Ha Shilth Sa Newspaper August 10, 2023

Fire sparked on Arbutus Mountain

By Alexandra Mehl

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

PortAlberni, BC - On Thursday,Aug. 3 a wildfire sparked on Mosaic private lands on Tseshaht territory less than two kilometers from their main reserve. The Arbutus Mountain fire spreadto 0.3 hectares and is being held with a ground crew of five personnel working to suppress the blaze.

“Last night was pretty nerve racking,” said Ken Watts, elected chief councillor of Tseshaht. “It was less than two kilometers away from our main community.”

Nick Donnelly, an information officer with the Coastal Fire Center, said that the fire was reported around 6:45 p.m. with immediate response by air and ground crews.

“These crews have done a great job attempting to prevent the fire from spreading.Air crews are unable to continue as the light fades, but ground crews are still actively at work,” reads a statement from Tseshaht in the later evening ofAugust 3.

The statement noted that Mosaic, BC Wildfire Service as well as the Sproat Lake and City of PortAlberni Fire Departments have been working together to keep the Tseshaht community safe.

“At this time, there is no immediate threat to life or structure, and we encourage members to stay calm,” it continued.

Six wildfires spark in Strathcona region

Vancouver Island has seen a six-fold increase in forest fires this summer over 2022

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Saturday and Sunday, lightning struck throughout the Strathcona region causing six small wildfires to spark near Wolf River, Mount Con Ried, and Trio Creek.

“The majority of them are in upper elevation so there wasn’t a lot of fuel,” said Nick Donnelly, an information officer with the Coastal Fire Center, adding that these wildfires have no risk to the public or critical infrastructure. “They are still listed as out of control, but they are just in a monitor only stage because we’re not expecting them to grow further.”

Trio Creek fire, north of Gold River, was the only wildfire that ignited on Sunday that demanded active suppression efforts and is not expected to grow. Donnelly said that suppression efforts were due to

Inside this issue...

the location of the fire and the potential it had to expand.

Jacklah River wildfire, another fire located five kilometers south of Muchalat Inlet, is also near the town of Gold River. It sparked on July 20, growing to 35 hectares and is currently under control.

According to Donnelly, by this time last year there were a total of 14 wildfires that started on Vancouver Island. This year, to date, 91 have emerged.

Donnelly said that these numbers reflect the extreme drought conditions this year, and last year’s late start to summer which extended into October.

Additionally, there was not much precipitation relief over the winter, he said. In early July, Vancouver Island jumped from a level four drought rating to a level five. This is the highest drought level, which means adverse impacts on com-

Chip-sealing begins on Bamfield road............................Page 3

IIO releases investigation details of fatal shooting.........Page 5

Pole raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens.................Page 10 & 11

Confusion with new paid parking in Tofino.................Page 14

Massive red cedar discovered inAhousaht forest........Page 19

munities and ecosystems are “almost certain”.

“People say there’s no climate change, but [there] is,” said Mowachaht/Muchalaht Hereditary Chief Jerry Jack Jr. “Look how brown the hills are and how dry they are.”

He said that these dry conditions make it easy for a fire to start whether it be lightning-caused or human-caused.

To help prevent wildfires, campfires and open fire bans continue to be prohibited across the province, apart from category one campfires in the Haida Gwaii Forest District.

B.C. Wildfire service said that they will continue to monitor the area for holdover fires, which are wildfires that remain dormant for a few days before flaring up.

“Fire crews will continue to be on site for several hours but if the fire grows and places concerns on the Tseshaht community, more resources will be deployed.”

In 2018 the flames of a wildfire atArbutus Summit were visible from across the Alberni Inlet, located close to where the current fire resides.

Arbutus Mountain ignited only two months after the Cameron Bluffs wildfire set ablaze. Cameron Lake is located partially in Tseshaht territory, making the Arbutus Mountain wildfire the second to ignite in Tseshaht Ḥahahuułi this summer.

“I think it’s still so very nerve wracking…for a lot of our community just seeing the impacts of climate change,” said Watts. “These fires are just becoming a regular thing.”

“I think it really just drives home, how vigilant everybody needs to be given the drought conditions that we’ve been experiencing since last year and just how dry everything is,” said Donnelly.

The cause of theArbutus Mountain Wildfire is currently under investigation.

Eric Plummer photo

OnAug. 3 a wildfire on private forest lands was responded to by Mosaic, BC Wildfire Service, Sproat Lake and the City of PortAlberni Fire Departments.As the sun set aircraft circled over theAlberni Inlet, dropping retardant on the forest fire.

Province focuses on Hwy 4 safety, not alternate road

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

As economic costs continue due to delays in the aftermath of a wildfire that shut off highway access early this summer, the province has yet to answer calls to consider a permanent alternate route into PortAlberni.

Instead, it will focus on “ensuring the stretch of Highway 4 near Cameron Lake bluffs is restored and fully operational for travel,” says B.C.’s ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

For nearly three weeks in June Highway 4 was shut down, as crews battled a forest fire next to Cameron Lake that burned down a mountainside to the edge of the road, eventually encompassing 229 hectares.

The highway reopened on July 23, with a single lane of alternating traffic bringing travel delays that have ranged from a few minutes to hours. With cranes holding large nets and temporary walls protecting traffic from falling debris, bringing Highway 4 back to its normal, two-way flow has proved more challenging than the province anticipated, pushing the expected full reopening back a month to mid-August.

Since July 17 crews have worked the steep slope over Cameron Lake, clearing loose rocks and dangerously burned trees to permanently restore the only highway access to PortAlberni and communities in the Clayoquot and Barkley Sound regions. This work has brought temporary closures, usually 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays to the seven-kilometre section of highway along Cameron Lake and Cathedral Grove.

The ministry has and will direct its efforts to Highway 4, noting the fiveyear, $54-million project to improve safety over Kennedy Lake that finished this spring near Vancouver Island’s west coast.

“That’s why funding and focus has been placed on making Highway 4 a safe and reliable route for travellers, through projects like the now-completed Kennedy Hill Safety Improvement project and ensuring the stretch of Highway 4 near Cameron Lake bluffs is restored and fully reopened for travel,” wrote the Ministry of Transportation in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa.

But this isn’t enough to satisfy the concerns of multiple municipalities and First Nations west of Cameron Lake, who faced a collective sense of vulnerability in June when the one road they rely on for essential transport was closed.At that time a letter went to the provincial and federal governments, calling for the immediate investment into a “permanent access road” to PortAlberni. This letter was signed by elected leaders from the Tseshaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Huu-ay-aht, Hesquiaht and Ditidaht First Nations, as well as the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District and the District of Ucluelet.

Then on July 10 PortAlberni’s city council directed staff to make a letter urging the province and feds “to take immediate action on securing a permanent second access road.”

Although one lane of Highway 4 has reopened at designated times, a few unscheduled closures have stranded travellers and transport on either side of Cameron Lake. The most recent incident shut the highway down for an afternoon and overnight period on July 25-26, when high winds compromised the safety of

the nets. When the wind had died down a crane was unable work and needed repairs, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

NTC President Judith Sayers has seen the highway’s uncertainty affect people’s lives in a variety of ways.

“I think everybody is being impacted, whether it’s economically, socially, medically they’re frustrated because they can’t get to appointments,” she said. “Some of our First Nations people are really suffering, especially those that are into tourism.

To keep essential supplies moving, a detour route was established on June 7, the day after Highway 4 closed at Cameron Lake. Using a circuit of logging roads from Lake Cowichan, past Nitinaht Lake to PortAlberni, this detour tacked hours

onto the standard travel time, but did allow store shelves in PortAlberni, Tofino and Ucluelet to remain stocked. This detour remains in place as crews work along Cameron Lake.

“The ministry successfully opened the current detour route to bring a lifeline of access to those needing to travel through PortAlberni and this part of the island,” stated the Ministry of Transportation. “This detour ensured commercial goods could be delivered and supply chains were not impacted.”

But there has been a significant economic cost, according to the Tofino and District Chamber of Commerce. West coast businesses were surveyed to measure losses during the June highway shutdown, totals calculated to be $29.7 in

Tofino and $14 million in Ucluelet.

“Businesses that rely on tourism –which makes up the majority on the west coast – were prepared for the busy season with full levels of supplies and staff when the fire shut down Highway 4,” stated the chamber in a press release. “Most of the affected businesses were not eligible for business interruption insurance or government assistance. Some workers were able to access EI, but many that are temporary or seasonal staff did not qualify.”

These struggles have continued in July after the highway reopened, according to theAlberni Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“Even though the road opened to singlelane alternating, the scheduled closures still impact businesses – it’s impacting freight and shipping. Some businesses would get multiple deliveries a day and they’re only receiving one, and so that impacts their service delivery,” said Chief Executive Officer Jolleen Dick. “Now that we’ve had three unexpected closures that were not scheduled, that is putting a lot of pressure on businesses and strain on people, especially visitors that had no where to go when the road closed the other night.”

Like on the west coast, someAlberni Valley businesses have had to let go of staff.

“When the road closed, folks had to either reduce their hours or lay people off,” said Dick, adding that some of the temporarily laid off workers found other employment outside of tourism and hospitality during the highway closure. “It is hard and difficult for employers when we are experiencing a labour shortage. It’s been tough for everybody.”

In expressing the chamber’s commitment to the region’s businesses, Dick stressed the need for a secondary route to for theAlberni Valley and the west coast.

“This road closure and the unexpected closures have showed how dependent we are on this one trafficway and it’s disrupted everybody’s livelihoods and their businesses,” she said.

Coastal businesses cite $44 million in losses during June closure, concern remains over reliance on one highway

BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure photos Rock scalers work on the cliff over Highway 4, clearing debris during a temporary closure of the road along Cameron Lake.

Surface sealing begins on Bamfield road upgrade

Chip-sealing begins after part of Bamfield Main served as a detour route during the Cameron Bluffs wildfire

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Anacla, BC -After decades of lobbying for a safer road to Bamfield and the Huuay-aht village ofAnacla, chip sealing has begun on the route.

Announced by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations on July 21, crews began laying the seal coat the following day, starting halfway down the 77-kilometre passage to progress towards Bamfield.After sealing kilometre 36 to 76.6, work is expected to begin back at the midway point, progressing the seal coat towards PortAlberni from kilometre 36 to 0. The seal coat is set to be completed by the early fall.

“During construction, detours, delays and alternating single-lane traffic with pilot vehicles will be in place,” stated the First Nation is a press release, recommending that travellers watch for notices about delays to the road on the Huu-ayaht and Western Forest Products websites.

Physical work on improving the road began in October 2021, with the movement of gravel to build up the road for a smoother drive, widening it in many sections to eight metres. Now the chip sealing will add an inch-and-a-half layer to the augmented surface, composed of liquid asphalt sprayed over the road, followed by a layer of rock chip.After being rolled, another layer of asphalt will be sprayed on to complete the sealing.

This chip-sealed surface is designed to be more flexible than pavement, which can crack more easily, according to Parsons, the company contracted to do the road work.

Stretching 77 kilometres south of Port Alberni to the Barkley Sound communities of Bamfield andAnacla, the road has long been considered a hazardous route, prone to washouts and potholes in the rainy winter months, while generating blinding dust in the dry summer. Now with its investments in the Bamfield area over recent years, the Huu-ay-aht are looking to diversify their economy through more tourism, lessoning the First Nation’s reliance on forestry, which currently accounts for most of its annual business revenue.

“The road improvements will provide safety for Huu-ay-aht citizens, the Bamfield community and visitors, and that is one of our main priorities,” said Huu-ayaht Executive Councillor Wiiheyakchikk,

Heavy dust in the summer on the Bamfield road is expected to soon become a hazard of the past, as chip sealing the route began July 22.

Brad Johnson, in a media release. “With the economic benefits this will bring to the region, we look forward to building a sustainable economy for our nation.”

Chief Councillor John Jack expects that travel time on the road will become more predictable from the chip sealing, while the current 60-kilometre speed limit could remain in place.

“Because we will see much less in the way of dust, and we won’t have much in the way of potholes or wash-boarding, that should mean that people are generally sticking to the 60-kilometre speed limit,” said Jack, adding that a final decision on the speed limit will come after the chip sealing is completed. ”I would expect the average trip over the whole year to go down, but I wouldn’t say it go down by 50 per cent or anything.”

At least nine Huu-ay-aht members have died on the road since it opened in the early 1970s, including the late Tayii ḤawiłArt Peters. The most recent tragedy occurred on Oct. 24, 2021, when a vehicle left the road to hit a tree shortly before 1:30 a.m., claiming the life of

Huu-ay-aht member Tim Manson. The RCMP stated that alcohol was not a factor in the crash, although road conditions, poor weather and limited communication ability in the remote section of the route challenged first responders to come to the scene.

Initially intended as a forestry road, lobbying to improve Bamfield Main has dated back to its early use in the 1970s. After decades of hesitancy from the province, the narrative changed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, when a bus carrying 45 students and two teaching assistants from the University of Victoria slid off the road during an annual trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. The vehicle rolled down an embankment, resulting in the deaths of Emma McIntosh Machado and John Geerdes, who were both 18-year-old university students.

The following November former premier John Horgan visited the crash site andAnacla, where he committed to improving the road. By September 2020 a commitment of $25.7 million was announced by the province, following Huu-

ay-aht’s investment of $5 million.

Since then the project’s cost has increased, an additional amount that has been shouldered by the First Nation, said Jack.

“There has been additional costs due to inflation, so that was pretty significant,” he said. “We made sure that we took the necessary steps to ensure that we complete the project.”

Now the initiative is being called the “Bamfield Road Reconciliation Project” as it heads into its final phase.

“This project will ensure Bamfield Main is a safe route for everyone,” stated Murray Rankin, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. “This is a vital roadway on the west coast of Vancouver Island, connecting residents of several coastal communities. I commend Huu-ay-aht First Nations for their steadfast commitment and continued progress on such a large-scale project.”

Before physical work on the road began a full paving to approximately 15 kilometres of steeper sections was planned. This is still being considered by Huu-ay-aht’s new elected council, said Jack, although the priority now is to complete the chip sealing.

“That was the original plan before inflation took hold and made things that much more expensive,” he said, noting that paving certain sections will be part of a longer-term approach to improving the road. “Not only will the road be chip sealed, we’re looking at the constant improvement of the road over time with pavement, especially in areas that will need it from a safety and maintenance perspective.”

Looking into the future, the First Nation expects that more of its citizens will move to their home territory, as access to Anacla and Bamfield improve with the chip-sealed road.

“It think there will be an increased demand on development as well as the properties that are already available in the Bamfield andAnacla area, so as a result I think that we will see an overall increase in the population of those two combined areas,” said Jack. “It is one of our strategic priorities to ensure that we make space, housing and jobs available for our own Huu-ay-aht citizens to move back to the homelands. Currently only 20 per cent of our people live on the homelands, so we want to reverse that course over the next generation or so.”

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Eric Plummer photo

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Jacklah River fire under control

Tofino sees driest summer in a century, as over 1.5 million ha burn province wide

By Konnor Oliver Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Gold River, BC - The Jacklah River wildfire, located approximately five kilometres south of Gold River, has changed status to “under control”. This change was announced by the B.C. Wildfire Service on via their website on July 26.

“This fire received significant rain and is being wrapped up. The top of the fire will likely continue to burn through the summer due to the safety hazards of the terrain the fire is burning in. It is very steep, heavy timber with significant safety risks due to danger trees, therefore, applying direct fire suppression tactics is not safe or obtainable in these areas,” read the announcement. “Crews have made excellent progress in workable terrain and the fire is now classified as Under Control, meaning it will not spread beyond its current perimeter.Aplan is in place to monitor the portions of the fire that are inaccessible.”

The fire has an estimated size of 35 hectares, and is believed to have been started by a lightning strike. The Jacklah River fire was first reported on July 20.

In late July Jacklah River was one of five fires burning on Vancouver Island, and is directly in the middle in terms of size. The Cameron Bluffs fire located near PortAlberni and the Newcastle Creek fire west of Sayward are currently larger, with Newcastle Creek also being the only fire on the island not listed as “under control”. That one is currently being held.

The Province of British Columbia announced a total of 1,801 fires between April 1 2022 and March 31 2023. Since April 1 of this year, the province has already reported over 1,700 wildfires province wide. Over 200 of those fires have been in the Coastal region, which includes Vancouver Island.

While the rainfall has been beneficial in getting these fires under control, we are not out of the woods just yet.

“Many parts of British Columbia experienced showers and cooler weather over the last couple of days,” said Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma in a press conference on July 27. “I know that this may give the perception that our drought and

wildfire challenges have been eased, but that is not necessarily the case.”

Much of the province is facing severe drought conditions. By earlyAugust 28 of the 34 water basins across British Columbia were in drought levels four and five, the highest levels possible.

“The majority of our weather stations are picking up less that normal percentages of rainfall for this point in the year,” explained Cliff Chapman, director of operations for the Wildfire Service.

Chapman went on to state that he believes we could be on track for one of the most, if not the most, difficult fire seasons in provincial history. Wildfires have already burned more than 1.5 million hectares province wide, the most in any fire season in British Columbia’s history.

“Obviously the impacts of this fire season have been significant.And just like we saw in [2017, 2018, and 2021], communities are being impacted. Resource values are being impacted. Critical

infrastructure is being impacted.And so, this season is on par with [2017, 2018, and 2021],” says Chapman.

Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist with the River Forecast Centre, went into even greater detail as to just how dry the year has been. Going back over 100 years, 2023 is the driest year ever in both Tofino and Prince George. Boyd also says that while Vancouver Island is doing significantly better than much of the province following rainfall in the last week of July, it is not quite time to celebrate.

The provincial government is urging people to continue following the directions and warnings of local authorities and First Nations as we continue through what is shaping up to be a devastating year for wildfires. The status of current fires, as well as current restrictions, can be seen at bcwildfire.ca or on the BC Wildfire ServiceApp.

Wildfires can be reported by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.

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BC Wildfire Service photo

The Jacklah River wildfire, located approximately five kilometres south of Gold River, has changed status to “under control”, after growing to 35 hectares.

IIO releases investigation details of fatal shooting

The report includes new details leading to the shooting of Opitsaht resident as police responded to a 911 call

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Independent Investigations Office has released the details of a fatal shooting in Opitsaht, when RCMP responded to a call from a female alleging sexual assault and being held against her will.

The incident resulted in the death of Julian Jones, and amid these new details, leaders among Nuu-chah-nulth remain concerned with de-escalation tactics of the police force.

On an evening in late February of 2021 two RCMP officers responded to a call from a female alleging she was sexually assaulted and being held against her will by two males at an address located in the Tla-o-qui-aht village of Opitsaht on Meares Island, reads the report released on July 14 by the Independent Investigation Office (IIO).

The two officers were dispatched from Tofino to perform a wellness check, reaching the residence at 9:30 p.m. Prior to arriving, a background check was performed on both males; Jones’ record indicated a “caution for violence.”

At the front door of the residence, the officers arrested one male and then were confronted by Jones who, as the report said, was “brandishing two metal files as weapons.”

According to the report, the files that were found near Jones’body were rectangular and between 12 and 15 inches long.

The files appeared to be recently damaged, and Jones’blood was found on one.

“It appears from the evidence that [Jones] was angry to see officers arresting and struggling with [the second male],” reads the statement.

After officers initially tried to deescalate the situation, one used a taser on Jones, causing him to fall to the floor. Jones got back up with the steel files in hand and advanced towards the officers, reads the report. With no second taser available the officer fired at Jones three times, striking him twice, once through his left upper arm and left chest, and another on the front left side of his chest. Only one of the officers was in possession of and trained to use a taser, reads the report.

The conclusion of the report reads that based on the allegations of the call, of-

ficers were “authorized to demand, and, if necessary, force entrance into the home to investigate and to ensure [complainant’s] safety.”

“They were further justified in arresting both suspects, and using necessary and reasonable force in doing so,” the statement continued. “The need to protect [the complainant] who had said she was being unlawfully confined, justified these actions without a warrant that would usually be required for an arrest in a residence.”

“On the preponderance of the evidence, both officers found themselves in a situation where they reasonably believed they were at risk of grievous bodily harm, at least, from someone advancing upon them with weapons that, while not knives, might reasonably be perceived to be knives, and in any event were certainly capable of doing significant damage if used to strike,” continues the statement.

“They were in a dark, cluttered room, already dealing with one resistant individual, unable reasonably to retreat because of the need to protect [the complainant].”

But the report notes that the civilian witnesses gave “inconsistent and in-

complete” accounts of what happened when Jones came out of the bedroom to confront the officers while they were arresting the man at the entrance.

The IIO said that the complainant “seemed unsure” where she was at the time of the shooting, the male who was arrested recited events that “appears to be inconsistent with physical evidence”, a third civilian witness was, according to the complainant, “blacked out drunk” and “seemed uncertain in her evidence whether she was asleep or awake when the shooting happened.”Afourth individual at the address did not witness Jones being shot and said the complainant was not in the living room when he awoke to find Jones shot on the floor.

The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation is disappointed in the results of the investigation and would have liked to see it go to Crown Counsel, said TribalAdministrator Jim Chisholm.

“We don’t feel that anything went on [in] Opitsaht that warranted the death of an individual,” he said.

Tla-o-qui-aht and the family of Jones, Chisholm said, are uncomfortable with the “unclear areas” in the report.

“There’s just a lot of stuff in there that just didn’t make sense to us,” he added.

“Our nation wants a fair and transparent process,” said Chisholm. “We want to make sure our members are treated fairly [and] to that end we’re going to fight for justice.”

Tla-o-qui-aht member Thomas George was appointed as a civilian monitor for the IIO investigation, overlooking details of the process and then filing a report to the office’s chief civilian director.

“I do not think there were any investigation steps not covered by IIO,” said George in his report. “The IIO investigators were friendly but neutral and weren’t on either side: the RCMP’s or the family’s.”

Upon review of the report from George and all available evidence, including information from witnesses and forensic scene analysis, the IIO’s chief civilian director “determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed an offense,” reads a statement given in November 2022 from the office.

“While I cannot argue with the witness statements there is still work to be done on defining reasonable force and training officers to shoot to disarm as opposed to just shooting,” said Judith Sayers, Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council president, in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa. “I understand [that] heat of the moment and fear all play a factor, but well-trained officers should be able to de-escalate a situation or at the very least disarm someone they believe to be a danger to them.”

Both Sayers and Chisholm questioned why cops “shoot to kill.”

“There should be a lot more traumainformed policing,” said Sayers.

She adds that she believes RCMP should be trained on specifics of each nation rather than general training on First Nations in B.C.

“The RCMP should be establishing protocols with every single First Nation on how they enter into reserves,” said Sayers.

She said that there should be a list of three or four contacts that are available to escort RCMP to the home.

“On behalf of the family and the community we’re disappointed in the results of the investigation,” said Chisholm.

“Whatever the family [does]…the community [is] behind them.”

Eric Plummer photo

Anew report from B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office includes new details leading to the shooting death of Opitsaht resident Julian Jones, as police responded to a call alleging sexual assault and confinement in the Meares Island village.

Leaders consider more oversight over TMX tankers

With the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion nearing completion, tanker traffic is set to incease exponentially

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Campbell River, BC - Within nine months, the amount of crude oil being shipped by southern Vancouver Island is expected to multiply with the completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, bringing calls for a stronger Nuu-chah-nulth presence to monitor the activity.

After its development began over a decade ago, the twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline is over 80 per cent complete. Once finished, the expansion will increase the line’s capacity from 300,000 barrels to 890,000 a day being piped from northeast of Edmonton to the Westridge Terminals in Burnaby. This is expected to increase the number of oil tankers leaving the terminals from five to 34 a month, according to Trans Mountain, representing a 14 per cent overall increase in the Port of Vancouver’s marine traffic.

The shipping lanes for these tankers include waters off the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island, a presence in Nuuchah-nulth territory that could warrant a stronger voice in the oversight of the pipeline expansion project. On July 12

Trina Sxwithul’txw of the Indigenous Advisory Monitoring Committee made a presentation to the Nuu-chah-nulth Council of Ha’wiih Forum on Fisheries, inviting the First Nations’leaders to join the group. The committee currently has one vacancy for the Vancouver Island WesternApproach region.

One hundred and twenty-nine First Nations are listed as being directly impacted by the 1,150-kilometre pipeline’s expansion. But Sxwithul’txw noted that the government’s assessment of how communities will be affected has not always been accurate.

“We’re working hard to put the onus back on the government to correct the mistakes, because they’ve included First Nations that should not have been included on their impacted list,” she said.

The Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations are among those listed. But regulators have so far downplayed the risk that Nuu-chah-nulth nation’s face; a past report from the National Energy Board stated that the increased tanker traffic would have a “minor” impact on Ditidaht fishing, while its effect on Maa-nulth nations would be “negligible”.

Trans Mountain has funneled oil to the West Coast since 1956.Although 84 spills have been reported along the pipeline – nine of which were over 1.5 cubic metres (approximately 9.5 barrels) – no petroleum product has spilled from the pipeline’s tankers, according to the company.

But the National Energy Board’s Crown Consultation andAccommodation Report warned that this might not always be the case.

“[O]ver the life of the project the probability of small spills is high,” stated the NEB. “The Crown acknowledges that Aboriginal peoples who rely on subsistence foods and natural resources are at greatest risk for adverse effects from an oil spill regardless of its size.”

This is why the IndigenousAdvisory Monitoring Committee was formed. Now the Council of Ha’wiih is considering more involvement.

“I believe that this is important for our people to consider, but we need to have the time,” said Wickaninnish, CliffAtleo, chair of the fisheries forum.

With the volume of crude oil being shipped offshore due to nearly triple, the federal government has bulked up spill response capacity with hefty investments.Anew West Coast Marine Response Corporation base has been built in PortAlberni, with seven vessels, plus another two stationed in Ucluelet. Set up to serve the west coast of Vancouver Island, the base has the ability to handle a 2,500-tonne spill within six hours, according to the WCMRC.

ButAtleo isn’t comfortable with the government’s emphasis on preparing for an inevitable disaster, rather than prevention.

“Hopefully this process is going to have some influence, because the process and the system, it accepts far too readily disasters,” he said. “We see it far too readily in the states, everywhere there is a pipeline. Every once in a while, they have a burst. Thousands and thousands of barrels go into the sea. Who pays for that?

Over here it’s going to be us.”

Archie Little, a councillor with the Nuchatlaht First Nation, was working on a halibut fishing boat off the coast ofAlaska when one of the worst tanker spills in history hit the region. It was just after midnight on March 24, 1989 when the Exxon Valdez hit a reef in Prince William Sound. Over the following days 260,000 barrels spread across 2,100 kilometres of coast.

“We have to understand that when we have a spill, it’s going to impact other resources,” said Little, referencing the Nuu-chah-nulth belief that all is con-

nected. “We need to think of this as hišuk ma cawak, because whatever is going to happen is going to impact a lot of things. We need to be the eyes, the monitors.”

As a means to accommodate the concerns of individual First Nations, Trans Mountain has signed mutual benefit agreements with 69 Indigenous communities, including the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht, who submitted letters of support to the pipeline project.

Each of these confidential agreements detail a “voluntary and mutually beneficial long-term relationship” with a First Nation, said Trans Mountain.

“The benefits can include pipeline construction education and jobs training, skills enhancement, business opportunities or improved community services and infrastructure,” wrote the company in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa.

Amid stalled progress due to opposition and regulatory conditions, the Government of Canada bought Trans Mountain for $4.5 billion in 2018 – a push to move the project forward to open upAlberta crude toAsian markets. Now industry experts estimate the Trans Mountain ex-

pansion has cost over $30 billion, while it appears that the majority of its tankers will be destined for the west coast of the United States rather than the intended destinations overseas. Currently Russia has floodedAsia with cheap crude oil, as sanctions have cut it off from other markets due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Wherever the tankers will be destined, increased traffic in Nuu-chah-nulth waters is inevitable, bringing an interest in the IndigenousAdvisory Monitoring Committee.

“I think it’s imperative that the chiefs really consider this as part of a plan forward,” said Tla-o-qui-aht elder Barney Williams during the fisheries forum on July 12. “It’s important based on some of the experiences of the past…we were the first responders.”

“When that oil spill does happen, the knowledge gap between the areas of the nations that aren’t participating, it would really be missed,” added Huu-ay-aht representative Larry Johnson. “There’s not a lot of west coast knowledge out there right now.”

Trans Mountain photos

The Trans Mountain expansion encompasses a 1,150-kilometre pipeline route from centralAlberta to the B.C. coast.An oil tanker (below right) sits in the waters at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby.

Archie Little

AFN questioned amid ousting of national chief

In today’s Canada, is it possible for one organization ‘to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations’?

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

It’s been a rough summer for theAssembly of First Nations.

On June 28 the advocacy organization’s national chief RoseAnneArchibald was ousted during a virtual assembly of delegates, amid complaints about her conduct from several senior staff. Then the following month, asArchibald was pushing to be reinstated, the findings from a review of gender-based discrimination and sexual misconduct at theAFN was released during its annual general meeting in Halifax. The result of a multi-year investigation launched before Archibald’s term under former national chief Perry Bellegarde, the report stated “that toxic behaviours exist at all levels of theAFN, including the Secretariat, the Executive, Regional Offices, and the National Chief’s Office.”

Although Canada’s largest Indigenous advocacy organization will continue on under interim National Chief Joanna Bernard, who stepped in from serving as New Brunswick’s regional chief, questions have surfaced over how processes and conduct are being managed at the AFN, and if it serves the best interests of individual First Nations.

‘The time has come to change’ Archibald was the first woman to be voted into the top role when she was electedAFN national chief in July 2021. But her conflict with the organization was already evident.As Ontario regional chief,Archibald had backed an independent financial review of theAFN. Then in February 2021 she was investigated after staff within the organization had accused her of bullying and harassment. No complaints were filed in writing.

While she was national chief, theAFN Executive putArchibald under investigation again in the spring of 2022. Five senior staff filed complaints against her. Archibald alleged that theAFN had spent over $2 million on investigations and legal fees in its efforts to remove her. In her online efforts to be reinstated this summer, the ousted national chief stated in a video that she had been fighting corruption at theAFN since October 2020, and that the investigations against her were intended to distract from larger issues in the organization.

“The time has come to change,” she

said, urging chiefs to reinstate her and for theAFN to move ahead with a forensic audit that she backed. “Those sacred responsibilities are much higher than the political responsibilities or the administrative responsibilities that I might have at theAFN.”

Archibald was ousted on June 28 during virtual assembly that had 231 delegates, less than half of Canada’s eligible voting First Nations. More of a process should have been taken for such a major decision, said Waaseyaa’sin, Christine Sy, a professor of Gender Studies and Indigenous Nationhood at the University of Victoria.

“There’s questions raised because not all the chiefs were there,” she said. “People needed to be informed publicly that this was afoot and have a chance to sound in somehow.”

“It wasn’t an easy decision to remove her,” said Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Judith Sayers. “I really like RoseAnn, and I like working with her. She really supported the Nuu-chah-nulth in their fisheries issues. I like that she came into the communities.”

But Sayers noted thatArchibald had broken the organization’s code of conduct and breached multiple policies, resulting in an “extensive” list of complaints against her. Sayers said that four of the senior staff who filed complaints against Archibald had worked with her before.

“I don’t think people would bring those kinds of complaints if there wasn’t some substance to them,” she said, noting how the grievances indicate leadership shortcomings whileArchibald was in the AFN’s top role. “You have to have a team around you, a good team that’s supporting you, or you just can’t do your job. So you have to treat people with respect.”

Report notes ‘predatory culture’ Respect - or lack of it – became a prevalent issue at the advocacy organization this summer, when disturbing findings were revealed at theAGM Halifax.A report cited multiple cases of cyber bullying, sexual text messages, discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, misogyny, unwelcome touching as well as other abuses of power. Members of the AFN’s Secretariat and Executive were surveyed, with 35 per cent reporting feeling unsafe at work, while almost 60 per cent had witnessed discrimination, violence or bullying.

“Female interviewees told us that personal boundaries are routinely violated by male employees, elders, knowledge keepers, and chiefs,” stated the report. “The panel heard that a predatory culture has become so pervasive and threatening within theAFN that female employees and leaders share information with each other about men who are unsafe to be around.”

“This was an issue for the whole time Archibald was national chief,” said Sy, who is from the Obiishkikaang Lac Seul First Nation in northwestern Ontario. “It was deeply ironic that weeks after she was ousted from her position, and the day after she was kicked out of the assembly online as a proxy member, that they came forth with this report.”

“TheAFN needs to operate better,” said

Sayers, who hopes that a forensic audit will further uncover changes needed within the organization.

“We’re trying to figure out ways that corruption can’t happen,” she continued. “I think we just need to put in place really strong policies, and enforceable policies, so that things can’t happen in the future.”

Advancing ‘collective aspirations’

John Jack, chief councillor for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, has conflicted feelings when it comes to theAFN.

“I do find that some of the projects and programs that they run can be quite useful, especially when they interface with the federal government,” he said, noting that regional differences can complicate national lobbying efforts. “The governance structure creates incentives that do create difficulties for B.C. First Nations to put forward their interests, especially when it is in contrast with that of other First Nations east of the Rockies.”

TheAFN is funded by departments within the federal government, transfer payments that amounted to nearly $42.2 million over the 2022-23 fiscal year. On its website it’s described as “a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada”. But identifying what these collective aspirations are, among a diverse mosaic of hundreds of First Nations across Canada, presents an inherent dilemma.

Jack admits to losing respect for the AFN after seeing the experience ofA-inchut, ShawnAtleo, anAhousaht hereditary chief who rose to the organization’s top position in 2009. During his second termAtleo resigned in 2014 amid controversy over Indigenous support for Bill C53, the First Nations Control of First Nation EducationAct.

“My trust of the organization is quite low,” said Jack. “The internal culture does not appear to have changed, and the incentives for the way that leadership is selected within theAFN makes it difficult for anything other than the lowest common denominator priorities to be put forward.”

But in the national scope of how Ottawa deals with Indigenous people progress can be found, a recent example being a $23.3 billion settlement for harm suffered by Indigenous children under Canada’s child welfare system. This compensation was approved by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on July 31.

Could such an initiative happen without a national advocacy group like theAFN?

“I think that the federal government needs it more than First Nations need it,” said Sy. “The federal government needs easy steps to disseminate its decisions and its power to First Nations status people.”

“It’s impossible, but yet the work must be done in transforming theAFN, or growing other ways of building this relationship with Canada, surviving this relationship with Canada, transforming this relationship with Canada,” she added.

“I see a lot of people calling down the organization, but I think they function within the constitution,” said Sayers. “TheAFN is higher-level strategic politicking and lobbying. TheAFN has always been an advocacy body, that’s what they’re supposed to do. They’re not supposed to be the people who are consulted, so you have to fight to make sure that doesn’t happen, that it’s the rights holders that make the decisions.”

Eric Plummer photo

RoseAnneArchibald visited Tseshaht territory inAugust of 2021, shortly after being the first woman to be voted national chief of theAssembly of First Nations. Nearly two years later, she was ousted from the position amid allegations of harassment and breach of code of conduct within the organization.

John Jack

In response to the enacted new law called Bill C-18 (the Online News Act) Facebook has shut down Ha-Shilth-Sa’s facebook page. You can still stay up to date on breaking news by visiting www. hashilthsa.com. We are working on a plan to make news more accessible to our communities so please stay tuned for updates coming soon.

NTC president files civil claim for float plane accident

Judith Sayers is claiming negligence and damages for a 2021 float plane accident in the busy Tofino Harbour

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President

Judith Sayers has filed a civil claim for negligence and damages againstAtleo RiverAir Service Ltd., after a seaplane overturned and crashed into shallow water in 2021, leaving Sayers with serious injuries.

On July 26, 2021 Sayers was on her way to Hot Springs Cove aboard anAtleo RiverAir seaplane with her son, alongside two other passengers.

While departing from the Tofino Harbour preparing for a northwest-bound take off, they were temporarily delayed due to traffic along the take off path, reads an investigation report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Once cleared they began to accelerate, crossing paths with the wake from a boat, which caused them to slow down. The report indicates that in an attempt to gain a longer take off run, the pilot performed a right-hand turn to reach the deep-water channel.

The aircraft lifted off at a low speed, at first by the left float then by the right, while the right turn continued, reads the report. The investigation was unable to determine if a second boat wake affected the crash.

The aircraft yawed, rolled to the left, and lost altitude simultaneously, reads the report. First the floats touched the water then the left-wing tip. The aircraft bounced to the right and as the right wing touched the water the aircraft yawed in that direction and skidded along the water, the report continued.

As the left float dug into the ocean, the aircraft overturned landing upside down along the sandbar in one foot of water.

“[It] seemed to be having a really hard time getting up in the air,” said Sayers. “We finally got up in the air and then we started rocking, really rocking hard.”

On July 26, 2021 a float plane crashed onto a sandbar in front of Tofino, resulting in all five occupants being sent to the hospital. and had to squeeze out of the side window with assistance, she said.

“I just thought, ‘Oh, he’s got it, he’s going to get it under control’,” said Sayers.

“But he didn’t.”

“We flipped over and the top of the aircraft was on the sandbar; they call it ‘Dead Man’s Island’,” she continued.

Sayers was hanging upside down from her seat with her head in the water, she told Ha-Shilth-Sa.

She heard scraping on the sand just above her head.At the time she didn’t realize how close to the sandbar they had crashed, said Sayers.

Luckily, Sayers’son, who was also on the float plane, rescued her.

“I felt fingers underneath my head lifting me up,” she said.

Her son lifted her head out of the water and undid Sayers’seatbelt. She then fell

Kyuquot locals quickly respond to boat crash

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Kyuquot, BC - Police are thanking Kyuquot residents for their quick response to a boat crash that could have resulted in more serious injuries without the prompt attention it received in the remote community.

The crash occurred on the evening of July 13, when a commercial sports fishing boat ran aground on rocks near Kyuquot. The boat is registered to one of the area’s charter fishing resorts, but no guests were aboard, said the Port McNeill RCMP.

Three people were treated for minor injuries at a medical facility in the area.

“The Port McNeill RCMP would like to thank the local residents for the quick and timely response to this incident,” said Corp. Spencer Mylymok. “Their efforts contributed to a safe outcome to what could have been a tragic incident.”

“The vessel occupants were resort personnel, along with one of their friends,” stated a media release issued by the detachment. “RCMPWest Coast Marine Services will be assisting the Port McNeill RCMP with the investigation, with involvement of Transport Canada and WorkSafe BC.”

“We believe speed may have played a factor in the collision,” said Mylymok, adding that police couldn’t begin their investigation until they were informed the following day. “We weren’t actually advised until almost 24 hours later, which makes it a bit challenging.”

Kyuquot is home to approximately 200 people, most of whom are members of the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’First Nations. With its remote location on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the closest hospital is a 20-kilometre boat ride to Fair Harbour, then a 118-kilometre drive across the island’s north to Port McNeill.

The closest Canadian Coast Guard station is in Tahsis, a 50-plus-kilometre boat trip down the coast.

Neither BC Emergency Health Services nor the coast guard were notified, as Kyuquot residents took care of the injuries.

“Although it’s remote, it’s a very tightknit community, so there were people who actually heard the collision,” said Mylymok. “Then some local residents took their own vessel out there and basically transported the individuals to the local medical facility.”

The Port McNeill RCMP is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the detachment at 250-9564441.

Once Sayers got out of the float plane she sat on its wing looking out to the Tofino harbor.

“Every single boat in that harbor was around us,” she said.

They offered help, but the Coast Guard had arrived to rescue Sayers and the other passengers, bringing them to safety.

“I didn’t even know the plane was upside down until I looked back,” she added. “We were really lucky to be alive.”

The report indicates that survival of the passengers was likely due to the crash being in shallow waters.

The five people on the plane were then taken to the Tofino hospital, and a healing team fromAhousaht came to brush them off, said Sayers.

Three months later, in the Tofino Harbour, a float plane collided into an Ahousaht water taxi, with no serious injuries.

“Tofino is unregulated,” said Sayers. “It’s not a waterdrome.”

Awaterdrome is an area delegated to the landing and launching of aircrafts on a body of water.

The Tofino Harbor has no delegated areas for seaplanes to take off and land, reads the report.

“It’s up to the harbor authority to be

working with the transportation board to regulate speed,” she added.

“So many of our communities are fly-in communities,” said Sayers. “This isn’t just a Tofino issue, but it’s up and down the coast.”

W. Sean Taylor, acting forAtleo River Air Service Ltd., responded to Ha-ShilthSa and said, in an email, that their “client will not be speaking publicly about the incident at this time.”

“We will be filing a response to [the] civil claim on behalf ofAtleoAir in the near future,” wrote Taylor in an email.

Submitted photo

Judith Sayers

‘Listening to the land’: A new totem pole is raised in Naa’w

On Tuesday, Aug. 1, a crowd eagerly gathered at Tla-o-qui-aht’s Naa’waya’sum gardens to raise the Naa’was totem pole that represents

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Tuesday,Aug. 1, Naa’was totem pole was raised at Naa’waya’sum garden, in Tofino B.C., depicting “responsibilities to future generations”.

“This here is like a legal document of our peoples,” said Joe Martin (Tutakwisnapšiƛ), Tla-o-qui-aht master carver. Naa’was totem pole was carved by Joe in collaboration with Gordon Dick, Robin Rorick, PatrickAmos, and Robinson Cook.

“When Europeans first arrived here, certainly, we were illiterate to the things that they wrote on papers,” said Joe. “But so are they when it’s in our totem poles; they also had no idea what these things are about.”

“It’s depicting our responsibilities to our future generations,” said Joe.

Joe explained that the top crest and the bottom crest are the most important parts of the totem pole.

“The top crest can be the crest of the sun, which is the top one up here, or the crest of the moon, which is going to rise later, full, tonight,” said Joe referring to the full sturgeon moon that was brightly welcomed later that night.

“The other ones you’ll find on top of totem pole[s] are the Thunderbirds… the ones with the wings open, that’s depicting our male ancestry,” said Joe. “The ones with the wings closed, it depicts our female ancestry.”

“Always on the chest of the male Thunderbird is depicted the crest of the sun, and on the female Thunderbird, it’s the crest of the moon,” he added.“They’re up there, because it’s about the first teaching and the first law and that’s about respect.”

Joe explained that the crest of the sun is a teaching that began as soon as a baby was conceived and in the belly of their mother.

“The elders would come there, and they would sing a lullaby when mom was carrying you; and it’s a lullaby and a teaching that went on throughout life,” he said. “Once you were born and every time you’re being fed, they would sing this lullaby for you, and when you began to speak that is when they began to speak to you about being respectful.”

Joe then explained that the second most important teaching, which speaks of fear, occurred when children reached a time when they lost their baby teeth and their adult teeth set in; they would be initiated into the wolf clan. He explained that the initiation happened after Dec. 21, between the new moon and full moon.

“The elders said if you are afraid and wanting to learn something and say you

only learned so much,” said Joe. “They’d always say if you’re not afraid… you can learn anything.”

Joe explained that the bear that stands at the bottom of the pole is to represent

the bear dance that was done when young people reached the age of puberty.

“That bear dance, it was done during that time to make the boundaries of our young girls, our ladies,” said Joe. “That boundary,

it was a real boundary that was expressed during that song and that dance.”

Gisele Martin, daughter of Joe Martin, spoke about how bears communicate boundaries by nodding their head back and

Carver Joe Martin, left, directs others raising the Naa’was totem pole in Tofino onAug. 1. The pole serves as ‘a legal document for our peoples’, said

raised in Naa’waya’sum gardens

Naa’was

totem pole that represents ‘responsibilities to future generations’

“But even before all that there were treaties among Nations, and even before that… there were treaties that were interspecies; between us and bears.”

“Agreements about how to live here [and] to be respectful,” said Gisele.

Eli Enns, a Tla-o-qui-aht member and CEO of Iisaak Olam Foundation, read a message from Moses Martin, who formerly served as the elected chief of Tla-o-qui-aht for years, and as Enns said, was one of the biggest teachers to Tla-o-qui-aht.

The message read, “Totem poles tell our story, something that no one can take away.”

Joe said that there used to be at least four totem poles in the front of every house representing the grandparents of the mother and fathers side, which is how teachings from village to village were passed along.

“That’s why there used to be so many totem poles in the front of our villages long ago,” said Joe.

In July of 2022, Hinaaqsuuqʷa totem pole, was raised in the village of Opitsaht, located on Meares Island, where in 1792, 200 totem poles along the village were bombed by Captain Robert Gray.

Just over one hundred years later, in 1900, Christie Roman Catholic school, was a residential school that opened in 1900 on Meares Island, B.C., relocating to Tofino in 1971, and officially closing 1983, reads the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website.

According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, more than 150,000 children attended residential schools, a system which removed First Nation children from their families to attend schools away from home where they were subject to physical and sexual abuse and were not allowed to speak their language or practice their culture.

Many children who attended residential schools did not make it back home.

For Enns, who is also the founder of Naa’waya’sum gardens, it is important that the gardens are Indigenized with more totem poles to come.

“For me, this is history,” said Enns. “[We’re] reestablishing our responsibilities to the land.”

He hopes that for the next generation, the raising of the Naa’was pole at the Naa’waya’sum gardens provide a sense of belonging to their own land.

that was expressed of Joe Martin, communicate their head back and

forth, and clicking with their teeth.

“There’s a lot of stolen land on this continent and there are treaties that have been made with the French and the British and theAmericans,” said Gisele.

“To know who we are, to be bold and courageous, and [act in] what’s in the best interests of the future generations,” said Enns. “To instill that sense of intergenerational accountability.”

Gisele shared that Naa’was translates to ‘listening to the land,’and that

Naa’waya’sum, the name of the gardens where the totem pole resides, translates to ‘wisdom bench’.

“It takes discipline to take care of the

land, and take care of our culture and our language and each other,” said Gisele. “It›s really beautiful to see what everybody brought together here today.”

Alexandra Mehl photos legal document for our peoples’, said Martin.

Yuquot celebrates 100 years as national historic site

2023 marks the centennial of Canada’s recognition, but historical understanding has transformed over this time

By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor

Yuquot, BC - This year marks 100 years since the ancestral home of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people was formerly identified by Canada as a national historical site, but how the location is being recognized has completely changed over the past century.

In 1923 the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada designated Nootka Sound as a national historic site. Along with Fort Langley, the location off Vancouver Island’s west coast was the first in B.C. to earn such a mark of importance.

Six years later a plaque was installed on a small island by Yuquot, an event attended by the Mowachaht Tyee and B.C.’s lieutenant governor. But as the years went by, it became clear that the information in the marker had missed key elements of the area’s history when it came to the First Nations who had lived at the coastal site for thousands of years. Instead, it focused on the British Captain James Cook, who landed at Yuquot in 1778, the first European contact with Indigenous peoples in British Columbia that would lead to the region’s fur trade. The site also housed Spain’s only Canadian settlement for five years, the European power’s most northern garrison in the Pacific in the late 1700s.

“It was discovered by Captain Cook,” summarized historian Richard Inglis of the original plaque. “The designation had nothing to do with Yuquot.”

Cook’s landing at Yuquot, or Friendly Cove, was a momentous development for European exploration of NorthAmerica, an event that inspired Canada’s historical designation a century ago. But the site was already steeped in a history of its own. For countless generations Yuquot served as the summer village of the Mowachaht people, a place that became a focal point for trade and gathering amongst Indigenous nations by the late 18th century.Archaeological excavations that began in 1966 uncovered evidence of over 4,300 years of continual habitation at the ancient village site.

In the late 1960s the discoveries from these digs led Parks Canada to plan a museum at Yuquot to display the preCaptain Cook history to a wider audience. Mowachaht/Muchalaht member

Margaretta James saw the plans for this

attraction, something she describes as “a Disney experience” for the general public without fairly understanding the cultural complexities within Yuquot’s history.

“They wanted to put it in a museum, create that whole experience,” said James, who is president of the Land of Maquinna Cultural Society, noting that the project was never actualized.

Then in 1978, the province came forth with plans to celebrate the bicentennial of Cook’s landing, something that developed without the First Nation’s consultation or approval, said James.

“After that the door was closed between the nation and the province,” she said, recalling when Mowachaht/Muchalaht members wore T-shirts bearing the slogan “Cook the captain”.

“When the Cook bicentennial came in 1978, the leadership in the community shut it down,” said Inglis. “They said, ‘No, you’re not coming ashore to celebrate Captain Cook’.”

“There was also a lot of political things going on in the late ‘70s and into the early ‘80s,” added James. “That’s when a lot of Indigenous nations changed their titles and names back to the original [ones].”

By 1992 the Mowachaht/Muchalaht community had lived away from Yuquot for about two decades, after their main reserve relocated to Gold River in the late ‘60s and early 1970s. The late Tyee Ha’wilthAmbrose Maquinna identified a need for his people to reconnect with

their ancestral homeland, which brought about the first Yuquot Summerfest and camp out that year.

At this time work also began on the YuquotAgenda paper, a declaration of the site’s true historical importance to the First Nation that was submitted to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1997.

“For us, our history goes back to the beginning of time when our ancestors were created on this landscape,” reads the agenda paper. “The history books are neither accurate nor kind to us. From our perspective, Europeans did not ‘discover’ this part of the world, nor is the European arrival the single most important event in our history.”

Inglis helped to write the document, based on interviews with four hereditary chiefs:Ambrose Maquinna, Jerry Jack, Max Savey andArnold James. “They took the position that, you white guys can tell all the history you want, but we want to tell our history,” summarized Inglis. “We want it to be respected an on equal footing with yours.”

The original plaque was changed, and the First Nation began to have discussions with the province about economic development.

“The discussion was what assets to do we have, what do we have that can make money?AndAmbrose said, ‘Friendly Cove, Yuquot’,” said James. Decades later, there is neither a museum

nor hotel at Yuquot, where the unspoiled environment serves as the southern end point of the Nootka Island Trail, an internationally recognized 35-kilometre destination for hikers. The Williams family have the only household to remain at the village site since the main reserve was moved 50 years ago.

Meanwhile, a new generation of Mowachaht/Muchalaht members converge at the location each summer for a week or two of camping. Tyee Ha’wilth Mike Maquinna addressed his people during the 31st Yuquot Summerfest on Aug. 5.

“We started a little bit sorrowful this year at our campout due to a couple of losses in our community,” he said. “We want to acknowledge those who have been able to help us through this tough time.”

The chief encouraged those present to bring their family members to future gatherings.

“We want to be family oriented, not just fishermen coming out,” said Maquinna. “Families are important to us.”

This could be a major part of the cultural importance of Yuquot in the future, said Inglis.

“When you get out here and you see a field full of tents, a large proportion of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht community, I think that is one answer,” he said. “People are coming back to their roots, and they are learning who they truly are.”

Phrase†of†the†week:†%uh=itimit†waa%uš††wa†N’aa%i@aqs†wik%its†c^aamih=ta†%uu%its†kuukuh=wisa†wik%a+kuu†@ii@iiqata†+aq†+aaqin%a>%itk†

Pronounced ‘Ooh it ways na eek sua wa wik it’s car mith ta it’s kookoo wirth saw err alth shay koo tlaa qwin.’, it means ‘My late Uncle once told me, ‘You are not eating seal meat right until the seal oil is dripping from your elbows!’’Supplied by ciisma.

Photo by Eric Plummer

OnAug. 5 Mowachaht/Muchalaht members and guests converged at an ancient village site on the southern tip of Nootka Island for the 31st Yuquot Summerfest.

Illustration by Ivy Cargill-Martin

Tla-o-qui-aht elder receives BC Reconciliation Award

Although there’s been some improvements like Orange Shirt Day, the TRC adviser gives the government an ‘F’

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Campbell River, BC - Tla-o-qui-aht elder and former member of the Survivor’s Committee for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Barney Williams, has been named a recipient of the 2023 BC ReconciliationAward.

The award, granted by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of B.C., recognizes four individuals and two organizations who have demonstrated “exceptional leadership, integrity, respect and commitment to furthering reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in the province.”

“I’m just really humbled. It’s pretty incredible to me,” Williams said. “I’m very proud and so is my children and grandchildren.”

Williams is a hereditary leader, originally from Opitsaht on Meares Island, who was taken from his home and forced to attend a residential school on Flores Island when he was six years old. It was there he experienced years of abuse and where his alcohol addiction began.

After getting sober at 27 years old, Williams took his own lived experiences and used them to help others going through similar hardships. Williams received his diploma in social work from Malaspina College, now known as Vancouver Island University, when he was in his early 30s.

After that Williams worked with Indigenous NorthernAffairs Canada in Nanaimo for 17 years. In 1988 he received his certificate as a registered clinical therapist.

Throughout his career, Williams has held notable positions as an executive director and social service administrator, specialized in counselling youth, community prevention, crisis intervention and addictions.

He’s contributed to the establishment of a counselling program for Indigenous peoples at Vancouver Island University which has served as a model for the inte-

Melissa

Tla-o-qui-aht elder and former member of the Survivor’s Committee for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Barney Williams, has been named a recipient of the 2023 BC ReconciliationAward. Throughout his career, Williams has held notable positions as an executive director and social service administrator, specialized in counselling youth, community prevention, crisis intervention and addictions. gration of traditional healing knowledge with western approaches.

From 2008 to 2015, Williams played a vital role as a member of the Survivor’s Committee for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, offering cultural and spiritual guidance. In 2017 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Victoria for his many achievements.

Williams said he never expected to be recognized for the ReconciliationAward and all his work over his long career as a social worker and therapist wasn’t for recognition.

“It never was about that, it was always

about my own personal experience… all the things that happened to me and a desire to help people and understand and try to put the message out that reconciliation is important,” Williams said.

Williams said that although he does see more support from the community at large and organizations towards reconciliation, the government of Canada still has a lot of work to do.

“I think I would have to give [the government] an F,” Williams said. “(The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s) Calls toAction, I’m not sure but I think they’ve only done three or four that I know of. It’s disappointing. I think there’s still a lot of people out there that are ignorant, saying these things didn’t happen so ‘what do I have to reconcile about?’”

Williams said he believes the government needs to be more active and vocal about reconciliation, and policies and procedures need to be improved.

Williams said that although there’s still a huge deal of work to do to reconcile the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Government of Canada, he is seeing more support from communities and individuals towards reconciliation.

“We haveAboriginal days, Sept 30 (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) and Orange Shirt Day…there’s a lot of support whereas before there wasn’t that much,” he said. “Now you can see that people are getting to be educated about it

and understanding that this really needs to happen.”

Nominations for the BC ReconciliationAward begin every fall and are open to all British Columbians. Nominations are reviewed in the spring by a selection committee, including representation from Indigenous elders and leadership. Nuucha-nulth Tribal Council President Judith Sayers is among those on the selection committee.

“Reconciliation acts as the cornerstone for fostering meaningful connections and bridging the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. By acknowledging the historical injustices and illuminating transformative actions, we inspire others to tread the same path,” said Sayers in a press release. “As we enter the third year of the British Columbia ReconciliationAward, we continue to shine a light on empowering approaches that allow Indigenous peoples to flourish while positively impacting all communities.”

Members of the selection committee, along with Steven Point, 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, led in the creation and design of the BC ReconciliationAward, ensuring that it was founded on the principles of Indigenous culture and knowledge.

The 2023 recipients of the BC ReconciliationAward will be recognized in a ceremony held at Government House in Victoria in the new year.

Renwick photo

Confusion arises with new paid parking in Tofino

Fees a empt to manage downtown during peak tourism season, but frustration sparks among area’s residents

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC - On July 17 paid parking in Tofino’s downtown took effect, leaving those living in coastal and remote Nuuchah-nulth reserves with limited spots due to confusion with new signage during the peak tourist season.

“The parking issue in Tofino is so bad,” said Curt McLeod,Ahousaht resident. “Especially during tourist season.”

For residents living in Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, andAhousaht communities, they depend on the 110 allocated offshore parking spots to safely leave their vehicles while they travel by boat or seaplane home.According to the District of Tofino, 40 of these spots are allocated to Tla-o-qui-aht.

McLeod explained that the old signage clearly indicated offshore parking, while the new signs have caused confusion for locals and tourists.

“Tourists are just rolling up seeing those parking signs and just parking there,” said McLeod. “Even if we have a valid permit hanging on our rearview mirror, we have nowhere to park.”

“They’re not paid parking, so a lot of people are going into them,” he added. McLeod said that he’s seen vehicles with Washington andAlberta plates parking in the offshore spots.

“Up until last week, we could just pull over and park almost anywhere if [offshore parking spots] were taken or full,” said McLeod. “Now those other parking spots are all paid parking, so we’ll get ticketed or towed away.”

According to the District of Tofino, the new paid parking approach is an effort to “encourage a healthier turn over of limited parking space and help improve parking amenities so more people can enjoy access to Tofino’s beaches and downtown.”

In an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa, the District of Tofino said that they are “aware that parking is limited in the downtown core and cannot meet the demands of everyone.”

“The district will work with offshore communities on a long-term solution to address the offshore resident parking

needs,” reads the email. “All drivers must comply with the posted time restrictions.”

According to the district’s website, though bylaw officers “make every attempt to maintain permit parking spaces for vehicles with valid permits only,” offshore parking spaces are available on a “first come, first served basis.”

If no offshore parking is available, permit holders may park in unrestricted parking areas, time-limited parking spots for the specified time, and in the paid parking zone with the applicable fee, reads the website.

Offshore permits are free and valid for

one year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, reads the website. They must be hung on the rearview mirror of the vehicle and are not transferable among persons.

Offshore residents can obtain their permits at the Tofino municipal office with their license plate number and proof of offshore residency, or by registering online at tofino.robbinsparking.com

“If there weren’t offshore areas… we wouldn’t be able to park in Tofino,” said McLeod. “That’s really our parking lot down there.”

“With this sign change it’s really confusing for everybody,” he added.

Hereditary chief leads crew in tribal canoe journey

By Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

Hesquiaht First Nation – VinceAmbrose was undoubtedly exhausted as he was nearing his home on Tuesday,Aug. 8.

Ambrose, the Hesquiaht First Nation hereditary chief, was on the final leg of his return drive home after participating in this year’s Paddle To Muckleshoot Canoe Journey.

Ambrose, who is 64 years old, paddled a total of 572 kilometres during his portion of the journey this year, which saw participants canoeing down the British Columbia coast and ending up inAuburn, a Washington state city south of Seattle.

The Muckleshoot tribe hosted a weeklong celebration of cultural events, which marked the end of this year’s journey.

The cultural celebrations wrapped up on Sunday (Aug. 6).Ambrose then spent Monday and Tuesday travelling back home.

The number of journey participants for this year’s Paddle To Muckleshoot Canoe Journey varied along the course. Some joined at various points throughout the venture.

At one point there was as much as 91 canoes on the journey.

“It’s exhilarating,”Ambrose said. “You want to be out there all of the time.”

Journey participants would canoe various distances each day, camping in Indigenous communities nightly.

Ambrose had left Hesquiaht First Nation back on July 12 with his local canoeing partners and crew. The boats would be hosted by different First Nations along the route.

Ambrose is now semi-retired. He does a bit of work in the forestry sector.

“At my age I’m kind of old to be doing that hard labour,” he said.

But he certainly didn’t mind spending a couple of weeks with others on a tribal journey.

“Sometimes you’re up at four in the morning in order to get ready for a day of paddling,” he said. “It’s hard work, believe me. But I wouldn’t miss the tribal journeys for anything.”

ForAmbrose, this marked the fourth time he has been on a lengthy tribal canoe journey.

His interest in the adventures began in 2016.

“The first time I went with my cousin,” he said. “I did a partial trip.”

But then, in 2017,Ambrose took part in a journey that was about 700 kilometres. That remains the longest one he has done to date.

Ambrose also ventured out on canoe journeys in both 2018 and 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the events in each of the previous three years.

With the safe return to activities this year,Ambrose was once again keen to take part.As was evidenced by the dozens of other boats which took part this year, numerous others shared inAmbrose’s enthusiasm.

After having to miss three years of tribal journeys because of the pandemic, Ambrose was ecstatic to be back out on the water.

“It feels awesome,” he said. “We really looked forward to this. We prepared our canoe two to three months in advance.”

Ambrose was the skipper of his canoe,

which featured three to six participants, depending on the day.

“I’m the one that steers the boat in the right direction and keeps the paddlers at a steady pace,” he explained of his skipper responsibilities.

Ambrose was confident those in his canoe would be able to successfully reach their final destination.

“There was no question we were going to do it,” he said. “We all enjoyed that, no matter how hard the work was.”

Ambrose is a bit disappointed that no community stepped up to host a tribal journey in 2024.As a result, he has now set his sights on taking part in another journey again in 2025. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, based in Washington, is set to be the main host of the journey two years from now.

The Paddle To Seattle back in 1989 was

the first official canoe journey involving various Indigenous communities in the Pacific northwest.

This year’s Paddle To Muckleshoot Canoe Journey was billed as an event honouring warriors, past and present.

“It’s an unparalleled celebration of heritage and culture,” said a promotional video of this year’s event.

Walter Pacheco, a Muckleshoot member, said his community was among those that took part in the 1989 journey.

“It became quite clear we had to get back to our gathering and travelling with each other and have potlaches because that was our history,” he said in another video detailing the journey’s history.

“That was our tradition and culture.And it became more formal. It became more of a wellness type of situation.”

Alexandra Mehl photo

New parking signs in Tofino are part of an effort to balance the available spaces amongst locals, visitors and First Nations.

Vince Ambrose photo

Hereditary chief VinceAmbrose was among Hesquiaht First Nation members who participated in this year’s Paddle To Muckleshoot Canoe Journey.

Entangled humpback whale reported off Tofino coast

Search continues for mammal, with concerns that tangled line could interfere with feeding, leading to death

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – On July 22 an entangled humpback whale was reported to be seen off the coast of Leonard Lighthouse, near Tofino.

Since the initial sighting Fisheries and Oceans Canada, alongside Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society (SIMRS), have struggled to relocate the humpback and encourage community members to call the DFO marine mammal incident reporting hotline if seen, while remaining 200 meters away.

On Sunday, the day after the initial sighting, they were able to relocate the humpback whale. But by the time specialized professionals and gear arrived they had lost the whale once again, said SIMRS Executive Director Karyssa Arnet, who has been out searching with DFO.

“Humpback whales are more prone to entanglements and vessel strikes,” said Arnett. “They have a really sporadic moving behavior.”

“They might pop up one place and then they might come up at a completely different spot the next time you see them, so that’s what makes them hard to track while you’re watching them,” she added. Although Strawberry Isle Marine Research, Parks Canada and fisheries

officers in the Tofino region are trained to respond to whale entanglements by placing a satellite tracker on the gear attached to the whale, only DFO has a specialized and trained unit to remove the entanglement.

Arnet said that as DFO continues to search for the entangled humpback whale, it is important that fisherman, private boaters, and the whale watching community keep a lookout. She said that when spotted it’s important that people call the marine mammal incident reporting hotline as soon as possible, while keeping eyes on the whale at a distance of 200 meters away until other boats arrive.

“It takes a lot of effort and takes a lot of eyes to keep track of these things,” she said.

Arnet said that it’s very important that people do not attempt to disentangle the whale, noting that it is a safety concern for people and can cause harm to the whale.

With this whale, it’s towing two floats. Arnett said that it is assumed that the lines are tangled around the tail but due to low visibility from the boat, the equipment could also be tangled elsewhere.

“There might be some more not-visible rope, maybe entangled around the pectoral flippers or through the mouth or something, too,” saidArnett. “That’s why it’s really important for the professionals to go out there with the proper equipment and training.”

“The highest risk for [the entangled whale] is [that] it usually leads to difficulty in feeding,” she said. “Either the float or the entanglement is slowing them down, making it harder to dive and feed.”

“Typically, with these cases, the whale slowly starves to death, essentially - if the entanglement isn’t removed,” saidArnet.

Humpback whales migrate along the West Coast, through Nuu-chah-nulth waters, making their way toAlaska.Arnett explained that these humpback whales migrate mostly from Hawaii, some from Mexico and Costa Rica in early spring, and return back in the fall.

“They’re primarily just trying to feed

while they’re coming up the coast,” said Arnett.

She said that the number of humpback whales migrating past the Tofino area are in the thousands, and continue to grow.

“They’re actually coming on quite a big population rebound,” she said. “In the early days they were hunted through whaling.”

Joe Martin, Tla-o-qui-aht master carver, told Ha-Shilth-Sa about the whale hunting village of Echachisht, located near Tofino. Martin has been going to the island where Echachisht is located ever since he was young.

“[I] noticed a lot of whale bones out there,” said Martin.

Alongside whale biologist Jim Darling, Martin took samples of the whale bones that lay accessible on the surface of the ground, with permission from Tla-o-quiaht.

“We collected hundreds of samples,” he said, adding that they were sent to Florida for DNAtesting.

“It turns out that there were five species of whales that were caught and brought there to Echachisht,” said Martin, noting that the bones found belonged to the humpback whale, gray whale, sperm whale, fin whale, and right whale.

The oldest whale bone that was sampled was 1,000 years old, he said.

“At most of our village sites, you will find those whale bones,” said Martin. He notes that years ago, at the village of Opitsaht located on Meares Island, a rib of a whale was found roughly six feet in the ground when they were raising a totem pole.

“I don’t know how long exactly our people have been hunting whales, but it’s a long time,” said Martin.

“The whale hunters supplied a lot for the people,” he added, noting that they provided meat and oil for the whole village. “It was at the time when the population of our tribes were at their historical levels.”

At the time of first contact Tla-o-qui-

aht had a population of about 10,000 people, he said. By 1900, due to smallpox brought by Europeans, only 122 members remained, said Martin.

Martin recalls that the last time that a whale was hunted by Tla-o-qui-aht was in the early 1900s.

“Hopefully, in the coming days, it is resighted and we can get back out there with equipment once again, and hopefully disentangle it,” saidArnet.

To report the location of the entangled humpback whale to the DFO incident line, call VHF 16 or 1-800-465-4336.

Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society photo

Although Strawberry Isle Marine Research, Parks Canada and fisheries officers in the Tofino region are trained to respond to whale entanglements by placing a satellite tracker on the gear attached to the whale, only DFO has a specialized unit to remove the entanglement. Pictured is another humpback whale entangled in fishing line.

Joe Martin photo

The last hunted whales were brought to the Tla-o-qui-aht village of Echachisht in the early 20th century.

President’s Message

Great to see so many stories of grads and their accomplishments through June and July. So glad to see our graduates being held up by friends, families and their nation’s for years of working hard to reach their goal.

Also so many celebrations of Nuu-Chahnulth achievements including Barney Williams receiving a reconciliation award. Congrats Barney.Always proud of you. Seeing stories of canoe Journey’s and the paddle to Muckleshoot and the teamwork of the pullers and their land crew and communities supporting them. Then watching the cultural celebrations once the journey by ocean was completed. Such a great feeling knowing our youth and others are so committed to a way of life.

So great to see our communities working hard for food fish and commercial fisheries and everyone preserving their fish in many different ways. Also seeing cultural camps and being out on the land to learn traditional knowledge and gather medicines. Seeing Yuquot celebrate its 31st Annual spirit Summerfest.

So much going on in all our communities from gathering seafoods, foodstuffs, berries and medicines. Summer is an amazing time of the year and we all take advantage of what Mother Earth had to offer us.

Hoping these kinds of activities will always continue though we are facing climate emergencies everywhere with highest temperatures ever causing droughts and at the other extreme atmospheric rivers and flooding. Our communities are all working on emergency plans and every home should be prepared for any emergency.

I spoke at a UBC conference last week called Tackling Climate Change and the Just Transition to Clean Energy. Clean energy is an important tool to help mitigate climate change. Ten of our 14 First Nations are involved in or trying to be involved in clean energy. Being able to be energy independent and have our own microgrid means we can do repairs quicker and run our own electricity at our own costs.

For the first time in 15 years in the spring of 2024 BC Hydro will be making a call for power. They want to work with First Nations on how they should do that and how we define First Nation participation. As NTC we will be working with BC Hydro to ensure we have a significant role in the power industry. It’s important for people to understand how First Nations are unfairly impacted by climate emergencies and we must be part of the solutions.

TheAFN had its annual general meeting. There were panels to address certain issues followed by motions. Thirty one motions were passed, including to have an election for national chief in December at the special chiefs assembly and it would be a term of 3.5 years. The motion directs the executive to put in place an electoral officer.

Motions were also passed to support increases to tribal council funding, measures to address the opioid crisis, denouncement of Manitoba’s decision on landfill search for the remains of First Nations women, as well as urgent and transformative climate action through theAFN National Climate Strategy

Also motions to protect First Nations Rights and interests from unfounded Métis rights assertions. There was a lot of discussion atAFN and also all the provincial organizations about Métis asserting rights they don’t have, getting money that should be going to First Nations people.

AFN constitutional reform work is still being conducted by the chiefs committee.

Areport has been prepared that the committee will be bringing to First Nations for their input and comment.Aforensic audit was also approved for 10 years so we can ensure proper policies are put in place to ensure proper handling ofAFN funds.

I have also been working with local leaders and MLAJosie Osborne to lobby for a secondary road in and out of PortAlberni.

The road closures and alternating lanes around Cameron Lake have impacted Nuu-Chah-nulth economically, socially, medically and work wise. There have been no indications if the construction work around Cameron Bluffs will be completed by midAugust as we were advised.

The priority for another road out of the valley has increased dramatically with the fire and the damages caused by it.

We had our monthly directors meeting and a reminder that this is live streamed and you can watch. Unfortunately, NTC was unable to recruit a coordinator for the Tlu-piich Games so they have been postponed until 2024. The NTCAGM has been scheduled for September 27th at the Barclay Hotel in Port Alberni and will be both in person and by Zoom.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did a major Cabinet shuffle as he heads into his last year of his mandate. He replaced Marc Miller as Minister of Crown and Indigenous Relations with someone unknown to us. GaryAnandasangaree is the new minister and I have no idea how he will do on this portfolio.

Minister Lametti asAttorney General of Canada was also replaced even though he is going to run in the next election. He made himself accessible to First Nations and did a lot of work on the FederalAction Plan on UNDRIP. Can’t say he did everything we wanted but he did try hard. Fisheries was another big surprise.A minister was appointed who has no fisheries background or experience with indigenous people.At a time when fisheries habitat and ocean warming are huge concerns, we needed someone who has the experience to work with us to manage the fisheries so we can continue exercising our rights and our way of life.Anew regional director general was also appointed for B.C. who does not have any fisheries background or experience working with First Nations and our rights. Both these appointments cause concern for us and we need to educate them in Nuu-Chah-nulth history, protocols, the importance of the sea and sea resources to us and so much more. I see many challenges ahead and the need to be strategic moving ahead.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Respectfully,

Cloy-e-iis Judith Sayers

&Community Beyond

NTC Child and Youth Services

Every Wednesday of the summer

Canal Beach

10:00am – 1:00pm Hotdogs, volleyball, kites and cornhole. Bring your family and water bottles.

Women Healing Session

July 30th –August 25th

Kackaamin Family Development Center

Ahealing journey for women who have been harmed through sexual violence. Meals and accommodation are provided. For more information, please contact intake coordinator @ 778-421-8809 or rebuildingthecircle@kackaamin.org

Celebrating OurAthletes

August 12th 2023

Paper Mill Dam

Tseshaht First Nation is hosting an event to celebrate Jolyn Watts, JamieLeigh Lucas, Hayleigh Watts and Jaiden Knighton. Lunch is provided. Bring your drums and shawls.For more information contact Gail Gus. 250.731.6622 or gkgus@tseshaht.com

47th Annual BC Elders Gathering

August 15th – 16th 2023

Vancouver Convention Center Visit https://www.bcelders.com/eldersgathering.php for registration forms and more information.

Employment and Training

Port Alberni Friendship Centre Volunteers Needed

Need work experience? The Port Alberni Friendship Centre is looking for interested applicants for various positions. Call 250-723-8281

Tseshaht celebrate athletes, including NAIG winners

Those honoured include three from the North American Indigenous Games and a Special Olympics medalist

By Sam Laskaris Ha-shilth-Sa Contributor

PortAlberni, BC – Tseshaht First Nation is getting ready to honour some of its young athletes.

The Nuu-chah-Nulth First Nation will stage a celebratory luncheon on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Paper Mill Dam Park in PortAlberni. Festivities begin at noon.

Those being honoured at the event will include three Tseshaht teenagers who all captured bronze medals at the recent NorthAmerican Indigenous Games (NAIG) that were primarily held in the Nova Scotia capital of Halifax.

This list includes Jaidin Knighton, a member of the British Columbia girls’ under-16 basketball squad that placed third in its category at the NAIG.

Also, softball teammates Jamie-Leigh Lucas and Hayleigh Watts were on the B.C. girls’under-16 squad that brought home the bronze in its division from the multi-sport games.

Saturday’s celebration will also include Jolyn Watts, a local runner who won a pair of medals in track events at the Special Olympics World Games, held in Berlin, Germany in June. Jolyn Watts won a gold medal and a bronze medal in her international debut.

Knighton was thrilled her squad returned home with some hardware. Her B.C. team downed Minnesota 75-49 in the battle for third place.

“It was really great,” Knighton said of her NAIG experience. “I’m glad we pulled through in the end.”

Knighton, who is going into Grade 11 at Alberni District Secondary School, was the Team B.C. centre.

“We were going there to win,” Knighton said of her club’s expectations heading into NAIG. “Our goal was to win the gold. But we’re definitely happy we ended up pulling through with the bronze.”

Meanwhile, Lucas and Watts were members of the B.C. girls’softball under-16 side that ended up with a bronze medal.As it turned out, however, the team never did get to play its bronzemedal game due to severe weather conditions (an abundance of rain).Instead, both participants in the battle for third place,

B.C. and Saskatchewan, were awarded bronze medals.

“I thought NAIG was a fun experience and a great opportunity to meet new people,” Lucas said. “I enjoyed playing with and against new people throughout NorthAmerica.”

Lucas is also thrilled that she will be among athletes being celebrated by her First Nation on Saturday.

“It feels really good for my Tseshaht roots to be recognized and to be celebrated alongside my teammate Hayleigh, who I have been playing ball with for six years,” she said. “I feel really lucky to be celebrating that with Tseshaht. I look

forward to it.”

This year’s NAIG featured about 4,800 athletes from across Canada and the United States. They participated in 15 different sports.

“This has a lot of different levels of playing,” Lucas added of her NAIG participation. “I really enjoyed the competition of playing people I’ve never played before.”

These games were originally scheduled to be held in 2020, but were postponed a couple of times because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAIG was first held in 1990 in Edmonton. This year marked the 10th time that

the games have been held.

The next NAIG is planned for Calgary in 2027. Knighton is disappointed she won’t be able to take part. She’ll be to old to compete in the oldest age grouping, Under-19, by then.

“It’s really disappointing,” she said, adding this year’s NAIG will be her one and only appearance competing at the games.

Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts said community members are beaming over the NAIG results from its teenage medalists.

“Tseshaht is proud of young athletes representing our nation at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG),” he said. “We thank their families, caregivers, teammates, coaches and Indigenous Sport, PhysicalActivity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) for helping give our youth this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Watts added the young athletes proved to be rather inspirational.

“We have a nation of over 1,200 citizens who are all proud of you as you’ve now inspired other Tseshaht youth in their sports and recreations goals and dreams,” he said.

Watts added he’s hoping the local medalists continue to excel in their athletic pursuits.

“Keep up the good work and we look forward to your continued growth,” he said.

As for Jolyn Watts, she became a world champion when she won the women’s 1,500-metre race in Berlin a couple of months ago.

She also captured a bronze-medal as she was a member of the Canadian women’s 4x400-metre relay team that placed third in its final.

After she returned back home, Watts’ coach Mike Riddalls told Ha-Shilth-Sa that he felt his athlete’s overseas performances would also be inspirational.

“I hope so,” Riddalls had said. “The Special Olympics are all about competition and training and having fun. I do think (Jolyn’s participation in Berlin) will inspire some of our other local athletes to get to the national team.”

Ditidaht members blanketed at mural unveiling

By Alexandra Mehl Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Duncan, BC - The Duncan community gathered on Saturday, July 29 for the unveiling of Cowichan artist Charlene Johnny’s mural in downtown Duncan.

Malinski Painting is a company based in the Cowichan Valley, owned by a Ditidaht member. The company volunteered for four days to lay the primer for the mural at 221 Jubilee Street, and were blanketed for their contribution at the unveiling event.

“It’s nice to see the communities come together,” said Braiden Malinski of Ditidaht.

Johnny spent nearly two weeks stenciling and painting the mural depicting themes of being truthful with feelings, reconciliation, the past, present, and future.

“There’s a lot of meaning behind every single little piece of this mural,” said Malinski.

In consultation with Cowichan elders, Johnny’s mural includes imagery of a spear fisher on the Cowichan River, a ca-

noe family returning to shore where smoke emerges from the big house, four sacred trees, hummingbirds, the thunderbird and orca, said Johnny. The reconciliation portion of the mural is reflected in orange footprints and the crying sun, she shared.

“There’s a toddler, and then an adult and a few paces ahead there’s the same people but it’s now an adult and an elder,” said Johnny. “That showcases our intergenerational family links and how we take care of each other.”

For Johnny, she said it was an honor to

collaborate with and learn from elders and the community.

“To hear what they wanted to see and to

bring that to life is an incredible honor,” she added.

“I can’t wait until I’m older and I can

point it out to my kids and [say], ‘I helped with that’,” said Malinski. “Definitely looking forward to that part.”

Submitted photo

The team involved in the new mural project located at 221 Jubilee Street in downtown Duncan.

Submitted photo

Jamie-Leigh Lucas, who won a bronze medal in softball at the recent NAIG, is one of four Tseshaht athletes who will be honoured on Saturday.

Massive red cedar discovered in Ahousaht territory

By Karly Blats Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor

According to the BC Big Tree Registry, the stand would rank as the sixth largest known red cedar in Canada are. It defies words.As an avid big tree hunter, it’s a highlight of my life to find something as spectacular as this.”

Ahousaht, BC - It was like nothing Ahousaht’s TysonAtleo had ever seen before.

Giving the illusion of a rock wall, a massive western red cedar tree in Ahousaht territory near Tofino in Clayoquot Sound has been named one of Canada’s most impressive trees by conservationists on Vancouver Island.

Ancient ForestAlliance (AFA) photographer and campaigner TJ Watt identified the remotely located tree on Flores Island while exploring with a friend.

The huge tree measures more than 17 feet (five metres) wide near its base, and its trunk gets even wider going upwards more than dozens of meters.According to a press release from theAFA, the tree stands 151 feet (46 metres) tall and is assumed to be well over a thousand years old given its size.

According to theAFA, the tree could have the largest or near largest timber volume of any tree in Canada for about the first 50 feet of its trunk—the part you see and experience from the ground.

“After nearly two decades of photographing, exploring and searching for big trees in old-growth forests across B.C., no tree has blown me away more than this one,” said Watt in a press release.

“It’s a literal wall of wood. Your brain can’t compute the scale when you stand below it. The first time I arrived, from a distance I thought it had to be two trees because of how wide the trunk and limbs

According to the BC Big Tree Registry, the tree would currently rank as the sixth largest known red cedar in the country. The registry’s largest red cedar is the Cheewaht Giant, which is located in Ditidaht territory southeast of Nitinaht Lake.

The record-sized tree on Flores Island has so far garnered the nickname ‘The Wall’, or ‘ʔiiḥaq ḥumiis’, meaning ‘big red cedar’in the Nuu-chah-nulth language. It grows on unprotected Crown/ public lands in the unceded territory of theAhousaht First Nation.

No logging plans exist for the area and theAhousaht First Nation’s Land Use Vision, currently in the late stages of negotiations with the B.C. government, includes the protection of the forest where this tree is found.

“It was unlike anything I had ever seen before,” saidAhousaht First Nation Hereditary Representative TysonAtleo. “When TJ first contacted me to go visit the tree, I was assuming it was like many I had experienced across different territories on the Island including inAhousahtbut this one was obviously quite special. It really does look like a rock wall when you’re hiking up towards it and then you actually realize it’s a tree. It’s just breathtaking.”

Old-growth forests are culturally significant to theAhousaht people,Atleo said, because they provide the nation with everything they need to survive, from shelter to transportation to clothing.

“The forest provides for every aspect of our wellbeing in addition to being home to our food sources,”Atleo said. “Everything that we need to survive is there, and not only physical survival but it’s a place representative of natural law. So it’s also our place for spirituality, for learning everything we need to know about being good humans on this planet.”

TheAhousaht First Nation’s Land Use Vision calls for the protection of 80 per cent ofAhousaht territory through the creation of new Indigenous Protected and ConservedAreas (IPCAs), encompassing most of the old-growth forests in their territory, to be legislated as Provincial Conservancies by the province.

“The 2017 Land Use Vision that we’re

working on implementing builds off thousands of years of stewardship and more recently decade’s worth of efforts by some of our late leaders and current leaders,”Atleo Said. “Efforts that include stopping clear-cut harvesting inAhousaht territories.”

Atleo said the large red cedar is currently within the boundaries of a tree farm license, and that the objective is to transition that tree farm license into new protected areas and a new forest tenure forAhousaht.

TheAhousaht First Nation is keeping the location of the tree private at this time, butAtleo said they may take visitors there in the future.

TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance photos

Ancient ForestAlliance photographer TJ Watt andAhousaht Hereditary Representative TysonAtleo stand beside an ancient Western red cedar tree on Flores Island inAhousaht territory.