“People said this time I might actually vote” — MLA Susan Leblanc on her campaign in North Dartmouth
We talked to newly elected Dartmouth North MLA Susan Leblanc about her experiences going door to door in low-income neighborhoods.
Understanding our story: two books on the Shubenacadie Residential School.
A review of two excellent books on the horrific Shubenacadie Residential School, one, by Chris Benjamin, offering a historical overview, and the other, by elder Isabelle Knockwood, providing a moving eye witness account of the institution in all its horror. This isn’t ancient history.
Op-ed: Cops aplenty, but no sex workers in CBC Nova Scotia story on sex work
A story on sex work and the law published last week by CBC Nova Scotia featured plenty of cops talking about whether to charge the people who buy sex, or the people who provide it. What was lacking was the voice of even a single sex worker.
News brief: Halifax police chief J.M. Blais tables street checks update
An interim report presented by Halifax Regional Police chief J.M. Blais at the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners today suggests carding is necessary to effectively fight crime, and that too many Ontario-like checks and balances will kill the practice.
This is really hard on us — Rally marks 511 days on picket line for Chronicle Herald workers
The Herald strike has now been going on for an unbelievable 511 days. The NS Advocate went to a rally and barbecue organized to show the workers that they haven’t been forgotten.
Op-ed: A new minister for Community Services — Time to get loud
A new minister for Community Services, but we predict that nothing will change. Low key and polite advocacy hasn’t been able to stop the decades-long downward slide of income assistance rates. Time to try something else.
Court of Appeal considers income assistance case after suspension causes hardship for entire family
When the “head of the family” gets suspended from receiving income assistance for punitive reasons, the entire family suffers. A recent case went all the way to the NS Court of Appeal where lawyers argued this goes against Charter values and international agreements Nova Scotia signed off on.
Weekend video: Black Cop, the pitch vid
This weekend we feature a trailer for a movie written and directed by the wonderfully talented Cory Bowles. It’s about a Black cop who gets profiled while off duty. I really want to see it. Thing is, the movie isn’t quite done yet, and Bowles needs our help. So check it out, and, if you have a bit of money to spare, hurry on to the Indiegogo site to do your civic duty.
Op ed: We’re having the wrong discussion about police street checks
Ever since we found out about anti-Black bias in Halifax police street check practices the police department and municipal politicians have tried to make the issue go away. The hiring of an “expert” to determine whether there even is any bias at all is just the latest shameful example.
We need to force them to tell us exactly what their plans are — Fiona Traynor on welfare transformation
In a recent talk at a community meeting on welfare, Fiona Traynor, a community legal worker at Dalhousie Legal Aid raised the alarm about the state of income assistance in Nova Scotia. Cuts to allowances and an increase in poor bashing have her worried.
In that speech Traynor also called for a strategic push back against the Community Services welfare transformation initiative, something we are told will change the way income assistance is delivered, but that has otherwise been low on details. We talked with Traynor late last week to further explore these issues.