A group of approximately 17 campers were rounded up last Saturday night on McNabs Island by provincial conservation officers and told to fold up their tends and go home. Although overnight camping has traditionally been permitted on McNabs, the two conservation officers were apparently unaware of the unique camping conditions that prevail on the island. On Tuesday, the Department of Natural Resources issued a confusing response to the situation: despite offering a full apology to the evicted campers (including a free weekend at a provincial park of their choice! Keji, here they come!), the Department also put an immediate ban on overnight camping on McNabs until at least the end of June. It may not have been banned before, but by golly, it’s banned now! Looks like you’ll be unrolling your thermal sleeping bag somewhere else, Tenty.
Workin’ hard, or hardly ever not workin’?
According to a “Vacation Deprivation” survey from Expedia.ca, Atlantic Canadians are among the least likely in the country to take a vacation. Twelve percent of Atlantic Canadians reported taking no vacation time last year, compared with the nine percent national average. Doesn’t sound like a big difference, but the survey also found that globally, Canada is generally one of the most vacation-strapped countries, with the Canadian worker taking an average of 19 vacation days a year. Compare that with French workers, who top the list with an annual average of 39 days off, and suddenly we look like downright workaholics. Tomorrow, you should call in sick. You know you want to.
Debating date
The date for the one and only formal debate during the provincial election was announced this week. PC leader Rodney MacDonald, NDP leader Darrell Dexter and Liberal leader Francis MacKenzie will be going at it (Live! No holds barred!) Thursday, June 1, at 6:30pm. Tune in, get informed and vote your face off.
Naked news
An update on our own local Strippergate saga: After last week’s decision from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board which restricted “adult entertainment” at Sensations Cabaret in Dartmouth, the future of the club remains uncertain. Owner Javis Roberts has made numerous suggestions about how the club might get around the restrictive nature of the NSURB’s ruling. In one scenario, Roberts proposed the idea of splitting the club into two sections, leaving only half of the club licenced to serve booze. The other unlicenced half of the club would then theoretically not be subject to terms of the NSURB ruling, and be able to offer even more explicit adult entertainment than ever before—lapdances, physical contact and a list of other services that would make your mother blush. For their part, city and provincial officials have said they’ll be watching Sensations very closely (but not in that way) to make sure everything stays nice and legal. In the interim, while Sensations’ management plans their next move, Sensations’ strippers are still dancing in their skivvies—just not getting completely naked. Not so much as a nipple-slip. Ix-nay on the udes-nay. And so on. And so forth. You get the point.
Slip us your news: michaelf@thecoast.ca
This article appears in May 25-31, 2006.