Nova Scotia refugee plans

The Community Services Department will be hiring an Arabic-speaking case worker to help with an expected influx of Syrian Refugees whose federal taxpayer’s support will expire next year.

Minister Joanne Bernard says her department wants to be ready for that when Ottawa’s support ends 12 months after each family arrives.

There are about 1,300 Syrian refugees who have come to Nova Scotia since last December.

Deal signed between NS and Massachusetts

Premier Stephen McNeil sign a partnership agreement between Nova Scotia and the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth to devleop marine technology.

McNeil is in Boston for the annual lighting of the Nova Scotia Christmas Tree.

The ceremony on the Boston Common drew about 20,000 people last night with another 250,000 watching on T-V.