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
1. 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
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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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
1. 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.
2. 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
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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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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