Good morning!

I hope you all had a safe and happy long weekend and that nobody had to endure my deepest, darkest nightmare: being called upon to participate by a busker. A fate worse than death.

Today I’m collaborating with my sister from another mister—the iconic Liz LeClair—on this op-ed because we’ve both been stewing in discomfort at all of the Liberal hoopla around having two women running to be the new provincial party leader.

And I know, you’re probably all “Julie, this is what you wanted. It’s what you’re always blabbing on about”. But not wanting shitty white men in power does not mean I want shitty white women in power. I just want non-shitty people in power.

The Liberals are hailing themselves as the party of progress because they’re about to appoint their first woman leader—sorry, I mean the first white woman leader. Not once did anyone mention that a competent and capable African Nova Scotian woman ran for the leadership in 2022, only for the party to choose Zach Churchill—a white man from the political establishment—who then went on to lose the next election so badly the party is now down to two seats.

But I digress. Let’s take a look at history of white women as gatekeepers of patriarchy and white supremacy (*rolls overhead slide projector from 1989 into classroom*):

Nova Scotia's own government-appointed panel on environmental racism handed its report to the province in June 2024, and the government sat on it for more than a year, refusing to release it. Then Justice Minister Becky Druhan—a former member of the PC cabinet and one of the white women running for Liberal leadership—was tasked with deciding whether the public would ever see it. She argued the panel's mandate didn't include public disclosure. Huge boo.

It took sustained pressure from opposition parties and Mi'kmaw chiefs before a draft finally surfaced in November 2025—14 recommendations, including a formal apology and reparations to Mi'kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities for the province's own role in environmental racism.

This is what it looks like when some white women hold institutional power.  It’s not necessarily outright cruelty, but a quiet, bureaucratic willingness to keep the harm out of public view.

I don’t want a woman leader whose only different from Tim Houston because of her gender; I want to know what they're going to do to change these systems to ensure that all women and people from underserved and underrepresented communities are not just supported, but lifted up.

We need to ensure that all leaders, of all genders and all backgrounds, are held to account. This isn’t about being anti-feminist—so save that comment for your journal—this is about being an intersectional feminist who knows first-hand the way that white women can and do uphold the patriarchal structure—in business and in government.

Love, light and lotion! 🧴

– Jules (with the love and support of Liz)

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: ☀ 32°

Tomorrow: ☀ 31°

Next Day: ☀ 31°

7-day forecast

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

Steel Cut Oats had to make a difficult choice.

When two members of what was the five-piece indie pop-rock band decided to move on, there were only a few options open to those remaining.

They could recruit a fourth member to round out their sound. They could call it quits and go their separate ways.

“Then there were three of us,” says Sophie Janke, guitarist. “We were kind of like, well, we could still do this.”

The result of this decision was a struggle to become a band of three multi-instrumentalists. Yet, nearly two years after taking the chance, the fruits of their labour have blossomed on their full-length debut, Okay Love You, Okay Bye.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer chats with Janke and vocalist Sarah Roberts about the band’s new album and how it encapsulates their experiences.

🌡️ On Tuesday, Environment Canada issued a yellow-level alert for the entire mainland, warning of high temperatures and humidity beginning Wednesday afternoon and continuing into at least Friday.

🔋 A Halifax fire official says as more devices use lithium-ion batteries, people should be aware of their potential risks—on Sunday, firefighters were called to an apartment building in Dartmouth after an e-scooter’s battery malfunctioned.

🎭 Razzmatazz for Kids – August 14, 10am: Interactive musical adventure featuring, catchy songs, comedy, and audience participation that inspires children to move, imagine, have fun.*

💃 The Skeleton Dance – August 14, 2pm: A whimsical theatre experience blending clowning, puppetry, and storytelling to explore curiosity, compassion, connection, and life’s biggest questions.*

🪄 Magical Adventures – August 14, 6pm: National Champion Magician delivers an interactive show packed with comedy, audience participation, and astonishing illusions for the whole family.*

🏡 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

🙋 Three Questions - August 13, 2pm: A family show featuring dance, puppetry, storytelling, and imagination, following a child’s journey to discover how to do good.*

🦕 Before extinction, dinosaurs fought to survive! Dinosaur Exploration 2 is a sequel to the hit 2024 exhibit, featuring some of your favourite dinosaurs.*

😂 Michael Harrison – August 13, 6pm: Enjoy laugh-out-loud comedy, outrageous characters, participation, and amazing ventriloquism as America's Got Talent performer brings his family-friendly VENTASTIC show.*

*Sponsored Post

When something is bothering you, your mind naturally wants to solve it. The problem? Not everything needs to be figured out right now.

When you catch yourself replaying a conversation, worrying about next week, or running through every possible outcome, ask: “Is there something I can actually do about this today?”

If yes, identify one small action and take it. If not, give yourself permission to put it down for now.

This isn’t about ignoring problems. It’s about recognizing when thinking has stopped being productive.

Your attention is limited. Spend more of it on what you can influence today, and less on problems that belong to another day. Sometimes, letting go is the productive choice.

♻️ Farms across Nova Scotia focused on reducing plastic waste will be getting help from an expanded pilot project run by a not-for-profit—Cleanfarms helps farmers recycle plastics like hay bale wraps and feed tarps, and assists the industry in being more sustainable.

✈️ A day after WestJet resumed operations following a one-day strike, some customers say they are still facing difficulties sorting out their travel plans.

⚠️ A pilot program in Dartmouth for community-based care is expanding —HRM announced Tuesday that the Crisis Assistance and Response service, known as CARE, is now open to residents on the Halifax peninsula.

⚽ In their second year, the Halifax Tides professional women's soccer team has already surpassed last season's win total—now they're eyeing a playoff berth before a growing fan base.

🏢 A new long-term care space has opened in Bedford—Adeline Hall officially opened on Tuesday with 144 single resident rooms as part of the province’s goal to build or replace 5,700 rooms across the province.

Join Shakespeare By The Sea in beautiful Point Pleasant Park for two incredible productions: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and the world premiere of Beauty & the Beast: A Fairy-Tale Game-Show Musical.

Shows run until August 30th - Get your seats TODAY!

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

🗓 Alan Syliboy Journey: The Journey So Far, published by Nimbus Publishing, is based on his retrospective exhibit at Dalhousie Art Gallery, May 9 - August 11, 2024. Alan will be presenting new and older work at The Prow Gallery. | Aug 6-28 |

🗓 Skratch Bastid - Live at the Shore Club: Known for his electric stage presence, technical prowess and versatile selections that span the complete musical spectrum—from hip hop to house, disco to dancehall, reggae to funk and back again—Bastid is a true crowd favourite with an unrivaled ability to create unforgettable moments with not only music, but the community. | Aug 7 | 9:30pm | $38 |

🗓 Great Outdoors Comedy Festival: Get ready for the ultimate laughter experience at the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, a thrilling multi-day event that brings together some of the comedy heavyweights to Halifax. Nestled against the stunning backdrop of Citadel Hill, this open-air festival marries exceptional stand-up performances with an electrifying social atmosphere, creating a summer event you won't want to miss. | Aug 6-9 |

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

Ten amazing family shows. One unforgettable weekend. The BRAVO Festival for Young Audiences brings together theatre, music, dance, puppetry, storytelling, and interactive performances from outstanding artists. Discover new adventures, share unforgettable moments, and experience the magic of live performance. Join us and let imagination take center stage.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sun container vessel arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 5:20am and departs for New York at 4pm.

➡️ The Tropic Hope container vessel departs Halifax for West Palm Beach at 6am.

🚢➡️ The Viking Vela cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 9am and departs at 5pm.

🚢 The Algoscotia tanker arrives in Halifax from Corner Brook at 9:30am.

🚢 The Algoma East Coast tanker arrives in Halifax from Saint John at 3:40pm.

🚢 The Oceana container vessel arrives in Halifax from New York at 3:50pm.

🚢 The CMA CGM Paranagua container vessel arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 10:15pm.

Do you love to read and discuss big ideas? Halifax Humanities 101 is a FREE non-credit, university-level course about philosophy, literature, and art for adults on low incomes or facing other barriers to accessing traditional education. Registration for the October - June 2026/27 cohort opens August 10!

🌅 Skip the line and head straight to the flavour. Order Salt + Sol online, pick up your favourites, and enjoy them on the Halifax waterfront.

🍕 Public's handcrafted artisan pizzas feature premium cheeses, cured meats, and seasonal ingredients on perfectly blistered dough.

🍺 Gluten, meet your maker. Good Robot has gluten-reduced beers on tap and in-store at Robie Street & The Commons. Click for the full list.

*sponsored

💸 Musicians across Atlantic Canada have been calling out the East Coast Music Association for late payments stemming from showcases during the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney this May. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over the issues artists have been having with the East Coast Music Association.

🌳 Two Halifax-area parks run by two different volunteer and non-profit groups have decided to close their parks at dusk to prevent vandalism and safety issues.

🚐 A mobile unit that offers free skin cancer screenings to patients is coming to Nova Scotia this summer—the Mole Mobile, run by Melanoma Canada, is touring across Canada from May to October, making more than 130 stops in all 10 provinces.

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