🗞️ The curious case of more red tape

Hey Halifax,

I’m fairly sure I’m not the only one wondering why—if we’re not in a recession—I have no money with which to do anything. It’s too risky to go anywhere because everything costs $70, and just leaving my house somehow automatically drains my savings account. And according to the economists, Canada’s economy is a-okay, so what’s up?

Well, apparently there’s a term for what we’re all experiencing and I’m obsessed with it: a “me-cession.” I always had a sinking suspicion that the whole world revolves around me and it turns out, I was correct.  Sort of…

(rolls in slide projector from 1994 with dry erase marker)

A recession is defined by two consecutive quarters of negative growth in gross domestic product. And while we’ve been flirting with some pretty weak growth, we haven't hit those two consecutive quarters. Which means the economy is holding its little head above water.

An economist coined “me-cession” for this economic period in time—the economy is largely holding up under the weight of slow growth and restrictive interest rates, but individual households are not getting ahead. Basically, despite what the bros on Bay Street are saying, it’s hard out here for Canadians and consumers are struggling. 

So, it’s not just me—it’s us—so I would like to formally change the term to a “we-cession.” Makes me feel like I’m part of something, even if that something is being broke.

Have a great day out there!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 25°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 23°

Next Day: 🌤️ 24°

7-day forecast

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

💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.

CITY

Making the case for more red tape

It’s no secret that Canadian governmental bureaucracies are mind-numbingly complex. It’s one of the big reasons that politicians are having a lot of success taking political potshots at all three levels of Canadian public service. The Conservative Party of Canada has put out press releases saying that it will build homes by cutting bureaucracy. Provincial premiers like Doug Ford and Tim Houston have cited “cutting red tape” as key policy planks in their tenures; Houston’s provincial government has said that removing municipal barriers to development in Nova Scotia is one of the key reasons for passing the “autocratic” Bill 329 last year.

These formerly wonky arguments brought into the mainstream are getting a lot of purchase by present-day peddlers of populism. And why would they not? We all see our tax bills, which are going up every year. We can see that from health care to the military, governments employ about a quarter of Canadians. And yet, all of the things governments are supposed to fix, from health care to the military, keep getting worse.

For anyone who gets exposed to modern variants of the free-market-is-better propaganda campaign, which originally came out of Austria in the late 1800s, it makes sense that if taxes are up, and government agencies are getting bigger as things are getting worse, then some of that spending and/or some of those people has to wasteful. And so it follows that cutting should increase government efficiency and/or reduce spending. 

But while this line of thinking makes common sense, it’s worth wondering if it happens to be true.

The Coast’s Matt Stickland dives into the argument for more red tape and how that would benefit council.

🤔 Need To Know

⛈️ The Canadian Hurricane Centre is charting the progress of tropical storm Ernesto—saying any impacts on Eastern Canadian waters would not occur until next week. 

🏊‍♀️ HRM issued a recreational water quality advisory for Oakfield Park beach in Oakfield, Penhorn beach in Dartmouth and Sandy Lake beach in Bedford until further notice due to high bacteria levels in the water.

🚍 A local advocate says an incoming fare increase for buses and ferries in Halifax will have a big impact on people struggling to make ends meet who depend on transit.

NEWS + OPINION

 At least four African Nova Scotian students get scholarships at Peace Basketball Tournament

The annual Peace Basketball Tournament is back for its sixth year with 20 teams competing on courts across Halifax over Aug. 22-25. The tournament continues the legacy of the former provincial Black Invitational Basketball Tournament—which stopped about a decade ago after running for 40 years—which was a rallying force in bringing African Nova Scotians together to celebrate community ties, work to prevent violence and promote peace through sport. 

A Peace Tournament co-founder and board committee member—who wishes to remain nameless here because she’s taken a step back this year and wants the tournament, players and partnerships to take the spotlight—says every different African Nova Scotian community had a place to meet when that former tournament was happening. “You would make a friend at this event, and we would play ball against each other, but as soon as that tournament left, the guns started circulating.” 

The board member says this is because, without that event, “we were all separate in our separate silos and, as an urban Black community, didn't have that meet-and-greet place that we could come to.” That’s why she helped start the Peace Basketball Tournament in 2017. The tournament’s motto? “No peace, no point.” 

Now in its sixth year (there was a COVID-19 hiatus), the board member describes the tournament as “a social platform that we built to give our people a place to start coming back together.“

The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has more on this year’s edition of the tournament and the scholarships that will be awarded.

🗞️ In Other News

🎸For the first time in more than three decades, the iconic Canadian band Doug and the Slugs will make an appearance in Halifax as the lead band to kick-off the second edition of Rock the Harbour.

🥬 The Prescott Street Community Garden established roots in Halifax's north end about 20 years ago, but now its members are relocating and rebuilding.

📰 A national union that represents workers at Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper chain says conditions demanded by Postmedia in its bid to buy the insolvent SaltWire Network are not as bad as some observers had feared.

🏠 The head of a Nova Scotia shelter for women and children says the province can reduce homelessness by addressing the “pathways” that lead people to end up on the street—pointing to fixed-term leases and so-called “renovictions” as part of the problem.

🔋 Nova Scotia Power has to report on its progress to decarbonize the grid every year leading up to a major deadline at the end of the decade—according to a mandate made by the UARB.

🏆 A Nova Scotia man has been given an award for his selfless actions during a tragedy earlier this year, when he witnessed a car accident and sprang into action to provide first aid.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Shakespeare By The Sea presents Alice in the Wonderland: Eat Me! Drink Me! The smash hit original SBTS Musical based on Lewis Carroll's classic story is back! Grab your friends and the whole family and fall down the rabbit hole with us this summer! This 80-minute romp features a wildly inventive script and wonderfully musical score that will have you laughing and singing along with a curious young girl named Alice, and an even curiouser cast of characters of Queens, Cards, White Rabbits, Mad Hatters and Cheshire Cats. | July 6-Aug 31 | Starting at $10

🗓 It Don't Mean a Thing—A Roaring ‘20s Musical Dinner Theatre: Calling all dames, dolls and gangsters! It’s the Roaring ‘20s and everyone is on edge. Lucky Knuckles, the greatest crime boss Halifax has never seen, is going to make an appearance at The Kit Kat Club and word is he’s none too happy. Come hear some of your favourite modern hits performed in the swinging style of Gatsby’s Golden Era and Charleston your way through Prohibition! | Aug 9-Oct 19 | $65.55

🗓 World's Largest Ice Bucket Challenge Presented by ALS Society: Ten years ago, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made waves across Canada, significantly boosting recognition and vital funds for ALS Societies. Now  join in at the Tall Ships Quay on the Halifax Waterfront to recreate that impact at the World's Largest Ice Bucket Challenge. This family-friendly experience invites participants of all ages to join in the fun and community spirit. Stay tuned, stay engaged and be part of this historic moment. | Aug 17 | 11:00am

🗓 Eastern Shore Pride Festival: Come celebrate with a community of leaders and allies who work together to foster, encourage and model diversity, equity and inclusion on the Eastern Shore. The festival includes drag shows,  markets, yoga, music and much more. | Aug 17-25

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Amber Bay tanker leaves Halifax for Houston at 1am.

🛳️➡️ The Pacific Trader container ship arrives in Halifax from New York at 5:50am and leaves for Kingston at 3:30pm.

🛳️➡️ The EF Ava container ship arrives in Halifax from Portland at 1:15pm and leaves for Argentia at 6pm.

🛳️ The Nolhan Ava arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 1:15pm.

➡️ The Thermopylae vehicle carrier leaves Halifax for New York at 6pm.

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Sky container ship arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 2:20pm and leaves for Liverpool at 11pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🦪 Oysters! The perfect end to a gruelling work day. Drop by Little Fish for Oyster Happy Hour every day from 3:30-5:30pm and enjoy fresh oysters for only $1.50 each. 

🏳️‍🌈 It’s opening week at Halifax’s newest queer bar Stardust Bar + Kitchen and the new menu just dropped! There’s a wide selection on offer—like gluten-free fish tacos, earth salad and fried chicken sandwich.

👀 In Case You Missed It

💸 The Mount Saint Vincent University Student Union is asking students affected by ongoing war and conflict worldwide to submit a two-page application for access to a new housing bursary. From now until noon on Aug. 27, current Mount students can find the bursary application on the MSVUSU website. The Coast’s education reporter Lauren Phillips has more on MSVU’s new bursary and how students can apply.

🚒 The family of a Nova Scotia firefighter who died from injuries sustained while taking an exam at a training school says they’ve “stayed quiet for far too long”—and are demanding accountability and safety reform.

That’s it!

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