There are too many negative things to talk about these days. And as I used to say, no one ever called a newsroom I was working in to report they'd heard applause or laughter and wanted to know what was happening. There was some good news this week, after an apparent set back for a small, rural Nova Scotia Fire Department. And that's the story I wanted to share with you today.

Back-to-back provincial and federal elections may lead to voter fatigue or apathy. And I've noticed how people who make partisan and personal posts on politician's pages are just like people who pick their nose while they're driving. And I have a few thoughts on engaging in democratic discourse and dealing with internet trolls.

I've gone through close to 150 comments on the Chronicle Herald Facebook page about the story of a man who couldn't get his vanity license plate renewed. And a few things are obvious to me about the responses to Nicole Munro's story. And maybe license plates aren't the only place we should be arguing against freedom of expression.

The back to school plan has been announced. And so has the possible date we'll be heading into the Fifth Phase of reopening. I see this still as a carrot moving into the middle of September, but there are good things in the plan, including support for kids who will still want to wear their masks.

A member of the same party that was proposing a law to censor internet content was flagged in a post on Twitter. And Chrystia Freeland and the Liberals are defending the post and doubling down on the criticism about Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole and health care. And all of this makes me miss Jack Layton.

How did helping the homeless lead to tearing down their tents and temporary shelters? And when Police Officers justify their use of force because people were showing up with water and milk, we need to give them different tools for their belt.

It would be an understatement to say there have been mixed messages over how Halifax Regional Municipality has been dealing with people who have no permanent home. And I'm sure as much as the communications team would like us to listen to the flowery language about dignity, human rights and compassion, the actions of police send a different message.

Winning an election on a promise to fix health care comes at a huge price. The question now, is how Premier Designate Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservatives will deliver on that and the other platform planks.

With the Provincial Election campaign about to be decided, you can now start paying attention to the Federal Election. And unlike in Nova Scotia, you can count on mandatory vaccines and vaccine passports being much more of an issue.

Politicians and their handlers have done all they could and now it's up to voters like you and me to decide who will be premier of the next government. As political experts know, campaigns matter. And so do mistakes when it's your election to lose.