Tim Houston and Andy Fillmore plan to undermine the bedrock principle of Halifax city government - Halifax Examiner The city was created in order to free Halifax governance of the corrupt rule of the provincial government, and then the structure of the city government was designed to limit the possibility of corrup...

Tim Houston and Andy Fillmore plan to undermine the bedrock principle of Halifax city government

A lot of history in today's Morning File, by me

A social media post from Claudia Chender, Leader of the NSNDP, featuring her profile photo. The post criticizes the Houston government for favouring landlords over renters. It highlights that documents from Dal Legal Aid reveal the government is sharing rental data with landlords’ groups but not with tenant advocacy organizations. The post concludes by asserting that the government is ignoring evidence of renter exploitation and continues to stack the deck against Nova Scotians.

Today, we found out from Dalhousie Legal Aid that the Houston government has been actively sharing important rental statistics with lobbyists for income property owners but not with Dalhousie Legal Aid or tenants' rights groups.

Is this report publicly available?

Isn't he just describing for-profit co-op?

"never before have previous governments, even super-majority governments, made such radical changes in the institutions of government itself"

"Houston did not campaign on these changes. None of this was in his election platform. Not one word of this was uttered from the steps of the blue bus, in the PCs’ Facebook or TV ads, at rallies or press conferences. It’s the biggest electoral bait-and-switch con in Nova Scotia’s electoral history."

Live from the meeting. Available on the YouTube page to confirm.

Part 2 official wording and vote count

Part 1 official wording and vote count

HRM Council approves HRM and RCMP budgets

Vote was split into 2 parts:
Part 1 - Send budget back to BoPC - failed
Part 2 - Reject body cams & car cams - failed

Austin supports Cleary's motion. Council will need to find the stomach to make cuts if they want to avoid tax increase.

Purdy wants to cut the tax rate but not with the police budget. She suggests funding cuts to bike lanes instead. (I don't think those budget items are comparable)

Hinch: Is Diversity and Inclusion training mandatory?

It is for cadets, but not existing officers.

HRM solicitor Traves: The Police By-law only allows Council to either accept or reject the budget. If it is rejected, it is returned to the BoPC. Council cannot make changes or amendments to the budget.

Kent: A lot of the vetting for the police budget has already been done by capable people on the BoPC. I support this budget. It is a big budget. Policing will always be a big budget.

Hinch asked Chief about Domestic Violence (DV) calls that result in no charges.

MacLean: We are pro-charge. If there is evidence, we must lay a charge. But there isn't always evidence. We know DV is an epidemic on the rise, despite low reporting numbers.

HRM Council are back at it with budget debates today, including police budget

pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Premier getting a raise that is more than someone’s annual salary who is making minimum wage

Halifax mayor vacations in the Caribbean as council debates homelessness In Fillmore’s absence, Halifax continues defunding the police.

Budget debates continue again today, will Fillmore be back from his Carribean vacation?

The mayors tan and public safety budget in my latest for @thecoast.ca

If you’re writing your MLA about Houston’s Auditor General bullshit, this is the bill to reference. I recommend focusing on one aspect, and concisely explaining why you find it especially offensive.

Keep your goal in mind while writing!

Also no more fixed election date, which in his own words was important because: « Having a fixed date will mean predictability, transparency and it will limit any perceived advantage by the government to control the timing of the next election. »
news.novascotia.ca/en/2021/10/1...

The legislature now has the power to keep auditor general reports private, and to fire the auditor general at will. Non-unionized government employee are now also at will and can be fired without cause.

The mayor sits on two committees. Budget and executive. Gonna need to re-read some regs because I'm pretty sure members can be removed from the committee for missing three meetings, and I think Fillmore has missed 3.

Did you know 50% of HRM's firefighting force are volunteers? I didn't! Council offsets firefighting personnel budget with reliance on these volunteers. Wondering how much of the police force is volunteer to offset their budget?

Austin: Speaking passionately about the death of the man in Dartmouth, which may have been prevented with proper supports. Would rather make cuts anywhere else, including police budget, need to prioritize funding in this area.

Max Chauvin says the proposed $1.6M drop-in center will provide daytime shelter for the unhoused, access to medical care, laundry, showers, secure storage for belongings, conflict resolution and access to other wraparound supports.

CAO approved two armoured vehicles for Halifax police; council to vote on a third vehicle - Halifax Examiner 2025-26 capital budget includes two armoured F350s.

#Halifax's CAO approved the purchase of two armoured F350s for Halifax Regional Police.

Why can't the CAO just say, "let's ditch X for good"?

It costs more to stay on the platform.

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/government/c...

#Halifax budget meeting continues today discussing community safety, fire and emergency, and police budgets.

pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Sheet ice on the sidewalk at sunrise on Halifax Common

Sidewalks are skating rinks this morning in Halifax. I saw a little old lady out there with a cane and I wanted to airlift her back home.

Roads are, of course, perfectly clear.

Because to the people running things we're not so much a society or city as just a bunch of places to drive and park