I recently returned from a trip to the United Kingdom, where I had the opportunity to spend timewith my friend — and someone I deeply admire — Zelda Perkins. If Zelda’s name feels familiar, it’s because she was one of the major catalysts of the #MeToomovement. She was among the first former employees of Miramax […]
Liz LeClair
Posted inNews + Opinion
Back to school and back to advocacy
For years, I was part of the Can’t Buy My Silence (CBMS) movement in Canada. If you’re unfamiliar with the issue of abusive NDAs, you can read more here, here, and here. And if you’re curious why I left CBMS, I’ve explained that here. But walking away from that group didn’t mean walking away from […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Everyone Has an Opinion. I Just Happen to Share Mine.
“Unlikeable. Irritating. Can’t stand her. She never shuts up. I wish she’d realize no one cares what she thinks.” These are just some of the comments I get about my writing. Regularly. Nothing pisses people off more than a woman with strong opinions. Nothing pisses off the establishment more than a woman with strong opinions. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Hockey culture in this country is steeped in misogyny and rape culture
For any readers who don’t live in Canada, you may not be aware of the recent ruling in the Hockey Canada Scandal and the subsequent trial. I can’t bring myself to regurgitate it word-for-word so you can read about it here, here, and here. The gist is this: five professional hockey players were found not […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Tart & Soul Café looks to community to help downsize and thrive
Tucked into the corner of Oxford and Coburg, Tart & Soul Café has long been a fixture in Halifax’s south end — known as much for its giant cinnamon buns and ethically-sourced coffee as for its cozy atmosphere, cross-stitched David Bowie, and famously eclectic playlists. Tart & Soul is a safe and welcoming space for […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Control isn’t care
A friend sent me a Substack post by Canadian journalist Nora Loreto titled “Navigating Conflict in Activist Spaces.” The timing was perfect. I recently made the difficult decision to step away from a cause I deeply believed in. It wasn’t a choice I made lightly. But in the face of conflict—and a refusal by some to […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
If We Tolerate This, We Will Be Next
“If you tolerate this, then your children will be next.” – Manic Street Preachers, 1998 These words feel less like lyrics and more like prophecy. As a Canadian watching the Trump Administration attack civil society in the United States, I feel one part horror, one part admiration. Horror at the brazen attacks on democratic norms, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
An epidemic requires epidemic-level funding
This week marks five years since the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history. On April 18 and 19, 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, a man disguised as an RCMP officer drove from Portapique to Enfield, Nova Scotia, killing 22 people—including a pregnant woman. His murderous rampage began in his own home with […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Uniting for Action: Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Nova Scotia
We are in the midst of an emergency. The second annual Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Summit, organized by a collective of advocates and organizations, sold out in record time—because people know we are at a breaking point. But selling out a summit is not a victory. The real measure of progress is lives saved, harm prevented, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Breaking the silence on a Nova Scotia epidemic
Four years ago, the province of Nova Scotia was the site of the largest mass casualty event in Canada’s history. This event was sparked by intimate partner violence, IPV, and ended in the killing of 22 innocent Nova Scotians—including an unborn child. Families and communities were shattered by this event. The then-leader of the opposition, […]
