For me, a highlight of the Season is joining the Annual Elders lunch at the Port Alberni Friendship Centre and this year was no exception. Always uplifting to share the joy and wisdom of the Elders and to visit the Friendship Centre where I have so many great memories over the years. Thanks to the board, Executive Director Cyndi Stevens, volunteers and cooks for a great lunch! Happy new year to all!
Thanks to master carver Tutakwisnapšiƛ (Joe Martin) and his daughters Gisele and Tsimka for taking time to show me the two cedar dugout canoes they are working on, commissioned by Tla-qui-aht First Nation. In the Nuu-chah-nulth Tla-qui-aht dialect, dugout canoes are called čapac. Joe has written a book about the art and responsibilities of this traditional craft which he learned from his father at a young age. I asked when they started to work on these canoes and was moved by the response: “the carving started in February although it really began 800 years ago when the first seedling started to grow.” Klecko Klecko to Joe, Gisele and Tsimka for keeping this important work alive.
I stopped by this week to check in with Jen Dart, my co-worker from my days at the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce ten years ago. Jen is a great champion for our communities and is now a part of the Redd Fish Team in Ucluelet, which has a new store-front location where visitors can come by to learn about salmon restoration, lots for kids to do and they also serve great coffee!
Thank you to Col. Jean-Philippe Gagnon for inviting me to 19 Wing Comox to attend the Change of Command Ceremony as he relinquished command to Col Christopher Shapka in July. It was an honour to pay tribute to Col. Gagnon's command and to convey best wishes for a successful command to Col. Shapka along with my colleague MP Rachel Blaney. I took the opportunity to thank Col. Gagnon for his important outreach work in the Comox Valley, working closely with the CVRD and RCMP; and, for brining back the airshow. It was a pleasure to meet up with Parksville Councilor Amit Gur who is an air force reservist. Thanks to all for your service to Canada.