Hychka to the Elders, board and staff of Orca Lelum Youth Wellness Centre for the honour of asking me to witness the opening ceremony of their new facility in the territory of Snaw-naw-as First Nation on Wednesday. As Center Director Emmy Manson said, they will strive for a healing legacy not a trauma legacy, providing medically supervised withdrawal management, mental health supports and holistic residential treatment for youth aged 12 to 18. This unique program is the first youth treatment facility on Vancouver Island that is culturally appropriate and was developed by Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services under the leadership of Executive Director Bill Yoachim and will help to fill an enormous gap in support services for young people who are ready to take the path to recovery. Thanks to my colleague MP Lisa Marie Barron for inviting me to join her for this momentous occasion and to the Hon. Sheila Malcolmson and the BC NDP government for this important investment in Indigenous-led treatment and recovery services.
Comox Airport Workers BBQ Celebration
Thanks to YQQ CEO Mike Atkins for such a warm welcome to a BBQ celebrating Comox Airport workers and volunteers on Wednesday. Airport workers sometimes have to deal with hostility from stressed passengers and carry out otherwise thankless but essential work. They deserve our gratitude and I was pleased to thank them for their service. Over a great lunch, I learned from them about the efforts of YQQ to become carbon net-zero. Thanks to carbon credit purchases from Great Bear Rainforest, YQQ is already carbon neutral and with new solar panels, a battery-powered belt loader, and new hydroelectric in-ground power for starting the planes, are helping make the airport even more green. Congratulations to Mike and all those that make this airport such a success on Vancouver Island.
Forty Year Anniversary of the Declaration of Wanačas Hiłhuuʔis (Meares Island) Tribal Park in Tofino.


Miners Memorial at Cumberland Cemetry
Saturday was the annual Miners Memorial at Cumberland Cemetery, the resting place of Ginger Goodwin. He was hunted down and assassinated by a Dominion Police special constable in 1918, a labour activist now honoured annually at his graveside. Thanks to the Cumberland Museum and Archives, the Campbell River and Courtenay and District Labour Council, CUPE, BCGEU, the Village of Cumberland and the BC NDP Government, his legacy lives on, more than 100 years after his death. His death sparked Canada's first general strike in Vancouver which was the precursor to the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, a defining moment in Canadian labour history. I took the occasion to pay tribute to the labour movement and its fight for fairness, equity and justice in our country; and, to report on the progress of our caucus towards making life more affordable for Canadians through our national dental and pharmacare plans and towards protecting the rights of works through our success in banning replacement workers on federal worksites. At the same time, we have much work ahead of us to achieve safe, secure and affordable housing for all, climate action, Indigenous justice and living wages for workers.
Oceanside Non-Market Housing Task Force Forum- Society of Organized Services
It was my pleasure to attend the Oceanside Non-Market Housing Task Force Forum, hosted by the Society of Organized Services (SOS) in Parksville on Friday. I very much appreciated the opportunity to listen to constituents, experts and local government representatives share information and ideas about the housing crisis in our communities. I took the occasion to emphasize the importance of collaboration between the private sector, municipalities and community organizations to get shovels in the ground. Since my first election as Member of Parliament for Courtenay-Alberni, more than $140 million in federal funding has been invested into the riding for housing and nationally a new $1.5 billion co-op housing building fund has just been created. Nowhere in the world has market housing alone solved an affordable housing crisis. Having grown up in co-op housing, I feel strongly about this model and continue to advocate for non-market housing that includes this model along with social, supportive and rent-geared-to-income housing. Non-market housing is common throughout Europe but has been in serious decline in Canada since cuts by successive Conservative and Liberal governments beginning in the nineties. It’s past time to restore funding and catch up with the rest of the world. I shared several local BC Models that have had enormous success, including the housing authorities in Cowichan, Tofino, and Whistler.
Mount Aerosmith Biosphere Reserve for the TRANSECTS TILL
Thanks for the warm welcome at the potluck lunch as Parksville's Rathtrevor Beach Park on Friday, hosted by Mount Aerosmith Biosphere Reserve for the TRANSECTS TILL (Transdisciplinary Education Collaboration for Transformation in Sustainability (at the) Transdisiplinary International Learning Laboratory). The lunch was to wish godspeed and a fond farewell to international students learning about this unique biosphere region and had developed relationships with local students towards the shared goal of conservation and environmental learning.
Cumberland Seniors Expo
Thanks to everyone attending Cumberland Seniors Expo on June 8th. I was honoured to be invited by my old friend former mayor, Leslie Baird, to address attendees from all up and down Vancouver Island who were there to hear about and discuss issues faced by seniors. I took the occassion to report on our progress in Parliament on the establishment of a national dental plan and federal pharmacare. I also spoke about our continued push for an expansion of pharmacare to include shingles vaccinations and hearing aids; and, my work in Parliament for greater protections for seniors and others who are victimized by fraudulent phone and internet scams.
West Coast Multi-Use Path
It's been a long time coming but the final leg of the 42km West Coast Multi-Use Path is now officially complete, thanks to the determination of MLA Josie Osborn, ACRD Chair John Jack, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government President Charles McCarthy and a legion of community leaders, including past and present mayors of Tofino and Ucluelet, and Parks Canada, municipal, and ACRD Staff, Elders and many volunteers. The path closes the 1.2-kilometre missing link between the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve ʔapsčiik ta̓ šii Trail and the ACRD Multi-Use Path that begins at the Junction and connects to the District of Ucluelet’s MUP. It has been made possible through important investments by the BC NDP provincial government, the federal government, ACRD and local fundraising.
On Friday I was proud to be included in the ribbon-cutting and took the occasion to speak to the significance and importance of active transportation for our physical and mental health, for the environment, connectivity between communities, lowering infrastructure costs and the local economy. Klecko Klecki to all involved!
79th Annual Ceremonial Review for 386 Komox Air Cadets
Last weekend, it was my pleasure to participate in the 79th Annual Ceremonial Review for the 386 Air Cadets under the command of Reviewing Officer, Lieutenant- Colonel Francois Fasqulle. I was delighted to see so many constituents among the ranks and visitors. LCol Fasquelle emphasized the importance of teamwork, leadership, community service, courage and knowing your limits during his very inspirational remarks to the Cadets.
Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department
Thanks to Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department Chief Leo Groenewegen and his all-volunteer crew for welcoming me to Saturday’s celebration of the Department’s 50th anniversary. I was glad to hear his view that my private members bill which led to the doubling of volunteer firefighter tax credits will help with recruitment. Great to see Parksville Councillor Sean Wood again along with RDN Chair Vanessa Craig and Electoral Area E rep Bob Rodgers. I enjoyed meeting volunteer firefighter John Thompson who retired after thirty-two years service. This fire hall handles more than two hundred calls a year, many health emergencies and motor vehicle accidents. All of the members are volunteers, contributing their time and making personal sacrifices along with their families, to provide an essential service to the community for which we are very grateful.