🗞️ Making gains

Good morning,

Every 10 minutes, a woman or girl was killed intentionally by their partner or family last year. Nearly  one in three women experience violence in their lifetime, and girls are at particular risk of violence—1 in 4 adolescent girls is abused by their partners. For thousands of women, the cycle of gender-based violence ends with one final and brutal act—their murder.

Each year from Nov 25 to Dec 10—World Human Rights Day—the 16 Days of Activism campaign calls for action against one of the world’s most persistent violations of human rights: violence against women.

In Nova Scotia, we have the highest rate of gender-based violence in the country. In the month leading up to the election alone, we saw three cases of intimate partner violence end in murder-suicides. Yet the silence from each of the political parties on their election campaigns and in debates was deafening.

It’s abundantly clear that premier Tim Houston either doesn’t understand the culture of gender-based violence in this province or—worse, and hopefully not—he does understand, but doesn’t care.

But a lack of understanding can’t be an excuse, because people are telling him. All the time. Gender-based advocates and community organizations have banded together to demand attention and action—sending a letter to each of the government parties with recommendations of how to tackle the problem.

In essence, the premier seems to be blowing the issue off, kind of like how he blew off the iconic Liz LeClair in the final days of his campaign…

Let’s hope they get that meeting on the books ASAP because we need action to end gender-based violence now, before another tragedy befalls this province.

– Julie 💜

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ 8°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 4°

Next Day: 🌧️ 4°

7-day forecast

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

NEWS

Houston leads PC Party to record-breaking victory in provincial election

The provincial election Tuesday night saw premier Tim Houston and the PC Party win a historic victory, netting them the most seats of any political party in Nova Scotia’s history.

The Progressive Conservative Party gained enough ground to form not just a majority but a supermajority, which requires at least two-thirds of the House of Assembly’s 55 seats. So far, they’re on track to score 43 seats after previously holding 31, comfortably surpassing the 37-seat threshold for a supermajority. This would also smash the previous record for the most seats occupied by a political party in Nova Scotia, set by the PCs led by John Buchanan in the 1984 provincial election.

This election was also the shortest legally allowed by Nova Scotia law, having been called by Houston on Oct 27, giving parties and their candidates just one month to campaign. This decision broke one of Houston’s 2021 election promises and went against the first law his party passed when taking power—having fixed election dates.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over the provincial election results, including the NSNDP’s gains and the Liberals’ devastating losses.

🤔 Need To Know

📮 The special mediator appointed to assist in talks between Canada Post and its striking workers has decided to suspend mediation efforts—saying the two sides remain far apart on critical issues.

🎁 Shopping local this holiday season? Look no further than the Downtown Halifax Holiday Gift Guide for gift inspiration from over 100 shops in Downtown Halifax.*

🦷 Halifax Water has not added fluoride to its facilities at Pockwock Lake and Lake Major for more than a year because of equipment issues.

🍷 The Halifax International Wine Festival is almost here. Just a few tickets left. Don't miss out on the wine event of the year!*

👀 Halifax police are looking for a man suspected of breaking a window at one business and threatening workers with a knife at a second—the suspect reportedly used a rock to smash a glass door at Trinity Jewelers and later robbed Jay’s Convenience Barn.

🎸 Alderney Landing has announced the anticipated return of Rock the Harbour for August 2025, with an official lineup to be released in the coming weeks.*

🌿 The Canada Border Services Agency arrested two people at Halifax Stanfield airport after a search found 574 packages of suspected cannabis totalling around 347 kg.

🛍️ Join Spring Garden Road Businesses on Friday, December 6 from 5-9pm for Shopping Under the Stars.*

*Sponsored Post

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LISTEN

NEW SEASON: The Grand Parade Podcast

At long last Coast reporter Martin Bauman is back from his paternity leave, and he joins Coast City Hall reporter Matt Stickland to catch up on everything he missed at city council while he was out.

In this episode, the two talk about how the recently elected council is shaping up three meetings into their term. Which councillors are making mistakes? Who's looking promising?

Then the conversation turns to HRM's committees and the upcoming budget season. Matt explains why he's mostly optimistic about the city's future, even if some shaky debate performances sewed early seeds of doubt.

All of that plus traffic planning, boomer assumptions and sneaky good provincial legislation in this first episode of Season 2 of The Grand Parade.

🎧 Listen now

🗞️ In Other News

📣 Liberal leader Zach Churchill was apologetic Tuesday night after his party was dealt a devastating loss, saying “this falls on my shoulders”—not only did the Liberals drop from the official opposition, but Churchill lost his own seat in the riding of Yarmouth  by 14 votes.

💉 A slew of Black health and wellness clinics have reopened across Nova Scotia—on Tuesday, representatives went to New Horizons Baptist Church to offer people COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia vaccinations.

🦞 A lobster buyer in Meteghan, NS is looking for heightened policing aimed at organized crime after a bullet was fired into his home—Geoffrey Jobert believes the attack on his home is the latest example of intimidation by organized criminals with links to illegal lobster purchasing.

🇨🇦 Prime minister Justin Trudeau met with the country’s premiers Wednesday after they asked for an urgent meeting on US-Canada relations ahead of the incoming Donald Trump administration.

⚖️ Notorious killer and rapist Paul Bernardo has been denied parole for a third time after the families of his victims made an emotional plea to the Parole Board of Canada on Tuesday to keep him behind bars.

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🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Merry & Bright Patio: Nestled away on the north end of the Halifax boardwalk, perched above the harbour, is a place where holiday magic comes alive! The Halifax Marriott Harbourfront's annual Merry & Bright Patio is one of the standout attractions on Halifax's Evergreen Festival “Bright” Trail. This enchanting spot is illuminated by thousands of twinkling lights set against the serene backdrop of the ocean. | Nov 22-Dec 15

🗓 Halifax Live Comedy Club Presents Nick Burden: With his small-town charm and fearless approach to any topic, Nick has become a favourite wherever he performs. He is renowned for his exceptional crowd interactions, demonstrating an uncanny ability to connect with every audience he encounters. | Nov 29 | 7pm | $25

🗓The Nutcracker presented by Coastal Dance Theatre: Join Clara and her Nutcracker Bear on a magical journey to the Land of Sweets, where they’ll be dazzled by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her enchanting court of sweets and candies. This show for all ages is filled with exciting dance, fierce battles and sparkling tutus and tiaras. | Nov 29-Dec 1 | 7pm | $22

🗓Jont & The Fish with Wobble Wallah: After a long absence from The Carleton stage, spiritual troubadour (Brit/Haligonian/now Cape Bretoner) Jont returns with his new band The Fish—along with the multi-talented Wobble Wallah and special guest Coco Harris—to gang up for a celebratory, feel-good show at The Carleton. | Nov 29 | 8pm | $20

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The Atlantic Sky container ship leaves Halifax for Liverpool at 1am.

🛳️➡️ The MOL Experience container ship arrives in Halifax from Antwerp at 5:20am and leaves for Port Everglades at 11:45pm.

🛳️➡️ The EF Ava container ship arrives in Halifax from Portland at 8:15am and leaves for Reykjavik at 1pm.

🛳️➡️ The Bakkafoss container ship arrives in Halifax from Portland at 8:15am and leaves for Reykjavik at 1pm.

🛳️ The Nolhan Ava container ship arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 11:15am.

🛳️ The MSC Rowan container ship arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 11:15am.

🛳️ The Algoscotia oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Sept-Iles at 5:15pm.

➡️ The CB Pacific oil tanker leaves Halifax for Montreal at 7pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🫕 Fundue season has arrived at Peacock Wine Bar! Savour the rich, melted cheese fondue, served alongside charcuterie, sausage, potatoes, focaccia, pickled, fermented vegetables, mustard and fruit chutney.

🍜 Warm up with a bowl of Ginger Miso Noodle Soup at Tart and Soul this week: braised daikon, cabbage, soy, marinated egg, tofu, mushrooms, green onion, edamame and chicken.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🗳️ A program at a Halifax-based school uses elections as teachable moments for students under voting age to learn about the roles and responsibilities of governments and elected officials—and the roles and responsibilities of voters. The results from this program are helpful in knowing what the next generation of voters wants and cares about, and how that might differ from their parents and families. The Coast’s education reporter Lauren Phillips was there on Student Vote Day as students cast their ballots.

🎤 December is on our doorstep, and with it comes a packed slate of holiday concerts. But that’s far from the only thing coming to town, with enough sweet offerings to fill a Quality Street tin—including shows from Jenn Grant, Reeny, Joel Plaskett and Adam Baldwin. As always, The Coast has you covered with what’s happening.

🚰 Halifax Water is bringing in some mandatory water-use restrictions as low water levels continue to be a problem at Lake Major, which supplies water from Dartmouth, Burnside, Cole Harbour, Westphal, North Preston and Eastern Passage.

⚖️ A high school teacher has been found not guilty of voyeurism charges related to allegations he took visual recordings of four women in a public washroom at a canoe-kayak club in Dartmouth.

That’s it!

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