🗞️ Helping through the holidays

Good morning, Halifax.

As I’m sure you’ve all seen by now, Mike Smith, best known for playing Bubbles in Trailer Park Boys, was charged with sexual assault in Halifax earlier this month.

To some, this destroyed their perspective of the incredibly popular Nova Scotian. Others will undoubtedly defend Smith based on their love for the character and the show. To many women in Halifax, however, these allegations are unsurprising. While I won’t link it here to protect the users, several have said online that being harassed by Smith was—as disgusting as it sounds—a “rite of passage” for millennial Halifax women.

I’m a massive fan of Trailer Park Boys, especially when Mike Clattenburg was with the show. With that being said, I have to agree that the charges against Smith are unsurprising. He was arrested and charged with domestic battery in 2016, based on an incident that happened in Hollywood. Although those charges were eventually dropped, it prompted actress Lucy Decoutere to leave the show.

While I was still a dumb know-nothing teenager at the time (now a dumb know-nothing adult), I couldn’t help but think that Decoutere, who herself testified in the sexual assault trial of former CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi, wouldn’t have left the show if she didn’t find it to be an unsafe environment. Yesterday, Decoutere opened up about the charges against Smith on CBC. I highly recommend giving it a watch as she delivers a nuanced perspective.

There’s always guilt when someone you watch on television turns out to be a terrible person, and I’m certain folks who grew up watching Trailer Park Boys are feeling awfully weird about their love for the show. I know I am.

What I’ll say is this: don’t let that guilt turn into ridicule against the victim. Believe the victims, every step of the way. Nobody would put themselves through a sexual assault trial for no reason. Don’t allow your fondness for a work to deter you from accepting someone’s experience as valid. Rather, we should applaud their bravery for standing up to an alleged predator—one who Halifax women have been warning about for over a decade.

– B

📷 @creamy_yet_smooth

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 6°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 5°

Next Day: 🌧️ 8°

7-day forecast

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

NEWS

Veith House launches Happy Holidays Fundraiser to support families in need

Veith House in Halifax’s North End has delivered community support for half a century. With the holidays coming up fast, the local non-profit is holding its annual support drive to aid families throughout one of the most financially straining times of the year.

Donations made to the Happy Holidays campaign go directly to families in need by way of gift cards—spanning from $100 to $300 each—to help them shop for their children this holiday season. Last year, the fundraiser raised $32,000 and helped over 300 families.

A large part of this fundraiser is the annual Hydrostone Tree Lighting, bringing the North End together for a festive celebration. Local schools contribute music while free treats are handed out to attendees. Santa Claus has also been known to make an appearance. This year, it takes place on Friday, Dec. 5.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on Veith House’s fundraising and programming efforts.

🤔 Need To Know

🎰 A Halifax legion vice-president has lost his lottery license after taking home money from two draws he helped organize—David Long pocketed over $25,000, violating the provincial Gaming Control Act.

💡 Nova Scotia Power says it’s working to get smart meter readings working again after customers complain about their bill estimations being inflated—a spokesperson for the utility says they aren’t charging late fees or disconnecting power for unpaid bills based on estimations.

🚨 A 38-year-old Dartmouth man has been charged following a drug bust, where police found 40 kilograms of cocaine and around 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills in the hidden compartment of the accused’s car—the estimated value of the drugs is around $4 million.

🥌 Experience Canada’s top curlers in Halifax Nov 22–30 as they chase Olympic spots—plus nightly entertainment at The Patch, curling’s ultimate party place. Don’t miss it!*

🍗 The Pint’s wings reign supreme! Crispy, saucy, and downright addictive — from classic buffalo to bold new flavours. Halifax knows: great nights start with great wings. Vote The Pint – Best Wings!*

🎉 Make your holiday party unforgettable! Freeman’s exceptional catering and warm hospitality—whether it’s at their table or yours... Freeman’s delivers perfect holiday joy!*

🎞️ Canadian Labour International Film Festival: Gig work, AI and EV manufacturing. CLIFF showcases the world of workers and their fights for justice. Nov 27.*

🤣 See Comedian Derek Seguin at the Spatz Theatre Nov. 28. Expect twisted, Juno-nominated comedy and nonstop laughs from this CBC Debaters’ favorite. Get your tickets now.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY SABROSA RESTAURANT AND TEQUILA BAR

PLACEHOLDER HEADLINE

For over two years, Sabrosa has been serving fresh Mexican cuisine made from scratch daily — right here in the heart of the community that made us who we are. Voted Best Mexican Restaurant in HRM (2024) and proudly nominated for Best Burrito and Best Nachos in The Coast’s Best of Halifax 2024 and 2025, we’re humbled by your continued love and support. Every dish we serve celebrates tradition, infused with a modern twist and a whole lot of heart. From our kitchen to your table, Sabrosa is more than a restaurant — it’s a community experience. Vote Sabrosa and spread the word on Halifax’s best Mexican flavours!

🗞️ In Other News

🪧 Long-term care workers could take strike action as the union representing them files for conciliation following unproductive talks with the province—the union is citing poor pay for workers.

🏛️ Halifax has a new deputy mayor in District 11 councillor Patty Cuttell, who will serve in the role for the next year—she is taking over from fellow councillor Tony Mancini.

✈️ WestJet has announced three new transatlantic summer routes from Halifax Stanfield International Airport for the 2026 season—this includes flights to Lisben, Madrid and Copenhagen.

SPONSORED BY CANPREV NATURAL HEALTH

Immune Support From The Ground Up

Medicinal mushrooms like lion's mane and reishi are being hailed as the next big thing, and today's science is backing them up. CanPrev's Multi-Mushroom Full Spectrum features 7 organic medicinal mushrooms to support immune health with antioxidant defence, helping your body protect and restore itself. Just the way nature intended.

Find Multi-Mushroom Full Spectrum at your local health food store today.

SPONSORED BY CRAFT NOVA SCOTIA

Halifax’s newest holiday shopping destination

40 Days of Fine Craft transforms the Centre for Craft Nova Scotia into a festive holiday shopping experience (because a weekend show is not enough). Explore work from 45+ local artists, enjoy meet-the-maker events, sip-and-shop nights, and more! Open daily 10am–7pm now through December 21. Free admission. Learn more.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Ugly Sweater Pizza Party: A fundraiser supporting Feed Nova Scotia at the Morris East Restaurant all day long. 30 percent of dining room sales, plus $5 of every takeout/retail pizza and $1 from every slice are going to a good cause. | Nov. 19 |

🗓 Wonder Women! - The Music Room Chamber Players Series: Pianist Sarah Hagen delves into the remarkable stories and piano music of female composers from the classical repertoire. | Nov. 19 | 7:30pm | From $20 |

🗓 Suite Surrender: The Bedford Players transport viewers back to the luxurious lifestyle of Hollywood in the 1940s in Michael McKeever’s farcical play, directed by Robin Saywood. | Nov. 6-22 | 7:30PM, 2PM | From $17 |

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The Algoberta oil tanker departs Halifax for Sarnia at 8am.

🚢➡️ The Aidadiva passenger vessel arrives in Halifax at 7am and departs for Canadian seas at 4pm.

➡️ The Mainport Geo offshore supply vessel departs Halifax at 8am.

➡️ The SV Wakili tanker departs Halifax at 12pm.

🚢 The One Wren container ship arrives in Halifax from Singapore at 3:45pm.

🚢 The Eagle II arrives in Halifax from Moa at 5:30pm.

🚢 The Algoscotia tanker arrives in Halifax from Sydney at 6:30pm.

➡️ The Derrick No. 4 barge departs Halifax at 8pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍔 The Beef N Pepper from Wave Foods is a burger you need to try. A quarter-pound smash burger with shaved roast beef, 4 Peppercorn gravy, lettuce, pickle and horseradish remoulade on a brioche bun.

🍝 There’s nothing like a seafood pasta to make your evening just right. Try 2 Doors Down’s Digby Scallop Carbonara. Caramelized scallops, rigatoni, pancetta, sweet peas, pecorino romano, cured egg yolk and toasted Maria’s Pantry focaccia.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🚲 Karl Creelman sought to see everything he could, all on his trusted bicycle. Leaving Truro, N.S., on May 11, 1899, a 21-year-old Creelman cycled his way across Canada and parts of the United States. He then boarded a ship headed to Australia. Upon his return home in 1901, he claimed to have biked over 15,000 miles, with stops throughout Europe, India, Sri Lanka and Great Britain. It was nothing short of the journey of a lifetime, and it’s been the core inspiration of Halifax travel photographer Louise Trotter. Ever since viewing a painted mural of Creelman on the back of the old train station-turned-mall in Truro, Trotter’s curiosity has been focused on the expeditions of the then-21-year-old cyclist. She searched for historical records and accounts of his journey, learning all she could about his endeavours to see the world. In 2016, she took on her own globe-spanning challenge—following in Creelman’s footsteps, seeing all of the sights he’d seen while learning how things have changed since his time. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Trotter about finishing her globe-spanning journey over the last nine years and what she’s learned along the way.

💡 Nova Scotia Power customers are still reporting being overbilled since Nova Scotia Power’s data breach earlier this year—this is likely due to the utility using estimates to determine power usage, with those estimates being questioned as inaccurate.

🔎 Police say items found belonging to the two missing children from Pictou County are not relevant to the investigation—volunteers found a child’s T-shirt, blanket and a tricycle while searching Saturday.

That’s it!

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