🗞️ Letterkenny star hits Halifax

Oh hi Halifax,

Welp, despite the coach’s best efforts, the Canadian women’s soccer team isn’t out of the fight to defend their Olympic gold medal. With their head coach banned—check In Other News for more on dronegate—the team headed into Sunday’s match against hosts France at the bottom of the table with…minus 3 points. It was also announced by Canada’s ministry of sports that they will withhold funding as a result of the scandal. Needless to say, the pre-game vibes cannot have been great in the Team Canada camp.

The vibes, however, were great at the watch party on Argyle Street hosted by the Halifax Tides women’s pro team. Two huge screens and a booming sound system had patios packed as the beer flowed. There was also the cutest little baby Canada fan, although I’m pretty sure she had no idea where she was. The players must have felt that good energy because they pulled off a truly unbelievable late win!

But enough about that because in the MOST important Olympics news, our city-al (like national, but for a city) treasure Ellie Black helped Canada qualify for the gymnastics team final and secured herself a spot in the all-around final. If she can lead Canada to the podium, I’d like to formally propose we change Natal Day to Ellie Black Day and then support her on a mayoral run where instead of debating her opponents, she just demoralizes them via arm wrestle.

Actually, can we just do that anyway? 🤸‍♀️

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 25°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 27°

Next Day: 🌤️ 28°

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

 Letterkenny’s K. Trevor Wilson and friends hitting up Halifax’s Spatz Theatre

K. Trevor Wilson, known for playing the lovable observationist Squirrely Dan in Letterkenny, is coming to Halifax.

Stopping into the Spatz Theatre on Sep. 20, the show is a part of his K. Trevor Wilson and Friends cross-country tour, featuring a whole host of Canadian comics.

His Halifax stop will feature Albertan comic Clare Belford, Canadian comedy vet Todd Graham and PEI star Dan Hendricken. The tour is supported by Comedy Records and Sirius XM Comedy Club.

Wilson has been doing stand-up comedy way before his time on Letterkenny. In 2012, he received the Irwin Baker Homegrown award at the Just For Laughs festival, and was also named Canada’s best male stand-up at the 2015 Canadian Comedy Awards.

He’s filmed a special for Netflix, released two comedy albums—SexCop FirePenis and Sorry! (A Canadian Album)—and has even acted as a judge on Roast Battles Canada. 

However, this will be Wilson’s first soft-seat theatre tour that he’s headlined himself, and while the lineup will be changing throughout its three-month run, each show will be a night of non-stop laughs.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer chats with Wilson about his upcoming Maritime shows, where he derives his comedy and his favourite Letterkenny cold open.

🤔 Need To Know

⚠️ Health Canada is advising the public to stop using various multivitamins and supplements from several brands, because the products may contain metal fibres that could injure people’s digestive system.

🐄 At Purple Cow Internet we think you'll love our No Bull $60 internet. Join the herd to take advantage of our 30-day money-back guarantee!*

🚨 Nova Scotia RCMP are encouraging organizations that collect donations to empty donation bins regularly after two volunteer-run museums were targeted by thieves over the past week.

🎭 Twelfth Night opens this Friday night at Shakespeare by the Sea! Join us in Point Pleasant Park until September 1st. Get your seats TODAY!*

*Sponsored Post

NEWS

Entrepreneurship not a decision, but a necessity for many in trans community

When it comes to all things financial planning, Laura Whiteland, CFP, CIM knows what she’s doing. Right off, you can tell by all the letters after her name.

She has worked as an investment advisor and portfolio manager, with securities licensing including derivatives and options—which is some of the highest certification you can attain in the investment industry. She has also worked with multiple large Halifax financial institutions in various roles, and has experience with personal and business lending, banking and mortgages.

And until she was 25, she presented as a white man.

Unsurprisingly—with cis white men a dime a dozen in the world of big finance—business was good. But when she transitioned, that sturdy professional acceptance and room for growth she had enjoyed crumbled beneath her.

“I burned my career to the ground and nobody wanted me,” said Whiteland. “There was a resounding no, so I realized that if I wanted to do what I was good at and what I know how to do, I was going to have to do it myself.”

And that’s exactly what she did. 

Whiteland founded Inclusive Financial Planning, with the mission of making financial advice accessible to everyone. She says that a lot of the work that she does is for folks—like herself—who don’t fit into traditional systems. They don’t have millions to invest in a mutual fund, so they don’t fit into the standard matrix of profitability.

“I want to make financial planning accessible and that means not making the most money possible on every transaction,” said Whiteland. “I’m trying to help people make a living doing what they’re best at.”

For her—and many in the trans community—entrepreneurship was not a decision, but a necessity.

Whiteland was one of two panelists at last Thursday’s SURGE Networking: Pride in Entrepreneurship event—hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce at The Prince George Hotel. The event was dedicated to celebrating Pride and empowering 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals to thrive in their businesses.

Read more from The Coast’s Julie Lawrence, who covered this conversation that touched on topics like entrepreneurship in the trans community, organic allyship and the problems with corporate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives.

🗞️ In Other News

🚨 Halifax police say five people are in hospital—with one believed to be in life-threatening condition—after two men exchanged gunfire in the crowd at a popular annual festival highlighting the history of Africville.

🏥 A union representing health-care workers says a plan to cut hundreds of parking spots at the Halifax Infirmary—and encouraging staff to carpool or take public transit—does not consider the needs of those who work all hours of the day or live outside the city.

⛺ Residents of a Dartmouth neighbourhood say a homeless encampment is the source of recent acts of violence, including reports that an elderly man was attacked with a baseball bat.

⚽ FIFA came down hard on Canada Soccer for a drone spying scandal, deducting six points from the Canadian women's team at the Paris Games—a decision Canada Soccer is trying to find ways to appeal.

🛬 The Stanfield International Airport received federal funding to open an international connections facility in 2025, which will allow international passengers to change to domestic flights on the same floor, instead of having to exit customs and collect their baggage.

🍎 A community advocate says a real estate deal with Sobeys that limits who can sell groceries on Gottingen Street has limited the historically Black neighbourhood’s access to affordable, nutritious food. 

🥈17-year-old swimmer Summer McIntosh won Canada’s first medal at the Paris Olympics on Saturday—a silver in the 400-metre freestyle.

📰 Toronto-based Postmedia Network announced plans to buy “certain businesses” belonging to SaltWire and The Halifax Herald Ltd.—the two insolvent media companies behind Atlantic Canada’s biggest chain of newspapers.

🌈 The owners of Rumours—a new queer bar on Lower Water Street—say the opening weeks have been “nothing less than magical,”, adding they did $30K in sales last Saturday alone.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Improv Drop-Ins: Check out Spontaneity Improv Co.’s drop-in improv jams, play games, work on your skills and have fun. These classes will run every Monday evening starting today. | July 29 | 7:00pm | $15

🗓 Tuesday Night Tunes—Serena Wu: Experience the exceptional raw talent from this Halifax-based multilingual singer-songwriter. Her music is pop-driven and her songs are powerfully relatable, driven by emotional lyrics combined with upbeat percussion and catchy melodies. | July 30 | 6:30pm | Free

🗓 Dear Rita Presented by Neptune Theatre: A musical celebration of Rita MacNeil—the iconic Canadian storyteller who invited us to see ourselves in her music. Rita herself said her life story is “something you could pretty well put anyone into. It’s about one person, but so many of us could be there.” Cape Breton playwright Lindsay Kyte was chosen by Rita’s son, Wade Langham, to develop this show, featuring a cast of six and band, and new, re-imagined arrangements of Rita’s music by PEI composer/musician Mike Ross. | July 30-Aug 25 | $33 and up

🗓 BuskerFest 2024: With stages at the Halifax Seaport, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Sackville Landing, Foundation Wharf and Dartmouth’s Alderney Landing, the 38th edition of Buskers will provide locals and visitors alike with exciting and unique entertainment. | July 31-Aug 5 | PWYC

🗓 Freedom Narratives—Emancipation Day Art Celebration: Celebrate Emancipation Day with a dynamic showcase featuring acclaimed artists and writers. This inspiring event will feature an array of spoken word performances, film screenings and art presentations, each reflecting the rich cultural heritage and resilient spirit of the African Nova Scotian community and beyond. Engage with the artists in an enlightening Q&A panel, fostering meaningful discussions about freedom, identity, and creative expression. | Aug 1 | 6:00pm | Free

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️➡️ The CMA CGM Osiris container ship arrives in Halifax from Colombo at 5:15am, and is scheduled to leave for New York at 3:30pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🐑 Don’t be sheepish! Try the Lamb Croquettes at Black Sheep: braised lamb leg and potato, pea and mint puree, chippy sauce, fermented radish, pickled onion.

🐟 New restaurant alert! The latest addition to the Bertossi Group’s portfolio of restaurants is called Water Polo. The sea-to-table restaurant is opening any day now on the waterfront!

👀 In Case You Missed It

⛺ Last Tuesday at 4pm, Students for the Liberation of Palestine—the SLPK—held a press conference with faculty supporters and student union presidents in an administrative building behind the student encampment at Dalhousie University. At 5pm, SLPK members began asking for help from rally-goers in holding the doors open to the Henry Hicks Building as they stayed inside. The Coast’s education reporter Lauren Phillips has more on this story, as students vow to stay put despite the university cutting power to the encampment.

🚲 Thanks to Liberal member of Parliament Andy Fillmore talking to some of his constituents about municipal politics, a recent Transportation Standing Committee meeting started with a lot of public speakers talking about the city’s ongoing water main replacement around Coburg Road. Part of this work includes building a mixed-use pathway on Coburg, because it will save the city a lot of money and is in line with multiple strategic plans. Fillmore also wrote a letter to the committee asking them to reconsider this fiscally responsible municipal infrastructure building. The Coast’s Matt Stickland was at the meeting and has more on the Coburg Road infrastructure issue.

That’s it!

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