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A Dawning Recognition of our Vulnerability in Tense Times?
December 3, 2021 After a Territorial Acknowledgement suggesting we read The Dawn of Everything (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/18/the-dawn-of-everything-a-new-history-of-humanity-by-david-graeber-and-david-wengrow-review-have-we-got-our-ancestors-wrong) to better understand how Indigenous societal structures have impacted our democracy, 22 Salt Springers welcomed our MLA, Adam Olsen. Adam began by briefly reviewing some of the bills from the recently-concluded legislative session. Among them were two concerning childcare – one to regulate the childcare industry and the other to further the provincial commitment for universal childcare: https://www.leg.bc.ca/content/data%20-%20ldp/Pages/42nd2nd/1st_read/PDF/gov15-1.pdf) Adam also told us a bit about two complex bills with long-awaited amendments to forestry policy. Among other things, it moves the responsibility for creating forest stewardship plans from the logging…
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Decades of Deferred Road Maintenance?
November 26, 2021: Eighteen Salt Springers came to discuss our recent flood and our roads with Salt Spring Island Emergency Coordinator, Charles Nash, and four of our Transportation Commissioners. After a meaningful Territorial Acknowledgment, we asked Charles to begin by giving us some guidance about preparing for emergencies. The messages were loud and clear – and repeated in a variety of ways during our two hours together: While Charles and his team were out monitoring Fulford-Ganges water levels during our flood, he advised us that preparing ourselves and linking with our POD are our best options. We learned that Charles and…
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Are We Too Comfortable to Make Needed Changes
?November 19, 2021: Fifteen people came to welcome and ask questions of one of the Islands Trust’s Local Trustees, Laura Patrick, at this ASK Salt Spring gathering. During her Territorial Acknowledgment, Laura described a concept that resulted from a dialogue about incorporating indigenous knowledge into integrated land use planning: We should be thinking in terms of land relationship planning as opposed to land use planning: https://www.waysofknowingforum.ca/dialogue-9. Laura appreciated that the word relationship evokes human connection and responsibility for the land. Before fielding questions, Laura recognized with pride the large number of islanders who are doing good and caring work within and for the community. While it is…
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Anyone Interested in Salt Spring’s Proposed $7.1 Million CRD Budget????
November 12, 2021 Ten Salt Springers gathered in ASK Salt Spring’s new winter location, the Library Program Room, to welcome CRD’s Gary Holman. After the Territorial Acknowledgment, we asked Gary to share what was on his mind. While he was focused on the CRD’s 2022 provisional budget, he also indicated that he is working with the Lady Minto Foundation, which may purchase the SeaBreeze Inne for health worker housing, and other agencies to help secure shelter for those currently living there. Concerning the CRD 2022 proposed budget (details below), we learned that the $7.1 million tax requisition for the Capital Regional District and the…
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Celebrating Community Policing at its Best
November 5. 2021: Only nine gathered in the Dome at Rainbow Road Elementary School to engage in fascinating discussions with our special guest, RCMP’s Sergeant Clive Seabrook, for this week’s ASK Salt Spring. (Come on, Salt Spring. . . We need your voices too!) That said, the small numbers allowed a fruitful conversation in which all participated, leaving with both good information and a clear understanding of areas in our community that need attention. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Clive began by sharing some of the things on his mind. He is pleased with the results of regular patrols around our village. He and…
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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…