🗞️ The byelection prophecy

Hey Halifax,

Fun question: if you were a musician and found out that AI had created an album with your name and face on it, but it was WAY better than your own actual work and the album totally popped off and was streaming to the gods… would you… tell anyone? 

That’s what happened to a Nova Scotian musician, except that instead of popping off, the album sucked.

Ian Janes was surprised to find an entire album—generated by AI—linked to his name and profile on music platforms without his permission or knowledge. He describes the music as the kind you would hear if you were on hold, or at the dentist’s office. Or on hold with the dentist’s office 😱🦷

At first he thought maybe it could have been a mix-up with someone else named Ian Janes, but after a bunch of searches, he couldn’t find another artist with his same name. He reported the fake album and it was removed, but then surfaced again under a new Spotify profile created with the same name.

For their part, Spotify and Apple Music have both said basically…

Janes says this just shows how easily AI-generated music can be uploaded and distributed, which can take ad, streaming and/or download revenue away from actual artists. 

Speaking of which, you guys would notice if my writing was replaced by AI, right? RIGHT?!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌤️ -3°

Tomorrow: 🌨️ -5°

Next Day: 🌤️ -6°

7-day forecast

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

NEWS + OPINION

When will MP Andy Fillmore be replaced?

As a politician, Andy Fillmore has good timing: He rode a wave of federal Liberal popularity to become the Halifax riding member of parliament in 2015—see signs from that campaign above—and he resigned as an MP last September before the Liberal train could derail completely and ruin his chances in Halifax’s mayoral election. And Liberal leader Justin Trudeau? His timing’s not so great, and it’s getting in the way of the mandatory byelection to fill mayor Fillmore’s former seat in parliament.

The law says a byelection must be called no later than 180 days after a seat is vacated. For the Halifax seat, that’s a deadline of March 2. The date might ring a bell because thanks to Trudeau’s recent retirement announcement, the Liberals are picking a new leader/prime minster on March 9. Also, due to Trudeau’s political maneuvering, the current session of parliament is on pause until March 24—and when it resumes, the opposition is promising to force the country into a general election.

It’s possible for the Liberals to call the Halifax byelection earlier than March 2—it would be legal for the call to come today—and the Conservative and New Democratic Parties are ready with their candidates, Mark Boudreau for the Conservatives and Lisa Roberts for the NDP. But on top of finding a national leader and worrying about a federal election, the Liberals don’t even have a local candidate yet.

With the Halifax riding at risk of getting forgotten in the shuffle, The Coast’s Kyle Shaw pulls out a calendar and the Elections Act to figure out when the byelection could be.

🤔 Need To Know

💙 Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston and African Nova Scotian affairs minister Twila Grosse officially launched African Heritage Month yesterday morning—the event included an official proclamation, a poster unveiling, music by Adina Fraser Marsman and presentations by Graham Creighton Junior High students.

⚖️ The mother of a 16-year-old Halifax boy who was fatally stabbed last year delivered a heart-wrenching statement to a silent courtroom Tuesday, saying her life has lost all meaning since his death.

🚰 The boil water advisory affecting approximately 200,000 Haligonians since Monday has been extended “until further notice.” Halifax Water says there’s a risk of people getting unchlorinated water in the Pockwock Lake service area—peninsular Halifax, Bedford, Beaver Bank, Middle and Lower Sackville, Upper Hammonds Plains, Fall River, Spryfield, Timberlea and Herring Cove.

🎭 Murder Tonight, opens at TAG: a new drama about three sisters. Secrets are revealed, a dangerous chain reaction begins. Can it be contained? Jan 23-Feb 8.*

⚠️ Yesterday afternoon, the city closed the MacKay Bridge due to concerns about potentially explosive picric acid at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, but the situation was resolved without incident—the bridge reopened last night around 6pm.

*Sponsored Post

ARTS + CULTURE

Comedian Julie Kim brings Doing Too Much tour to Halifax

Julie Kim is having a moment. From sold-out theatre shows with comedian Ronny Chieng to writing gigs with Run the Burbs and Kim’s Convenience, the Toronto-born, Vancouver-based stand-up comic is becoming one of the most in-demand funny people in Canada these days. 

With an acerbic wit on issues ranging from race, to parenthood, to gender differences, the Korean-Canadian comedian has developed a reputation for being sharp and foul-mouthed, but also full of heart.

This spring, she’ll headline a show in Halifax at the Bus Stop Theatre. The Coast’s Martin Bauman catches up with Kim to talk about finding her voice and why her East Coast trip will be a full-circle moment.

🗞️ In Other News

🏨 Discover Halifax says tourism in HRM reached another record year in 2024—the organization says the number of hotel room nights sold reached roughly 1,629,000 in 2024, up 2.6% from the previous high in 2023.

💳 An independent investigation has revealed former CBRM mayor Amanda McDougall racked up about $76K in unreported expenses, nearly $60K of which were considered legitimate business expenses.

🖥️ Netflix is raising its prices in Canada—the streaming giant says the monthly cost of its cheapest offering is going up by $2 to $7.99 per month.

🏥 Nine-year-old Norah Matchet from New Brunswick was announced as the 2025 Children’s Miracle Network Champion for the IWK—she will share her story to support fundraising in the Maritimes.

🚐 A Halifax-area veteran is being told to leave the RV where he lives because it's against a local bylaw, while he says the order is unfair in the middle of winter and a housing crisis—the RV sits on his mother's property in Wellington, a rural community just north of Fall River.

🩺 About 145 surgical procedures planned for Tuesday and Wednesday had to be rescheduled because of the ongoing Pockwock Lake boil water advisory.

SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN DARTMOUTH BUSINESS COMMISSION

East Coast Credit Union Ice Festival

Head to downtown Dartmouth January 31-February 2 for the East Coast Credit Union Ice Festival. A winter celebration filled with live ice carving, a street party on Saturday, a chance to meet Bluey & Bingo and lots more fun! Live carving will take place on Friday and Saturday, then the sculptures stay until they melt away. Full schedule available here.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Halifax Jazz Festival Presents Dominique Fils-Aimé: HJF presents this two-time JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter from Montreal, an artist who puts the history of African-American musical culture into the heart of her work, reflecting on the social realities that influenced the genres of blues, jazz and soul. | Jan 23 | 7:15pm | $48

🗓 The Comedy Stand Presents Travis Lindsay: With a unique mix of sharp jokes and captivating storytelling, Travis has been making waves in the comedy scene since he was 16. He’s performed at major events like CBC’s Halifax Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs Originals and The New Faces of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs festival. | Jan 23 | 7pm | $20

🗓 The Music of The Who with Symphony Nova Scotia: The Who is one of the most iconic bands of the 20th century, with their distinctive blend of punk, rock, mod, and pop music. Now, the Symphony pays homage to The Who’s greatest hits of all time. Don’t miss this thrilling symphonic salute with perennial favourites Jeans ‘n Classics and Symphony Nova Scotia. | Jan 24-26 | From $48

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🚢 The One Wren container ship arrives in Halifax from Charleston at 10:45am.

🚢➡️ The Vivienne Sheri D container ship arrives in Halifax from Portland, Maine at 1:15pm and leaves for Argentia at 4pm.

➡️ The H Mercury container ship leaves Halifax for Kingston at 4pm.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sun container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 6:20pm and leaves for New York at 11pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🌮 Two words: Dessert Tacos! Get them today at Antojo Tacos + Tequila: cinnamon sugar taco shells, Mexican brownie chunks, dulce ice cream, strawberry puree, marshmallow fluff.

🇰🇷 The Canteen is bringing the heat with the Korean Pork Sandwich: gochujang-marinated pork loin, pickled daikon and carrot, green onions, cilantro, toasted sesame bun.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🎧 This week on The Grand Parade podcast, The Coast’s Matt Stickland and Martin Bauman host an emergency episode to talk through the city’s strategic planning update and why the HRM is falling short of its goals. Plus, the two dig into Halifax Regional Police’s request for an armoured police carrier and the Board of Police Commissioners’ decision to approve it.

🚔 Speaking of the police… as an institution they are in a bit of a crisis. The cost of policing is going up with no added benefit to municipalities for that increased spending. On top of that, as police are asked to do more, it is further increasing costs while hurting police officers. The Board of Police Commissioners could be spending their time changing policing policy to prevent injuries to police. Instead, the board is content sending scorn to the public and supportive platitudes to the police. But if the board says it supports the police but doesn’t back it up with policies to protect them, then who’s the one making canned and banal statements? The Coast’s Matt Stickland digs into the board’s platitude posturing.

That’s it!

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