Category Archives: Indigenous Nations

Indigenous Nations, Politics

Blaney asks the name of our riding be changed to ‘North Island – qathet’

It has been more than two months since the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission tabled their report for British Columbia in the House of Commons. Their mandate ‘was to propose new boundaries for federal electoral districts in the province to maximize voter parity while taking into consideration social and geographic factors, including respect for communities of interest or identity.’ Yet the commission has not yet responded to First Nations suggestions that they drop the name ‘Powell’ from North Island – Powell River.”

In response to a request from the Tla’amin First Nation, Rachel Blaney is asking the Electoral Boundary Commission to change the name of our riding to ‘North Island qathet.’ 

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Kelp forests, foundational to coastal ecosystems and Nuu-chah-nulth culture, are at risk

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Thriving in cool water temperatures, kelp forests cover over a quarter of the world’s coastlines, with Canada having the longest, says Marissa Ng, Seaforestation Project Coordinator for Ocean Wise. 

Of Canada’s 243,042-kilometre long coastline, British Columbia makes up 25,725.

“In the Pacific Northwest, kelp forests are a foundation species. Similar to salmon, they’re important for the health of the coastal ecosystem,” said Ng. “They’re also foundation species because they’re so abundant up and down the coast and much like forests on land, marine forests – kelp forest – they provide food and shelter for thousands of marine species.”

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Cost of Climate Change, Indigenous Nations History

Salvaging the sacred from climate disaster

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The floodwaters rose swiftly and silently inside Nicole Norris’s family home and other residences of the Halalt First Nation on Vancouver Island when a storm unleashed a furious deluge of rain in November 2021. 

Her brother, asleep in the home’s ground-floor suite, awoke when his leg, hanging off the side of the bed, became submerged by overflow from the Chemainus River, said Norris, an Indigenous planning officer for the B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. 

“Our home took on four feet of water in the basement. There was no sound to it,” said Norris, also known as Alag̱a̱mił. 

“Instantly, he yelled for my daughter and they were able to start pulling things from the basement.” 

Not everything of value escaped unscathed, said Norris, a regalia maker, weaver and cultural knowledge holder. 

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Forests, Indigenous Nations, Parks, Tourism

Meares Island Big Tree Trail a labor of love for Tribal Parks guardians

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – In 2008, when the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardianship Program took over the maintenance of the Meares Island Big Tree Trail, they had lots of work to do.

Saya Masso, lands director for the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardian Program, has been a guardian since 2008 when the positions were first inaugurated to help implement the land vision outlined in the Tribal Park Declaration.

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Indigenous Nations, Tourism

Klahoose Wilderness Resort: one of the world’s top new hotels

Fresh on the heels of being chosen as ‘BC’s Indigenous Operator or Experience for 2023,’ a resort in one of the most remote corners of qathet District was picked as one of the world’s best new hotels. Every year, AFAR publishes a list of the world’s top 15 new hotels. The editors and contributors research hundreds of properties around the globe for months before making a decision. They personally stay at each hotel as part of the vetting process. There are two Canadian hotels in the list for 2023, and one of them is the Klahoose Wilderness Resort. 

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