During 2009, I volunteered with the Copenhagen movement. Although I met a lot of passionate and effective people, I had an eye-opening experience. I believe politicians aren’t working toward sustainable solutions because such sweeping changes aren’t seen as electable and because as people, they don’t know what sustainable society will look like because we haven’t […]
Letters
Posted inNews + Opinion
the lake housing
I am perplexed by Tim Bousquet’s piece on the start of the public consultation process re: the new Five Bridge Lakes Candidate Wilderness Area west of Halifax (“Another public land grab,” Reality Bites, February 25). The accompanying map—which incidentally shows only a portion of the land parcel in question—completely misidentifies HRM’s western Common, site of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Reading is sexy
To all of The Coast staff who worked on the library edition (March 4): Thank you for your library-focused issue of The Coast. From the editorial to each of the articles, the journalists at The Coast have shown they have a clear understanding of what libraries are and why we need them. Thank you for […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Do we have too much policing?
The RCMP and Halifax Regional Police have been discussing the pluses and minuses of continuing to have RCMP contract policing in the HRM (See “Cop vs. cop,” Reality Bites by Tim Bousquet, page 4). The question has apparently been decided on cost effectiveness with some politics thrown in and very little public engagement. At present […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
History versus heritage
Halifax has been settled, expanded and redefined for the past three centuries. This city has a storied past that is part of our identity. That said, there is a difference between history and heritage. History is the inherited relics and stories of our shared and individual past. Heritage is what we value in the past. To use the words of Robin Quigg, “Not all old buildings, structures and histories are heritage.” Heritage should be beneficial; it is composed of the things that we consciously decide to keep, not simply all of the things from the past that we still have.
Posted inNews + Opinion
The city’s apology misses the mark
The city’s apology misses the mark, an opportunity I am a masters student in the department of religion and theology at Saint Mary’s University. I have spent the last few years dedicated to studying the black community in Halifax, and have recently been following HRM’s offerings to the former residents of Africville. The public apology […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Kansas made in Costa Rica
I tell ya. I am back in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Norval and Mike return to Halifax early tomorrow. Today I am walking along, close to the condo. It’s really hot and I have just slogged up a hill, so I am walking slowly. A guy is sitting on a low wall. He is smoking. He […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Hot Time in Bocas
I have a lucky afternoon. We imagine postcard-perfect moments come more often when we are away from the usual, but really, even in various versions of paradise, they don’t show up at every turn. In the morning I shuffle around Bocas Town, slowed and bowed by a tremendous hot humidity. I don’t notice the sky […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax is awesome
Dear residents of Halifax: Have you ever thought about how lucky you are? I mean seriously, you have a wonderful city and are the nicest, friendliest people in the whole world and you sometimes overlook it. I just moved here and I am still waiting for someone to come and slap me out of this […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
HRM stunts growth
Letter writer Peter H. gave a long list of lost buildings in Halifax that will lessen our charm and connection to historic events (February 18). What he did not mention is that the push by vested interests to overdevelop their properties stunts the growth that could be taking place elsewhere in HRM. Why risk an […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
More low-cost homes
Your article expressed the concerns of many, that people on low incomes will be forced out of the areas they presently live in. I would love to see legislation which required all new condo and apartment buildings to have one subsidized, low-rent home for every 50 units. This would give people a chance to live well all over Nova Scotia. We now have pockets of poverty where low-income people are forced to live. With all of the new construction in Bedford, Dartmouth, Halifax and beyond, there can be many low-cost homes created in high-cost buildings. Please contact your MLA about
Posted inNews + Opinion
What of community?
As someone who spent most of my childhood in downtown Dartmouth, I was heartened to see The Coast take on the recent development proposals for the area in last week’s issue (“Welcome to the new Dartmouth” by Matt Semansky, February 18). The sense of a close-knit and safe community, augmented by quality schools, outstanding parks, […]