Text by Myrna Kerr; Photos by Mike Manson
A boat did a PanPan (“Possible Assistance Needed”) call at 4 AM on January 26, but the contact was not clear. So the Air Sea Rescue Helicopter went out looking for it. The Sailboat was on the rocks below my house and, of course, out of sight even if it had lights on.
Continue reading Wrecked Boat on the Rocks Below My Property
In 2020, logging company Teal Jones was engaged in cutting irreplaceable, old-growth, temperate rainforest in the Fairy Creek area of their lease on Vancouver island. In response, substantial numbers of “forest defenders” gathered to protest and obstruct the old growth cut… and local history was made.
Protestors blocked the access road to Teal Cedar‘s cut blocks from 2020 through early 2021. The number of people arrested exceeded 1100 — which, according to CBC, made it “the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history.”
Cortes Currents has followed the story of the Fairy Creek protest as it developed; many Cortes residents spent time at the protest encampment, or are closely connected to people who participated. We continue that coverage now, with an update on the highly litigious aftermath of the blockade action.
Continue reading Fairy Creek: A Litigious AftermathEditor’s note: Up until this point, the Quadra Island RCMP detachment has served whatever need there is for police on Cortes and other remote Discovery Islands. Someday there may be a need for Citizens On Patrol to observe, document and report violations of the law and suspicious activities in our area.
By Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The District of Chetwynd has paired up with the Chetwynd RCMP and the South Peace Crime Prevention Society to start up a Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) for the Chetwynd area.
The C.O.P. program are the extra eyes, ears, and voice for the RCMP and the community. You need to be at least 19 years of age, complete an application form that can be found at the Chetwynd detachment and bring it back for a Criminal Record Check. Once completed and approved for the program, training can get underway.
Continue reading Northern B.C. RCMP looking for patrol volunteers
The Director of Cortes Island is considering the idea of having a dog control bylaw drawn up for his area, and the Director of Quadra Island has expressed some interest.
The idea was discussed at the Wednesday July 19 Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) Meeting.
Mark Vonesch, Regional Director for Area B (Cortes Island), explained, “This request for a bylaw came out of a situation where a dog was out of control multiple times, scaring people and ultimately ended up killing another dog on the island. The dog owners approached the RCMP and said, ‘this dog killed our dog.’ The RCMP told them that they weren’t able to do anything about it because there were no bylaws.”
Robyn Mawhinney, Regional Director for Area C, added, “On Quadra, I’m curious about this proposal.”
Continue reading Possible Dog control Bylaws for Cortes (and Quadra?) Islands
By Matteo Cimellaro, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Mining projects and protected land can co-exist, two provincial environment ministers said at a press conference on Friday after two days of meetings with their counterparts from across the country.
Continue reading Mining and conservation can go hand in hand, environment ministers say
