Nova Scotia·NewTwo women with loved ones who died following altercations with bouncers outside Halifax bars say legislation proposed by the Nova Scotia government does not go far enough to protect the public or ensure sufficient oversight of the people doing security at drinking establishments.Families of loved ones who died following altercations call for regulation of bar securityMichael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Oct 01, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 32 minutes agoLee Sawyer, seen here speaking at the legislature’s public bills committee on Monday, is critical of the provincial government for not doing more to address safety concerns at bars. (Dan Jardine/CBC)Two women with loved ones who died following altercations with bouncers outside Halifax bars say legislation proposed by the Nova Scotia government does not go far enough to protect the public or ensure sufficient oversight of the people providing security at drinking establishments.Included in Bill 127, omnibus legislation introduced last week by the Progressive Conservatives, are proposed changes to the Liquor Control Act that would require bouncers to have criminal background checks and training.Theresa Giffin’s family has been fighting for changes since her brother, Stephen, died in 1999 after being beaten by bouncers at a Halifax bar. They celebrated when all parties passed legislation in 2010 that would require background checks and training and regulate bar security, only to express dismay years later when they learned the bill was never proclaimed into law.Giffin said the ability for the government to grant a licence would mean it also has the ability to deny, suspend or revoke one in cases where a person is deemed a credible risk to public safety. Families of men who died outside Halifax bars blast government for ‘lack of accountability’ Omnibus bill tackles Crown land protesters in N.S., supports domestic violence survivors She told MLAs on Monday at the legislature’s public bills committee that the absence of such a program leaves “a critical gap” that opens people to harm when they go to bars across Nova Scotia.”How can the government be responsible for the safe consumption of alcohol at bars but not be responsible to intervene in situations where there are allegations of dangerous behaviour towards patrons by bar staff?”How can the public feel safe at bars when the government effectively washes their hands of the authority to intervene?”Lee Sawyer, whose son Ryan died following an altercation outside a Halifax bar in 2022, told MLAs on the committee that she could not understand why successive governments failed to proclaim the 2010 legislation, the Security and Investigative Services Act (SISA).”Nova Scotia has delayed bouncer regulation for 15 years, during which time there have been fatal incidents and assaults,” she said, adding that such regulations should not present a problem for any bar operators concerned about safety.”It will raise standards and weed out unqualified labour. The cost of inaction is measured not just in statistics, but in lives forever changed.”Theresa Giffin’s brother, Stephen, died following an altercation with bouncers outside a Halifax bar in 1999. Her family has advocated for better safety regulations even since. (Dan Jardine/CBC)What’s even more frustrating for Sawyer and Giffin is that legislation the Progressive Conservatives passed earlier this year gives the government the power to — without a debate in the legislature — do away with bills that have been passed but not proclaimed after 10 years.Both women are worried that SISA risks being repealed as the Progressive Conservatives bring in changes that are not as strong as what was passed but not proclaimed in 2010. Crown lands bill would criminalize peaceful protests, critics say N.S. advocates call for further changes to improve mental health care for people at risk Sawyer said it’s up to the government to gather the necessary players and make the changes required for the good of public safety.”That’s the government’s job,” she said.”It really cannot be that difficult. And if it is that difficult, I don’t know what the whole purpose of the government’s job is.”Bill 127 is scheduled for further debate Wednesday at Province House, the same day the trial of the former bouncer accused in the death of Ryan Sawyer is scheduled to begin.ABOUT THE AUTHORMichael Gorman covers the Nova Scotia legislature for CBC, with additional focuses on health care and rural communities. Contact him with story ideas at michael.gorman@cbc.ca
N.S. government-proposed legislation for bouncers leaves major gap, MLAs hear
