Halifax’s poet laureate says she’s “frustrated and sad” by comments HRM councillor David Hendsbee made to his colleagues via email. “I think that goes to show the lack of perspective that some individuals have when it comes to acknowledging their positions of power,” says Rebecca Thomas. Emails were obtained by The Coast via an FOI […]
Reality Bites
Posted inNews + Opinion
Masuma Khan isn’t letting Dal off the hook after complaint withdrawal
And then the glare of public attention around the whole Masuma Khan discipline case got to be too much for Dalhousie University. The school’s vice provost, Arig al Shaibah, this afternoon posted an “Important message” formally announcing that the complaint against Khan has been withdrawn. The full message is here, but the bottom line comes […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dal to students: It’s not about white fragility or reverse racism
Adding to whatever homework they received in classes today, Monday afternoon Dal students were emailed a 900-word memo about white fragility and the Code of Student Conduct. The email came from the university’s vice-provost for student affairs, Arig al Shaibah, who just a week ago sent a similar note responding to the homecoming street party. But unlike […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dalhousie faculty pen letter in support of Masuma Khan
Professors, students and staff at Dalhousie law are speaking out in support of Masuma Khan, as hate speech and violent threats against the student leader flood in. Since The Coast first reported on Khan’s case last Thursday, the story—and a firestorm of response—has broken open across the country. The vice-president academic and external for the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax’s Amazon bid to be repackaged for other potential investors
The municipality’s pitch for Amazon’s second headquarters will be used to influence other potential investors—and even Haligonians themselves—should the bid prove unsuccessful. But the details of what’s in that offer aren’t being released to the public. A glimpse into that submission was released Friday in the form of a declassified council report. The in-camera document broadly […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax councillor calls for municipal lobbyist registry
At the next meeting of Regional Council, councillor Shawn Cleary will ask for a staff report on the creation and maintenance of a municipal lobbyist registry to keep track of the people and businesses trying to influence HRM. Currently, there’s no record of the consultants, business owners, property developers or special interest groups who bend […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Pain and no gain: HRM looks to write-off nearly $300,000 in gym fees
Changing banks was easier than cancelling a Sackville Sports Stadium gym membership, and that could end up costing HRM over a quarter of a million dollars. A report headed to Wednesday’s Audit and Finance committee is asking city council to write-off slightly over $295,000 in outstanding accounts from the Lower Sackville fitness centre. The lost […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dal moves quickly to meet with residents at homecoming ground zero
The adults at Dalhousie University are busy trying to clean up the mess after Saturday afternoon’s homecoming party/riot/debacle. Houses around the Jennings Street scene of pro-Dal chanting, public intoxication and mass arrest received a letter from university president Richard Florizone today, inviting them to a meeting Tuesday night. ”Dear neighbour: I want to apologize for […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Watch this: Dalhousie students riot during homecoming
Close to two dozen people were arrested Saturday afternoon as police responded to several off-campus parties being held by Dalhousie students. Halifax Regional Police estimate up to 1,500 people were a part of the unsanctioned homecoming events, which took place off-campus in the area of Jennings and Larch streets. Videos of the disturbance uploaded by those […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dealer’s choice: Nova Scotia launches public cannabis consultation
Nova Scotia’s government wants the blunt truth. The province has unveiled an online survey seeking public input on proposed rules and regulations for recreational cannabis. “As the federal government moves toward legalizing cannabis, our top priority is to protect the health and safety of Nova Scotians,” claims Justice minister Mark Furey in a press release. “We want […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
In memoriam: Energy East (2013-2017)
Energy East, the gargantuan, $16-billion pipeline project that would have transported over one million barrels of oil a day from Alberta to New Brunswick, has died. It was four-years-old. Parent company TransCanada announced the death of its 4,500-kilometre pipeline baby on Thursday morning. Chief executive officer Russ Girling offered his thanks to the businesses, Irvings and […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Eight-person expert panel proposed to determine the fate of Cornwallis
Eight people will help decide Edward Cornwallis’ place in history, but it’ll be up to the 16 members of Halifax Regional Council to follow through on the expert panel’s advice. The municipality has released its tentative terms of reference for the special advisory committee it hopes to task with examining Halifax’s commemoration of its controversial […]