Tag Archives: COVID 19

Reconciliation on the back burner

By Anna McKenzie,  The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada delivered its Speech from the Throne to signal a new session of parliament on Wednesday. The speech was largely focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and the middle class. After a tumultuous 10months following the previous throne speech, including a global pandemic, the Wet’suwet’en crisis, and several high profile police brutality cases upon BIPOC in Canada (and in the United States), the federal government has said that they will be moving towards expediting several of its commitments to Indigenous Peoples. But for Kukip7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of theUnion of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), reconciliation has been put on the back burner. 

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Local COVID data from the BC Centre for Disease Control

There has been little data about COVID’s impact within specific communities. Dr. Bonnie Henry says, “The risk of this virus is everywhere in British Columbia. Everywhere in Canada.” Rumours sometimes filled in the information gap. Some Cortes residents may have heard talk of a confirmed case within their midst towards the end of August. Last week the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) released local COVID data that shows this was highly unlikely.

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fish that rarely feeds British Columbians – they are exported

By Marc Fawcett-Atkinson, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

James Lawson catches fish. Fish that rarely feeds the B.C. coast. 

He’s not alone: Roughly 85 per cent of seafood caught in the province is exported, yet B.C. fish harvesters can’t get their catch to local markets — and the provincial government is doing little to change that in its plans to increase food security post-pandemic.

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Progress on Kunsoot Wellness Centre continues, despite COVID

the Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) people have thrived at Kunsoot since time immemorial. Kunsoot is an ancient village site, with reminders of the deep history of Haíɫzaqv people on this land. Kunsoot is also the site of a land-based wellness centre being built by, and for, Haíɫzaqv people.

Construction began on the Kunsoot Wellness Centre in April 2019. Although the construction phase has been impacted by COVID-19, it is now nearly complete.

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