What’s Up on Vancouver Island

LGBTQ community members and allies gathered this week to mourn and remember transgender people murdered around the globe. In Nanaimo, the Transgender Day of Remembrance was held at Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre on Thursday, Nov. 20, honouring 281 transgender people who were killed over 12 months between 2024-25. Organized by the Nanaimo Pride Society, Nanaimo’s candlelight vigil also counted lives lost to suicide, bringing the total to 360 – 25 pages of names that were read individually, along with the country they were from and age they died. Lauren Semple, Nanaimo Pride president, spoke at the ceremony, telling attendees the vigil serves to remember all the victims whose lives were taken by anti-transgender violence and hate. “This is not an easy gathering,” Semple said. “The Transgender Day of Remembrance asks as to look directly at loss, to look directly in the eyes of grief and the very real violence that trans, two-spirit, non-binary and gender non-conforming people face in our communities and around the world. “Here in Canada we like to tell ourselves a story that we are safer, that things are good here and in some ways that is true, in some ways there has been progress, but the reality is still very, very hard and uncertain.” Semple quoted a recent national survey [https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/facts-stats.html] that reported trans people were twice as likely as their cisgender counterparts to report unwanted sexual behaviours against them in public, at 58 versus 23 per cent, and three times as likely to report sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, 69 versus 23 per cent. While there are human rights protections in B.C. and Canada, she pointed to a “wave of political attacks” on the rights of trans people, including in Saskatchewan where there is a bill that would discipline school staff for using a trans person’s name or pronouns without parental consent. “In Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith spent this transgender week of awareness using the notwithstanding clause to protect a package of incredibly harmful laws that restrict gender-affirming health care for youths, ban trans girls and women from sports and force schools to out students to their parents. These laws target a tiny, tiny group of young people who already face higher rates of bullying, homelessness and suicide.” Even British Columbia isn’t immune from anti-trans political attacks, she said, pointing to a bill brought forward by One B.C. earlier this year which would have banned puberty blockers and other gender-affirming care for minors, restricted public health coverage for transgender British Columbians and opened up health-care providers to lawsuits for treating trans people. The bill failed at first reading. “The fact that it was tabled here should be warning these ideas are being tested, that the rhetoric is not that far from our doorstep,” Semple said. According to Trans Europe and Central Asia [https://tgeu.org/trans-murder-monitoring-2025-reveals-new-trend-in-anti-trans-violence-systematic-targeting-of-activists-and-movement-leaders/], a trans-led nonprofit which tracks the numbers, this year’s murders show “a dangerous shift” with a growing number of victims being trans movement leaders and activists, accounting for 14 per cent of reported murders. The report notes that this suggests an “attempt to silence those fighting for trans rights worldwide.” Following the ceremony, Semple told the News Bulletin it’s impossible not to feel rage and anger at the need for action. Earlier in the ceremony, she instructed people that while it is important to mourn the dead, people also need to commit to “fight like hell for the living.” “Individual allyship is powerful and important and everyone here tonight was showing that, but it is not enough to change power and change policy,” she said. “That is really where we need to stand up and speak up and help stand for the trans community and get us through what is raking back of rights and increasing violence and hateful rhetoric … If people don’t start speaking up and voting for human rights, for trans rights, when they hit the ballot box, we are going to continue to see this happen and it is only the beginning of the attacks and harm the 2SLGBTQIA-plus community will feel as a whole.” The Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 as a vigil by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender Massachusetts woman killed in 1998.

Ken Lavigne is coming to Parksville to get the audience into the spirit of Christmas on Dec. 4. He’s looking forward to singing a few classic holiday tunes like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘White Christmas’ when he performs with his ensemble at Knox United Church. “I have some songs that are really special to me like ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Ave Maria’, these are songs that really tap into my classical singing chops,” Lavigne said. “We have a lot of fun.” He will be joined by a musical ensemble that includes a piano, double bass, violin and percussion, and he’s even considering a re-visitation of ‘Santa Baby’, the classic song made famous by Eartha Kitt. The Christmas season has always been a special and meaningful time for Lavigne. “With Christmas music, there’s such a sense of joy and light that can be really affecting for people,” he said. “And of course there’s so much nostalgia that’s sort of built into it.” He might be best known for being a founding member of the Canadian Tenors, and toured with them for several years. Lavigne also made one of his dreams come true when he performed with the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Lavigne has always loved to sing, but he didn’t consider studying it for his career until he received a recommendation from his choir teacher as he was heading into his university years. That education opened his eyes to world of classical music and once he’d heard the voice of Luciano Pavarotti, he knew what he wanted to do. He is looking forward to returning to Parksville. “I absolutely love the space. Knox United is an incredible performance place, they just have so much going on and the audience is always warm and they’re always up for a good time.” Lavigne added that his Christmas shows always include a fun surprise that has become a tradition over the years, and although it’s “top secret”, anyone who has been there will remember. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 and are available online through Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/knox-presentsa-ken-lavigne-christmas-tickets-1825276684699] and with cash at local retailers Close to You Boutique, Edge Outdoors and Fireside Books.

This holiday season, the PQB News is reminding readers of the importance of shopping local. A massive part of that experience is the people, the folks behind the counter. Here’s a peek at just a few of the many businesses that keep our local economy buzzing: Business: Close to You Address: 174 Corfield St S, Parksville, BC V9P 0C1 Owner: Sandra Herle Years in Community: 35 years Offers: Women’s fashion, lingerie, nightwear, footwear, swimwear, and accessories. Quote: “Communities would not survive without small business to support sports teams, pay the taxes for sidewalks, the water and all that stuff. I know when I go on holiday, I like to go somewhere to shop or somewhere to eat. So, if there wasn’t a small business community, I think it would be tougher on tourism. We’ve got a strong tourism group.” Sandra Herle started Close To You, a lingerie business, in 1991. Over the years, the store has expanded and features a myriad of women’s clothing, accessories and shoes. The store continues to serve devoted clients, who Herle said have greatly helped her stay in business for 35 years. “This town has always been good to us,” said Herle, who was first in the bicycle shop business before transitioning to women’s fashion. “We have been through everything. We’ve been through the real dive in the economy and COVID was the worst because you didn’t know if there was going to be an end. But we’ve got such a loyal base of clients. They have aged with me.” Small businesses, said Herle, is vital to the local economy. Their success also relies on the support they receive from residents and visitors. “Communities would not survive without small business to support sports teams, pay the taxes for sidewalks, the water and all that stuff,” said Herle, who added that they are also an asset to local tourism. “I know when I go on holiday, I like to go somewhere to shop or somewhere to eat. So, if there wasn’t a small business community, I think it would be tougher on tourism. We’ve got a strong tourism group.” Business: Coast and Cottage Address: 5-160 Corfield St. S, Parksville, British Columbia V9P 2G3 Owner: Rianna Sharp Years in community: six years Offers: Ladies clothing, home decor, art kits and art works. Quote: “It makes a huge difference even just a little support like following us on social media or sharing our stuff or word to mouth.” Owner Rianna Sharp has been operating the business for six years now. When she started, she said they mainly had vintage and paint but they have now evolved and has included women’s clothing. As well, they promote over 80 artisans locally and all over the Island, which leads to a unique experience for shoppers looking for something different. “We have a ton from the Island,” said Sharp. “We try and something for everybody. We have a lot of decor and gift ware as well as home goods and a little bit of food, a little bit of health food. We try and have a sampling for everyone. Basically, whatever you could use or need, we try to carry.” Sharp says it’s important for the community to endorse the small businesses. “When we first opened, there was a lot of stores like us, which is great for the community,” said Sharp. “And then they’ve since closed because it’s really hard to be small business nowadays with many competitions and ordering online. It makes a huge difference even just a little support like following us on social media or sharing our stuff or word to mouth.” Sharp said their store is more than just a gift shop. “We have customers that come in and they say that it’s their happy place,” said Sharp. “We try to offer a bit of an experience.” Sharp hopes for a busy holiday season. “Having more foot traffic and even more events downtown that really support shopping locally would be amazing,” said Sharp. Business: Skulls Skates/PD’s Hot Shop Address: 164 W 2nd Ave, Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1T4 Owner: Peter Ducommun Years in Community: 4 years Offers: Canada made skateboards, parts, apparel Quote: “A large portion of the skateboard industry, the products are made off-shore these days and so to have something made locally is a little bit unusual. I think that’s what people appreciate about it.” Peter Ducommun set up his business in Qualicum Beach, with one of the oldest demographics in Canada. Choosing the town was unusual for Ducommun as the products in his store called PD’s Hot Shop, appeal to a more younger generation. Yet since he opened in the heart of downtown Qualicum Beach, his skateboard shop has become well-known in the business community. Ducommun said they were surprised with the reception they have received. “The people here have very been welcoming,” said Ducommun, who is also known as PD. “We love how diverse Qualicum Beach is because of its reputation that it’s a retirement community. It’s a bigger mix than you imagine. You assume that it would just be retired people only but it’s much more than that, I would say. That’s something we learned. We had no idea when we moved here that is the case.” What PD’s Hot Shop offers are skateboards, snowboards, skimboards and bicycles that they designed and are built in Canada. Ducommun said, they are so proud to offer to residents and visitors Canadian-made merchandise. For Ducommun, who created the skateboard brand in 1978, building the products locally also means jobs, which allows people to earn and spend money locally. It also helps the town’s economy. “Qualicum Beach is a beautiful little town and it requires a lot of upkeep,” said Ducommun. “They have a lot of staff and all that money has to come from somewhere. We’re fortunate that we do have a lot of visitors because it’s such a beautiful place to visit particularly in the summer. We’re finding since we opened here that winter is getting busier as well.”

Communities to Protect Our Coast has chosen Danny Hall as this month’s Climate Hugs recipient. Hall is a teacher of science, math and French at Kwalikum and Ballenas secondary schools. He also finds time to be on the executive of Nanaimo Area Cycling Coalition and Strong Towns Nanaimo. An advocate for alternative transportation in the RDN, Hall brings careful research to this topic and offers thoughtful planning suggestions. “We can make small changes that will make a big difference for cyclists and pedestrians,” he said. Enthusiastic when he highlights the examples of good planning in Qualicum, Parksville and the Old Town area of Nanaimo, he still feels there is room for improvement. Traffic-calming designs and reformed parking mandates are tools he would like to see municipalities consider using more judiciously. He notes the Parksville Transportation Plan could better reflect the 80 per cent of people surveyed who wanted better walking and cycling infrastructure. He refers to the Qualicum/Parksville cycling route as excellent and well-used by cyclists of all ages. “Roads and parking for cars take up at least half or more land space in an area,” he said. “Cities and towns are a lot more sustainable if they have a diversity of housing options. This can be supported by alternatives to cars.” To add further clarity, Hall added, “if you want people to choose viable alternatives, they have to feel safe. I’m looking to make places where people can walk and cycle safely.” Hall’s parents were both teachers and he learned from them that volunteer work as an individual or with a community group could make a difference. As a young student hiking and skiing in the outdoors near his home, he was inspired to study science. “Green spaces even in high-density urban areas are important,” he said. “Large paved areas create heat islands and impermeable surfaces cause flooding. By design, these areas physically force people to drive. Walkable residential and business hubs are popular with everyone.” Hall points to the heat dome in June of 2021 which killed hundreds of people in B.C. and billions of sea creatures as a pivotal moment. He wanted to make a meaningful difference because “this is a crisis that threatens us all.” He became involved at that time volunteering with NALT to help eradicate invasive species and participating in the dialogue around climate change at Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. At home, he helped his parents to replace their front yard with pollinator plants. NALT was a source for these plants as well as Streamside Native Plant Nursery in Bowser. Now as a teacher himself, Hall said, “my hope is to help build a future where my students can be happy and thrive.” Hall asked that his $50 Climate Hugs award be donated to the Hamilton Wetlands and Forest Protection Society fund for purchasing Hamilton Marsh.

Works from Island artists will feature prominently across the Nanaimo area this weekend as part of a self-guided art tour. Nanaimo Artwalk, presented by Nanaimo Arts Council, will see 50 artists featured at 20 venues in downtown Nanaimo and the Old City Quarter, including at Nanaimo Museum and Nanaimo Art Gallery, on Saturday, Nov. 22 till 4 p.m. Coni Long, one of the featured at Nanaimo Museum who deals mainly in acrylics, said Nanaimo is a good place to paint en plein air (outdoors), as it has many options. “I’ve painted with a Nanaimo, group of artists and painted around Bowen Park, Neck Point, Jack Point, all around … I’m not here in the summer, so when I paint, it’s usually good,” she said. “If it’s not raining, it’s good.” Nanaimo Artwalk continues Sunday, Nov. 23 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more, go to https://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/ [https://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/] or search for Nanaimo Arts Council on Facebook.

A musical performance by the members of A Cappella Plus will raise voices about the gifts children give us to celebrate World Children’s Day. A Cappella Plus will perform Through the Eyes of a Child, to recognize UNICEF’s Global Day of Action for Children, held in November each year. The gifts of children – humour, wonder, innocence and simplicity – will be celebrated with an program of spiritual songs, popular tunes and traditional Christmas melodies, all children-oriented, noted a press release. The program will include This Little Light of Mine, The Gift to be Simple, Kookoorookoo, Teach Your Children Well, Away in a Manger and others. A Cappella Plus sings in support of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island which works to reduce barriers to health care access for Island families. The foundation’s Homes Away from Home program includes Jesse’s House, currently under construction at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Donations to the program can be made online or at the concert. A Cappella Plus performs Through the Eyes of a Child at Brechin United Church on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and will be available at the door or online at www.accappellaplus.ca.

The work of a young Nanaimo artist will represent the imagination, identity and insight of a new generation of artists when it is displayed on the city’s street banners next year. The City of Nanaimo has announced that Grade 11 student and local artist Solana Van de Leur’s design was selected for next year’s street banners, marking the first time in the program’s history a youth artist’s design has been chosen. According to a city press release from earlier this month, the street banner program this year invited young artists from across B.C. to help shape Nanaimo’s streetscape through original artwork that reflects youth identity, imagination and insight. The release described the winning artist as a passionate artist, writer and competitive figure skater who works across multiple mediums that include acrylic, watercolour, digital illustration and sculpture. Van de Leur’s design, depicting an arbutus tree framed by day and night as a symbol of resilience and transformation, was selected for its visual depth, rich symbolism and heartfelt storytelling, the release noted. “Art and storytelling have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and through this contest, I got to tell a story about myself while depicting something as iconically Nanaimo as an arbutus tree,” said Van de Leur in the release. “It is such an honour and so surreal to know that soon I will get to see the banner that I designed all over my neighbourhood and community.” The banners will be installed in the spring throughout downtown and along traffic corridors.

Via Choralis will return with its annual December concert with a new artistic director at the helm. Grant Harville, whose accomplishments include winning the London Conducting Masterclass Competition and the Agatha C. Church Conducting Award, will make his mark with Magnificat, a concert on Sunday, Dec. 7 at St. Elizabeth Church in Sidney. “I’ve been fortunate to work with a variety of local choirs and orchestras, and every new group I encounter is a new challenge and a new horizon to reach for,” Harville told Peninsula News Review. Harville came to the Island with his family in 2020, and has since been music director of the Civic Orchestra of Victoria and conductor of the Victoria Conservatory of Music Chorale during the fall 2025 term. He describes Via Choralis as a “Sidney institution” – one that he looks forward to both shaping and growing from. For Magnificat, he has chosen Christmas- and winter-themed music by John Rutter, Felix Mendelssohn, Gustav Holst and Indigenous composer Andrew Balfour, plus a sing-along of seasonal favourites. “‘Classical’ is more a marketing term than a musical one, and it’s less a single genre than 50 genres in a trenchcoat,” he said. “There’s a tremendous diversity in the world of classical music, and it is our privilege to explore and share it.” On accompaniment will be Kinza Tyrrell, who is music director of Vancouver Opera in Schools, a coach at UVic Faculty of Music and music director of the UVic Chamber Singers, while being considered one of Canada’s top collaborative pianists. Magnificat takes place at St. Elizabeth Church, 10030 Third St. in Sidney on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available at Tanner’s Book Store, from 3common.com and from members of the choir. Magnificat starts at 2 p.m. at 10030 Third St. As per what Harville hopes audiences will take away from his first concert as artistic director? “Joy, community, beauty, and an excuse to step outside of their day-to-day and enjoy an afternoon where their only obligation is to sit back and let the music wash over them.”

Molding creativity. Jane Wolters of Chemainus will be showing off her hand-made pottery and a selection of her paintings at Excellent Frameworks located at 115 Kenneth St. in Duncan with her solo exhibition titled Jane Wolters Retrospective from Nov. 3 to 23. Suzan Kostiuck, owner of Excellent Frameworks, the home of the EJ Hughes Gallery, is excited to showcase the work of Wolters who she met 10 years ago while working for the local arts council. Kostiuck was wowed with Wolters’s functional stoneware pottery line that had an image of lavender plants on it and bought a set for her family upon visiting Wolters’s home studio. “I’ve followed her work for years, and one of the galleries I worked for in the past carried her work as well, so I’ve always been able to keep in touch with Jane,” said Kostiuck. “Earlier this year I really wanted to host another retrospective show of a local artist and she was the first choice, so I was thrilled when she kindly accepted my offer to showcase her works. “Having her work in my gallery is an honour, and being able to see the variety of glazes, forms, and pathways that her works display is amazing.” Wolters, who has been creating artworks for the last 48 years, was born in England but has called Vancouver Island home for most of her life where she has been a professional potter with her focus mostly on stoneware and porcelain. While Wolters was technically self-taught, she does admit to taking some wheel-throwing lessons in the beginning. Over her artistic career her pottery has comprised of a wide range of styles: made-to-be-used tableware in nature-inspired patterns and fine porcelain glazed in classic copper reds and celadons, as well as one of a kind art pieces. “Mostly wheel-thrown, many of my pots are fired in a gas kiln to achieve the copper reds, celadons and other beautiful reduction glazes I love,” said Wolters. “I’ve also experimented with saggar firing, which involves firing the pieces in a container with weeds and other materials to produce lovely random markings.” Wolters said she has been fortunate to have attended many valuable workshops with outstanding potters from all over the world, and has also immersed herself in courses in various subjects including portrait sculpture. In additon to her pottery she began to learn how to paint several years ago in an effort to find another creative outlet that was less physically demanding. “In the process I’ve learned a great deal of art theory, history, and design,” said Wolters. “Oil on canvas has been my favourite painting medium; the sensuous feel of the paint coming off the brush onto the canvas, the way the paint smells, the look of the thick oil paint building up on the surface, all feel right.” On her painting path, she has also explored acrylics, which she finds to be a more playful and adventurous medium. Wolters has both a home studio and gallery and welcomes visitors to view her works by appointment by emailing [email protected] [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection]. “I feel incredibly lucky to be an artist,” said Wolters. “There are always new ideas, new paths to travel along, and there are never enough hours in the day to explore them. I hope attendees of the exhibit go away realizing the wide and interesting variety possible with clay.” “I hope people who come to see her works get a sense of the human touch that each piece contains,” said Kostiuck. “Every line, every spot the light touches, Jane’s artistic spirit has also touched, and that is part of the intrinsic beauty of art.” web1_jw-works-1 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_jw-works-1.jpg;w=960]Chemainus resident Jane Wolters, who has been a professional potter for the past 48 years, will have her solo exhibit titled Jane Wolters Retrospective on display at Excellent Frameworks in Duncan until Nov. 22. Seen here is one example of her work. (Submitted) web1_jw-works-2 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/11/web1_jw-works-2.jpg;w=960]Chemainus resident Jane Wolters, who has been a professional potter for the past 48 years, will have her solo exhibit titled Jane Wolters Retrospective on display at Excellent Frameworks in Duncan until Nov. 22. Seen here is one example of her work. (Submitted)

Men’s mental health is Western Edge Theatre’s theme for the whole season, and appropriately, the first play takes place almost entirely inside the protagonist’s mind. A Baker’s Dozen, written by Ward Norcutt and directed by Jonathan Greenway, will be presented at Nanaimo’s OV Arts Centre from Nov. 21-30. The play has a single setting in one sense, with the protagonist alone in a hotel room, but he shares the stage at all times with family members acting out his memories. “While the hotel room is the physical setting, we do see these glimpses into the memories of his childhood, of his upbringing, of his young adulthood, of his life progressing through these vignettes of memory that pop up in different dramatizations,” Greenway said. A lot of writing is personal on some level, but Norcutt said with A Baker’s Dozen, “it couldn’t be more personal than this play.” Serious issues such as suicide, abuse and addiction come up as Norcutt’s protagonist tries to understand and work through intergenerational trauma. “It’s basically a fictional telling of a true story,” the playwright said. “I’ve based it very much off my own life and it’s been a cathartic, healing-process journey for me.” Norcutt said he didn’t want to direct the play and never meant to star in it, so taking on the lead role “makes it doubly flayed open.” “I guess it’s very easy to relate to the character, but hard in that it’s been an exhausting process,” he said. “But it’s a really good process and I hope it’s a really good play.” The surreal settings of the mind and memories appeal to Greenway, who said the theatre is the perfect place for audiences to suspend disbelief and be transported, through lighting, music and other techniques, into the protagonist’s thoughts. The director is working with a dream cast, he said, and rehearsals are going well, if a little emotional. “There’s often tears shed by one of the cast members or myself or the crew just watching the rehearsal process, which is cathartic all around,” he said. “I think there’s something in this piece that everyone can relate to in terms of their own mental health whether it’s good or bad.” Greenway is also Western Edge’s artistic director and chose men’s mental health as this season’s theme because it’s important to him, and also because it’s an “undiscussed topic” that still carries stigma. A Baker’s Dozen, the first of four productions this season, and is taking on the theme head-on. “It’s important, I think, for people – especially men – to understand that we need to own our own lives and try to work through our sadness, our anger, all the things that we hold onto so dearly, because we were taught to. I know I was,” Norcutt said. “Hopefully a play like this will help people realize that they can do that too and not have to run away from it, or hide from it, or mask it.” WHAT’S ON … Western Edge Theatre’s A Baker’s Dozen will be shown at the OV Arts Centre from Nov. 21-30. For tickets and more information, visit the Western Edge Theatre website. [https://westernedge.org/]

Jane Siberry is the first to admit she is not an easy singer to categorize. As music journalist Ian Grey once wrote: “She sings about dogs, God, angels, sex and more in a multi-octave voice unhampered by considerations of gravity.” Find out for yourself this week, when Siberry comes to Vancouver Island for performances, starting tonight in Victoria. Siberry is considered one of Canada’s most original and influential singer-songwriters. She was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Oct. 17 by fellow music icon k.d. lang. Siberry’s work is visionary and ever-evolving. Best known for transcendent works like ‘Calling All Angels,’ ‘Love is Everything’ and the iconic ‘Mimi on the Beach,’ she has created a singular body of work that defies labels. Her contribution to The Crow soundtrack, ‘It Won’t Rain All the Time,’ continues to resonate decades later. After leaving Warner/ Reprise Records in 1996, Siberry founded her own label, Sheeba, and pioneered a ‘pay-what-you-can’ model for music downloads. She also expanded live performances beyond traditional venues with global “salon tours” — from llama farms in New Zealand to garages in Australia, kominkas in Japan, kitchens in Finland and bell towers in rural England. Audiences describe her performances as “intense, heraldic, funny and startling.” Siberry opens her Island run at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Victoria Nov. 22, hits the Duncan Garage Showroom on Nov. 23, moves on to the Parksville Museum Heritage Church Nov. 24 and wraps at Char’s Landing in Port Alberni on Nov. 25. For more information, check out her website [https://janesiberry.com/tour].

One Saanich company is preparing to give back as the holiday season approaches. For the past 10 years, Rather Be Plumbing has offered free plumbing labour for residents in need. This year’s program runs from Dec. 2 to 5. Customers only pay for materials. The company says it’s ready to help with anything from leaky faucets to clogged drains or any other plumbing emergencies. Nominations for friends, loved ones, or a neighbour can be made by contacting 250-589-8555 or ratherbeplumbing@gmail.com. The program is intended for Greater Victoria residents facing financial hardship to ensure help goes to those who need it most.

Travel writer Bill Arnott has enjoyed visiting the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area so much he and his wife decided to make Qualicum Beach their part-time home. Arnott is well-known for his overseas travel saga Gone Viking, as well as A Season on Vancouver Island — a B.C. best-seller and now his most recent release A Festive Season on Vancouver Island. He and his wife, Deb, spent three months of “concentrated travel” up and down the Island, taking in the holiday sights, talking to locals and researching outside of the usual summer holiday peak season. “I was really trying to see and do as much as possible in the car and on foot, from November, right through the new year,” said Arnott, who divides his time between Vancouver and the Island. While checking out festive lights, concerts, plays and museums, he realized there is at least one commonality with every person he met, regardless of their religion – that the festive season brings everyone together. “Most folks are looking for this very same thing, especially through the festive season – gathering up loved ones past and present, celebrating a sense of abundance and gratitude and they’re just being together with the folks that we care about,” Arnott said. Whether people associated the season with their faith, or came at it from a secular point of view, many of the perspectives were the same: time with loved ones, lights, songs and sharing a meal. “Peacefulness” is one word that comes to mind when visiting the Island in the last few months of the year, Arnott said. Sometimes he would be the only person visiting a museum or find himself walking along the beach at low tide, with fewer people out walking their dogs or strolling the boardwalk at Parksville beach. “There’s a little bit more activity in nature because there’s a little bit fewer tourists, so it seems like the eagle and seal activity is a little more vibrant,” he added, and said he met birders who had spotted dozens of eagles hunting at spots such as the mouth of French Creek. Other times he would find himself at a bustling craft fair or the farmers’ market. “There’s a celebratory feel. You see the different things in the shops, in the decorations.” One highlight was Moonlight Madness in Qualicum Beach, where he and his wife were among thousands who turned out last year for carolling, evening downtown shopping and cocoa. A Festive Season combines Arnott’s travel narrative with the visual art of his painted photos – digitally stylized for the book. “What I love about it is I feel that it offers a much more engaging, or a richer, sensory engagement,” he said. A Festive Season completes a travel memoir trilogy that also includes A Season on Vancouver Island and A Season in the Okanagan and covers the different seasons. “One of the things I was communicating is the festive season – I feel isn’t really necessarily tied to a calendar. “It can be as much a state of mind as anything.” A Festive Season was released on Nov. 4 through Rocky Mountain Books [https://rmbooks.com/] and is available at books shops in the mid-Island area, including Fireside Books in Parksville and Bellflower Bookshop in Qualicum Beach. RELATED: B.C. travel writer visits Parksville Qualicum Beach for new book [https://pqbnews.com/2022/09/07/b-c-travel-writer-visits-parksville-qualicum-beach-for-new-book/] RELATED: Qualicum Beach couple publishes 1st book of photography [https://pqbnews.com/2025/07/20/qualicum-beach-couple-publishes-1st-book-of-photography/]

This article is from the winter edition of Boulevard Magazine. The gentle notes of a flute are almost drowned out by the deep baritone of the ocean swell rolling into the surrounding rocks. White spray mists the air with salt and the rhythmic sway of kelp caught in the surf has a hypnotic appearance. Settling back into a black lounger, I watch the sea and allow my mind to empty of the endless to-do lists, grocery orders and prep needed to be done for the upcoming holiday meal that will see a dozen or so family members gather in my home. Instead of focusing on all that still needs to be done – the birthday party I need to plan for my daughter and the Christmas shopping I haven’t started – I allow myself to be in the moment. It’s something I usually struggle with, but here, on the pool deck at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, it’s easy to get lost in the ambiance of Salish Sea. I’m here for the afternoon, enjoying the Boathouse Spa upgrade that gives me access to this serene waterfront. When I arrived at the spa, I was given a quick greeting while I was checked in, and then we were off on a tour. Past reception, I’m met with the smell of eucalyptus and cedar emanating from the indoor sauna. Tiled change rooms are stationed on the left – complete with a bathing suit spinner hanging on the wall outside them – and the last door on the right hides a private oasis filled with plants, cosy chairs and windows overlooking the pool deck. Despite two of the four walls being made of glass, the room feels private, like a secret retreat that offers hot and cold tea, infused water and a trail mix snack in case you find yourself peckish while you wait for your treatment. The treatment rooms themselves are not actually in this building; they’re nestled between the pool deck and the sea, and provide a front-row view of the ocean. Left to my own devices, I quickly change and wrap myself in the velvety plush robe provided before settling into a lounger beside the sea with a cup of iced yuzu herbal tea. It can be hard to give yourself permission to slow down during the holiday season, especially with so many commitments and expectations. But it’s vital to check in with yourself and be mindful of the harm stress causes on your body. While it was originally a reaction meant to protect our bodies from predators and other aggressors, stress has transformed to be triggered by everyday demands. Mayo Clinic staff note the nervous system response to stress triggers causes the body to release a surge of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. While adrenaline makes the heart beat faster and causes blood pressure to go up, cortisol increases sugar in the bloodstream. Cortisol also slows functions that would be harmful or non-essential in a fight-or-flight situation – changing immune system responses and suppressing the digestive system, reproductive system and growth processes. This reaction is meant to stop when the perceived threat has gone away but when stressors are always present, that fight-or-flight reaction stays on, putting you at risk for a number of health issues including depression, heart attack, heart disease, stroke, weight gain, sleep problems, trouble with memory and focus, and headaches, to name a few. That’s why the Mayo Clinic says it’s more important than ever to learn how to manage stress and relaxation is a key component. After soaking up the sea, it’s time to soak in one of the two hot tubs. I can feel the tension in my shoulders melt away as I lean back against the edge and look up towards the hotel. Rooted above the pool deck, its brown brick facade shines in the afternoon sun and its slate grey roof matches the rocks surrounding the hot tubs. While the furthest hot tub is tucked into a private little nook surrounded by greenery, the other is set higher up and gives views of the mineral pool and sea. After my body is sufficiently relaxed, I transition to the outdoor sauna. Inside this stargazer sauna I’m met with a large window framing the sea and making it feel as if I’m sitting on the rocks while the ocean laps at my feet. The heat from the 85-degree sauna immediately permeates my skin and I sit back against the bench. Breathing the cedar smell deep into my lungs, I look up and see the ceiling is also made of glass, showcasing blue sky. While tempted to cloud-watch, I turn my attention back to the ocean and continue to focus on the rolling waves, realizing they’re not grey, mirroring the clouds rolling past overhead, but a deep, dark aquamarine. Just as I’m starting to wonder how long I’ve been sitting here, the final grains of white sand fall in an hourglass timer by the door, indicating I’ve reached the end of the suggested 15 minute stay. Outside the sea air is chilly but refreshing and I hesitate beside the mineral pool, expecting it to feel frigid after the sauna. But I’m pleasantly surprised as I ease myself in. The heated pool is almost the temperature of a warm bath and I sit on the sunken ledge, allowing the water to wash over me as the sound of a little water fall trickles into the main pool. Deciding to complete the circuit, I venture back into the building to try out the eucalyptus-infused indoor sauna, returning to the pool again after 15 minutes. Looking at the subtle clock, I can’t believe I’ve spent two hours here already and it’s almost time for my treatment. With the holiday season usually packed full of events, meals and holiday cheer, it’s hard to escape for a weekend away to take a break from the hustle and bustle the season brings. An afternoon at the spa, however, can be just what the doctor ordered. Sitting in the lounge, enjoying a gemstone-infused glass of cold water, I’m greeted by Kim, my practitioner. She’s spent six years at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and more than 18 years in Korea perfecting her craft. Her enthusiasm is palpable but not overwhelming in the serene space. As she leads me back outside to the treatment rooms, I already feel like I’m in good hands. The Boathouse Spa offers a full menu of different treatments designed to help you slow down and unwind, including facials, massages and body treatments. Today, I’m receiving the botanical glow facial, which the spa describes as a cosmeceutical treatment that harnesses the power of nature while restoring the radiance of all skin types. Pre- and probiotics balance the microbiome while antioxidant-rich maple bark extract stimulates collagen and elastin. Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps, leaving skin healthy, resilient and glowing. Just what I need with a teething toddler that’s leaving me to survive on four hours of combined sleep a night. Inside the room I’m tucked into a heated bed adorned with a fluffy duvet that feels as if I’m being wrapped in a cloud. Already, I can feel my eyes grow heavy as Kim advises me to take a deep breath, drawing in a eucalyptus blend that continues the earthy scents layered throughout the spa spaces. Kim gets to work as I try – and fail – to pay attention to what she’s doing. It’s a delightful blur of warm towel wraps, soothing cold compresses, and Kim deftly painting my face like an artist with her brush. She uses a combination of products by Babor, a German company known for being a pioneer in skincare and as setting the standard in skincare research. There are also scalp, hand and arm massages that leave me in a zen-like coma state that Kim has to prompt me out of with a repeated request for a deep breath of that eucalyptus scent once again. I wish I could tell you more about the treatment itself but I’m left in the best kind of daze, knowing Kim has carefully tailored each selection, and my face is glowing. She does offer advice as she goes and reiterates that she will write it down, noting I’m in no state to be taking mental notes. True to her word, she leaves me a detailed regimen, written on a ‘Doctor Babor’ Rx prescription pad, outlining what types of product I should use and when – all geared to my specific skin requirements. Advice this tired mama desperately needs as I have been woefully neglecting my skin – and body – while going through the first years of parenthood. And just like that, I’m back sitting in the lounge, sipping on a hot cup of the custom ‘Oak Bay Fog’ tea blend and marvelling at a state of relaxation I didn’t know was possible. All without even leaving Greater Victoria. DO. Take advantage of the heated outdoor mineral pools and hot tubs. Amenities on the pool deck include water and towel service, assigned lounge chairs and use of the stargazer sauna. This optional upgrade for spa guests will leave you feeling replenished as you take in the surrounding Salish Sea. SEE. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s Wellness Reset series wraps up Nov. 15 with a live taping of Jessi Cruickshank’s hit pop culture podcast Phone a Friend. The hotel is also offering a number of holiday-themed events including breakfast with Santa on Dec. 7, a Christmas Day brunch, and a New Year’s Day brunch. EAT. Guest utilizing the mineral pools also have poolside access to Boathouse Kitchen and Bar. The menu features a number of signature cocktails, slushy delights, wine and bubbles, and carefully curated brews that accompany lighter fares to nibble on. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel also offers coastal-inspired Italian dining at Faro, more traditional pub fare at the Snug Pub and premium cocktails in the Lobby Lounge. SLEEP. The Oak Bay Beach Hotel offers luxury accommodations highlighting traditional architecture with modern in-suite amenities. Choose from guest rooms, boutique suites, one-bedroom suites or penthouse options with either residential, marina or panoramic ocean views.

Generational wealth is being squandered on Vancouver Island through poor planning. A lack of planning, documentation and open dialogue can also lead to family conflict, legal disputes, tax inefficiencies, unintended beneficiaries, and business instability. These were some of the considerations brought forward by thought leader and best-selling author Dr. Thomas Deans, a renowned expert on generational wealth transfer, during a Nov. 6 visit to Campbell River. The evening, hosted by the Campbell River Community Foundation at the Tidemark Theatre, aimed to spark conversation on what happens when B.C. families fail to plan for the future, and transform discussions on charitable giving, legacy and estate planning. Deans, author of the best-selling family business book “Every Family’s Business: 12 Common Sense Questions to Protect Your Wealth,” discussed the pitfalls of not having an estate plan in Canada. Deans noted how there is an entire generation in Canada that feels completely trapped when it comes to transitioning their wealth, amidst an era marked by the widespread accumulation and concentration of wealth. When individuals die without a will or a clearly communicated estate plan, their wealth does not simply transfer; it often unravels, he said. With his talk, the goal was to challenge traditional beliefs and broaden perspectives on how generational wealth can be passed down to maintain and enhance both family ties and the wealth itself. Deans urged participants to rethink the concept of wealth transfer. Instead of viewing it as a single event – often occurring at death – he proposed it should be a deliberate, multi-generational dialogue. The night began with a screening of the documentary “UnCharitable,” which critiques the traditional constraints that limit non-profit organizations in fulfilling their missions. Deans also explored the legal and financial aspects of estate planning, business succession, and strategic philanthropy in a practical discussion with a panel of local experts.

As a Saanich homeowner, I’m deeply concerned about the hostile, mob-like behaviour displayed by Save Our Saanich supporters at recent council meetings. Shouting people down isn’t democratic participation – it’s intimidation, and it discourages others from speaking. I appreciate council’s work to create a respectful, inclusive community. They deserve a public space where ideas can be debated without fear or harassment. Clear, enforced expectations for civility at meetings are essential. We cannot allow Saanich to drift toward the polarized, aggressive politics we see elsewhere. Canadians solve problems by listening, cooperating, and assuming good intent. That’s the culture we should defend. Dawn Smith Saanich

The close of the year is a season defined by its rituals. Gatherings around the holiday table, the sparkle of festive celebrations, and the quiet moments of reflection all carry with them a sense of threads of continuity that tie us to the past while inspiring what is yet to come. Wine, with its ability to capture time and place in a single glass, becomes more than a pairing; it becomes part of the ritual itself. As proud supporters of B.C. wineries, we have curated these Okanagan selections to accompany defining moments – honouring tradition, elevating celebration, and creating memories that linger long after the last toast. CedarCreek Platinum Jagged Rock Chardonnay Okanagan | 2022 From the striking Jagged Rock Vineyard in the South Okanagan, this chardonnay is a true expression of place. Grown in rocky soils under intense summer sun, the fruit develops both richness and precision. Fermented with wild yeast and aged in French oak, the wine shows layers of lemon curd, green apple, and white peach, lifted by subtle notes of brioche and toasted almond. A streak of minerality carries through the palate, bringing freshness and length to its creamy texture. Elegant and complex, it is a chardonnay that speaks of both power and finesse. Perfect for pairing with seared scallops, roast chicken, or wild mushroom risotto. $57.99 (plus tax and deposit) Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards Fitz Brut Okanagan | 2019 Hailing from the Skaha Bench in the Okanagan Valley, this traditional-method sparkling wine is a celebration in itself. The brut opens with lively aromas of green apple, lemon zest, and toasted brioche. On the palate, fine bubbles carry bright acidity and layers of citrus, almond, and a hint of minerality, finishing with remarkable finesse. Crafted with meticulous care, it’s a bottle that elevates every occasion from a holiday toast at midnight to pairing with oysters or smoked salmon, even popcorn by the fire. $39.49 (plus tax and deposit) Black Sage Vineyard Cabernet Franc Okanagan | 2022 From the sun-soaked vineyards of the South Okanagan, this cabernet franc delivers intensity with elegance. Layers of ripe blackberry, cassis, and plum are framed by notes of tobacco leaf, dried herbs, and subtle spice. French oak aging lends structure with fine-grained tannins and a lingering finish of dark chocolate and cedar. Bold yet balanced, this wine is built for cool-weather fare perfect alongside braised short ribs, roasted root vegetables, or simply enjoyed fireside during the holidays. $34.49 (plus tax and deposit) Laughing Stock Vineyards Portfolio Okanagan | 2022 This flagship Bordeaux-style blend showcases the depth and elegance of the South Okanagan. Merlot leads the way, supported by cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot, all aged in French oak for just under two years. The result is a polished wine layered with cassis, plum, and black cherry, accented by cedar, cocoa, and subtle spice. Silky tannins frame the fruit, carrying through to a long, structured finish. Portfolio is a benchmark of Okanagan red winemaking, equally at home at a festive table today or rewarding years of patience in the cellar. Perfect alongside roast beef, lamb, or rich mushroom dishes. $61.49 (plus tax and deposit)

Before 1840, if you wanted to send a letter overseas, pretty much the only option you had was to find a willing captain, explained vice-president of the Victoria Stamp Club Jan Hofmeyr. “They would informally collect letters, and when the bag would be filled, they would sail off, and then try to collect payment from the person receiving it,” he said. “It made communication really difficult.” To fix this haphazard system, the British government created the first adhesive postage stamp for public use. Called the Penny Black, it featured a profile of Queen Victoria and allowed letters to be delivered at a flat rate of one penny, regardless of distance. “The whole concept was you buy a stamp that proves you’ve paid,” said Hofmeyr. “The government does the business of collecting and distributing. After that, communication exploded and letter writing went through the roof.” This unassuming invention would end up revolutionizing the world of communication, making it more reliable, efficient and fast. At the same time, a new kind of hobbyist emerged, collecting these small, unassuming pieces of paper, and philately was born. Nearly a century after the invention of stamps, the Vancouver Island Philatelic Society was founded in 1931, offering a space for philatelists and casual collectors to gather and exchange. Shortly after their inception, the group began hosting quarterly stamp and postcard fairs. Now celebrating more than 90 years of tradition, the renamed Victoria Stamp Club held its annual fall fair at the Sandman Hotel on Nov. 16, where more than 28 collectors showcased their best material to attendees. Among them was stamp dealer Terril Leishman. Sitting among his countless three-inch ring binders filled with sheets of stamps, the Alberta native explained that he and his wife have built their collection over a lifetime of travels to more than 86 countries. Yet the man’s passion began long before he met his wife, starting at the young age of 11 during his first job as a paper deliverer for the Edmonton Journal. “Every Saturday morning we’d have to go to where they’re printing everything,” he said. “We had to go back there to get paid for our rounds. “Right next to this building, there was a little stamp store, so you’d come out with a pocket full of quarters and I’d spend it on stamps.” The self-described history buff said the appeal of collecting stamps lies in connecting with and learning about other cultures, beyond the act of letter writing. “I love nations, I’ve travelled extensively around the world and I love to be able to look at stamps and kind of source what they’re about and their history,” he said. “A lot of the older stamps tell you a story. “You learn about geography, about countries, and you end up talking to like-minded people.” Among his most prized finds is an American stamp featuring George Washington. Unbeknownst to him, Leishman bought the collectible from a German seller on eBay for $15, only to later discover it was worth $5,000. “People over there didn’t know and I didn’t know until I got it here,” he said. “I had it expertised and there you go.” However, these days, profit isn’t on Leishman’s mind, as he says that all proceeds from his stamp sales are going to the Peace Arch Hospital. For him, the fair was an excuse to get out, meet like-minded folks and share his stories worthy of being immortalized in an epic novel. Among them is the time he travelled down China’s Yangtze River and ended up in a small rural village to buy Cultural Revolution-era stamps that had survived Mao Zedong’s regime. Although the stamps later proved to be forgeries, it was the adventure that mattered to Leishman, who is flying to Cambodia this February. While both Leishman and Hofmeyr mentioned that stamp collecting is a fading hobby, following its golden era in the ’70s and ’80s. “This younger generation doesn’t know what a stamp is,” said Leishman. “They’ve never written a letter because this is a technical age, and that’s understandable.” With the advent of social media, which in itself revolutionized communications like stamps nearly 200 years ago, the nature of philately has evolved through the ages. “Stamps used to be a natural collectible because they just turned up in your postbox,” said Hofmeyr. “Now, I think they’ve become more like a conventional antique collectible.” And perhaps witnessing things changing, coming and going, ebbing and flowing, is just a part of life that needs to be accepted, concluded Leishman. “This might be the last group here today because collectors are aging out,” he said. “We’re just turning the page on history.”

After living for over 25 years in Oak Bay, we are leaving to start a new life in the U.K., and we wanted to take a moment to thank some of our favourite people and highlight places that have given us so many great memories here: Nature on our doorstep: what a gift from nature we have in Oak Bay. We particularly enjoyed Cattle Point, Willows Beach, McNeil Bay and our ‘secret bench’. Bowker Creek and our home and neighbours on Hampshire Road. Oak Bay High School, where our daughter had an incredible high school experience. Nohra Thai Kitchen in Estevan Village: Joel, Phen and Laurie and their wonderful food. Willows Galley in Estevan Village: Dave and his great staff, and their fantastic halibut & chips! The Oak Bay Beach Hotel, both before (where we had our wedding reception) and after their big rebuild. Oak Bay Pharmasave and their amazing staff, including Tony, Hue, Sandy and many others. Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen, and especially Christina! The Oak Bay Garagellenium: ‘one person’s junk is someone else’s treasure’ – what fun. And speaking of junk, the Oak Bay dump. I don’t know how we could have survived without it! Thanks, Oak Bay, you were a wonderful place to live. We’ve made many happy memories here and will always treasure them. All the best, Pam and Guy Lafreniere Oak Bay

In loving memory ~ August 30, 1968, Parksville, BC – November 10, 1995, disaster in Nepal It’s been 30 years since we last saw your face. We still think of you every day. Dear Kelly, We’ll see your smile in the sunshine, Hear your name upon the wind. The streams will shout your laughter, Which always made us grin. Your heart was always giving, and your spirit always free. Whenever you would cross my path I felt better, about me. You were in tune with nature, little kids and mother earth. Your currency was thoughtfulness, you knew its power and its worth. Your giving, unconditional, never asking toll or fare. Our lives will be a little poorer now, for yours, we cannot share. But as we free our hearts from pain, a richness will be there. Because you shared your life with us a load as light as air. And so, we’ll say goodbye for now, to our traveling Kelly man. We’ll try and be somewhat like you In every way we can!! Love Dad

February 5, 1928 – October 28, 2025 In Loving Memory ~ Our beautiful Mum, Lena Doreen Loor (Easterbrook) passed away peacefully, at the age of 97. Mum lived her life with a positive outlook, healthy habits, and a true joie de vivre that carried her well past her goal of 85 years. Born in Nanaimo, Mum’s family moved to Cumberland in 1937, where she met and married the love of her life, Albert. In 1951 they moved back to Nanaimo, where they rekindled old friendships and made new friends that lasted a lifetime. Doreen is survived by her son Randy (Leah) and daughter Shaun (Ray), and was predeceased by her husband Albert, parents Leonard and Florence Easterbrook, and sister Thelma Anderson. A celebration of Mum’s life will be held in the New Year. Please visit www.earthsoption.com [http://www.earthsoption.com]to read more about Mum’s life and share your condolences.

Nina Krieger’s first foray into provincial politics has been nothing short of a “wild ride.” While working as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, she decided to seek the BC NDP nomination in Victoria-Swan Lake for the 2024 election. Under the tutelage of retiring longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, Krieger learned about the constituency by connecting with residents and local organizations. On Oct. 19, 2024, she was elected with more than half the vote. She began her first term as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being promoted eight months later. When Premier David Eby reshuffled his cabinet back in June of this year, he made a call Krieger did not expect, offering her the role of minister of public safety and solicitor general. “It was a true honour to be asked to take on this role,” she told Victoria News. “It was wholly surprising but also a challenge and opportunity that I agreed to going forward with, with great humility for the role, gratitude for my predecessor and with great determination to do the work to advance public safety that British Columbians are expecting.” Occupying this role for the last six months, Krieger sat down with Black Press Media to discuss her role, challenges, priorities and future goals. Central to her position, she explained, is prioritizing “adequate and effective policing” to ensure public safety for all B.C. residents. With collaboration at the core of her approach, Krieger seeks to work across ministries to improve the province’s correctional, coroner and victim services. “(We look) not only to ensure that we’re tackling crime, but also addressing some of the root causes of crime and supporting people when they need help,” she said. “The complexity of advancing public safety, which is beyond the work of any one ministry, is just such an awesome challenge.” Currently, Krieger is working with Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, to examine where public safety intersects with housing and health care. Krieger also mentioned working with police forces across the province to ensure they have the resources needed to address crime and local challenges. Another item atop Krieger’s list is to invest in the province’s specialized integrated units to combat specific issues like drug and human trafficking. However, enforcement is not Krieger’s only concern, adding that supporting victims of crime and vulnerable populations is also important. “In Victoria, we’re launching an initiative soon called Health IM, which is a digital tool that lets police log and capture specifics related to a mental health crisis and allows that information to be passed seamlessly to health professionals, really supporting compassionate interactions with people and ensuring they get the care that they need,” she said. Being in session since Oct. 6 in her new role, Krieger said there’s never been a dull moment. “It’s been a wild ride and it’s been really exciting,” she said. “As a minister, I have a role in that question period, fielding questions about various issues related to public safety from the opposition and from the other parties, so it’s been action-packed.” While Krieger said that “so much has happened” over the past year, she added that the foundation of her work remains anchored in the community she represents every week at the legislative assembly. “My work outside of the ministry office with community organizations continues and really fuels the work that happens in the chamber,” she said.

A non-profit wants to start filling shoeboxes with gifts for women in Nanaimo who are experiencing homelessness. In a press release, the Nanaimo chapter of the Shoebox Project announced it will hold a collection drive from Monday, Nov. 17, to Dec. 8, seeking “shoeboxes full of essential items and special gifts for local women impacted by homelessness.” Items such as toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap) and gloves, journals, pens and dark chocolate are sought, the press release noted. Donors are also encouraged to include a card “with an inspiring message,” the release added. Island Crisis Care Society, Risebridge and Pacifica Housing will distribute the shoeboxes, which can be dropped off at Nanaimo North Town Centre’s administration office, Thrifty Foods at Port Place Shopping Centre, CurVa-Voom, Serge and Sew and Lobelia’s Lair. The goal is 210 shoeboxes this year. The project has collected more than 650 shoebox gifts since 2021. “We are so grateful to the community for their generosity,” said Laura Kelsey, Nanaimo Shoebox Project coordinator, in the release. The drive has expanded to include gender-neutral shoeboxes as well. For more information on the Shoebox Project, go to www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo [https://www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo].

For Aysanabee, working hard is a fact of life – whether it was in his early days doing manual labour, or later creating digital content for news outlets, or spending years shaping his music into something entirely his own. That drive has paid off. At the 2024 Juno Awards, Aysanabee became the first Indigenous musician to win both Songwriter of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year, breaking barriers with his Here and Now EP. “It threw me for a loop,” he admits. “Winning Songwriter of the Year really messed up my writing for a while – I kept thinking, a Songwriter of the Year wouldn’t write that garbage. Then I looked at who’d gotten it before – The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, Alanis Morissette, Gord Downie – and I thought, wow, I can’t believe I get to be part of that room full of giants. In a way, that just makes me work a bit harder.” Now he’s taking that momentum on the road with his first-ever headline run, The Way We’re Born Tour, which kicks off in Edmonton on Nov. 6 and makes six B.C. stops — Lake Country (Nov. 11 with Sheri Marie Ptolemy), Burnaby (Nov. 13), Vancouver (Nov. 14 with Nimkish), in Victoria’s Wicket Hall (Nov. 15 with Zerowhonnock), Campbell River (Nov. 17 with Hasaatuk) and Vernon (Nov. 19 with Francis Baptiste) — before continuing east. Each date features a different local Indigenous opener, chosen from a flood of applications he personally reviewed. “It’s important to build community,” he says. “Create the music industry you want to be in — one where people get included and share what they know instead of guarding it. It isn’t about that scarcity mentality anymore. We rise and fall together.” The tour supports his sophomore album Edge of the Earth (Ishkodé Records), a collection of reflections from the last two and a half years. “The through line is, this is the first time I have an album that isn’t an album based off the stories of my grandfather. It’s the first time I’m kind of offering people a window into who I am as a person and an artist.” Among the many things Aysanabee brings to the stage are powerful, rich music and a compelling voice — without gimmick or affectation. In our conversation, where Aysanabee spoke to Monday Magazine from Berlin, he talked about hard work, but also learning to take time: “My grandmother used to say, ‘You’re gonna have to work ten times as hard to get half as much.’ I think on social media you see the wins — me on a big stage, or getting an award — but underneath that are thousands of hours of work. I’m trying to dial that back a bit and take the blinders off, because I’m always looking toward the next mountain, the next goal. I’m really making a bigger effort to just appreciate what’s happening around me in the moment.” If the album looks inward, the live show turns that reflection outward. “We’re building a big show for it,” he says. “Presenting the songs the way they were meant to be presented – when it comes to sound, when it comes to lights, when it comes to the production behind the show and the intent. It’ll be lights and it’ll be storytelling, sharing extra stuff as well. You can go to Apple or Spotify and listen to the track, but to be there and hear something really special about the song — that only comes from live.”

The McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville is hosting three new exhibitions, including works by award-winning blind artist Ruth Bieber. Bieber’s exhibition Feel Free, Touch the Art is on display in the MAC’s Nemeth Gallery. “As a blind artist, it might come as a surprise to most viewers, that I have a close and treasured relationship with colour,” said Bieber, who experiences Charles Bonnet Syndrome. “Not all blind people see vibrant colour swirling around them, however it is safe to say, that blind people normally do have a rich sense of haptic.” Bieber said her goal is to create art that is both pleasing to the eye, as well as to the sense of touch. Visitors are encouraged to touch her artwork. She holds a master’s degree in education, from the University of Calgary, with a specialization in rehabilitation. Prior to obtaining this degree, her professional focus was as a counseling therapist, working with clients with disabilities. In the early 1990s, she founded InsideOut Theatre, which was a reflection of her own evolution from therapy to theatre; from the therapeutic arts, to the power of performance for people with a wide range of mixed abilities. Bieber was the artistic director of the theatre company for 17 years. Bieber has received numerous awards for her specialized work including the Donald Norman Award for contribution to the Theatre Arts (2008) and The Spirit of Kelowna for inspiration in promoting diversity within the visual arts community (2011). OCAC and the MAC are providing a new technology for blind or low-vision visitors to the galleries. “Be My Eyes,” through specialty glasses will connect, in real-time, visual assistance from volunteers all over the world. With thanks to the City of Parksville for this specialty accessibility grant, Be My Eyes glasses are now available for visitors to the MAC. “Be My Eyes started with a simple idea: to make the world more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision through the power of connection,” the MAC said in a news release. The idea came from Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish craftsman with low vision. While working with The Danish Association of the Blind, he noticed how often people needed a little visual assistance for everyday tasks. A friend shared how video calls with family helped him get that assistance, and Wiberg saw an opportunity: what if people who are blind or have low vision could connect with a global network of volunteers, ready to lend their sight? In 2015, the Be My Eyes app was launched and, within 24 hours, 10,000 volunteers had signed up. Today, millions of volunteers support users in over 180 languages – proving that a little help goes a long way. Also on display in the MAC’s Concert Gallery are works by Michelle Nyberg, and Melinda Wilde.

Mosh the Rock Island MetalFest is now accepting band submissions for its 2026 lineup. The festival, organized by Royalty Entertainment, will take place Aug. 9 at Fred Milne Park in Sooke. Applications are open until Nov. 30, with organizers encouraging bands from all subgenres of metal to apply by sending their electronic press kits, including photos, music links and bios. The open-air, all-ages festival celebrates metal and hard rock in a family-friendly atmosphere. Following the success of its inaugural year in 2025, organizers say next year’s edition will be “even bigger and louder.” Founded by Royal Savoie, a music manager, promoter and host of Thrashcan on 101.9 FM CFUV in Victoria, the 2025 festival featured acts from across the province, including Torrefy, Thirteen Goats, Yegg, Mutual Trauma, Dead After Dark, Burnt Lung, Pharm, Cybörg, Joker’s Revenge, Blacktop Social and Wolf Venom. For all those interested in applying, contact [email protected] [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection].

Colin Mochrie has made a career out of thinking fast, and soon he’ll be doing it live in Victoria. The Whose Line is it Anyway? star will join longtime collaborator Brad Sherwood for their improv show, Asking for Trouble, at the Royal Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 20. The show thrives on audience participation, with no two nights ever the same. “Everything starts with the audience. They yell out suggestions, we bring people on stage for about half the show, and then we just try to survive it. It’s sort of a live version of Whose Line without the dead weight,” joked Mochrie. The tour begins this month in Ohio and runs until October 2026, with Canadian stops in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Kitchener. For Mochrie, who calls Toronto home, it’s a chance to perform closer to his roots. “Canadian audiences just love to have goofy fun,” he said. “We get such a great range of suggestions up here. It’s nice not to have to cross the border and just focus on having fun.” Mochrie found a passion for improv at a young age and honed his craft with Vancouver TheatreSports. “When we first started there, way back when, we used to go to the McDonald’s next door and say, ‘Come see our show’,” Mochrie recalled. “I don’t know what I would be doing without improv, honestly. I’m so grateful for how things have turned out.” Mochrie and Sherwood first met 35 years ago through a show at The Second City in Toronto, which Mochrie’s wife, Debra McGrath, produced, before teaming up on Whose Line just months later. It was there that their quick wit and chemistry quickly turned into a lasting partnership. “Brad’s the younger, really irritating brother, and I’m the older one trying to keep him in line,” Mochrie said with a laugh. “He loves words, I’m more surreal and weird, but it somehow works.” Their live act has evolved into a mix of classic improv games and unpredictable audience moments. No scripts, no safety nets, just two comedians trying to outwit each other and the crowd. “It’s the most death-defying experience that I’ll ever get in my life,” Mochrie said. “I’ll never jump out of a plane, but there’s something really relaxing about standing in front of an audience who have paid money to see a show that we don’t have at that particular moment.” Victoria isn’t new territory for Mochrie, who has performed in the city twice before and even attended his nephew’s wedding here in 2024. “It’s a beautiful city,” he said. “I’ll probably head over to the Empress for afternoon tea just to feel classy for a bit.” As for what to expect, Mochrie said the show will feature a few familiar Whose Line-style games, a musical nod to Victoria, and plenty of moments that can’t be replicated. “Every show is a one-time thing,” he said. “Nobody will ever see that exact show again. The audience gives us everything, and we just try to make it funny.” The show begins at 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the Royal Theatre.

The Chemainus Theatre Festival’s Elf: The Musical, is a sparklejollytwinklejingley hit. Elf, the theatre’s Christmas offering directed by Ian Farthing, is outstanding from top to bottom. If you were lucky enough to get tickets, hold onto them tight, as the show had but one single seat left for its entire run at the time of writing. Elf is full of excellent performances, but the true standout is Oliver Kadar as main character Buddy. Kadar hits everything note-perfect from the musical numbers to the dancing to the emotional moments, putting the star in starring role. It’s a challenging part in more ways than one, but Kadar manages to make Buddy, who’s an overgrown child, loveable, funny, touching and sweet. He has an outstanding voice for the many musical numbers and great chemistry with the whole cast. His comedic timing is impeccable and had the audience laughing throughout. Kadar carries the show like he was born to play Buddy. It is a truly noteworthy performance. We bet he’ll be in demand to play this role at other theatres in years to come. Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human raised at the North Pole in Santa’s workshop who doesn’t know he’s not an elf like everyone else there until he finds out one day by accident. This sees him journey to New York City to meet his father Walter Hobbs (Raugi Yu), who is a high-powered publishing executive in the hot seat, trying to come up with a hit children’s book for Christmas. Plenty of wacky hi-jinks ensue as his reluctant dad takes him in and he spends time with half-sister Michaela (Amara Apa in the performance we saw, but also played by Noa Audenart), and stepmother Emily (Naomi Costain). He also falls in love with the jaded Jovie (Georgia Bennett), create’s chaos at Macy’s, commiserates with a bunch of santas and likes the shredder a little too much. This is a full-on musical and the songs and choreography are all top-notch with Anthony Knight as musical director and Melissa Young as choreographer. Bennett as Jovie is another standout voice in the cast and it is a pleasure to hear the music delivered so effortlessly with such heart. Her performance as the woman who wants to believe in spite of past experience telling her not to was excellent. Apa also delivered impressive vocals. As a musical, the ensemble is also key. With everyone seamlessly playing multiple roles, they are a talented bunch including Ali Watson, Cecilly Day, Matthew Yipchuck, Dustyn Forbes, Jennifer Lynch, Léah Zack and Stephen Thakkar. Sandy Winsby also adds the right touch as Santa. The only minor complaint was that the cast didn’t perform an encore number after the thunderous and well-deserved standing ovation on opening night. If they don’t have one, they should practice one, as we bet the audience will be on their feet after every performance in the run. The show is the perfect holiday break. It’s joyful and funny and heartfelt — a little bit of Christmas magic to make you believe in the spirit of the season. The theatre has also announced next year’s shows. The season will start with Godspell, move on to Ladies Foursome, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to take the theatre through the summer, then Peril in the Alps takes the stage, and it all wraps up with The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. Look for more on the upcoming season in a future edition. For more information see chemainustheatrefestival.ca [https://chemainustheatrefestival.ca/].

B.C.’s NDP government introduced a major new jobs plan on Monday (Nov. 17), which aims to boost private sector investment for major projects in the province over the next 10 years by $200 billion. The Look West jobs plan targets specific industries such as marine, aerospace, life sciences and construction, while providing skilled workers through schemes such as the recently announced plan to provide $241 million in funds over the next three years for trades training. It also relies on the federal government getting on board. Premier David Eby urged the feds to be “relentless and remorseless in pushing for economic growth,” promising B.C. will be a “resolute partner” to deliver for the prime minister. “That means more jobs and more prosperity paying for the public services that British Columbians and Canadians deserve,” he said. Initial actions include spending more than $40 million on companies and research, as well as setting up a kindergarten to Grade 12 advisory committee to explore integrating artificial intelligence platforms and skills into school systems. The plan also relies on the province being able to secure additional federal investments for major projects, including the goal of B.C. being awarded 35 per cent of upcoming federal defence vessel contracts. Eby called it “our plan to be able to ensure that British Columbians get our appropriate share of the federal initiatives.” The federal government’s most recent budget — passed by two votes later the same day Eby introduced the jobs plan — includes $6.6 billion in spending over five years as part of a defence industrial strategy. “I am encouraging my federal colleagues to support the budget,” Eby said. “The budget is one that rewards and recognizes those provinces and territories that are willing to step up and drive for our country.” Some specific companies the government pledged more support for in the jobs plan are Mangrove Lithium, a Delta company using an electrical process to refine lithium for batteries, COTA Aviation, a Parksville defence and commercial aerospace contractor, CCI Circuits, a Surrey company building high-end circuit boards and two precast concrete companies, Duncan’s Gallon Precast and Williams Lake’s Grosso Precast. Funding will also be provided for biotech research, vaccine production and the development of antibody treatments for viruses such as COVID-19 and bird flu. Other parts of the plan have broad objectives, such as tripling the amount of wood used in construction within a decade, but are vague on the steps that will be taken and the benchmarks to be met along the way. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said it seems to be missing some “pretty significant components.” “In particular, when you look at expanding manufacturing, you look at expanding all these things, we don’t have the electricity in British Columbia,” he said. “We do not have the power we need to be able to dramatically expand our economy.” Rustad lamented that B.C. still sells natural gas to the U.S. at discounted prices, as well as the long timelines of some of the projects being pushed by the government, such as the North Coast Transmission Line. “We actually should see a plan to move oil and natural gas over to our coast in British Columbia in very large quantities to stop the subsidies to Americans,” he said. Eby wants government to profit from investments Linked to all this, but still in the theoretical stages, is a proposal for the B.C. government to take public equity stakes in some major projects. This idea was first floated publicly by the premier over the weekend as he spoke in support of a related resolution at the NDP convention in Victoria. Eby said on Monday that with the types of investments announced in this jobs plan, enabling the government to take an equity stake would allow taxpayers to reap the rewards, “just like a private individual investment in these companies.” Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon, who presented the Look West plan alongside Eby, said decisions on public equity stakes would be made in an open process similar to how companies bid on government contracts. “We want to make sure that anything that happens is done in a transparent way,” he said. Kahlon added that other jurisdictions, such as Quebec and Ontario, are further along in doing this, and B.C. will look to their example when creating its own process.

Our Place has been chosen by Tim Hortons as this year’s recipient of Greater Victoria’s Holiday Smile Cookie campaign, which runs from Nov. 17 to 23. For seven days, $1 from each Smile Cookie sold at Tim Hortons locations across the region will be donated to Our Place Society. Our Place staff and volunteers will also bring out their cookie-decorating skills for a good cause on the afternoon of Nov. 17. CEO Julian Daly and his team will join the Tim Hortons crew at 3501 Ravine Way between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Our Place Society supports Greater Victoria residents in need by providing more than 500,000 meals a year, 500 housing units and shelter spaces, long-term addiction recovery services and more. With financial support, the non-profit says it can help people move toward stability, safety and health.

Nanaimo RCMP are asking for the public’s help to find a medical case taken from an ambulance. The case containing life-saving supplies was last seen at about 11 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, while B.C. Emergency Health Services paramedics were responding to call on Clifford Road in Cedar. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the case or has information about this incident is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and reference file No. 2025-36470.

Nina Krieger’s first foray into provincial politics has been nothing short of a “wild ride.” While working as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, she decided to seek the BC NDP nomination in Victoria-Swan Lake for the 2024 election. Under the tutelage of retiring longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, Krieger learned about the constituency by connecting with residents and local organizations. On Oct. 19, 2024, she was elected with more than half the vote. She began her first term as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being promoted eight months later. When Premier David Eby reshuffled his cabinet back in June of this year, he made a call Krieger did not expect, offering her the role of minister of public safety and solicitor general. “It was a true honour to be asked to take on this role,” she told Victoria News. “It was wholly surprising but also a challenge and opportunity that I agreed to going forward with, with great humility for the role, gratitude for my predecessor and with great determination to do the work to advance public safety that British Columbians are expecting.” Occupying this role for the last six months, Krieger sat down with Victoria News to discuss her role, challenges, priorities and future goals. Central to her position, she explained, is prioritizing “adequate and effective policing” to ensure public safety for all B.C. residents. With collaboration at the core of her approach, Krieger seeks to work across ministries to improve the province’s correctional, coroner and victim services. “(We look) not only to ensure that we’re tackling crime, but also addressing some of the root causes of crime and supporting people when they need help,” she said. “The complexity of advancing public safety, which is beyond the work of any one ministry, is just such an awesome challenge.” Currently, Krieger is working with Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, to examine where public safety intersects with housing and health care. Krieger also mentioned working with police forces across the province to ensure they have the resources needed to address crime and local challenges. Another item atop Krieger’s list is to invest in the province’s specialized integrated units to combat specific issues like drug and human trafficking. However, enforcement is not Krieger’s only concern, adding that supporting victims of crime and vulnerable populations is also important. “In Victoria, we’re launching an initiative soon called Health IM, which is a digital tool that lets police log and capture specifics related to a mental health crisis and allows that information to be passed seamlessly to health professionals, really supporting compassionate interactions with people and ensuring they get the care that they need,” she said. Being in session since Oct. 6 in her new role, Krieger said there’s never been a dull moment. “It’s been a wild ride and it’s been really exciting,” she said. “As a minister, I have a role in that question period, fielding questions about various issues related to public safety from the opposition and from the other parties, so it’s been action-packed.” While Krieger said that “so much has happened” over the past year, she added that the foundation of her work remains anchored in the community she represents every week at the legislative assembly. “My work outside of the ministry office with community organizations continues and really fuels the work that happens in the chamber,” she said.

It’s been a busy November for the Cowichan Valley Capitals following a blockbuster Oct. 28 trade that saw fan favourites Kole Keen and Owen Fitzgerald traded away to the Surrey Eagles in exchange for a trio of players. Maintaining their place among the league’s top teams, the Capitals have gone 3-1 (through Nov. 13) to start the month including an overtime thriller against the Nanaimo Clippers. The Capitals first beat the Grizzlies 4-2 in Victoria to start the month. Massimo Fazio scored in the first, Jack McAra and Camden Charron scored in the third period and Slad Firkus added an empty netter late to seal the win. Stoesser got the win between the pipes. The following night they bested the Vernon Vipers 6-2 at the Cowichan Arena despite giving up the first two goals of the game. To begin a six-goal unanswered streak in the second period, Shawnigan Lake product Brendyn Van Oene scored his first as a Capital since joining the team from the Eagles. Gavin Nemis also scored his first with the team to tie the game at 2-2 after two periods of play. Firkus, Trace Frieden, Anthony Hall, and Tristan Gravenor all tallied in the third to make it a 6-1 win. The Capitals were defeated 4-1 by the Nanaimo Clippers during a road game on Nov. 7 with Gravenor scoring the Capitals’ lone goal. Cowichan got their revenge in Duncan on Nov. 8, beating the Clippers in overtime thanks to a goal from Hall 2:24 into the extra period. It was Hall’s second goal of the game. Team captain Ryan Harvey also scored twice in the contest. The Capitals took to the road for their next two games with tilts against the Powell River Kings at Hap Parker Arena on Nov. 14, and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, on Nov. 16, at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Against Powell River, Cowichan fell behind early, conceding two goals in the first period. After a regroup in the first intermission, the Capitals popped off for six unanswered goals to win 6-2. In the second period, Gavin Rocha scored his first since coming over from Surrey in the big trade, and Tyler Rowland got Cowichan’s game-tying goal. Nemis potted a pair to put the Caps up by two before Ryder Dembo and Gravenor each added singles in the 6-2 victory. The Caps continued to push in Port Alberni, with a 4-3 overtime win. Once again, it was scoring by committee as Carter Stamp-Vincent, Tyler Rowland, and Hunter Heisten all scored for Cowichan before the Bulldogs got three in a row back to tie the game. In the end, it was Nemis on the power-play just over three minutes into overtime who put Cowichan on top. Cowichan now has five wins and one loss since the trade and looks ahead to play two in a row against the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings Nov. 21 and 22. Puck drop for both games at the Cowichan Arena is 7 p.m. Ice Chips: Duncan forward Carson Lesiuk, 20, was traded from the Nanaimo Clippers to the Powell River Kings for future considerations on Nov. 5 and then flipped to the Coquitlam Express the following day, also for future considerations. In a BCHL career that’s spanned parts of five years, Lesiuk has played two as a call-up for the Cowichan Valley Capitals (2021-22), 25 games for the Penticton Vees (2023-2024), 62 games for the Nanaimo Clippers (2024-25) and now the Express (one game as of Nov. 13).

Proposed “small changes” that could “result in big improvements” to traffic flow at a busy Langford intersection are drawing mixed reactions. Draft versions of the city’s Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan suggest congestion could be eased at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Peatt Road by restricting northbound access on Peatt – allowing only buses to travel north from the Brock-Peatt roundabout up to the intersection. Consultants hired by the city say the current signal timing favours the dual left turns from Peatt Road onto the highway, which often leads to those vehicles blocking the intersection – especially during peak periods when highway traffic is already backed up. The draft proposal also recommends limiting movements from Strandlund Avenue, which meets the same intersection, by only allowing vehicles to exit to the right onto Veterans Memorial Parkway. “The reality is that this intersection is too close to the Millstream overpass, and with full turning movements in every direction, it bogs down the system,” says the city’s Transportation and Active Transportation survey. “As we grow to a population of 100,000, we will have to reduce turning movements to improve traffic flow through this intersection.” While the proposed Peatt Road closure would change the driving habits of residents of Langford’s downtown core, redirecting them to Massie Drive, Goldstream Avenue or Leigh Road, the draft plan argues the change would ultimately reduce congestion across the city. “… but it will also mean that you won’t be stuck in your driveway until the morning traffic clears,” says the survey. “These changes will improve travel times and prevent gridlock on local roads in Langford in the future.” These ideas are among several options put forward by consultants, which are still under development and not yet approved. Without changes to traffic patterns and signal timing, the consultants warn that the long-standing frustrations along Veterans Memorial Parkway are likely to worsen. But some locals disagree, with debate spilling onto social media. “It may alleviate some hassle around the overpass, but creates havoc elsewhere,” wrote one local on Facebook. “They’re pushing all traffic onto Goldstream and VMP, which is already overflowing,” said another. “This plan also looks a lot like a page out of Victoria’s playbook.” “Traffic is stupid already,” cried one Facebook user. “Just leave it alone – it’s so hard to get around in Langford.” “Maybe before they make all these changes, they change the timing in the light(s) and do a ticketing blitz on people who block the intersection?” suggested one person. Mill Hill residents are also not happy, raising a number of concerns about restricting access to the neighbourhood via Strandlund Avenue, saying it forces drivers onto alternative access points at Six Mile Road and Hoffman Avenue. “This is going to be a huge inconvenience and increase in my commute as the 1,000 or so residents in Mill Hill try to exit out of Hoffman every day,” said one Facebook user. “Try driving out of Hoffman when school is out,” said another. But not all comments have been negative. “This actually makes a lot of sense,” one local wrote. “Currently, due to the timing of the lights, cars on Peat Road get priority when turning left and often leave no room for cars on VMP. The intersection gets blocked by Peat Road red light runners and no one is having any fun.” Both the Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan are still in the draft phase, with the second round of public engagement and consultation underway. Feedback gathered will help the city refine key recommendations and priorities. “Council will review the draft later this winter, and the public will have an opportunity to provide feedback before any decisions are made,” said a city spokesperson in an emailed statement. “At this time, no changes have been implemented.” Folks are encouraged to have their say by taking part in the online survey. The city has extended the deadline to Friday, Nov. 21, giving residents additional time to share their input: www.letschatlangford.ca/transportation [http://www.letschatlangford.ca/transportation].

Sam Bennett’s early third-period goal stood up as the winner, as the Florida Panthers earned a 8-5 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Monday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Seth Jones (2) A.J. Greer, Luke Kunin, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand also scored for Florida (10-8-1). Sam Reinhart added three assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made just 10 saves but got the goaltending win. Elias Pettersson had a pair of goals for the Canucks (9-10-2), with Jake DeBrusk, Drew O’Connor and Filip Hronek adding singles. Captain Quinn Hughes had three assists and Jiri Patera took the loss in goal, allowing seven goals on 40 shots. The Canucks didn’t get their first shot until nearly 12 minutes into the first period, but still took the lead at 14:50. Bobrovsky thought he had a puck covered in his crease, but O’Connor poked away at it and jammed it home for his sixth goal of the season. DeBrusk upped the lead to 2-0 just 24 seconds later on a power play, converting a nice cross-crease feed from Kiefer Sherwood for his eighth of the season (seventh on the power play). The Panthers answered 36 seconds later when the Canucks got mixed up on a line change. Greer took a feed from Carter Verhaege in the deep slot and fired a shot past the blocker of Patera. With 7.7 seconds left in the period, Jones tied things up, slipped a shot five-hole past Patera from the bottom of the right offensive faceoff circle. Floria held an 11-5 shots-on-goal advantage after 20 minutes. Early in the second, Kunin ended a 38-game goal-scoring drought, knocking home a loose puck into an empty net as Patera got tangled in front with Pettersson. Rodrigues made it 4-2 with a shorthanded marker at 6:10, converitng a nice pass from Reinhart who was followed behind the net by three Canucks. Lundell upped the Florida margin to 5-2 67 seconds later, taking a pass from Brad Marchand and firing a perfect shot high to the stick side of Patera. Marchand has points in eight straight games. Just 38 seconds after that, Pettersson cut the deficit to 5-3, finishing off a nice three-way passing play with Hughes and Evander Kane. > HUGHES ➡️ KANE ➡️ PETEY ???? pic.twitter.com/wWRhKSJguY > [https://t.co/wWRhKSJguY] > > — Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 18, 2025 > [https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1990591785291206961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] The Canucks struck first in the third, as Pettersson roofed a backhander over the glove of Bobrovsky 1:24 into the final frame. Hronek tied things at 5-5 on the power play, scoring his first of the year after taking a cross-crease feed from Max Sasson at 3:14. Less than a minute later, the Panthers grabbed the lead again, when Mikola’s point shot was tipped in by Bennett. With Vancouver’s Marcus Pettersson in the penalty box, Jones scored again on the power play at 8:19, sneaking in from the point to the slot and flicking a shot past Patera to make it 7-5. The Canucks return home Thursday (7 p.m.) to host the Dallas Stars and the Calgary Flames visit Rogers Arena on Sunday (6 p.m.). The Canucks pulled Patera in favour of an extra attacker with six minutes to go while on a power play but couldn’t convert. Marchand completed the scoring with his 13th of the year into an empty net with 1:46 to play. NOTES: Hughes has 10 points in his last three games… Patera was playing his first NHL game since the 2023-24 season with the Vegas Golden Knights… Elias Pettersson has two points in each of his last four outings… Bobrovsky picked up an assist on Jones’s first goal… Both teams were 2-for-6 on the power play.

When Sgt. Adrian Last joined the Canadian Rangers in early 2020, he didn’t expect the experience to reconnect him with his Indigenous roots. But over the past five years, serving with the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group in his hometown of Gold River has done exactly that, and given new meaning to a day that honours the generations who came before him. “It’s really important to acknowledge that there are Indigenous veterans, and that there have been Indigenous veterans,” Last told Victoria News. “Even though the relationships in this country haven’t always been perfect, Indigenous people have been fighting for Canada throughout history, right alongside everyone else. We’re all Canadians, and that’s what we fight for.” Each year on Nov. 8, communities across the country mark Indigenous Veterans Day, a national day of remembrance that originated in Winnipeg in 1994. Before its creation, Indigenous veterans were often excluded from Remembrance Day ceremonies. They couldn’t march together as a group or lay wreaths at cenotaphs. The day was established to correct that oversight and recognize the thousands of First Nations, Métis and Inuit soldiers who served in conflicts dating back to the War of 1812. More than 12,000 Indigenous people served in the Canadian Armed Forces in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Many brought valuable traditional skills to the battlefield, scouts, trackers and snipers whose knowledge of the land made them invaluable in combat. That same spirit of service continues today through the Canadian Rangers, a reserve force made up largely of Indigenous members who patrol and support remote and northern communities. They’re known as the “eyes and ears” of the Canadian Armed Forces, drawing on their traditional knowledge to assist during emergencies, sovereignty patrols and search and rescue operations. In Gold River, the Rangers have been part of the community since 1992. Last joined after his two children became involved in the Junior Canadian Rangers program, and the whole family soon followed suit. “It’s a really good way to serve your community and your country,” he said. “You feel like you’re part of something bigger than just the little villages we’re from.” Through his time with the Rangers, Last has also found space to rediscover parts of his own identity. His mother’s side of the family is Algonquin (Ontario), and he grew up in Mowachaht/Muchalaht (Gold River) territory on Vancouver Island. For years, he said, conversations around their Indigenous background were quiet, even avoided. “My mom was of the age where it wasn’t really talked about,” he said. “For me, joining the Canadian Armed Forces introduced me to strong, proud Indigenous men who encouraged me to explore my culture. It really opened a floodgate for me. It came at the right time.” Now, when Indigenous Veterans Day arrives each November, Last takes it as a day for reflection. “There aren’t big ceremonies in Gold River, but I use these days to think about the people who served before us,” he said. “It’s more meaningful now that I understand that part of my history.” For Last, the day is a reminder that honouring Indigenous veterans isn’t about separation from Canada’s story, it’s about completing it. “It’s all part of the same history,” he said. “Recognizing Indigenous veterans just makes that history more whole.” Indigenous veterans and military personnel will be honoured during an Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. at the cenotaph outside the B.C. legislature. After that, Legion #292 (Trafalgar/Pro Patria) will welcome Sgt. Last and CR. Smecher of the Canadian Rangers from noon until 2 p.m. to share how their local knowledge and heritage help them patrol, provide surveillance, and support the Canadian Armed Forces.

Parksville Fire Rescue was awarded $40,000 from the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Volunteer (Composite Fire Departments Equipment and Training) Fund enabling the purchase and installation of advanced decontamination equipment. Grant funding was approved in 2024 and the project with a total cost of $41,144, was completed in October 2025. According to a press release, installation of Meiko decontamination washer and related equipment has significantly enhanced the department’s ability to meet both community needs and the BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards by ensuring personal protective equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus, helmets, air cylinders and facepieces are properly decontaminated after each use, reducing the risk of long-term health issues caused by exposure to carcinogens and other hazards. This project has also enhanced the resilience of Parksville Fire Rescue operational readiness by significantly reducing the time and labour required to clean firefighter gear facilitating a quicker turnaround time. “By equipping Parksville firefighters with the knowledge and equipment to maintain clean gear, the department has taken a proactive step in protecting the long-term health of members,” said acting assistant chief Cam Cruickshank. “Knowing their gear is properly cleaned helps to alleviate stress and anxiety related to potential health risks, contributing to a healthier work environment in a high-risk profession.”

Five Ballenas Whalers senior varsity players were named to the B.C. Secondary Schools Football Island Division All-Star team. Offensive linemen Draeden Jones and Matt Crowie, receiver Riley Wilson, linebacker Bennet Switzer and defensive back Malcolm Williams were recognized for their performance during the regular season, assisting the Whalers to advance to the quarterfinals of the provincial playoffs. They will face the Argyle Secondary Pipers on Nov. 14. Switzer, who also plays running back, leads the Whalers defence with 50 tackles in the five games he played, with one interception and one touchdown. “It’s an honour to be placed in that skilled group,” said Switzer, who learned how to play football when he was in Prince George. “It’s cool to be recognized for work that I did in the regular season.” Williams, who is only in Grade 11, has also been a key defensively for the Whalers, having recorded seven tackles and three interceptions to his credit. “It was kind of unexpected,” said Williams. “It’s definitely nice though. It just shows that the hard work I’ve been doing is paying off.” The players named to the all-star team are selected by coaches of opposing teams in the Island Division. Head coach Dan Smith said they are proud to have five Whalers named as all-stars. He added that there are other players worthy of being included who just missed out. He told the other players that “they became all-stars because of the players around them give them opportunities to excel and to show their talents and their skills. That’s really what that’s about.” The Whalers also gave recognition to two of their junior players for helping the senior Whalers whenever they are short of players. Offensive and defensive linemen Bentley Dore-Radil and Douglas Pitt were honoured by the coaching staff as ‘Junior Ironman Call Up Players.’ Junior head coach Mike Seselja, who organizes the Nanoose Bay Halloween Walk involving the Whalers football team, congratulated players who took part in the annual fundraising event. The Whalers program will receive $17,036 and put more than $180 in cash donations, with $5,678 being donated to the the Nanoose Bay Elementary School and $500 to the District 69 Global Roams program. “We’ve been doing this for almost 14 years and it started off as a barbeque at someone else’s house,” Seselja said. “Three years later we did it at our house and then we decided to make it a fundraiser for a hockey team. We made $1,500 I think for the first time we did it. It was just by donation. That weekend has just ballooned into a big event.” The Halloween Walk attracts visitors from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. The success of the annual event is contingent on the participation of players, the support of the Whalers parents, many volunteers, local businesses and also the community. “It’s a huge thing,” said Seselja. “The football program needs that money to carry on, to buy all the equipment, to pay the buses, and all the different things that you have.” Seselja pointed out two players for acting roles as pirates on the night of the Halloween walk. Brothers Oleksii and Yurii Katsevych were awarded the ‘Best Pirate Actors’ at the Halloween Walk. The Whalers are now preparing the for a AA quarter-final clash against the Pipers. The BCSSFA calls the match the featured game of the week that will be played in North Vancouver on Nov. 14. Williams wants to really avenge a earlier loss. “The last game, we were missing a lot of key important players,” said Williams. “This game, we should have them all back and healthy, just trying to dial in the game.” The Junior Whalers will take on the John Barsby Bulldogs in their AA quarter-final playoff match at Harewood East Artificial Turf on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m.

A program to help youths in Nanaimo get their driver’s licences can rev up thanks to a $50,000 grant. Nanaimo Youth Services Association recently announced a $50,000 grant from RBC for its ‘L2N’ driving practice program. The program provides free one-on-one driving practice for youths who face barriers to getting their licence. L2N, delivered in partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation, has already supported 165 people, with 116 earning a novice driver’s licence and 12 getting their learner’s licence. The program is proud of its 80-per cent pass rate which it says is well above the provincial average. “In a city like Nanaimo, a driver’s license is more than a piece of plastic, it’s a key to a future,” said Anthony Maki, director of the L2N program at NYSA, in a press release. Nicole Slater, RBC’s incoming regional vice-president for north Vancouver Island, said in the release staff at bank branches in Nanaimo see young people facing challenges every day. “The L2N program provides a direct, practical solution that helps youth build a better future for themselves right here in our community,” she said.

A man who locked himself in a Nanaimo house and potentially had a gun has been apprehended and taken to hospital. The incident took place at Bowstring Close, near Departure Bay Road, Saturday, Nov. 8 at approximately noon, according to reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson, and it involved a person who was thought to be having a “mental health crisis.” The man was said to be acting “erractically” this morning. “Given that situation, the street was shut down,” said O’Brien. “Our emergency response team was called in, with hostage negotiator, and after a certain period of time, the individual was removed from the home, apprehended under the (B.C.) Mental Health Act, taken to hospital for psychiatric examination.” No shots were fired at police, according to O’Brien, but officers did utilize “less-than-lethal” ammunition, which did not significantly injure the man and the home has been secured. A search warrant is being prepared to allow RCMP officers to search the home for any firearms, the reserve constable said. It is not known whether the man was under the influence of illicit substances.

Guitar may not be everyone’s first thought when it comes to classical compositions, but when listening to the music of Ferdinando Carulli, guitar becomes a gateway to the late 18th century. The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra is starting its 2025-26 season on Saturday, Nov. 15, featuring guest classical guitar soloist Alan Rinehart playing Carulli’s baroque Guitar Concerto in E Minor, Opus 140. “It’s not a big piece, in terms of sound, but it follows a very typical classical form,” Rinehart told the News Bulletin. “You think of Mozart or Haydn if they had written a guitar concerto, it would be similar sounding to that.” Rinehart began playing classical guitar 50 years ago, and since then co-founded the Vancouver Guitar Quartet, released 10 solo CDs, and taught in the music departments at Vancouver Community College and the University of British Columbia. The musician said when he picked up the guitar in the early 1970s he was drawn into rock and folk, but that didn’t last long. “When I heard a classical guitarist and heard recordings it really caught my interest and I was hooked,” he said. “It became a real, total vocation for me and I have been doing it ever since.” Rinehart said anyone who studies classical guitar will come across Carulli as a fundamental musician in the genre. “He wrote a tremendous amount of music for early playing, and he wrote a lot of music for solo guitar but he really shines when he writes chamber music. It’s a real little gem in three short movements, about 16 minutes long. It has some moments of real beauty and moments of real drama.” The end result is what Rinehart considers a ‘conversation’ between the guitarist and the orchestra throughout the piece. “The orchestra makes a statement, the guitar answers the statement … then there’s some combined playing.” Other music attendees can expect in the upcoming show includes Vivaldi’s Concerto Alla Rustica, Tomaso Albinoni’s Sinfonia a Cinq, Opus 2 and Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings. “It’s an appealing program, it’s not going to be too intellectual or too unpleasantly modern,” the guitarist said. Titled Sweet Strings, the show takes place on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Ladysmith. Admission is $25 for adults, $5 for students and free for those under 13. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.nanaimochamberorchestra.com [http://www.nanaimochamberorchestra.com].

To the editor, As Remembrance Day draws near, our thoughts turn to the immense sacrifices of the men and women of our armed forces who bravely gave their lives for the freedoms we cherish today. Equally vital yet often overlooked are the merchant marines. These men and women, while operating under perilous conditions, were the lifeblood of the war effort, transporting troops and essential supplies such as weapons, food, fuel, clothing, etc. Their ships were frequently targeted by enemy forces leading to a high casualty rate. Thankfully, even today the brave merchant marines, in spite of being a highly hazardous industry, continue to ensure the global flow of goods. Just look what goes on in the Red Sea off of Yemen. Therefore, let us all collectively honour and remember all the brave men and women who served and still serve in our armed forces and our courageous merchant marines. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude and must keep their stories alive. Lest we forget. Patricia MacKay, Nanaimo — The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press Media or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Preference is given to letters expressing an opinion on issues of local relevance or responding to items published in the News Bulletin. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published. Mail: Letters, Nanaimo News Bulletin, 777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 2H7 E-mail: editor@nanaimobulletin.com

Over the past few years, there has been a definite increase in the number of restaurants serving ramen in Victoria, either as a menu item or as the feature dish. Of the latter, one of the newest is Kinton Ramen in the new Customs House building between Lulu Lemon and Starbucks. Kinton Ramen is a Canadian chain with 52 locations across the country. Victoria’s rendition offers a modern interior of open ceilings with exposed ductwork, polished concrete floors, dark colours enlivened with orange pine-topped tables and backless benches, and lustrous golden-tiled wall panels. A yellow neon sign at the back advertises “A Bowl of Happiness.” Ramen is a Japanese street food, but at Kinton it is served restaurant-style. Fast food without the counter and menu boards, but as one would expect of any successful fast-food chain, the table menu is well laid out. Columns offer pork, chicken, beef or vegetarian, while crossing rows offer different styles of preparation: original, shoyu, miso, spicy garlic and spicy jalapeño. One selects from the grid, then chooses between thin, thick or Shirataki noodles, the latter of which are gluten free because they are made from potatoes. Bowls are all of one size and priced at $16.99 or $17.99. But of course, if you’re hungry, you can make that a combo. The Meal for One ($25.99) offers any ramen bowl, a choice of pork or vegetable gyozas or Tokyo Fries (topped with bonito flakes and shredded nori) and a Coca-Cola product beverage. Meals for two ($44.99) and for four ($87.99) are also available. An unusual twist is the Beer/Sake combo ($23.99), which gives you any ramen bowl plus a 16-ounce glass of Sapporo Draft beer and a 5-ounce glass of “house” sake. I and my dining partner, Carla, opt to pass on the beverages and order a bowl and a gyoza each. Carla chooses the basic Original Pork bowl with thin noodles, so I go bold, opting for the Spicy Garlic Beef bowl with thick noodles, to which I added a seasoned egg. And, as she chose the pork Gyoza, I go with the veggie. Gyoza ($6.99) is a Japanese dumpling, similar in style to a Chinese pot-sticker. Kinton serves them four to a plate, topped with a sweet chili sauce. Though the pork gyozas are good, Carla and I both prefer the vegetarian version for its fresher flavours that I find work particularly well with her Original Pork Ramen. Her bowl features a smooth cream-based sauce with a seasoned egg included, sea salt, nori, bamboo shoots, scallions and wood ear mushrooms in addition to slivers of fatty side pork (the same cut as side bacon, but without cure or smoke). The overall impression is smooth umami, almost bland, which I find preferable to the raw searing heat that dominates my bowl. I can barely make out the flavours of the beef broth, horseradish, bamboo shoots, scallions and garlic. My seasoned egg is perfectly boiled to a medium yolk (bright yellow with a jammy texture), and the large, thin, two-bite slices of tender grainy beef brisket are delectable, but neither is enough to compensate for the brutal deployment of chili oil. I can tolerate a lot of heat, but no matter the intensity, spice should always work with the other flavours, adding another layer to a complex, harmonious whole. This heat does not do that. I haven’t tried every ramen house in the city, but the ones I have visited our proud to offer in-house-made noodles. At Kinton, my server wasn’t sure. My takeaway is that this is fast food that will fill a belly at a reasonable price, but it’s not the promised “bowl of happiness.” Kinton Ramen 813 Wharf Street 250 590 9699 kintonramen.com

A sea of poppies and quiet reflection will fill Trafalgar/Pro Patria Royal Canadian Legion Branch #292 on Nov. 11, as the Victoria branch once again opens its doors for Remembrance Day. The day begins at the cenotaph at the B.C. legislature, where members of the legion will take part in the parade and wreath-laying ceremony before returning to the branch to continue the day’s events. Doors open at noon (411 Gorge Rd. E) upon the arrival of the Poppy Parade, followed by a lineup of performances including the Victoria Police Band at 12:30 p.m., the Canadian College of Performing Arts, the Victoria Police Chorus, the Castle-Carey Pipe Band, and The BackBeat Band. For branch president Bill Wilson, Nov. 11 is not just a date on the calendar, it’s a time to pause, connect, and remember. “As president of the branch, it’s a bit of a zenith for us,” said Wilson, who has served as president for three years. “We try very hard to encourage people to come out, socialize with one another, and recollect. Many of the folks at our branch are service veterans, and this is an opportunity for them to feel good about what they’ve undertaken in their lives and the contributions they’ve made to Canadian society.” Wilson said the meaning of Remembrance Day often extends beyond the battlefield. “It’s not a celebration of war,” he said. “It’s a recognition of the sacrifice that people have taken on. When I walked through the graveyards in Europe from World War One, seeing the age of those young men, it’s absolutely overwhelming. There’s no celebration in that. It’s a recognition and a collective sharing of wisdom from experience.” Wilson’s dedication to the legion stems from a personal connection. His father served in the Second World War in Burma, an experience that left lasting emotional scars. ”He survived without any physical damage, but he sure as heck had some emotional ones,” Wilson said. “I think part of my involvement comes from wanting to recognize the risks my father took with his life, and to do my small part to give back.” Under Wilson’s leadership, Branch #292 has grown significantly, both in membership and impact. The legion donates roughly $100,000 each year to veterans’ charities and emergency assistance programs, while also serving thousands of meals to community members. Wilson said he’s grateful for the City of Victoria’s recent decision to include the branch in its permissive tax exemption for nonprofits, which totals $512,714.20 between 2026 and 2028. “It’s an amazingly positive decision by city council,” he said. “That kind of support allows us to keep raising funds and helping local veterans, some of whom are living rough right here in Victoria. We’re proud of the work we do, and Remembrance Day is when it all comes together. It’s when we stop, remember, and remind each other why this matters.”

The climate action plan entrenched in the draft OCP is not sustainable. No more electricity for EVs, EV stations, and all-electrical housing units at a density the power grid and Highway 14 can not handle. We need to revert to the 2010 OCP bylaw. The provincial debt cannot be sustained, and the public can pay no more. Do the responsible thing. Tell the provincial government to take Bill 44 back and let’s let the people of Sooke design their town in a way we can afford, and to protect our beautiful landscape, water and economy. Net zero is way too costly to build, let alone buy, and is insane as we need the CO2 to create oxygen from our trees, grass and ocean, so we have life. Now, even Bill Gates is backing off on the climate emergency. He is saying we need to house and feed the people. There is a change happening, and this OCP has become redundant. Ellen Lewers Sooke

When looking to get into full swing in the Cowichan Valley, the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is above par. The club started as a nine-hole dream, after the Arbutus Ridge Living Community project near the Cobble Hill coast line north of Mill Bay had its initial planning stages in 1984. The 225-acre site, which had been owned by the Patrick family for the previous 15 years, was subsequently purchased in 1986 by Canadian Retirement Corporation Developments. The largest and most expensive vision for the emerging community catering to those 55 and older was a new golf course. The nine-hole course was designed in 1987 by Bill Robinson of the firm Cornish & Robinson, who had become well know for his golf course creations across Canada. Course construction commenced on March 17, 1987, and was in full swing for its official opening on May 13, 1988. By the fall of 1988, 52 more acres of adjoining land had been purchased by CRC Developments. After a proposal for an addition, nine holes received a 90 per cent in-favour at a general meeting of the Strata Corporation on Jan. 17, 1989. Cornish & Robinson were called back to get on course design. Construction commenced in April 1990 by the firm Hall & Lindsay, who were retained to do the entire job from the initial land clearing to maintaining the course through the third cutting of the fairways. The additional nine-holes officially opened and operated as such until April 1991. Fore-sale GolfBC Group announced on July 12, 2019 that it had closed on the sale of Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, which then became a semi-private golf club owned and operated by the Yi Jing Golf Club Inc. In 2019, Arbutus Ridge went under the ownership of Central Walk, which also owns some of B.C.’s biggest malls such as Woodgrove in Nanaimo, Mayfair in Victoria, and Tsawwassen Mills on the mainland. Thriving with drive the Arbutus Ridge facility has continued to provide outstanding value to residents of the community as well as golf enthusiasts both on the 18-hole golf course and inside the clubhouse. Very proud of its sustainability efforts, Arbutus Ridge has earned numerous accolades including the 2017 Tourism Vancouver Island Employer of the Year award. Arbutus Ridge Golf Club administrator Agata Atmore, beverage cart manager Danielle Yin and golf pros Andrew Hajer, and Jayme Young who had nothing but wonderful things to say about their time and experiences with the club. Atmore, who has only been working at Arbutus Ridge for about six months, was born in Poland, raised in Alberta and has been a resident of the Cowichan Valley for the last 12 years. A golfer of 13 years Atmore describes herself as a just for fun golfer and loves to try and get on the course at least a few times a year and since starting in her new role, being a mother herself, she loves seeing kids in action. “I have love to meet new members and see people have fun,” said Atmore. This is Yin’s fourth year with Arbutus Ridge and in addition to managing the course beverage cart, she also works in the Pro Shop and administration office. She said what she has loved most is getting to know all the members from as young as juniors to those age 99. “I really like all the members here,” said Yin. “I’ve gotten to know a lot them very well so I really enjoy those relationships.” Hajer, who has been in the golf industry for nearly 25 years, moved to the valley from the lower mainland 12 years ago. He has been a golf pro for nine years and celebrates his ninth season with Arbutus Ridge where he is currently the Head Golf Professional. Hajer admits while he still has some loyal clients that he teaches he now focuses more of his attention on the business aspect of the golf operations. Young, who has worked with Arbutus Ridge for 28 years, has been a golf pro for the past 25 years and what he loves most about his job is teaching kids ages four and up. He starts by showing them the basics such as stance, posture, grip, and ball position. “I love seeing the look on their face when they finally hit that shot that they hadn’t been able to do and see that moment of wow I did that,” said Young. “It is super important that you have those fundamentals down in order to make the proper and efficient swings,” said Hajer. Young also teaches a lot of junior camps throughout the year, as well as the Shawnigan Lake golf team. “We’ll see 200 junior students throughout the year within the various camps and clinics,” said Hajer. “Jayme runs a phenomenal junior league,” said Atmore. “He’s a highlight for all the juniors for sure. I personally know 10 kids who just dropped out of hockey to pursue golf because of him.” Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, which is open 12 months a year and only closes on the days that Mother Nature makes the green white, currently has about 400 members that play on the course. They offer annual memberships and their full play no-restriction membership is $3,650 for the year. “We are also open to the public, and also host public players and public events,” said Hajer. “Anyone can come and use the driving range, dine in our restaurant, or play golf here. A membership allows full access to the course, and golfers can play as much as they want. It also gives discounts in our restaurant and golf shop. Another benefit of being a member is that we have an opening and closing day event, our club championship, inter clubs that play against other courses on the southern island, as well as our Mens and Ladies Day, and Couple’s Day.” They also offer Men’s Nights on Tuesday for a drop-in fee of $75 per night, which includes 18 holes of golf as well as dinner and prizes. A Ladies Night is also offered on Mondays for $45 which includes nine holes of golf, prizes, and dinner is optional. These nights run from mid April to mid September; the last event for this season took place on Sept. 16. “We usually average between a $1,500 and $2,000 prize table every Tuesday thanks to our sponsors,” said Hajar. Arbutus Ridge hosts plenty of public events for golfers of all ages and abilities throughout the year. They celebrated their third year hosting a two-person team event this past July which Hajer said went great and sold out. “It’s a great format, and people have a lot of fun,” said Hajer. One of their biggest annual tournaments is the Arbutus Ridge Amateur, which is typically hosted during the second week of June. It is slotted for the June 6 and 7 in 2026. “We will host about 130 to 140 of the top amateur players from mainly Vancouer Island but it also extends to golfers throughout B.C.,” said Hajer. “This has become a very popular event for us and we sell out in usually just a few weeks.” Things were in full swing as the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club hosted the 2025 – BC U17 Boys and Girls Provincial Championship, which consists of one practice round followed by three competitive rounds. One hundred seven younger golfers took part in the four day event from Aug. 18 to 21. At Arbutus Ridge Golf Club any tee time is a glee time but golfers of any age can embrace their inner Happy Gilmore and break out their hockey stick nine iron and favourite NHL jersey for the club’s popular hockey themed golf tournament ‘Power Play of Prizes. Always quick to sell out and held in October, this year’s event takes place on Oct. 25. “Out of all our events and tournaments, this is my favourite,” said Yin. “It’s just really fun, everyone is happy to play even if they are not playing well. They just like to be with their friends and have a few drinks which is good for me.” “It’s a scramble tournament,” said Hajer. “You create a team of four, play a scramble format, and compete for prizes.” The cost is $600 per team to register with the opportunity to walk away with tons of golf related prizes such as clubs, clothes, shoes, bags and more. “We do a shootout from the top of the balcony down to the 18th green below,” said Hajer. The glass on the restaurant balcony is exchanged for a hockey rink board that the players hit between, so if by chance a bad shot is hit, it does not go into the crowd. Atmor said that last year part of the patio was turned into VIP seating. While the Power Play event is open to the public, membership does indeed have its benefits as those who have played in previous years get first priority booking. Hajer said they often only need to fill a small number of spots. Not all 144 participants get to have the fun of hitting from the deck; players have to qualify for the shootout within their team on the day and then the top 30 get to slice from the sky. But Hajer’s favourite hole is five. “It’s a fun tee shot and you have to hit it over water, and then between two treed areas, then once you navigate that you have a really tricky green,” said Hajer. “Where you place the ball on the green really sets you up and you can have no chance if you get it into the wrong part of the green. So it’s really about that challenge off the tee, and then that challenge once you get on the green. That’s my favourite hole here.” Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is still accepting new members. Those interested can either reach out to Agata Atmore at admin@arbutusridge.com [http://admin@arbutusridge.com] or to Andrew Hajer at ahajer@arbutusridge.com [javascript:location='mailto:\u0061\u0068\u0061\u006a\u0065\u0072\u0040\u0061\u0072\u0062\u0075\u0074\u0075\u0073\u0072\u0069\u0064\u0067\u0065\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d';void 0]. Another thing sports enthusiasts will ‘LOVE’ is the three indoor tennis courts that Arbutus Ridge Golf Club has to offer. The courts are a separate entity from the golf membership and are also open to the public for bookings. For more information on all the club has to offer visit arbutusridge.com [https://arbutusridge.com/about/us]. Their new website will be launched soon. “It is the only indoor tennis court facility from Victoria to Nanaimo,” said Atmore. All four staff shared a common thread when it came to their favourite part of the job, which they all agree makes coming to work fun: the club members and the regular pubic they see and the relationships they get to build on a daily basis. The hope is that all golfers enjoy the well-groomed golf course that the grounds crew provides for them, as well as their experience with every staff member such as Yin who keeps players in ‘good spirits’ on the course. “We just want them to want to come back and to make Arbutus Ridge their home away from home,” said Hajer. “We just want golfers, whether new or seasoned, to take the passion and the love for the game. That is what we want to instill with everybody that we interact with. “We want to make them want to come back and to hit another bucket of balls or to book another tee time with us because they also enjoyed their interactions with us.”

With Remembrance Day approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on what we are remembering — and who we are honouring. One active service member, who chose to remain anonymous, offered the following advice. “There’s a lot of attention paid to the war dead and to those who were gravely injured in major conflicts. The World Wars and other major armed conflicts like Korea and Afghanistan tend to get mentioned, but a lot fewer people consider the dedication and valour of people who serve or have served in our military and come away forever changed. Maybe it’s because people just don’t know.” It’s a sentiment that might well be felt by Robert Cookson. He served for 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and retired as a Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class and, during that time, he fulfilled more roles and had more experiences than most people will have in a lifetime. Even though his service isn’t the highlight of Remembrance Day ceremonies, perhaps it should be included. “I was with the first group of soldiers that went into Honduras in 1990. Our job was to help disarm (insurgent) forces as they came down out of the hills,” recalled Cookson. “We were unarmed, but luckily the other nations who were there with us, like the Columbians, were armed. There were a few skirmishes as these men came down from the hills because communication was bad and some of them didn’t know that things were ending. They showed up with their weapons and the clothes on their back.” Even though that situation exposed Canadian forces to potential danger every day, barely a mention of the mission can be found anywhere in online searches of Canadian involvement abroad. Another example of untold valour in the forces occurred in 2003, when Cookson was serving as Coxswain on HMCS Ottawa. The ship was some 200 nautical miles off the Baja Peninsula, acting as an escort for the submarine HMCS Victoria. A major engine room fire broke out in the night, and fire crews responded. “There were 241 people on the ship,” said Cookson. “We had just finished training workups to test the ship’s readiness for deployment when the fire happened.” Cookson recalled how the fire crews had to battle the flames in 20-minute alternating shifts because of the impossible conditions. “The smoke was so heavy that you couldn’t see a foot in front of your face. There was one man, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Sidney Smith, who kept going in, leading each crew to the place they had to spray to keep the fire from spreading. He probably saved the ship that night.” Now, anyone reading the official account of the event might consider it a relatively unimportant blip on the military radar. Under the heading key facts, that report states, “Due to leadership and firefighting efforts the ship was underway again in a normal engineering mode within two hours.” What exactly happened that night will probably never be known, except by the people who were involved. Cookson and the crew were debriefed, and limits were placed on what they could say. “I remember standing on the bridge with the captain and we stepped out to see the smoke and flame sparks coming out of the stack. He gave me permission to go check on the crew and when I went to see the fire teams they were running on adrenaline. It was like they’d look right through me.” The event changed some of the men forever. “I can tell you that a few were so traumatized that they were never the same again. They were released by the military and took civilian jobs. For me? I don’t talk about it much, but it’s always in the back of your mind.” Cookson’s experiences are only part of the story. His wife, Darlene, was with the first group of Canadians sent to Afghanistan. “On paper her deployment was six months. What people don’t realize is that she was away from me and our two kids for a year and a half. They sent her for training for nine months, let her come home for Christmas and then, on her birthday on Jan. 13, they shipped her to Afghanistan.” “I was at home with the kids, and we didn’t get to talk to her very often, and you didn’t make any definite commitments for calls because, if for some reason she couldn’t call, it would have been too much to handle,” said Cookson. “I knew she was going out with convoys and hanging out of the top of Humvees with a 50-calibre machine gun, so, yes, I was always worried.” Darlene won’t talk much about her experiences in Afghanistan, even with her family, but Cookson said that she was forever changed by the experience. “Even today, she can’t sit with her back to the room in a restaurant, and she hates crowds. She also hates the sound of bagpipes, because they used to play them during the ramp ceremonies when they were sending the dead home.” But Cookson said that everyone that served probably has some behaviour that’s a result of their service. “For me, these days it’s when we have a power failure and everything goes quiet,” he explained. “You see, on ship, when something goes wrong, like a fire, they turn off the ventilation system and that background hum disappears. That’s when you know there’s a problem and, if it’s the middle of the night, you roll out of your rack (bunk) and get to your station even before the alarm sounds.” “When it happens, even now, a power failure will wake me at home, and getting back to sleep can take a while.” These are the stories that perhaps don’t get told on Remembrance Day, but they may be one of the things that we should be thinking of when that Last Post bugle call sounds.

The recent B.C. court decision granting aboriginal title to private property in some parts of Richmond should concern all homeowners and property owners in B.C., but especially those of us who own homes or property in Sooke. Why should this be the case? Because embedded in the new 232-page official community plan (OCP) – which council intends to pass before the end of this year – is the following goal: “Commit to addressing the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent right of Indigenous peoples, including their rights to the land, territories, and resources,” (p. 145). In fact, in the land acknowledgment at the beginning of the document, this OCP lays the groundwork for this goal by claiming that “[these are] Indigenous … land rights in the territory that includes and encompasses Sooke.” Further, deep within this lengthy, vague, and confusing document is Action 4.11.1.2 (p. 146), which requires Sooke to “ … commit to developing an action plan to implement UNDRIP locally.” The term “UNDRIP” stands for United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is a non-binding international declaration that the NDP government of B.C. has incorporated into DRIPA (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act). Under this law, the NDP has completely failed to defend private property rights in B.C. The consequences are real: at least one Richmond homeowner has been informed that his mortgage will not be renewed because of title concerns. There are many other grave issues with this proposed OCP, ranging from very high levels of densification in Sooke (much more traffic) to numerous expensive net-zero initiatives that have not been costed and will result in much higher property taxes (to name but two of several other serious concerns). I urge all homeowners and property owners in Sooke to find out about the proposed OCP, read the whole thing (if you can), and contact the mayor and councillors to let them know that you oppose this OCP. Our future and the future of Sooke is at stake. Veronica Pemberton-Billing Sooke

Avery Brohman is no stranger to moving mountains. After raising $40,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters while obtaining her public relations diploma in Guelph, Ont., she went on to spend the next 20 years in leadership positions at some of the most reputable and respected non-profit organizations across Canada, all before joining the Victoria Hospitals Foundation in 2018. Under her guidance as CEO, the foundation has more than doubled its annual impact at the Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals. And Avery does it all with a passion for bringing out the best in the community. “I lead with heart – I care deeply about the work I do and those who benefit from it,” Avery says. This year, the foundation raised enough to double Victoria General Hospital’s surgical capacity for Island women facing gynecologic cancer; Miracle Gala donors contributed a whopping $1.7 million. The result funded a second operating room with a suite of leading-edge, minimally invasive surgical equipment. For women who normally have to wait up to four months for surgery, it will be a game-changer. However, as always, Avery is looking ahead. “It was a milestone for women locally, so that felt very good, but the truth is we’ve just begun to advance women’s health here,” she notes. “If you were to ask any gynecologist or an obstetrician, they’d tell you they work in a very underserved area of health care, so I’m motivated to help them.” Rates of gynecologic cancers have increased by almost 50 per cent over the past decade, and the demand for advanced care is rapidly increasing. Annually, more than 500 women receive gynecologic oncology surgeries at VGH. For Avery, the biggest fundraising challenge is to help people understand that government funds only cover essentials in hospitals – not the advanced tools, equipment and research that transform care. “In simplified terms, basic healthcare is free. But if you want advanced healthcare and you want the best healthcare, it’s philanthropy that moves the needle,” she explains. “Once people understand that, it becomes easier. It becomes a collaborative approach.” The Victoria Hospitals Foundation’s ‘It’s Time’ campaign is geared towards innovation, particularly in surgery, with a focus on enlarging a robotics program that will expand hospital capacity, increase access for patients, and ultimately recruit and retain the “best and brightest surgeons” on Vancouver Island. “We want to have advanced healthcare locally that you would find in the best hospitals across North America,” Avery adds. It builds off the career milestone she’s most proud of: bringing surgical robotics to the Island. Victoria is now one of just two sites in B.C. that has a surgical robot. “We had surgeons waiting 17 years for this moment. So many surgeons and caregivers are trained on robotics, and when they get placed in a site or hospital that doesn’t have the tools they were using, it can be challenging. Bringing such innovation to a community hospital was transformational. We want to be a centre of excellence for surgical robotics.” In such a high-stakes, high-profile job, passion is integral to success and Avery attributes hers to two different reasons. When she joined the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), something ignited in her. “I was moved by being able to support someone’s life and essentially save lives.” Then, her father passed away eight years ago. Watching him receive around-the-clock care in hospital was incredibly emotional, but also proved pivotal. “It dawned on me that I’d like to give back my skills to a hospital,” she notes. “Seeing what they did for my father, I knew that it would be the next step in my journey.” Greater Victoria is now her home in every sense, and she’s created the footing she needs to give her job her all. “I dedicate a lot of myself to this role. It’s personal. It builds confidence in the community when they know me and they trust me. But my home life brings me so much balance,” she says. “My husband, Eric, is an executive who desires balance too, and he means the world to me.” That balance is found through a shared love of travel, a network of friends who care deeply about the community, summer nights at Royal Athletic Park (they’re HarbourCats season ticket holders) and a nine-month-old border collie named Meadow. “We call it the home team – me, Eric and Meadow.” As Avery moves forward, elevating care at Greater Victoria’s two busiest hospitals, she does so through a place of groundedness, emboldened by the tangible impacts she sees in the community each and every day. “Health is such a cornerstone of a community. By giving back to our hospital foundation, you’re helping everyone in this community,” she notes. “Along with my team, we’re driven to deliver on sustaining consistent growth as local healthcare needs grow, and we’ve got strong momentum in the community right now.” Time and time again, she is reminded that pivotal moments don’t happen alone; they happen when enough members of a community act with strength and shared purpose. “A community united for healthcare can do so much. Experiencing first-hand how transformative and life-saving one single gift can be is not something everyone experiences, and we have the great honour to witness these everyday miracles. The relationships we have with our donors are never taken for granted; they are a treasure to us all.”

Growing up in Gordon Head, every neighbourhood had that one weird kid who insisted on being “different” in all the wrong ways. The kid who seemed to take pride in breaking every unspoken rule of decency. You might have to interact with them at school, or pass them on your walk home, but you always did so carefully and reluctantly – never letting their chaos spill over into your life. In our region, Victoria has become that kid. The once-beautiful “City of Gardens” is now a walking cautionary tale – a city caught up in its own virtue-signalling and failed social experiments that it’s lost sight of what a functioning community actually looks like. Mayor and council have traded common sense for ideology, replacing accountability with performance politics. They’ve rolled out the welcome mat for open drug use, normalized public disorder, and then acted surprised when crime and public anger followed right behind. While surrounding municipalities have worked hard to build stable, safe and responsible communities, Victoria has doubled down on decisions that repel investment, drive out families, and attract exactly the kind of trouble they claim to be solving. It’s like watching the weird kid decide that lighting things on fire is a form of self-expression – and then blaming everyone else when the house burns down. And now the surrounding municipalities are all expected to support the city as it spirals further into dysfunction. But the truth is, the rest of the region is tired of cleaning up the mess. Langford, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay, View Royal and the rest of the CRD are quietly but firmly backing away. We’re not interested in importing Victoria’s problems – or its politics. We’ve seen the results: encampments in parks, open drug scenes in front of businesses and a downtown that feels less like the capital of a province and more like a social experiment gone wrong. Victoria’s leadership keeps insisting they’re just being compassionate – but there’s nothing compassionate about creating an environment where addiction, disorder, and crime thrive unchecked. It’s not empathy; it’s negligence disguised as progress. And the rest of the region has noticed. Rather than acknowledging its own missteps, Victoria’s leadership has turned to blaming neighbouring communities for failing to “share the burden” – as if the region’s reluctance to adopt the same failed approach were the problem. Victoria still has the potential to recover – to remember that compassion and accountability are not opposites. But until that happens, the rest of us will be keeping our distance. We’ll wish them well from across the street, but we won’t be coming over to play in their yard – not while it’s covered in needles, crime and excuses. Fred Richards Saanich

Art and recycling share a long, interwoven history. Art historians have found scores of examples in which artists have reused canvases or repurposed sculptures to create new works. Take Picasso’s The Crouching Beggar for example. In 2018, researchers discovered that Picasso had painted the work over a landscape (believed to be by Santiago Rusinol) to create his own work. These days, the practice of reusing or repurposing material to create works of art has entered a new renaissance of creativity and conservation. In Brazil, artist Vik Muniz specializes in reproducing masterpieces with recycled materials that range from trash to shredded magazines, wires, puzzle pieces and even dust. Floridian artist, Derek Gores creates masterful collages with shredded magazines, labels and more to create portraits of women or images of everyday life. Nick Gentry, a London based artist has earned worldwide attention by painting futuristic portraits onto floppy discs (for you Gen Z folks out there, those are old computer discs). He also uses old film rolls, VHS tapes and more. As might be expected given the wealth of artistic talent in British Columbia, the creative use of recycled material in art has also taken hold in Greater Victoria. Victoria sculptor, Melanie Golder, has used oil barrels to create magnificent lanterns, old phone and wire parts to create a sculptural reflection on love and belonging, and a fascinating crocheted collection of discarded wire to create an interactive sculpture that mimics an evolving neural network. Shawn Wolf, another Victoria artist, has created his own take on the throne from Game of Thrones. In that story, warriors beat their swords into a throne for the new ruler. In Wolf’s work, swords have been replaced with discarded keyboards. “I call it the throne of nerds,” said Wolf. “I get a little angry about all the stuff we throw away and I like the idea of giving it a new utilitarian use.” Some of the most innovative use of recycled materials in Victoria can be found at Monkey C Interactive, where artists David Parfit, Heather Troy and Scott Amos have created and displayed a series of strange and whimsical sculptures and art pieces that never fail to capture the imagination of visitors. The pieces are interactive and the public can enter their gallery to touch and play the sculptures in a surrealistic atmosphere that is, well, very different. “We make stuff out of other stuff,” said Amos, whose business card lists his occupation as “Mostly Harmless Mad Scientist.” “We basically take old tech and antiques and modify them to give them new life as interactive art music sculptures,” Amos explained. “There was this family who had a hardware store in the 1950s and when it shut down in the 60s they took this cash register and stored it in their basement. Over the years their children, and later grandchildren, played with it but they eventually were downsizing and didn’t know what to do with it. It was of no use, but it had all these memories attached to it, so they didn’t want to send it to the scrap heap.” Amos and his partner reimagined the register and turned it into Registroid – a piece that has been displayed all over North America. “We added sound responsive LED lights and modified it into a tech music looping machine. Press the buttons and music plays and if you hit just the right combination of buttons the cash drawer opens and it’s full of candy,” said Amos. The motivation for the group’s use of recycled material is, in part at least, rooted in a desire to find creative ways to reuse things that otherwise would be relegated to the junk pile. “We give things new life. Some of these things are beautiful works of art in themselves,” said Amos. “Take the old ‘tombstone’ radio sets – those big freestanding machines with wooden cabinets and rounded tops. They put a lot of work into creating them.” “It speaks to the world that we live in today that we don’t fix or reuse things anymore. We simply replace anything that breaks. We want to change that, and our art does that. When we’re done with the items, they can’t be mass produced or reproduced. Every piece is different and a piece of art that can endure.” Monkey C Interactive can be found at 706 Fort St., and the work of Melanie Golder can be viewed at shimmerandflow.com. [https://shimmerandflow.com/]

Calling all adventure seekers and family fun enthusiasts! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend as Ukee Days, the annual extravaganza, returns to Ucluelet. The action-packed 3-day festival starts Friday, July 28 and goes through Sunday. Its goal is simple, bring together locals and visitors alike to celebrate west coast culture. “Our normally sleepy(ish) seaside town explodes in a summery haze of Live Music, fun, entertainment, beer gardens, KidZone and logger sports,” says popular tourist joint Reef Point Cottages. For 72 hours straight, the usually peaceful seaside town transforms into a vibrant hub of excitement, offering a plethora of activities for all ages.  The festival kicks off on Friday evening with a West Coast BBQ featuring all the delicious seafood flavours that make our region so unique.  Round that off with a Pancake Breakfast the next morning, and you’ll have all the energy you need for the rest of the day’s activities. One of the highlights of Ukee Days is the thrilling logger sports demonstrations that showcase the rugged essence of the west coast. Watch as skilled lumberjacks compete in jaw-dropping competitions, displaying their mastery of age-old skills deeply rooted in our coastal heritage. An eclectic parade that winds through the heart of Ucluelet on Saturday exudes the community’s vibrant spirit. You’ll witness colourful floats, local groups showcasing their talents, and a sense of camaraderie that brings everyone together. Music lovers will also be treated! From homegrown fan favourite Mellissa Livingstone to Beatles tribute band “The Taxmen,” the festival offers a diverse lineup of live performances that will keep you grooving all weekend. For those over 19, the beer gardens provide a perfect spot to unwind and raise a toast to the festivities. But the whole family can enjoy exciting contests such as the Ucluelet Community Awards, a boat-building challenge, and an “awwww-inspiring” kids’ talent show. Of course, no festival is complete without delectable food and unique shopping opportunities. Ukee Days delivers on both fronts, with a wide array of food vendors serving mouthwatering treats and retail booths offering an assortment of treasures to take home. With something to captivate every family member, Ukee Days promise a fun weekend that will keep you up and about from sunrise to golden hour. Friday festivities occur mainly at Ucluelet’s village green (200 Main Street), and the Saturday and Sunday fairgrounds are at the Rec Hall field (160 Seaplane Base Road). Some Ukee Days events may be held elsewhere in town; check the schedule [https://ukeedays.wordpress.com/schedule/] for specific times and locations.

After 11 hours of swimming, there’s not a lot that could give you an energy boost. But loud cheers from friends, family and supporters were just enough to help West Vancouver’s Scott Rees complete his awe-inspiring swim across the Georgia Straight last weekend. “Hearing the cheers on the beach gave me the fuel, the fire I needed for the last 200 or 300 metres,” Rees told CBC News. It’s a journey not often attempted, but Rees had a reason that kept him going. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentose, which recently left him completely blind. He struggled to get around independently before he got his seeing-eye dog, Kaleb. [https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/scott-rees-pictured-with-his-guide-dog-Kaleb-406x494.jpeg]Scott Rees walks along the street with guide dog Kaleb | Swim The Strait | Facebook “The mobility that I have received through having a guide dog has given me back that freedom of moving around the city, getting to work, getting to the gym, getting to lunches with friends,” he told CTV News. He wants to make sure no one else has to go without the intense benefit that having a seeing-eye dog brought to his life. Rees’ goal of raising money to help others to afford a guide dog inspired him to swim across the dangerous channel. During his swim, Rees was joined by paralympic swimmer Donovan Tildesley, who swam alongside him for the first hour. “That is truly a champion and an inspiration in my mind,” said Tildesley of Rees’s performance to CBC. “What better way to spend a Sunday than helping out a fellow blind person pursuing a sport that we both love?” After leaving Sechelt at 6 AM, Rees arrived exhausted but elated at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo around 5 PM after just under 11 hours of continuous swimming. Rees’s efforts in training for and completing the swim have definitely paid off. As of Monday, he raised $124,401 for the charity Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind to help visually impaired people access guide dogs, according to the organization. None were more thrilled with the success of his swim than his wife, Alexandra, and two kids, who you can see greeting him as he walks onto the Islands shores in the video below. To support Rees’ swim challenge, you can donate at Swimthestrait.ca [http://www.swimthestrait.ca/].

Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said Coalition Executive Director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources. Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said coalition executive director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources. Living in a community where everyone cares for their neighbours is ideal for most people. According to the District Coalition to End Homelessness, Campbell River is a town that cares. They have been receiving many emails lately from people who want to help those around them. The offers are from “self-described regular community members who were looking for ways to give back,” said coalition executive director Stefanie Hendrickson to the Campbell River Mirror. The catch is that many people want to help but are unsure how to do it. “There’s just a sense of sort of helplessness when you look at such a complex challenge such as homelessness and people don’t really know how they can help,” she added. But, as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way. “This is a very hopeful sign that the community is starting to become engaged and reach out more.” To help guide communities on the best ways to confront growing housing and addiction issues at a grassroots level, the Coalition has just put together a resource to help give a bit of direction. The document lists local initiatives you can get involved with and inspiring stories of locals who’ve taken direct action to make a difference. One big step to making change is learning more about the root causes of local homelessness. “A lot of folks they get a lot of their information from social media, and a lot of what you hear on social media simply doesn’t have a lot of truth to it,” she said. “we wanted to give folks like a place to start to really find evidence-informed and data-driven resources so that people can learn about the causes of homelessness.” The Coalition hopes the document can become a community project in itself. They’re not looking to preach about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. They want to hear from anyone with other ideas or projects worth sharing, so they can grow the resource over time and benefit everyone. “We’re happy to consider additions or alterations to this document, and we hope that it will sort of evolve over time,” she said. You can review the document here and contact the Coalition [https://www.facebook.com/crdceh/] if you have other questions or want to contribute more resources.

It’s right out of the X Files, except its not fiction. At least according to a recent whistleblower. If you haven’t heard about the wild hearing that’s been going on in US Congress yet, you’re in for a ride. David Grusch, who led the analysis of “unexplained anomalous phenomena” (UAP) within a US Department of Defense agency until 2023, has been publically airing US intelligence’s alleged dirty laundry for the last few days. Grusch’s main claim – the government has had evidence of extraterrestrial life for decades. The hearing was prompted by claims from Grusch this past spring that the government was secretly harbouring alien spacecraft. He’s now repeated many of his former allegations under oath, saying he’d been informed of a decade-long program that retrieves and reverse engineers UAPs (the more modern name for UFOs). US Federal law makes it a crime to “knowingly and willfully” give “materially” false statements  [https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001]to Congress. If found to be lying Grusch could face up to five years in prison. “As I’ve stated publicly already in my NewsNation interview, biologics came with some of these recoveries,” Grusch said. These “biologics” were reported as “Non-human, and that was the assessment of people with direct knowledge on the program I talked to, that are currently still on the program.” This allegation might shock some – or seem like old news to others – Grusch is far from the first person to make similar claims. “The story aligns with a lot of similar stories that have played out, going back to the 1980s and 1970s, that together allege that the US government has kept an incredible secret, the literal most extraordinary secret that mankind could have, for not just weeks or months, but years.” Garrett Graff, a journalist and historian writing a book [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/UFO/Garrett-M-Graff/9781982196776] on the US government’s hunt for UFOs, told the Guardian. Van Isle has been a hotspot for claims that could back up the existence of aliens – including evidence of UFOs that has yet to be ruled out. One of the most intriguing “UFO” sightings was by Duncan local Hannah McRoberts. She took a photo on October 8, 1981, at about 11:OO AM, which to this day has yet to be disputed as a fake. She said she was just trying to capture the mountain landscape and only noticed a distinctly UFO-looking object hovering in one photo after she got back the film’s negatives. [https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Best-UFO-Photo-Ever-Taken-1-988x494.jpg] Analyses of the original negative included micro-densitometry, computer enhancements, and other measurements intent upon showing a support thread, atmospheric disturbance, or other evidence of a hoax. No evidence of a hoax was ever found, and the pictured UFO remains a strange unknown. Besides McRobert’s “accidental” photograph, 1981 was apparently the year for alien vacations to Duncan. The “Duncan UFO Sighting” was another craze well-documented in the media that year. Multiple witnesses saw a large, brightly lit object with a triangular shape hovering silently over the area for several minutes before vanishing. In 2013, another noteworthy incident occurred in Comox Valley, where many people reported a series of mysterious lights moving erratically in the sky they said were unlike any conventional aircraft or celestial objects they had ever seen. Beyond UFO sightings, Granger Taylor (yet another Duncan resident), fascinated with space travel, left a note telling his family he could communicate with extraterrestrials and was embarking on an interstellar journey before mysteriously vanishing. His story generated an entire documentary from CBC called Spaceman. [data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='988'%20height='494'%20viewBox='0%200%20988%20494'%3E%3C/svg%3E][https://vanisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Letter-left-by-Granger-Taylor-released-in-Spaceman-988x494.jpg]The letter Granger Taylore left his parents | CBC Taylor’s story and other reports like Lisa Nydahl’s encounter with a boomerang-shaped object (again in Duncan??) add to the island’s intrigue in the UFO realm. Whether the idea that aliens have reached Earth as a result of human imagination and natural phenomena or something more remains a subject of ongoing curiosity and debate. It will likely continue to dominate the news more than ever in the coming weeks. Van Isle will no doubt continue to be a place where people share their experiences and stories of the unexplained.

Tofino just changed their downtown parking rules from parking to paid parking. While some concerns over affordability for residents were raised before the change was made, the expected $220,000+ in city revenue was too large to pass up for most of the City Council. “Frankly, people paying downtown will largely be tourists. There will be some residents, but most likely residents have the opportunity to avoid the downtown because they’re not here on holiday, and they can make other choices,” said Aaron Rodgers, Tofino’s Director of Infrastructure and Public Works, in a meeting. However, new concerns have been raised now that paid parking has been implemented. Residents from Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Ahousaht communities rely on the 110 allocated offshore parking spots to safely leave their vehicles while they travel home by boat or seaplane. Forty of these spots are given to Tla-o-qui-aht, according to the District of Tofino. However, new signage has led to confusion for both locals and tourists. To avoid the pay parking, some tourists park in the offshore spots, which were previously clearly indicated as such. “Even if we have a valid permit hanging on our rearview mirror, we have nowhere to park,” lamented Ahousaht resident Curt McLeod to Ha-Shilth-Sa. He has even seen vehicles with Washington and Alberta plates using these spots. Until recently, residents could park almost anywhere if the offshore spots were taken, but now all other parking spots are paid, so offshore residents run the risk of tickets or towing. In response to the concerns, the District of Tofino has said they know of the limited parking in the downtown core and are committed to working with offshore communities for a long-term solution. However, in an email, the city stated it is “aware that parking is limited in the downtown core and cannot meet the demands of everyone.” They emphasized that all drivers must comply with the posted time restrictions. Offshore permits are free and valid for one year, and residents can obtain them at the Tofino municipal office or register online with their license plate number and proof of offshore residency. But there is not much point in having an offshore permit if tourists fill the allotted spaces. The offshore parking spaces are available on a “first come, first served” basis. Permit holders may park in unrestricted areas or time-limited spots with the applicable fee if there is no offshore parking. McLeod highlighted the importance of the offshore areas for residents. “If there weren’t offshore areas…we wouldn’t be able to park in Tofino. That’s really our parking lot down there.” The change has confused everyone, and offshore residents hope for a resolution soon.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, underwater cinematographer and editor John Roney’s travel plans were shelved. So the Parksville resident decided to take his camera and capture local marine life. “I realized I had the opportunity to just hone in and film our local wildlife rather than travelling abroad and capturing the more famous tropical creatures,” says Roney. After two years of documenting the waters off of Vancouver Island comes the short film Beneath the Pacific Northwest. “It was filmed all over Vancouver Island, a lot in Victoria, up in Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay area, some even in the north island,” says Roney. “Really what made the cut for me was trying to fit in the animals that people didn’t already know about.” Just weeks after its release on YouTube and other online platforms the video is already drawing rave reviews. “The reception’s been awesome from both locals and around the world, so that’s been really cool,” says Roney. Roney hopes that the project helps educate islanders and British Columbians alike about the beauty that lies beneath the waves. “I think people don’t realize that we do have some of the best scuba diving in the world,” says Roney. “Most people think of Vancouver Island as having murky dark waters and the visibility is pretty poor, but at the same time the amount of colour is just amazing.” To see the full video and to see more of Roney’s work, visit his website [https://www.roneydives.com/].

Whether you love it or hate it, of all the sports news, none seems to generate funnier headlines than Pickleball does. The exciting mix of tennis and ping pong has a generous fan club in the gulf islands – and a just as prominent group of haters. The reason for so many people’s vehement distaste for what most would simply view as a fun game is the record level of noise it can generate. Unlike tennis, which uses a relatively soft and furry ball, pickle palls are made of hard plastic, producing an almost gunshot-like sound with every hit. The noise can be so bad that it induces some pretty crazy behaviour from those living near a court – a Chilliwack couple just went so far as a week-long hunger strike in protest of the pickleball courts near them. Yikes. While no one has yet had to resort to a hunger strike, residents across the Island have staged their own forms of protest. On Mayne Island, a BC Supreme Court judge recently dismissed a case involving a group of tennis players who had tried to take over two tennis courts to prevent people from playing Pickleball there. Although the case has gone away, the struggle over the courts created a genuine rift between Mayne Islanders. “It’s been quite devastating,” Adrian Gowing, Mayne Island Tennis Association president, told CBC News. “You know, we’re in our little village here. At times we get on the ferries to go places, and now you’re sort of looking around going, ‘Oh, I don’t want to talk to that person, I don’t want to talk to that person.’ It’s become quite uncomfortable,” said Gowing. On the other hand, Pickleball has been gaining a massive following in the Comox Valley and seems to be bringing the community together. “Pickleball is fun….. Pickleball is competitive….. Pickleball is recreational….. Pickleball is social; Pickleball is anything you want it to be!.. YOU WILL LOVE IT!” says the uber-enthusiastic Comox Valley Pickleball [https://www.facebook.com/cvpickleball.ca] group on their Facebook page. They host weekly skill sessions and don’t seem to have gotten any public flack over generating noise – likely because the courts are mainly indoors and out of residential earshot. In recognition of National Pickleball Day, the Comox Valley group is hosting an Open House at the Rotary Highlands Pickleball Courts for their 500 group members and anyone else that would like to join! Will this be your new favourite sport? Or do you hate Pickleball just as much as pickles? Let us know in the comments.

Sparky? Fire Cat? Miss Mew? Or simply Cat? Folks in the rural Vancouver Island community of Metchosin can’t seem to agree on a name for the feline that has prowled the municipal grounds for roughly 14 years. But one thing’s certain – whatever his name, and no matter who you ask, he’s a local legend. Rescued when he was a kitten by Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop, Cat – as he is known at the Fire Hall – quickly made himself at home. “He basically took over the town from there,” said Lt. Jacob Lamb. While the Fire Hall is considered Cat’s main territory, the feline has free rein of the municipal grounds – a familiar face at the Municipal Hall, council meetings and community events. “He’s just curious, and he wants to say hi to everybody,” says Lamb. “And everyone loves him. He’s in our local rag (Metchosin Muse) every chance they get. “Everybody knows him – if you live here, you know him.” Lamb, a 10-year member of Metchosin Fire, remembers being casually introduced to Cat when he joined the department – and quickly realizing who was really in charge. “He’s top dog for sure,” he says. “I would say he’s only just below the chief in the hierarchy, because he can only give us a few commands like, ‘open the door’, ‘give me food’ and stuff like that. Chief can give us a few more commands. “He is part of the hall as much as the fire hose is part of a truck.” Over at the Municipal Hall, Sparky – as he is known there – has made himself equally at home. “Sparky is the Fire Hall cat, and he is welcome to come and go as he pleases,” reads a poster on the hall’s front door, complete with a picture of the animal slouched on the floor. “He is very friendly.” Next to the hall’s security alarm keypad, a note urges employees to check the building for the cat before locking up – another sign of just how seamlessly the feline has woven himself into the daily life of the council. “We have to make sure he’s not snuggled up on the chairs in the council chamber,” says deputy finance officer Laura Whitmore-Guzauskas. A municipal employee for 19 years, Whitmore-Guzauskas has worked alongside the four-legged fixture since he first arrived. When asked how she feels about Sparky, she tries to play it cool, but her true feelings are quickly revealed. “I guess I love him,” she says with a laugh. “I mean, if he wasn’t the Fire Hall cat, I would have stolen him years ago.” The deputy finance officer admits she didn’t even realize Sparky was male until a few years ago, calling him Miss Mew because of his unique cry. “It’s not like a full on meow, it’s just this little mew,” she says, offering her best Sparky impression. At the Municipal Hall, Sparky patrols the office like he owns the place, checking on staff, dropping by the planner’s office and visiting the mayor. He’s even known to stray as far as the community newspaper office and the local coffee shop. Some suspect, using his feline charm, he’s managing to rack up four or five meals a day. “As you can see by his chunkiness, he gets his full share of snacks,” says Whitmore-Guzauskas. One of those responsible for slipping Sparky a few too many snacks is chief financial officer Geoffrey Kreek, who joined the team last year. He quickly worked his way into Sparky’s affections by stocking the office with every flavour of Temptations treats imaginable and an assortment of lickable snacks. Now, Kreek’s desk is a regular stop when Sparky makes his rounds, demanding treats, pets and attention, before settling down on his desk to take a well earned break. “Whenever he wanders up, he’ll claw up my pants terribly,” Kreek says, pointing to a few visible marks. “I’ve probably got more photos of him on my phone than anybody else.” Having a resident office cat has its perks, says Kreek. Not only is Sparky a welcome stress relief for him, he also proves a welcome distraction at council meetings. “He certainly helps at contentious council meetings,” he says. “When things are getting a little heated … he’ll just wander around and people get distracted – he’s a great benefit.” Back at the Fire Hall, the four-legged honorary firefighter is better known for causing chaos rather than diffusing it. Lamb remembers a prestigious event held on municipal grounds for International Women’s Day – community members and local dignitaries gathered for a plaque unveiling. “Cat comes flying out of nowhere and takes down this little baby rabbit right in the middle of the ladies’ little afternoon tea – it was a total scene,” he says. His curiosity has also gotten him into trouble far beyond Metchosin’s border. When the Capital Regional District hazmat truck visited for a training exercise, the inquisitive feline hitched a lift back to Central Saanich. “There was no confusion of what cat was in the Central Saanich Fire Hall,” said Lamb. “We quickly got a call telling us to come and get our cat.” Now in his senior years, Cat’s adventures are mostly confined to his home turf. “He’s slowing down now, he’s maturing and mellowing in his old age,” says Lamb. “He definitely has a pretty decent kill record around here for mice and stuff, but in his old age he’s not interested in hunting as much – he’s turned into a bit of a Garfield for sure.” Though Lamb insists he and Cat have more of a sibling-style relationship, there’s no denying the fondness between them both. “I’m not big on all of his manners,” he says. “I don’t like him walking on the table and he doesn’t like that I tell him not to. “But then it doesn’t matter. I’ll still feed him his treats and soft food just like everybody else – you just can’t say no to him.” With Lamb, Kreek, Whitmore-Guzauskas and just about everyone connected to the municipality at his beck and call, it’s easy to see why the legendary moggy has settled into Metchosin – embraced by a community that welcomes him with open arms, and plenty of treats.

The Regional District of Nanaimo plans to apply for a grant to purchase decontamination washing equipment. Staff sought permission from the RDN board, during its regular meeting on Nov. 4, to allow an application for $150,000 to be submitted to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund: Volunteer and Composition Fire Department Equipment and Training fund. The grant application is being done on behalf of the Town of Qualicum Beach, the District of Lantzville, the Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department, the Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department, and the Nanoose Bay Fire Department. All the departments are eligible for up to $30,000. The money will be used to acquire fire gear washers which crews use following a fire, to decontaminate personal protective equipment. The washers make the work more efficient and provide the ability to reduce the carcinogens off of personal protective equipment. The RDN board endorsed staff recommendation to submit a group application for the grant.