Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia


Critics say Nova Scotia bill violates labour rights, threatens right to information

Members of the Nova Scotia public voiced concerns on Monday about a government bill they said threatens people’s access to information and violates labour rights in the civil service. The omnibus bill includes amendments that would allow the Progressive Conservative government to fire without cause the auditor general and non-unionized bureaucrats, and veto the release […]

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Nova Scotia NDP urging public to weigh in on the government’s ‘overreaching’ bills

A series of contentious Nova Scotia government bills — including one that would lift a ban on fracking and uranium mining — come before a legislature committee next week, and the province’s Opposition leader is urging the public to make its voice heard. NDP Leader Claudia Chender said people and groups with concerns should attend […]

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Nova Scotia premier says changes likely to controversial freedom of information bill

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says there will likely be changes to legislation that the province’s freedom of information commissioner says weakens the public’s right to access government records and documents. Houston made the comments during question period on Wednesday, but did not provide specifics. Days earlier, the government withdrew amendments from the same omnibus […]

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N.S. information commissioner says government bill threatens right to access records

Nova Scotia’s freedom of information commissioner is calling on the governing party to withdraw legislation that she says weakens the public’s right to access government records and documents. Tricia Ralph, who ends her term of office this week, says measures in an omnibus bill tabled by the Progressive Conservatives threaten the rights of citizens to […]

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‘Control-mania’: Nova Scotia premier accused of executive overreach with new bill

The Nova Scotia government has taken a giant step backward in accountability and transparency with the introduction this week of a contentious omnibus bill, political observers and access to information experts say. Among other things, the bill will make it possible for Premier Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservatives to fire the province’s auditor general without cause, […]

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N.S. woman awarded damages after criminal case dropped against ex who posted sex ad

A Nova Scotia woman who was awarded damages after her ex-boyfriend posted an explicit picture of her alongside a fake online ad for sex work initially went to police to report what she said was a pattern of harassment. But in the end it was a provincial cyber-protection law that held her ex to account, […]

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Public school students’ medical records may have been involved in PowerSchool data breach, spokesperson says

A data breach affecting multiple schools across Canada and the United States — including the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB) — involved medical records and other personal information in some cases.  The cybersecurity incident involves PowerSchool, a third-party platform that manages a range of student and staff details, like personal contact information, […]

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Dal will not ask survivors of sexualized violence to sign NDAs

Dalhousie University has made a significant change to the way it responds to cases of sexualized violence involving members of its community. In the week following several events hosted by the group Can’t Buy My Silence, or CBMS, in Halifax—including training and information sessions on banning the misuse of non-disclosure agreements because of their harmful […]

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Elections Nova Scotia warns of phishing scam trying to collect personal information

Nova Scotia’s elections agency is warning the public about an online phishing scam trying to collect personal information. Elections Nova Scotia communications director Naomi Shelton says the deceptive email is made to look like an official message from the elections agency. It asks users to click a link to provide personal information in order to […]

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N.S. election promise tracker: What has been promised by three main parties?

Voters in Nova Scotia are scheduled to go to the polls on Nov. 26. At dissolution, the Progressive Conservatives held 34 seats in the 55-seat legislature, the Liberals held 14 seats, the NDP had six and there was one Independent. Here’s a look at some of the promises announced by the three major parties: Progressive […]

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N.S. barristers’ society welcomes report on ‘prevalent’ racism in legal system

The governing council of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society has unanimously voted to accept the recommendations in a new report on how to better address systemic racism in the province’s legal community. Released Tuesday, the report by lawyer and former provincial ombudsman Douglas Ruck says there is “real, centuries-long, and still prevalent” anti-Black racism and […]

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Don MacLean sworn in as first permanent Black chief for Halifax police

After serving as interim police chief for more than one year, Don MacLean was sworn in as the first permanent African Nova Scotian chief of the Halifax Regional Police on Wednesday morning.  Speaking to a room of past and present Halifax police and RCMP officers, city councillors, and members of the board of police commissioners, […]

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