The movie Jaws has had a lasting impact on the way people perceive great white sharks. And with the work of catching, tagging and tracking these animals, US-based Ocearch is showing us they are no strangers to Atlantic Canada. But there's more to learn about the world's largest predatory fish that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Vanessa Schiliro is a Marine Biology student at Dalhousie University. She's watched as the sightings and increased attention have stoked fears of the white sharks and have made some people jittery about getting into the water. That's why she's created a video and an infographic about shark-smart tips. It's to keep both species safe by busting myths and offering some guidelines around sharing the ocean with these endangered animals.

Corey Roberts was an alcoholic but his mother says that should not have been a death sentence. Jeannette Rafuse Rogers has been in court many times over the last six years since her son died after being arrested for public intoxication. Last week, a judge acquitted two former special constables of criminal negligence in the 2016 death of the 41-year old. They were accused of failing to conduct property safety checks on him before he was found dead in his cell. His mother says she's put her grieving on hold for years as she's been fighting for changes to the way police deal with people who are drunk. She's glad to see new policies around the use of "spit hoods" and possible alternatives to taking people to the so-called "drunk tank". Rafuse says she looks forward to spending time this summer with Corey's daughter, her granddaughter, and getting help for her PTSD as she processes the loss of her son.

There was a moment when Mark Long had decided he didn't want to live with the effects of his PTSD any longer. He had been a police officer for 15 years and the trauma had piled up inside to where he needed help. And he was eventually able to find a program in California that saved his life through peer counselling and support. From that, Cracked Armour clothing was born to raise awareness of PTSD and those still struggling. That project has led him to buying a house on an acreage in the Annapolis Valley that will be known as Returning Warriors Ranch. Eventually, it too will be a place for first responders to go for support and healing. And to help with that dream, this Sunday, June 5th, will be the first Annual Mental Health Conference. Mark says a lot of the response so far has been from family and friends of the people who are dealing with PTSD. And it's helping him as he shares his story of addictions and healing from the trauma he's witnessed as a police officer.

Imagine your husband passing away in your arms while you wait for more than a half hour for an ambulance to arrive. And the most bitter pill was that this wasn't in some remote area of rural Nova Scotia. This was at a building on Joseph Howe Drive, just minutes away from the QEII hospital. There was no ambulance available that morning. That was the incident that propelled Anne MacPhee into advocacy. She's been speaking out about her experience and the loss of her husband Kelly in 2020. And each time she speaks up, more people step forward with their stories. She says that's been a big part in her healing as she moves through the grieving process. This week, she wanted to talk about the announcement of the direct to triage policy. If a patient is low risk, paramedics will be able to leave them in the emergency waiting room to be assessed by health care staff. That will allow them to get back on the road to help the next patients in need. Anne says she wants to give credit where credit is due now that changes are being made to help others who may be in a similar situation as she experienced.

In a small way, it was a return to the way governments used to deal with affordable housing. An announcement of 37 sites from the provincial land inventory that could be used to build housing, including affordable housing, for thousands of Nova Scotians. Progressive Conservative Housing Minister John Lohr said "While there is still work that needs to be done on these sites, we know communities across the province need housing and this inventory now gives more options to increase supply." But they will be "affordable" based on a percentage of the market rate and they will be built by developers who are already busy. And that may not move us quickly enough to address the housing crisis according to Jill Grant. She is Professor Emeritus, School of Planning at Dalhousie University. And she weighs in on some of the changes made in the 1990's that are still affecting the housing stock in Nova Scotia.

Tourism revenue in 2020 wasn't zero. But it certainly wasn't the $2.6 billion that was recorded in 2019. And 2021 rang in at around $1 billion. This year, Tourism Nova Scotia is hoping former residents will come the blazes home or current ones will plan an exciting staycation. An online advertising campaign is underway to encourage people to support local tourism businesses. Darlene MacDonald is the Executive Director of Tourism Nova Scotia. And she discusses the optimism in the industry and the pent up demand from residents who really didn't have the same options during the last two summers because of COVID. Also, she tells us what happened with the "Doers and Dreamers Guide" in 2022.

After two summers of pandemic restrictions, there's a lot of optimism about the upcoming tourism season. But how it turns out will depend more on inflation and gas prices than marketing and good intentions. Tourism Nova Scotia has launched an advertising campaign to encourage residents to support local businesses by booking a staycation this summer. And while confidence in the business community is at a near record high, consumer confidence has bottomed out. And that has the outcome up in the air according to Halifax polling firm Narrative Research. CEO Margaret Brigley says when people are nervous about their financial future, pent up demand for travel may not be at the top of their list. But with high employment and perhaps some savings from working remotely, it may still end up being a good year for businesses that are relying on tourists and their dollars.

You know it if you've been to the grocery store or the gas pump lately. Inflation is having a big impact on the cost of living with the Consumer Price Index and food prices increasing by more than they have in decades. While the price of gas and diesel may have stabilized slightly, they are still at historic highs. And so far, the Nova Scotia Government has rejected calls for a reduction in motive fuel taxes. There's also the issue of the tax-on-tax when you add the cost of HST to your purchase. Brendan Maguire is the Liberal MLA for Halifax Atlantic. He's hoping the Progressive Conservatives follow the examples of provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta where they have introduced temporary tax relief at the pumps. And he says all politicians in all parties need to do a better job of following through when they move from opposition to government.

On the first day of the Mass Casualty Commission hearings, people were assured this won't be a cover up for the RCMP or government. And on day 25, there are still concerns of openness and transparency. The latest criticisms come from a decision to have two senior RCMP leaders testify remotely, without there being any cross examination by lawyers representing the families of the victims. That prompted a boycott of the proceedings by some of those families and their legal team. And there is still a big question hanging over the entire process. Will we learn the truth about what happened? Wayne MacKay is a Professor Emeritus at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. He is concerned with the overall feelings of distrust and mistrust when it comes to some of the way the process has been handled. He weighs in on the cost of the Inquiry so far and on the potential for a meaningful outcome. MacKay also says there's still time for the commission to address the "elephant in the room".

According to new data from the province, there were more deaths by suicide in Nova Scotia in 2021 than in any other year at 142. A clinical psychiatrist is urging government to quickly address this preventable problem. Doctor Simon Sherry is a professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience at Dalhousie University. He has previously commented on the suicide crisis in Nova Scotia and he says we need to get control of the situation. Dr. Sherry says although there were fewer deaths by suicide in 2020, the economic support and psychological services are less available as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. He says roughly 20 people are directly and intimately affected by a suicide. And there has been no additions to the framework released by the previous Liberal government. He says it falls short of real targets, timelines and monetary commitments. And he says action is needed now before the problem grows any further. If you or someone you know is in a crisis, call 911 or Nova Scotia's Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team at 1-888-429-8167.