In The Community

Nanoose Bay Library Centre Society 50 years Celebration

Thanks to President of the Friends of the Nanoose Bay Library Centre Society, Victoria Kirk and her team for such a warm welcome during the Nanoose Library Centre’s celebration of "50 years of turning pages" on Saturday. The old log building is iconic and the volunteer energy is legendary on Vancouver Island. The library is sustained entirely through its user fee of $6, hall rentals and a recycling program. Its collection includes all the latest best sellers, DVDs and a nice selection of used books for sale. The celebration had something for everybody, including a wonderful historical presentation of the Library and a very sociable llama! Congratulations to the board and volunteers for keeping this amazing community asset is such beautiful shape.

Tla-qui-aht Two Cedar Dugout Canoes

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.

Redd Fish Restoration Society

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! 

Redd Fish Restoration Society is a charity focused on restoration, research and education and thanks to its dynamic leadership over 28 years, it has had a massive impact in the restoration of watersheds and fish habitat. We chatted about the Watershed Forum they are hosting in November with a focus on their work with First Nations and the strength and impact of their community partnerships. Redd Fish is well worth the visit when you are next in Ucluelet. Go here for more information: https://reddfish.org/

Change of Command Ceremony- 19 Wing Comox

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. 

New Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in Courtenay

Exciting to join Premier Eby, Courtenay-Comox MLA Ronna-Ray Leonard, Mayors Bob Wells, Nicole Minions, and Vickey Brown for the announcement of a new Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in Courtenay last week. The facility is temporarily located at the Comox Valley Nursing Centre although, there is a commitment for a permanent location going forward. Care will be available within 12 to 24 hours for things like cuts, wounds, skin conditions, mild infections, moderate back or abdominal pain, minor injuries and depression. 

Ronna-Rae worked hard for this Centre which follows the success of local recruitment of physicians and nurse practitioners, greatly reducing the numbers of people without a family doctor. The facility takes pressure off the emergency room and give ER doctors a place to discharge patients and ensure care after their acute needs are addressed. Since the implementation of the BC NDP primary-care strategy in 2018, 35 UPCCs have been opened serving 2.7 million people across the province.

K’ómoks Treaty

I was honoured to witness the initialling of the K’ómoks Treaty on Monday along with my colleague, MP Rachel Blaney, MLA’s Ronna-Rae Leonard and Josie Osborne. This Treaty has taken decades of work and finally, negotiations between the K’ómoks, Canada and British Columbia are substantively complete. The ratification process now begins for the K’ómoks people. As my friend, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin said, “the K’ómoks Treaty will bring about positive changes — a path to self-governance, recognition of rights, social and economic opportunities — all leading towards a prosperous and bright future for the K'ómoks people and for everyone in the surrounding communities.” Thanks to K’ómoks Chief Councillor Ken Price and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations for their kind words on this historic occasion.

Courtenay-Alberni Famers' Market

It's July and our Courtenay-Alberni farmers' markets are abundant with produce, crafts and other wonders (including buskers!) from Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Errington, Port Alberni, Ucuelet, Tofino, Cumberland, Bowser, Comox Valley to Lasqueti, Hornby and Denman Islands. Thanks to the B.C Association of Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program, a wonderful collaboration with community organizations and member markets to provide coupons to lower-income families, pregnant people and seniors. It is supported by the NDP provincial government and I have tabled a motion in Parliament for matching funding by the federal government for provinces with coupon programs. Initiatives like this and growers and producers are so important for our food security on Vancouver Island. Happy Marketing, everybody!

Parks Canada Staff- Long Beach

Thanks to Parks Canada staff for meeting up with me recently on Long Beach out by Lovekin Rock on the west coast. I very much appreciated our discussion about the now defunct surf guard program which was cut  by Conservatives and in spite of my frequent advocacy, not yet reestablished by the Liberals. I will continue to push hard for paid surf guard employees or contractors rather than continued reliance on volunteers. Strangely, the government continues to fund a surf guard program at its national park in Cape Breton and, in fact, provides greater levels of subsidization than at Pacific Rim Park which generates far greater participation and income. It was also exciting to meet with the Coastal Stewards and Indigenous Warriors on the beach and thank them for their work, educating surfers and other visitors to the park about the hazards of our coastal waters and shoreline. 

Ballenas Housing Society- 52 Affordable Rental Units for Seniors

Thanks to provincial Minister Ravi Khalon for inviting me to the announcement of the acquisition of 52 affordable rental units for seniors by Ballenas Housing Society at Moilliet Manner in Parksville. Lots of familar faces in attendance including friends who are resident in the buiding. The project was acquired with the assistance of BC's Rental Protection Fund which is armed with $500 million to help non-profits to purchase existing affordable housing across the country. It was great to hear about the Fund's work from CEO Katie Maslechko and resident Sue Foreman who has lived in the building for twenty years. Also, wonderful to run into my friends Ken and Arlene, who also live there. Katie told me her board is waiting for the launch of the federal rent protection initiative in April, which the NDP fought hard to put in place and which couple triple its leverage to acquire and protect buildings like this. Congratulations to Ballenas, City of Parksville and the BC NDP government for protecting this wonderful building. 

Parksville Beach Festival Society- Sand Sculpting Competition

Thanks to Parksville Beach Festival Society Executive Director Cheryl Dill for inviting me to participate in the opening festivities of this year's sand sculpting competition and exhibition on the shores of the wonderful Parksville Community Park on Friday. This year, competitors and visitors have travelled to this wonderful contest from all over the world, including twenty-nine sculptors from Canada, US, Mexico, Netherlands, Germany and Poland. Also known as BeachFest, the sand sculpting competition dates back to 1982 when it attracted 100 people. Today, it is a world class Master Sculptor competition that attracts over 100,000 people annually. Congratulations to everybody involved from the Society Board, staff and legions of hard working volunteers. BeachFest runs until August 18, lots of time to get down there to see masterpieces in sand!