News 1. Crowns strike The province’s crown attorneys have gone on strike. The government says the action is illegal and is seeking an injunction to get them back to work. Writing in The Star Halifax, Taryn Grant explains: About 80 per cent of members of the Nova Scotia Crown Attorneys’ Association (NSCAA) voted in favour […]
Living with crabs
Morning File, Wednesday, March 27, 2019
News 1. Street checks The Street Checks report is being released this morning, just as I’m writing this. 2. Provincial budget The Liberals released the 2019/20 budget yesterday and immediately spun it with a deluge of press releases. See if you can catch the bullshit word: If you guessed “invests” you win a pony! No […]
Nova Scotia’s foolhardy use of public-private partnerships continues
Morning File, Friday, October 5, 2018
News 1. Jails lose crime investigation evidence “On Tuesday, I attended Dartmouth Provincial Court for the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Nadia Gonzalez,” writes El Jones: Samanda Ritch and Calvin Sparks are charged with first degree murder. But before the inquiry could start, there were two issues. The first was that Sparks’ lawyer, James Giacomantonio, […]
Okay, you have five minutes: Morning File, Thursday, October 26, 2017
I’m Erica Butler, your friendly neighbourhood transportation columnist, filling in for Tim today while he’s on assignment. News 1. Dal drops disciplinary action against Masuma Khan In a statement Wednesday,Vice-Provost Student Affairs Arig al-Shaibah announced she would be dropping the disciplinary action against Dal Student Union VP Masuma Khan over her now famous #whitefragilitycankissmyass Facebook […]
Trains, planes, and automobiles (and a hilarious horse): Morning File, Wednesday, March 29, 2017
News 1. I Like Trains Really, I do! But that thing they’re talking about running around downtown ain’t no train. The Disneyfication of downtown continues apace. I don’t have the heart to write about it… read Jacob Boon in The Coast. 2. 40 kph speed limits “Halifax city council may be asking the province to lower speed […]
Universal health coverage at risk: Canadian Health Coalition
Could Canadians lose universal access to health services over the next decade? That’s what the Canadian Health Coalition fears if the Trudeau government doesn’t honour an election promise to negotiate a National Health Accord with the provinces and territories. Adrienne Silnicki, coordinator of the national coalition, which includes the Nova Scotia Health Coalition, says its...
Russell Walker needs a new catchphrase: Morning File, Wednesday, November 2, 2016
November Subscription Drive The following is written by Selena Ross. When she was working as a reporter for the Chronicle Herald, Ross was co-author of the award-winning article on the death of Rehteah Parsons. Since leaving the Herald, Ross has worked for the CBC and the Globe & Mail. She now lives in New York City. When I […]
Will the Victoria General be replaced with a P3 hospital? The McNeil government isn’t ruling it out
“Private Deals, Public Failures” is the slogan of a campaign running on TV and social media this week launched by the Nova Scotia Health Coalition. The non-profit group which defends public health care is worried the McNeil government may choose a private company to handover the financing, building, and ownership of health-care facilities to replace...
A P3 replacement for the Victoria General is very much on the agenda
After the disastrous P3 school fiasco, why would the province build a hospital through a public-private partnership?
Seven companies with offices across Canada and a few global companies with offices around the world have submitted their proposals to manage the ambitious, multi-million dollar project to replace the crumbling Victoria General Hospital. Cannon Design is headquartered in the United States. HOK is an international firm that has built the Rogers Arena in Edmonton and...
Justin Trudeau and Sidney Crosby’s stolen dignity: Morning File, Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Today’s Morning File is written by Selena Ross. I used to be a reporter at the Chronicle Herald, and sometimes (often) get Nova Scotia news nostalgia, so here I am helping Tim take time off. News Views Noticed Government On campus In the harbour Footnotes News 1. Northwood serves prison food, but worse — supposedly. […]