Good morning,

Today’s editorial contains graphic depictions of gender-based violence. Please take care of yourself and skip today if you need to 💗.

Lisa Banfield was kicked, punched and choked by her partner of 19 years on the night of April 18, 2020. She was left with fractured ribs and vertebrae but managed to escape. Over the next 13 hours, her partner fatally shot 22 people in rural Nova Scotia before two Mounties shot him dead at a gas station north of Halifax.

That is a tragedy.

Police arrived on Agincourt Crescent in the afternoon after they’d received an unusual phone call. A man had contacted the RCMP’s Halifax branch to report that he’d murdered a woman inside his home. Mounties found 74-year-old Judith Anne Organ dead from a shotgun blast. Police arrested 76-year-old Edmund Joseph Organ and charged him with first-degree murder in the death of his wife.

That is a tragedy.

Cape Breton Regional Police found Shaylene Johnson dead inside an apartment unit after they had been alerted to a disturbance in the home. Officers arrested 34-year-old Leonard Anthony Tenass and charged him with second-degree murder. Police say Tenass and Johnson knew one another.

That is a tragedy.

Halifax Regional Police arrived at Quinpool Road’s Quingate Place apartment complex According to police reports, officers were there for a well-being check and found 71-year-old Lana Pinsky dead in an apartment unit. One week after her death, the HRP charged Pinsky’s 41-year-old son, Jonathan William Pinsky, with second-degree murder.

That is a tragedy.

Two days before Mike Burke killed his wife, Brenda Tatlock-Burke, and then took his own life, she told her daughters she was planning to leave him. Brenda’s daughter, Tara Graham, told a House of Commons committee that her mother had been in a relationship with her stepfather for more than 30 years, during which time Burke had been “manipulative, controlling and full of narcissistic behaviour,” and he was “getting worse.”

That is a tragedy.

Yarmouth Town RCMP responded to “the sudden deaths of two adults who were known to each other”. Officers found a 58-year-old man and 49-year-old woman dead inside a home on Placid Court in an apparent murder-suicide. Investigators described the incident as one of intimate-partner violence. Family members identified the woman as Nicole Murphy.

That is a tragedy.

Halifax District RCMP say they were called to a home on Cole Harbour’s Poplar Drive to respond to a “report of sudden deaths.” Officers found a 72-year-old man and 71-year-old woman dead in an apparent murder-suicide. RCMP say the two “were known to one another” and that an investigation “shows this to be an incident of intimate partner violence.” Police did not disclose the names of either deceased.

That is a tragedy.

It was New Year’s Eve when Corelee “Alisha” Smith’s boyfriend, Matthew Costain, shot and killed her and her father, Bradford “Coy” Downey, on Gottingen Street. Hours later, officers were tipped off that “a man connected to the victims” was “believed to be” in the area around the Halifax Common. Police found Costain, 39, dead from a gunshot wound. Investigators believe he killed himself. Police describe Smith’s homicide as a case of intimate-partner violence.

That is a tragedy,

It was a Sunday afternoon when the RCMP arrived at a home on Long Hill Road. Mounties had received a call earlier that day to check on the well-being of 60-year-old Elaine Mosher and her 75-year-old husband. Officers found both dead in the home. Four days later, police shared in a news release that Mosher’s death was “found to be the result of intimate partner violence,” and that her husband—who “died as a result of self-inflicted wounds”—was the one who killed her.

That is a tragedy.

The countless women who, at this very moment, are living in violent situations who cannot leave because they are either financially unable, have children, have nowhere to go or are just plain too scared they will be murdered by their partner.

That is a tragedy.

A politician resigning because he injected gender-based violence rhetoric, misogyny and hate into an already sick province is not—as our disgraceful premier called it yesterday—a “tragedy”. It’s accountability. Tim Houston should try taking some for all of the real tragedies you just read about.

Have a safe and restful weekend,

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

CORRECTIONS CORNER: The proceeds from Mission Mart go to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, not Seafarer’s Mission. Both amazing organizations.

Today: ⛈️ 18°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 16°

Next Day: 🌧️ 15°

7-day forecast

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

Rumours Lounge & Cabaret, a queer-friendly and queer-owned bar on Lower Water Street, is at risk of going under according to its ownership.

In a letter posted to social media on Aug 31, owners Gerald McCowan and José Chiu told their patrons that they need help to ensure Rumours has a future.

"We're not announcing that Rumours is closing," reads the letter. "We're asking for your help to make sure we never have to make that announcement."

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer has more on the potential closure of one of Halifax’s few queer-friendly spaces.

🥀 Gloria Steinem—the celebrated author and activist who became one of the most visible symbols and potent voices of the U.S. women’s movement and a fierce advocate for feminist causes for over six decades—has died at age 92.

⚖️ The man who allegedly went on a racist tirade at a Halifax Costco is facing new charges, while some of the initial accusations against him have been withdrawn—Randall Byron Publicover, 37, was charged with 10 offences after the July 4 incident.

🚗 Cars, magic, crafts, food, and family fun! Join Revving Up for Family SOS, October 4. Help support free programs for local children and families. Tickets here.*

♭ Widely known for his contributions to the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack, The White Buffalo arrives in Halifax on Sept 20. Get your tickets!*

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The Paramount offers expansive suites rare for downtown with sleek finishes and panoramic views of the cityscape.

Overlooking Halifax's Public Gardens, and conveniently connected by pathway to Park Lane Mall, it's a place where everything you need is within reach.

Call Kuldeep at (902) 707-0319 or visit The Paramount today.

🏭 Tim Houston wants the province’s Independent Energy System Operator to broaden the request for proposals to build new power plants to include “a proper and more fulsome assessment of different technologies.”

🚍 Halifax's student transit pass program will continue in the 2026-27 school year, despite the province cutting its $1.2M share of funding in its latest budget—the pass allows eligible junior high and high school students to have unlimited travel on all Halifax Transit services, including bus, Access-A-Bus and ferry.

✏️ Summer break has come to an end and students are officially back to school. From pencils to calculators, the price of school supplies can quickly add up—find out how much it really costs to send kids back to school.

🎰 Canada’s money laundering watchdog has fined the Crown corporations in charge of gaming in Nova Scotia for failing to submit reports regarding suspicious activity and has fined the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation almost $232,000.

New this year, Kids Fringe brings two FREE afternoons of family-friendly theatre, music, dance, circus, improv and interactive performances to Halifax Central Library. Families can drop in, discover something new and experience the magic of Fringe together, September 6 and 13 from 1–5PM.

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

🗓 Halifax Fringe Festival: The Halifax Fringe is eleven days of live, uncensored, and uncurated performance art. It’s full of genre-busting theatre, comedy, one-person tour de forces, and so much more. You can catch everything from Shakespeare to sword swallowing, all at an affordable price and in accessible venues. | Sept 3 -13 |

🗓 TOQUE - Live: Formed over ten years ago playing Canadian Classic Rock, TOQUE has been entertaining Rock fans across Canada and are now hitting Halifax for the First time. Toque also has new original music out now as part of their growing catalogue available on all platforms. | Sept 5 | 8pm | From $43 | 

🗓 Trooper: With millions of records sold, dozens of hit songs, and a Juno Award for Band of the Year, Trooper has cemented its place as one of Canada’s most beloved rock bands. Universal Music has recognized them as one of the country’s top five selling bands of all time, while the Vancouver Sun has called them “Canadian rock heroes of the first order.” In 2023, the band was inducted into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame. | Sept 4 | 8pm | From $59.50 | 

🗓 Halifax Wanderers Soccer: Come cheer on the home team as they take on Cavalry FC at the Wanderers Grounds. | Sept 7 | 4pm | $32.80 |

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

🚢➡️ The Aidadiva cruise vessel arrived in Halifax at 3am and departs at 4pm.

🚢 The Algoma East Coast tanker arrived in Halifax from Saint John at 4:40am.

🚢➡️ The CMA CGM Paranagua arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 6:15am and departs for Antwerp at 10:30pm.

🚢➡️ The Pictor container vessel arrives in Halifax from Portland (Maine) at 8:15am and departs for Argentia at 6:15pm.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Breakaway cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 9:30am and departs at 8pm.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sky container vessel arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 2:20pm and departs for Liverpool at 11pm.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container vessel departs Halifax for Argentia at 4:30pm.

➡️ The Morning Lena vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 5pm.

🚢 The Rt. Hon. Paul E. Martin bulk carrier arrives in Halifax from North Sydney at 6:21pm.

🌯 GIANT Burrito lives! 1.25 lbs of beef, rice, cheese, guacamole, and nacho cheese. Available September only at Good Robot Robie.

🍷 Wine Wednesdays at Sketti & Ball Co. are calling. Grab your crew, order your favourite pasta or pizza, and let the good times pour!

🌮 Fresh Latin flavours are just a click away. Order Salt + Sol online, skip the wait, and enjoy waterfront dining your way.

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🎤 MLA for Pictou West Marco MacLeod has officially offered his resignation as Nova Scotia’s energy minister following weeks of criticism regarding rap songs he was featured in. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer delves into the controversy that led MacLeod to resign as Nova Scotia’s energy minister.

⚖️ A man who reportedly preached homophobic comments from a speaker outside a Halifax library is being denied compensation after he alleged police wrongfully arrested him and violated his Charter rights.

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