My friend and former Halifax Daily News colleague David Rodenhiser, who has met more than his share of worthy Nova Scotians, both celebrated and unsung, has been thinking about the nameless February holiday: Our February holiday should recognize the everyday Nova Scotians who make this a great place to live. I’m talking about the community volunteers, small business owners, and all-around interesting people who give Nova Scotia character. These are the people we all know in our communities, but they’re not the ones who get celebrated with regular media coverage, the Order of Nova Scotia, or the Order of Canada. (Order recipients...

For years, school enrollments in Nova Scotia have plummeted while school board budgets rose faster than inflation. Last winter, the Dexter Government asked boards to think about ways to operate with less. The boards and their colleagues in arms, the Nova Scotia Teachers' Union, reacted with a Kill the Friendly Giant strategy. In the end, the government imposed modest cuts, and the boards will continue to operate as they have for decades. It was a missed opportunity for reform. Well, before the notion of school reform goes dormant for another five years, here are two ways school boards could work better for...