🗞 The HRM's lawyers are wrong about policing

SCENE AND HEARD

Moonshine gets American buzz—and Torrens’s comedy gets another season

Another week, another call for “action” on film sets across the city as shooting season heats up. As the local film and TV sector continues to grow—the province claims the film industry contributed “about $180.8M to Nova Scotia’s economy in 2021-22”—Team Coast is keeping tabs on all the new and returning shows being made right here.

This week’s Scene and Heard report comes with some big ones:

• Comedy heavyweight Trailer Park Boys has wrapped its latest shoot;

• Halifax TV darling Jonathan Torrens is shooting a new season of his comedy Vollies, which follows the lives of volunteer firefighters in rural Nova Scotia; and

• Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative has announced its nominee for the 2023 Telefilm Talent to Watch, one of the biggest funding opportunities for first-time feature directors.

Plus, rumour has it an unnamed network is looking at picking up the CBC series Moonshine (filmed in Hubbards), which is on its second season.

Read all the latest film and TV happenings.

Need to know

🌧 Today’s Halifax weather: Cloudy with a few showers. Wind gusting to 40km/h. High of 9C. Low of 3C.

🏆 What new categories would you like to see in this year’s Best of Halifax Readers’ Choice Awards? Tell us what we’re missing and help us shape the annual awards event’s future.

⚖️ The defense lawyer representing one of the Haligonians arrested and charged during the Halifax Regional Police’s 2021 shelter siege presented before the court Wednesday. Three more trials are scheduled for later this year.

💸 More than 1,000 low-income Nova Scotians are still waiting to hear if they’ll receive provincial rent supplements they applied for months ago, CBC News reports.

🚨 Police are investigating a Tuesday night shooting in the Murray Hill Drive area of Dartmouth. One man was sent to hospital with what are believed to be “life-threatening injuries.”

🚔 A 40-year-old Halifax man faces 20 charges relating to human trafficking and sexual assault after a series of incidents involving five victims, some of whom were minors.

🖼️ Tickets still available for SS Atlantic 150th Anniversary Gala Reception at the Canadian Museum of Immigration. A night of history and entertainment for $25. Tickets online at SSAtlantic.com*

🧩 Sunday at 2pm Cecilia Concerts and the Halifax Central Library present another free Sensory-Accessible Concert for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled folks. More info at CeciliaConcerts.ca/May7.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS 2023

35th annual East Coast Music Awards show is tonight!

The East Coast Music Awards are happening this evening at The Scotia Bank Centre and you can still get tickets!

If you can't make tonights big show catch dozens of Atlantic Canada’s finest artists, at shows all weekend long within just minutes of each other!

Don’t miss your chance to experience shows that will deliver top notch music, big moments, and more. Get your wristband now at ECMA.com.

On The Coast

SPONSORED BY 2023 NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS GAMES

Celebrate Our Journey across Nova Scotia from May 1 until July 7

Join the 2023 North American Indigenous Games on a canoe relay across the Mi’kmaw communities of Nova Scotia. Their traditional birch bark canoe is hitting the road to each community for a celebration of the young athletes who will be headed to NAIG 2023 in July. Follow the journey at NAIG2023.com.

In other news

💰 A Halifax startup developing compostable period products has a chance at a $70K prize after winning a pitch tournament this week. Read The Coast’s profile of Aruna Revolution and its co-founder, Rashmi Prakash. 

🍽 Halifax brunch hotspot The Coastal Cafe announced its final service will be Sunday, May 28. In an emotional Facebook post, the Robie Street cafe owner says the HRM is expropriating the building and calls the past 16 years in business a “wild ride, with some incredible peaks and hilarious valleys.”

🚒 A fire that destroyed part of the historic Waegwoltic Club last month appears to have been arson, the Halifax rec club told its members in an email.

🚓 Nova Scotia’s recently-announced mental health supports for those affected by the Portapique mass shooting are not enough, one longtime resident tells CTV News.

🏳️‍⚧️ Queer and trans activists across Nova Scotia are calling on the province to act as they say they’re witnessing a rise of hate incidents directed at 2SLGBTQ+ folks.

⚽️ A trio of soccer teams across Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick are launching a Maritime Super Series in hopes of sparking interest in a full-fledged semi-pro league, akin to models in Ontario, Quebec and BC.

🍺 Dartmouth craft beer specialists Spindrift Brewing have rebranded as Burnside Brewing Company—a move the co-founders say was prompted after they were approached by a US company with the same name.

CITY HALL

HRM lawyers botch legal analysis, delay police reform

It’s been difficult for outside observers to understand the delay in the HRM’s police reform efforts. Not that any keen City Hall watcher should be too surprised by municipal delays. Most of the major municipal planning strategies that have been implemented in the past decade or so have not really lived up to their hype.

The police reforms coming down the pike—the new public safety strategy and the integrated policing report—both aim to fundamentally modernize how policing happens in this city. HRM’s lawyers have often balked at policing reform, saying elected officials don’t have the power to direct police. During last week’s council meeting, city lawyer John Traves told council that the source of this information is a 1989 provincial report. And after reading that report, it is quite clear that the lawyers really dropped the ball on police reform.

Coast reporter Matt Stickland breaks it all down.

🗓 Things to do

Looking for something to do over the next week? Check out these Coast picks:

Thursday

• Matt Andersen & The Big Bottle of Joy: The first of a three-day run of Halifax shows at the Light House Arts Centre to celebrate the blues guitarist’s newest album. | May 4 | 8pm | $54.70-$59.83.

• Better Times Comedy in the MouseTrap: See the best stand-up Halifax has to offer, from regulars to up-and-comers, at Good Robot Brewing Co. | May 4 | 8pm | No cover.

• 2023 East Coast Music Awards Show: This Hour Has 22 Minutes’ Trent McClellan hosts the 35th anniversary event celebrating Atlantic Canada’s music scene at the Scotiabank Centre. | May 4 | 8pm | $66.75.

Friday

• Dave Merheje at Yuk Yuks Halifax: The Juno Award-winning comedian and co-star of Hulu’s Golden Globe-winning series Ramy brings his standup act to Halifax. | May 5 | 8pm | $30.

• Djata: Conversations of the Manden: Renowned dancer and choreographer Aly Keita draws inspiration from 13th-century African oral tradition in a performance at The Bus Stop Theatre Co-op. | May 5 | 7pm | $5-$20.

• Billy Elliot: The Musical: Catch a special gala performance of the classic musical at The Neptune Theatre. | May 5 | 7:30pm | $145.

Saturday

• Spring Tea & Craft Show: Browse the works of 20+ local artisans and enjoy a fancy tea luncheon in Lower Sackville. | May 6 | 10:30am-4:30pm | Tea $15.

• Handel’s Water Music: Catch the Baroque classic performed by Symphony Nova Scotia and special guests at St. Andrew’s United Church. | May 6 | 7:30pm | $55-$75. Under 30/students $19.

Sunday

• Family Discovery Concert Series: The Maritime Conservatory’s Schools of Music and Dance are joined by special guests for a free performance at the Lillian Piercey Concert Hall. | May 7 | 2pm | Free.

• Asian Heritage Month Opening Ceremony: Enjoy an afternoon of performances ranging from Filipino choral singing to K-Pop dance at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. | May 7 | 2-5pm | Free.

• Mamapalooza: Find 100+ local vendors, food trucks, wagon rides and a petting zoo at Hatfield Farm. | May 7 | 10am-3pm | $5.

• Kidical Mass: Halifax Waterfront: Celebrate cycling and join the call for safe mobility infrastructure this weekend by riding the Halifax Waterfront with your family. | May 7 | 9:30am | Free.

Tuesday

• Burned: Are Trees the New Coal?: In the Valley? Join the Ecology Action Centre for a documentary film screening and social at Wolfville’s Al Whittle Theatre. | May 9 | 6-9pm | Free.

• The Good House at Halifax Central Library: Catch a screening of the 2021 comedy-drama starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline, which was filmed in Chester and along the South Shore. | May 9 | 2-4pm | Free.

Wednesday

• Kenny vs. Spenny: 20-Year Anniversary Tour: The notorious Canadian comedy duo of Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice bring their special act to Halifax’s Spatz Theatre. | May 10 | 8pm | $46.06.

• Garden Soil 101: Head to the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre and learn methods like “lasagna gardening” and how to prep soil for your garden beds. | May 10 | 2-3:30pm | Free.

• Nat Osborn & Darren Mastropaolo: What happens when two acclaimed musicians spend three months quarantined together on a small island? Hear the end result in a double bill performance at The Carleton. | May 10 | 7pm | $17.25.

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings.