Friday, 1 May 2026
Former Halifax firefighter Liane Tessier on the need for a public inquiry into racism and bullying at HRM: The city simply can’t be trusted  

Liane Tessier , the former Halifax firefighter and co-founder of Equity Watch, believes that Halifax employees who suffered racism, misogyny and bullying at work deserve a public inquiry, not just some quarterly updates to Council and a review by an external consultant. Tessier fought the city for 12 years after suffering abuse by management and fellow workers before she was vindicated.

Weekend video: I am today

This weekend’s video features Rupesh, Praise, and Marwa, three youth who came to Nova Scotia as refugees and share their experiences on camera. It’s very nice.

Announced poverty reduction tax credit increase for income assistance recipients mostly bullshit

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Community Services deputy minister Lynn Hartwell announced a couple of changes for income assistance recipients. None of these changes are as problem-free as the CBC story suggests. Over the next week or so the NS Advocate will look at all the announcements. Today we take a closer look at the supposed raise in the poverty reduction tax credit. In reality it’s not reducing a whole lot of poverty at all.

It is really about basic dignity and respect – Louise Bradley on mental health care and living in institutions

For me, the testimony by Louise Bradley, CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, was one of the highlights of this week’s proceedings at the human rights inquiry. That’s why I was pleased when she was willing to be interviewed. We talk about mental health, the harm of living in an institution, stigma, and the benefits of community living. Louise was at one time heavily involved in the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth, and we also talk about the folks there who have been conditionally discharged but can’t get the supportive housing they need. So they just stick around, sometimes for many years.