🗞️ Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day

Happy Friday Halifax,

One of the formative songs of my millennial youth was a little sing/talk ditty called Everybody’s Free (to wear sunscreen). For those of you who were born after the days of MuchMusic and the radio, the gist of this bop is…wear sunscreen.

And I mean, it’s sage advice that I follow to this day. But, apparently a new TikTok trend is advocating against the use of sunscreen and it has dermatologists shook. Dr. Kerry Purdy says the trend is disturbing and that the misinformation is very problematic. 

If you’re worried about which sunscreen to choose, she says to find a full spectrum, UVA and UVB, photostable, low-irritant sunscreen and you’ll know it’s all those things if it has the logo of the Canadian Dermatology Association.

Have a safe and restful weekend!

– Julie

🌭 P.S - Our friends at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce are having a BBQ to raise money for the 2024 BMO Ride for Cancer today at Cyclesmith from 12-1:30pm. If you can’t make it, you can donate here.

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 27°

Tomorrow: ☁️ 18°

Next Day: 🌧️ 17°

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.

EDUCATION

Embracing Mi’kmaw concept of reciprocal learning on National Indigenous Peoples Day

On June 21, a day also known as “Freedom Day,” the duo behind the provincial Treaty Education initiative ask us to consider the phrase “Maw Kina'masultinej,” which is a Mi’kmaw concept meaning “Let's Learn Together.” 

Nik Phillips and Celeste Sulliman of the Treaty Education initiative spoke with The Coast on the work they do across the province within public service departments to build understanding of the relationship that underpins the phrase “We Are All Treaty People."

If you want to participate in some learning today, consider joining family members and community supporters in honouring the Shubenacadie Residential School survivors during their annual Freedom March on Friday morning. 

For those who may be closer to Phillips’ home community of Millbrook, the Millbrook Heritage Centre is hosting its annual National Indigenous Peoples Day Mawio’mi inside a full schedule of celebration events, including a performance by Morgan Toney. 

Phillips and Sulliman shared more tips with The Coast on how to get involved in today’s activities and celebrate Mi’kmaw history, language and culture across the province.

🤔 Need To Know

🌁 The planned closure of the MacKay Bridge this weekend has been called off due to forecasted rain.

🚨 Halifax RCMP are looking for a man wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant after he attacked a home with an axe and fled into the woods. The suspect has been identified as 26-year-old, Brandon Crawford Grant.

🖼️ The unexpected awaits at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia this summer! With four new exhibitions there’s something for everyone. Open daily 10am-5pm, on Thursdays until 9pm.*

🦖 Dinosaur Exploration goes extinct on June 23. Don't miss one last opportunity to see your favourite dinosaurs including T. rex.*

🎉 Love free summer concerts and entertainment? Join us for the 2024 Dartmouth Festival Series - every weekend at the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal until August 10!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY TD HALIFAX JAZZ FESTIVAL

Jazz Fest Starts July 9!

On July 9, the TD Halifax Jazz Festival kicks off with an incredible lineup featuring Killer Mike, Fitz and the Tantrums, Emmylou Harris, Matt Andersen & the Big Bottle of Joy, The War and Treaty, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Rankin MacInnis. Get ready for six days of unforgettable music!

NEWS + OPINION

Halifax downgrades road safety framework

Halifax’s Transportation Standing Committee met and watered down the city’s Strategic Road Safety Framework. During the debate, the HRM’s newly promoted executive director of Public Works, Lucas Pitts, told councillors that this new plan was an upgrade because it was a “systems-level approach” to road safety.

When debating the new framework councillor Trish Purdy asked Pitts if any city had managed to avoid killing people on public infrastructure and if so “what are they doing and can they maintain that for more than one year?” Pitts responded that yes, there was one place called Hoboken, New Jersey which has managed to avoid killing anyone with public infrastructure for the past seven years.

The Coast’s Matt Stickland breaks down everything that happened as council debated the new Road Safety Framework.

🗞️ In Other News

🍎 Justin Trudeau is making a stop in the central region of N.S. to make a food program announcement alongside the minister of housing, infrastructure and communities.

🏫 Officials say the COVID-19 pandemic, students’ use of cellphones and school crowding may have contributed to the spike in school violence.

🏠 The province is changing the rules for people who pay a fixed amount of rent for public housing—a move the government says is aimed at achieving fairness and consistency.

📰 Documents filed on June 19 with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court say negotiations are underway with an unnamed buyer that would keep Saltwire—Atlantic Canada’s largest media company— operating.

ℹ️ Despite requests for additional resources, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) of Nova Scotia is still dealing with a four-year backlog on cases.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Live Music with 38 Fanthoms: The famous band 38 Fanthoms will be bringing their enthusiastic style to Bulwark Cider House for an unforgettable show. | June 22 | 6:30pm

🗓 Rainbow Vision Makers Queerapolooza: Different Folks presents a two-day event to celebrate Pride month that will feature over 70 queer vendors selling art, jewelry, ceramics, plants, food and more, along with featured performances. | June 22-23 | $2

🗓 Dartmouth Festival Series - A Matinee with Joel Plaskett, Family & Friends: As part of Dartmouth Open Street Sunday, Portland Street from Alderney Drive to Prince Albert Road will be car free and open for folks to enjoy. The streets will be activated with live entertainment, music and lots more excitement! | June 23 | Noon | Free

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️ The Morning Concert vehicle carrier arrives in Halifax from New York at 6:55am.

➡️ The Algoberta oil tanker leaves Halifax for Sydney at 8am.

➡️ The Silver Arctic container ship leaves Halifax for Baie Comeau at 9am.

➡️ The CSL Tacoma bulk carrier leaves Halifax for Wilmington at 12pm.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling leaves Halifax for St. John’s at 6pm.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container ship leaves Halifax for Argentina at 6pm.

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

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥪 If you’re in the mood for a tasty handheld, go for the chicken pesto sandwich from Jeckyll and Hyde: chicken, bacon, pesto, aioli, white smoked cheddar, mixed greens.

🍩The pink lemonade donut is back at Total Donuts Solutions—made with freshly squeezed lemons and grapefruit.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎤 For a band that started on a whim two years ago and consists of members with little prior experience, Steel Cut Oats is going strong. Just this month, they released their follow-up—Top Autonomy, an EP consisting of four tracks, each distinctive in their sound and purpose but tied tightly together by a feminist throughline with a healthy pinch of wit. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with vocalist Sarah Roberts about Steel Cut Oats’ anthemic new EP.

🏛️ There was an item added to Tuesday’s council meeting and it was a bit of a stinker. As reported by the CBC there’s nowhere for the poop in septic tanks to go anymore. The one place close to the HRM in Hants no longer has space to accept everyone’s feces so now septic companies will have to drive human waste out to Amherst. The Coast’s Matt Stickland has more on that story and everything else that happened at this week’s council meeting, including notable debates and things that passed.

⚖️ Good Robot improperly brewed 59,000 cans of beer for a New Brunswick beverage company according to a lawsuit filed in Nova Scotia Supreme Court claims. 

🚨 Halifax Police are investigating a stabbing on Tuesday in Dartmouth after a group of youths approached two men who were walking in the area and one of the youths cut one of the men with a knife and then the group fled on foot.

That’s it!

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