NEWS
1. Twitter and local journalism
“Watching the implosion of Twitter at the hands of Elon Musk is like watching a train wreck,” I wrote this morning:
We can’t take our eyes off the unfolding disaster, as the runaway locomotive belches and hurls itself towards the inevitable crash of steel and narcissism. The only question is: How many innocent victims will be lost in the calamity?
Among the victims, I fear, will be the children in the elementary school next to the tracks: the hundreds of independent local journalism outlets that have relied on Twitter, and which could very well collapse along with the platform.
2. Black workers
“More than a dozen people gathered at noon Friday outside of city hall for a rally in support of HRM workers of African descent,” reports Matthew Byard:
Raymond Sheppard, who organized and led the rally, spoke on behalf of the workers who say they are the target of anti-Black racist bullying, microaggressions, and double standards by white HRM management.
“In this so-called enlightened year of 2022, workers of African descent say they are stereotyped, they are mistrusted, they suffer from racial taunts, they are blamed for stealing, and they’re hurting,” Sheppard said over a loudspeaker. “But it seems that there are selective ears. And even the policies are suspect because it allows this crap to continue.”
“They are hurting. And the hierarchy of HRM says, ‘Well, we’re going to try to do something about this.’ Well, we’ve heard that before, haven’t we? And, unfortunately, if it didn’t work then, you have to put some proactivity behind it to make it work now.”
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3. Le Courrier
“The French language newspaper that has served the province’s Acadian and francophone communities for 85 years is heading into 2023 uncertain but still hopeful about its future,” reports Yvette d’Entremont:
Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse is Nova Scotia’s oldest French language print media and the only one with provincewide distribution. In a recent editorial, the publication’s general manager posed the question (translated), ‘Is there still time to save Le Courrier?’
Nicolas Jean’s answer in short is that yes, it can and should be saved. But he added that they can’t do it alone.
“If the community believes in it, it will survive,” Jean wrote (translated from French). “If the community doesn’t believe in it, then it will die, just like the hundreds of media outlets that have closed their doors these last few years across Canada.”
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4. Nova Scotia Power
“The war of words between the Houston government and Nova Scotia Power took a new twist last week,” reports Jennifer Henderson:
In a letter dated December 13 and addressed to the ministers of finance, natural resources and renewables, and environment and climate change, the president of Nova Scotia Power asked for a meeting to sit down and discuss their differences.
In the letter, Peter Gregg said both parties have “a shared commitment to do the right thing.” However, Gregg noted the acrimony over a proposed 14% hike to power rates and public statements by Premier Tim Houston urging the UARB to reject a negotiated settlement have shutdown communication.
…
The reference to “any further political interference” can be taken as a strong reminder — or a thinly veiled threat — that any future legislation or court challenge by the Houston government after the UARB makes its decision on rates will make life worse, instead of better, for consumers.
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5. Houston’s health care system
“Nova Scotia’s health care system is hurtling past hell in a runaway, overcrowded, broken-down gurney,” writes Stephen Kimber.
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6. Death from meningitis
“Public Health is investigating two cases of meningococcal disease in Halifax,” Nova Scotia Health announced Friday:
Both individuals were students at Dalhousie University, living in the same Shirreff Hall residence.
One individual is recovering in hospital, while unfortunately the other student has died.
Today Public Health received confirmation both individuals had the same strain of the bacteria called serogroup B. At this time there is no known connection between the two cases other than living in the same residence, although this is still under investigation.
…
According to Public Health guidelines, two cases of meningococcal disease with the same serogroup in one location over a short period of time is considered an institutional outbreak. In response, Public Health will be holding vaccination clinics for the students and staff of Shirreff Hall this weekend.
Meningococcal disease refers to any illness caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. The bacteria are spread by direct secretions (saliva or spit) from the nose and mouth through activities such as kissing, as well as sharing food, drinks, water bottles, toothbrushes, eating utensils, cigarettes and other smoking products and devices.
There is no vaccine that protects against all strains of meningococcal disease. Nova Scotia’s publicly funded vaccine program currently provides meningococcal C vaccine at 12 months of age and quadrivalent meningococcal A, C, Y, W vaccine as part of the Grade 7 school immunization program. Currently, the meningococcal B vaccine is not part of the routine publicly funded vaccine program in Nova Scotia but is available to those who are identified as having close contact with a meningococcal case or are at higher risk of meningococcal disease.
7. Atlantic Gold leaves Tangier
Atlantic Gold is selling its properties in Tangier.
According to Viewpoint.ca, the five parcels along Highway 7 and Gold Mine Road were listed Tuesday. They include the old church hall and three houses, along with an empty lot.
The church hall, at 17311 Highway 7, is listed at $109,900, but needs extensive renovation. It does, however, have two bowling lanes in the basement.
Two of the three houses, at 17335 Highway 7 ($50,000) and 18 Gold Mine Road ($99,900), are also in need of extensive renovation. The third house, with a street address of 17407 Highway 7 but set back a bit into the woods behind Gold Mine Road, is listed at $179,900.
There’s also an empty parcel, listed at $15,000.
Atlantic Gold is a subsidiary of the Australian mining firm St Barbara. The Tangier properties were listed just one day after St Barbara announced it is immediately “pausing” the Beaver Dam mine project and will put its operating Touquoy mine in “care and maintenance” next year.
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Government
City
No meetings this week
Province
Today
No meetings
Tomorrow
Natural Resources and Economic Development (Tuesday, 10am, One Government Place) — Provincial Government Investment in the Verschuren Centre, with representatives from the Department of Economic Development and the Verschuren Centre
Veterans Affairs (Tuesday, 2pm, One Government Place) — Veterans and Families: Importance of Community and Peer Support; with representatives from the Halifax and Region Military Family Resource Centre, Department of Community Services, and Veteran Farm Project
On campus
No events this week
In the harbour
Halifax
00:30: Atlantic Sea, ro-ro container, sails from Fairview Cove for New York
07:00: Vivienne Sheri D, container ship, arrives at Pier 42 from Reykjavik, Iceland
09:30: AS Felicia, container ship, sails from Pier 42 for Kingston, Jamaica
10:00: Alkaios, oil tanker, moves from Bedford Basin anchorage to Pier 25
10:00: Rt Hon Paul E Martin, bulker, sails from Gold Bond for sea
11:30: Vivienne Sheri D sails for Portland
12:00: CCGS Hudson, coast guard cutter, moves from BIO to Pier 9
12:00: The Amigo, oil tanker, sails from anchorage for sea
17:00: Sea Caelum, oil tanker, sails from Imperial Oil for sea
19:00: AlgoScotia, oil tanker, moves from anchorage to Imperial Oil
20:00: Thunder Bay, bulker, arrives at Gold Bond from Montreal
Cape Breton
07:00: Holiday Island, ferry, arrives at Mulgrave from Wood Islands, P.E.I., to be scrapped, as it was destroyed by fire
11:00: CSL Tarantau, bulker, sails from Aulds Cove quarry for sea
17:30: Baie St.Paul, bulker, arrives at Aulds Cove quarry from Quebec City
Footnotes
COVID is a bitch. I’m only today feeling semi-normal. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
