The Times Keeper

When the Halifax explosion happened, the bell that used to ring in the clock tower at City Hall was knocked out of place. This week, the bell believed to be the original clock tower bell was restored and is once again ringing. District 7 Councillor, Waye Mason, tells us about the surprising journey of that bell, and the fake 'bells' that have been keeping time since the 1990s. If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper:  https://www.timeskeeper.ca/support/ 

For the last year, Nova Scotians have been able to speak to a committee of Nova Scotia MLAs on Zoom whenever a new bill was making its way through the House of Assembly. On Monday night, the Law Amendments Committee held its first in-person meeting. There was no option to make virtual presentations. Opposition MLAs resisted the change. In this episode, we follow the disagreement that began at Monday night's committee meeting, landed on the floor of the legislature on Wednesday afternoon, and came to some resolution in a scrum with reporters and Premier Tim Houston on Thursday.If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper:  https://www.timeskeeper.ca/support/ 

Jacob Fillmore spent nine days in a tree last month to protest the aerial spraying of the weed killer, glyphosate, over clearcut lands in Upper Stewiacke. This week, we explore the politics of glyphosate spraying in Nova Scotia. Mark interviews the investigative journalist, Carrie Gillam, who has spent years researching this chemical and one of the companies behind it. If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper:  https://www.timeskeeper.ca/support/ More Reading: Glyphosate and the politics of safety - Linda Pannozzo, Halifax Examiner (October 7, 2016)It’s spraying time again in Nova Scotia, and that makes one cancer patient in the province “incredibly angry” - Joan Baxter, Halifax Examiner (August, 2020)Activists “occupied” North Mountain to stop herbicide spraying, but how big of a victory was it? - Joan Baxter, Halifax Examiner (September, 2020)

This week, newly elected MLAs met for the first time at Province House in Halifax. We review what happened. Mark speaks with two experienced lawmakers about the job. If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper:  https://www.timeskeeper.ca/support/ 

It's The Times Keeper's first Friday show. Join us for an abridged version of the pun-filled debate from this week's meeting of Halifax council on whether to allow more households to keep chickens. Then, Mark speaks with Professor Emeritus of Law, Wayne MacKay, on the legal issues surrounding proof of vaccine policies and workplace mandatory vaccination programs.If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper:  https://www.timeskeeper.ca/support/

Mark speaks with the bio-ethicist, Françoise Baylis (@FrancoiseBaylis) about Nova Scotia's new proof of vaccination policy. Will it work? What might the unintended consequences of a policy like this be? If you enjoyed this program and want to hear more programs like it, support The Times Keeper.  

Mark speaks with the bio-ethicist, Françoise Baylis about Nova Scotia's new proof of vaccination policy. Will it work? What might the unintended consequences of a policy like this be?