Dartmouth Cole Harbour MLA Andrew Younger has pulled off something remarkable: He has outflanked the most populist politician in the province on an issue of populism. Earlier this week, Younger challenged Transportation Minister Bill Estabrooks to use his ministerial powers to lift HRM's hated overnight winter parking ban, implemented last month by fiat of the city's unelected, unaccountable traffic tzar. The response from Estabrooks, normally one of the most adroit and citizen-connected politicans in Nova Scotia, sounded uncharacteristically  stuffy: I'm not going to interfere in the winter parking ban," he said. "I'm going to wait to see what the councillors advise me and...

22 January, 2011