[Image-1] A request to see any current and projected costs involved in the city retaining lawyer Brian Johnston has been refused by HRM. Johnston, a partner at Stewart McKelvey, has been hired by Halifax to conduct their negotiations with HRM’s firefighter and police unions. Johnston is a Q.C., with 35 years at the bar. His […]
Jacob Boon
Posted inNews + Opinion
The top stories of 2014
[Image-1] JANUARY Halifax Rainmen coach Craig Hodges is denied entry to North Korea after being invited by Dennis Rodman. “Polar vortex” enters our vocabularies. Mike Savage joins Mayors for Peace. Justin Bieber surrenders to Toronto Police on assault charges. FEBRUARY The Ivany Report is released. Canada wins gold in hockey at the Winter Olympics. Saint […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
“What are they going to do…kick every guy out of fourth year?”
Four Dalhousie faculty members have come forward to file a formal complaint against the members of the “Class of DDS 2015” Facebook group. An email released just before noon from DalhousieStatement@gmail.com states the complaint has been made under the university’s code of student conduct, and not their sexual harassment policy. The complaint asks that confidentiality […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
No prosecutions in Rehtaeh Parsons publication ban
[Image-1] Rehtaeh Parsons has her name back. An unjust and impractical publication ban has, for all practical purposes, been struck down today. Lena Metlege Diab, the Attorney General and Justice Minister, has announced that almost all breaches of the publication ban will not be prosecuted. Issued to the Public Prosecution Service, the directive says no […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Boys aren’t boys at Dalhousie dental school
[Image-1] The ceaseless cascade of gross inhumanity that is 2014 just won’t let up. Dalhousie University’s school of dentistry is facing a lot of questions today after CBC broke the story of a misogynistic Facebook group of students. At least a dozen male students belonged to the now-defunct Class of DDS 2015 Gentleman group, according […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The side of town you don’t hear about
[Image-1] Born and raised in the Wood Buffalo region, drag queen Iceis Rain (AKA Massey Whiteknife) is an award-winning performer, business tycoon and youth advocate. Rain took some time to tell The Coast about McMurray’s LGBT scene, the best spots to meet new people and why our perceptions of life out west aren’t really accurate. […]
Posted inLifestyle
Keeping safe in the sands
[Image-1] It’s harsh work. High pay for long hours in sometimes torturous environments. Every year more husbands, wives, sons and daughters head out toil away in the oil sands. They may end up trading their health for a chance at a decent career—if they survive. Workplace fatalities in Alberta have hovered around 50 for the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Over a barrel, from Alberta to New Brunswick
[Image-1] The tar sands may be 4,600 kilometres away, but they’ll feel a lot closer should the proposed Energy East pipeline finally get built. The proposed TransCanada artery can carry over a million barrels of crude oil a day from the prairies to eastern Canada. But the cost may be too high. TransCanada formally applied […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
It’s not all talking Christmas trees
When councillor Brad Johns decided to spend $25,000 of the city’s money on an 18-foot-tall robotic Christmas tree, some of us had questions. Why? And, how? The how at least, is that Johns used his district discretionary funds for the purchase. Each fiscal year councillors receive $94,000 in district capital funds, and about $4,000 in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Trash rises higher
“Residual waste; garbage, that is.” —councillor Reg Rankin “I’m sick and tired of plans. Sick and tired of it, silly master plan.” —councillor Barry Dalrymple “I drove by a Santa Claus today—it looked great—on a car dealership.” —Dave O’Connor, president of Glow Parties THROW AWAYS Yesterday was Halifax Regional Council’s last meeting of 2014, and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax Public Libraries forgiving all outstanding fines
[Image-1] As if everyone wasn’t already sickeningly in love with the new Halifax Central Library, they’ve gone and announced that for the rest of December any outstanding fines from overdue items will be cleared. Starting this Saturday, December 13, anyone with a library card can visit any public library and erase their debt. It’s part […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Councillor spends $25,000 on robot tree
[Image-1] A Halifax councillor has spent $25,000 of the municipality’s money on a talking Christmas tree. Brad Johns, councillor for Middle/Upper Sackville-Beaver Bank-Lucasville, is eagerly awaiting his new tree as it’s shipped from the States. He says it will help Sackville compete with neighbouring districts. “Spryfield’s got the Santa parade, downtown has their tree lighting. […]