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Welcoming MLA Rob Botterell to Discuss CleanBC, Old Growth, DRIPA, and. . . .
Seventeen joined this late afternoon (4-6) ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Rob Botterell. He offered a Land Acknowledgement, one of appreciation for the spectacular beauty of this part of the world and gratitude that we get to live here, reminding us of First Nations’ stewardship for the land we love. After we all had an opportunity to introduce ourselves, Rob shared his “excitement and delight” that, after his car refused to go into drive as he was beginning to board the ferry for a full day of critical meetings, he was able to coast a bit and get…
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Our Fabulous FabLab!
Many of the ten who joined us to welcome Ryan Shepard of our Library’s FabLab to this ASK Salt Spring gathering were totally unfamiliar with his amazing work. They were glad that they joined us. We learned a lot about FabLabs – digital fabrication laboratories – (https://www.fablabs.io/). While they are in many libraries across Canada (not all) as well as other locations, like colleges, and all use 3-D printers, their offerings vary greatly. Our FabLab is unique in many ways. Among those special differences are: After our Land Acknowledgement and an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves, we learned a…
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Tenacious and Hardworking Partners Creating Pathways
Ten joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Partners Creating Pathways (https://islandpathways.ca/committees/partners-creating-pathways/) team members Peter Meyer and Donald McLennan. After our Land Acknowledgment and an opportunity for participants to introduce themselves, Donald and Peter shared what “excited and delighted” them. Donald began by sharing his delight that, after a lengthy period of hibernation, Partners Creating Pathways have forged a new collaborative relationship with its traditional ally, the CRD. Once again, Partners Creating Pathways are celebrating concrete success developing and expanding the network of pathways around Ganges. His nearly 20 years as a Partner Creating Pathways volunteer under the inspired…
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Local Community Commissioners Look Back on 2025 and Share Hopes for 2026
Eight joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to hear from Gary Holman, Capital Regional District (CRD) Director, and Earl Rook, Chair of the CRD Local Community Commission (LCC), on accomplishments and challenges, looking back on 2025 and some of the hopes for 2026. Following Earl’s territorial acknowledgement, Gary and Earl distributed handouts to the participants that outlined the CRD 2026 Provisional Tax Requisition Summary, along with a budget table breaking down the total requisition by service, and their January 14th Driftwood article on the budget (below). Provisional Budget Tax Requisition Summary – SSI 2026Local Provisional Operating Budget – SSI 2026Local…
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Restorative Justice: Building Resilience for Future Generations
On Friday January 09, the Restorative Justice team welcomed young adults to join us in a conversation on how our community can aid in building resilience for our future generations. Extra special thanks to the youth that showed up! Our group started with a land acknowledgement, recognizing how we are lucky to be allowed to learn from each other in flexible and safe spaces. The history of residential schools has taught us how important it is to take care of those who may be in vulnerable positions. At Restorative Justice we do our best to model resilience, strength and compassion…
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An ASK Salt Spring 2025 Retrospective
Designed to enhance community engagement, ASK Salt Spring weekly gatherings bring together diverse groups to discuss challenges and find solutions. While admittedly hard to believe, according to MP Elizabeth May, ASK Salt Spring is the only such weekly forum in Canada. In 2025, ASK Salt Spring hosted 41 gatherings welcoming numerous guests from various levels of government including MP Elizabeth May, MLA Rob Botterell, Island Health, BC Ferries CEO Nicholas Jimenez, BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt, Owen Page of the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, and Local Community Commissioners. Community guests included teams from Lookout Housing and Health Society, Gulf…
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Connecting our Community Through Stories
We are on holiday until January 9! Please join us Friday, January 9,11-1, in the SIMS classroom next to the Boardroom, to welcome our Restorative Justice Team and continue the conversation about our youth, seeking to better understand their world as well as offering hope for their future. Hope you can join us. And, until then – Happy Holidays! Twelve joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome David Norget and to learn about the Mental Wellness Initiative (MWI). In his Territorial Acknowledgement, he spoke of his understanding of the First Nations’ teachings about relationship, respect, and connection. It is…
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Promising Primary Care News for Salt Spring
Coming This Week: Please join us this Friday, December 5, 11-1, in the SIMS classroom to welcome our Mental Wellness Initiative Team, including David Norget and Will MacPherson. Addressing the mental health needs of Salt Springers since 2021, this amazing group of volunteers and professionals, many of them with lived experience, are excited to announce the launch of its newest program, Reach Out Salt Spring (https://www.reachoutsaltspring.com),making mental health support available to all by the donation of 10 free sessions by our mental health professionals. Please join us to learn more about this program as well as the many other programs…
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Interested in Learning More About Co-Housing on Salt Spring?
Thirteen, including twolovely and well-behaved grandchildren,joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome cohousing (https://cohousing.ca/what-is-cohousing/) advocates Wendy Beatty, Bob MacKie, and Islands Trust Local Trustee, Laura Patrick. After our Acknowledgment and a chance for each of us to introduce ourselves, we learned how each of our guests had become enthusiasts for shared/cohousing, a tried and true model made even more relevant by today’s overheated real estate prices. Bob is “excited and delighted” by the concept of owning one’s own small home in a larger community of folks sharing common spaces and social opportunities. Generally called cohousing, this living arrangement generally…
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Hope and Resiliance for our Youth. . . Sometime it Begins with Eye Contact and a Smile
Nine joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome our Restorative Justice (https://www.rjssi.org/) team members Laura Dafoe and Tina Simpson. The intention of this gathering was to explore the challenges faced by our youth and how we as a community can offer them hope and resilience as they transition to adulthood. After our Acknowledgement and before we began this conversation, we reviewed and committed to the Group Agreements that would guide our time together: 1) Honour the talking piece.2) Speak with care. Listen with care.3) Speak from the heart. Listen from the heart.4) Honour confidentiality.5) Take care of yourself. We…