundland and Labrador, with the Parliamentary Budget Officer saying the tax affected people in this province three times as much as in other regions.
Despite the pushback, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the policy, pointing to green fuel projects popping up in the province.
Uptick in Overdoses
July saw the start of a conversation that would dominate headlines in August.
On July 25, RNC issued a warning about the presence of fentanyl in the community, specifically in cocaine, driven by word of nine cocaine-related deaths in the province over the past month.
Ben and Tina Olivero
Four days later, 20-year-old Benjamin Olivero was found dead next to a bench in downtown St. John’s. His mother Tina would share her son’s battle with drug addiction, highlighting a lack of support in the community.
The discussion would only grow in the following months.
Where the Poppies Grow
Newfoundland and Labrador would say goodbye to one of the last of a generation in the summer.
Decorated World War II veteran Roderick Joseph Deon, died at precisely 11:11 p.m., July 19, at the age of 102. His wife of 67-years, Frances, preceded him by 71 days.
Deon was born in Nova Scotia in 1921 and joined the Canadian Navy in 1942, serving aboard the destroyer HMCS Ottawa. His ship was on convoy duty in the north Atlantic and took part in the Normandy Invasion (D-Day) in 1944. The Ottawa was credited with three U-boat sinkings in that same year. In 2019, he journeyed to France as a member of the Canadian delegation marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
His funeral was held at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. He was interred with military honours at the Field of Honour at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
“We Are Here”
A much-anticipated production would hit the stage in July, albeit not without complications.
A home-grown version of the hit Broadway musical, Come From Away would open in July, bringing a massive economic boost to the Gander area and selling out all 37 shows.
However, it would not be smooth sailing as the spread of illness affected the cast, forcing the cancellation of five shows in mid-July.
Once the fevers broke, and voices returned, the production was back up and running for a successful summer season, earning a renewal in 2024.
