Van Plew and his wife did not talk to reporters.

Van Plew described himself and his wife as "under-the-radar people who lead a private life" and never anticipated this notoriety. "We weren't expecting this reaction," he said at his attorney's office a few hours after he was confronted in his driveway by television reporters. Madeo, who appears to be rarely at a loss for words, seemed tongue-tied and circumspect over what he called "a very stressful time."

When asked what he might have done if he were in Van Plew's place, he recounted a similar incident with teen pranksters at his suburban Glenmont home.

"I certainly stepped outside to look around and yelled down the street. But I didn't give chase," Madeo said. "I have mixed feelings about the situation. It'sNewfoundland and Labrador will offer midwifery services within five to seven years, leaving only two Canadian jurisdictions without: Prince Edward Island and the Yukon.

The Minister of Health and Community Services of Newfoundland and Labrador, Susan Sullivan, gave the green light for a province-wide rollout following the release of a report that explored the benefits of midwifery and outlined a plan for implementation.

According to the report, Implementing Midwifery in Newfoundland and Labrador, midwifery will help the province address two major concerns: cesarean deliveries and breastfeeding. The province has the highest rates of the former and the lowest rates of the latter in Canada. On average, 31% of women in the province deliver by cesarean; nationally the rate is 27%. In addition, 59% of new mothers breastfeed compared with 90%