The rant begins with an HRM employed jackhammer hammering away on my street at 7 am. I think that perhaps I should complain. Then I have to ask myself which of the multitude of representatives at the most absurd, inept and ineffectual city hall in Canada should I address this complaint? Then I recall seeing a sign outside city hall pleading with Haligonians to show their culture. I ask myself, what culture is that? White-man-jock-chugging-beer-at- the-Liquor Dome culture? Is there any culture? We certainly cannot pride ourselves in our cultural diversity. After this thought, I recall the recent provincial push attempting to lure more immigrants to our “friendly” city. As a white woman born here 30 years ago I have never felt overwhelmingly welcome or comfortable here. Why should the so-called “come-from-aways” want to reside here?
Calling yourself friendly, Halifax, does not make it so. I have traveled the world and have yet to meet a less friendly and less open-minded population than that which exists here…with the possible exception of Moncton. Regardless…
I am leaving next month and I suspect, like many of my friends who have left before me, I shall not miss Halifax. Perhaps I will think about returning when I am a geezer desiring to retire in a shanty near the seaside. But let’s face it; there are friendlier and more diverse places on earth where I can do that. And perhaps I’ll be able to nip into a 5 dollar pad thai while I’m at it…for it is not considered a rare, exotic food elsewhere.
The rant has ended…but the jack hammering continues. Sigh.
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2008.
Unfortunately I completely agree with you, everyone here is very narrow minded and judgemental……but there are worse places then Halifax. Their are also some good things about Halifax as well, which is really only avaliable in the summer. And your right, Halifax doesn’t have much culture but I think thats why alot of people like it here. I personallly hate that about here and plan on moving, but what I like about halifax is I have friends and family here and its familiar, but it gets old quick.
Yeah I don’t know what to do. I think it’s time I move on too. There is great people here that do the best they can to create a culture and more importantly community in HRM (I.E the coast). Find your common.
Please allow me to accept full responsibility for everything that has gone wrong in your life during the past thirty something years… I only hope that I can convince you to stay and give me another chance…You see, I am the guy that operates the jackhammer outside your window at 7AM… If I had known it was bothering you, I really could have done that work somewhere else… Shame on me…And yes, I am also the white-man-jock chugging a beer at the liquor dome… Until now that was the only culture I knew… After tonight I wont be going there any more… Please let me know what else I can do to make you change your mind about leaving…I don’t really know you except for on this post, but somehow I feel we have made a real connection here… And yes I miss you already…
Come on Adam, Come on Elle, let’s show the OP what we can do to be more friendly to each other…
I agree Floyd. Would anyone like a drive to the airport?
OK, but only if I can sit in the middle of the back seat…And I insist on paying for the gas…
Ok Floyd…I have new rule, no more consuming any beverages while in the middle of reading your posts…this is not the first time your hilarious posts have caused some drink or other to have the compunction to fly out of my nose painfully!
is the circle jerk almost finished boys? *groan*
See, The Homie, Jamie, and I are not the only ones. So many other people think like-wise, yet for some odd reason, a lot of other people (The Regulars) on previous posts seemed to have completely dismissed that idea and like to live in a fantasy world.
Thats awesome. When you fuck off please stay fucked off.
Hmmmm, should I bother agreeing with the OP?Cuz, you know, if i do, I know all the hatred will rain down on me. Why would I want to invite all the abuse, the insults, the go-away-and-good-riddance-you-dirty-snob, the circling of the wagons, the Upper-Canada-bashing, the knocking-you-down-to-size, the taking-you-down-a-peg, the -if-you-don-like-it-lump-it defensiveness, the general xenophobia, etc. etc.Because, you know, Maritimers are so ingratiating, friendly, and wholesome and everything.
I agree with the OP. As a white woman in my thirties, I find this place oppressing and depressing. Unfortunately I am now in a situation that doesn’t allow me to leave. But I won’t be encouraging my kid to stay.And I worked at the Liquor Dome and it is a hole. I worked in bars in bigger Canadian cities and the customers were much nicer and better tippers. It may shock some people here, but there are friendly people elsewhere, even in Toronto! Gasp!There are lots of great things about this place, and NovaScotians have a lot of potential and that is the biggest problem. They’d rather sit around and bitch about the rest of the country instead of living up to their own potential. Maybe that is our culture. Bitchiness. That’s too bad.
LOL Lily, your completely right, I agree. And I’m not hating on Nova Scotia, I’m just saying there are better places and there are worse, and personally this place is getting old for me, and to tell u the truth the majority do agree. Things are backwards here. I’m not going to lie to OP and try to make this place what they know it isn’t, they’ve obviously been here long enough and can see what it has to offer. Which we do have things to offer but so do other places. Some people are great here, thats about it! Oh and we have some pretty sweet beaches.
Awesome, Elle Elle, and Lily, I love you both, and Jammie. For everyone who bashes us for our opinions and tells us to fuck off, well, fuck off and leave us alone. We dislike you stupid city that i have yet to experience that amazing friendly maritime hospitality you speak of. Also it’s boring and has nothing to offer. If it’s a city, if should have what a city offers. It doesn’t so it shouldn’t be qualified or called as a city. The only difference between it and Kentville is the taller buildings. Other than that, not much difference really. Therefore, i believe it should be called the town of Halifax, not the city. It doesn’t deserve that qualification. Lily, I think people in halifax make up that crap about other cities because they’re close-minded. I have been to other places including toronto, and i actually found them to be friendlier in toronto than they are in halifax. Elle Elle, man you haven’t seen half the beaches i have seen. But i do agree we have nice beaches. I only wish they were closer and not $20 gas bill to get there!
Actually I was just trying to be somewhat positive about halifax, I don’t like it here and I’m from Toronto, ALSO I’ve seen a ton of beaches and have traveled alot of places so don’t tell me I haven’t seen half the beaches you have, please don’t make assumptions, I was just saying that there are decent beaches around here….ok!
That comment sounded really snarky and I really didn’t mean to lol sorry.