Halifax bar hours questioned after stabbings

Halifax's police chief is questioning thehoursof operation ofthe city's barsfollowing two stabbings downtownthis weekend.

Most bars in Halifax must stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m. unless they obtain a cabaret licence from the Nova Scotia Alcohol and Gaming Division, which allows them to serve alcohol until 3:30 a.m.

"If people are carrying a gun or a knife, the emotion mixed with alcohol, mixed with drugs, people are intoxicated by one or the other and their reasoning is offpeople will tend to use these tools if they have them with them," said Halifax Regional Police Chief Frank Beazley.

Inside the Palace Nightclub on Brunswick Street, a 22-year-oldman wasstabbed in the abdomenat about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

The Palace has a cabaret licence.

The Dalhousie University student was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He was released Monday.

It took police just five minutes to locate a 21-year-old man, now was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.

"The Palace is good. It's usually the best on Saturday night, it's when most people are out there," said Katrina Doyle.

"I feel pretty safe when I'm there because there's a bouncer pretty much everywhere you turn.

Doyle said when she goes to The Palace, her purse gets checked and men get patted down by security.

There was also an attack in a parking garage on Granville Street Saturday morning.

Police found a28-year-old manwith multiple stab wounds.

They're asking anyone who was near the parking garage to contact them.

"The whole discussion has to be around why are people carrying these type of things when they're out socializing in the first place? When they do carry them, the tendency when people are upset is to go to something like that and use it," Beazley said.