Oh hey there Halifax, you look so fresh and rested!

So I have some things to say about the RCMP. I know, you must be positively keeling over in shock.

A new policy change means that RCMP officers are no longer required to have their names on their uniforms. They still can if they want (they won’t), but can just have their 5-digit regimental number sans name if they choose.

The RCMP introduced the policy change to protect officers from online harassment and "doxxing”—the compilation and release of someone's personal information, including their name, address and phone number. Kind of like what they have the full right to do to us…

I already have somewhere between 0% and -5% confidence in the police to be held accountable for literally anything. But taking away the one thing that someone could possibly remember after an exchange with them is giving major storm trooper energy and that makes me nervous. You laugh now, but will it be so funny when Spring Garden Rd looks like this?

Think of it this way: A police officer has enormous power over an individual, so the individual should not have to become a detective just to figure out who exercised that power. That’s incredibly unfair.

And it’s bigger than me just not trusting one or two gross individual officer (this is not a “one bad apple” situation) because I do believe the police attracts megalomaniacs like the Catholic church attracts pedophiles. Therefore, I believe that the institution should be designed so that trust is supported by transparency rather than requiring blind trust.

(Also, if you have blind trust in the police and truly believe they have your best interest at heart, I bet you haven’t had any kind of traumatic run-in with them—which I’m both respectful and jealous of)

Plus, it its 2024-25 annual report, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP said that removing name tags without an alternative visual identification system was unreasonable and negatively affected the ability to hold RCMP members accountable.

In my opinion, A 5-digit number is NOT a sufficient form of visual identification system. And there’s no way it would be clearly legible in photos or video and there’s also very little chance a person in trauma or crisis could possibly remember it. Which is why I’m willing to bet most officers will opt for this choice. It gives them even freer reign.

If the province gives certain people the power to stop you, search you, arrest you and/or use force against you, identifying who exercised that power shouldn't be a GD easter egg hunt. Call me crazy, but I think accountability works best when the person with the power isn't the only person who knows who they are.

Love and light!

– 62583

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌤️ 17°

Tomorrow: ☀ 18°

Next Day: ☀ 19°

7-day forecast

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

A 21-year-old Dalhousie computer science student is now one of several record holders listed in the Guinness World Records 2027 edition.

Saul Hafting of Annapolis Royal broke an absurd record in 2021, when he was 16 years old. During the pandemic lockdowns, he set a goal for himself: he would solve the most rotating puzzle cubes while bouncing on a pogo stick.

“My parents would always get me the Guinness World Records books, and I’d always read through them, and I was always super interested in Guinness World Records,” says Hafting in an interview with The Coast. “I thought that everyone who had a record was the coolest person in the world.”

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Guinness World Record holder Saul Hafting what went into solving puzzle cubes on a pogo stick.

⚠️ Although the investigations are in early stages, Halifax police suspect that two sudden deaths in the community are linked to potent, illicit drugs—officers are asking people that if they see someone experiencing an overdose they should call 911 immediately.

🏛️ Members of Parliament are making their way back to Ottawa for the fall sitting of the House of Commons that gets underway on Monday—here are five things to watch for.

🚗 Halifax—which aims to have zero road fatalities in 12 years—saw a major spike in deadly collisions in 2025, according to a new report.

🪑 Pelvic therapy doesn’t have to be invasive, time-consuming, or hard. Body Works is doing 40% off Emsella for its 5-year anniversary, extended until October 9th.*

🎶 Symphony Nova Scotia visits Halifax Central Library on September 26 & 27! Enjoy this FREE concert, featuring a special performance by Alan Syliboy.*

📋 Seniors and their families are using this readiness organizer to help keep daily life going when someone needs to step in at short notice.*

NOTICE is hereby given that the following companies intend to make an application to the Registrar-of-Joint-Stock-Companies for surrender of their incorporation_certificates: Windsor Vision Centre Ltd.

NOTICE is hereby given that the following companies intend to make an application to the Registrar-of-Joint-Stock-Companies for surrender of their incorporation certificates: Stefmore Incorporated

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For many people, the cost of counselling can make it harder to reach out for support when they need it.

Your Counselling offers Start the Conversation, a sliding-scale counselling program designed to make support more affordable for those without insurance or for whom the regular cost of counselling may be a barrier.

Through a tiered-fee model, clients can access counselling at a rate that better fits their financial circumstances while being matched with a counsellor based on their needs.

Counselling is available both in person and virtually, helping more Nova Scotians access the support they’re looking for.

It starts with a conversation.

🥤 The Nova Scotia Liberal Party have put forward a bill to ban children under the age of 16 from purchasing energy drinks—Iain Rankin says this change is something pediatricians and health-care providers have been calling on for years.

According to a new study, he number of Nova Scotians visiting the emergency department for treatment of tick bites dropped by about half after the province gave pharmacists permission in 2021 to assess and provide preventative Lyme disease treatment, a new study has found.

🇨🇦 The governor of the Bank of Canada says U.S. tariffs are having less of an impact on the Atlantic region's economy than other parts of the country—but inflation is stinging more.

🥪 Friendlier, an Ontario-based reusable container company, is getting $150,K from Divert N.S. to expand its packaging program to more schools taking part in Nova Scotia’s School Lunch Program.

🚨 Police say the remains of Esther Jones, who was the victim of a homicide, have been recovered two years after her death—Dale Allen Toole, 56, was initially charged with first-degree murder in her death, but her body had never been found.

🥀 While some families in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley grapple with uncertainty after discovering they may not have buried the actual ashes of their loved ones, an expert in DNA testing says the technology only offers a faint hope of positively identifying the remains.

⚖️ A Nova Scotia seafood processor is arguing that a commercial fishing group suing it over claims it bought illegal lobster needs to name names and provide more detailed allegations before the case can continue.

💸 In 2023, the province announced $25M in funding for SMU to revolutionize the province's health-care system—less than three years later, the province quietly decided early this year that the remaining $11M of would not be used to continue the initiative.

🦈 It’s been a long time since swimming was encouraged in Nova Scotia's Bedford Basin, but that didn’t stop one shark from making a rare and lengthy visit on Friday night—according to marine biologist and shark researcher, it was “clearly a basking shark”.

Live Art Dance and Prismatic present Paratopias, by Pratibha Arts.

With choreography by Bageshree Vaze and live music by Bageshree Vaze and Vineet Vyas, Paratopias celebrates the possibilities of an inclusive and diverse world. Don’t miss it – get your tickets today!

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

🗓 Prairies to Ports - paintings by Jacqueline Faye Miller & Peter Ollerhead: This new exhibition celebrates the landscapes of Saskatchewan and Newfoundland through distinct yet complementary perspectives. Though separated by thousands of kilometers, both artists share a connection to the Canadian landscape. As a tribute to Nova Scotia and the place where these two artists come together, both have interpreted the same landscape at Ingonish Beach along the Cabot Trail. The shared subject offers a unique opportunity to see the same place through two distinct artistic perspectives. | Sept 17-Oct 9 | 

🗓 6th Greek International Film Festival Tour: The festival showcases award‑winning and emerging filmmakers, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience contemporary Greek cinema while fostering cultural dialogue and artistic collaboration. | Sept 21-Oct 8 | 

🗓 Sabaton - Legends on Tour: Get ready for an unforgettable night of heavy metal as Swedish powerhouse Sabaton brings their Legends on Tour to Halifax. Known for explosive performances and history-inspired anthems, the band has built a global fanbase with their unique storytelling and arena-grade metal. | Sept 23 | 7pm | $52.75 |

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

➡️ The MSC Eleni container vessel departed Halifax for Montreal at 2:30am.

🚢➡️ The Independence of the Seas cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6:30am and departs at 4pm.

🚢➡️ The Swallow Ace container vessel arrives in Halifax from Newark at 10:25am and departs for Baltimore at 9pm.

🚢 The Contship Cup container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 5:50pm.

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🍕 Public's artisanal pizzas pair naturally fermented dough with thoughtful toppings, blistered crusts, and a wine list built for pizza night.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “To die for.” Good Robot Robie’s Haddock Hogan is crispy fried haddock, beer batter, lettuce, tartar sauce, and a toasted brioche bun.

🍺 Something NEW is brewing in Halifax! Hammer N’ Kilt Brewing is opening soon, bringing house-brewed beer, great food, warm hospitality, and Legendary good times!

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💻 Last week, the government of Nova Scotia announced it's Building Our Budget Together program. This puts Nova Scotians in the shoes of the provincial finance minister, making all the tough choices that a finance minister is supposed to make. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer demonstrates this new program while giving his thoughts and opinions.

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