🗞️ HRM plans new sites for unhoused Haligonians

Happy Friday Halifax!

The forecast is looking good for the weekend and there is no shortage of fun (and tasty) activities on the docket.

The hottest ticket in town is the Halifax Wanderers home opener against Atlético Ottawa on Saturday. And if you’re in the mood to pre-game, 2 Crows Brewing Co. is teaming up with Lone Wolf Gyoza for a gyoza pop-up starting at noon.

If you’re looking for me, I’ll be taking in the Dartmouth Cat Show or sipping “Bejeweled Punch” at the Taylor Swift-themed brunch at Morris East’s Bedford location. And no, I don’t need your judgement!

 Whatever you do, take a minute to enjoy the sun on your face. You’ve earned it!

— Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ☀️9°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 11°

Next Day: 🌤️ 14°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

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

NEWS

Start by apologizing

Brad Johns stepped down as justice minister this week, not because his comments about gender-based violence were stupid at best and dangerous at worst, but officially, “to maintain confidence in government.”

What’s most perplexing about this reasoning is that it suggests that when it comes to issues of gender-based violence, there was ever any confidence to begin with.

Trauma counsellor and victim advocate Kristina Fifield says it’s hard to match Johns’ punishment with the profound and lasting impact his comments may have made on people currently experiencing gender-based violence or survivors who are still grappling with recovery.

Unfortunately, this does not seem to be a case of one bad egg.

The Coast’s Julie Lawrence talks to Fifield about what newly appointed Justice Minister Barb Adams can do (if anything) to right the ship.

🤔 Need To Know

⛺ As Halifax’s unhoused population continues to grow and encampments become more crowded, the HRM plans to open more designated sites for people experiencing homelessness—months after it de-designated several sites across the city.

🎞️ From April 30 – May 2, 2024 the NSCAD University Film Festival features films by alumni and current NSCAD students. Special alumni speaker: Chris Hegedus!*

🐟 Support4Culture is a proud supporter of the Northumberland Fisheries Museum and other NS cultural sites. See the impact Support4Culture makes here.*

🎤 The show’s over. But the legacy will live on. What an amazing week. Here’s to the musicians, venues, and fans—you did Halifax proud, and showed the JUNOS how it’s done!*

*Sponsored Post

MUSIC

Enfield’s Classified steps back into the booth for Luke’s View

Nearly 30 years since Enfield’s Luke Boyd—better known as rapper Classified—broke onto the music scene with the self-released Time’s Up, Kid, and after a career that has brought a JUNO Award, collaborations with rap idols Snoop Dogg and Raekwon and a bestselling book, to boot, the 46-year-old still has more to say.

Today, the Nova Scotian emcee is back with his latest full-length release, the 11-track Luke’s View. It’s his first album of all-new material since 2018’s Tomorrow Could Be the Day Things Change.

“Did I ever think I’d be doing this for this long? No. I’ve got a line in one of my albums, I figured by 25, I’d be finished; I never really thought it would last,” he says, speaking by phone with The Coast. “I think it still comes back to doing something I love.”

And while Classified admits that he “tried to retire a few times” over the years, he still has that spark in him. He chats with The Coast’s Martin Bauman about longevity, a career of “figuring it out” and why this album might be his most personal of all.

🗞️ In Other News

🥀 “A lot of shock. A lot of grief” at 16-year-old homicide victim’s funeral. Ahmad Al Marrach was killed outside of the Halifax Shopping Centre on Monday.

📢 Labour groups are calling on the province to increase paid leave available to victims of domestic violence from 3 to 5 days. 

🔈 HRM staff heard from residents Wednesday night on how to make Halifax more accessible. The Halifax Central Library event was one of 10 virtual and in-person meetings.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Canadian Independent Bookstore Day: Celebrate Halifax’s indie bookstores this Saturday by browsing the shelves for a local author. | Apr. 27 | All day | Free

🗓 Alistair Ogden - The Up and Coming Tour Stand Up Comedy: One of Canada’s rising comedic talents, Alistair first appeared in the national spotlight when he won CBC’s Next Up Competition in 2019. | Apr. 27 | 7pm | $20

🗓 Dartmouth Cat Show: Discover the world of cat showing as many purebred cats, domestics and rescues will be competing to be the best of the best. | Apr. 27-28 | 9am - 4:30pm | $8

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥟 2 Crows Brewing Co. and Lone Wolf Gyoza are teaming up for a gyoza pop-up Saturday at the brewery on Brunswick Street. Beer + Dumplings = Yum.

🔊 Listen To This

🤠 Sydney songwriter Elyse Aeryn has a new single, “Cowboy.” Last year, she won Best New Artist in The Coast’s reader-selected Best of Halifax Awards and took home Country Recording of the Year at the Music Nova Scotia Awards.

🎵 Dartmouth singer-songwriter Laura Rae has a new song with Blue Acres, “Nothing’s Wrong,” which she describes as a “song about mental health, the struggles of depression and how friendship can help us through hard times.” (Rae’s Chansons pour ma grand-mère EP was one of The Coast’s favourites last year.)

👀 In Case You Missed It

🍺 A more efficient approach to approving patio requests may help prepare the HRM for inclusionary zoning and the inevitable expansion of restaurants in suburban areas. Read more about the patio debate, along with everything else that happened at HRM council this week.

🚙 Halifax’s Transportation Standing Committee debated the Strategic Roadside Safety Framework, one of the worst strategic plans presented to councillors in recent history. As The Coast’s Matt Stickland reports, the plan has plenty of cause for concern.

That’s it!

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.

And before you go, let us know: