And it came to pass that there was a pig. It was an animal that was unclean, and which belonged to a Roman soldier. It was his wicked servant. In its pained mind it sought me, a woman—with talents I did not yet know of. It found me on the street as I walked home […]
Chris Benjamin
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dam problems
T he economics of the Maritime Link, a 180-kilometre subsea cable delivering Labradorean hydroelectricity from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, have generated intense media scrutiny. The environmental impacts are assumed positive. An online CBC poll asks, “Where do you stand on the Maritime Link plan?” Users can support it because “we need more renewable energy” or […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Urban coyotes want your cat
Scot Jamieson was walking home in west-end Halifax the evening of January 25, one of the coldest nights of the winter, when he saw a coyote on Vienna Street. “I saw a dog running fast across the street and I wondered if it was aggressive,” he recalls. “I heard it bark once. It saw me […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Big plans for provincial parks
The province wants to know what you think of its new parks and protected areas plan. The proposed plan was launched last week by minister of Natural Resources Charlie Parker and MLA Becky Kent, representing the minister of environment. They were flanked by approving environmentalists, including Martin Willison, president of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness […]
Posted inArts + Music
Light side
It’s hard out there for a Halifax reggae act. But for different reasons than you think. “We used to sell out shows twice a year at the Marquee,” says Andru Branch, Halifax’s Juno-nominated reggae star. “The audiences are there but there’s not much of a West Indian community, so it can be hard to find […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Our wasted forests
Despair. Shock. These were the reactions of workers and residents around Port Hawkesbury when NewPage Corporation announced it was shutting its mill in 2011. The mayor called an emergency council meeting to save the mill. At any cost. His beloved town’s existence was at stake. About 600 mill jobs were gone, and another 400 in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Gottingen Terrace back from the dead
Gottingen Terrace, the affordable housing development planned for the old Sobeys site on Gottingen Street across from the library, seemingly died last September. But now comes word that it has risen phoenix-like from the dead. “It was off in September; we had failed,” says Grant Wanzel of the Creighton/Gerrish Development Association, the nn-p[rofit organization that […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Trash talk at city hall
Editor’s note: As originally published, this article incorrectly reported that Ken Donnelly is a member of the community monitoring committee, which oversees the landfill. He is not. Rather, Donnelly has been retained by that committee to promote public consultation for an upcoming review of landfill operations. The city is conducting a $285,000 review of its […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
City hall has no time for sustainable energy
Last year, city staff wanted to kill the hugely popular Solar City proposal, which has the city financing residential solar water heating systems). This year, staff is ignoring the desire of citizens and councillors to reduce city hall’s use of energy and replace coal-generated electricity with renewable power. To the surprise of several councillors, the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Strip-malling Tantallon
People in the Tantallon-St. Margaret’s Bay community say they’ve been ignored when it comes to their visions for future development of the area. At issue is city staff’s recommended approval of a development at Highway 333 and St. Margaret’s Bay Road. It’s an addition of three commercial buildings (Subway restaurant, Shoppers Drug Mart, TD Bank) […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Idle no more: Megan Leslie supports native movement
While the Idle No More movement hasn’t gained traction with the Harper government, Halifax NDP MP Megan Leslie is supportive in her political role. “It’s a completely grassroots campaign,” she says. “My engagement is to share information and ensure access to it.” She is one of several speakers addressing a teach-in this evening (Thursday, January […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Idle No Moore: Halifax gets active
Idle No More has gained international attention, and the burgeoning movement also has a strong presence in Halifax. Rebecca Moore of Pictou Landing First Nation, now residing in Halifax, is a key organizer and participant. Through her involvement with the Halifax aboriginal community, she learned of the campaign, which was started during a November teach-in […]