All posts by Guest Post

Cost of Climate Change

Canadian Labour Congress wants more ambitious climate goals from Ottawa

By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s largest labour organization passed two resolutions Monday vowing to address climate change, a just transition to clean energy and green industrial policy in a way that’s fair for workers.

Both resolutions appeared on the affordability agenda at the Canadian Labour Congress’ 2023 constitutional convention in Montreal. The first pledges to tackle the climate crisis while ensuring workers aren’t left behind in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The second deals with industrial policy, including expanding clean energy and creating good union jobs in the process.

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Food, Indigenous Nations

‘It’s our medicine’: Dieticians reflect on value of traditional foods

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For Jennifer Cody, a Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) dietician, she comes from a family of healers. Being a dietician has come natural for her since she enjoys the way food connects to harvesting, growing, community building and nature.

“Food is sort of one of those things that’s kind of woven into everything within…culture with Nuu-chah-nulth people,” said Cody. “Many of the teachings in terms of how we respect and connect with our environment and the land and how we see other living beings as being a part of everything around us.”

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Community

Sex Workers on Making Their Lives Better

By Brishti Basu, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Sex work is the most fulfilling job Rae has ever had. Colleagues and clients in Victoria were more welcoming than other professions had ever  been to a transgender and autistic woman like herself.

Her first professional job  after moving to Victoria seven years ago involved discrimination — she  was asked to wear a man’s shirt, for example — low paycheques and  mistreatment. 

“One day, I was just like, ‘Screw this I’m  running an ad,’” Rae said, deciding to explore sex work. The response  was immediate and positive.

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Indigenous Nations

Ceremony in West Vancouver marks formal arrival of canoe season

By Mina Kerr-Lazenby, North Shore News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The crowd that congregated on West Vancouver’s Ambleside Beach on Saturday afternoon would have been forgiven for thinking it was peak summertime, if the July-like temperatures hadn’t been outshone by the quintessentially spring activity they were all there for.

Members of both the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and Tsleil-Waututh Nation joined the police forces of both West and North Vancouver to welcome the return of spring, and with it, the Sema7maka and Ch’ich’iyuy canoes.

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Indigenous Nations

First Nations members believe TLE settlements open path for future generations

By Manavpreet Singh, Energycity.ca, Local Journalism Initiative

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Some local First Nation members are calling the Treaty Land Entitlement settlements a positive step for future generations.

Five Treaty 8 First Nations recently settled TLE claims with provincial and federal governments. According to a provincial release, the settlements resolved decades-old claims by the First Nations, stating they did not receive all the lands owed them in Treaty 8 claims. These First Nations first signed the Treaty of Land Entitlements in 1899.

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