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Mark Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 21 and explore helpful mental health resources
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Get the latest update on the DoM Strategic Planning Town Hall (now postponed to February)
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Celebrate recent awards and recognitions across clinical care, research, and education
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Save the date for an upcoming CPD webinar in February on lyme and anaplasmosis, and listen to the latest episode of the Clinical Currents podcast on thrombosis
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Meet the 2026 Internal Medicine Lead Residents
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Catch up on DoM faculty in the news, including Dr. Vicki Munro’s Atlantic-Canada first with a new thyroid procedure – and more!
| | The "Short" Report from Dr. Christine Short | | |
Welcome to 2026 everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break and found time to rest and recharge with your families and loved ones. While celebrating the holidays, it is also important to recognize that this season isn’t easy or joyful for everyone. As we return to our routines, it feels important to acknowledge that mental health continues to matter, both in the work we do and in how we care for ourselves and support one another.
Later this month, on January 21, Bell Let’s Talk Day offers us a moment to pause and keep conversations about mental health going. I encourage you to take a look at the mental health resources highlighted in the newsletter this month, including Bell Let’s Talk tools and resources and Wellness Resources for DoM Members (which also includes resources for any Canadian across the country). These tools are available to support you directly, or to help you support colleagues, learners, patients, and families.
I also want to share a quick update on our strategic planning town hall, which will now take place in February during our regular Department Meeting on the 11th. We decided on this time as many of you already have it in your calendars, which will help us maximize attendance. We will extend the meeting to 90 minutes (12 noon to 1:30 pm) for the session. Watch for the pre-town hall documents, including the draft strategic plan that has incorporated all of the feedback we've received from you up to this time. The town hall is one more opportunity for you to give your input before we finalize the plan, and we hope many of you can make it.
Lastly, with a new calendar year, we also welcome a new group of resident leaders to our core internal medicine training program. Check out our “Education Updates” below for their bios and take a few minutes to welcome and get to know them. I want to sincerely thank our outgoing resident leads for their tremendous leadership over the past year. The program and our medical teaching unit (MTU) have gone through a major transformation in that time, and the success of this endeavor is largely attributed to them. A huge thanks and shout out to Sage Dixon and Nicole Wiebe (Halifax Co-Leads), Yaswanta Gummadi (MTU Halifax Lead), Olivia McKee-Muir (Saint John Lead), Justin Lacenaire (Saint John MTU Lead), and Veronique Gaudet (NB Regional Lead). Your contributions have made a real difference, and we’re very grateful for the time and care you’ve given to your roles.
Thank you, as always, for the work you do and for the ways you support one another. I’m looking forward to the year ahead.
Warmly,
Christine
Christine Short, MD, FRCP(C), FACP
Professor & Head/Chief, Department of Medicine
Dalhousie University / Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health
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Bell Let's Talk Day, January 21
Bell Let’s Talk Day offers a national moment each year to pause, check in, and keep talking about mental health. Mental health challenges are common in Canada: about 1 in 5 people experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year. (CAMH)
If you’re looking for supports to share or use yourself, Bell Let’s Talk’s Tools and Resources page brings together practical mental health information, help-finder links, conversation guides and self-care ideas.
Please also see this comprehensive list of available resources for members of the Department of Medicine: Wellness Resources for DoM Members
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World Cancer Day, February 4
World Cancer Day reminds us of the many ways cancer touches patients, families, and care teams. Appropriately, this month’s issue features several cancer-related stories that reflect the depth, complexity, and humanity of this work across our department.
The World Cancer Day theme for 2025-2027, "United by Unique," places people – and their individual stories – at the centre of care. That perspective aligns closely with our clinical, research, and educational work, where advancing cancer care means recognizing each patient’s experience while working collectively to improve outcomes.
Learn more about the campaign at worldcancerday.org.
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More Coming up Next Month
As we look ahead to February, we want to note a few more important community dates that may be meaningful to members of our department and those we serve. We'll feature them in next month's issue, but thought it would be helpful to flag them in advance as well:
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February is African Heritage Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the history, contributions, and leadership of African Nova Scotians and people of African descent.
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Ramadan is also expected to begin in mid-February (around Feb 17-19)
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Lunar New Year will also begin mid-February, marking the start of the new year in many East and Southeast Asian cultures.
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Ongoing Dates to Know
While we would like to recognize all dates, weeks, and months that are important for our wider community, our selections are only a fraction of the many that are deserving of our attention and acknowledgement.
To stay up to date, we encourage you to review the following calendars regularly:
If you have suggestions for particular dates you'd like us to mention, let us know! Email Candice at candice.albright@nshealth.ca with your ideas.
| | | DoM Strategic Plan Renewal: Latest Updates | | |
Town Hall - Postponed to February 11
Our department-wide Strategic Planning Town Hall, originally scheduled for January 12, has been postponed until February. We'll now be hosting it during our February DoM Meeting on the 11th.
At the Town Hall, we will:
- share a preview of the refreshed strategic plan;
- invite your final thoughts and reflections;
- outline next steps as we prepare for launch.
New date & time: Wednesday, February 11, 12:00-1:30 pm
Location: MS Teams (see your Outlook calendars for the link)
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Prepare for the Town Hall with our Prep Kit
We've developed a discussion prep kit to arm you with the context and background you'll need to fully participate in the Town Hall.
Contents include the renewal's development background and timeline, questions to think about, FAQs, and recommended reading.
Read it here: Strategic Plan Renewal - Discussion Prep Kit
| | This segment is dedicated to recognizing department members for their recent awards, appointments, and exciting opportunities – just a few among the many who are meaningfully contributing to the Department of Medicine and Canadian healthcare. | | |
Drs. Tommy Brothers and John Sapp Receive 2025 Making Waves Awards
Congratulations to Dr. Tommy Brothers and Dr. John Sapp, recipients of 2025 Making Waves Awards from Nova Scotia Health. The Making Waves Awards honour individuals whose work reflects Nova Scotia Health’s vision, values, and commitment to excellence across care, research, and innovation.
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Dr. Tommy Brothers received the Early Career/Emerging Researcher Award in recognition of his leadership in addiction medicine and health services research.
His work focuses on improving care for people with substance use disorders, including helping to establish Atlantic Canada’s first overdose prevention site.
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Dr. John Sapp received the Outstanding Researcher Award for his internationally influential work on ventricular tachycardia.
His recent New England Journal of Medicine study demonstrated that catheter ablation is 25% more effective in treating this condition, prompting a global shift in cardiac care.
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Dr. Chinmoy Chowdhury Receives 2025 CSIM Atlantic Award for Mentorship
Congratulations to Dr. Chinmoy Chowdhury, recipient of a 2025 CSIM Atlantic Award for Mentorship for his exceptional commitment to mentorship and supporting learners as they navigate training, career development, and professional growth.
Reflecting on the recognition, Dr. Chowdhury shared that he was both flattered and humbled to receive the award, noting that mentorship is a strength shared by many colleagues across the division. “It’s a really heartwarming recognition to receive,” he said, “and gratifying to see that what I do is helping our fellows find their own paths forward.”
He emphasized that while much of medical practice is well defined, many aspects of the profession are less clear — and that mentorship plays a critical role in helping physicians learn, grow, and evolve.
“I still look to many of the amazing mentors throughout my time as a physician constantly to learn and evolve every day,” he added. “Without mentorship, that [ongoing learning] wouldn’t be possible — for me or for many others.”
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Congrats to Clinical Fellowship Award Recipients Drs. Gabrielle Robin and Amanda Bettle!
The Department of Medicine (DoM) has established a Clinical Fellowship Award to foster the development and training of promising individuals as clinicians in subspecialty areas of Medicine and Internal Medicine following the completion of their residency training program
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Dr. Gabrielle Robin has been awarded a Fellowship in Cutaneous and Genitourinary Oncology (Medical Oncology).
Praised as an outstanding resident, Dr. Robin is known for her strong clinical knowledge, collaborative approach, and compassionate care.
She is highly regarded by colleagues, staff, and patients alike, and is well positioned for a successful career in medical oncology.
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Dr. Amanda Bettle has been selected for a Fellowship in Adult Interventional Cardiology.
Widely recognized for her clinical acumen and professionalism, Dr. Bettle’s performance places her among the top trainees her supervisors have worked with.
She is also a dedicated educator and mentor, known for delivering consistently high-quality clinical presentations and supporting junior learners.
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Congratulations to 2025 Clinician Investigator Program Award Winners Drs. Malik Idris El-Feghi and Jeremy Slayter!
The Dalhousie University Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) is to provide medical residents with structured and rigorous research training to develop the research skills and experience they require to become clinician investigators upon completing their residency.
Because of their high level of both clinical and research involvement and training, clinician investigators (also called clinician scientists) are uniquely positioned to lead the way to substantial improvements in clinical practice, service delivery, health policy and other aspects of health care.
Physicians Dr. Malik Idris El-Feghi and Jeremy Slayter are the Department of Medicine 's 2025 winners. Dr. Malik Idris El-Feghi (Division- Nephrology, PGY-5) has been recognized for his project "Using unsupervised clustering to identify phenotypes of cognitive impairment in chronic hemodialysis" while Dr. Jeremy Slayter (Division- PM&R, PGY-2) has received ongoing support for his work “Optimizing the Utilization of Outcome Measures in ALS."
| | Dr. Vicki Munro (centre) and colleagues | |
Dr. Vicki Munro achieves Atlantic Canada first with new thyroid procedure
From NSH News, published December 3:
"Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure performed under ultrasound guidance to reduce the size of thyroid nodules – lumps that form within the thyroid gland.
In March 2025, Dr. Vicki Munro from the Division of Endocrinology became the first physician in Atlantic Canada to perform this innovative procedure. Since then, additional patients have been scheduled, marking a major milestone in thyroid care for Nova Scotians . . .
To prepare for offering this treatment locally, Dr. Munro trained with Dr. Jesse Pasternak, an endocrine surgeon with the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada."
Read the full piece: Dr. Vicki Munro achieves Atlantic Canada first with new thyroid procedure | Nova Scotia Health
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Bench-to-bedside science
From Nova Scotia Health via Memorial University Gazette, January 5:
"At Nova Scotia Health, we are committed to advancing patient-centred care through world-class research and collaboration.
A powerful example of this in action is highlighted in the recent Memorial University Gazette article “Bench-to-bedside science”.
When 22-year-old Ian Gillies faced a life-threatening and undiagnosed illness, it took persistence, clinical insight and expert collaboration to find a solution. Thanks to the clinical leadership of Dr. Steven Rowe and the expert support of Dr. Luke Chen, a diagnosis of TAFRO syndrome — a rare subtype of Castleman disease — was confirmed."
Read the full story at gazette.mun.ca/research.
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DoM faculty member supporting faster, more co-ordinated patient-centred care in the Eastern Zone
From NSH News, published Dec 15:
"Early access to cancer diagnosis and treatment is a cornerstone of high-quality cancer care. In Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone, this focus is inspiring innovation and results. The Oncology Diagnostic Assessment Clinic (ODAC) at the Cape Breton Cancer Centre is transforming how patients move through the diagnostic process, supporting faster, more co-ordinated, patient-centred care.
“The clinic was developed with the goal of streamlining the diagnostic journey for patients with suspected cancers,” said Dr. Graydon Lucas [DoM Faculty member, pictured back-right], medical oncologist and medical director of the Cancer Care Program for Eastern and Northern zones, and medical lead for the clinic’s development."
Read the full story: Oncology Diagnostic Assessment Clinic: Supporting faster, more co-ordinated patient-centred care | Nova Scotia Health
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New procedure offers Nova Scotians less invasive option for rectal polyp removal
From NSH News, published December 12:
"After a Nova Scotia man received an abnormal result through the province’s home screening test for colon cancer, a follow-up colonoscopy revealed a large polyp in his rectum.
Thanks to the expertise of Dr. Harrison Petropolis — gastroenterologist and director of the Advanced Polypectomy Program in Halifax — he was able to avoid major surgery through an innovative, minimally invasive procedure.
In a first for Atlantic Canada, Dr. Petropolis successfully performed a new procedure to remove the polyp."
Read the full story: New procedure offers Nova Scotians less invasive option for rectal polyp removal | Nova Scotia Health
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Dr. Myuran Thana recognizes the importance of General Practitioners in medical oncology
From NSH News, published December 1:
"'They really are the quarterbacks for community cancer care,' says Dr. Muyran Thana, medical oncologist and provincial medical lead for community oncology with the QEII Cancer Centre.
'GPOs are leaders in their community and on their local cancer care teams. They know their patients; they know the community. They see the day-to-day issues and work with their teams and other cancer care specialists to ensure patients receive safe care as close to home as possible.'"
Read the full story: General practitioners in oncology – quarterbacks in community cancer care | Nova Scotia Health
| | Updates from the DoM Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee | | |
CPD Webinar Monday, February 9 - Lyme and Anaplasmosis
The DoM Continuing Professional Development (CPD) committee invites faculty and clinicians to attend our upcoming Quarterly Webinar: Lyme and Anaplasmosis.
Presented by: Dr. Mark Downing and Dr. Brian Moses
📅 February 9th, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Hybrid options
- In person at Halifax Infirmary (RBC Theatre) and Victoria General (Auditorium) – please choose whichever location suits you best
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Virtually on Teams – Please check your Outlook calendar for the Teams link (located in the event content). If you did not receive the invitation but would like to attend, please email Lynsey Alcock at lynseyr.alcock@nshealth.ca.
RSVP
- Invitations have been sent to all eligible department members. Please “Accept” the event invitation if you plan to attend.
Lunch option for in-person attendees
- A lunch order form will be sent out on January 28th to attendees who have “Accepted” the event invitation.
Learn more about our quarterly webinars and other CPD offerings at: Continuing Professional Development - Department of Medicine - Dalhousie University
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New Clinical Currents Episode: "Thrombosis in Practice: Referral Decisions, Treatment Failures, and Common Dilemmas"
In the latest episode of Clinical Currents, Dr. Meredith Chiasson and Dr. Peter Gregory are joined by hematologists Dr. Erica Kelly and Dr. Amye Harrigan to unpack common thrombosis scenarios faced in daily practice.
Among many helpful topics, they discuss when hematology referral is most beneficial, which investigations add value, and how to approach patients with suspected anticoagulation failure.
This episode offers practical, clinic-ready insights you can apply immediately when navigating thrombosis care across subspecialties.
🎧 Listen now at Clinical Currents or wherever you get your podcasts! Each episode can be claimed for 0.5 hours of Section 2 MOC credit.
| | Updates from DoM Education | | |
Razan Al-Sharkawi, Lead Resident
Razan is a Dalhousie Medical School graduate and tells us she's "thrilled to be this year’s Lead Resident for Saint John," and is really looking forward to supporting her fellow residents throughout the year.
Outside of hospital life, you can usually find Razan singing or dancing, especially after having an excellent meal – "fried chicken and Thai milk tea will always bring me joy," she says. She also loves playing badminton and crocheting whenever she gets the chance.
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Mario Jones, MTU Lead Resident
Mario is excited to begin a "new quest" as SJ MTU Lead Resident. While he jokes that he “never quite mastered rescuing Princess Peach,” he brings a strong sense of teamwork, curiosity, and leadership to the role.
By day, Mario is an internal medicine resident who values good coffee, collaborative teams, and well-run ward rounds. By night, he’s still dodging obstacles – “just fewer Goombas and more discharge summaries.” He completed medical school at Dalhousie University, building on a background in biochemistry and nursing, which means he’s experienced patient care from both sides of the order set.
Outside the hospital, Mario enjoys carpentry, cycling, hiking, travelling, and debating alternate histories in a good book. As MTU Lead Resident, he’s looking forward to supporting fellow residents, strengthening the MTU experience, and helping tackle day-to-day challenges – ideally “with fewer boss battles and smoother discharges.”
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William Pardoe, Lead Resident
Will completed medical school at Universté de Montréal, where he fell in love with a New Brunswicker, which thus led him to the Maritimes for residency.
Outside of work/studying, he enjoys boating, Lego, video games, and trying different New York Times Cooking recipes.
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Reeham Kadhom, Co-Lead Resident
Dr. Reeham Kadhom is a second-year Internal Medicine resident in the Halifax stream at Dalhousie University. She attended the University of Ottawa for both medical school (French stream) and an undergraduate degree in Biopharmaceutical Science.
She moved to Halifax for residency and has been proud to call it home. As co-lead resident, her priorities are supporting fellow residents, while also advocating for the program.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, art, and exploring Halifax.
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Syed Mustafa, Co-Lead Resident
Dr. Syed Mustafa is a PGY2 in Internal Medicine in the Dalhousie Halifax stream.
He grew up in Halifax and completed both undergrad and medical school here.
He tells us, "I am greatly excited to start this position for the upcoming year!"
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Todd Rekrut, MTU Lead Resident
Originally from Southeastern Manitoba, Todd Rekrut is a Red River Métis internal medicine resident in his second year of training.
Todd is passionate about medical education and mentorship, Indigenous health in acute care environments, and harm reduction. He is looking forward to his role as MTU Lead Resident to foster and support the robust educational experience that internal medicine offers to learners of all levels.
| | Updates from the DoM Research Committee | | |
Call for Abstracts: DoM Research, Innovation, and Quality (RIQ) Day – Deadline January 26
*** Open to all DoM Faculty, Residents, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Research Fellows, and Research Staff ***
Our next RIQ Day is April 16, 2026! The call for abstracts for this event is now open.
This will be a hybrid event, held in-person in Halifax with a virtual attendance option.
Abstract submission details:
- To recognize and showcase the breadth of patient-care improvement across all divisions, we are inviting abstract submissions in the following categories:
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Research
- Case Reports
- Quality Improvement
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Innovation — Abstracts in this category may encompass initiatives that do not “fit” neatly within either of the above categories (for example, those that have both quality improvement and research components, intervention development work, etc).
- Abstract submissions for research and QI protocols (approved by relevant REB or QI oversight body) and in-progress studies/initiatives are encouraged.
How to submit:
Abstract Deadline:
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Midnight on Monday, January 26, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
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Research Reminder
Dalhousie is a member of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. Look up what journals have Open Access Publishing Fees covered through the network here:
https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/en/open-access
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December
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Hyen Rosen, Education Program Assistant, joined the Division of Medical Oncology on Dec 22
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Naheen Quayyaim, Administrative Assistant, also joined the Division of Medical Oncology on Dec 22
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DoM "Beat the Winter Blues" Lunch, Feb 3 - Whole Department Welcome!
The winter months can be long, and we want to do something to give everyone a little pick-me-up! Come drop by, take a break, socialize with colleagues, and grab a bite.
We hope to see you there – open to the entire department!
📅 Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
🕛 Time: Drop in any time between 12:00 - 1:30 PM
📍Location: Veteran's Memorial Building, Room 1613 A&B
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Call for Nominations: Resident Doctors of Canada Awards
Nominations are now open for the Resident Doctors of Canada (RDoC) Awards, which recognize individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to resident education, leadership, advocacy, and wellbeing.
The deadline to submit nominations is February 9 at 5:00 pm ET.
Learn more about the awards and how to nominate at:
👉 residentdoctors.ca
| | Upcoming Dalhousie Deadlines | | |
DoM Holiday Celebration Recap
Our annual Department of Medicine holiday celebration is a small but meaningful way to say thank you to the people who make our work possible. This year’s gathering on December 4th was fun and festive as always, with great food, drinks, and conversation – and it was especially nice to connect with colleagues from across the department.
We hope everyone enjoyed a joyful and restful holiday season, and we look forward to coming together again next year.
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DoM Suggestion Box
Have any suggestions for the department? Leave them anonymously here:
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DoM Research
https://sites.google.com/view/domresearch
The page was initially developed for the resident group, but it’s also useful to faculty and their research teams. DoM Research wants to ensure that the link is easily accessible to anyone in the department.
| | Mental Health & Well-Being | | When you take care of yourself, you take care of others. | | |
We Teach, Research, and Serve our patients on Mi’kmaw territory, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. The people of the Mi’kmaw Nation have lived on this territory for millennia, and we acknowledge them as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land. We are all Treaty people.
We recognize that African Nova Scotians are a distinct people whose histories, legacies, and contributions have enriched that part of Mi’kma’ki known as Nova Scotia for over 400 years.
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