Tag Archives: Radio

Local Politics

Cortes Island All Candidates Meeting

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Originally Published on Cortes Radio.ca

On Monday October 21st, Canadians will head to the polls in what some believe may be one of the most important elections of our time. Though Conservative candidate Shelley Downey declined the invitation, our incumbent MP Rachel Blaney (NDP), Green candidate Mark De Bruijn and Liberal candidate Peter Schwarzhoff came to the first ever Cortes Island All Candidates Meeting in Mansons Hall, on Saturday October 12.

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Lifestyle

The Mansons Hall Story

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Top photo credit: (l to r) David Rouseau, Elmer Ellingsen, Elmer’s daughter-in-law Ginnie Ellingsen and John Woolley. Mansons Hall’s outhouses are in the background. – courtesy SCCA

By Roy L Hales

He settled on Cortes just after BC Ferries started serving the island. John Sprungman became one of the principal voices behind the 1978 – 80 renovation at Mansons Hall. He went on to serve several terms as President of the Southern Cortes Community Association. In this morning’s interview he talks about the origins of Mansons Hall, its role in the community and why it needs core funding.

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Local Politics

Hall Tax Consultation Refreshing

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Originally Published on Cortes Radio.ca

By Roy L Hales

On June 6, 2019, Chair Michele Babchuk and three members of the Strathcona Regional District staff caught a water taxi from Campbell River to Cortes Island. Around 80 local inhabitants were waiting for them in Mansons Hall. I doubt anyone could have guessed what was to follow. The resulting Cortes Island Hall Tax consultation was refreshing.

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Sustainability

Alex & Jane Dudley’s Deep Ecological Knowledge, Quirky Poetry & Stunning Photography Of the Australian Bush

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By Roy L Hales

Coming to Cortes Island was Jane Dudley’s idea. She had woofed at Blue Jay Farm before and talked about the experience ever since. To her zoologist husband, Alexander, this was a challenge. His special passion is weird and wonderful creatures. Alexander simply has to have his “lizard fix” every day. Canada isn’t especially famous for its reptiles, yet he could see how important this was to Jane. For the first week after their arrival, he didn’t know what to do. Then he saw an alligator lizard. (He didn’t know there were any in Canada!) Since then the couple made an important observation about the lives of red legged frogs. (They will leave the photographs and GPS locations with FOCI.) The Dudleys have been blown away by the beauty of our forest – and are embraced by Cortesians everywhere they go. For good reason, Alexander & Jane Dudley introduce us to a whole new world of ecological wisdom through songs,  deep ecological knowledge, quirky poetry &  stunning photography of the Australian bush

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Local Politics

Unresolved Indigenous Issues

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By Roy L Hales

They occupied Cortes Radio’s broadcast area for thousands of years before the European advent. The Homalco, Tla’amin, Klahoose, and K’ómoks nations’ shared language testifies to their common ancestry. Their neighbours, the Laich-kwil-tach were fierce warriors, whose canoes carried raiders into the southern Georgia Strait, Puget Sound and up the Fraser River. (They attacked the Hudsons Bay Company post at Fort Langley in 1837). When the influx of settlers was sufficiently numerous, they took over. The indigenous population was deprived of lands they had occupied for generations. Their customs and governance was superseded. Prior to 1960, the native population could not vote in a Federal election unless they first surrendered their treaty rights and Indian status. This situation is slowly improving. The BC Treaty Commission was set up in 1992, but so far has only signed a single treaty within our area. So I asked the candidates running in the Powell River – North Island what their parties will do about unresolved indigenous issues  

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