Red Dress Day

Today, on Red Dress Day, across Courtenay-Alberni, in the territories of the Nuu-chah-nulth, Qualicum, Snaw-naw-as, and K’ómoks peoples, many formal and informal ceremonies and observances are taking place — each one a powerful act of remembrance, solidarity, and a call for justice.

Each red dress is a powerful symbol — a call for justice, accountability, and action. We must confront the systemic violence that continues to take Indigenous lives, and work alongside Indigenous communities to end this crisis.

As the M.P.-Elect for Courtenay-Alberni, I stand in solidarity with survivors, families, and advocates. I will never stop pushing for the full implementation of the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice. Not just today, but every day.

May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'RED DRESS DAY 2025 May 5 2025 MMIWG2S 1:00pm 4:00pm MMIWG2S+ AWARENESS EVENT AWARENESS EVENT Please join us in wearing red and attending the community event for Red Dress Day 2025 The event will include speakers, walk, community education, and more from 1:00 -4:00p. Everyone is invited to learn about, remember, and honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ people and their families. Meet at the Florence Filberg Centre (41 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay) at 1:00 for the opening ceremony, followed by the start of the walk.'

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IN THE NEWS: Local MP launches campaign for stable BC Ferries funding

Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns is leading the Fair Federal Ferry Funding campaign, which includes an electronic petition that he plans to submit to the House of Commons. Johns said he hopes to gather signatures from residents of Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

Johns said federal operational support for BC Ferries is significantly lower than funding provided to ferry services in Atlantic Canada. He has previously raised the issue in the House of Commons.

“According to an analysis by the Library of Parliament, BC Ferries received approximately a-dollar-sixty-three in federal operational support per passenger in 2024-25, compared to that of 291-dollars for federally supported east coast ferry systems,” Johns said in the House of Commons in May.

IN THE NEWS: Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns presses feds for better ship recyling regulations

MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) is pressing the Canadian Government to take action on the country’s growing ship recycling gap, as well as invest in the infrastructure needed to retire aging vessels responsibly.

Johns spoke to the House of Commons on June 11 during Question Period, telling the House that Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy focus on building and maintaining vessels, but has neglected to form a plan for retiring those vessels. Johns said that more than 900 derelict and end-of-life vessels are sitting off the province’s coast. The derelict vessels endanger the marine environment. Additionally, ships in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Coast Guard are nearing retirement.

“Canada has a national shipbuilding strategy, but no national ship recycling strategy,” said Johns. “We’re building and maintaining vessels, but we don’t have the capacity we need to safely retire them here at home. That’s a missed economic opportunity and a serious environmental risk for coastal communities.”

IN THE NEWS: Carney government passes law allowing authorization of banned pesticides

The federal government has brought in major changes to how pesticides are regulated in Canada, granting cabinet the power to authorize their use — even pesticides Health Canada has deemed are unsafe.

"The Liberal government chose to shut down debate and fast-track the passing of their omnibus bill," the NDP said in a statement.