It’s been 12 years since Tim Outhit was first elected as the representative for Bedford-Wentworth. This time around, he’s got no competition for the seat. “I was acclaimed, so I haven’t been filling out a lot of surveys and that because I don’t want to influence other people,” he says. But Outhit is still happy to […]
District 10
On the phone with newbie-incumbent Paul Russell, District 15
Living in Sackville for 25 years, Paul Russell has spent time on the school board, volunteering in the community and running for a conservative MP seat in the last federal election. Then in 2019, Russell ran in the October by-election in Lower Sackville, after Steve Craig made the move to provincial politics. “I am able […]
On the phone with incumbent Shawn Cleary, District 9
S hawn Cleary was elected in 2016 with the goals of making Halifax more environmentally and financially stable and making roads safer for pedestrians. Four years later, he’s still working on those same things, although he says he’s made a lot of progress. “With the integrated mobility plan, when that was unanimously passed in December […]
On the phone with career politician David Hendsbee, District 2
Looking after the largest geographical district in the municipality, Preston-Chezzetcook-Eastern Shore, there’s a one in three chance David Hendsbee could also be the longest-running councillor. “If I’m re-elected I will become the dean with tenure,” he says, having sat on Halifax Regional Council from 1993 until 1999, taking a brief break to try his hand […]
On the phone with incumbent Lindell Smith, District 8
I n Halifax’s north end, Councillor Lindell Smith is a staunch community advocate both in the council chambers and outside of them. “When you look at the last four years, we’ve made amazing progress together as a district and as residents and I want to continue as the elected councillor to fulfil that progress and […]
On the phone with housing advocate Virginia Hinch, District 8
Living in Halifax’s north end all her life, Virginia Hinch has certainly seen the district change. So much so that it encouraged her to get into politics. “The defining moment, it was due to the fact that the housing crisis for one thing, cause I mean we’re at one percent [vacancy] and still they’re […]
On the phone with 20-year-old candidate Kyle Morton, District 10
Kyle Morton has a full course load. In his third year at Saint Mary’s University, Morton is studying finance, economics and computing information systems, with a minor in German. Outside of school, he’s getting a practical education in political science by running for the District 10 (Halifax–Bedford Basin West) seat on council. “I want to […]
On the phone with environment advocate Kathryn Morse, District 10
When Kathryn Morse worked as an assistant to Maureen MacDonald, the former provincial NDP minister of both health and finance, and as a reporter with the CBC for about 12 years, she learned a lot about communities and politics. “That was a really good education, I think, and a preparation to be a councillor,” Morse […]
On the phone with environmentalist Christopher Hurry, District 10
Christopher Hurry decided to run for the District 10 (Halifax–Bedford Basin West) council seat after reading the city’s climate change plan, HalifACT 2050. “I think we have to speed up our response to this,” he says. “I think it’s such a large crisis and we have to do it, and that’s what motivated me.” Hurry, an IWK data researcher who […]
On the phone with social justice consultant Sherry Hassanali, District 10
“I am a story. I am the only woman of colour running in my district,” says Sherry Hassanali, a second-generation Canadian. “The fact that there’s never been a woman of colour on council in the 271 years is a story.” Hassanali’s parents moved to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago. And over the last 24 years of […]
On the phone with community advocate Mohammad Ehsan, District 10
Bangladesh-born community volunteer Mohammad Ehsan is running for councillor for District 10 (Halifax–Bedford Basin West) because he wants to do more for his district. “There is limitations on you on how much you can do from the sidelines.” He’s passionate about senior citizens in the district: He spearheaded a project called the Stronger Together Initiative […]
On the phone with incumbent Tony Mancini, District 6
T ony Mancini has run in elections before, but not like this. “The previous two campaigns we literally knocked on thousands of doors. And I just felt that because of Covid the risk wasn’t worth it,” he explains in a phone call with The Coast. “Because let’s say that either myself or one of my […]

