Off Script: Atlantic Canada Politics
80 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingOff Script is a podcast for engaged citizens, public leaders and activists in Atlantic Canada. In April of 2019, this podcast will be dedicated to exploring the politics and possibilities surrounding the April 23 provincial election and referendum on electoral reform. Join hosts, Mark Coffin and Jesse Hitchcock, as they try to make sense of it all.
Explore our past episodes for conversations with former Nova Scotia MLAs (Season One), and conversations with active elected officials and activists in Atlantic Canada (Season 2).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodes
Off the Ledge #4: If you don't know ... form a government!
April 26, 2019 03:58 - 44 minutes - 61.6 MBIn this episode of Off the Ledge, Mark and Jesse pour over the election results. They take stock of election night coverage, speculate on what's next for newly elected MLAs and the government, and consider the future of electoral reform on Prince Edward Island. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Off the Ledge #3: Leaders debate, civility contests, and waxing hypothetical
April 18, 2019 19:34 - 1 hour - 83 MBMark and Jesse are joined by a special guest who actually lives on PEI and knows something about asking the right question. We unpack a few highlights from this week's CBC leader's debate, explore whether PEI politics is as civil as it appears, and talk about even more hypothetical election and referendum outcomes. Follow us on Twitter: @SpringtideCo / @MarkCoffin / @JesseHitchcock / @jbgreenan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Off the Ledge #2: 'If you don't know, don't vote'
April 11, 2019 19:43 - 41 minutes - 56.8 MBMark and Jesse dive into the issues surrounding the Prince Edward Island referendum on electoral reform. In this episode, we explore the question, the rules, and the politics of the referendum. References Mentioned: - Electoral Systems Referendum Act - Much-amended P.E.I. referendum legislation passes (CBC) Follow us on Twitter: @SpringtideCo / @MarkCoffin / @JesseHitchcock Follow Springtide on Facebook and Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Off the Ledge #1: The politics and possibilities of the PEI Election
April 04, 2019 15:31 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MBIn the first episode of the Off the Ledge series, hosts Mark Coffin and Jesse Hitchcock talk through the last several years of politics in Canada's smallest province in order to better understand how exactly we reached the current political moment. If you're not familiar with Island politics, buckle up. Here's where things are at: - The Green Party of PEI is leading in the polls, in a province that's never had anything but majority Liberal or (Progressive) Conservative governments. - A ref...
Springtide and the future of our podcasts
May 04, 2018 14:33 - 8 minutes - 11.2 MBThis week we bring you some important news about the future of podcasts at Springtide. To chime in on the future of this show, contact me at [email protected] Support the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
REPLAY: Women in Nova Scotia Politics - Former MLAs reflect on their experience
April 20, 2018 16:21 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MBThis week, we have some questions for our listeners. Why do you listen to this show? What need does it serve for you? And how can we serve that need better. Answer us at [email protected] or tweet @SpringtideCo. And in honour of April of 2018 being the 100th anniversary of the first time women voted in Nova Scotia elections, we share a re-run of an episode we produced last year - about the women of Nova Scotia politics past. We explore the unique experiences of the women who ran for ...
#31: Interview with Waye Mason: "Cars are the least important thing - that's the law in Halifax!"
April 12, 2018 17:22 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBThis week we're joined by Halifax councillor Waye Mason. Waye currently serves as the Deputy Mayor of Halifax. We chat about the politician's perspective on how the new bike lane coming to South Park street came to be. We explore some of the super-powers of the deputy mayor. We also talk about how Waye makes decisions when his constituents are divided on an issue. Support the podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#30: The Battle for Proportional Representation on PEI - Interview with Mark Greenan
March 28, 2018 19:33 - 30 minutes - 41.6 MBThe first time Prince Edward Islanders voted on electoral reform, they voted to keep the status quo. That was in 2005. Mark Greenan was involved in the campaign then, and ended up writing a masters thesis on the topic. The second time Islanders voted on electoral reform was in a 2016 plebiscite where 52% of voters expressed a preference for a mixed-member proportional system. The voters were ready, but the government wasn't. Citing low voter turnout, the Government is choosing to hold anothe...
#29: [LIVE] Engaging the Disengaged (A podcast episode for the already engaged)
March 21, 2018 15:50 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBWe all know the importance of getting more people engaged in elections, politics, and civic life, but it can be challenging to know how to do so effectively. Mark moderated a panel discussion between three Halifax-based activists as a part of an event hosted by Springtide called "Engaging the Disengaged - A Workshop for the Already Engaged". - Jalana Lewis is a Social Justice Lawyer who is passionate about championing voices that aren’t often heard. She was the campaign manager for Halifax ...
#28: How Halifax cyclists won a 1.5km protected downtown bike lane
March 14, 2018 18:19 - 30 minutes - 42 MBLast Tuesday, Halifax municipal councillors voted in favor of approving a 1.5 kilometer stretch of protected bike lane on South Park Street in Halifax. Today on the podcast, Mark speaks with Kelsey Lane who is the executive director of the Halifax Cycling Coalition (HCC). The HCC has been leading the charge for more (and better) bike lanes in Halifax. We talk about the changes coming to South Park Street, and (as we often do) we explore the ‘how’ of what happened. We unpack the kind of behi...
#27: How to serve the public on a dying school board | Interview with Cindy Littlefair HRSB Member
March 01, 2018 16:14 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MBOn Thursday March 1st - the Nova Scotia Government is expected to introduce its education reform bill that will dissolve all English Language School boards in the province. Cindy Littlefair is one of the members of the Halifax Regional School Board grappling with the challenge of how to serve the public in the dying days of School Boards in Nova Scotia. In this episode of the podcast we speak with Cindy about this. We use the remarks she shared at last week's HRSB meeting as a starting po...
#26: PEI PC Leader wants to change the way the legislature works
February 21, 2018 19:27 - 22 minutes - 30.5 MBOn January 25th, PEI Progressive Conservative Leader James Aylward released a discussion paper about the need to reform the way that the Prince Edward Island legislature works. It's a topic that is unlikely to catch the attention of many newsreaders on the best of days, but we think it's an important one, so one month after the fact we're bringing him onto the show to talk about it. Read the discussion paper. Share this episode using the shortlink: http://www.springtide.ngo/os26 Suppo...
Special Episode - The Effective Citizen with Graham Steele
February 16, 2018 14:48 - 43 minutes - 59.7 MBThis week we're sharing an episode from our other podcast, Govern Yourself Accordingly. - Most of us have not sat in the backrooms of politics, the places where decisions are really made. But today’s guest on the Govern Yourself Accordingly podcast has. And, he’s done the rest of us a favour - especially those of us who try to have an impact on the decisions being made in our communities, states, provinces, and countries. Graham Steele is the former finance minister for Nova Scotia....
#25: Justin Trudeau’s Criticisms of Proportional Representation vs. Actual Research
February 08, 2018 22:29 - 39 minutes - 54.6 MBIt’s been just over a year since Justin Trudeau’s government announced it would not be pursuing its platform commitment to make the 2015 federal election the last Canadian election held using first-past-the-post. This week we compare what Justin Trudeau and others have been saying about proportional representation with what the research says about countries that use proportional systems. Matt Risser (@mattrisser) joins us to unpack how systems of proportional representation work in other c...
#24: #MeToo hits Canadian Politics: Interview with Michelle Coffin
February 01, 2018 00:12 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MBThis week we’re talking about the power women in Canadian politics have begun to wield over the last seven days. Michelle Coffin joins the show to help us unpack last weeks news, including the sudden resignation of Nova Scotia PC Party Leader, Jamie Baillie. Michelle shares some of her personal experiences from her time in politics, and we explore what the broader implications of the #MeToo movement hitting Canadian politics. Michelle worked for several different leaders of the Nova Scotia...
Special Episode - Flying Solo and Representing Yourself: Interview with Gabor Lukacs
January 25, 2018 15:43 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBWe're taking this week off from producing Off Script while we focus on some planning for the upcoming year. In the meantime, here's an episode from our other podcast, Govern Yourself Accordingly. It’s not often you hear of someone who is not a lawyer representing themselves in a federal court. It’s even less often that you hear of someone who has done so more than a dozen times. And won. Gabor Lukacs has been taking airlines to court and filing regulatory complaints with the Canadian Tra...
#23: Trudeau's Town Halls, PEI's Cabinet Shuffle and an Interview with Nova Scotia MLA Lisa Roberts
January 17, 2018 19:03 - 59 minutes - 81.2 MBThis week on the podcast we try something new. In addition to this week’s feature interview with Halifax-Needham MLA, Lisa Roberts, we add a new segment where we unpack stories in Atlantic Canadian politics with a rotating co-host. This week, Lisa Buchanan (also co-host of LOL UR GAY - A Gay Comedy Podcast) joins Mark as co-host to help him unpack some of the stories of Atlantic Canada politics last week. In the first half-hour of podcast (0:00 - 28:00), Mark and Lisa explore the following...
#22: PEI's Most Popular Politician: An Interview with Peter Bevan-Baker
January 10, 2018 22:50 - 45 minutes - 62.6 MBThe PEI Green Party has experienced unprecedented success over recent years, and on this episode of On the Record, Off Script Mark speaks with the party's leader to learn more about what's happening behind the scenes in the party. In the 2015 general election, Peter earned the party its first seat. In late November of 2017, Green candidate Hannah Bell won the by-election in Charlottetown-Parkdale to earn the party its second seat. Bevan-Baker has been Islanders top choice for Premier in CRA...
Raw Audio - CBRM Council - December 14th 2017
December 20, 2017 20:10 - 33 minutes - 45.6 MBA companion piece to today's Off Script podcast. Raw feed from CBRM council floor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#21: What happened last week at CBRM council? Feat. Interviews with Tom Urbaniak and Coun. Amanda McDougall
December 20, 2017 20:03 - 46 minutes - 63.4 MBLast week’s meeting of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality council was nothing routine or ordinary, especially for Mayor Cecil Clarke and Councillor Amanda McDougall. Members of council knew what was coming at the end of the meeting, but anyone who was watching would have been caught by surprise by what happened for the final half-hour of the meeting. On this week's episode of On the Record, Off Script we're going to take a deep dive into all that happened in those last thirty minutes of t...
#20: What's happening at bookstores in Pictou County? Interview with Joan Baxter author of 'The Mill' (First episode of Season Two)
December 13, 2017 20:08 - 40 minutes - 55.8 MBThe Pulp and Paper Mill at Abercrombie Point at the tip of Boat Harbour in Pictou County is the subject of a new book by Joan Baxter. The book is called ‘The Mill: Fifty Years of Pulp and Protest’. And it is her book that is at the centre a now-national media story. A signing for her book at a local bookstore was cancelled due to pressure the store was under from what a Chapters/Indigo spokesperson described as concerns that customers' "joyful and safe experience" might be compromised. So ...
INTRODUCING: Govern Yourself Accordingly
December 06, 2017 18:33 - 11 minutes - 15.4 MBGovern Yourself Accordingly is the new weekly Springtide podcast for engaged citizens and public leaders who want to shape the future through politics – with their integrity intact. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#19: Advice for future MLAs - The Final Chapter
November 29, 2017 21:45 - 31 minutes - 43.8 MBThis is the final episode in our journey through the experiences of former MLAs. In this episode, we share what we heard when we asked former Nova Scotia MLAs to share the advice they would offer to a future political candidate. This episode is just that, the advice they would give to those who aspire to and have recently won elected office in Nova Scotia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#18: What former MLAs would change about politics
November 23, 2017 00:25 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MBBy the end of this episode, you’ll hear one very solid recommendation that was echoed by a number of MLAs from various parties. While this recommendation was by no means a consensus amongst former MLAs, nobody told us that it wasn’t worth trying. And in politics, an idea like that is rare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#17: One Government Place
November 16, 2017 12:28 - 41 minutes - 56.4 MBIn this episode, we unpack how a meeting of the Nova Scotia Cabinet works. We explore the tension between Cabinet and the Premier's Office, and how the Premier's offices has grown to wield more and more power from the days of John Savage and John Hamm to those of Darrell Dexter and Stephen McNeil. Share this episode using the shortlink: http://springtide.ngo/os17 Go to HelloFresh.ca/OnTheRecord and get 50% off your meal-kit box from this episode's sponsor, Hello Fresh. Or use promo-code RE...
#16: Ministers
November 08, 2017 18:37 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBThis week, we’ll unpack how a minister’s office works, and dig into: - how people who held that office who we spoke to approached making decisions, and the kind of decisions they had to make. - how they did (or did not) involve caucus in their decision making, and - how the rest of Cabinet and the Premier’s office would be involved in decisions. Share this episode using the shortlink: http://springtide.ngo/os16 Go to HelloFresh.ca/OnTheRecord and get 50% off your meal-kit box from this ...
#15: How a Government vs Opposition MLA gets things done
November 01, 2017 17:45 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MBJust how exactly does an MLA get anything done at Province House? In this, and the next few episodes of the Off Script podcast, we’re going to explore the nitty gritty of who has what kind of power to make things happen within the governmental structures at, and around, province house in Nova Scotia. We begin by exploring how an MLA on either side of the house can get something done. Share this episode using the shortlink: http://springtide.ngo/os15 Go to HelloFresh.ca/OnTheRecord and get...
The Future of the Senate: Wanda Thomas Bernard & Grant Mitchell
October 18, 2017 23:41 - 28 minutes - 39.1 MBOn this episode, we’re sharing talks from two members of the Canadian Senate: Senators Grant Mitchell (Alberta) and Wanda Thomas-Bernard (Nova Scotia). Both talks are an excerpt from a larger event called “Independent or Partisan? The Future of the Canadian Senate” held by the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance at Dalhousie, as a part of their Policy Matters speaker series. Watch the full event on YouTube here: http://bit.ly/2kXVbuN Learn more about the Policy Matters ...
Perspectives on Ivany: Danny Graham & Karen Foster
October 11, 2017 20:53 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBOn this specioal episode of the Off Script podcast, we’re sharing two diverse perspectives on the Ivany report, drawn from a discussion held by the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy at Dalhousie. The discussion was called “All for One Nova Scotia? Perspectives on the Ivany Report”. The first speaker is Karen Foster. Karen is a professor in the department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Dalhousie University, and the author of Productivity and Prosperity: An Historical Sociology o...
#14: Our House
October 05, 2017 13:22 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBThis week: we explore the dynamics of the Nova Scotia Legislature People always seem to draw comparisons between politicians and school children when they visit the House of Assembly. We have a couple of stories that relate to that: the story of an MLA who refused to give school children tours of the House of Assembly while his colleagues were present; a story from a former school teacher who tried her classroom management strategies on her colleagues; We'll also hear from: two people w...
Andrew Younger: becoming an indepedent MLA and prioritizing policy-making
September 27, 2017 17:17 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBAndrew Younger is the only former MLA we’ve interviewed who sat as an independent. In our interview Andrew describes some of the unsung, unknown advantages of being an independent in Nova Scotia politics. He also tells us what he’s up to now, and talks about how he organized his constituency office to allow him to focus on policy-making. Share this episode using the link: http://springtide.ngo/se28 Support the podcast: https://offscript-springtide.nationbuilder.com/donate Rate and review ...
#13: The press gallery talks about the special relationship between the media and politicians in Nova Scotia
September 21, 2017 03:23 - 32 minutes - 44.8 MBWe spoke with members of the press gallery at province house to hear what they had to say, about what MLAs had to say about them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#12: Ex-MLAs talk about the special relationship between the media and politicians in Nova Scotia
September 21, 2017 02:47 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MBWe never set out to ask MLAs about their relationship with the media, but it was a topic that came up regularly when we asked them one question in particular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The legislature returns, and a new podcast series
September 13, 2017 19:42 - 5 minutes - 7.06 MBNext week the legislature returns, and next month we'll have a new podcast series. Sign up for an update when the new podcast launches: http://www.springtide.ngo/newpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Party discipline is ‘political immaturity’ - Interview with Howard Epstein (SE #27)
September 06, 2017 16:32 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBHoward Epstein was elected seven consecutive times to serve his constituents on the Halifax peninsula. Twice as a municipal councillor and five times as an MLA. Howard, an NDP member, was not afraid to speak out when he felt the party was not living up to it's principles. We talk about the realities of speaking out against one's own party and his life and career in Nova Scotia politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SPECIAL NEWS: Our next podcast series
September 02, 2017 09:30 - 4 minutes - 6.79 MBIn the near future, Springtide will be launching a new podcast: a brand new series completely separate from Off Script. The trouble is, we're evenly split on what to call the podcast, and the people we've asked for feedback are equally split. We have two options, and we'd like you to listen to each to let us know what you think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Courtesy isn't always reciprocated' - Interview with Michele Raymond (SE #26)
August 30, 2017 15:39 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MBThis week, we share our interview with Michelle Raymond, who is a former NDP MLA for the riding of Halifax Atlantic. She served from 2003 to 2012. Michelle held a relatively low profile during her career as an MLA - she served on the backbenches of the NDP government - but she had plenty of strongly stated, and eloquently delivered thoughts on the state of politics, and the life of an MLA. Some of the things I chatted about in my interview with her included: - what it means to be an unma...
"[The other side] is not Attila the Hun" - Interview with George Archibald (SE #25)
August 23, 2017 13:30 - 54 minutes - 74.5 MBGeorge Archibald was the seventh generation of the Archibald family to serve in the Nova Scotia legislature. His time in the legislature spanned two decades (the 80s and 90s). In this interview with Louise Cockram from the Off Script team, he describes some of the dramatic changes he observed over the length of his career at the legislature, some of the lighter moments of being an MLA, and the importance he saw in working with the other side. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more ...
Francene Cosman Interview - Former Bedford Mayor and MLA, Liberal Executive Director (SE#24)
August 16, 2017 13:30 - 49 minutesFrancene has worn many political hats in her day: first Mayor of Bedford, PC Party Candidate, Liberal Party Executive Director, Liberal MLA and Minister of Community Services just to name a few of them. Here's our extended interview with Francene where she talks about winning a hotly contested nomination meeting, the sometimes tense challenges of sitting in the speaker's chair, and maintaining her own independence when she was uncomfortable with the direction of her party. Hosted on Acast. ...
"Corrosive - that's probably the best word." - Graham Steele Interview (SE #23)
August 09, 2017 09:25 - 51 minutesGraham Steele was the Finance Minister in Darrell Dexter's NDP Government. In this podcast he talks about his personal path in and out of politics, and why (if he could do it over again) he'd run for city council instead of the provincial legislature. Since leaving politics he's written a book on his time in public life, worked as a political analyst for the CBC, joined the faculty of Management at Dalhousie University, and is getting ready to release his second book 'The Effective Citizen' i...
Mark Parent's journey from Church Minister to Environment Minister (SE #22)
August 04, 2017 03:51 - 58 minutesThis week’s featured interview is with Mark Parent, a former PC Party MLA and environment minister. Mark spoke to us about a range of his experiences in public life: - his transition from being an NDP supporter, to backing Flora MacDonald's 'red toryism'; - the flagship legislation he spearheaded as Environment Minister, the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, and the path to multi-partisan support it required to turn it into Law - the efforts made by both Stephen Harper and E...
Negotiating with Texans, closing the Teacher’s College and co-writing an election platform - Interview with Eleanor Norrie
July 27, 2017 16:31 - 56 minutesEleanor Norrie shares stories about her time in politics, including her negotiations with Texan oil tycoons as Natural Resources minister, chairing the failed attempt at running a leadership convention by telephone voting, taking part in the cabinet decision to close the Nova Scotia Teacher’s College (which was in her writing) and co-writing the platform that got John Savage’s Liberals elected to government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Interview with Yvonne Atwell: Former Preston MLA and Restorative Justice Activist
July 20, 2017 19:47 - 57 minutesYvonne was the NDP MLA for the riding of Preston for just 18 months in the late 90s. Despite having a relatively short career in elected public office, she has plenty of reflections on her time as an MLA, and the state of politics in Nova Scotia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#11: The job nobody else can do
July 12, 2017 19:05 - 25 minutesMLAs have a great deal of choice when it comes to the kind of work they focus on, but there is one job that nobody but the elected MLAs can do: the creation of law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Deep Democracy with Sera Thompson (SE #19)
July 06, 2017 14:04 - 28 minutesSera Thompson teaches and practices Deep Democracy, a psychology-based practise for resolving conflict among groups. In this special episode of the podcast, we share a conversation where she gives us a sample of what participants learn on one of her introductory courses. This fall at Springtide, Sera will be teaching Co-Resolve - An Introduction to Deep Democracy on September 25 and 26 in Halifax, and you can register for that course here: http://bit.ly/2tV5unj Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
#10: You're Hired; Responsibilities for the job of MLA are negotiable
June 28, 2017 17:54 - 29 minutesThere are very few written rules that outline what is expected of MLAs once they take their jobs. But that doesn't mean that there aren't significant expectations placed on them once they take office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#9: Mi'kmaq representation in Province House: The 52nd Seat
June 10, 2017 17:11 - 26 minutesThere has never been a Mi’kmaq MLA in Nova Scotia, despite the fact that a seat has been reserved for one in the House of Assembly Act since the early 1990s. This week on Off Script, Sandra Hannebohm explores why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Coming up next... the 52nd Seat (SE #18)
June 03, 2017 23:15 - 7 minutesThis week, we explore some of the background for next week's episode, which explores the seat that has been reserved for Mi'kmaq people in the legislature, but has never been filled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Being an independent MLA in Nova Scotia - Andrew Younger (SE #17)
May 26, 2017 15:56 - 27 minutesAndrew Younger recently gave a talk to the Rotary Club in Dartmouth on the realities of being an independent MLA and candidate. The talk was scheduled before he withdrew from the race to be the independent MLA for Dartmouth East for health and family reasons, but the talk was given after he had withdrawn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#8: Ready, willing and able: running for office with a disability
May 20, 2017 12:08 - 40 minutesThis week we explore the stories of the people who have run, and in some cases won, elected office as Nova Scotians living with disabilities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.