A state of emergency, a new department, and an old problem Nova Scotia refuses to face
When Sipekne’katik First Nation declared a state of emergency over illicit drug use and overdoses, it exposed a quiet but telling gap in Nova Scotia’s governance. A department created under Premier Tim Houston specifically to address mental health and addictions had not yet reached out to the community, even as the declaration spread publicly. The moment landed against the backdrop of earlier tensions — including the banning of Houston and two ministers from Sipekne’katik lands — raising broader questions about how the province engages marginalized communities when public health crises emerge.
Africville Is Not Finished: A Call for Ongoing Presence at Eddie Carvery’s Trailer
Eddie Carvery’s passing does not bring closure to Africville’s story. If anything, it sharpens the responsibility to ensure that the unfinished business of Africville does not fade with him.