Reporting on the Reporting at City Hall

A Little Media on Media Action

Few among us can arrange our affairs to regularly attend the meetings at city hall that shape Halifax's future.

So we rely, to some degree on a system of at least modestly paid journalists to be loudly outraged on our behalf and impartially share their outrage at our plight with the rest of the community.

“Socialism takes too many evenings,” claimed Oscar Wilde, though it is often paraphrased.

Wilde, known for his wit and sharp social commentary, was skeptical of the bureaucratic and time-consuming nature of collective decision-making. The phrase reflects his belief that while democratic decision making might be a noble idea in theory, in practice, it requires endless meetings, committees, and debates—leaving little time for the finer things in life.

He expressed a similar sentiment in his 1891 essay The Soul of Man Under Socialism, where he argued for a version of socialism that would liberate individuals rather than entangle them in administrative bureaucracy. A big dream indeed.

Few among us can arrange our affairs to regularly attend the meetings at city hall that shape Halifax's future and the last mayor made it his main mission to make sure the raucous and real meetings of Halifax council were toned down to tedium and boring process so that citizens would not find it interesting or newsworthy - a classic bureaucratic strategy.

You Can’t Fight City Hall

Mostly citizens only end up down there when they are angry and self-interested. There is no worse way to approach a bureaucratic problem. If the government is experienced and expert at one thing, it is dealing with people who are angry and self-interested. They have a couple weapons that really can’t be beat like: the authority of their office, the jargon and utopia of rules, and time itself is on their side, unlike the frazzled would-be citizen activist. Even more, they can come to the fight well-rested and paid to engage, whereas it’s a cost for the citizen - often high in terms of time, effort, money, and social standing.

The full expression should be You Can’t Fight City Hall when you are angry and self-interested. The idea has been as clear as a TV trope since at least the 1950’s.

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Our Knights in Ill-Fitting and Worn-out Clothes

So we rely, to some degree on a system of at least modestly paid journalists to be loudly outraged on our behalf and impartially share their outrage at our plight with the rest of the community.

City Hall reporting is crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability within local governments. Journalists covering municipal affairs serve as the public's watchdogs, ensuring that decisions made behind council doors align with community interests. Their work demystifies complex bureaucratic processes, making local governance more accessible and understandable to citizens. Without dedicated City Hall reporters, residents might remain unaware of policies affecting their daily lives, leading to a disengaged and uninformed populace. Thus, robust coverage of municipal affairs is essential for a healthy, functioning democracy at the local level.

Tim Bousquet rose to public attention in Halifax as a city hall reporter during some really interesting times in city government - or did he just make them interesting and drew us in. He was definitely an activist journalist - a muckraker in the best Progressive Era sense. It gave him the audience to start his own digital local news site. A tenacious and famously curmudgeonly journalist, he first captured Halifax's attention as the news editor of The Coast, the city's alternative weekly. During his seven-year tenure, he unearthed significant municipal scandals, including the mismanagement of funds in the Commonwealth Games bid and the infamous concert scandal, where city money was mishandled to finance concerts. His relentless pursuit of truth and transparency about the truly worst of Halifax politics, the Convention Centre debacle, exemplifies the spirit of the Progressive Era's muckrakers—journalists who, in the early 20th century, exposed societal and political corruption to spur reform. Building on his reputation for fearless reporting, Bousquet founded the Halifax Examiner in 2014, an independent, adversarial news site committed to holding the powerful accountable.

Matt Strickland - From The Coast

Matt Stickland is Doing Great Work at The Coast

I’ll be honest—I’ve never been much of a fan of The Coast. Over the years, it felt like a paper more interested in being a lifestyle brand for the too-cool crowd than a real source of news. Self-righteous to a fault (see below). But something is changing I think.

Amanda brought Matt to my attention. She’s been reading his work and listening to his podcasts. The work of this one journalist is sufficient to keep us well-informed on Halifax City issues such that we can talk it through and easily form our own opinions and hopes for the city.

I don’t know Matt Stickland personally, but his reporting on Halifax City Hall is excellent. It’s sharp, clear, and most importantly, useful. He cuts through the bureaucratic sludge and lays out what’s actually happening in a way that makes sense for everyday Haligonians. That’s rare.

Maybe The Coast is evolving. Maybe Matt is just that good. Either way, his work is worth reading.

A Diverse Background Fuels In-Depth Reporting

Reading his bio, Stickland's journey to journalism is anything but conventional. With a decade-long tenure in the Royal Canadian Navy, including deployments to Libya aboard HMCS Charlottetown and subsequent service as a submariner until 2018, his military experience provides a unique lens through which he views civic duty and governance. This rich tapestry of experiences enriches his reporting, allowing him to dissect complex municipal issues with precision and depth. I think this background is part of his success.

Bringing City Hall Closer to the Public

Understanding that municipal politics can often seem opaque and inaccessible, Stickland endeavors to demystify the workings of City Hall. Through his podcast, "The Grand Parade," he offers an "irreverent look at city hall, the policies they put forward and the people who decide on them for us." This platform serves as a connection between municipal government and the everyday citizens.

It’s important to note that as our frontline force Matt, without being shrill or hyperbolic has his hand up - systemic and surprising things are happening at city hall and it’s a rain that will fall equally on us all. Some big problems and unvetted changes are happening.

Great Reporting in Action

A testament to Stickland's impactful journalism is his recent coverage of Mayor Andy's Caribbean vacation, which coincided with critical council debates on homelessness. By highlighting this juxtaposition, Stickland not only informs the public but also prompts essential discussions on leadership priorities and the allocation of municipal resources.

Here are some recent articles and notes

SIDEBAR

Since I cracked open the old COAST criticism, let’s talk it over. It’s important because I believe it plays a part in what is pushing the silent majority to the right.

The rage many progressives feel about the inequality and injustice that disfigure our society is not merely understandable and legitimate — it can be actively helpful as a source of collective inspiration and personal resilience.

However, the point at which it tips from a strength into a weakness is when righteous anger becomes self-righteous toxicity. People can only take so many fingers wagging in their face. It’s not how learning is done and it’s not how change happens.

Why Self-Righteousness Undermines the Message

Political movements, particularly progressive ones, often frame their messaging in a moralistic way. They position their views not just as correct, but as the only ethical choice, which can feel suffocating or alienating to people who have any level of skepticism or nuance in their thinking.

This manifests in a few ways:

Moral Absolutism – The tendency to see issues in stark black and white, with little room for compromise. If you don’t fully agree, you must be against progress.

Virtue Signaling – The act of publicly demonstrating one's "correct" opinions, not necessarily to change anything, but to be seen as a good person.

Tone Policing Others While Demanding Outrage for Themselves – There’s often an insistence that others must be incredibly careful with their words while they themselves engage in hyperbolic, sweeping moral condemnations.

The Performative Nature of It

A lot of political activism today seems more like a performance—something done for social media validation rather than actual change. When activism becomes about personal branding, about proving one’s goodness rather than solving problems, it loses credibility.

Historically, activism was often rough around the edges. It was about convincing people, persuading through logic, struggle, and sacrifice. But much of what we see now, particularly in elite circles, feels like a way to establish social superiority rather than build coalitions. If a movement’s messaging is primarily about shaming people into compliance rather than making a compelling case, it backfires.

RELATED : FOR COMPARISON

Here’s a great City Hall Watcher Substack from Toronto. It’s a great perspective on Halifax’s issues and politics to see the same things all over.

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