“Anything is possible:” Black coach, officials achieve firsts in Nova Scotia high school sports
Auburn Drive High School football team’s win at the provincial championship this month, was also a big day for head coach Dion Thomas-Hodges and officials Vince Williams, Andre Williams, and Anthony Williams.
A coalition for Black voices in Nova Scotia
Since 2015, the African Nova Scotian Decade for People of African Descent Coalition has been working on issues in the Black community, including justice, health, education, employment, and social services.
Lionel Desmond was a victim of racism, cousin testifies at inquiry
“Three guys that had been harassing him jumped Lionel in the men’s locker room and used racial slurs such as “chocolate milk” in reference to his wife (my sister Shanna). Lionel ended up successfully defending himself against the aggressors and ended up going to summary trial in response to the attack. There would definitely be records of that summary trial if we looked into it.”
Dwayne Provo appointed Associate Deputy Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs
This is the first time government has appointed someone to the role to focus solely on the work of African Nova Scotia Affairs.
Brandon Rolle speaks about impact of Race and Culture Assessments
“We’ve gotten some judges who just considered the information but didn’t apply it to sentence, and so I think the Crown, in this case, recognized the need for that guidance from our highest court and they came back with a very clear message saying … you, first of all, should be ordering these any time an African Nova Scotian is sentenced.”
Black community reacts to the appointment of a white Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs
In the days following the Nova Scotia provincial election last month, where the Progressive Conservatives (PCs) won a majority government but failed to elect any Black MLAs, the Halifax Examiner was the first to pose the question: Who will be the next minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs?
On Tuesday, that question was answered when Pat Dunn, PC MLA for Pictou Centre, who is white, was announced as the new minister for both African Nova Scotian Affairs and the brand-new Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives. Dunn replaces Liberal MLA for Cole Harbour, Tony Ince, who is Black.
Who will be the next minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs?
PC premier-designate Tim Houston has no African Nova Scotian members in his caucus to choose from for the job.
The long road to Emancipation Day
“Twenty-five years ago the Honourable Jean Augustine [the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to as a Member of Parliament] put forward a motion in the House of Commons to have February designated Black History Month. And at the same time, there were lobby efforts being made to have Emancipation Day recognized. So that’s how long this has been in the making. Over 25 years.”
Emancipation Day, August 1, marks the same day in 1834 when slavery was officially banned in all of the British colonies, including in what would eventually become Canada.
For the first time in Nova Scotia election history, all the candidates in one riding are Black
Angela Simmonds, Archy Beals, and Colter Simmonds are running in the riding of Preston.