Nova Scotia Removes Public’s Ability to File Complaints About Municipal Politicians

Nova Scotia residents have lost the right to file complaints about their municipal elected officials — a change the province says is temporary, but critics warn is “dangerously undemocratic.”

Under new amendments to the province’s municipal code of conduct, only council members can now file complaints against other members of their own council.

The decision, announced last week, follows reports of a “flood of complaints” since the provincewide code took effect last year.

Officials call it a pause; critics call it a rollback
Pam Mood, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and mayor of Yarmouth, said the province is taking “a pause” to refine the system.

“If we’re going to get this right, we need to take a pause and see where we go,” Mood said.

Mood said municipalities have struggled with defining what constitutes frivolous or vexatious complaints, and that the review will help create consistent standards for investigators.

But accountability advocates disagree. Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, said Nova Scotia is now the only province in Canada where the public cannot make complaints about municipal officials.

“For the government to take away this right is dangerously undemocratic and unethical,” he said.

Residents frustrated by lack of accountability
The change comes a month after several residents, including Peter Linfield, filed complaints against Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore for allegedly misleading statements about a municipal role. Those complaints, submitted before the change, will still proceed — but no new public complaints will be accepted.

“It just seems like an unnecessary way to limit accountability,” Linfield said, calling the move a “weird overreaction.”

Province defends decision
The Department of Municipal Affairs said the public still has ways to hold councillors accountable.

“Citizens will continue to have the ability to hold council members accountable through the electoral process,” said spokesperson Heather Fairbairn.

The new rules also prohibit councillors from submitting complaints on behalf of others and allow investigators to merge similar cases into one file.

Mood said the federation will work with the province to revise the code and hopes improvements are made “as soon as possible.”

All other Atlantic provinces, as well as Ontario and British Columbia, continue to allow public complaints about municipal officials.

Matawa Chiefs Council Urges Rogers to Delay 3G Shutdown, Calling It a ‘Matter of Life and Death’

The Matawa Chiefs Council, representing nine First Nations in northern Ontario, is urging Rogers Communications and the CRTC to delay the telecom giant’s planned 3G network shutdown, warning that it could endanger lives in remote communities.

In a letter to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the council said the Dec. 31 shutdown could “pose serious risks to the safety, health and well-being” of northern residents who already face unreliable phone and internet connections.

“Reliable communications infrastructure is a matter of life and death in our communities,” said Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation.

Several Matawa member communities, including Eabametoong, Marten Falls, Neskantaga, Nibinamik, and Webequie, are remote and rely heavily on limited connectivity for emergency communication and essential services.

Chiefs seek extension until 2027 and Indigenous-led upgrades
The council is calling for a delay in Rogers’s 3G shutdown until January 2027 and immediate federal funding for Indigenous-led telecom upgrades through Rapid Lynx Broadband, a Matawa-owned company.

“Our Nations cannot be left behind as Canada moves forward,” said Chief Solomon Atlookan of Eabametoong First Nation. “We are ready with a Nation-led solution through Rapid Lynx Broadband, but we need immediate support.”

Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation said the shutdown could be catastrophic:

“Cellular service is a lifeline in Marten Falls First Nation. It is unacceptable that we could be potentially cut off at the end of this year.”

CRTC and telecoms respond
A CRTC spokesperson confirmed the commission is reviewing the Matawa letter and will determine next steps.

“Cellular service providers, independent of the CRTC, decide which communities they serve and which technologies they deploy,” the commission said in an emailed statement.

Rogers said it has been contacting affected customers and offering free device upgrades to move them to 4G LTE or 5G networks without changing their plans.

Bell said it is prioritizing LTE upgrades in areas that still rely on 3G, particularly to ensure 911 service continuity, while Tbaytel confirmed its own network will not be affected by Rogers’s timeline.

Connectivity gap in northern Ontario
Experts warn the shutdown could deepen the digital divide across the north. Susan Church of the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corporation said many Matawa communities still lack LTE and 5G access, leaving them dependent on 3G.

“Without 3G availability, they’re not able to have the cell service that they need,” Church said. “It’s going to be bad, and there’s going to be blind spots. That’s the tragedy of it all.”

Only 23 per cent of northern Ontario had LTE coverage as of 2022, and just five per cent had access to 5G. Church estimates that upgrading to Indigenous-owned infrastructure would cost about $28 million.

“They absolutely must be willing to work with First Nation communities,” Church said. “This is a social obligation, not just a business decision.”

Albertans to Decide Province’s New Licence Plate Design in Tournament-Style Vote

Albertans will soon have a say in how their next licence plate looks. The provincial government has launched a tournament-style public vote featuring eight new plate designs—each celebrating Alberta’s landscapes and heritage.

The new designs will debut in 2025 and feature the province’s official motto, “Strong and Free,” a phrase taken from Alberta’s coat of arms and echoed in Canada’s national anthem.

“The motto’s inclusion will serve as a nod to Alberta’s identity as a strong and sovereign province within a united Canada,” Premier Danielle Smith said at Wednesday’s news conference.

‘Strong and Free’ becomes the new slogan
Since 1980, Alberta’s coat of arms has carried the Latin motto Fortis et Liber—translated as “Strong and Free.” The new plate designs incorporate that phrase alongside images of mountain ranges, prairies, pumpjacks, and cowboys.

“The images are more than decoration — they’re a celebration of Alberta’s natural beauty and our shared identity,” Smith said.

Voting is now open on the province’s official website and runs until November 5.

H2: Debate over motto’s political meaning
Both Smith and Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally faced questions about whether the motto’s inclusion was politically motivated, given its presence on the United Conservative Party’s website.

“It’s our provincial motto. Let’s not be shy about it,” Nally said. “It’s also in the national anthem … there’s no political ideology that owns the corner on ‘Strong and Free.’”

Smith added that the slogan is “neutral language” and questioned why it wasn’t already on Alberta plates.

Minimal cost for rollout
Nally said no new funding was required to implement the redesign, with costs expected between $25,000 and $50,000. Alberta’s current “Wild Rose Country” plates, in use for decades, will remain valid.

Albertans can voluntarily pay $28 to replace their current plate when the new design launches or receive it at no cost during their next vehicle registration renewal.

“Motorists may also continue using the previous plate as long as it’s in good condition,” the province said in a news release.

Former CTV, CBC Reporter Hired to Run Manitoba’s U.S. Trade Office Earns $387K a Year

A former CTV and CBC reporter hired by Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP government to head Manitoba’s U.S. trade office in Washington, D.C. is earning a $387,000 annual salary, according to documents released by the premier’s office.

Richard Madan, a veteran journalist and former White House correspondent, was appointed in June to lead Manitoba’s efforts to strengthen economic and political ties with the United States. His compensation nearly matches Prime Minister Mark Carney’s salary of $406,000 and far exceeds Kinew’s own pay of $195,936.

Role aims to deepen Manitoba’s U.S. connections
The premier’s office said Madan’s experience in Washington gives Manitoba “a valuable network of politicians, journalists, and industry leaders.”

Since taking the post, Madan has:

• Helped prepare Manitoba’s agriculture sector for new U.S. country-of-origin labelling rules,

• Engaged with U.S. officials on trade issues such as the mushroom export investigation, and

• Begun organizing a Capitol Hill advocacy day highlighting Manitoba’s food, minerals, and Arctic contributions.

Opposition blasts ‘outrageous’ salary
Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan called the salary “outrageous” and “preposterous,” arguing Madan is “untested in trade” and earns eight times the average Manitoban’s salary.

“Three hundred and eighty-seven thousand for a career journalist who’s untested in this industry? That’s almost what the prime minister makes,” Khan said.

Khan also criticized the trade office’s $800,000 annual budget, questioning whether Madan has secured any tangible trade deals since taking the job.

Premier’s office defends compensation
Kinew’s office said the salary aligns with what other provinces pay for similar roles. Ontario’s trade representative David Paterson, for example, earns $364,000, and the province also spends $600,000 annually on a Washington lobbying firm.

Madan could not be reached for comment. His LinkedIn profile shows more than 20 years in broadcasting, including four years with CBC Manitoba, six with CityTV Toronto, and over a decade with CTV News in Ottawa and Washington.

“I’ve covered Washington for almost a decade, so I know the players,” Madan said in June. “My role is to facilitate meetings that could lead to something lucrative down the road.”

The salary disclosure follows a three-month freedom-of-information effort by CBC News to obtain details about Manitoba’s Washington office budget, which remains under review.