Category Archives: Indigenous Nations

Disaster, Indigenous Nations

Homalco Air Rescue

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(This is the third in a series of articles from the 2019 Campbell River Emergency Preparedness Trade Show.)

By Roy L Hales

People in the remote indigenous communities surrounding Vancouver Island occasionally wait days before they can access the advanced medical facilities in Vancouver. According to David Carsen, of Land Forest People Consulting, “Air ambulance does the very best they can … [but] there is only so many machines and, from time to time, they are not able to respond.” Patients in Kyuquot, for example, have been forced to make a 6 – 8 hour trip to Campbell River by ambulance. Homalco Air Rescue is a First Nations initiative that will provide much needed evacuation and medical transportation service in less than an hour.

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Indigenous Nations, 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 Their customs and governance was superseded.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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Indigenous Nations, Politics

Mark De Bruijn, Green Candidate for Powell River – North Island

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In the first of my interviews with the candidates, I visited the home of Mark de Bruijn. Cortes Islanders may remember him as a former principal of our elementary school; He has also worked as a science teacher, college lecturer and former biologist for Canada’s Department of Fisheries. Now Mark de Bruijn is the Green Party of Canada’s candidate for North Island – Powell River.

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Indigenous Nations, Politics

NDP Candidate Rachel Blaney

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A dedicated YouTube channel testifies to some of the questions she raised during Question Period in the House of Commons. Prior to becoming our member of parliament in 2015, Rachel was the Executive Director of Campbell River’s Immigrant Welcome Centre. Her husband, Darren Blaney, is a former Chief and council member of the Homalco First Nation. In the second of my interviews with the candidates, I skyped with NDP candidate Rachel Blaney.

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Environment, Indigenous Nations

Impending Site C Megatrial

The West Moberly First Nation just released an important update about the failure of their negotiations with the BC Government. The Site C Megatrial will begin in March 2020.

August 27, 2019 – Moberly Lake BC, Treaty 8 Territory. Discussions between West Moberly First Nations and the Government of British Columbia to avoid litigation over the Site C dam have ended. The megadam must now face a 120-day trial to determine whether Treaty 8 rights have been infringed. 

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