From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
This report is a round-up of info on road concerns & related advocacy, SRD committee news, and a bit about kelp.
Tag Archives: Gov of BC
BC’s Drug Response Isn’t Following the Evidence, Former Chief Coroner says
By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe recently criticized B.C.’s drug policies, saying the province’s approach to the ongoing toxic drug crisis is not evidence based.
Lapointe, who was B.C.’s longest-standing chief coroner and held the position for 13 years before retiring in 2024, was speaking as part of a new, ongoing webinar series, “Perspectives on 10 Years in Crisis,” hosted by the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition.
Continue reading BC’s Drug Response Isn’t Following the Evidence, Former Chief Coroner says
Mark Carney’s Political Tightrope
In addition to being a former candidate in our area, Jennifer Lash is a former senior advisor to Canada’s Minister of Environment with a lot of insight into what motivates the Liberal government. So Cortes Currents recently asked her, “Tell us a little bit about the tightrope that Mark Carney has been walking with separatism rising in Alberta and Quebec; environmentalists saying that we should be adapting faster; the rising cost of living, needs for more housing, more jobs; Trump’s economic tantrums, the need to just diversify Canada’s economy and the threat of recession.”
Continue reading Mark Carney’s Political Tightrope
Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate
By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Disagreements over a proposal to build a pipeline to the BC coast has ignited a debate over who has the right to speak on behalf of First Nations.
After Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance a new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, he met with Coastal First Nations (CFN) leaders in January.
BC Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer jumped in on X (formerly Twitter) to label CFN “just an advocacy group,” like a brand name. Fulmer claimed it is funded by foreign anti-energy groups and said if he becomes premier he will ban any foreign-funded organizations that attempt to influence BC politics.
Continue reading Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate
BC at a Crossroads: Indigenous Leaders Defend Declaration Act Amid Mining Shift
By John Wirth, Alberta Native News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
(ANNews) – Indigenous leaders in British Columbia are calling on the provincial government to stand firm on the Declaration Act following a landmark court ruling and a 45% drop in new mining claims. As the province transitions to a new mineral tenure system in 2026, a debate is erupting over whether Indigenous rights are inflaming economic uncertainty – or curing it.
The tension follows a major December 2025 Court of Appeal ruling in the Gitxaała case. The court confirmed that the Declaration Act is not just a symbolic collection of goals, but a law that applies to all provincial decision-making – including the controversial Mineral Tenure Act (MTA).
Continue reading BC at a Crossroads: Indigenous Leaders Defend Declaration Act Amid Mining Shift