Justice & Politics

Kerian Burnett, left, and Stacey Gomez, right, speak to reporters in Halifax on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. Burnett arrived in Nova Scotia from Jamaica to work on a strawberry farm, but says she was fired after her cancer diagnosis, leaving her without medical coverage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marlo Glass
Kerian Burnett, left, and Stacey Gomez, right, speak to reporters in Halifax on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. Burnett arrived in Nova Scotia from Jamaica to work on a strawberry farm, but says she was fired after her cancer diagnosis, leaving her without medical coverage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marlo Glass
Feature News Health News Politics 

Jamaican migrant worker granted federal health care after being fired from N.S. farm [VIDEO]

A migrant worker who was diagnosed with cervical cancer shortly after arriving in Nova Scotia has been granted health insurance under a federal program.

Kerian Burnett arrived from Jamaica in April 2022 to work on a strawberry farm, and says she was fired after her cancer diagnosis and left without medical coverage.

Her lawyer, Thiago Buchert, says that after nearly eight months Burnett has been admitted to the interim federal health program.

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Acting chair of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, social worker, Robert Wright. Photo: Matthew Byard.
Feature News Justice News Racism 

Justice Institute alleges systemic racism at Nova Scotia’s Crown prosecutor’s office

Systemic racism plagues the Crown prosecutor’s office in Nova Scotia, and the office’s efforts to address the problem have only made the situation worse, say critics.

Robert Wright is the executive director of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, an organization made up of Black lawyers and legal experts whose mandate is to support Black Nova Scotians in contact with the law and to address racism and overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system.  

In an open letter on behalf of the Justice Institute and in the interview with the Examiner, Wright said the institute’s correspondence with government officials and leadership at the Crown prosecutor’s office, formally known as the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), leaves them doubtful their concerns about systemic racism at the PPS are being heard and addressed. 

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Dr. Lynn Jones with Truro Mayor Bill Mills
Dr. Lynn Jones with Truro Mayor Bill Mills
Elders News Politics 

Truro council honours Dr. Lynn Jones for appointment to Order of Canada [VIDEO]

During a ceremony at Truro town council, Dr. Lynn Jones, who was recently appointed to the Order of Canada, said there are still issues to challenge and fight for in the community and province. Jones was honoured by the town of Truro during a council meeting Monday. She was one of 60 appointees to the Order of Canada in June.

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Three-picture Collage: Tim Houston, Lionel Desmond, Warren Zimmer
Feature News Justice Justice & Politics News Politics 

Desmond Inquiry Final Report Delayed Again [AUDIO]

“The Nova Scotia government has dismissed the judge presiding over an inquiry that has spent much of the past five years investigated why Afghanistan war veteran Lionel Desmond killed three family members and himself in 2017.

Brad Johns, Nova Scotia’s attorney general, confirmed Tuesday he has asked the chief judge of the provincial court to assign a new judge to finish the work started by provincial court Judge Warren Zimmer, saying the province has waited long enough for Zimmer’s final report.” – City News

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Carolann Wright leads a presentation by the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity Plan (REPP)
Feature News Housing Justice Justice & Politics News Politics Racism 

Stats Canada data show income, housing disparities between Black, white Nova Scotians [INFOGRAPHICS]

Statistics Canada data compiled in a presentation by an organization led by African Nova Scotians show socioeconomic disparities between Black people and other visible minorities compared to white people in Halifax, and across Nova Scotia and Canada.

The African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity Plan (REPP) has been sharing the data with Black Nova Scotians through a series of presentations at community meetings.

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Twila Grosse during her announced that she's running for the PCs in the upcoming Preston byelection. Photo: Matthew Byard
Twila Grosse during her announcment that she's running for the PCs in the upcoming Preston byelection. Photo: Matthew Byard
News Politics 

Twila Grosse running for PCs in Preston byelection [VIDEO]

The final candidate of the three major political parties has been announced for an upcoming byelection in the Preston riding.

Twila Grosse was announced as the PC Party’s candidate in an event in the riding on Tuesday night attended by Premier Tim Houston and members of the PC Caucus.

Grosse worked for 36 years as an accountant for the Halifax International Airport Authority before retiring in 2020.

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Top left photo: Halifax Regional Police officers Const. Mark Pierce & Const. Craig Trudel in Feb. 2020 moments before arresting a 15-year-old Black teenager who suffered injuries during the arrest (seen in the bottom left three photos) before releasing him without charges. Right photo: Const. Mark Pierce entering a restorative justice meeting in May, 2023.
Top left photo: Halifax Regional Police officers Const. Mark Pierce & Const. Craig Trudel in Feb. 2020 moments before arresting a 15-year-old Black teenager who suffered injuries during the arrest (seen in the bottom left three photos) before releasing him without charges. Right photo: Const. Mark Pierce entering a restorative justice meeting in May, 2023.
Education & Youth Feature News Justice & Politics News Politics Racism Youth 

Halifax constable referred to restorative justice for 2020 assault on Black teen [VIDEO]

Const. Mark Pierce, the Halifax Regional Police officer charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Black boy outside of a mall in Bedford in February 2020, came face to face last week with the youth and his parents for the first time since the night of the incident.

Demario Chambers, now 19 years old, said he received a concussion, cuts, bruises, and badly hurt finger at the hands of Pierce and his partner Const. Craig Trudel when they arrested him.

They released Chambers without charges to his parents later that night.

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