🗞 Expanding democracy for Halifax

EXECUTIVE STANDING COMMITTEE

Two ideas for expanding democracy are heading to council

On Monday, the city’s Executive Standing Committee met to get a report on electoral reform. When the city did the public consultation for the required-every-eight-years District Boundary Review, they heard about the things we citizens might want to change about our democracy. Based on our feedback, staff explored potential changes to lowering the voting age, changing to a ranked ballot, allowing permanent residents to vote, allowing new immigrants to vote and adding a protected seat for specific groups. Any of these potential changes would require the provincial government to make changes to municipal legislation. The requests would also have to come from council, so this committee was deciding which requests to send to council to then send to the province.

Of the four suggestions, only two were sent to council for action: Allowing permanent residents to vote, and adding a designated Mi’kmaw seat on council.

Read the full executive council report at The Coast.

Need to know

🚨 A 23-year-old Beaver Bank man, Logan Cameron Saucier, is wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant for multiple charges of assault, uttering threats and breaking probation.

🎞️ Don’t miss Dear Fredy, a documentary about an openly gay Jewish man who created a daycare in Auschwitz and plotted a revolt against his captors.*

📱 The province has pledged $47.3 million to launch its new Cellular for Nova Scotia Program to expand cell service to all Nova Scotians.

🍂 Join us at Saltscapes Fall Expo from October 27-29. Interact with over 150 vendors all while enjoying music, delicious food, drinks and more. Buy your tickets now and save!*

🚏 Cornwallis Street will officially become Nora Bernard Street at a public ceremony at 10am on Monday. The event was originally going to happen at the corner of North Park and Nora Bernard, but yesterday afternoon the location was moved around the corner to the entrance of the skating oval.

🔊 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Nocturne and the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront invite emerging artists to submit proposals to design temporary public vinyl artwork. Learn more and apply.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY HALIFACT - HRM

The official renaming of Cornwallis Street

Join the municipality in hosting an in-person event on October 30 at 10am at the entrance of the Emera Oval, 5775 Cogswell Street, to honour the official street renaming.

On The Coast

In other news

👧 Nova Scotia’s Education and Early Childhood Development Minister is reviewing daycare protocols that involve parents paying a fee to secure their child a spot on a waiting list.

🧑‍⚖️ A Hammonds Plains woman is suing a developer after the new building next door caused flooding and damage to her property.

💊 The RCMP are making their rounds at HRM high schools after a teen recently died of a suspected drug overdose in Cole Harbour.

🥾 The province is investing $5 million into repairing damage to trails caused by the July floods.

🧝 With Hal-Con, Atlantic Canada’s biggest sci-fi convention, happening this weekend, CBC explores its history with its director of design April Baird.

🗣️ Canada has revealed its plan to evacuate Canadians out of Lebanon, and senator Peter Boehm—who was responsible for the Lebanon evacuation back in 2006—speaks to CBC about how the two situations compare.

📝 East Coast Artisans has some vendor spots left for its holiday market on Dec. 1. Get your applications in by 6pm on Nov. 1.

ARTS & CULTURE

Everything you need to know about this year’s AfterWords Literary Festival

A who’s who of Canadian writers will descend on Halifax for the next week, starting Sunday. The fifth-annual AfterWords Literary Festival kicks off Oct. 29 and runs until Nov. 5. This year’s lineup is as stacked as the hardcovers piled next to your bedside table: Book lovers can meet and hear from the likes of Emma Donoghue (Room, The Pull of the Stars), Alicia Elliott (A Mind Spread Out On the Ground) and Mona Awad (13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl), while also taking in homegrown Nova Scotia talent including Karen Pinchin (Kings of Their Own Ocean), Amanda Peters (The Berry Pickers) and Shauntay Grant (Africville).

Coast reporter Martin Bauman chats with festival co-founder Stephanie Domet about all there is to know.

Sure things

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

🗓 RobieScope Cinema: Movie nights at Good Robot Robie and the new Commons Beer Garden are back in honour of Halloween, so you can catch screenings of Hocus Pocus and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Ticket holders will also be entered into a giveaway and will receive 10% off beer | Oct. 27 & Oct. 31 | 7pm | $7.

🗓️ Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra: Join the NSYO for its Come as You Dare show featuring a night of classical Halloween favourites at St. Andrew’s United Church | Oct. 28 | 2pm-4pm | $10-$30.

🗓️ Witches Paddle: The second annual Witches Paddle is happening this Sunday starting at St. Mary’s Boat Club. Stop by to watch, or get your witch costume on, grab your paddle and join in | Oct. 29 | 8am-10am | Free.

Check out our full Halloween weekend events planner in yesterday’s newsletter.

Save the date

The National Conference for Ending Homelessness is taking place in Halifax this year November 8-10.

Shop talk

🕐 Good Robot on Robie has new hours, check them out here.

Shop this

🧟 Different Folks Halifax is holding a Dead of Night Market at the Halifax Brewery Market on Oct. 29 from 2-6pm. Stop by and shop from over 35 vendors and enjoy family-friendly trick-or-treat stations.

🔮 If you’re looking for a more eclectic market experience, a Halifax Oddities & Curiosities Show is happening at the Halifax Forum on Oct. 28 from 10am-4pm.

Deals

🕹️ Steele Wheels Motor Museum is offering free play in its arcade this weekend for any child under 12. Adults 12 and over are $12.

Have a local special we should feature? Reply back and let us know!