In memory of Robert Devet (d. September 27, 2021), founder, publisher and editor of the Nova Scotia Advocate. This site is preserved as an archive of the Advocate’s journalism from 2016 to 2021, and as a tribute to Robert’s work. No new articles are published, and comments, forms and search are closed. Read the tribute →
Joanne Bealy: Open letter – Appoint an African Nova Scotian as Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs

2 Comments

Joanne Bealy writes an open letter to Premier Tim Houston: “You could still change the already wide-spread perception that the only constituents who matter to you are white, cis, moneyed ones. The Black history of Canada begins in Nova Scotia. You could listen to what the people have said and reach beyond your party’s boundaries to appoint an African Nova Scotian as Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs.”

Letter: We can have the country we want and deserve

Joanne Bealy considers the state of the world and our province and issues a call to action. “We need people who don’t usually speak out to join those who do and for everybody to stand together for the good of all of us. It’s time to let it be known that the disenfranchisement of minority groups, intended or not, is not OK. One step forward, maybe two back, but on we go. We can have the country we want and deserve. It is our choice.”

Joanne Bealy: Hard lessons on race

4 Comments

Poet and writer Joanne Bealy went to the Kent Monkman talk at the Central Library, and learned some hard lessons about white privilege and complicity, not just from Monkman but especially from two Black women.

Joanne Bealy: White silence

2 Comments

Poet and writer Joanne Bealy on moving to Nova Scotia: “Within the white community I have seen some crazy doubling down: public silence combined with a privileged kind of outspokenness, a white on white outspokenness wherein a caucasian speaker just assumes that any other caucasian agrees with them.”