News 1. War is the wrong metaphor Over the weekend, 55 new cases of COVID-19 were found in Nova Scotia, bringing the total caseload to 236. The Examiner tracks the spread of COVID-19 graphically daily, and reports on the daily briefings given by Premier Stephen McNeil and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang. […]
Halifax in two acts: The Hotel Barmecide
Morning File, Monday, October 28, 2019
News 1. Crowns Writes Stephen Kimber: After a crazy week of blind-siding legislation, insults, distortions, bluster, meaningless committee hearings and more fact-free moments than you’d find in a Trumpian White House, the province and its Crown attorneys are right back where they began — at the bargaining table. Well, not exactly as illustrated… Click here […]
The stadium proposal hijacks the real need for recreation and sports facilities
Morning File, Monday, September 30, 2019
News 1. Stadium Writes Stephen Kimber: [L]et me ask a simple question. Where would you rather your governments spend $5–6-million (almost certainly more) of your tax dollars every year for the next 30 years (and likely the next forever after that)? Would you prefer they spend that $180 million (interest included, over-runs not included) on […]
“Choices made now are critical”
Morning File, Thursday, September 26, 2019
News 1. Coal plants and the Greens Green Party leader Elizabeth May was in Halifax yesterday, and reporter Jennifer Henderson went to ask some questions; Henderson writes: “By 2030, the Canadian grid will be de-carbonized,” May declared, “from coast to coast to coast. Our ‘Mission Possible’ platform accelerates this shift to zero carbon emissions, which […]
Three men say they were sexually abused as teenagers at the Nova Scotia Youth Training Centre
Morning File, Friday, September 7, 2018
News 1. Child sex abuse Three men allege that they were sexually abused as teenagers when they were housed at the Nova Scotia Youth Training Centre in Bible Hill. The Nova Scotia Youth Training Centre was an institution for young people with mental disabilities. I’m withholding the men’s full names until and unless they want to be […]
Halifax’s moral panic over the legalization of cannabis
Morning File, Wednesday, August 1, 2018
News 1. Convention centre Oh, running out of time for this… I’ll write it up today for tomorrow’s Morning File. 2. Smoking ban On Monday, Dartmouth councillor Sam Austin published a blog post saying he was reconsidering his support for the smoking bylaw, weirdly wanting to keep the provisions of the bylaw as they pertain […]
Newer accessible buses considered unsafe by riders
By the end of March, Halifax buses will be 100 per cent of the accessible low floor (ALF) variety. That’s an important step forward in the slow march towards equal access for those of us with mobility challenges. Put that milestone next to the recent beta-testing of a new stop announcement system, and Halifax Transit appears...
Happy James McGregor Stewart Day!
Today would’ve been James McGregor Stewart’s 125th birthday, and 15 people met this morning next to his grave in Camp Hill Cemetery to honour him. Stewart was a founder of a law firm that is a predecessor to today’s Stewart McKelvey, Nova Scotia’s topmost corporate lawyer, president of the Canadian Bar, and was named a Commander of the British...