🗞️ Five little piggies

Good Monday Halifax,

It didn't take long for Friday's edition of the Daily to set off an avalanche of aggravation from readers for highlighting "51st state of mind," an essay on The Coast website wherein Michael Kennedy shares his opinion that Nova Scotia could find a bright economic future in leaving Canada to join the US. Here's a small, very small sampling from email replies and responses in the "What did you think of today's newsletter?" poll you'll find near the bottom:

"What on Earth was that? I appreciate your dedication to free speech, but given the seriousness of the situation, that extremely (and I think deliberately) misleading and inaccurate piece was a step too far."

“When your opinion is treason, it's not an opinion. So incredibly disappointed to see this.”

“It feels so weird and predatory and shitty to run a click-bait opinion piece as part of this newsletter and to host it on the site. I expect better from this publication than this base and banal promotion of content expected to anger and divide your readers. ”

"Is it supposed to be satire? It really lacks the insight and nuance that I have come to expect from The Coast."

"What you've done today is dangerous and irresponsible and I am deeply disappointed that I have supported this.”

"Seeing an article like this in my favourite newsletter is so scary. Please, The Coast, do better. ”

"As a former American I’m pretty incensed by the ridiculous, ignorant drivel in this opinion piece. Why would you publish something like this?"

You deserve an explanation, which is why you're getting me, Coast co-founder Kyle Shaw, taking over the introduction today from your usual and far wittier correspondent, Coast Daily editor Julie. But first let me acknowledge the betrayal so many of you felt by my decision to publish "51st state." I've long said The Coast belongs to you readers as much as it does to the people who put it together for you, so it hurts to realize I let you down. I'm sincerely sorry about that.

As for why "51st state" was published, it was neither the opening post in a Trumpward editorial slide, nor an experiment in using bots to generate content (Michael Kennedy is a real person who, as far as I can tell, really believes what he wrote). To me, it was simply the latest chapter in The Coast's long, proud and, yes, often tumultuous history of engaging with controversial topics.

Last week's big Canadian political news of prime minister Justin Trudeau resigning, just before the US felon in chief becomes our closest neighbour with an army, added further attention to Don Trump's expansionist trolling of Panama, Greenland and Canada. As happened with many world leaders during the first Trump term, Canada’s next PM or a powerful premier might well start thinking it's possible to make a deal with the Donald. But such an idea belongs out where the public is, not in private meeting rooms. I'd much prefer The Coast risk floating a trial balloon in the open—where it can be brought down by citizens and serve as a warning to officials—than wait around for some politician to drop a legislative brick on us.

-Kyle

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 0°

Tomorrow: 🌨️ -3°

Next Day: 🌨️ -2°

7-day forecast

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

CITY

Public begs Board of Police Commissioners for competent governance

Wednesday’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting was one for the record books, as the embattled board struggled to maintain its legitimacy in the face of withering public scrutiny. 

But the board’s struggles with legitimacy didn’t start on January 8 during the public participation phase of the 2025/26 municipal budget process. Instead, they can be traced back to last year’s municipal budget, the 2024/25 edition, and the public participation around that budget, which began in the fall of 2023.

The Coast’s Matt Stickland has everything you need to know about what happened at the meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners.

🤔 Need To Know

🚨 Nova Scotia RCMP say that one person is dead under suspicious circumstances after a house fire in Centreville on Sunday—the Southwest Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit is leading the ongoing investigation.

💜 The daughter of a Nova Scotia woman killed by her husband is calling for greater public discussion about domestic violence, saying she learned too late about the warning signs in her mother's relationship.

📮 It is going to cost you more to mail a letter starting today—stamps purchased in a booklet, coil or pane will increase by 25 cents, to $1.24 per stamp, while individual stamps will increase from $1.15 to $1.44.

🎶 Support4Culture is dedicated to fostering artistic endeavors and cultural enrichment within the music industry in Nova Scotia. Visit Facebook and Instagram or more.*

🔥 As firefighters and first responders tackle historic fires bearing down on Los Angeles, people with connections to Nova Scotia are speaking out about the experience of living around the blazes.

🏠 According to a new report, the average asking rent for all residential property types in Canada was 3.2% lower at the end of 2024 than the end of the previous year—this marks a 17-month-low average rent of $2,109.

*Sponsored Post

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LISTEN

Meet the Halifax Tides’ newest iron woman

Seven thousand, seven hundred and eighty-nine minutes. That’s how much time Gianna Creighton logged on the soccer pitch at UC Irvine, more than any player in her college’s history. So reliable—so relentless on the field—was she that, in four years, she never missed a match. 

That durability led to a training stint with the Portland Thorns, where Creighton got to share the pitch with Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair.

Now, the 23-year-old San Diego native is ready for a new challenge: Creighton is the first international signing for the Halifax Tides, set to embark on the local team’s first season in the newly-formed Northern Super League, Canada’s first-ever professional women’s soccer league. Never mind if she’s never lived away from Southern California.

“I don’t think it has sunk in,” she laughs, speaking with The Coast.

Creighton catches up with The Coast’s Martin Bauman on the latest episode of The Wandering Tides podcast. The two talk about everything from moving to Halifax to life in California’s Orange County—and how much it resembles The O.C.—to her coach’s advice to “be like a duck.”

Listen now 🎧

🗞️ In Other News

🏥 The Houston government has reaffirmed its commitment to free parking at hospitals, but has no timeline—saying the the options and logistics for removing parking fees are currently under review.

🚒 A 40-year-old man and three young children were taken to a Halifax-area hospital after they were rescued from a house fire that broke out Saturday in Lower Sackville.

🦜 An iconic Halifax mascot has finally made a friend and his health seems to be improving, according to the nature park where he is rehabilitating—for 20 years, Merlin the Rainbow Macaw greeted visitors at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic until he had to retire due to declining health.

🛍️ Throughout December 2024, Halifax Regional Police conducted a “theft blitz” to combat retail crime—an initiative that works with retailers and police forces across Canada to recover stolen goods and provide a disincentive for shoplifters.

🖥️ Nova Scotia’s Education Department says a recent cybersecurity breach involving a widely used student information system could have a financial impact on current and former teachers and staff in Cape Breton.

🚌 A parent in Enfield is voicing her frustration regarding frequent school bus cancellations, saying she has had to leave her workplace early on several occasions—driving more than 300 kilometres in total this school year—when her son’s bus has been cancelled.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Controlled Damage presented by Neptune Theatre: Controlled Damage explores the life of Canadian civil rights icon Viola Desmond. Her courageous act in a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946 sparked a ripple effect that still resonates today. Viola Desmond was an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances by an unyielding and racist world. Despite the personal cost to herself and her loved ones, she never gave up. | Jan 14-Feb 12 | From $33

🗓 The Comedy Stand Presents Albert Coombes: Albert Coombes has made a name for himself, recording for Just For Laughs Originals and being featured in the upcoming Halifax Comedy Festival. This is your chance to see him live before his star continues to rise! Featuring the hilarious Stu Anthony and hosted by the one and only Jon Pickett, this is a comedy show you won't want to miss. | Jan 16 | 7pm | $20

🗓 Exhibit—Maroon Beads by Tyshan Wright: Halifax-based artist Tyshan Wright works at the intersection of contemporary art and traditional Jamaican Maroon culture and craft. Be the first to explore the latest exhibition this week at the opening reception of Maroon Beads at the Mary E. Black Gallery. | Jan 16-March 9

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢➡️ The Tropic Lissette container ship arrives in Halifax from Philipsburg at 6:15am and leaves for West Palm Beach at 10pm.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sail container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 8:20am and leaves for New York at 6pm.

➡️ The Bosporos oil tanker leaves Halifax for Houston at 9am.

🚢 The Algoscotia oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Sept-Iles at 10:30am.

➡️ The IT Infinity offshore supply ship leaves Halifax for Chaguaramas at 6pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍎 Try the Valley Italiano Flatbread at Stardust Queer Bar and Kitchen: brie, apple slices and prosciutto on house-made dough brushed with rosemary garlic aioli, topped with balsamic glaze and fresh arugula.

🦪 All bets are off when Baked Scallops Casino hits the table at Water Polo: house-cured bacon, Pernod butter and sourdough crumbs.

👀 In Case You Missed It

💸 Rashmi Prakash has no time for small ideas. Growing up in Wales and southern Ontario, the Waverly-based founder of Aruna Revolution dreamt of genetically engineering “green dragons” that would fly over the planet and convert greenhouse gases into oxygen. It’s fitting, then, that dragons would play a part in Prakash’s latest dream—to reshape menstrual products across the globe, by taking them out of landfills and turning them into compost. Last week her period-product startup just took home a “transformative deal” on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, securing an offer from tech entrepreneur Michele Romanow and beer entrepreneur Manjit Minhas.

🇺🇸 It seems increasingly likely US president-elect Donald Trump will impose a tariff on Canadian exports after he’s inaugurated next Monday. If his threat of a 25% tariff comes to fruition, it will decimate Nova Scotia’s economy. Recently and repeatedly, Trump has talked about Canada becoming the 51st state. The idea outrages most Canadians, but then most Canadians aren’t in Nova Scotia’s dismal economic situation. Maybe our province should see Trump’s musings more as an offer than a threat. That, at least, is the opinion Michael Kennedy has, writing a piece about Nova Scotia leaving Canada that we have to warn you made a lot of Coast readers angry.

That’s it!

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