Tag Archives: Japanese Canadians

June 6-8, 1911: A point in time look at Cortes Island

Unlike most local histories, which often celebrate the accomplishments of prominent settlers, Canadian census records give us a quick peek into communities as a whole. 

The 1911 census is especially interesting for Cortes Island because, for the first time, all of the island’s 135 ‘settler’ entries are grouped together. Similarly, there is a segment for the 60 Klahoose First Nation residents in Squirrel Cove. There was also a second First Nation with a reserve on Cortes, but any relevant Tla’amin entries appear to be included with those from their main village to the south in what is now qathet Regional District. 

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Ethnic diversity increasing in Greater Victoria, but still lags behind the rest of BC (incl. Cortes, Quadra and Campbell River stats)

Editor’s Note: The ethnic minorities in our area are far less numerous than the than provincial average cited below (34.4%). According to the 2021 census, only 2,120 of the 37,505 tabulated Campbell River residents (5.65%) are members of a visible minority. The most numerous being: South Asian -535, Filipino -410, Southeast Asian -260, Black -205, Korean -130, Japanese -110, Latin American -125, and Arab -15. On Cortes Island only 35 of the 1,055 tabulated residents (3.32%) are members of a visible minority. The most numerous being Filipino -10 and Southeast Asian -10. In Area C, 65 out of 2,675 tabulated residents (2.4%) were members of a visible minority. The most numerous being: Chinese -20, Japanese -20, Filipino -10 and South Asian -10. (All census numbers appear to be rounded off at the nearest multiple of 5.)

By  Diary Marif, New Canadian Media, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Greater Victoria is experiencing a demographic shift as more visible minorities choose to settle on Vancouver Island, according to the latest federal statistics.

Continue reading Ethnic diversity increasing in Greater Victoria, but still lags behind the rest of BC (incl. Cortes, Quadra and Campbell River stats)

The Cortes Island Museum AGM, Upcoming Garden and Studio Tour & search for an Events Coordinator

The Cortes Island Museum just held its AGM. They have hired two summer students, plan to hire an Events Coordinator, and are gearing up for the Creative Spaces Garden and Studio Tour this summer. These are the topics that Managing Director/Curator Melanie Boyle discussed with Cortes Currents. 

The Museum AGM was at Mansons Hall, from 1 to 3:30 on Saturday May 6, 2023.

Continue reading The Cortes Island Museum AGM, Upcoming Garden and Studio Tour & search for an Events Coordinator

Early Logging on Cortes Island and Vicinity: Local History with Lynne Jordan

Lynne Jordan has contributed to historical booklets available at the Cortes Island Museum and is currently researching the history of early logging activity in Whaletown.

In the course of an extensive 3-part interview, Lynne draws on original documents, archives, and oral histories to paint a picture of early settler loggers on Cortes — their equipment, their floating camps, the economy in which some prospered and some failed.

The logging community was always a really mixed bag… Much of the logging was done by hand. Some of it using horses.

Logging was not a good way to get rich.

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 British Columbia: An Untold History – filmmaker nominated for Canadian Screen Award

Terrace Standard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Northwest B.C. based filmmaker Michael Bourquin has been nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for his work on the four-part documentary, British Columbia: An Untold History.

Bourquin shares the nomination with his colleague Alfonso Chin in the category of Best Photography (documentary or factual) announced last week by The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

British Columbia: An Untold History has also been nominated for Best History Documentary Program or Series, Best Direction, Best Documentary Series, Best Editorial Research.

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