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Welcoming Penelakut Councillor Kurt to Discuss a Reconciled Salt Spring
November 1 Fourteen joined us for a conversation with Penelakut ((https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Penelkut&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) Councillor Kurt Irwin, his uncles Ken and Chuck, and Archive volunteer managers Christina Marshall and Ceridwen Ross Collins. A unique and fun ASK Salt Spring, all seemed to enjoy a fascinating glimpse at our past as well as a future Salt Spring rich with First Nations partnerships. Kurt began by offering a heartfelt and very personal Territorial Acknowledgement sharing his rediscovery of his Indigenous roots. It all began almost exactly a decade ago when he offered an Indigenous funeral service for his Penelakut mother, Lil Sampson Irwin, on October…
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Learning All About the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership
October 25 Ten came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome the new Executive Director of the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership, Jamie Sterling. After her Territorial Acknowledgement, she told us that she was “excited and delighted” as well as being a bit shocked to know that, after recently adopting a senior rescue cat, she had become a totally cat person. On that fun note, we began learning about the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership (SGIPT): https://southerngulfislands.com/about-us/). A Destination Management Organisation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destination_marketing_organization), SGITP is focused on managing tourism so that it benefits our communities. A registered society, SGITP is…
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What is Functional Zero Homelessness?
October 18 Nine joined this ASK Salt Spring conversation with the Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region CEO Sylvia Ceacero and Michelle Vanchu-Orosco, Director of Research and Data Analysis. This organisation (https://victoriahomelessness.ca/) was established in 2007 by the mayor of Victoria and other local leaders. Its mission is to arrive at functional-zero homelessness by 2030 as agreed with community through the 2025-2030 Community Plan. Functional-Zero is described as experiences of homelessness being rare, brief, and non-recurring which implies that there are sufficient wrap -arounds to ensure people entering homelessness will safely and rapidly transition out of homelessness to never…
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Budget Talk: Welcoming Local Commissioners Ben and Earl
October 11 October 11 With only a few gathering to welcome Local Community Commissioners Ben Corno and Earl Rook, this ASK Salt Spring conversation was casual. This informal format allowed participants to get to know these two Local Commissioners, better understanding their perspectives on a wide range of issues. Chair Earl Rook offered us our Territorial Acknowledgment. He began by telling us about a recent play he attended at ArtSpring, “Much Ado About Nothing,” that explored the too-frequent hollowness of our Territorial Acknowledgements. Earl acknowledged Islands Trust Local Chair Tim Peterson for his recent heartfelt Acknowledgement, committing himself to avoid…
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Getting to Know All Four of our MLA Candidates
October 4 We had four very special guests at this ASK Salt Spring gathering – all of our MLA candidates (in alphabetical order): Rob Botterell (Green): vote.botterell.ca, David Busch (Conservative): https://www.conservativebc.ca/busch, Amy Haysom (Independent): https://www.aimforamy.ca/, and Sarah Riddell (NDP): https://sarahriddell.bcndp.ca/. Need to learn more? These candidates will be debating this Wednesday, October 9, 5:00-6:30 at ArtSpring in an event sponsored by the Salt Spring Forum and the Gulf Islands Driftwood (https://artspring.ca/event/ss-forum-2024-provincial-election-candidates-debate/). And, when and where can I vote? The election is Saturday, October 19 with advance polling on October 10-13 and October 15-16. Read all the details at: https://elections.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election/. With…
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Struggling With a Double Digit 2025 CRD Budget Increase
September 27 NOTE: Those of you who are watching carefully may wonder why Electoral Director/Local Community Commissioner (LCC) Gary Holman is often our ASK Salt Spring special guest. This is a result of circumstances: Chair Earl Rook has been on a family holiday in Europe, Ben Corno’s work schedule has interfered, and Brian Webster is in the midst of apple harvesting. (And I, Gayle, am busy taking notes in preparation for the writing of this report.) That will change as Earl is due back soon, Ben’s work schedule has changed, and Brian’s apples will soon be harvested. So, please plan…
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“Why Not Simply Borrow Creative Housing Solutions from Other Communities?”
September 20, 2024: A small group gathered to welcome Electoral Director/Local Community Commissioner (LCC), Gary Holman, as well as LCC member Gayle Baker. After a lovely Territorial Acknowledgement by notetaker Sheila Dobie, facilitator Grant Fredrickson asked guests what “excites and delights” them. While, with a wry smile, Gary said that he is simply not the “excited and delighted” type, he proceeded to congratulate the North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) for its intention to relax the water moratorium to allow for some additional hookups in the area served by Mount Maxwell Lake. Gary acknowledged the staff and trustees of NSSWD for…
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A Heartfelt Farewell to MLA Adam Olsen
September 13, 2024: Eighteen joined us for all or part of the time for this very special ASK Salt Spring gathering welcoming Adam Olsen for his last time with us as our MLA. (Be sure, he is very likely to join us again in one of his future community roles!) We began with a Territorial Acknowledgement exploring the concept of reciprocity,(https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/reciprocity) a social norm of honest communication in which each can share their needs and is willing to meet the needs of the other person. This is often giving and getting something in return either immediately or in the future. Adam spoke of this as…
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Conversations About Community Policing With RCMP’s Clive Seabrook
September 6, 2024: Ten welcomed RCMP’s Sergeant Clive Seabrook to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Clive shared some of what “excites and delights” him. Personally, he was buoyed by his recent 20th wedding anniversary trip to Paris, a phenomenal city. Professionally, he is blessed by a career that continues to excite and intrigue him despite its challenges. After some recent gaps in staffing, he is pleased that the Salt Spring Island Detachment is at full strength, with eight officers including himself, a Corporal, six Constables, and two administrative public service employees who assist the officers with a lot of the…
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Welcoming Hardworking Volunteers Committed to Mental Wellness For All in Our Community
August 30, 2024: Ten gathered to welcome David Norget to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. While the group was small (great weather, long weekend, and ???), we laughed about all being family as everyone in this conversation was involved in building community through: United by the strong shared commitment to creating a community of care, our time together revealed a dedicated group of selfless individuals representing hardworking nonprofits (and local government) who see both the benefits and challenges of creating a community that welcomes all, even those who are different from us. David began our conversation with a Territorial Acknowledgement that, thanks to…