Three photos from this week's stories: a Black man in a Zoom meeting, a young girl riding a horse at the Halifax Lancers yard, three people at a protest

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:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday


Sunday, December 5

The Desmond family

1. Systemic racism and the Desmond murder-suicide

The inquiry looking into the 2017 murder-suicide of the Desmond family has been examining the roles played by PTSD and domestic violence in those horrific events. In this week’s column, Stephen Kimber looked at what the inquiry heard from a panel of experts about the impact of systemic racism in the case.


Monday, December 6

A clearcut area on a high bluff1. Proposed Wentworth Valley wind farm gets blowback

Joan Baxter wrote about a local group that fears negative effects of a proposed wind farm and how Northern Pulp stands to profit because it’s on Northern Pulp land purchased with a loan from Nova Scotians.

The white crayon that is the imaginary cyclone rocket2. Morning File: Here’s why there probably won’t be a spaceport at Canso: Elon Musk

Tim Bousquet remains skeptical of the proposed spaceport in Canso and for one reason: Elon Musk and his Space X company, which has already produced a reusable rocket.

Coronavirus made of metal plates3. 45 new cases of COVID-19 over 3 days announced in Nova Scotia

Tim Bousquet had the first COVID update of the week with 45 new cases over three days. This would be the best COVID news for the week.


Tuesday, December 7

A young white boy under 11 years old gets his first vaccination1. Review: benefits of vaccinating children against COVID-19 far outweigh the risks

Yvette d’Entremont interviewed Dr. Karina Top, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology investigator and one of the the authors of Vaccinating Children against COVID-19: The Benefits Outweigh the Risks. Top said researchers wanted to make sure there was “clear information available” for parents who had questions and concerns about the vaccine.

A closeup of an illustration of a fly in a black and white advertisement2. Morning File: Business and “grouchers” from 1892-1913

Philip Moscovitch flipped through the pages of an old Maritime Merchant and Commercial Review  from 1913 when the publication celebrated its 21st anniversary. And the news proved some things just never change, including those attitudes of puffery in business, and the naysayers who are always grouching.

A black woman with natural hair and dark framed glasses3. African Nova Scotian Black Family wants premier to make Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs a full department

Matthew Byard reported on the goals of the African Nova Scotia Black Family, which wants a full department of African Nova Scotian Affairs headed by an African Nova Scotia. That group also wants Dr. Késa Munroe-Anderson and Dr. OmiSoore Dryden reappointed to roles they lost when Premier Tim Houston and his government was sworn in in September.

Premier Tim Houston4. 22 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, Dec. 7; new outbreak at StFX, booster shot policy to be expanded, Xmas break for schools lengthened

At the COVID briefing on Tuesday, we learned about a cluster of cases likely connected to the X-ring ceremony at StFX last Friday. Premier Tim Houston said event organizers who didn’t follow Public Health protocols would be identified and fined.

Eddie and Irvine Carvery5. “A day that we got to remember:” Carvery brothers honour Africville and residents affected by the Halifax Explosion

Matthew Byard spent Monday morning at Africville Park where Irvine and Eddie Carvery remembered how the former Black community was impacted by the Halifax Explosion. The Carvery brothers, who grew up in Africville, shared stories about how families helped with the relief efforts, and were never properly compensated afterward.


Wednesday, December 8

map of the Maritime Link1. Muskrat Falls power: over-promised and under-delivered

Jennifer Henderson was at a hearing of Utility and Review Board (UARB) that indicates only 19% of the renewable energy that was ordered was actually delivered over the subsea cable between August 15 and November 30. What kind of deal are Nova Scotians getting from Muskrat Falls?

a white canvas tent in the snow2. Protestors camped out at planned harvest site in Annapolis County say cutting “can’t just go on”

Ethan Lycan-Lang interviewed a group of Forest Protectors who say WestFor’s planned cut of 30% of trees at Beals Brook site is a threat to the habitat of endangered species and the area’s biodiversity.

A Coach Atlantic Maritime bus3. Morning File: The wheels on the Maritime Bus keep goin’ round and round

Ethan Lycan-Lang reminisced about taking the Greyhound bus when he was living in Alberta, and wondered what a proper bus service in Nova Scotia could mean for residents across the province.

a cartoon of the coronavirus drawn in coloured chalk on a brick sidewalk4. So far, there are 21 cases of COVID-19 in the StFX outbreak; 34 new cases announced province-wide on Wednesday, Dec. 8

The first positive cases from that outbreak in Antigonish were in Wednesday’s new case numbers. Tim Bousquet had those details and others in this update.

Protesters in a conference wearing masks and holding signs5. Environmental, community groups demand province stop cutting on Crown land until recommendations in Lahey report are implemented

Ethan Lycan-Lang went to a news conference where representatives from eight environmental and community groups got together to demand the province stop clearcutting, saying, “the situation has reached a breaking point.” This story includes an update added on Friday.


Thursday, December 9

Tomatoes and avocados on shelves in a grocery store1. Report: Families expected to pay $966 more for groceries next year

Yvette d’Entremont interviewed the authors of the Canada’s Food Price Report about expected increases in food prices, especially dairy, bakery items, and vegetables. And according to the report, restaurant goers can expect menu items to rise next year, too.

A young girl in formal livery carrying a flag rides a dark horse2. Halifax Lancers “gravely concerned” with Halifax Common master plan

Yvette d’Entremont reported on the equestrian non-profit’s concerns with a proposed redesign of its facility under the Halifax Common master plan. Fortunately, HRM’s Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee deferred a motion to send the master plan to council.

Police Chief Dan Kinsella and Kayla Borden3. Rally planned for NS Police Review Board appeal where Kinsella is set to testify

Matthew Byard reports on the latest on Kayla Borden’s hearing, which is scheduled to start Monday. HRP Chief Dan Kinsella will now testify, and a rally is planned for outside the hotel where the hearing is set to take place.

A white Blonde woman speaks at a podium4. Houston government announces $57 million to address staff shortages in long-term care

Jennifer Henderson reported on the province’s spending announcement to train more continuing care assistants. But the workers’ union said what’s need are better wages and working conditions.

Two young women and ayoung man on a balcony looking out at a sunset5. Morning File: Kids these days are all right

Old people complaining about young people has been around since the beginning of time, it seems. So Suzanne Rent came to the kids’ defence, talking about the ways they’ve made the world better, and why we need to stick up for them.

a mockup of a coronavirus, red and white, on a black background6. Antigonish COVID outbreak now totals 59 cases; 52 new cases announced province-wide on Thursday, Dec. 9

An outbreak of COVID in Antigonish after X-ring parties and outings last week dominated Thursday’s COVID update. Tim Bousquet had the details.


Friday, December 10

Kirk Johnson, a Black man wearing a blue sweater1. Kirk Johnson recounts legal battle with Mike Sanford and Halifax Regional Police

Matthew Byard reported on a webinar hosted by Equity Watch in which Kirk Johnson recalled that now-infamous traffic stop in 1998, and the court case that followed. It’s an important reminder of the history of racial profiling in the city.

Coronavirus made of metal plates2. Morning File: COVID really sucks, says person suffering from it

On Thursday, Tim Bousquet heard from someone in Antigonish who has COVID from that outbreak at StFX. While Public Health said cases related to that outbreak were “mild,” in a message to the Examiner this person said their case is “awful” and they’ve never been so sick in their life.

a white woman in a Doctor's white coat and stethoscope types on her cellphone3. VirtualCareNS project to expand to Central, Eastern health zones

Starting Monday, Nova Scotians living in Nova Scotia Health’s Central and Eastern zones and who are on the Need a Family Practice Registry will get an invitation to join VirtualCareNS. Yvette d’Entremont had the report.

A sign advertising F. E. Property Sales, most of which is written in German4. Controversial Cape Breton land seller Frank Eckhardt arrested, charged with extortion

Frank Eckhardt is a name Joan Baxter is familiar with in her stories about German-speaking non-residents who are buying land in Cape Breton. On Friday, RCMP announced Eckhardt was arrested and charged with extortion. Baxter had the story.


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

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