Four photos from this week's articles: Atlantic Gold's open pit mine seen from above; Laura Daye, an older Black lady in a wide-brimmed straw hat and navy blouse with pink flowers; Laura kissing her grandchild; three fishing boats, one of them flying the Mi'kmaq flag on a sunny day.

Welcome to Weekend File, where you’ll find links to all the articles you might have missed last week. Jump to sections in this article:

Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Saturday, October 23

An aerial photo showing the Atlantic Gold open pit mine in Moose River on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.1. Atlantic Mining NS in court on environmental charges for the seventh time

Jennifer Henderson reported on Atlantic Mining NS’s latest court appearance. The company, which operates Nova Scotia’s first — and so far only — open pit gold mine at Moose River, is facing 32 environmental charges laid under the Nova Scotia Environment Act .

Sunday, October 24

Tim Houston speaks to a bank of microphones outside on a sunny day. In the background a man takes a photo.

1. Tim Houston: flip-flopping into focus

In last week’s column, Stephen Kimber wondered is our new premier the refreshing guy who can admit mistakes and change his mind? Or just another yesterday’s politician looking out for number one?

Monday, October 25

Three small moderate livelihood boats at Saulnierville wharf, St. Mary’s Bay.One is white with blue trim, one has a pink hull, and one has a red hull. Each are flying the Mi'kmaq flag.1. It’s been a year since violence erupted in the lobster fishery, but the cases of dozens of people facing charges are in limbo and the status of the “moderate livelihood” fishery remains unresolved

Jennifer Henderson looked back on violence that erupted during the commercial lobster season in St. Mary’s Bay and Lobster Fishing Area 35 in southwest Nova Scotia last year. Charges were laid, but as Henderson learned the wheels of justice are slow to turn.

A smiling Black woman in a yellow and black jacket gives the peace sign to the camera.2. Police lawyer objects to subpoenas for Halifax police chief Dan Kinsella and inspector Derrick Boyd to testify in Kayla Borden’s case

Kayla Borden’s appeal is set to be heard at the Nova Scotia Police Review Board in December. Her lawyer, Devin Maxwell, filed subpoenas for Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella and Insp. Derrick Boyd, but police lawyer Andrew Gough said he “sees no basis or foundation for calling” Kinsella or Boyd to testify. Matthew Byard had the details.

The Shubenacadie River at the Alton Gas site, with Mi'kmaq and Warrior flags. thy sky is dark and cloudy, and the river is red.3. Morning File: The world is moving past natural gas, and that’s a good thing

We reported that the Alton Natural Gas Storage Project has announced the project is dead. In this Morning File, Tim Bousquet wrote that he never bought the argument that lower-carbon natural gas was the “bridge” we needed until we transitioned to renewable energy.

Four photos of Black people profiled in the Black News File.

4. Black News File

Matthew Byard was back with his latest Black News File, with stories on Laura Daye, who passed away at the age of 90, and a roundup of news from the Black community in the last couple of weeks.

Coronavirus made of metal plates

5. 1 new COVID death announced in Nova Scotia; 57 new cases over 3 days

The first COVID update of the week included news of a new death from the virus. Tim Bousquet had the report.

Tuesday, October 26

Two photos, one of Nicole Gnazdowsky in happier days, one of Iain Rankin, squinting like he does when he wants to look serious.1. After a chance encounter at a park, Liberal leader Iain Rankin called the RCMP on Nicole Gnazdowsky

Zane Woodford has been covering the story of Nicole Gnazdowsky, who’s been fighting to get answers into the death of her brother, Andrew, last year. In this latest report, Woodford wrote about what happened when Gzandowsky met up with Liberal leader Iain Rankin in a park in the Timberlea-Prospect riding where Rankin is the MLA and where Gnazdowsky lives.

An emormous stack of flats of brown eggs (and a few white ones) in beige cardboard cartons.2. Morning File: Cooking eggs is highly skilled labour

Philip Moscovitch looked back at an article he read in the New Yorker in 2005 called The Egg Men. It’s the story of the short-order cooks at a restaurant in Las Vegas whose talents cooking eggs into all kinds of dishes know no bounds. But it’s also a reminder that what we consider low-skilled labour actually requires a lot of skills. Also, stick around for the bit on fulpizza. You might lose your appetite.

An aerial photo showing the Atlantic Gold open pit mine in Moose River on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.3. Atlantic Gold agrees to a tentative plea deal that would have the company pay $120,000 to the Nova Scotia Salmon Association to atone for breaking environmental rules, but ‘no deal,’ says the Salmon Association

Joan Baxter reported on a plea deal that would have Atlantic Gold pay money to the Nova Scotia Salmon Association. But the association said no way, and were especially concerned with the conditions that would go with that cash.

a cartoon of the coronavirus drawn in coloured chalk on a brick sidewalk4. 100th Nova Scotian dies from COVID-19; 7 new cases announced

Another Nova Scotian died from COVID-19 this week. It was the 10oth death in the province since the beginning of the pandemic. Tim Bousquet had more.

Wednesday, October 27

People stand over a table pointing at a colourful map. They're indoors, but the sun is shining in the windows. In the foreground there's a poster board reading, "CENTRE PLAN, PURPOSE — WHAT IS PACKAGE B?" with a cut off description underneath.1. ‘Finding a balance on development,’ Halifax council passes second half of Centre Plan

Zane Woodford attended the public hearing for the second half of the Centre Plan Package B. As Woodford reported, the plan rezones all of peninsular Halifax and urban Dartmouth, generally consisting of the area within the Circumferential Highway. Package B got the go-ahead, ending a process that started in 2006.

A black and white photo of the east end of Granville Street in 1871.2. Morning File: A look back at Halifax’s old streets

Ethan Lycan-Lang found a copy of a book by Joseph S. Rogers. It’s a collection of photographs of Halifax from 1871. Lycan-Lang included a few of the shots in this Morning File to show how the city has changed — or hasn’t. Stick around for the Footnote and the cover of another book he found.

Environment Minister Tim Halman, a balding white man wearing a dark suit and dark blue shirt, speaks at a podium. Around him are old paintings in gilt frames, red velvet drapery, and there's a gold armchair with a crown on the top behind him.3. PCs introduce environmental legislation

Tim Bousquet got all the details on the Houston government’s new Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act.  As Bousquet reported, the Act is an updated version of the previous Liberal government’s Sustainable Development Goals Act of 2019, but with some big changes.

Two Black men, Paul Byard and Hubert Davis, talk in a living room with a bright camera light on the left.4. On the set as filming of documentary Black Ice begins in Nova Scotia

Matthew Byard interviewed director Hubert Davis to talk about the documentary Black Ice being filmed in Nova Scotia. Davis is interviewing the descendants of the players of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes — including Byard’s father, Paul.

a green typewriter with the phrase COVID 19 typed on the white paper5. 26 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Wednesday, Oct. 27

Tim Bousquet had the midweek COVID update, which included the announcement of 26 new cases, 22 of which were in Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone.

Thursday, October 28

A white hotel building with three peaks in the roof is seen at the back of a parking lot on a sunny day.1. Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia converting Dartmouth hotel to supportive housing for 65 people

Zane Woodford had the news that a Travelodge in north Dartmouth will be converted into housing for 65 people in need. Woodford spoke with an employee who confirmed that Thursday was the last day the hotel would be open to guests. The Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia will use about $6.3 million in federal money from the Rapid Housing Initiative to convert the hotel.

A young girl, her brown wavy hair obscuring her face, works on a laptop at a wooden table.2. Morning File: Some kids don’t want their photos shared on school social media

Suzanne Rent spoke with Caroline Arsenault who’d like to see more options on how her children’s photos are shared by their schools and regional centre for education. Rent also had a piece on Susan Orlean and her book, On Animals. And she shared a tribute to one of her good bosses, who passed away in September.

A male nurse at a testing clinic takes a covid test swab from a female patient.3. 31 new cases of COVID-19 are announced in Nova Scotia on Thursday, Oct. 28; over half of them are young children

A lot of kids ages zero to 11 have COVID now. As Tim Bousquet learned 16 out of the 31 new cases announced Thursday were among children age 11 and under.

Buildings under construction.4. PC government bill would allow minister to approve Halifax developments without public consultation

Zane Woodford reported on two bills that formalized Premier Tim Houston’s government’s plans to dip into municipal affairs. The bills would create a new agency on transportation and an executive panel on housing in Halifax Regional Municipality.

Colton LeBlanc, a white man wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and grey tie smiles at a podium. In the background are three Nova Scotia flags, coloured blue, yellow and red.5. Nova Scotia rent cap would continue under proposed PC legislation, but loopholes remain

And another story on new legislation. Zane Woodford reported on An Act to Implement an Interim Residential Rental Increase Cap introduced by Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services Minister Colton LeBlanc. That Act doesn’t cover the issue with fixed-term leases, though.

The inside of a cell at Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in burnside. it's super small, and everything is painted beige. There are two bunks, one obscuring the small window. there's a tiny table bolted to the wall, and one stool bolted to the floor. In the corner by the door is the combo sink and toilet. Very homey.6. Martin was abused when he was a child in provincial custody at the Youth Training Centre in Waterville; now he’s an adult in provincial jail and can’t get counselling

El Jones had a story about Martin, who told her about the struggles he and others in provincial jail have getting counselling. As he told Jones, “a lot of people may not qualify for counselling because they don’t want to tell their story. It stirs up stuff that they don’t want to think about.”

Friday, October 29

Dr. Strang speaks at a COVID briefing. He's got thinning white hair, glasses, a loden green suit jacket, and blue tie, and is looking slightly frustrated as he speaks.1. Morning File: Antivaxxers go to court in a hopeless bid to stop Dr. Strang from requiring proof of vaccination for children

Tim Bousquet writes about Citizens Alliance of Nova Scotia (CANS) filing a Notice for Judicial Review in the provincial Supreme Court in Yarmouth about vaccinating kids. Bousquet outlines what it’s all about and as he writes, you can read the “bunch of gobbledygook” here.

On the pavement in a cul de sac is a large circle drawn in coloured chalk, with the words thank you in the center, thank you in other languages around the perimeter, and various professions listed inside, like grocery workers, scientists, artists, nurses, mail carriers, etc.2. 26 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia; weekly recap

The final COVID update of the week had all the vaccination data, too.

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A white woman with chin length auburn hair and blue eyes, wearing a bright blue sweater

Suzanne Rent

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

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