Since my birth, my family has brought me into this world as a strong Palestinian woman. Surrounded by influential political figures, I have been given the gift of perseverance. In the media, my people have been depicted to be either a terrorist or statistic—or, that we just don’t exist entirely. From Halifax, as I watch […]
Voice of the City
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why you should give taking public transit a try
Cars aren’t always the most convenient choice. But car culture is deeply ingrained in our society, and this means cars live in our minds as the quickest/ easiest/ best choice for getting around. For many, owning a car is a marker of success. Cars can represent adulthood, freedom and—if you’re anything like me—your car enables […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
A parking garage on the Halifax Common would mean big changes for Halifax Lancers
There’s one thing in Halifax that no other city in the country has: a one-of-a-kind non-profit riding school and equine therapy centre in its downtown core. This little non-profit-that-could has stood the test of time for over 80 years while the city grew all around it. The Halifax Junior Bengal Lancers, founded in 1936 to […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
‘There are no rules’ when it comes to restaurant accessibility in Halifax
I t was date night. We’d called ahead and made our arrangements. We arrived at the restaurant early to avoid the crowds. Yet we were met with looks of uncertainty and a 10-inch step at the entrance. The server left to find a ramp; turns out the only one was the loading ramp to the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Kicking off Black History Month with a talk on anti-Black racism at Dalhousie
A nti-Black racism, or the policies, decisions and practices that intentionally or unintentionally oppress Black people, is pervasive in Nova Scotia. It is quite literally ingrained in the very fabric of our day-to-day lives. We see anti-Black racism in institutions such as universities, schools and hospitals as well as in policies that govern decisions within […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why English speakers need to do their part to bridge the communication gap with new Nova Scotians whose mother tongue isn’t English
Picture the scene: a busy Halifax sushi restaurant, Friday night. The waiter greets a couple at the door. The server seems to use English as an additional language, or EAL—it might be her second, third or fourth. The server responds to the couple’s request to sit at a particular table, telling them it wasn’t available […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Youth in Halifax just need good jobs
I have been working with youth and communities in the Halifax Regional Municipality for 15 years. I grew up in the Bayer’s Westwood (The Pubs) public housing community. I understand first-hand the challenges experienced by those living in poverty, who struggle financially and are doing what they need to do just to survive. Society labels […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Clinic 554 has institution status in Canada’s abortion access history—why the changes it propelled shouldn’t spell its demise.
T he only non-hospital based surgical abortion clinic in the Maritimes is in financial trouble. Unlike other provinces and territories, New Brunswick has a clause in its provincial Medical Services Payment Act (Regulation 84-20, Schedule 2 a. 1) specifically prohibiting public payment for abortion “unless the abortion is performed in a hospital facility.” Ten thousand […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
How a doula training for Black women and non-binary people became a lesson in intersectionality.
We are constantly asked about our identities: Our gender, sexuality, abilities, disabilities; our ethnic, religious, cultural backgrounds; our style, economic status, trauma and sociological ideologies. Often, our identities are systematically categorized into neat little societal constructs, which many of us are frequently struggling to fit within. These identity checkboxes can be helpful. For example, self-identifying […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why talking about autism without folks living with autism isn’t good enough
Did you see the image of Donald Trump, hunched over the massive desk in the Oval Office, flanked by half a dozen other white men while he signed an executive order eliminating funds to international organizations that provide reproductive healthcare to women? The incongruity of the scene and its effects was so striking that the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Matthew MacDougall says dignity saves lives
Sometimes, when you’re talking about addictions recovery, you hear of the need to do a 180 degree turn to change one’s life. In my case, it was a deeply-rooted 360 spin. I was born in Halifax and spent the majority of my childhood and teens there. I graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 2001. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Out of The Cold Shelter needs volunteers, a location and in a dream world—to not be necessary
Cameron sits in the warm restaurant, staring at their empty coffee cup. They fumble their hands in their pockets and leave a small pile of change next to the cold mug, then head out the door. Cameron pulls their jacket tight and makes the trek down snow-covered Spring Garden Road, looking for a refuge from […]