🗞️ Keep watching the Olympics after they're over

Hey Halifax,

I’m always very impressed when someone is able to stare directly into my soul, mine it for thoughts and feelings, and then perfectly vocalize my emotions. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I’m like “damn, I feel so seen.” One woman has managed to do just that—and it’s not even Taylor Swift this time.

My new queen is Mizzzzz Madam Mayor of Paris—Anne Hidalgo—who responded to right-wing critics of the Olympics opening ceremonies by saying… ah-hem… ”F–k the reactionaries, f–k this far right, f–k all of those who would like to lock us into a war of all against all.”

Religious and political conservatives from around the world got all worked up when the depiction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper“ featured drag queens and other performers in a configuration reminiscent of Jesus Christ and his apostles. 

And while the International Olympic Committee issued a sort-of weak apology to anyone offended by the Games’ opening ceremony, Hidalgo told them to f–k off.

Needless to say, I’m obsessed with her and I think we should all take her energy into the weekend! 😎

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 20°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 24°

Next Day: 🌧️ 23°

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.

ARTS + CULTURE

Political jabs and lots of laughs expected from Nick Beaton’s Halifax gig

Nova Scotia’s Nick Beaton is returning home from Toronto for a special series of shows at Halifax Yuk Yuk’s on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9-10. The politically-charged comedian is hot off the release of his first comedy special, Geriatric Millennial, where Beaton takes shots at both the left and right for their perceived faults in a way that’ll get everyone chuckling.

The special, released two weeks ago, has garnered around 30,000 views so far. “At first it was a cool idea,” says Beaton of filming the special. “Then it became, oh, I have to get material ready. And then it became, oh, I have to organize this.”

And while the process of creating an hour-long special may have been stressful, Beaton managed to make not only the crowd laugh, but viewers at home, as well. Since its release, Beaton says he’s gotten a positive reception despite his polarizing material.

“Right now, it’s just a cool thing. Wow, I did it, and people are watching it, so that’s great.”

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Beaton about balancing the politics of his comedy as well as his upcoming gigs in Halifax and Cape Breton.

🤔 Need To Know

🔥 More than one year after a wildfire ravaged parts of Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains, the province is turning to the public for help in its ongoing investigation.

🌧️ Tropical storm Debby likely “won’t make much of a significant impact” in Nova Scotia.

✅ Correction: In yesterday’s article “Point Pleasant Park still an option for homeless encampments,” we didn’t mention that Halifax councillor Pamela Lovelace is running for mayor in October’s elections.

🍻 Save $1 on Garrison Brewing's slick & convenient Hold Fast 6-packs! Stop by Garrison Seaport or The Oxford Taproom & enjoy the deals.*

*Sponsored Post

EDUCATION

Why you should keep watching the Olympics after they’re over

The Paris 2024 Olympics are coming to a close this Sunday, Aug. 11, with women’s basketball as the final event that day. The Games have shown us—once again—that sport embodies a mixture of the good, the bad and the neutral. Team Canada has had many highs, including the historic silver medal win by the women’s rugby sevens team against Australia, and swimmer Summer McIntosh breaking records with her gold-medal win in the women’s 200m butterfly.

Then, there have been lows, like the coach of the women’s soccer team being suspended for a year following “dronegate,” and Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk vomiting 10 times from extreme heat, and other reports of sickness from triathletes and marathon swimmers who swam in the Seine River amid concerns of its E. coli levels. The scorching temperatures in Paris are making it unsafe for all athletes to compete, and throw into question whether the Summer Games can even continue in future years of the unfolding climate crisis.  

Off the field, activists in Paris have been protesting against the Games themselves—including for their environmental impact on the planet, the shadow of the war in Gaza cast on the Games and the social displacement of hundreds of underhoused people from the city ahead of competition. The large demonstration of protesters on the eve of the Olympics opening ceremonies included trade union members, environmental activists, civil-liberties groups and residents of the Saint Denis area, where much of the Games are being held.

So what’s a Nova Scotian sports fan to do with all this information? 

The Coast’s Lauren Phillips spoke to Ornella Nzindukiyimana—a sports historian at St. FX—about why an awareness of the impact of the Games is crucial.

🗞️ In Other News

💰 A new report shows the average rent in Halifax is up 18% since last year—bringing the average cost to $2,373.

📰 A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has approved Postmedia’s $1M bid to acquire SaltWire Inc—Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper chain.

⛺ HRM is in the process of creating a code of conduct for people living at the city's six designated encampments as concerns about safety from the people living in and around the sites persist.

🏠 Welcome Housing and Support Services—a non-profit organization—is opening a new site in Dartmouth with 55 supportive housing units for people experiencing homelessness.

🇨🇦 Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, NS, threw 19.77 metres to become the first-ever Canadian woman to qualify to the Olympic shot put final.

🚢 The Titan submarine crew—who died when the submersible imploded on an expedition to the site of the Titanic wreck—“were well aware they were going to die”—according to a US$50M lawsuit.

🚔 The Halifax RCMP say lessons from last year's wildfire in Upper Tantallon have helped Mounties across Canada headed into fire zones—including Jasper.

🎣 The Ecology Action Centre says the province’s commercial swordfish fleet could generate millions in added revenue by bringing tourists along for fishing trips and using a hook and line rather than the traditional harpoon.

🐈 A wildcat native to Africa found roaming the streets of Halifax last year has a new home at a wildlife park in Cape Breton.

🗓️ Things To Do This Weekend

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

🗓 Halifax Seaport Beerfest and Fizzfest: It’s time to get fizzy with it! Refreshing hard seltzers, pre-mixed cocktails and sodas to go along with an extensive assortment of delicious craft beers and cider are all in one place. Grab your 5oz. mug and taste away in search of your new summer favourite. | Aug 8-10 | $49.17

🗓 Etuaptmumk (Two Eyed Seeing) - A talk by Elder Dr. Albert Marshall: A trail-blazing educator, Elder Marshall has been an important voice in environmental protection and the continuance of Traditional Knowledge Systems and languages. In his presentation, Elder Dr. Marshall will discuss why and how we should approach topics through the lens of Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing), a guiding principle in recognizing the importance of all knowledge traditions, especially traditional Indigenous Knowledges.  | Aug 9 | 7pm | Register online | 🌟 Coast Featured Event - READ MORE 🌟 

🗓The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival: Get ready to laugh out loud in the great outdoors! | Aug 9-11 | From $89.50

🗓 6th Annual Wings & Wheels at ACAM: Come explore the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum and see hundreds of artifacts, including 25 aircraft and a full-cockpit Boeing 737 flight simulator. Plus, a breathtaking array of classic cars. | Aug 10 | 10am | $8 |

🗓 Haligonian Vendor Market: Join in this dynamic marketplace where every stall tells a unique story and each visitor becomes part of a vibrant tapestry. At the heart of this unique event lies a passionate mission—to celebrate and empower small businesses of all kinds. | Aug 10 | 11am

🗓 Northern Lights Lantern Festival: This festival is a day of fun and creativity for all ages, where old friends run into each other and new friends are made. The festival is a celebration of the vitality and diversity of Halifax’s north end. It’s a community festival in the truest sense where everyone is welcome. | Aug 10 | 5pm  

🗓 Dartmouth Comic Arts Festival : Presented by Strange Adventures, this is the comic book event of the year, celebrating comics and cartooning. The event features dozens of animators, writers and vendors—it’s like a farmers’ market but all comics! | Aug 10 | 10am | Free

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Palmagracht general cargo ship leaves Halifax for Davisville at 10am.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container ship leaves Halifax for Argentia at 4:30pm.

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Star container ship arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 5:20am and leaves for Liverpool at 5pm.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container ship leaves Halifax for St. John’s at 10pm.

🛳️➡️ The Zim Atlantic container ship arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 6:20am and leaves for New York at 11pm.

🛳️ The Algosocial oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Sydney at 1pm.

🛳️ The NYK Constellation container ship arrives in Halifax from Antwerp at 3:30pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🐔 Wing power hour alert! Swing by The Auction House every day from 4-5pm in August and get 10 wings with your favourite sauce for just under $10. Plus, pair it with a refreshing beverage to complete the deal.

🥙 ​​Get a classic Halifax delight with a vegan and gluten-free twist with the Donair Smashed Pita at Stillwell Beer Garden: donair spiced impossible meat on a pita with tomato, shaved onion, arugula and donair sauce.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🗳️ The elections are coming to town this October, and there’s still time to run for a seat on the Halifax Regional Council or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial Council. The CSAP is the French-language school board—the only school board in the province—and its board members are elected every four years at the same time as municipal elections. The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has more on the upcoming information sessions to help you decide if you’re the right person for the job(s).

⛺ Councillor Pam Lovelace proposed a motion during Tuesday’s regular council meeting to strike Point Pleasant Park from Halifax’s list of proposed homeless encampment designations. Citing a petition and emails from concerned residents, Lovelace, who’s also running for mayor, argued the park should be removed from the “designated locations” list due to the potential for danger such as fires, which are not permitted in the park according to the city’s rules. Lovelace’s motion was voted down 8-6. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the decision to keep Point Pleasant Park as a proposed designated homeless encampment.

That’s it!

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