How keeping informed and respecting the rules
are helping Lorne and Carolyn Mitton stay positive
MARGARET PATRICIA EATON
When we contacted former Mayor Lorne Mitton
on April 17 to learn how he was coping with
isolation, he had just finished listening to the daily
provincial update with Premier Blaine Higgs and
Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Jennifer Russell,
and was feeling hopeful. The numbers revealed
9,900 New Brunswicker’s
had been tested, no new
cases had been added
for two days to the 117
confirmed cases, and 83
had recovered. While five
remained hospitalized with
three in ICU, there had
been no fatalities, positive
news, considering that
next door, Nova Scotia,
had 649 confirmed cases
with four fatalities
But it wasn’t only
numbers that made
Mitton hopeful. It
was the way leaders
had put politics aside
During his term as Mayor, Lorne Mitton inaugurated the
Mayor’s Senior’s Advisory Committee which led to the
formation of the Moncton Senior’s Information Centre and
PrimeTime magazine. PHOTO CREDIT: CITY OF MONCTON
in this time of crisis. “When you look at the global
picture, I feel by comparison we have done very well
in Canada and we’re doing an excellent job in New
Brunswick,” he said.
“I attribute that to the leadership we have
federally and provincially. It’s so nice to see all
four parties in our province working together,
having a consensus on so many things and putting
party politics aside. They are doing all the right
things and we have to support them, because just
imagine what they are going through, trying to
keep us safe.
“We need to be thankful for what we have here,
in so many respects, including politically, and that
is quite something to say. If I were still involved
politically, I don’t think I could do as good a job
as is being done right now in our province and
in the country. It makes me sleep better when I
think of that.”
High praise from a man whose career has
exemplified civic responsibility and leadership.
Mitton worked for the Atlantic Provinces
Transportation Commission and was Regional
Director for the National Transportation Agency
before serving the City of Moncton between 1998
and 2008 as Counsellor-at-Large, Deputy Mayor and
Mayor. Both before, during his time in office, and
since then, he’s volunteered on numerous boards
of directors, including the Friends of the Moncton
Hospital Foundation.
Since the lockdown,
his routine has changed
considerably. He and his
wife Carolyn are spending
their days at home, taking
self-isolation seriously as
a civic responsibility. They
maintain contact via email
and telephone with family
and the various boards and
organizations with which
they are associated. As
the designated grocery
shopper, Mitton wears
a mask, and admits he
doesn’t always find what
Carolyn wants, “so
she has to go in, but we observe the rules and don’t
go in together. We certainly support the direction
of our provincial government and the department
of health.”
In isolation, Mitton is not bored and finds plenty
of chores to do. An avid curler, he kept in shape
walking at the Kay Arena, but now walks around
his neighbourhood. “I miss sports on TV, but I
realize sports are not as important as what we’re
going through. What we’ve got to do is adhere to
everything we’re being told to do so we will have
sports and everything else we enjoy in the future.”
“The main thing is to remain positive. People talk
about getting back to normal, but I don’t think
‘normal’ will be the ‘normal’ we’ve known and that
could be good. A lot of things are happening now
with families staying home together and connecting,
and kids are going to learn more about what is going
on in society. This new generation will have more
knowledge and understanding, learn not to take
things for granted, appreciate what they have, and
live in a more positive way in the future.”
SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2020 PrimeTime 27