Thinking Out Loud with Sheldon MacLeod

For several hours on Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters and Halifax Regional Police officers faced off in a downtown street. Citizens were rallying in support of people who are living in tents and other temporary shelters on park properties. Halifax Regional Municipality started evicting people and removing their tents early in the morning. By late afternoon people were being arrested and...

The Progressive Conservatives were able to win enough seats to form a majority government with Tim Houston as Premier-Designate. And now the tough job lays ahead for the PC's and their plans. What does the future hold for NDP Leader Gary Burrill? And what will the history books say about Iain Rankin and his Liberal party's performance in this past election? Dalhousie University Political Scientist...

What happens if no one party has enough seats for a majority? Are there ever coalitions in Canadian assemblies? When can we expect the results and which ballots are counted first? There are laws, conventions and customs when it comes to Parliamentary Democracy here in Canada. And with a provincial election about to be decided, I sat down with Kevin Deveaux to discuss some of the issues.

Agencies, Boards and Commissions are part of the governance model in Nova Scotia. And for the group of citizens, there was a lot of work that went into the 61-page report from the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission. Doctor Ren Thomas is an associate professor at Dalhousie's School of Planning. She was also the co-chair of the group that made 17 recommendations and offered 60 meaningful acti...

The issue of affordable housing has been a hot button issue that has also been a hot potato. Municipal politicians are on the front line of complaints, even though it can be seen as a provincial responsibility. But that confusion can also happen when it comes to provincial and federal parties. Municipal governments are not partisan by nature, and this week the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalit...

Earlier this week, we looked at the proposed vaccination passport through the lens of a bioethisist. Today, we have a chance to discuss the issue as it applies to privacy. And not only is the Nova Scotia Liberal party discussing one for our province, the Federal Liberals are talking about one for international travel. For his thoughts, I spoke with McInnes Cooper lawyer David Fraser, known as an e...

With less than a week to go until Nova Scotia elects a new government, the race has gotten a lot closer. Polling company Narrative Research has released its Atlantic Quarterly results on voters intentions and satisfaction with government performance. And after four consecutive quarters of strong numbers, the Liberal support appears to have slipped. Margaret Brigley is the CAO of Narrative Research...

The majority of people who are fully immunized are likely to tell you their vaccination status. But for those who can't or won't take the shot, it's a different story. The promise to look into a Vaccine Passport by Liberal leader Iain Rankin has moved the topic from public health into the political world. And for Bioethisist and Dalhousie Professor Francoise Baylis, there are compelling reasons to...

Health care always ranks as one of the most important issues at the ballot box. And with the election next week, the Nova Scotia Health Coalition is trying to help voters understand where the parties stand on the issue. The not-for-profit agency says instead of sending out a questionnaire and writing a report, they've come up with something different this time. Provincial Coordinator Chris Parsons...

When the election is over, the new government will have only a few weeks to put a back to school plan in place. And while Ontario has addressed issues like masking and class sizes, Nova Scotians are still wondering what will happen. Paul Wozney is the President of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and says there are many unanswered questions and challenges for which ever party forms government after...

A group of environmentalists lost in their application to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court to have a judicial review of a decision to delist Owls Head as a provincial park. They also wanted to challenge the government's decision to offer the 285 hectares of land to be developed into a golf course along the Eastern Shore. In her ruling, the Justice said “[I]f a remedy is sought by the public, the prop...

Emancipation Day is being recognized officially for the first time this year by the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia. It commemorates the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 that became law across the British Empire, including Canada on August 1st, 1834. That's the time when the practice of slavery officially ended for millions of African people and their descendants in Canada and around the world....

There were no knockout punches or major gaffes during the first televised leader's debate. And that likely will mean there won't be a huge change in anyone's voting intentions with three weeks left in the Nova Scotia election campaign. For analysis and insight, I sat down with Dalhousie Political Scientist Dr. Lori Turnbull to discuss the performance of Iain Rankin, Tim Houston and Gary Burrill an...

There are fewer than three weeks to go until election day in Nova Scotia. And with the leader's set to debate the issues, there are groups taking the time to evaluate the platforms and the policies of the parties. Alec Stratford is the Executive Director of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW). That group regulates the profession of social work in the province. He joins me to discuss...

There have been promises made in the current election campaign that could impact the fire service in Nova Scotia. And there are policies and promises from other campaigns that have either not happened or have not been fully implemented. For his perspective on what you should be asking the candidates, I spoke with Doctor Will Brooks. He is an amateur historian, retired psychologist and educator who...

According to an Angus Reid survey, 75 percent of the people who are unvaccinated don't think it's appropriate to ask people about their vaccination status. More than half of the people with one or more shots say it's perfectly fine to ask. And when it comes to vaccine passports, two thirds of the people who responded, support them for large public events. Those are the issues we take up with Dalho...

The Liberal Candidate being told to step aside because of online images has revived the conversation about sexuality and double standards. Meredith Ralston is a professor of women's studies at Mount Saint Vincent University. She researches women in politics and has written a book called Slut-Shaming, Whorephobia, and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution.

Health care is a common election campaign topic in Nova Scotia. And the head of the Union Representing Paramedics is hoping it becomes a doorstep issue. Michael Nickerson is the Business Manager for International Union of Operating Engineers Local 727. He and I spoke about #CodeCritical, the Fitch Report and the letter writing campaign that was just launched.

Jerry Granelli was famous around the world for being part of the soundtrack for the Charlie Brown Christmas special as a member of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The jazz drummer was also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and had performed with performers like Sly Stone and The Grateful Dead. He had been living and performing in Halifax since the late 1980's. He passed away this week at the age...

There's no question that seniors are among the most engaged citizens politically. And Bill VanGorder has been actively involved in making sure their voices are being heard. He is the Past Chair and Senior spokesperson with the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP NS). He tells us about the results of a snap survey they did with their members just as the Liberal...

It's going to be a four week election campaign in a State of Emergency and during our pandemic recovery. No one was surprised by the election call for the 31 day campaign that will have us voting on August 17th. Cape Breton University Political Scientist Tom Urbaniak discusses Tuesday elections, voter turnout and the challenges of getting people's attention in the middle of the summer.

Now that enough of us have been vaccinated for the province to ease some of the pandemic restrictions, some tough conversations need to happen. If you've had your shots, you're probably willing to tell others. While not everyone is able to take the vaccine, others are refusing them. The question that looms is whether vaccine passports are ethical and appropriate on a global scale. Dr. Robert Huish...

We've heard from the politicians about the promises they are making as they spend our dollars. It's important to hear from others who know about the impact it will have on families and children. The Early Learning and Child Care announcement this week happened at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. That facility is home to the Child Study Centre. It's also where Dr. Christine McLean is an a...

Sean McMullen is a photographer and a diver who has uncovered a lot of old bottles and other things in the waters of Nova Scotia. He documents his finds on his YouTube Channel, Saltwater Sean. Last weekend while snorkelling under the overpass in Fall River between Lake Fletcher and Lake Thomas. he was shocked by what he spotted on the murky bottom. He discusses his find and how the RCMP reacted wh...

The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute was launched a year ago. But this week, the provincial government made a commitment of $4.8-million in funding for the next three years to address over-representation and anti-Black racism in the justice system. There will be eight-justice related support, research and outreach programs that will be fully staffed and offering services within a year. Rober...