Simon de Vet remembers his dad considering retirement about a decade ago. “He was a little worried that he’d be sitting around the house all day,” says Simon, a first-year physics professor at Dalhousie University. “He was a little hesitant to retire early.” His father, Robert Devet—who styled their Dutch surname slightly differently—had been working […]
Journalism
Posted inNews + Opinion
The coronavirus has lessons for journalists covering the climate crisis
The coronavirus pandemic is a tragic reminder of just how essential fact-based, outspoken journalism is, especially in times of crisis. Without it, people die. In China, the lack of an independent press made it easier for the government to hide the danger of the virus, putting many more people, especially health care workers, at risk. […]
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And then there’s the climate crisis
Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, but it feels a world away. As if the coronavirus wasn’t enough, now Nova Scotia is in a state of mourning. We are struggling to make sense of the senseless, to understand the unthinkable. How are we supposed to pay attention to the climate crisis? The Coast […]
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“I know this is bad, but you’ve got this”
Key points as of March 25, 4pm There are 68 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia Community spread is not happening here yet Local lab capacity is around 400 tests per day, enabling a more aggressive approach to tracking the disease Premier McNeil is an able co-host of The Steve & Strang Show We are […]
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Pause the presses
The Coast has never experienced anything like this. COVID-19 has turned things upside down for our readers, our staff, our city, our world. The base of local businesses whose advertising helps support The Coast—a base that tilts towards bars, restaurants and events—has been shut down. That shut-down extends to our ticketing service and the events […]
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On journalism and biting the hand that feeds you
Last week, as part of their Fall Economic Statement, the federal government announced several initiatives to provide financial support to news organizations, including tax credits to support the production of original news content and to support subscriptions to Canadian news media. They also announced additional direct support for non-profit local news organizations to create open […]
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A war on every front
You are eight years old and today is the first day of fishing season. Your father has finally taken you out with him and even bought you your own pole. Though you’re too young to understand adulthood, you can tell that this is how you become the person you hope to be. Your chest swells […]
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25 for 25: episode 2002
Stephanie Domet is in studio reflecting on censorship scandals at the Halifax Daily News and ethics in journalism. Mary Vingoe also joins us to talk about the day future-premier and fiddle fanatic Rodney MacDonald killed the province’s Arts Council. Then, African Nova Scotian Music Association co-founder Delvina Bernard stops by to tell us how Black musicians fought for […]
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TorStar CEO wines and dines Halifax bigwigs with mini lobster rolls
Halifax officials got some Star treatment on Monday night. TorStar chief executive officer John Boynton was in town, hosting various city hotshots for dinner at The Bicycle Thief. According to one attendee, the event was to dialogue about how the Toronto Star and its StarMetro Halifax paper can shift the way they target and portray news […]
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Coast 25: 30 of the most important things we’ve written
“Adam’s fall” Matthieu Aikins’ award-winning feature on suicides from the Macdonald Bridge is a heartbreaking read even now, a decade after its publication. A year after Aikins’ story was printed, the bridge commission finally decided to install safety barriers along the old bridge to prevent future deaths. Seals of approval One of the most-read stories […]
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Matt Whitman has a media sensitivity problem
City councillor Matt Whitman says he should have been explicitly warned that his conversation with a CBC reporter was on the record, but the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s ombudsman disagrees. Whitman submitted an official complaint to CBC’s ombudsman back in February after a phone interview with journalist Emma Davie about his retweet of a white supremacist […]
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SCIENCE MATTERS: Climate science deniers’ credibility tested
We base our arguments about environmental issues on sound research and evidence. Sometimes people challenge us—which is often positive, as informed debate leads to greater knowledge. But many challenges come from people with suspect motives. In comments, letters and opinion articles, people spread nonsense from the likes of Ezra Levant, Tim Ball, Tom Harris and […]