Good morning Halifax,

Today I want you to get a little reflective and ask yourself in all honesty: what would you do to help the person you love the most in the world if they were suffering?

Really think about it.

Now keep that answer in mind as you read about Douglas Andrew Smith— a 75-year-old Nova Scotia man—who will now spend six years in prison after spending 33 years caring for his wife, Iris.

Iris was nearly blind, wheelchair-bound, in chronic pain and terrified of being forced into institutional care. The couple had been evicted and had nowhere affordable or accessible to go.

So he fulfilled a promise that he had made to her—and has now been convicted of manslaughter.

According to the agreed statement of facts presented in court, Iris intended to take all of her medication at once because she did not want to spend her remaining years in hospital or long-term care. Because she was nearly blind and couldn't easily see the pills, she asked her husband to lay out the medication for her and then leave the house so that he would avoid being legally responsible for her death.

But Smith became consumed by the fear that the overdose might not kill her, but leave her with even more severe brain damage or disability, and he couldn't bear the thought of her dying alone and frightened. So, he returned in the early morning and placed a pillow over her face until she died.

Then—rather than fleeing—Smith wrote emails informing her family, landlord and realtor that she had died and then drove to the RCMP detachment to surrender. The detachment was closed, so he called 911 from the parking lot and told the dispatcher that his wife had died and that he was responsible.

Smith didn’t act out of hatred, anger, jealousy, control—or any of the myriad reasons husbands kill their wives in this province. That doesn’t erase what happened, but justice should be about more than just black and white. It should also leave room for compassion, context and mercy.

Two vulnerable people were failed long before this tragedy ever reached a courtroom. How did two seniors reach a point where they felt they had nowhere left to turn? The province failed them and—in my opinion—the justice system did, too. Smith will spend six years in jail for loving his wife enough to let her go on her own terms.

Hold your loved ones close and pray you never have to make this impossible choice. But I will say, as someone who has had to do it, it was a no-brainer.

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

p.s: I owe you all a huge apology. In Tuesday’s newsletter, I referred to the people in the line at Magnetic World Music Festival as “drunk savages”. Using that word is offensive to Indigenous peoples and is grounded in its long history as a colonial tool for dehumanization and justification for violence. I understand that my intentions behind the choice have nothing to do with the consequences. I know better and I will do better. Thank you for understanding.

Today: 🌤️ 21°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 23°

Next Day: ☀️ 18°

7-day forecast

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

The music wasn’t the only thing setting the tone at the Magnetic World Music Festival.

At the Garrison Grounds on Sept. 25 and 26, festival-goers arrived dressed for the artists they had come to see, turning the festival grounds into a riot of colours, silhouettes and styles that reflected the event’s global lineup.

Some fans wore red for Sexyy Red. Others leaned into blue while attending Quoia States’ set. Oversized, baggy silhouettes reminiscent of the 1990s and early 2000s appeared among fans waiting for Ne-Yo and Akon, while streetwear, graphic pieces, boots, dresses and statement accessories filled the grounds.

The Coast’s Warren D’Silva talks everything fashion at the Magnetic World Music Festival last weekend.

🪶 Canadians across the country marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday for the fifth consecutive year, honouring the survivors of residential schools and those who never made it home.

🔫 The federal public safety minister announced a commitment to spend up to $1.9M on preventing gun and gang violence in Halifax—the money will be used by municipalities and Indigenous communities to support local initiatives.

🏘️ Halifax will ask the province to review Nova Scotia’s capped assessment program—with councillors and a recent report saying solutions are needed to improve an unfair property tax system in the capital region that harms housing affordability.

👐🏽 Live Art Dance partners with Prismatic to present “Paratopias”, an alternate dance reality that celebrates an inclusive and diverse world. Get your tickets today!*

🎭 One more week!  Let Me Go is a gritty, crime drama set in an East Coast neighbourhood where everyone seems to be chasing one last shot at something better. Tickets.*

📏 Working on your shape? Exilis Ultra Body treatments reduce up to 2 inches of fat. This month is buy one package, get one package free.*

*Sponsored Post

Many people have never heard of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This time-tested medical therapy uses gentle magnetic energy to improve mental health.

One Halifax wellness clinic is using a new and improved TMS therapy called Exomind. It’s indicated for depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, binge-eating disorder, insomnia, brain fog, fibromyalgia, chronic post-concussive symptoms, chronic stress, cognitive optimization, and more.

Treatment plans typically require fewer, faster-acting treatments. It’s powerful enough to change the brain, but safe and convenient enough to fit into real life.

Supervised by a psychiatrist, the Exomind program accepts self-referrals and patients can start treatment quickly. Click here to read the latest news article about Exomind and here to book a free consultation.

As we discussed in the newsletter last week, there has been a lot of chatter online about Gen Z bringing their Starby’s iced latte into job interviews. They are being dragged for this behaviour all over reddit and TikTok, with some saying it’s totally unprofessional and some defending their right to bring the cold caffeination of their choice.

Would I do it? No, but I’m a millennial that likes their coffee hotter than hades. But would I care if a candidate did? Also, no. Unless they were being very distracting with the swishing and the straw biting.

So, we posed the questions to you: Is it unprofessional to bring iced coffee to a job interview? Check out the official poll results.

🚶‍♀️ The Argyle Street pedestrian mall could soon become permanent, making it a no-car zone year-round—Halifax council passed a motion Tuesday to draft a bylaw that would make the blocks between Prince and Blowers streets pedestrian-only.

🥶 With winter heating bills on the horizon, the Nova Scotia government is once again offering a $400 rebate to low-income households—but some say the program is insufficient.

🚨 An adult male has sustained serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Bedford Wednesday morning—the driver was an 84-year-old woman who has been charged with a summary offence ticket for failing to yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk when emerging from a driveway.

🎒 According to the province’s auditor general, Nova Scotia’s Education Department spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on student assessments—but it’s not using the results to improve their lacklustre performance in writing and math.

⚖️ One of two minor hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a teammate last fall has changed his plea to guilty—the boy had originally pleaded not guilty in May to charges of assault, sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon.

💔 A Nova Scotia judge sentenced a man to six years in prison for killing his 72-year-old wife after promising to help her take her own life so she could avoid being hospitalized or sent to long-term care.

Fall is for Falling Prices at Atlantic Gardens! Save on evergreens, flowering shrubs, trees, tropicals, perennials, pottery and giftware. Homegrown perennials are buy one, get one free. Fall is the best time to plant, so hurry in before October 31! Visit us at 1620 Sackville Drive, Middle Sackville. Shop today!

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

🗓 Metamorphoses: Metamorphoses is a story of radical transformation—a beautiful and articulate reminder of the constant changeability and mutability of the human condition. The 2,000 year old work is brought to new life in an intimate one-person show starring African Nova Scotian trailblazer and theatre giant, Walter Borden. | Sept 29-Oct 4 | 7:30pm | $20 | 

🗓 MRG Live Presents Josh Thomas: Award-winning Australian comedian, writer, and actor Josh Thomas brings his acclaimed stand-up show Jiggle, Jiggle to Halifax. Known for his sharp wit, honest storytelling, and charmingly awkward humour, Thomas has earned international recognition through his hit television series Please Like Me and Everything's Gonna Be Okay. | Oct 1 | 7pm | $49 |

🗓 Halifax Urban Folk Festival: Experience a week-long celebration of music, storytelling, and creative collaboration. Known for its intimate settings and powerful performances, the festival brings together a diverse lineup of local, national, and international artists for unforgettable live shows across the city. | Sept 27-Oct 3 | 

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

🚢 The CSL Kuleana bulk carrier arrives in Halifax from Sydney (Cape Breton) at 7:21am.

🚢➡️ The SH Vega cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 7:56am and departs at 2pm.

🚢 The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 8am.

🚢➡️ The Celebrity Silhouette cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 9:47am and departs at 6pm.

➡️ The Barge Scow S12 departs for Point Tupper at 12pm,

Celebrated Canadian pianist Louis Lortie returns to Halifax for the first time in more than 40 years, joining Ukrainian pianist Illia Ovcharenko for Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9, including the iconic “Ode to Joy,” in Liszt’s thrilling two-piano arrangement. Stage at St. Andrews. Get Tickets

🍞 Public's naturally fermented Country Loaf is baked fresh in-house. Grab a sandwich for lunch and a whole loaf for home.

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

🍗 Hot chicken wings. Cold beer. Cornbread. Good Robot Robie’s buttermilk-fried wings come with ranch, sriracha butter, and house-made pickles. Get 'em before I do.

*sponsored

💬 Want to tell the mayor what you think? Mayor Andy Fillmore is holding several public engagement sessions across the municipality, giving residents a chance to share their thoughts, opinions and criticisms leading up to the 2027/28 budget season. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer gives a full list of locations, as well as a few topics you could potentially ask about.

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.

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