Nova Scotia is experiencing a 21st century gold rush. Unlike the three previous gold rushes in the province in the 1800s and 1900s, this one involves a whole new kind of destructive extractive industry — open pit gold mines so massive they can be seen from outer space. These mines leave behind mountains of toxic […]
Maritime Launch Services has hired a PR firm to conduct a “push poll” for its proposed spaceport in Canso
About a year and a half ago, a couple of people contacted the Halifax Examiner about a telephone survey they had participated in. The survey concerned them because it seemed designed to convince respondents that they should support open pit gold mining in the province, something they emphatically did not support. On February 5, 2020, […]
The Oblates ignored the stories and abuse at residential schools
Morning File, Wednesday, June 9, 2021
News 1. Gold and silver awards for Examiner contributors at the Atlantic Journalism Awards Congratulations to the members of the Examiner team who won gold and silver at yesterday’s Atlantic Journalism Awards. Rather than being held in-person, of course, the event was online, with winners announced via YouTube videos. Yvette d’Entremont won gold in the […]
Aurelius Minerals is still making false claims to potential investors about its Nova Scotia gold mine
Two months after the Halifax Examiner learned that Aurelius does not have "active and valid" environmental or industrial approval for the gold mine site on Eastern Shore, the company continues to say its site is "one of only two permitted gold mines and mills in the province."
Misinformation about the status of Aurelius Mineral’s Aureus East property on the Eastern Shore is still being circulated by the company and financial publications, even after Nova Scotia Environment confirmed, once again, there have been “no changes” in the company’s permits. Aurelius CEO Mark Ashcroft sees it differently, but we’ll get to that.First, some background. […]
What does the mayor do?
Morning File, Thursday, September 17, 2020
News 1. Mayoral candidates face off for the first time Halifax’s three mayoral candidates debated each other yesterday, at an event hosted by the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. Zane Woodford attended, and reports on the candidates’ replies to questions from moderator Norma Lee MacLeod. While Taylor reiterated his stance that he doesn’t care who you […]
Port Wallace Gamble: the real estate boom meets Nova Scotia’s toxic mine legacy
Part 2: the suburb proposed to be built in the shadow of Montague Gold Mines
This is a story about the toxic legacy from historic gold mines in Nova Scotia, which its citizens will be paying many millions of dollars to try to clean up, and how the contamination at just one of these sites — Montague Mines in HRM — is still affecting us today. This, the second in […]
The “Did you survive” post-earthquake edition
Morning File, Monday, March 2, 2020
News 1. Kimber: Hugh MacKay and our I-know-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing premier Last week I wondered why Hugh MacKay, already convicted of drunk driving in 2019, was only now being charged for allegedly driving drunk back in 2018. All I can say about what we’ve learned since then is: holy shit. In his new column, Stephen […]
Port Wallace Gamble: the real estate boom meets Nova Scotia’s toxic mine legacy
Part 1: The making of a toxic mess and the uncalculated costs of previous gold rushes.
This is Part 1 of a three-part story about the toxic legacy from historic gold mines in Nova Scotia, which its citizens will be paying many millions of dollars to try to clean up, and how the contamination at just one of these sites — Montague Mines in HRM — is still affecting lives today, […]
Survey says: Why are people calling me with pro-mining propaganda?
It looks as if someone is getting a little nervous about the growing backlash to the latest gold rush in the province, and to the development of new open pit gold mines along the Eastern Shore, particularly the proposal by the Australian company St. Barbara, which acquired Atlantic Gold in July last year for $722 […]
Joan Kuyek: Our job is to take our governments back from the mining interests
Joan Kuyek, one of this country’s most distinguished community organizers and analysts of the mining industry, will be in Nova Scotia this weekend to promote her new book, Unearthing justice: how to protect your community from the mining industry. In 1999, Kuyek co-founded MiningWatch Canada, and was its national coordinator until 2009. She has taught […]