Cannabis legalization was almost three years ago. And while we are seeing some impact on the illicit market, there's an ongoing conversation about harm reduction and other drugs. In fact, there's been an increase in the distribution and sale of cocaine in recent years. And there's also the ongoing epidemic of opioid related overdoses. Stephen Schneider is a Criminology Professor at Saint Mary's University. He shared some of his thoughts on the topic.

New Brunswick has implemented new COVID restrictions as a circuit breaker because of a recent spike in new cases of the Delta Variant. Residents in that Maritime Province have been required to show proof of vaccine for certain events and locations since September 21st. PEI and Nova Scotia implemented their vaccine policies this week. And according to a recent poll by Halifax-based Narrative Research, there's widespread acceptance of the policy. Margaret Brigley is the company's CEO and she speaks to the results and her reaction.

There are two dozen people going through the court system right now because they showed up to support the homeless in Halifax. Doctor Jeff Karabanow of Dalhousie's School of Social Work has been involved in the field for thirty years. And he says the ongoing pandemic created significant challenges. But it hit the homeless particularly hard. He and four other researchers have just released a report on the challenges of being homeless in a pandemic. They looked to the ways HRM and CBRM responded and they've come up with their observations and recommendations on improving access to affordable housing.

Last week, Nova Scotia Health announced a temporary hold on referrals for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). They say there was a significant backlog caused by an increase demand for the service. They also announced a goal of shortening wait times and resuming referrals as soon as possible. They also are planning to full time Nurse Practitioner to help. Dr. Gord Gubitz is the Clinical Lead for MAID at Nova Scotia Health. And Retired Senator James Cowan is a former chair of Dying with Dignity Canada.

This is a special Saturday podcast only edition of Thinking Out Loud this week. Dalhousie research shows that children are concerned with fairness, but they may favour their in-group peers over others who may have more need when it comes to sharing. This was a research project that was conducted in Halifax, Nova Scotia and in Tehran, Iran. Dr. Chris Moore is a professor in Dalhousie's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. He and I spoke about how they conducted the experiments using stickers, what they learn and what the implications are.

October 1st, 2021 marks the 35th Treaty Day observed in Nova Scotia. It also is the start of Mi'kmaq History Month. And while we reflected on the impact of the Indian Residential Schools for Truth and Reconciliation, there is a renewed urgency to educate ourselves on what it means to be Treaty People. Lisa Lachance is the NDP MLA for Halifax Citadel - Sable Island. She's also the caucus spokesperson for L'nu affairs. That is the term the Mi'kmaq use to describe themselves as Indigenous people.

Canadians are being urged to reflect and educate themselves on our collective history during the inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre (MNFC) has the support of Develop Nova Scotia to bring three days of activity to the Sands at Salter location along the Halifax Waterfront. Pam Glode Desrochers is the Executive Director of MNFC and she speaks to the planning of this year's event and the expectations for next year. We start the conversation with the homeless and affordable housing issues affecting First Nations in Halifax and the projects underway to address them.

He's been working towards being Premier of Nova Scotia for years. And now that he's been on the job for a month and a half, what are his thoughts? In this conversation, we discuss the challenges of fixing the ailing health care system and bringing us out of a pandemic. But also we discuss mandatory vaccines for people caring for the most vulnerable Nova Scotians and the decision to appoint a white male Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and the apology to the community.

They started posting the COVID notifications in schools before realizing Public Health officials had decided not to. And when more parents started sharing official exposure notices, their numbers started to grow in both notifications and members. Stacey Rudderham is one of the founders of Nova Scotia Parents for Public Education. She says their growth speaks to the need for more openness and transparency over in-school cases. She also addresses the decision the province took to change its disclosure policy on the same day they issued a news release asking for more transparency and more information.

A policy banning alcohol from the Dalhousie University campus is being given as one of the reasons hundreds of students were partying in the streets of south end of Halifax over the weekend. And for the Student Union President, there are concerns over harm reduction and the effects that will come from any academic sanctions or suspensions that may result. Madeleine Stinson speaks to those concerns and her reaction to the students' actions and the neighbourhood reaction. Also, I spoke with Scott Bosse, formerly of Halifax, about his upcoming appearance as Drag Queen Contessa on Monday night's episode of Family Feud Canada. The full conversations are on today's podcast.