Last week, allnovascotia.com reporter Paul McLeod revealed a new policy with the provincial government: All media requests to government PR offices must be cleared by premier Darrell Dexter’s political staff. Any PR person who gets a request for information must pass it on to her boss who, in turn, passes it to Dexter’s office, overseen […]
Tim Bousquet
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax council hires Richard Butts as new CAO
After a four-hour closed-door meeting, Halifax council Tuesday voted unanimously to hire Richard Butts as the city’s new chief administrative officer. Butts is presently a deputy city manager in Toronto. He will start work in Halifax City Hall March 28. Breaking with past practice of contracting for the job with former CAOs Dan English and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The Halifax convention centre is dead in the water
Last week, CBC blogger and Twitterer extraordinaire Kady O’Malley chronicled an astonishing PR push by the federal conservatives, an unapologetic celebration of a spoils system of government. The Conservatives rolled out 70-80 Economic Action Plan celebrations, each in a Conservative riding. They ranged from an underpass in Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia to new locker rooms […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Bay of Fundy tidal proposal moves ahead
Multi-billion dollar corporations are investing resources, time and money into developing tidal power in Nova Scotia, but if we’re to believe provincial authorities and the corporations’ reps, the corporations have no idea if they’ll make money or not. Last year the province issued a Request for Proposal for development of a tidal facility in the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Oval costs revealed
Keeping the Common skating oval in place for another year will cost “at least $750,000 to $1 million” in capital costs. The capital cost figure was revealed in a city staff report to council. “The figure came from Terry Gallager, manager of Facility Development,” explained finance director Cathie O’Toole. “It was an estimate of $750,000 […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
HIM Boutique targets young professional men
Leo and Tony Salloum are opening HIM Boutique in the space formerly occupied by Willow’s Pet Place (1526 Dresden Row). You may know the Salloum brothers as sons of Abe Salloum, of Tony’s Pizza fame (that Tony is the grandfather). HIM will be geared towards young professional men, says Leo Salloum. “We’ll have premium style […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Propeller Brewery tours amp up
I’m always looking for an excuse to plug Propeller Brewery (2011 Gottingen Street, 422-7767), and when the Twitterverse alerted me to the Brewery’s new eight-tap dispensing capabilities for brewery tours, well… I’ve gone on several of the tours, and they’re well worth the $15 price. No hassle here; just come in, sit down and drink […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dissent and controversy enflame Halifax fire department
Halifax Fire Department management is facing several personnel issues, as a fired firefighter has won a fight for benefits, a survey of department employees finds “strong disapproval” of management and chief Bill Mosher has announced his retirement.
Posted inNews + Opinion
Stadium nightmare
A lot of people in Halifax want the city to build a new stadium—but at what cost? Should we get one even if it means flirting with potential payola, kickbacks, graft and bribery? Don’t get me wrong; I haven’t made up my mind on the stadium issue. There might indeed be a case for a […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax Police want big budget increase
The Board of Police Commissioners is seeking an 8.25 percent increase in the budget for the Halifax Regional Police Department. If approved by city council, last year’s budget of $69,168,989 will increase by $5,705,951 to a total of $74,874,940. Additionally, the RCMP will demand a 5.5 percent increase in the amount HRM pays the force […]
Posted inLifestyle
Canada Games song “Supersonic” is super dull
I’m not sure why athletic competitions need their own songs (no one will ever top this) but here’s the Canada Games official song, “Supersonic” by Chantal Kreviazuk: I dunno, I’m not a music critic, I’m stretching outside my comfort zone here, and my arts colleagues at The Coast might tell me I’m all wet, but, […]
Posted inLifestyle
Canada Games is not the Olympics; not even a NFL football game
[image-1] Says the Herald: A lack of television coverage of the 2011 Canada Winter Games has ticked off some Nova Scotia fans… He said it is disappointing major broadcasters like CBC or CTV do not have additional cameras and crews in Nova Scotia for the two-week celebration of athletics and culture that has about 2,700 young athletes from across Canada in the province, along with hundreds of supporters. “Isn’t CBC supposed to be our national broadcaster?” he fumed. A similar story was heard from other frustrated fans, some of whom called or emailed The Chronicle Herald to complain about the