🗞️ The dog ate Fillmore's homework

Guys! 

In the most Nova Scotian thing to ever Nova Scotia, a Tory campaign manager has resigned after he was caught buying campaign votes with… prepare yourself… Tim Hortons gift cards!

I know, I know, it’s bad behaviour, but I’m just so tickled by the idea of trading democracy for double-doubles.

Peter Zwicker—Progressive Conservative campaign manager for the constituency of Lunenburg—was busted by the Liberals, who complained to the provincial elections agency that Zwicker was handing out gift cards to people in line at a local Tim’s drive-thru on Saturday morning.

To that, Zwicker was like “nu-uhhhh, we were simply having a meet and greet and what’s a few gift cards between friends?” But I guess the Tories deemed him bad for business and he has stepped down while the agency investigates.

Btw, the value of each gift card was equivalent to ONE medium cup of coffee, and that seems like bargain basement price for a vote in an election, but throw in some of those birthday cake Timbits and we’ll talk.

Make sure you know your worth out there! ☕

– Julie

PS: My sincerest apologies again for spamming your inbox yesterday morning. It was much worse for me than it was for you, I’m certain.

(that’s what she said)

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 1°

Tomorrow: ☁️ 3°

Next Day: 🌧️ 5°

7-day forecast

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

CITY COUNCIL

Halifax’s new mayor doesn’t like homework

Halifax’s newly elected mayor Andy Fillmore chaired his first meeting of Halifax Regional Council yesterday, and in his first official act as mayor he decided to try and waste everyone’s time by adding an item to council’s agenda. Fillmore told this new council that after hearing about it on doorsteps during the campaign, he felt compelled to revisit the decision from the last council to designate parks as encampments. 

For those like Fillmore who need to be brought up to speed, last council decided to designate parks as encampments because people who have no housing need to live somewhere, so they live outside. Once people are living outside, wherever they set up shop they have to be allowed to stay there unless there is somewhere for them to go. But as the city’s director of housing and homelessness, Max Chauvin, told the last council, there is nowhere for people to go and it’s so bad that people with no housing who are being discharged from hospital are given tents alongside their prescriptions. 

The role designated encampments play during this abject failure of governance is that it allows the city to dictate where encampments are set up. The city did this because historically the places people naturally chose—like Victoria Park, Meagher Park and Grand Parade—were wildly unpopular, and managed encampments were the solution to prevent those unpopular encampments from being permanent. 

Which brings us back to Fillmore’s motion to rescind the potential encampment site list: This will require another staff report, and like the first staff report it will explain everything abridged above. It will conclude that the city doesn’t need to designate encampments, but that will result in undesignated encampments wherever people feel like setting them up. 

Speaking of not reading things, the municipal Administrative Order One dictates that the CAO must give advice via staff report. Since Fillmore got this item added to the agenda without a staff report, it was immediately deferred. It’ll come back to council Soon™ attached to an update about homelessness requested by councillor Sam Austin last council term.

🤔 Need To Know

☑️ On the campaign trail Tuesday, Tim Houston promised to reduce taxes on small businesses, Claudia Chender announced the creation of a rent-to-own starter home program and Zach Churchill vowed to “deliver a better deal for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.”

💃 Live Art Dance presents another compelling season of contemporary dance. Become a Subscriber! Purchase a Flex Pass. Tickets to three shows $108. Save 20%!*

📪 The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has given 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post—the notice is for both the union’s urban bargaining unit and its rural and suburban unit.

🎅 Get festive at Alderney Landing’s Christkindlmarket! Meet Santa, shop 100+ vendors, enjoy free carousel rides and live performances. Downtown Dartmouth, December 6-8.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY THE ATLANTIC JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

The Atlantic Jewish Film Festival

Presented by the Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC). The festival provides an opportunity for people in Atlantic Canada to experience the Jewish world through film.

The AJFF offers film lovers documentaries, comedies and dramas that otherwise would not screen in our region. We choose films to engage, entertain and educate a diverse, inclusive audience.

Get your tickets today to in-person and virtual screenings!

MUSIC

Marianas Trench hitting up Halifax with Force of Nature tour

Canadian pop-rock legends Marianas Trench will be kicking off their Force of Nature tour with shows Saturday and Sunday Nov 16 and 17 at the Light House Arts Centre in Halifax.

Hot off the release of their latest full-length album, Haven, the JUNO Award-winning band is taking their theatrical sound across Canada after finishing their US tour in October. Bassist Mike Ayley says they’re excited to take on the east coast as their first Canadian stop.

“It’s always good out there,” says Ayley in an interview with The Coast. “The people on the east coast are pretty much the nicest in the country.”

Their tour supports Haven, an ambitious album with a narrative that follows the steps of Joseph Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Mike Ayley about Marianas Trench’s new album and their upcoming Halifax shows.

🗞️ In Other News

🗳️ According to the latest polling, Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservatives are likely to be re-elected—of eligible voters, 50% would prefer the PCs to stay in power, about 25% of voters would prefer NDP leader Claudia Chender and 19% would like Liberal Zach Churchill.

💉 Advocates say that the increase in opiate overdose deaths should be a provincial election issue—there have been 60 confirmed or probable opioid toxicity deaths so far this year.

🪧 Candidates in Nova Scotia’s provincial election are voicing their frustrations on social media after they say multiple election signs were uprooted or destroyed.

🚨 RCMP are investigating after officers discovered human remains in an abandoned, burned vehicle in Greenhill—police say the person has not yet been identified and the situation is considered suspicious.

SPONSORED BY NORTH END BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Festive Finds at the Agricola Street Holiday Market

Join us at the Agricola Street Holiday Market on November 17, from 12-5pm! Discover unique gifts and locally crafted items while enjoying cozy mulled wine. Embrace the festive atmosphere and holiday cheer. Don’t miss this delightful event filled with joy and community spirit!

SPONSORED BY NEPTUNE THEATRE

Legends, Star Stories and Dance

shalan joudry's Winter Moons celebrates ancestral survival in a long ago Mi'kma'ki winter.

This beautiful dance-theatre piece follows the legends and star stories of L'nu (Mi'kmaw) fire keepers who care for an ember through the winter season.

With choreography by Sarah Prosper.

Tickets start at $25 (fees and taxes included).

On stage at Neptune Theatre until November 24. Book Today.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 The Art of Everyday—A Still Life Collection: This exciting new exhibition—presented by The Prow Gallery—features six contemporary artists who bring their distinct vision to the timeless genre of still life. Featured Nova Scotian artists are Teresa Bergen, Philip Hodges, Patricia Lindley, Marilyn McAvoy, Tim McGuire and Farah Niarad. | Nov 7-24

🗓 Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland: This Cirque Musica production takes audiences on a musical journey to a faraway land of dazzling beauty and mystery, blending the grace and thrills of the world’s greatest cirque performers with stunning symphonic music. | Nov 15 | 7:30pm | From $30

🗓 JJ Wilde Live: For the first time in two years, iconic Canadian rock star JJ Wilde is on the road with her All My Vices tour. | Nov 15 | 8pm | $34.55

🗓 Craft Nova Scotia Market: Experience an incredible showcase of local craft and discover unique, handmade designs from makers across the region—perfect for holiday gifting or adding something special to your collection. | Nov 15-18 | Free

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The H Mercury container ship leaves Halifax for Kingston at 3:30am.

➡️ The One Opus container ship leaves Halifax for New York at 4:30am.

🛳️➡️ The Grande Morocco container ship arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 5:55am and leaves for New York at 12pm.

🛳️➡️ The MSC Lisa container ship arrives in Halifax from Sines at 6:15am and leaves for Montreal at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The Baie St. Paul bulk carrier arrives in Halifax from Charlottetown at 6:21am and leaves for Cote St. Catherine at 10pm.

🛳️ The Zim Asia container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 11:20am.

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Sail container ship arrives in Halifax from Liverpool at 11:20am and leaves for New York at 11pm.

➡️ The MSC Annick container ship leaves Halifax for Montreal at 5pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🥒 Try a dill-icious take on a classic with the Crunchy Dill Pickle from CHKN CHOP: fried chicken, dill pickle ranch, pickles, lettuce, fresh dill, crispy onions.

🍌 Satisfy that sweet tooth with the hot, cool and crispy warm banana tempura with homemade azuki ice cream at Doraku.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🏛️ The regularly scheduled council meeting of Tuesday, October 1 flew a little bit under the radar, thanks to it happening during the municipal election campaign. But some pretty hefty motions got passed that are worth exploring in further detail, even though it’s been a month and an election since that meeting. From public safety to provincial demands, The Coast’s City Hall reporter Matt Stickland has the full low down on this down low council meeting.

🎨 The student union of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, or SUNSCAD, had planned two days of teach-ins, art-making and discussions focused on student organizing for their art-college peers—to be hosted at their Granville Street Campus last weekend. Their booking to use NSCAD space Nov 2-3 was initially approved. Then, their university president refused the request. The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has more on the two-day activism event that was a “great success”—despite the school's refusal to allow it on campus.

That’s it!

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