Tim Bousquet

Last year was a low point for Halifax city politics. “Council dealt with many highly contentious issues—and screwed up each and every one of them,” we wrote in our annual report card. We went on to award a record number of F grades—five—and for the first time, flat-out expelled one politician, then-mayor Peter Kelly. Our […]

2013 grade: A- 2012 grade: N/A Cell: 240-0441 We have never seen a non-politician enter the council realm as successfully as has Steve Craig. He has hit the ground running, and is well representing his constituents. Craig’s first act was to bring forward problems with stormwater systems in his beleaguered Sackville. It’s a problem faced […]

2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: C+ 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C- 2009 grade: C Phone: 490-5679 Since getting re-elected, Tim Outhit hasn’t been particularly outspoken about any issue. But there’s been a general gestalt about him, a noticeable shift into the ornery. It’s like watching a volcano. He just sits there, maybe shifts around […]

2013 grade: C- 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D+ Cell: 483-0705 Last year, David Hendsbee distinguished himself as the worst of a sad lot of councillors, pointlessly attacking the harmless Occupiers at Grand Parade while defending the chief grifter in the mayor’s office. […]

2013 grade: C- 2012 grade: D 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: C+ 2008 grade: C 2007 grade: C- Cell: 476-1855 In what was undoubtedly the meanest and most contested council election last year, Bill Karsten defeated Jackie Barkhouse by just 68 votes. The contest was so close that Karsten had to sit […]

2013 grade: B 2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C 2010 grade: C 2009 grade: C- Cell: 478-2705 Slowly, ever so slowly, Lorelei Nicoll is coming into her own. She’s whatever the opposite of brash is, inoffensively finding her way through the thicket of loud and stupid that is Halifax council. For too long, Nicoll seemed […]

2013 grade: C+ 2012 Grade: F 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: D- 2009 grade: D Cell: 222-0740 Barry Dalrymple hasn’t been our favourite councillor. After getting elected, he earned a D in 2009, a D- in 2010 and then fell into seemingly permanent F mode for 2011 and 2012. Dalrymple is still needlessly cantankerous (purposefully […]

2013 grade: B+ 2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: B+ 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: B 2007 grade: C Cell: 476-1667 Gloria McCluskey is, has always been and always will be, well, Gloria McCluskely. A force unto herself, McCluskey has come to define Dartmouth Centre, for better and for worse. The “better” is […]

2013 grade: D 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: B 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2001 grade: D Cell: 497-7215 Old cranky dude living in Fairview gets reelected to council every four years, just to demonstrate the poor state of political education in Fairview, apparently. Except for the Solar City issue, Russell […]

2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: N/A Cell: 497-7166 Darren Fisher had by far the most embarrassing council moment this year. The business he started, Nic Nax convenience stores, ended up on the city’s uncollectable debt list, owing $82,000 for bus passes sold, but not paid back […]

2013 grade: B- 2012 grade: D 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2007 grade: B- Cell: 497-8818 Stephen Adams has been uncharacteristically quiet these past six months. Maybe he’s worried about something, or just reflective or overwhelmed at his “day job” as a Big Pharma rep. Yep, Adams is […]