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
Saturday
Saturday, July 24
1. Houston says a PC government will pay $6 million for doctors’ pensions
Jennifer Henderson reported on PC party leader Tim Houston’s plan to recruit more doctors to Nova Scotia: help full-time practicing family physicians save for their retirement by matching contributions to Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs). That’ll cost $6 million.
2. Black News File
Matthew Byard gathered the news that happened in Black communities in the Maritimes in his first Black News File.
3. NDP candidates say they will close suspicious activity “loophole” and end police street checks
Matthew Byard was in Cherrybrook on Sunday where NDP leader Gary Burrill met with Colter Simmonds, NDP candidate for Preston, and community activist Quentrel Provo, to talk about street checks. Byard reported on trio’s discussion of the “loophole” in the current ban and the NDP’s plans to “completely ban” street checks.
Sunday, July 25
1. The premier who won’t get involved versus the sister who won’t give up
Nicole Gnazdowsky has been working to get answers about the death of her brother, Andrew, last year, and who might be accountable. Stephen Kimber wrote about Gnazdowsky’s digging, the FOIPOP material she went public with, and Premier Iain Rankin’s claim he can’t act in her case because of the election.
Monday, July 26
1. Morning File: There’s been no accountability for the Haligonians who facilitated sexual abuse in the Shambhala organization
Tim Bousquet recently read Matthew Remski’s “Survivors of an International Buddhist Cult Share Their Stories, which was published in The Walrus. He wondered about the inner Shambhala court in Halifax and how much it knew about sexual abuse, and also about the victims who still need help.
2. Campaign signs for Black MLA candidate burned in Truro
Matthew Byard reported on the destruction and burning of campaign signs of Liberal candidate Tamara Tynes Powell. She’s the first Black candidate to run in Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River.
3. Paper Excellence’s very big deal
On Thursday, shareholders with Domtar voted in favour of a sale to Paper Excellence. Before that deal went ahead, Joan Baxter looked at some of the very big concerns around it all.
4. 1 new case of COVID-19 over 3 days announced in Nova Scotia on Monday, July 26
Just one new case of COVID-19 was announced on Monday. Tim Bousquet had the full COVID update.
Tuesday, July 27
1. Morning File: Women have had enough of being told what to wear
From the Olympics to the workplace, women have been told what to wear forever. And they are sick and tired of it. Plus, a visit to Perkins House Museum in Liverpool got Rent thinking about the history of vaccines.
2. Halifax cop who breached code of conduct takes case to supreme court
Zane Woodford reported on the case of a Halifax Regional Police officer Kenneth O’Brien who wants a judge to review a decision that found he breached the code of conduct for police when he arrested a Black man for being in Sir Sandford Fleming Park after dark in 2018.
3. Where do Nova Scotia’s political parties stand on proposed changes to the Otter Lake dump?
Last week Zane Woodford reported on Halifax regional council’s vote apply to the province to deactivate the Front End Processor (FEP) and Waste Stabilization Facility (WSF) at its Otter Lake landfill. This week, Woodford learned where each of the political parties stood on the proposed changes.
4. 2 new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, July 27
There were two new cases of COVID-19 announced on Tuesday. Tim Bousquet had the update.
Wednesday, July 28
1. Report: ‘Urgent need’ for universal, permanent paid sick leave legislation
COVID-19 exposed a lot of flaws, including that many Nova Scotians don’t have sick days. Yvette d’Entremont looked at a new report from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) whose authors call for legislation that would give workers 10 paid sick days per year funded by employers.
2. Campaign 2021: NDP says it leads on climate change goals, Liberals make big health care promises
Jennifer Henderson reported on more party promises, including the NDP’s goal on climate change and the Liberal party’s plans for health care. Plus, she had some election trivia.
3. Morning File: Nova Scotia is doing very well on the vaccination front
Tim Bousquet headed out for a well-deserved vacation, but not before he wrote this Morning File on vaccination in the province. You’re all doing a great job getting your shots.
4. Truro’s first Black candidate for MLA says she’s undeterred by recent vandalism and hate
Matthew Byard interviewed Tamara Tynes Powell, the Liberal candidate whose campaign signs were set on fire last weekend. About the incident, she told Byard “it’s more important that I stand up against any sort of hatred act.”
5. ZERO new cases of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia for Wednesday, July 28
Keep those zeroes coming. There were no new cases of COVID-19 announced on Wednesday. Tim Bousquet had all the details.
Thursday, July 29
1. Mother-daughter duo’s passion for anti-racism inspired creation of information sessions for seniors
Matthew Byard interviewed a mother-and-daughter duo who started an anti-racism group in the Annapolis Valley after the murder of George Floyd. Now the pair is doing great work in the community, including organizing information sessions for seniors hosted by people of colour.
2. Health care, the environment, diversity, and inclusion main topics at first leaders’ debate
All three party leaders got together for their first debate this week. They talked about health care, the economy, the environment, and diversity and inclusion. Jennifer Henderson sat through it so you didn’t have to and brought us this report.
3. The Tideline, with Tara Thorne
Jacob Sampson is back on stage at Shakespeare by the Sea this summer after a two-year break. He sat down with Tara Thorne to talk about theatre season and his award-winning play, Chasing Champions, a little-known story about the Nova Scotian boxer Sam Langford.
4. Morning File: The transparent past and the political future
Ethan Lycan-Lang wrote about the hypocrisy of the Liberal party’s request of Robyn Ingraham to step down after “boudoir” photos showed up. He also had some more photos from L.B. Jenson’s Vanishing Halifax, including one of a tattoo parlour on Barrington.
5. 1 new case of COVID-19 announced in Nova Scotia on Thursday, July 29
There was just one new case of COVID-19 announced on Thursday. Tim Bousquet had the complete update.
6. Sunday is Emancipation Day; I’ll be celebrating with Corey Wright’s watermelon mango ale and pointing to freedom
Sunday is the first Emancipation Day, which will be celebrated for the first time ever as a national holiday. Evelyn C. White shared how she’ll spend the day. She also has a story about her reflections on Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and a sighting of a cardinal in her backyard.
7. Halifax committee recommends heritage registration for Camp Hill Cemetery
Camp Hill Cemetery was built in 1844 and somehow doesn’t have heritage status. But this week, the cemetery got high marks from the heritage standing committee for an application for that status. Zane Woodford learned all about it.
Friday, July 30
1. Morning File: Does customer feedback really matter? Survey says …
Philip Moscovitch missed a session of beach yoga Friday to write this packed Morning File. Moscovitch had a great story on customer feedback surveys and if they’re actually useful for employees or companies (hint: not really).
2. N.S. Supreme Court justice dismisses Owls Head review, says citizens should take it to the ballot box
A big court decision came out on Friday that dismissed a citizens’ request for a judicial review of the delisting and potential sale of Owls Head Provincial Park. Zane Woodford had the report.
3. Educators for Social Justice NS wants election candidates to implement recommendations to eliminate child poverty
Yvette d’Entremont spoke with a few teachers and allies with Educators for Social Justice Nova Scotia, a group that wants candidates in the provincial election to commit to implementing 11 recommendations from a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia (CCPA-NS) on child and family poverty.
4. Pharmacists’ scope of practice to include checking tick bites, prescribing antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease
Starting Sunday, pharmacists in Nova Scotia can prescribe antibiotics to patients who were bitten by a black-legged tick. Jennifer Henderson looked at the announcement from the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia.
5. The Examiner quizzed the four main political parties on gold mining issues. Here are their responses.
Joan Baxter has covered gold mining and all the issues surrounding it since 2018. She sent nine questions to all four main parties running in the provincial election. Their answers may — or may not — surprise you.
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