News 1. McNutt pleads guilty to sexual assault offences This item is written by Tim Bousquet. Yesterday, Michael McNutt pleaded guilty to offences related to the sexual abuse (and one assault) of 34 boys over the course of 20 years. McNutt was facing 90 charges; the remainder of the charges will be dismissed at sentencing […]
Halifax council wants a park plan for Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes
Nearly four years after directing city staff to start buying the land to make it happen, Halifax regional council wants to see a plan for the long-promised park at Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes. The picturesque area between Bayers Lake and Hammonds Plains — 1,700 hectares, or 4,200 acres, of which is a provincially-protected wilderness area...
Another loss for local journalism
Morning File, Tuesday, January 7, 2020
News 1. Blue Mountain–Birch Cove Lakes Tim Bousquet wrote this item. “Environmentalists who celebrated extra cash in last year’s municipal budget for park land protection are worried a reduced budget for next year means the city is again forgetting about Blue Mountain–Birch Cove Lakes,” reports Zane Woodford: Halifax regional council is working on the capital […]
Here are the Birch Cove Lakes – Blue Mountain land purchases the government will announce later today
Morning File, Wednesday, April 24, 2019
News 1. Birch Cove Lakes – Blue Mountain land purchases The federal government is holding a big press conference at 12:30pm today to “announce protection of more nature in Nova Scotia.” In order to learn the details of this announcement, you could register with Media Relations at Environment and Climate Change Canada and then show […]
Me and the Buddhists: Morning File, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
How local news survives Earlier this week, Torstar and Postmedia announced a deal that will result in the closure of more than 30 community newspapers and the firing of 290 people, mostly journalists. Reports H.G. Watson for J-Source: Postmedia is acquiring 24 newspapers, among them Metro Ottawa and Metro Winnipeg. Of them, only one — […]
Arrest the Bankers: Morning File, Saturday, April 8, 2017
1. All Histories Matter Last week, I wrote about the white outcry about the exclusion of Annapolis Royal from CBC’s first episode of The Story of Us. I pointed out that while white Nova Scotians furiously protested their claims to be recognized as the first settlers, they were not so anxious to receive credit, for example, […]
What’s an un-built McMansion really worth?
Is $119 million for an undeveloped chunk of un-serviced land in the middle of an area already designated to become a public wilderness park really fair market value?
So… $119 million. That’s how much the Annapolis Group says the city owes it for refusing to bow down to its dream to pave over parts of the Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Wilderness area for what critics have described as “McMansions and McCondos.” Last week, the company gave notice it will file a lawsuit...
Selfie-level politics: Examineradio, episode #97
On this week’s episode we speak with editor and former provincial NDP candidate Abad Khan about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Halifax this week. Why was the municipal government involved – and how much did it cost City Hall? Would there have been this level of involvement if Mayor Mike Savage wasn’t a former Liberal MP? […]
ACOA should fund news like it funds beer: Morning File, Wednesday, January 18, 2017
News 1. Birch Cove Lakes – Blue Mountain wilderness Yesterday, the Annapolis Group issued a press release threatening to sue the city for a bazillion dollars over city council’s refusal to allow the company to develop land it owns within the proposed Birch Cove Lakes – Blue Mountain Wilderness Park boundaries. The press release is […]
Richard Butts, Clayton Developments, and the Purcells Cove backlands: Morning File: Wednesday, August 17, 2016
News Views Noticed Government On campus In the harbour Footnotes News 1. Richard Butts, Clayton Developments, and the Purcells Cove backlands Let’s have a quick refresher on the Purcells Cove backlands, which is that stretch of undeveloped land roughly between Spryfield and Purcells Cove. The backlands are the site of two large lakes — Colpitt and […]