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HALIFAX – A new study says persistent organic pollutants in waters off Canada’s East Coast are “dangerously high” for killer whales and put them at an elevated risk for serious immune-system and reproductive problems.

The study led by McGill University scientists, which looked at levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and pesticides in skin samples collected from six species of whales and dolphins, found that toxin levels in killer whales are double the threshold that scientists believe causes reproductive failure.

The samples collected south of Newfoundland between 2015 and 2022 showed that humpback, minke and fin whales, as well as dolphins, had lower levels of persistent pollutants than did killer whales.

Lead researcher Anaïs Remili says toxins attach themselves to fatty issue, such as the blubber of whales and dolphins.

“These molecules … will stick to fat and aquatic organisms that have a lot of fat in them,” she said in an interview Thursday, adding that chemicals transfer from animal to animal as they move throughout the food chain. Killer whales are particularly vulnerable to heightened toxin levels because they are apex predators.

Increased toxins are just one of several environmental threats killer whales face, including net entanglements, vessel strikes and difficulty finding food because of changing ocean temperatures. Remili said its difficult to come up with a hierarchy of the different threats for the killer whale specifically, adding that many other whale species face similar challenges.

Though there is no data available on toxin levels in killer whales, Remili said there is still some hope contaminants in the species can decrease over time. Her study cites data monitoring of toxin levels in beluga whales over several decades, which indicated a downward trend in toxin concentration. That study, she said, gives her some optimism for the future of killer whales.

“We hypothesized in the study that because (toxin levels) have been going down in all these cetacean species, it has probably gone down (in killer whales) … but there is hope these contaminants will decrease with further efforts,” Remili said.

Though their use has long been banned in Canada, the chemicals linger in both the environment and living tissue, and in aquatic ecosystems where carnivorous marine species are more likely to be exposed.

Remili cited the important of strong regulations to prevent more toxins from entering the water.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

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HALIFAX – Nova Scotia RCMP are investigating another fatal case of intimate partner violence, this time in the southwestern corner of the province.

On Thursday, the Mounties reported two suspicious deaths in the coastal community of Yarmouth, saying that on Nov. 1 officers found the remains of a 58-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman inside a home on Placid Court.

Police say an investigation determined the man killed himself after he killed the woman in an act of intimate partner violence.

On Tuesday, the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police confirmed they were investigating the killing of a 71-year-old woman by her 72-year-old male partner in Cole Harbour, a suburb northeast of Halifax. The Mounties said they responded on Monday morning to a report of sudden deaths inside a home on Poplar Drive.

As was the case in Yarmouth, police determined the man killed himself after he killed his partner.

On Oct. 22, the RCMP reported the suspicious deaths of a 59-year-old woman and a 61-year-old man, whose bodies were found on Oct. 18 in a home in Enfield, N.S., north of Halifax. At the time, the Mounties said the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service had determined the man had died from self-inflicted injuries and the woman was the victim of a homicide.

No other details were released at the time and the RCMP did not respond to a request on Thursday for more information.

In September, the Nova Scotia legislature adopted a bill declaring domestic violence an epidemic in the province. The bill, introduced by the opposition NDP, was tabled in response to a recommendation from the commission of inquiry that investigated the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia that claimed 22 lives.

The federal-provincial inquiry heard that the lone gunman responsible for Canada’s worst mass shooting had a history of domestic violence and had brutally assaulted his spouse moments before he began a 13-hour killing rampage across northern and central Nova Scotia.

When the bill was passed, the New Democrats noted that Nova Scotia had the highest rates of intimate partner violence of any province in Canada, with over 30 per cent of women and 22.5 per cent of men who have been in a relationship reporting being physically or sexually assaulted by their partner.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

HALIFAX – The Progressive Conservatives are set to release their party platform today ahead of Nova Scotia’s Nov. 26 provincial election.

They will be the second of the three major parties to release a platform this week after the Liberals presented a plan containing $2.3 billion in election promises over four years.

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill, meanwhile, has an announcement planned in Halifax where he is expected to discuss improving health care for women.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender is in Cape Breton where she is scheduled to spend much of the day campaigning.

On Thursday, the NDP promised to remove the province’s portion of the harmonized sales tax from all groceries, cellphone and internet bills, and also for the purchase and installation of heat pumps — a move Chender says will save the average family $1,300 a year.

Tory Leader Tim Houston pledged to remove parking fees at all provincial hospitals, while Churchill promised to reduce immigration levels to align them with provincial Labour Department targets he says have been exceeded by the government.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.