All posts by Odette Auger

Odette Auger moved to the traditional territories of the toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose) in 1999. She has worked with island youth as facilitator in local programming for 17 years, and works as Program support for Tides Canada Initiatives project Indigeneyez. She started working with Cortes Radio in 2013, fundraising and project management. Writing and producing for Deep Roots gave an outlet for Odette’s storytelling skills, and a lasting love of the listening, story gathering, and collaborative process. She is one of the Cortes Currents producers for the Cortes Radio 2020 Local Journalism Initiative Grant.
Food Security, Rivers & Oceans

Climate solution: kelp farming on Cortes Island

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ashley Zarbatany has been an environmental organizer for the last 11 years. Now, as she spearheads a climate action plan for her community on Cortes Island, it’s innovative ideas like kelp farming that inspire her work.

Continue reading Climate solution: kelp farming on Cortes Island →
Health, Indigenous Nations

Workers tackling anti-Indigenous racism: scapegoating and ‘backlash’ at Island Health

By Odette Auger, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, also Lindsay Sample and Emilee Gilpin, the Discourse

Several current and former staff at Island Health are raising concerns after what they say has been a dismantling of the Indigenous Health department’s cultural safety facilitation team.

The staff allege that during the province’s 2020 investigation into Indigenous-specific racism in the health care system detrimental changes were made to their team. This included the firing of long-time cultural safety facilitator and then-Acting South Island Manager of Indigenous Health, Yvette Ringham-Cowan.

Continue reading Workers tackling anti-Indigenous racism: scapegoating and ‘backlash’ at Island Health →
Health, Indigenous Nations

COVID’s impact on an Indigenous family

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

COVID-19 has impacted everyone — Elders, parents, youth, and children — in different ways. For some families who divide their time between communities, closures and lockdowns have made connecting difficult. However many have inspiring resilience. The Atleo family is one of them.

Continue reading COVID’s impact on an Indigenous family →
Health

Update from the Klahoose village

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Community nurse in Klahoose First Nation, Heather Jansen says she wouldn’t offer vaccines to people unless she felt good about it. 

“I’m always reading and looking into the vaccines I give. That’s my responsibility as a vaccinator, working in First Nations Community Health,” Jansen says.

Continue reading Update from the Klahoose village →
Rivers & Oceans

Rebuilding salmon stocks on Cortes Island

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Nestled into the head of the Hathhayim [Von Donlop] Park Trail on Cortes Island, B.C, a forest of hemlock, fir and alder wraps around a small clearing recently levelled and fenced. 

Soft water sounds come from a building with an open door. Inside, K’all-K’all Tina Wesley is leaning into a salmon incubator box. 

She’s checking on 70,000 Chum eggs, removing any that died. As fisheries manager for Klahoose First Nation (KFN), Wesley does this at the community’s salmon hatchery every morning.

Continue reading Rebuilding salmon stocks on Cortes Island →