Tag Archives: Youth

Politics

Jessica Wegg: Why Green Voices Matter

The second in a series of candidate visits sponsored by the Cortes Island Climate Action Committee

Green Party candidate Jessica Wegg came to Gorge Hall, on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025. She won’t be the next Member of Parliament for North Island Powell River (NIPR).

“We commissioned a poll at our riding level. I think they made the phone calls March 20th to 24th, and it matched what 338Canada is saying. The Conservatives will likely win and the progressive vote will be split pretty evenly by the NDP and the Liberals. As long as the NDP and the Liberals are both running, neither party will get in,” she explained.

Continue reading Jessica Wegg: Why Green Voices Matter →
Arts

Teenage Breakthrough: A Poetic Response To The Cortes Island Academy Year End Presentation

By Dancing Wolf

Last Thursday, Jan 24, many of us were witness to some great visionary ideas and concepts regarding our near future in 2040.

I was deeply moved and inspired by this remarkable presentation created by the Students of the Cortes Island Academy and wonderfully supported by their Teachers.

So much so that I wrote a short poem to express my gratitude.

Continue reading Teenage Breakthrough: A Poetic Response To The Cortes Island Academy Year End Presentation →
Community, Education, Family, Housing, Jobs

The 2024 Vital Signs Report for Cortes Island

The Cortes Island Community Foundation (CICF) just published the Cortes Island’s Vital Signs report.  

“ When I started with the Community Foundation a few years ago, I  was already in the community, trying to make things happen. In particular, I tried to make things happen in the most grassroots  small nonprofit ways possible, but often in the area where I saw that there was a lot of need. Very quickly, I was in the process of writing grants and trying to figure out how to bring in those resources that I knew were out there somewhere,” explained Manda Aufochs Gillespie, Executive Director of the Cortes Foundation. 

Continue reading The 2024 Vital Signs Report for Cortes Island →
Justice

Restorative justice program growing after three-year hiatus

By Lubna El Elaimy, Burnaby Beacon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After nearly two decades, the Burnaby RCMP’s restorative justice program experienced disruptions in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Restorative justice started in Burnaby in 2001 as a community-based program called the Burnaby Restorative Action Group. Staff changes during the pandemic contributed to the program’s disruption. 

In the spring of 2023 the City of Burnaby hired new staff to take over the restorative justice program. Staff members who work on the program are municipal employees, but their offices are located within the Burnaby RCMP detachment, and they work closely with RCMP members. 

Continue reading Restorative justice program growing after three-year hiatus →
Community, Finances

Round Two Of The Giving Well Program

The Cortes Island Community Foundation is running a second round of the Giving Well program that provides one-time tax free cash “gifts” of between $5,000 to $10,000 to individuals. 

Isabella McKnight, Executive Administrator of the Cortes Foundation explained, “The first round was extremely successful. We were able to give over $180,000 to 30 different individuals and families in need. So far, the feedback from that has been really great,  it was just the right amount at just the right time. The money went out right before Christmas, so that felt extra good as well.”

“We’ve got about $25,000 (each) for five categories to give out to families and individuals who are in acute financial need.” 

Continue reading Round Two Of The Giving Well Program →