Off Script: Atlantic Canada Politics

Off the Ledge #4: If you don't know ... form a government!

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 03:58:30 GMT

In 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.

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Off the Ledge #3: Leaders debate, civility contests, and waxing hypothetical

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 19:34:14 GMT

Mark 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.

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Off the Ledge #2: 'If you don't know, don't vote'

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 19:43:48 GMT

Mark 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)

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Off the Ledge #1: The politics and possibilities of the PEI Election

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 15:31:36 GMT

In 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 referendum is set for the same date as the general election, where Islanders will be asked to choose between a new, mixed-member proportional voting system, or to keep the first-past-the-post system.

In this episode we explore how we got here, and what some of the potential outcomes of the election and referendum vote might involve.

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Springtide and the future of our podcasts

Fri, 04 May 2018 14:33:31 GMT

This 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 mark@springtide.ngo

Support the podcast.

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REPLAY: Women in Nova Scotia Politics - Former MLAs reflect on their experience

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:21:03 GMT

This 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 offscript@springtide.ngo 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 and won seats in the Nova Scotia legislature – the challenges they faced in getting there, and the challenges awaiting them once they arrived.

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#31: Interview with Waye Mason: "Cars are the least important thing - that's the law in Halifax!"

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 17:22:51 GMT

This 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.

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#30: The Battle for Proportional Representation on PEI - Interview with Mark Greenan

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:33:59 GMT

The 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 another vote.

When the upcoming provincial election happens (at a date of the Government's choosing between now and next October), Islanders will be asked to choose between the current system and a Mixed Member Proportional one. Mark Greenan has been at the forefront of the movement for proportional representation on PEI since it began. On this episode of the Off Script podcast, we speak with Mark about the Island's lengthy journey towards electoral reform (and his own journey).

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#29: [LIVE] Engaging the Disengaged (A podcast episode for the already engaged)

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 15:50:56 GMT

We 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 councillor, Lindell Smith.

- Steve Estey is an advocate for persons with disabilities who works with the Nova Scotia League for Equal Opportunity. Steve is a former candidate for MLA in the riding of Dartmouth east.

- Jenna Brookfield is a Health and Safety activist who is a part of the labour movement in Nova Scotia. Jenna has a background in projects that engage traditionally underrepresented segments of the population in politics and government more broadly.

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#28: How Halifax cyclists won a 1.5km protected downtown bike lane

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:19:28 GMT

Last 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 behind the scenes, online, and (quite literally) on-the-street work that goes into getting politicians to make the streets safer for cyclists.

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#27: How to serve the public on a dying school board | Interview with Cindy Littlefair HRSB Member

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:14:55 GMT

On 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 point for our conversation.

What is a conscientious board member to do in this moment?

Go away quietly?
Resist the dissolution?
Carry on their duties as a school board trustee in exile?

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#26: PEI PC Leader wants to change the way the legislature works

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:27:54 GMT

On 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

Support the podcast: http://www.springtide.ngo/offscriptsupport

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Special Episode - The Effective Citizen with Graham Steele

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:48:39 GMT

This 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. In his new book, The Effective Citizen: How to Make Politicians Work for You, he has drawn a road-map of the politician’s brain. He’s codified the thought-patterns, the behaviour, and the patterns of speech that even the best of our politicians use as crutches.

He’s done this so that we (as citizens) can understand them. Beyond that, he’s taken it a step further and mapped out how citizens can use that information to be more effective at advocacy to influence policy change. He explores the big picture: how patient and persistent advocacy can have a major impact, but he also talks about the granular: like how to follow-up on a meeting with a decision maker so they’re more likely to do what they told you they’d do. Follow @steelegr on Twitter

--- Share this episode using the shortlink http://www.springtide.ngo/gya3

Resources from this episode:

Graham’s new book: The Effective Citizen

Graham’s first book: What I Learned About Politics

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#25: Justin Trudeau’s Criticisms of Proportional Representation vs. Actual Research

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 22:29:30 GMT

It’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 countries, and how they might work in Canada.

Resources Mentioned

Better Choices: Voting System Alternatives for Canada (Paper)

Better Choices: Voting System Alternatives for Nova Scotia (Paper)

Audio Clips Sampled:

Justin Trudeau in Yellowknife 2017 (CBC) - Justin Trudeau Explains Electoral Reform U-Turn

Justin Trudeau in Yellowknife 2017 (CBC) - Should Kellie Leitch Have Her Own Party?

Justin Trudeau on CBC’s ‘The House’

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#24: #MeToo hits Canadian Politics: Interview with Michelle Coffin

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:12:58 GMT

This 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 Liberal party, including its current leader before he became Premier. She’s a professor of political science at Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s universities in Halifax and is a regular commentator on Nova Scotia politics for CBC Radio in Halifax.

- Share this episode using the shortlink: http://www.springtide.ngo/os24

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Special Episode - Flying Solo and Representing Yourself: Interview with Gabor Lukacs

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 15:43:24 GMT

We'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 Transportation Agency for the last nine years. He’s filed twenty-six successful regulatory complains and has more or less paved the way for many other airline passengers to do the same.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

AirPassengerRights.ca

Air Passenger Rights (Canada) Facebook Group

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#23: Trudeau's Town Halls, PEI's Cabinet Shuffle and an Interview with Nova Scotia MLA Lisa Roberts

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 19:03:19 GMT

This 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 stories:

Justin Trudeau’s town hall tour of Canada, which started in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia last week; and specifically what Trudeau’s style of public conversation, empathy, and crowd-work means for activists, advocates and Trudeau himself (4:00 - 13:20)
PEI Premier Wade MacLauchlan’s Cabinet Shuffle, how it’s being interpreted as a signal that MacLauchlan won’t stick to the legislated fixed election date, and what that means for women (13:20 - 26:30)

In the latter half hour of the podcast (28:30 - End), Mark sits down with Halifax-Needham MLA Lisa Roberts (NDP) Some of the things they talk about include:

Lisa shares her big takeaway from our interview with former PC Environment Minister (and Church Minister) Mark Parent (30:20)
Mark learns what superpowers Lisa has discovered she has as an MLA (33:40), and Lisa shares how constituency concerns can better translate into legislation and policy change.
Lisa shares how she focuses her efforts in opposition on amplifying the voices of the unheard, using her public platform to shape the public consciousness on issues, and how PTSD legislation is an example of parties working together to do important work. (40:00 - 52:00).
Mark floats the idea that the problem with legislature politics isn’t necessarily that it’s all theatrical, but that it’s pretty bad theatre (52:30).

Stories Referenced:

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#22: PEI's Most Popular Politician: An Interview with Peter Bevan-Baker

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 22:50:33 GMT

The 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's quarterly opinion polling for the last three quarters and is the only party leader on the Island to experience growing public support over the past year.

Some of the things we explore during our conversation:

What Peter learned over the ten elections he competed in before he was elected;
How he approached getting things done as a caucus of one;
How his party will tackle the upcoming general election, perhaps the first election in Canada where a Green Party has a shot at becoming the government; and
We unpack what happened when Peter was removed from the PEI House of Assembly for saying a word that starts with the letter F on it’s final day of sitting before the holidays.

Share this episode using the shortlink: http://www.springtide.ngo/pbb

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Raw Audio - CBRM Council - December 14th 2017

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 20:10:26 GMT

A companion piece to today's Off Script podcast. Raw feed from CBRM council floor.

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#21: What happened last week at CBRM council? Feat. Interviews with Tom Urbaniak and Coun. Amanda McDougall

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 20:03:33 GMT

Last 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 the CBRM council meeting.

Share this episode using this shortlink: http://www.springtide.ngo/cbrmcouncil

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#20: What's happening at bookstores in Pictou County? Interview with Joan Baxter author of 'The Mill' (First episode of Season Two)

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 20:08:57 GMT

The 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 today on the Off Script podcast, I’m chatting with Joan Baxter about her new Book ‘The Mill’, the 50 years of community activism protesting the pulp industry’s practise in Pictou County and the politics surrounding it all.

-- Share this episode using the shortlink: http://www.springtide.ngo/mill

Follow along on Twitter: @SpringtideCo | @MarkCoffin | @Joan_Baxter

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Joan's Book: The Mill: 50 Years of Pulp and Protest

Joan's Book: Seven Grains of Paradise: A Culinary Journey in Africa

John Demont's Column: Journalist, miners shabbily treated by big business

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INTRODUCING: Govern Yourself Accordingly

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 18:33:46 GMT

Govern 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.

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#19: Advice for future MLAs - The Final Chapter

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 21:45:10 GMT

This 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.

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#18: What former MLAs would change about politics

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 00:25:52 GMT

By 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.

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#17: One Government Place

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 12:28:00 GMT

In 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 RECORD50 at checkout.

Support the podcast with a contribution of as little as $3/month.

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#16: Ministers

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 18:37:42 GMT

This 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 episode's sponsor, Hello Fresh. Or use promo-code RECORD50 at checkout.

Support the podcast with a contribution of as little as $3/month.

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#15: How a Government vs Opposition MLA gets things done

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 17:45:46 GMT

Just 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

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The Future of the Senate: Wanda Thomas Bernard & Grant Mitchell

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 23:41:33 GMT

On 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 speaker series: http://bit.ly/2yaEQsi

Share the podcast with this shortlink: http://springtide.ngo/se30

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Perspectives on Ivany: Danny Graham & Karen Foster

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 20:53:22 GMT

On 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 of Productivist Thought.

The second speaker you’ll hear is Danny Graham, who regular listeners to this podcast will know from his time as an MLA and former Liberal Party leader, and now CEO at Engage Nova Scotia.

Watch the full discussion on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2yaEtxU

More on the Policy Matters Speaker Series: http://bit.ly/2yaEQsi

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#14: Our House

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 13:22:55 GMT

This 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 who held down the Speaker's chair; and
a story form a Cabinet Minister who admired fellow ministers who dodged questions, but tried his best to answer the ones that came his way.

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Andrew Younger: becoming an indepedent MLA and prioritizing policy-making

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 17:17:53 GMT

Andrew 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 the podcast in iTunes: http://apple.co/2yHtWr6

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#13: The press gallery talks about the special relationship between the media and politicians in Nova Scotia

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 03:23:52 GMT

We 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.

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#12: Ex-MLAs talk about the special relationship between the media and politicians in Nova Scotia

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 02:47:23 GMT

We 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.

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The legislature returns, and a new podcast series

Wed, 13 Sep 2017 19:42:31 GMT

Next week the legislature returns, and next month we'll have a new podcast series.

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Party discipline is ‘political immaturity’ - Interview with Howard Epstein (SE #27)

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:32:10 GMT

Howard 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.

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SPECIAL NEWS: Our next podcast series

Sat, 02 Sep 2017 09:30:00 GMT

In 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.

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"Courtesy isn't always reciprocated' - Interview with Michele Raymond (SE #26)

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 15:39:56 GMT

This 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 unmanageable candidate and why she wished she’d been one.

- the wealth of information and access available to MLAs, should they choose to use it.

- the false flag of ‘privacy concerns’ that she says is more often used to protect the privacy of failing government agencies than the individuals they’re supposed to be serving.

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"[The other side] is not Attila the Hun" - Interview with George Archibald (SE #25)

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:30:00 GMT

George 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.

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Francene Cosman Interview - Former Bedford Mayor and MLA, Liberal Executive Director (SE#24)

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:30:00 GMT

Francene 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.

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"Corrosive - that's probably the best word." - Graham Steele Interview (SE #23)

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 09:25:00 GMT

Graham 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' in the Fall of 2017.

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Mark Parent's journey from Church Minister to Environment Minister (SE #22)

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 03:51:44 GMT

This 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 Elizabeth May to encourage him to run in their respective parties as a candidate for federal MP. - his long list of advice for future lawmakers

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Negotiating with Texans, closing the Teacher’s College and co-writing an election platform - Interview with Eleanor Norrie

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 16:31:13 GMT

Eleanor 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.

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Interview with Yvonne Atwell: Former Preston MLA and Restorative Justice Activist

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:47:53 GMT

Yvonne 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.

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#11: The job nobody else can do

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 19:05:00 GMT

MLAs 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.

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Deep Democracy with Sera Thompson (SE #19)

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 14:04:10 GMT

Sera 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

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#10: You're Hired; Responsibilities for the job of MLA are negotiable

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 17:54:47 GMT

There 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.

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#9: Mi'kmaq representation in Province House: The 52nd Seat

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 17:11:40 GMT

There 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.

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Coming up next... the 52nd Seat (SE #18)

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 23:15:46 GMT

This 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.

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Being an independent MLA in Nova Scotia - Andrew Younger (SE #17)

Fri, 26 May 2017 15:56:58 GMT

Andrew 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.

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#8: Ready, willing and able: running for office with a disability

Sat, 20 May 2017 12:08:11 GMT

This week we explore the stories of the people who have run, and in some cases won, elected office as Nova Scotians living with disabilities.

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Basic election stuff we should all probably know about, but don't (SE# 16)

Thu, 11 May 2017 16:46:58 GMT

There is an election happening on May 30th. In this special episode, Mark explains why writ drops are different than mic drops, how continuous ballot collection can dampen the impact of changes in the polls mid-way through the campaign, and how we have a government with no MLAs.

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#7: The Experience of African Nova Scotian MLAs: Percy Paris, Yvonne Atwell, Wayne Adams

Tue, 02 May 2017 02:03:01 GMT

In the 259 years of responsible government in Nova Scotia there have been just five African Nova Scotian MLAs. This week, we speak to three former MLAs who each sat as the sole African Nova Scotians in the legislature during their time.

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Sexism and misogyny in Canadian provincial politics (SE #15)

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:37:21 GMT

In this week's episode of Off Script, research lead and Carleton PhD candidate Louise Cockram speaks with Sandra Hannebohm about how the experience of Nova Scotian female politicians compares to those across Canada.

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#6: Women in NS Politics: The Experience of Female MLAs

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:23:50 GMT

This week on Off Script, we explore the unique experiences of the women who ran for and won seats in the Nova Scotia legislature - the challenges they faced in getting there, and the challenges awaiting them once they arrived.

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Partisanship and resisting 'the urge to wear a jersey' - Bob Mann Shares his story (SE #14)

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 17:11:25 GMT

Bob's father was a cabinet minister in John Savage's liberal government, but most of Bob's friends are 'on the orange team.' Bob shares the story of the 'strong and, frankly, bizarre reactions' of people from the red, orange and blue teams when he starred in a satirical video intended to draw attention to the cuts made by the Liberal government to the film industry in 2015.

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Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi Explains his 'Politics in Full Sentences' Strategy (SE #13)

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 11:16:50 GMT

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi is one of Canada’s most well known political figures. Regardless of how close your own politics are to his, most people can probably agree he has been a powerful voice for the importance of local government. One of the ways that he does this is through his approach to engaging with the public, the media and other politicians. We invited him to join us for a public conversation during his visit to Halifax in March of 2015.

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Halifax Mayor Mike Savage: "We are not a box full of puppies" (SE #12)

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:04:02 GMT

Mike Savage has something to say about negativity in politics, and he wants you to tell you what 'togetherness' has to do with Van Gogh, itchy sweaters, imperfect families and a box full of puppies.

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The Politics of Togetherness - Andrew Black - Pecha Kucha (SE#11)

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:07:48 GMT

Andrew Black has been an active progressive conservative party member for over a decade, but his most successful campaign was the one that got an active member of another party elected to the mayor's office in Halifax.

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SE #10: Meet Sandra, Off-Script Co-Host

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:04:06 GMT

Starting in April, Sandra Hannebohm will be a regular co-host, writer, and contributor to Off Script podcast. On this week's Off Script podcast, listen in on Mark's 'interview' with her.

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Howard Epstein and Graham Steele Debate their Books - 2 of 2 (SE # 8)

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 14:30:08 GMT

The second part of a discussion shared between former NDP MLAs and authors, Howard Epstein and Graham Steele. Howard explains why he never crossed the floor to sit as an independent, and Graham outlines why (despite all his gripes with the system) politics is 'so worth it.'

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Howard Epstein & Graham Steele debate their books - 1 of 2 (SE #8)

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 19:34:55 GMT

This week we share the recording from a discussion with two former members of the NDP caucus, who have written books on their experience in Atlantic Canada's first NDP government.

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Off Script - Important Update

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 19:07:26 GMT

We've got some news to share with our listeners.

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Panel Discussion on Partisanship (Part 2) - Elizabeth May, Graham Steele, Danny Graham and Brent Rathgeber (SE#7)

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 11:07:50 GMT

This is the discussion period from a conversation Springtide hosted in the middle of the last Nova Scotia election campaign. In Special Ep #6, you heard the opening remarks from the panelists in this conversation. In this episode, you'll hear their discussion with one another on the future of parliamentary democracy in Canada.

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#5 Road Politics in Nova Scotia

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:30:48 GMT

In this episode, we explore the issue former MLAs told us they heard more about than anything else from their constituents.

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Panel Discussion on Partisanship - Elizabeth May, Graham Steele, Danny Graham and Brent Rathgeber - Part 1 of 2 (SE #6)

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 15:17:31 GMT

This week, we share tape from a discussion Springtide hosted in the middle of the 2013 Nova Scotia election campaign. We invited current and former politicians spanning the political spectrum to talk about the future of political parties in Canada. Each speaker has challenged the conventional approach to party politics in Canada.

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#4: How MLAs experience their own political parties

Wed, 25 Jan 2017 16:09:16 GMT

This week on Off Script, we talk to former MLAs about their experience with their own parties.

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Off Script: It's flu season.

Tue, 10 Jan 2017 17:39:06 GMT

It's flu season, and the Off Script team was not spared. A short message about another Springtide project you should be aware of, and a plan to be back to the regular show by next week.

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New Year's Resolutions for Elected Officials and Citizens (SE #5)

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 00:29:17 GMT

Could New Year’s resolutions for better civic administration from 1921 still apply in 2017? In this week’s episode, you be the judge.

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Better Politics and Watchdogging Parliament Hill - Kevin Page Keynote (SE #4)

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 02:53:06 GMT

In this week’s episode : we look back on Kevin Page’s speech from the 2016 Better Politics Awards in Halifax.

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#3: How do you learn to be an MLA?

Wed, 21 Dec 2016 02:50:58 GMT

This week, we talk about the days and weeks immediately following a new MLA’s election and ask the question: how do you learn to be an MLA?

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How I got kicked out of Nova Scotia's province house - Nelson MacDonald (SE #3)

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 01:11:38 GMT

In this week’s episode : an update on our production schedule, and a story about learning how the legislature works by protesting what happens inside.

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#2 Casting Call: Becoming a Nova Scotia MLA (Ep #2)

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 19:55:18 GMT

What do a lawyer, a baptist minister, a farmer and a nurse have in common? At one point, they've all walked into the legislature to serve as MLAs. In episode two of Off Script, hear the stories that turned regular citizens into lawmakers, and the challenges they faced along the way.

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Interviewing Canada's former MPs - Extended Conversation with Alison Loat (SE#2)

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 14:49:20 GMT

What's it like traveling across Canada to talk to former MPs about their life in politics? In last week's podcast, you heard from Alison Loat, one of the co-authors of the book "Tragedy in the Commons: Former Members of Parliament Speak Out on Canada's Failing Democracy". In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended version of the interview we did with Alison for that episode, where we explore the impact that book has had on Canadian Politics.

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Former MPs speak out: Tragedy in the Commons - Michael MacMillan Keynote (SE #1)

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 18:21:09 GMT

What do former MPs have to say about the health of Canadian democracy? Not much good news, accoriding to Michael MacMillan. In last week's podcast, you heard from Michael MacMillan, one of the co-authors of the book "Tragedy in the Commons: Former Members of Parliament Speak Out on Canada's Failing Democracy". In this special episode of the podcast, you'll hear a keynote address that Michael gave when he visited Halifax two years ago for the Springtide Better Politics Awards. You can order the book here: http://amzn.to/2fvHBu2

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#1: Road Map: the journey of a Nova Scotia MLA

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 16:06:42 GMT

The first full episode of the Off Script podcast is here. It plots the path for where this podcast is taking you, and gives you a peak at some of the key findings from the MLA Exit Interviews.

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For the brokenhearted (Parker J. Palmer)

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 01:38:51 GMT

Today, we were planning on releasing the first full episode of the podcast. But, our hearts and minds are somewhere else today, and we suspect yours are too. We’ll pick up where we left off this time next week, and this week we'll share some of the writings of Parker J. Palmer, on healing the heart of democracy.

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Off Script: How an MLA gets involved in 'those kinds of things' (Clarrie MacKinnon)

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 17:06:01 GMT

Clarrie MacKinnon recounts the kinds of things he would end up doing when government services fell short of his constituents needs.

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Off Script: "Where's the minister?" (Eleanor Norrie)

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 18:56:36 GMT

In this week’s story, former cabinet minister, and Truro-Bible Hill MLA, Eleanor Norrie, remembers what she describes as the all-too-frequent experience of showing up as a woman when the people she was scheduled to meet were waiting for a man.

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Off Script: "Three cheers for the lady" (Francene Cosman)

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 13:46:44 GMT

The Off Script Podcast will officially launch soon. Until then, here's our first 'prepisode' - short anecdotes and stories that kept us laughing, captivated, and in suspense during the interviews, meant to keep you doing the same until we launch full episodes in the coming weeks. This week's story comes from former MLA and deputy speaker, Francene Cosman, where she describes her most harrowing day in the speaker's chair.

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Off Script: Podcast Promo

Sun, 02 Oct 2016 23:46:00 GMT

We’ve collected over 75 hours of recorded content, from interviews with more than forty former MLAs. This fall, we’ll begin releasing a weekly audio-documentary podcast. Each week we’ll unpack one small piece of politics.

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