All posts by De Clarke

De Clarke is a sailor, photographer, retired software engineer and intermittent author who since the late 70’s has published both technical writing and essays on various topics ranging from feminism to technology and environmental issues. She has lived on Cortes since late 2011.
Politics

Interview with Mark Vonesch, new Regional Director (part one)

In mid-November, Currents ran an article on the novel Finnish approach to homelessness, “Housing First,” and three local communities where low-cost housing had been created for those in need. We invited the new Area B Regional Director (Mark Vonesch) to comment on the housing issue generally, and on “Housing First” as a concept. Mark wasn’t able to respond in November, but agreed to an interview in early December.

The interview will be broadcast on CKTZ in two parts. The first part (airing on Monday Dec 12 at 8am) is a more general check-in with Mark; we ask him about his first few weeks on office, the three percent short-term rental tax which he successfully proposed at SRD, and his perception of the atmosphere at SRD with regard to Cortes business. We also begin to discuss the housing crisis on Cortes. In the second part (Tuesday Dec 13 at 8am) we discuss the housing issue in greater depth.

Continue reading Interview with Mark Vonesch, new Regional Director (part one) →
Housing, Tourism

When the Invisible Hand Fumbles: The AIRBnB Phenomenon

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It’s pretty common knowledge that we have a housing crisis on Cortes. In fact, there’s a “housing crisis” in many — perhaps most — popular or attractive places in North America and Europe right now. One of the factors often mentioned is AirBnB. This phenomenon (AirBnB now has global impact and qualifies as a Phenomenon!) vividly illustrates the predicament of “good for one is not necessarily good for all” — also sometimes known as “smart for one, dumb for all”.

Continue reading When the Invisible Hand Fumbles: The AIRBnB Phenomenon →
Housing, Poverty

A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First

As Currents recently reported, homelessness is not just “an American thing,” or “a big-city thing,” or even “a Vancouver Island thing.”  Homelessness is also here on Cortes, where a recent survey found that about 50 people rated their housing situation as “unstable,” and 11 were living rough (with no permanent shelter, in tents or other makeshift accommodation).

Although “housing” might sound like a single issue, it has has knock-on effects throughout our community.

Continue reading A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First →
Politics

Noba Anderson: The exit interview

Noba Anderson was first elected as Regional Director for Strathcona Regional District Area B (Cortes Island) in 2008.  She served 4 terms (two three-year and two four-year) for a total of 14 years in office, making her the longest-serving Regional Director in the island’s history.

Some other Strathcona Regional Directors (notably those from Oyster River and Quadra Island) have held office for far longer, running repeatedly for decades without successful challengers.  In 2022, however, Oyster River’s Brenda Leigh was defeated at the polls and Jim Abram of Quadra chose not to run again.  Noba Anderson also chose not to run again.

Cortes Currents asked Noba if she would be willing to participate in an “exit interview” — a look back over her long run as our representative at SRD.  She was interviewed in mid October.

Continue reading Noba Anderson: The exit interview →
Cost of Climate Change

Talk is Cheap, Part 2: the worst possible choices

Evidence of climate destabilisation — aberrant weather — is now everyday news. “Record-breaking” has become a routine description of wind speeds, rainfall, flood levels, mudslides, wildfires, high temperatures and drought.

The drought which afflicts BC this October of 2022 is a record-breaker and a tragedy; near Bella Bella, tens of thousands of salmon have died trying to return to their breeding grounds in streams now too warm and shallow for them to survive in. Over the last few summers, BC has lost millions of hectares of forest and entire towns to wildfire; “fire season” and multi-day smoke palls are becoming business-as-usual in mid to late summer. In December last year, flooding destroyed livestock and crops in the lower mainland. These events are happening more frequently and their severity is ramping up, slowly, year by year.

Continue reading Talk is Cheap, Part 2: the worst possible choices →