Oh Halifax, you beautiful temptress you,

If you want to see some harrowing Halloween costumes, look no further than my family photo album where the 1980s played host to a bevy of inappropriate looks. I will not go into this further as I fear it will hinder my inevitable run for Prime Minister one day.

But I assure you, none of them were as offensive as this guy in Cole Harbour who opted for a full Nazi uniform, complete with a swastika armband. And just to add a particularly grotesque touch, he was reportedly pushing a stroller while accompanying children trick-or-treating.

Imagine having to explain to a 10-year-old that the man he just encountered wasn't dressed as some obscure German military character, but as a representative of one of history's most murderous regimes? Explaining the Holocaust on Halloween night would not have been on my BINGO card, but here we are.

In grand Nova Scotia tradition, people have confused freedom of expression with freedom to publicly flaunt symbols of genocide and racial hatred. So let's not pretend this is an isolated incident or simply a case of exceptionally bad Halloween taste.

In 2024, four people in North Sydney thought dressing as members of the Ku Klux Klan was an appropriate party theme. More recently, white nationalists gathered in Bedford. Oh, and let us not forget the debacle of Parks Canada having to pull the plug last minute on Christian lunatic, MAGA-affiliated figure Sean Feucht performing at the York Redoubt National Historic Site near Halifax.

And now this.

At what point do we stop treating these incidents as bizarre little local embarrassments and acknowledge the obvious? White supremacy is alive and well in Nova Scotia. It may not always arrive wearing a white hood or trick-or-treating with a swastika, but it certainly hasn't disappeared.

Nova Scotia loves to congratulate itself on being welcoming, inclusive and progressive. We run expensive marketing campaigns that celebrate diversity and insist that hatred has no place here. We simply love to colour our province in pastels. But these lovely sentiments mean exactly jack shit if we keep dismissing public displays of racism as youthful mistakes or a case of ”one bad apple”.

A Nazi uniform is not edgy. A swastika is not a fashion accessory. And genocide is not a Halloween theme. Maybe it's time Nova Scotia stopped patting itself on the back for being tolerant and started confronting the intolerance standing right in front of us.

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌧️ 12°

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Next Day: ☁ 17°

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🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

For author Aaron Kyte, writing a Christmas romance was about more than creating a feel-good holiday story.

It was about creating the kind of love story he wishes he could have found on a bookshelf growing up.

Kyte’s debut novel, A Christmas Inn, Maine, was released Oct 13 through Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins. The queer romance puts a queer twist on the familiar holiday love stories often associated with Hallmark movies.

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with Kyte about his debut novel and its expression of queer joy.

🇨🇦 Democrats are predicted to make gains in U.S. midterms, but political scientists say it's not likely to help Canada much in trade talks—it's also not clear how Donald Trump's trade plans might change if Republicans lose seats.

💜 A woman who was viciously attacked by her former intimate partner says seeing the support from her community in Pugwash is giving her strength and helping her heal—people packed a community hall in northern Nova Scotia on Sunday for an event organized by municipal and provincial politicians to show support for Jessie Vandewiel.

🎉 A man who was accused in three separate sexual assault cases is no longer employed by the RCMP—William McNutt, 41, who held the rank of constable in the RCMP, has faced three allegations of sexual assault from three different complainants.

🏡 Many seniors want to age in their current home. This free guide helps them and their adult children decide whether the house can keep up.*

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It’s our favourite time of year over at The Coast. A time where we get to see what our readers have to say about all the best things about Halifax: their favourite food, music, celebrities, influencers, fashion, shops and much, much more.

Nominations are now open for the Best of Halifax 2027, closing on Friday, Nov 6. After nominations close, we’ll tally the results and give you the top five nominees to vote on in each category.

This is your chance to have a say on what Haligonians will vote for in the subsequent voting rounds. If you have strong feelings on what Halifax has to offer, now is the time to use your voice. Tell us about your hidden gems, forever favourites, or people who you believe need more recognition.

You can find the nomination form here.

🫠 The proponent of a major artificial intelligence data centre proposal in southern Cape Breton is slated to make its pitch to local residents in person—EverWind Fuels is hosting two information sessions this week.

🥀 More than five months after the remains of a newborn baby were found in a wooded area near Halifax, neither the Crown nor police can say whether a cause of death has been determined—HRP confirmed that there are no updates on autopsy results for either the baby or the mother, who also died.

⛺ A new report shows a slight drop in the overall number of those dealing with homelessness in Halifax, but concerns remain about the dozens of people still sleeping rough—It counted 1,078 people dealing with homelessness, down 72 from last year’s count of 1,150.

⚖️ A Nova Scotia court has dismissed a sexual assault charge against a former doctor after the Crown determined there was no reasonable prospect of conviction—the dismissal comes more than a year after Nova Scotia RCMP charged Sanjeev Sirpal with sexual assault in August 2025.

💻 an— a judge ruled Tuesday that the Crown failed to prove that the contents of the computer constituted proceeds of crime and therefore should be forfeited.

💬 More than 200 municipal leaders from across Nova Scotia are gathering in Halifax to discuss the challenges facing their communities and governments—the annual conference will look at housing and infrastructure, municipal funding, and the relationship with provincial government.

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Amber Harper-Young Live at YukYuks: Coming all the way from Vancouver, Amber Harper-Young is a national Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club roster regular and a familiar face at Just For Laughs North West. You can catch her on SiriusXM, stream her EP Drenched, and look out for her upcoming television debut with the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame on Hollywood Suite. Known for her absurd, self-deprecating humour, Amber is one you won’t want to miss! | Nov 6 and 7 | 8pm | $25 |

🗓 Hawksley Workman: Experience an evening of exceptional live music with acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman. A two-time JUNO Award winner known for his distinctive voice, captivating stage presence, and genre-blending style, Workman has built a celebrated career spanning folk, pop, rock, and cabaret. | Nov 6 | 8pm | $47 |

🗓 Nova Scotia Art and Craft Show: Meet 60 carefully curated Nova Scotia artisans and shop a diverse collection of handmade pottery, fine art, jewellery, woodworking, textiles, glass art, home décor, foods, and more. Every exhibitor is selected because they create the work they sell, giving you the opportunity to meet the makers, hear the stories behind their creations, and purchase directly from the artists and craftspeople themselves. | Nov 6 and 7 | Free admission |

Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].

🚢➡️ The Victory I cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 8am and departs at 8pm.

➡️ The CSL Kuleana bulk carrier departs Halifax for Baltimore at 9am.

➡️ The Seahope bulk carrier arrives in Halifax from Sao Luis at 9:15am and departs at 4pm.

➡️ The Tirranna vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 11am.

🚢➡️ The Seven Seas Splendor cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 11am and departs at 5:30pm.

🚢 The Atlantic Sky container vessel arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 11:20am and departs for New York at 6pm.

➡️ The Algonova tanker departs Halifax for Nanticoke at 12pm.

🚢 The St. John container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:20pm.

➡️ The Leeway Odyssey research vessel departs Halifax at 6pm.

🍹 Clock out and head to Agricola. Happy Hour runs daily 4–6pm with $6 wine, $6.50 drafts, $9 cocktails, and snacks.

*sponsored

🏫 After returning to the bargaining table late last week, the union representing education support staff across Nova Scotia called a 48-hour strike notice with plans to begin today, Nov 2. Shortly after the notice was issued on Oct 30, a second press release from CUPE stated the strike was a no-go. A tentative deal between the province and the Nova Scotia Board Council of Unions (NSSBCU) has been reached. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over the new deal and what we know so far.

🐢 A Halifax-based venture is building community through hands-on experiences, celebrating local makers and giving back to a beloved 104-year-old resident at the Museum of Natural History. The Coast’s Julie Lawrence spoke with Linger co-founders Jen Whalen and Sherene Kirincich about their on a mission to bring people closer to the small businesses, artists and makers who make the province unique.

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