Jim Vibert
The Chronicle Herald
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Past articles by Jim:
JIM VIBERT: Without answers, Rankin’s credibility suffers
Premier Iain Rankin needs better answers to questions about his record as lands and forestry minister. In the legislature this week, Nova Scotia’s novice premier found himself on the pointy end of NDP leader Gary Burrill’s probe into → Read More
JIM VIBERT: The ‘Rankin government’ is all about good news
What’s in a name? If we’re talking about the government of Nova Scotia, it could be the difference between good news and something less. A scan of recent news releases from the province confirmed a telling distinction in how Nova → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Improvements to FOIPOP law can come now
Premier Iain Rankin wants an advisory group set up to review Nova Scotia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) law and recommend how it can be “modernized.” Some sound advice, particularly on those parts of → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Rankin’s pledge doesn’t extend to public accounts
You can understand where Tim Halman got his wires crossed. Like many of us, the Dartmouth East Tory MLA heard Nova Scotia’s new premier, Iain Rankin, solemnly pledge to lead a transparent, accountable government. So, quite naturally, → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Battle lines taking shape in hybrid legislature
That didn’t take long. The first question asked in the Nova Scotia legislature in 366 days got the new premier’s partisan hackles up and, before the first full day of the winter/spring session had played out, the political battle lines → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Secret Owl’s Head deal could haunt Rankin
Among the important dates circled on the calendar of Nova Scotia’s nascent premier, Iain Rankin, April 1 should stand out, and not because he enjoys a good April Fools’ prank. On that day, in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, → Read More
JIM VIBERT: First date with Rankin a qualified success
On balance, Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin’s first week on the job likely should be rated a qualified success. Owing to the way he came to the office, Rankin can’t count on the traditional honeymoon – a period of forbearance → Read More
JIM VIBERT: New premier Iain Rankin signals change through symbolism
New governments can’t help themselves. In their search for ways – symbolic or otherwise – to signal welcome winds of change, they invariably restructure parts of the operation, relabel others and maybe add some new stuff. And → Read More
VIBERT: Rankin brings ambitious plan to build back better
Nova Scotia Liberals looked past the pandemic and picked as their new leader, and Nova Scotia’s next premier, the candidate who offered the most ambitious plan to build back better. When he and his new Liberal government are sworn in → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Epiphany by Nova Scotia Liberals prompts spending on long-term care
Back in the day, someone would have mentioned Saul on the road to Damascus before now. But biblical references don't have the same resonance they once did. So, opposition leaders simply noted that Premier Stephen McNeil's epiphany — → Read More
JIM VIBERT: It may be time for another dull Governor General
When Canada’s vice-regal head of state, the Governor General, resigns in disrepute, if not disgrace, the government that’s responsible for her appointment has some soul-searching to do. It’s clear that the Justin Trudeau → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Even the Grit whisper campaign is bloodless
It’s called opposition – “oppo” for short – research and it’s the dark art of digging for – and often uncovering – tantalizing tidbits and embarrassing secrets to use against a political opponent. It → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Liberals vote to block financial information
It happens now with such regularity that it hardly draws a mention in the press anymore. But last week the Liberal majority on the legislature’s public accounts committee once again blocked a legitimate request for information on how the → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Nova Scotia cuts COVID isolation beds down to one at nursing homes
Some of Nova Scotia's nursing home administrators felt blindsided last week when the province told them to reduce the number of beds they're keeping vacant — in case of COVID — to just one. Before the Health Department's → Read More
JIM VIBERT: N.S. Liberal leadership contenders walk a fine line
The three Liberals running to succeed Premier Stephen McNeil are, mostly, walking a pretty fine line. On one hand they want Liberals, in particular, to know that, as leader and premier, they’d hold fast to the overall direction set by → Read More
JIM VIBERT: McNeil’s environmental record a litany of broken promises
Nova Scotia’s Liberal government has quite a story to tell on the environment, but unfortunately that’s all it has. The reality is a litany of delayed action and unkept promises. With the singular exception of the Boat Harbour cleanup, → Read More
JIM VIBERT: 40 years ago today, Nova Scotia politics changed for good
Politics in Nova Scotia changed, for the better and for good, 40 years ago today. On Nov. 16, 1980, at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia New Democrats elected Alexa McDonough their leader, making her the first woman to lead a major → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Nova Scotia pharmacies worried about flu vaccine supply
Pharmacies across Nova Scotia are running low on flu vaccine and they’re worried about getting more, but the provincial Health Department says “be patient” because there’s more on the way. The Pharmacy Association of Nova → Read More
JIM VIBERT: Liberal leadership contenders quietly jockey for position
So far, the tenor of the race to find Nova Scotia’s next Liberal leader and premier is dictated, like all things, by health protocols on gatherings, masks and distancing. So, let’s call it subdued. There are other adjectives one could → Read More
JIM VIBERT: A week that strained my long-held notions of reality
From time to time, an event occurs that is so far beyond reasonable expectations, so divorced from what experience has taught us, that it threatens to shatter long-held notions of the world. Such an event took place this week. Dr. Theresa Tam, → Read More