Four photos from this week's articles: three Black girls, the Barrens, and Elmer Fudd

Here are the links to all the articles we published last week. Jump directly to the days you might have missed:

Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday


Saturday, September 18

A close up of a young Black girl's face showing her injuries from a dog1. Black mother accuses Halifax police of racial bias after her child was bitten by a neighbour’s dog

Matthew Byard interviewed a Black mother whose daughter was bitten by a dog. That mom called Halifax Regional Police to report the incident and said that based on past experience, she feels that had her own dog bitten a white child, things would be different.


Sunday, September 19

Karla MacFarlane in her office, holding a mug and a greeting card

1. Beth’s family was broken by Nova Scotia’s child welfare system: Are you listening, Minister MacFarlane?

Stephen Kimber has been writing stories about Nova Scotia’s child protection system since at least 2004. This week, he told us the story about Beth and her experiences with the system. With a Karla MacFarlane as the new Minister of Community Services, Kimber wondered if she would finally be the person to get things done.


Monday, September 20

Four bright coloured lines intersecting on a graph1. Morning File: Public Health has been remarkably transparent with COVID data, but by not reporting school-connected cases it risks losing public trust

Tim Bousquet looks at why the public might distrust some of the vaccination data coming from public health and writes, “there’s a difference between targeted critique and blanket distrust, and I’m seeing far too much of the latter.” He’d like the data on school-connected cases, though.

a cartoon of the coronavirus drawn in coloured chalk on a brick sidewalk2. Nova Scotia announces 55 new cases of COVID-19 over 3 days

The first COVID update of the week and a three-day total of 55 new cases, most of which were in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone. Tim Bousquet had your report.

A Halifax police officer holds on to his bike3. Halifax police chief promises ‘fulsome review’ of Aug. 18 police raid on homeless camps, board to consider independent probe

Halifax Board of Police Commissioners met on Monday for the first time since police evicted homeless people from tents and shelters downtown. Zane Woodford was at that meeting where Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella answered questions and promised a review of the events.


Tuesday, September 21

A circular yellow vote sign with a big black arrow1. Federal election results in Nova Scotia: Liberals Jordan, Zann lose seats to Conservatives

Zane Woodford had a summary of the results from the federal election that saw MPs Lenore Zann and Bernadette Peters lose their seats.

three Black politicians: Tony Ince, Angela Simmonds, and Suzy Hansen2. Tony Ince talks new Liberal-NDP Black caucus, Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs

Matthew Byard recently spoke with Liberal MLA Tony Ince to get his response on PC MLA Pat Dunn’s new role in African Nova Scotian Affairs and Ince’s plans to create a Black caucus with other Black MLAs.

A selection of old paper packages of dubious Munyon's cures3. Grifters past and present

Suzanne Rent looked at the appeal of multi-level marketing schemes and why they attract suburban moms, who really need better system supports. And she learned about James Munroe Munyon and his “cures” of yore.

Four photos of Black people from this week's Black News File4. Black News File

Matthew Byard had his weekly roundup of stories from the Black community, including articles on a spelling bee, films at the FIN International Film Festival featuring the Black community, and details on a new talk show launching in Halifax in February.

Coronavirus made of metal plates5. 25 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, September 21

The number of new cases rose in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone this week. Tim Bousquet had the update.


Wednesday, September 22

Elmer Fudd in hunting garb with his finger over his lip1. Morning File: Security theatre and COVID

Tim Bousquet had to pay $79 for a certified COVID antigen test before his trip to the US. But the certificate he got back was an unlocked fillable PDF. That means he could change the name and other details on the certificate to anything — like Elmer Fudd. He didn’t change the name, of course, but it doesn’t mean others won’t.

A rectangular dark red button reading COVID 19 in white lettering2. 19 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Wednesday, September 22

Tim Bousquet had the midweek COVID update with all the testing, demographic, and vaccination information.


Thursday, September 23

A sign reading "No goldmine in our watershed"1. The “Right to Know” in Nova Scotia often goes right to “no”

In part one of this series, Joan Baxter took us through the process of submitting a Freedom of Information (FOIPOP) request to the province about whether it would agree to protect the French River watershed. It’s a detailed look at the process, the fees, and the frustrations many face when looking for information.

Kaleb Simmonds and Andru Winter, two local Black music stars2. Kaleb Simmonds and Andru Winter are making more than music

Matthew Byard caught up with R&B duo Kaleb Simmonds and Andru Winter to learn about their latest single, No Control, their ventures beyond music, the racial politics of the Nova Scotia music industry, and Simmonds’ recent health scare.

The rocky barrens, with a cover of russet coloured scrub bushes, with a dark blue sky above3. Morning File: Life on the barrens

Philip Moscovitch shared photos by Kent Martin, who spent three years documenting the life and beauty of the barrens around Peggy’s Cove. Moscovitch also looked at how treating suicide as a personal and not a social issue affects resources for those who need them.

Angela and Dean Simmonds in studio photos4. Halifax RCMP sent ‘problematic’ email to councillors after Mounties stopped Black officer at gunpoint

Zane Woodford reported on a letter from Coun. Waye Mason to the Board of Police Commissioners about an email sent by RCMP to Halifax councillors whose districts are under RCMP jurisdiction. The email contained information about a recent case in which a Black couple was stopped by a Mountie. Woodford learned more at a virtual meeting of the board.

Coronavirus written in white tiles on a black background5. 1 death, 41 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Thursday, Sept. 23

A woman in her 80s is the most recent Nova Scotian to die from COVID-19. Tim Bousquet had the details.

Tim Houston speaks outside on a beautiful fall day.6. Premier Tim Houston says he’s “anxious” about increasing COVID case numbers

Premier Tim Houston spoke with reporters on Thursday afternoon and talked about the “creeping number” of new cases of COVID-19. Houston also talked about some of the fixes for health care, including virtual appointment for those Nova Scotians who don’t have a family doctor. Jennifer Henderson had the rundown.


Friday, September 24

a multi coloured map of the world1. Worse than Russia: Access to information in Nova Scotia places 66th in world rankings

In part 2 of her series on Right to Know Week and freedom of information in the province, Joan Baxter talked to an expert on how Nova Scotia’s FOIPOP Act could be better. One step? A change in attitude in the public sector.

Generic headshot placeholders found on google2. Morning File: Capturing the recovery from a headshot hangover

Ethan Lycan-Lang spent every day during the federal election working on a gig that had him collecting the headshots of the more than 2,000 candidates in the running. In this Morning File, he took us through that tedious process that almost had him jump naked in the ocean to find relief. Needless to say, he’s happy the election is all over.

A young man with a rainbow tie dye shirt and a bullhorn leads a parade of folks on a city street3. Hundreds march through Halifax to demand action on climate change

Zane Woodford was in downtown Halifax yesterday as hundreds of students and their supporters marched through the streets calling for action on climate change. One of the organizers told Woodford they “couldn’t continue living my life in a way that was like happy and fulfilled unless I did something to organize.”


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Suzanne Rent

Suzanne Rent is a writer, editor, and researcher. You can follow her on Twitter @Suzanne_Rent and on Mastodon

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