Good morning!

We have a short snippet for you below on the outcome of the province’s cannabis crackdown, orchestrated by attorney general Scott Armstrong.

I’ve spoken not-so-kindly about Armstrong before, and I know several people with close ties to him that are utterly confounded by the decision to pursue cannabis shops over any of the real issues impacting Nova Scotians, but a little tidbit I somehow missed in my research has helped me understand Armstrong just a bit more.

According to a story from CBC last year, Armstrong took a little trip down south in 2025 using tax payer money ($3,288.47 according to his expense claim). What was that trip about? It was so Armstrong could attend the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

There are several questions as to why Armstrong attended. Firstly, he was the minister of social development at the time. It may make a little more sense if he was involved in trade, but he wasn’t, not in any capacity.

Armstrong says he was “selected” because of his past experience with international travel as an MP (a career with its own scandals attached), and because he could secure a ticket from a friend in South Carolina. The public was given no prior notice of this trip.

Given the Trumpian nature of the crackdown, it wouldn’t surprise me if Armstrong was a fan of the American dictator. I’d like to see if he says otherwise.

Best,

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

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Next Day: 🌧️ 6°

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

The attorney general’s cannabis crackdown is in full swing as the RCMP raid five cannabis storefronts across Nova Scotia, seizing cannabis and nicotine products.

In a press release on Monday, Nova Scotia RCMP reported that six individuals have been charged under the Cannabis Control Act. Three individuals were served notice for offences involving "illegal tobacco” under the Revenue Act.

In December, Nova Scotia’s justice minister and attorney general Scott Armstrong issued a directive calling on police throughout the province to target cannabis enforcement, which directly impacts cannabis shops owned and managed by the province’s Mi’kmaq community.

This has triggered criticism from not only First Nations communities and their leaders, but folks across the board who consider the decision to be a violation of treaty rights. Law experts have also criticized Armstrong’s directive as interference in police administration and operations. Armstrong’s office has responded by saying they don’t tell police how to do their job.

It has also deteriorated the relationship between the province and First Nations communities, with several chiefs coming out against the crackdown. The most severe is a ban on Armstrong and Premier Tim Houston from setting foot on Sipekne’katik lands.

In the wake of the announcement, he and Premier Tim Houston have spread much misinformation on cannabis storefronts, including that these cannabis sales are linked to human trafficking and contain fentanyl, the latter denied by the RCMP. However, the RCMP say in their press release they believe these storefronts to be connected to organized crime, with products that may be hazardous to one’s health.

⛽ Nova Scotians are likely to pay the cost of diesel hikes, according to the province’s agriculture and trucking sectors—the price rose 15 cents per litre on Saturday as oil tankers are disrupted due to the United States and Israel going to war with Iran.

⚖️ Irving Shipbuilding has pleaded guilty to a health and safety charge in the death of Jamie Knight, who was struck by a wheel loader during snow clearing operations at the Halifax shipyard in 2024—the company will face sentencing on April 24.

🏥 Operations at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax had to be rearranged over the weekend as their power went out late Friday night—the operating rooms remained closed on Monday as admin work on plans for scheduled surgeries.

From March 14th – 22nd, enjoy FREE admission and programming at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

✨Food workshops

✨Scavenger hunt

✨Interactive activities

✨Exhibitions

…. and so much more!

Free March Break programming and admission are made possible thanks to the generous support of a donor.

💸 The Nova Scotia government is eyeing a public-private partnership to build a new jail in Cape Breton—the jail is not allotted for within the province’s annual budget

🪧 The province house has a filled gallery on Friday as people protested the cuts to programs and grants that directly impact Nova Scotia’s Black and Indigenous communities—280 grants will be reduced or eliminated in this budget.

🚗 A pedestrian who is said to be involved in a collision in Halifax on Saturday left the scene, says police—the driver who was involved did not receive a ticket.

Dinosaur Exploration 2 is a sequel to museum's hit 2024 exhibit letting visitors experience the world's favourite dinosaurs.

Visitors will discover the intricacies of an Ankylosaurus’s armour,  the power of Stegosaurus’s tail, and the defense of a Triceratops’s frill.

Dinosaurs Exploration at the Museum of Natural History runs from February 7 until September 7, 2026.

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

🗓 Live Jazz with The Matt MacLennan Trio: Bassit Matt MacLennan brings his three-piece band along for velvety ballads and smooth bossa novas at the Obladee. | March 11 | 7PM |

🗓 Oodles of Noodles - Noodle Festival: The city’s only celebration of noodles is back for another year on Quinpool Road. | March 11-17 |

🗓 Comedy! Featuring some of the stars of 22 Minutes: Some of the stars of This Hour Has 22 Minutes have some on-stage fun in this stand-up and sketch comedy show. Happening at the Bus Stop Theatre. | March 11 | 8PM | $22.63 |

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

➡️ The Tropic Hope container vessel departs Halifax for West Palm Beach at 6am.

🚢➡️ The Box Endurance container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 8:20am and departs for Kingston at 6pm.

➡️ The Eagle II container vessel departs Halifax for Rotterdam at 6pm.

TK TK TK Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent tristique tempor mi, non pulvinar mi scelerisque sit amet. Quisque ac arcu efficitur, pellentesque justo volutpat, gravida odio. Fusce eu commodo nibh, et efficitur velit. Mauris rhoncus nulla nec enim placerat, ut tempus ex auctor. Suspendisse at ex porta, posuere diam quis, maximus metus.

🍨 A new gluten-free ice cream has dropped over at Churned—Chocolate Pretzel & Caramel! Purchase in scoops and pints.

🍗 The Honey Dill Crunch is on this week over at WaveFoods. Buttermilk fried chicken, honey dill remoulade, bacon, lettuce, pickle and crunchy onions on a brioche bun.

🪧 Artists in Nova Scotia are fighting back against the province’s proposed budget cuts. Whether it be joining in on rallies across the province, using their platforms to bring attention to the issue, or stepping away from provincial funding sources to carve their own path, artists are walking the walk as Premier Tim Houston’s government seeks to cut more than $300 million. Nova Scotian Americana musician Charlie A’Court is one of several musicians letting the government know what they think by way of a song he was writing for his next album. In his own words, “the Houston budget came and I saw the path forward to finish it.” A’Court also says his self-titled scholarship of $500 for excellence in music, which was cut by the province, will continue forward under his own stewardship. Ben Caplan has also taken to social media to criticize the budget and all of its cuts. He has called it a “manufactured crisis” of austerity, a result of a one percent HST cut which lost the government $261 million a year, along with the elimination of bridge tolls in Halifax. “It was caused by tax cuts, bridge debt, and years of financial mismanagement,” says the musician in an Instagram video posted Thursday.

🚗 HRM’s budget committee approved a 25 percent increase to parking fees and paid parking on Saturdays in the downtown cores of Halifax and Dartmouth—Mayor Andy Fillmore says past adjustments did not impact demand for parking.

🏛️ Premier Tim Houston says he has no plans to change the budget despite widespread disapproval, protests, and the negative impact it has on programs and services across the province—he says Nova Scotia’s financial situation is driving their decision making.

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