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So, “What is this Coach Program?
“October 22, 2021: A small ASK Salt Spring gathering of eleven tuned into Zoom to learn about Transition Salt Spring’s (TSS) new Climate Action Coach Program and welcome Bryan Young, TCC Chair and Coach inspiration, and Rob Lowrie, a Coach Navigator. Bryan began with a moving Territorial Acknowledgement, urging us to learn more about the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, (a unified, legal governing body comprised of three W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations: Tsartlip, Tseycum, and Tsawout) and our ecosystems by reading: wsanec.com/history-territory/#language. Surprising us with the fun fact that TSS will celebrate its quarter century birthday in 2022, we learned that its newly-launched Coach program is possible through the generosity of funders like…
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And, Our Favourite Topics. . . . The Islands Trust Policy Statement and Housing
October 15, 2021: After our Territorial Acknowledgement, a group of seven people welcomed one of our Islands Trust’s Local Trustees, Laura Patrick, and launched into our discussion on Zoom. While the conversation revolved around a number of questions, key topics were the federation-wide draft Trust Policy Statement and the ever-present local concerns about housing. The first question for Laura was about the public engagement process for updating the Trust Policy Statement. Laura believes that the consultant (Modus) who was retained to design the next phase of public engagement, the Phase 3 Engagement Strategy, did a good job of identifying some of…
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A Year of ASK Salt Spring in Retrospect (AGM Report)
October 8, 2021: Why: ASK Salt Spring was born just over two year ago from the clear frustrations experienced by too many when seeking answers to even simple questions. Our complex governance has resulted in confusion about who does what as well as too many areas of either gaps, overlap, or duplication. ASK Salt Spring is an attempt to bridge silos by providing a consistent place Islanders can come to get the answers they need. While the heart of ASK Salt Spring is its weekly gatherings, the email option (ask@asksaltspring.com) is also heavily-used. Reports of weekly gatherings are posted in the Salt Spring Exchange as well as…
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Would Salt Springers be Unstoppable if Listened to Each Other and Worked Together?
October 1. 2021: Ten gathered to welcome David Norget and Sherman Sherwood to discuss mental health trials and triumphs on Salt Spring. This ASK Salt Spring gathering was in our wonderful Meadow on a lovely fall day, likely the last one before the weather gods chase us away for the season. After offering the Territorial Acknowledgement, David asked us why we had come to learn about mental health. A resounding theme was the exhaustion and stress of our struggle with COVID that has challenged the mental health needs of so many in our community. Balancing his emergency mental health professional responsibilities and private practice…
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Could (Should) Islands Trust Take a Lead in Inter-Agency Coordination?
September 17, 2021: Eight hardy Salt Springers gathered in the cold rain and wind at the Portlock Picnic Pavilion to welcome Laura Patrick, one of our two Local Trustees for the Islands Trust, to ASK Salt Spring. During her Territorial Acknowledgement, Laura spoke with deep appreciation of a Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Convention workshop that she had recently attended, Pathways to Truth & Reconciliation. In this workshop, four esteemed panelists, including the Honourable Murray Sinclair, discussed how Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can walk further along the path to Reconciliation. (Note: While the entire speech does not seem to yet be available on…
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Our Roads, Village, and Buses. . . and Whatever is an LCC?
September 10, 2021: For the second week in a row, the number of participants was lower than usual (eight this week as well), but, given pandemic concerns, the small number provided the perfect intimate – but socially distanced – gathering in the idyllic Foxglove Nursery Greenhouse. Nestled among the ferns on a clear, cold day with all the huge doors open for maximum ventilation, all appreciated the perfect setting – both lovely as well as one of the safest possible indoor gathering spots on Salt Spring. While our Fridays under the apple trees in the United Church Meadow were spectacular, participants…
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Seeking a Green Recovery with Adam Olsen
June 5, 2022: Only eight attended this Zoom meeting with Adam Olsen. Although one could wonder if Salt Springers have had every one of their questions answered already, it may be only that folks are tired of sitting in front of their screens. A gathering next week with Gary Holman in the United Church Meadow (weather permitting) should give us an idea of the interest in getting together face-to-face to seek answers this summer. When an apology was given to Adam about a question in a past session when it was asked why indigenous peoples could not reach consensus, Adam graciously…
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Economic Recovery – A Better Normal?
May 22, 2022: Twelve folks participated in this Zoom session, with special guests Jessica Harkema, Executive Director of our Chamber, and Francine Carlin, Chair of the Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC). Predictably, much of the conversation focused on business recovery and thoughts about achieving a recovery to a better normal. We began with a question for Jessica about the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society (SGITPS). Receiving the 2% room tax added to accommodations for their funding as well as local government support and grants, this initiative is province-wide, offered in 90% of the communities in British Columbia, from Vancouver to Salmon Arm. Guided by the…
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Gary Holman Discusses Mental Health and Emergency Preparations During the Spring of Isolation
May 8, 2022: This was our most sparsely-attended meeting since ASK Salt Spring’s earliest days, possibly due to the sunny, summery weather and a weariness of sitting in front of screens. Despite the low number (totaling only nine including guests and volunteers) our three special guests, Gary Holman; Charles Nash, Emergency Operations Coordinator; and David Norget, co-chair of Salt Spring Health Advancement Network (SSHAN) gave us plenty of valuable information. Additionally, this Zoom session offered the closest approximation to a collaborative conversation yet achieved in our virtual gatherings. David Norget began by describing the work being done to build our capacity to…
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All Five of Our Elected Officials Speak Out Together!
April 16, 2021: Twenty-three gathered via Zoom to welcome all of our elected officials: MP Elizabeth May, MLA Adam Olsen, CRD’s Gary Holman, and Islands Trust Local Trustees Laura Patrick and Peter Grove. After Laura’s heartfelt Territorial Acknowledgment, we began by asking each of our guests what was on their minds and the issues that they hoped would be explored in our two hours together. (Elizabeth had to leave us at about noon.) Elizabeth began by expressing her frustration at not being able to get to Ottawa sooner due to COVID but also her anticipation of soon reading the federal budget. She shared…