In The Community

Presenting the Governor General's Decoration for Bravery

It was an honour on Saturday to be asked to present the Governor General's Decoration for Bravery to Nick Rivers, a volunteer with Arrowsmith Search and Rescue for his role in saving the life of a man who fell into the frigid, fast-flowing waters of Little Qualicum River in 2020. The medal is awarded for "acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances". Nick said that he felt very privileged to be honoured to receive the medal but gave credit to his fellow SAR volunteers. “It was a total team effort”, he said as he received a standing ovation from the overflowing crowd at the Berwick theatre in Parksville. We are so fortunate to have an all-volunteer professional rescue organization trained and equipped for search and rescue on almost all terrain and in all weather conditions in our community. 

Brant Festival in Oceanside

Earlier this month, I was pleased to drop by to thank the many organizations in oceanside that are supporting this year's Brant Festival. They contribute to the Brant Festival which for the first year since its inception in 2007, is organized and facilitated by the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. The festival connects the entire community with the spectacular migratory return of Brant Geese to our shores on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Great to touch base on my visit with representatives of North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, BC Parks Foundation, Hamilton Wetlands and Forest Preservation Society and local activist, student Teegan Walshe. 

Meet with Mayor of Port Alberni Ken McRae

It is always a pleasure to meet with four-time Mayor of Port Alberni, Ken McRae. I have never come away from our conversations without learning something new about the Alberni Valley. Ken was also a negotiator for the Canadian Paperworkers' Union for a decade and president of the Port Alberni and District Labour Council for five years. Thanks to the Honourable Josie Osborne for joining me. 

Breakfast Meeting with Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce President Terry

Thank you to Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce President Terry Deakin and Executive Director Jolleen Dick for inviting me to speak at its Breakfast Meeting last week. I started with a few words about success of the municipal and regional governments and the business community in attracting federal funding during my eight years in office as Member of Parliament. Federal investment during this period has been historic for the Alberni Valley as compared to the same period of Conservative representation prior to my election. Then, I invited questions from those in attendance. Most of the questions pertained to my work as the NDP critic for mental health and harm reduction and reflected concerns about the toxic drug overdose deaths in the community and the lack of accessible detoxification and treatment services. I continue to advocate for a health-based approach that is balanced with harm reduction services that will keep people alive combined with recovery programs for those who are ready for treatment and prevention and public education services that inform those who are vulnerable about the dangers.

Indigenous Nurses Day

Today, the Province of British Columbia proclaimed "Indigenous Nurses Day" to celebrate and honour Indigenous Nurses for their contributions to supporting the safety, health and well-being of all the people in British Columbia. Last week, I was pleased to meet up with my friend Qualicum Beach resident Marilyn Van Bibber, a founding member of the Registered Nurses of Canadian Indian Ancestry in 1975- since renamed, the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association. Thank you to all those Indigenous nurses over the generations for being strong advocates and change agents to advance health equity, create culturally safe care environments for Indigenous Peoples and eradicate Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in our health care system. Happy Indigenous Nurses Day to you all!

National Dental Care Day

Thanks to volunteers who joined me for a National Dental Care Day of Action on Saturday! And thanks especially to the residents of Parksville and Courtenay who greeted us so warmly on their doorstep. Our dental care program is the first major change to Canada's universal health care system in sixty years and such an important benefit for so many. Millions of Canadians have already enrolled and millions more are eligible so it’s important that we get the word out. Please contact my team if you have questions or are having difficulty with the enrolment process: 1-844-620-9924

Tour of Union Bay Hall

Thanks to Rick Weaver and Tammy Mercer, President of Fanny Bay Community Association for a tour of the iconic Union Bay Hall to have a look at the improvements funded by the federal New Horizons grant. This included new interior lighting and a new roof for the hall along with an interior sign, complete with a much appreciated shout-out for my work. They also told me about work on their water pump shed and planning for a new playground. Tammy told us about improvements to the Fanny Bay Community Hall as well, including new floors, foundation work and a new playground. These wonderful community facilities have hosted so many events over generations and are worth the investment.

Round Table at North Island College Student Union

Thanks so much to Rebecca Lennox of the North Island College Student Union for hosting a coffee round-table with me on Monday on the Courtenay campus. Thanks also to the students and faculty who attended. I very much appreciated the opportunity to respond to questions and concerns and to hear the views and opinions of students. We certainly covered a lot of ground including: the housing crisis, First Nations issues, and how new IRCC regulations are making it harder for international students to remain in Canada after their studies.

Disability Tax Credit Town Hall

More than 140 people attended our Disability Tax Credit workshops with Peter Julian and I in Courtenay and Port Alberni last weekend. If you were unable to attend, please email my office (g[email protected]) and we will be happy to send you a copy of the presentation. This is an important benefit for people living with disabilities and those who care for them. Thanks again to Peter and Jacqueline and Cameron from my office for your work on these workshops. 

Happy Holi!

Wonderful to run into these North Island College students celebrating Holi on campus this morning. Holi is a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. It celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil. Happy Holi!