- The Coast
- Posts
- 🗞️ Mass X-odus
🗞️ Mass X-odus
Plus, federal Liberals announce leadership debates, new Dal art show celebrates Black resilience and internet is a lifeline for city's sex workers.
Julie Lawrence
February 10, 2025
Happy Monday Halifax,
In what I can only describe as some queen shit, regional councillor Laura White—who represents District 7—has filed a motion asking staff to consider the feasibility of removing X as a social media platform used by HRM. It’s what the city currently uses to disseminate information to residents.
White says she filed the motion in growing concern about the platform’s governance going against municipal values of “evidence-based decision making and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.”
Preach! 👑
What was once the go-to place for global discourse, the artist formally known as Twitter has seen its reputation become, well, tarnished is putting it nicely, under the care of South African multibillionaire and self-declared free-speech absolutist Elon Musk.
The ethical decline of X gained momentum in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election, as Musk made his political alignment with Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement clear, turning the platform into a megaphone for hate, racism and xenophobia.
The motion will be brought to a vote on Feb 11. If it passes, it asks regional staff to come back to council with a report that determines the feasibility of abandoning X. The report would provide a timeline for discontinuing use, and suggest alternative options to distribute information to residents.
This move follows similar actions from other governmental bodies worldwide. The city of Barcelona in Spain recently announced its move away from the hate machine with this absolute slay:
I’m cool with our city not being aligned with hate and psychopathy—and would be proud of us to take a stand! In fact, I have taken it upon myself to design our farewell post, with inspiration from Barcelona.
Have a great day out there!
– Julie
🌡️ Traffic & Weather
Today: 🌨️ -3°
Tomorrow: 🌤️ -7°
Next Day: 🌨️ -1°
🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.
NEWS + OPINION
For the city’s sex workers, “internet is a need, not a want”
📸 Credit: Shutterstock / progressman
What started out as just a realm of entertainment, information and chat rooms, the internet has evolved into a gateway for accessing basic public services, and educational and economic opportunities. It is a lifeline that connects people to society; and society to them.
Imagine searching for a job, applying for an apartment or even trying to make a basic medical appointment—like blood work—without access to the internet and a reliable phone plan. What happens when you aren’t able to receive those important phone calls?
The answer is simple: Opportunities pass you by.
Alex MacDonnell, executive director of Stepping Stone—a Nova Scotia organization that provides programming and support for current and former sex workers—sees first-hand the barrier created by this digital divide.
🤔 Need To Know
🚨 According to the latest police data, officers stopped and charged 45 people with impaired-related offences during the first month of the year.
🎤 The Liberal Party of Canada has announced two leadership debates—one in English and one in French—to be held in Montreal later this month, ahead of the vote to determine their next leader and prime minister Justin Trudeau’s successor.
🎟️ Early Bird Tickets for OutFest, the largest Queer performance festival in Atlantic Canada, are on sale! Discover live-theatre, dance, music, a Makers Market and more!*
⚒️ The Nova Scotia government is invoking a rarely used legal provision to allow an Australian company to explore for lithium on private woodland without permission from the landowners.
*Sponsored Post
SPONSORED BY JIM PATTISON LEASE
Custom Fleet Management & Vehicle Leasing
Jim Pattison Lease offers tailored vehicle leasing and fleet management solutions, combining flexible leasing options with advanced telematics and analytics for real-time insights. Their services include upfitting, expense management with a Fleet Card, and comprehensive local support to maximize efficiency and value while minimizing costs throughout the fleet lifecycle.
ARTS + CULTURE
New art shows on Black resilience, faith, cultural pride
📸 Credit: Steve Farmer
This February, African Heritage Month, let the Dalhousie Art Gallery be a beacon for community power, intergenerational knowledge sharing and creative resistance.
From Feb 4 through Apr 27, the DAG is hosting three synchronous art shows to celebrate the communities of African Nova Scotians—their histories, artists, poets, teachers, families, heroes and bonds of faith.
Together, the multidisciplinary artworks within Down Home: Portraits of Resilience, Oluseye: by Faith and Grit, and Theaster Gates: Billy Sings Amazing Grace celebrate Black resilience, artistry, innovation and community ties through evocative portraits, crafted tributes and objects reclaimed in praise.
🗞️ In Other News
🥀 The captain who died when a fishing boat capsized off the coast of eastern Nova Scotia on Thursday was an experienced fisher who was returning to harbour with a full catch on board—according to the vessel’s owner.
🙀 A fibre artist from Truro has gone viral again after a photo of celebrated actor Timotheé Chalamet surfaced recently in what appeared to be one of the sweaters she created.
🇨🇦 Donald Trump’s threats to impose across-the-board tariffs on Canada—and his musings about making our country the 51st American state—have unleashed an uncharacteristic wave of patriotism across the nation, marked by acts big and small.
🏅 The Governor General’s office has terminated singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Order of Canada after a CBC report questioned her Indigenous heritage—saying it found a birth certificate that indicated she was born in 1941 in Massachusetts and listed both her parents as white.
💊 Nova Scotia Health says benzodiazepine in Amherst may be tainted with fentanyl and caffeine—saying they received a report from a community partner about “unexpected reactions.”
SPONSORED BY NOVA SCOTIA FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
Come out and meet the farmers who grow our food!
Meet Your Farmer on Heritage Day at Cole Harbour Place returns for another year on Monday, February 17. Drop in anytime between 10am and 3pm for this free family event.
Kids of all ages can enjoy games like farm bingo, a colouring station, a wool felting activity and more.
This is a great chance to meet real farmers from across Nova Scotia and to learn more about food and farming here in our province.
🗓️ Things To Do
Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:
🗓 Kindred Action—Sober Shop and Sip: There will be shopping! There will be sipping! There will be dancing and laughing and hugs (if you’re into that)! There will also be sensitive conversations around intimate partner violence against women, abuse and the depth of its effect in our communities—critical conversations to provoke thought and enact real change. All proceeds from the event will go to support Bryony House. | Feb 10 | 6pm | Free
🗓 The Music Room Chamber Players Series Presents Breaths and Bows: Cascading from the one to the many, this concert presents some of the greatest masters of the classical era—Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven—alongside American composer Amy Beach and French composer Marin Marais. This concert is sure to spark your imagination, offering a soundscape that showcases the wonderful timbres produced by pairing flute with strings. | Feb 12 | 7:30pm | $35
🗓 We Are Country—Julian Taylor: With a soulful voice and captivating stage presence, Julian Taylor’s unique blend of blues, roots and folk music has earned him a growing fanbase and critical acclaim not only in Canada but also in Europe and the US. After 25 years in music, building an unimpeachable reputation as a truly independent artist and entrepreneur, Julian Taylor now owns his legacy. | Feb 12 | 7pm | $16.25
🗓 The Comedy Stand Presents Chris Halef: This comedy sensation has been featured at the Halifax Comedy Fest, Just For Laughs Originals and can be heard daily on News 95.7FM radio. Chris brings his sharp wit and relatable humour to the stage for an unforgettable evening of laughs. | Feb 13 | 8pm | $20
Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].
⚓️ What’s In The Harbour
🚢➡️ The Siem Aristotle vehicle carrier arrives in Halifax from Emden, Germany at 5:55am and leaves for Jacksonville, FL at 5pm.
🚢➡️ The Tropic Lissette container ship arrives in Halifax from Philipsburg, St. Marteen at 7:15am and leaves for West Palm Beach, FL at 10pm.
➡️ The East Coast oil tanker leaves Halifax for Saint John at 9am.
🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sea container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 10:20am and leaves for New York at 9pm.
🚢 The CB Pacific oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Albany, NY at 10:40am.
➡️ The Algoma Vision bulk carrier leaves Halifax for Tampa, FL at 11am.
🍴 Where To Eat & Drink
You say “let’s split it,” but you know it’s all yours. Try the Prosciutto e Burrata at Da Zero: creamy burrata and savoury prosciutto on a thin, crispy crust.
🐟 Satisfy your craving for the freshest seafood with the Perch at Bar Kismet: fresh perch, tardivo and mustard beurre blanc.
👀 In Case You Missed It
🏗️ Three months after the Halifax Alehouse poured its last draught, the pub—and the 132-year-old building it called home—could soon meet its end with a wrecking ball. But a Nova Scotia heritage group has launched a petition to protect the building. As The Coast’s Martin Bauman reports, heritage advocates say it’s one of the “remaining vestiges” of a “lost neighbourhood.”
🏛️ The city of Halifax is in the middle of a rebuild. It’s trying to change from a city consistently standing in its own way, to one that’s ready for an uncertain future. To their credit, our city has a pretty good team, but there are some foundational flaws in the way we play our version of democracy that is truly holding this city back from greatness. For councillors or anyone living in Halifax who wants to understand what is holding Halifax back, The Coast’s Matt Stickland has more from a spicy first meeting of budget season.
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:
What did you think of today's newsletter? |
Reply