Surfwear company O’Neill has cancelled its plans to hold its Cold Water Classic surf competition in Halifax. The company had earned the ire of the local surf community by failing to engage with the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia, Instead, the company went directly to the city of Halifax, and city council happily gave the […]
Tim Bousquet
Posted inNews + Opinion
Peter Kelly is the Sarah Palin of Halifax
Throughout his report on the concert loan scandal, auditor general Larry Munroe utterly castigates Halifax mayor Peter Kelly for his involvement in the financial improprieties. Kelly is mentioned by name 54 times in the 96-page report, and his office is cited over 100 times. Here’s how Munroe summarizes Kelly’s role in the scandal: Based on […]
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Concert report slams Peter Kelly, Wayne Anstey, Fred MacGillivray and Scott Ferguson
Halifax auditor general Larry Munroe released his report on the concert loan scandal Tuesday. Mayor Peter Kelly, the city’s former chief bureaucrat Wayne Anstey and former and current Trade Centre Limited presidents Fred MacGillivray and Scott Ferguson are particularly implicated. The report names names, assigns blame and provides explosive new details about how city and […]
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Concert loan scandal report out tomorrow
As expected, the city’s auditor general’s report on the concert loan scandal has been agendized for Tuesday, soon after the 10am start of city council’s meeting (item 9.3.1). In public session, with reporters and TV cameras present, auditor general Larry Munroe will make what will likely be a lengthy presentation to council; immediately afterwards paper […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Cleaning up for company
Dear Federation of Canadian Municipalities delegates: Welcome to Halifax! We’ll certainly roll out the red carpet for you. Heck, to prove just how much we like you, our fair city has already spent $500,000 for the privilege of hosting the 2,000 of you this weekend—$250 per delegate. (Go ahead, order another drink, it’s on us.) […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Two-year wait for concert contracts
The letter below is from me to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Office, and is pretty much self-explanatory. It relates to my freedom of information request to the city for all of the city’s contracts with Power Promotional Events, the company that put on the concerts on the Common and which […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Local surfers object to O’Neill Cold Water Classic
Halifax council last week voted unanimously to give $145,000 to O’Neill, a Santa Cruz, California-based surfwear company that sponsors a “Cold Water Classic” surfing competition, to be held this September in Cow Bay. (See here and here for more on this issue.) Council approved the expenditure even though the local surfing community is largely opposed […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
New gag order at City Hall
I was kicked out of a city meeting Tuesday. I had heard that Waye Mason was going to address the Stadium Committee, so I wanted to hear what he had to say, and what the committee members were thinking. In typical backwards fashion, the city is trying to wedge a business model into a stadium […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Auditor general’s concert loan report delayed a week
City auditor general Larry Munroe and his staff finished writing their report on the concert loan scandal last week, but it still is not public. Typically, Munroe makes his reports public via his website, without any prior direction or communication with politicians. That’s the point of his office, of course: to provide an independent examination […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
O’Neill Cold Water Classic has some pretty classic problems
Earlier this week, I wrote a blog post criticizing city council’s decision to spend $145,000 in support of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic surf competition. Since then, I’ve learned more about the event, and more reasons why citizens should be even more concerned by the expenditure. Canadian Surfing Association has no legal standing First is […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax council stays on green course
Halifax council Tuesday stood firm on its environmental record, refusing to weaken the pesticide bylaw and extending the recycling program. One of the first in Canada, the pesticide bylaw was adopted in the late 1990s. It bans pesticides generally, except for a prescribed list of allowable eco-friendly applications, and except by permit. But while admirable, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Happy trails
To celebrate Bike Week we’re reprising our 2007 Trail Guide, pulling out the most bike-friendly trails in and around the city. To see the full guide, pop a wheelie on over to thecoast.ca/trails. Wear a helmet! BLT Trail Head out on St. Margarets Bay Road and turn into the Lakeside Industrial Park to find the […]