🗞️ Breathe and reprieve

Good morning Halifax,

Do you think when prisoners on death row get a last-minute stay of execution, they feel relieved, or even more riddled with anxiety at having to wait in limbo? Asking for a friend.

Canada has been granted a month-long reprieve on the proposed tariffs on goods sold to the United States, and premier Tim Houston says that the delay gives us all a “chance to breathe.” Which, I guess. But do we really want to just ignore the looming threat and go on with life as usual? It’s giving…

That’s right, everybody. Sit tight and assess! 

The counter-measures that were put in place over the weekend will no longer take effect, which is a real shame because I think we were all getting pretty excited about the things we could do with that big influx of Cobequid Pass cash 💰.

Rather than using this month to stand down, I’ll be interested to see if we take the time to strengthen our self-sufficiency so that we can better protect ourselves from the on-again, off-again threats from Donald Trump. Let’s take the time to re-examine procurement strategies, refrain from signing any new US contracts and work with the other Atlantic provinces to find new trade markets. Like the Premier of New Brunswick has said she’s doing. An actual plan of action?! Never heard of it.

Getting rid of interprovincial trade barriers—the regulatory burdens that frustrate efforts to buy, sell or otherwise do business across provincial lines—would be a great place to start. If we really are “Team Canada” (insert eye roll), then it’s time for provinces to stop protecting their own turf from each other with barriers to trade that go back decades.

You know when you get a week-long extension on a term paper, and you feel so relieved because now you’ll have so much stress-free time to do a great job, but then you end up procrastinating and doing it the night before anyway, in tears, with only yourself to blame?

That. That’s what would be good to avoid.

Have a great day out there!

– Julie

📷 @editorjulesl

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ -8°

Tomorrow: 🌨️ 0°

Next Day: 🌧️ 4°

7-day forecast

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

CITY HALL

Council is on the front lines of the trade war

At the 11th hour, a temporary ceasefire deal was reached in the dumbest trade war in history. Our political leaders have bought us 30 days and after that, should the cold trade war become hot, it will have catastrophic impacts on the Canadian economy. Hostilities are set to resume next month. 

While it may seem to have come out of the blue, this trade war plays a key role in how Americans see their national security. Even though a trade war would also be devastating for the American economy, the fact that this new American president is willing to threaten a close ally and harm his own people means the national security aspect is preeminent to him, so we need to be ready for any possibility. 

This next month is crucial for Canadian governments to prepare for the end of our American dependence and start the fight to regain Canadian sovereignty. Believe it or not, the front lines of this battle are where American national security and Canadian municipal budgets meet. And that battle starts today—literally, because budget talks are getting underway at City Hall. 

For a preview of today’s skirmish, The Coast’s trade war correspondent Matt Stickland has more.

🤔 Need To Know

🚔 Halifax’s Board of Police Commissioners is considering the future of the aging police headquarters on Gottingen Street and has been presented with three potential sites—the current north end headquarters dates back to 1975, and the force has outgrown the space.

✨Make a date to see the dazzling 28-foot-tall tree and winter decorations in Peace and Friendship Park, up to the end of March.*

👋🏽 The Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia has opened a new centre to support young newcomers to Canada and their families—the Youth and Family Centre is intended to serve participants ages 13 to 30 with programs that emphasize education and job skills. 

🍫 Happy World Nutella Day from The Italian Market! We're celebrating until the end of February with Nutella treats including Nutella Tiramisu, Nutella Panna Cotta, Nutella Torte, and a Nutella Latte, served with a tiny jar of Nutella!*

*Sponsored Post

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NEWS + OPINION

Is Nova Scotia Loyal the hero we need?

Announced last July, the Nova Scotia Loyal program seeks to supply national grocery chain Sobeys and the provincial liquor corporation with the means to promote local goods using an “enhanced procurement policy, branding to showcase local products and incentives for Nova Scotians to buy local.”

The incentive? For one week a month, Sobeys customers can collect extra Scene points when they purchase local products, and NSLC customers will receive bonus Air Miles when they buy eligible alcohol products

Fast-forward seven months and in the wake of Trump’s tariff “will he or won’t he,” premier Tim Houston said that the province will “look for new markets here at home with programs like Nova Scotia Loyal.”

Which sounds great, except that since its conception, the program has been derided by critics of the Houston government, with the opposition calling it “laughably stupid.” A report on the program revealed the current model to be completely untested. Some have also voiced concerns over giving big box stores a one-up on independent grocers, as well as the selling of aggregated data collected from customers by Scene and Air Miles.

Dig into The Coast archive to jog your memory on the Nova Scotia Loyal Program, as Brendyn Creamer took a deep dive into the program when it was launched—and decide for yourself if it has what it takes.

🗞️ In Other News

💊 Seniors at some long-term care facilities are getting help faster for common ailments after the province funded the training for nurses to prescribe medication—the pilot project is running in several homes across Nova Scotia.

💸 A Halifax woman with lymphedema who fought the Nova Scotia government in court—and won—is now getting out-of-country treatment paid for by the province. 

🎣 Three men are in jail after they were charged with uttering threats, intimidation and extortion in a southwestern Nova Scotia community where violence tied to illegal fishing is on the rise.

🚨 Three care workers in Amherst are facing fraud charges after allegedly removing "large sums of money" from the bank account of a vulnerable woman they were assigned to care for.

SPONSORED BY CRAFT ALLIANCE ATLANTIC

Trade show focused on local craft

Craft East Buyers’ Expo is an annual trade show to promote the crafts and giftware industry in Atlantic Canada. For two days in February, the show brings together the finest in handmade products from the region. Products like these cute Penguins by Woods(wo)man Woodworking are featured. Open only to the qualified retail trade.

SPONSORED BY SACKVILLE SNOW DAYS

Sackville Snow Days is back for its 11th year!

Join the excitement at Sackville Snow Days from February 14-17! With over 25 events happening around the community of Sackville, enjoy a long weekend filled with winter activities like skating, sledding, bouncy castles, big screen movies, contests and so much more. Be sure to catch the dazzling fireworks display.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Halifax International Boat Show: Life is better on the water! Explore everything from entry level to luxury boats, plus a full range of services and accessories. Talk to the experts, climb aboard new models, and get excited for the 2025 season. Find all you need and more to make a splash this summer. | Feb 6-9 | $42.50

🗓 2024-25 Rivalry Series: Come cheer on Team Canada’s women’s hockey team as they take on their cross-border rivals in the first game of the five-game series. Booing the US national anthem optional. | Feb 6 | 7pm | Free

🗓 Great Canadian Kilt Skate: Be part of Halifax’s first-ever Great Canadian Kilt Skate! Celebrate with bare knees and celebrate Scotland’s contribution to Canada’s multicultural mosaic. Kilts and tartans are not mandatory but are much appreciated. A social event will follow at The Brewery by Quinn’s. | Feb 8 | 4pm | Free

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The AS Felicia container ship arrives in Halifax from New York at 5:20am and leaves for Kingston at 11:45pm.

➡️ The MSC Kim container ship leaves Halifax for Gioia Tauro, Italy at 5:30am.

🚢 The CMA CGM G Washington arrives in Halifax from Port Klang, Malaysia at 5:45am.

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling container ship arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 8:20am.

➡️ The Zim Iberia container ship leaves Halifax for New York at 11:30am.

➡️ The Goodwyn Island bulk carrier leaves Halifax for Sept-Iles, Quebec at 12pm.

🚢➡️ The Future Way vehicle carrier arrives in Halifax from Emden, Germany at 12:25pm and leaves for Davisville, Rhode Island at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍲 Grab fresh and delicious food on the go from the Hot Bar at Arthur's Urban Market with lots of hot, made-from-scratch options to choose from every weekday from 11:30am-2:30pm.

🍕 New month, new pizza! The feature for February at Morris East is the Spicy Hawaiian: smoked ham, caramelized pineapple, fresh jalapeno, parsley, drizzle of chilli honey.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🛒 Amid all of Don Trump’s dick-swinging, the main questions on many Haligonians’ minds involve a more pressing matter: Just how expensive could groceries get in a trade war? And how can we Nova Scotians survive such a war when our two biggest grocers have a documented history of being dicks as well? The Coast has you covered with a guide to outlasting tariffs—and supporting your neighbours, too.

⚽ It’s hard to believe that it was scarcely 14 months ago when six women met in a room to sketch out the possibility of bringing a pro women’s soccer team to Halifax. Now, that moment is approaching fast. As The Coast’s Martin Bauman reports, it’s one that means something different to each of the team’s players—from the veterans returning for one last dance, to the homegrown kids who never imagined they’d be playing in their backyard.

That’s it!

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