by Larry McCumsey | Feb 3, 2025 | Environment, Featured Events, News and Events
JOIN US!!! Thursday, February 20 at the Campbell River Community Centre, Room 1, to watch and discuss YINTAH, a new riveting documentary film about Indigenous sovereignty and the push for resources by fossil fuel companies in central BC. Viewing begins at 7 PM with discussion to follow. Sponsored by the North Island Powell River Federal Greens. ** warning: threats of violence and occasional harsh language YINTAH, meaning “land” in the Wet’suwet’en language, tells the story of an Indigenous nation’s fight for sovereignty as they resist the construction of multiple oil and fracked-gas pipelines across their territory. Over the period of a decade, the film follows Tsakë ze’ Howilhkat Freda Huson, Tsakë ze’ Sleydo’ Molly Wickham, and their fellow land defenders as they reoccupy their traditional territory and galvanize their nation in a fight against several of the largest fossil fuel companies on earth. YINTAH is about an anti-colonial resurgence—a fierce and ongoing fight for Indigenous and human rights. The film reveals the hypocrisy of the Canadian government’s espousal of reconciliation, as Indigenous land is still being seized at gunpoint for the purpose of resource extraction. The Hereditary Chiefs’ claim to jurisdiction over the territory is supported by a 1997 Supreme Court of Canada decision. When a lower court effectively sidesteps this decision, granting pipeline companies access to Wet’suwet’en land, Wet’suwet’en leaders put their bodies on the line, building barricades to keep the companies out. Ultimately, YINTAH is the story of the Indigenous right to stewardship and sovereignty over their territories. Freda, Molly, and the land defenders are part of a centuries-long fight to protect their children, culture, and...
by Larry McCumsey | Feb 3, 2025 | Environment, Featured Events, News and Events
This fast-paced, interactive, action-oriented workshop focuses mainly on what we can do personally and publicly about climate change. Collaboration with other participants is part of the joy of our time together and is critical as building a community is key to dealing with climate change. We will learn from each other. Come ride with us on a light-filled journey through a dark subject. Solutions do exist! Please register through Elder College. Finding Climate Solutions with Joan Gillies Campbell River Elder College Course: CREC 5224 $35.00 Mondays Mar 1-31 1-2:20...
by Larry McCumsey | Jan 16, 2025 | Environment, News and Events, Political Activity, Social Justice
North Island - Powell River Green Party candidate Jessica Wegg talks with Roy Hales of Cortes Currents about the coming...
by Larry McCumsey | Jan 7, 2022 | Environment, News and Events
In December, 2020 the federal Government finally decided that it was time to get the salmon farms out of the channels of the Discovery Islands near Campbell River. As Greens, we are delighted with this decision; it has long been Green policy to get the farms out and work to restore the health of our ocean. This long-awaited change in policy is largely thanks to the courageous stance taken by Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, who chose to ignore the strongly pro-industry “advice” from her senior advisors and DFO. Minister Jordan chose instead to listen to the voices of the First Nations in whose traditional waters these farms have existed. For decades they have called for an end to these farms, and finally they were heard by Ottawa. Many others played important parts in convincing Minister Jordan to do the right thing, most notably salmon biologist Alexandra Morton. Her tireless 3 decades crusade and research are key to finally overpowering the obfuscation and denial by government and industry scientists and bureaucrats. The Discovery channels are the major migratory route for the vast majority of young salmon of all species from the Fraser River watershed, long one of BC’s largest and most productive salmon systems. As they swim through the waters where the farms are located, the young fish are hammered with lice and viruses that proliferate in the crowded salmon pens. The mortality of these young migrating fish is very likely playing a major role in the disappearance of the once-mighty runs of salmon our coast was known for not many years ago. With this decision government has given industry 18...
by Larry McCumsey | Jan 1, 2022 | Environment, News and Events
(Jay Van Oostdam, Jan 1, 2022) In early August 2020 a group of Forest Defenders known as the Rainforest Flying Squad (RFS), with support from Pacheedaht elder Bill Jones, blocked a logging road on the west side of the headwaters of Fairy Creek. Teal Jones, the tree farm license holder (TFL 46), was planning to build a logging road into upper areas of the Fairy Creek watershed to clearcut this ancient ecosystem. Over the fall and early winter 2020 Teal Jones employees and contractors withdrew from this area. Snow came to block any access to these upper areas and RFS set up River Camp on Granite Main to block east side access to Fairy Creek. In spite of the cold / rain / snow these RFS defenders stayed through the winter. In February 2021 Teal Jones sought an injunction to block Forest Defenders from roads and lands in their tree farm license (TFL 46). Over February and March Forest Defenders starting coming from across British Columbia, Canada and the globe to defend these ancient ecosystems. On April 1st (April Fool’s Day) the judge issued an injunction blocking access to roads and lands in TFL 46. Fallers working for Teal Jones also rushed into the adjacent Caycuse watershed and on the Good Friday, Easter weekend they cut a large number of ancient trees. The RFS then moved in to establish camps and block access to these ancient trees in Caycuse, Walbran, and Fairy Creek (Waterfall / Ridge / Granite Main camps). In early May 2021 the RCMP moved to blockade and then invade the Caycuse Forest Defender’s camp. Here we...
by Pieter Vorster | Nov 2, 2020 | Environment, Member Submitted Articles, News and Events
Mitlenatch Island …a collaboration between Betty Donaldson, Carol Thatcher, and Mark de Bruijn Sometimes called “the Canadian Galapagos,” Mitlenatch Island is a BC Class A Nature Provincial Park located in the Salish Sea between Campbell River and Powell River. This little treasure trove of biodiversity comprises only 155 hectares, with an additional protective 300-metre water “boundary” beyond the high tide line. The tides from the north and south ends of Vancouver Island meet around the island, creating a biological richness in the surrounding waters. The island is in the rain shadow of Vancouver Island’s mountains, resulting in a semi-arid ecosystem that receives considerably more sunshine during the west coast’s normally wet and dreary winters. It is a unique ecosystem in the middle of the Salish Sea. This unique habitat has long been known to Indigenous peoples who made seasonal camps to harvest bird eggs, shellfish, fish, berries and plants. Generally, when SE Camp Bay is windy, Northwest Bay is not, so one of the Salish names means “calm waters behind.” In 1894, the island was acquired by the Manson family of Cortes Island, who used it as summer pasture for sheep and cattle. When post-WWII plans included using the Island for Lancaster bombing practice, in 1959 the Mansons sold the Island to the Province for $1 on the condition it become a nature park. In 1961, it became the first such designated area in Canada. The primary role of Mitlenatch Island Nature Park is to protect a unique island ecosystem and its special natural features. Perhaps the greatest of these is its birds, and it has been designated one...
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