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Changing the World: One Frame at a Time • 7
Talking to Elephants and Taming Ourselves • 10 A Taste of Haida Gwaii • 13
John Beaton’s: “Women of Ages” • 19
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FEATURES 5 Editorial 7 Changing the World, One Frame at a Time 10 Talking to Elephants and Taming Ourselves 13 A Taste of Haida Gwaii – Susan Musgrave’s new book
ENTERTAINMENT
14 Tide Table 15 ECHO: The Sound of Murder 19 Poet’s Corner: John Beaton’s “Women of the Ages”
COMMUNITY LIFE 16 From the Desk of ... RDN Director, Bill Veenhof
THE REGULARS 8 17 2 0-21 22
New Year! New YOU!
In the Stars: Georgia Nicols Horoscope Classifieds Community Events At Your Service - Local Services & Trades
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EDITORIAL
January 2016 vol 12 No 01
EyesOnBC Magazine is published monthly Showcasing our community since 2004 Main Email: info@eyesonbc.com Phone: 250-757-9914 Mailing Address EyesOnBC Magazine, Box 182, Bowser, BC V0R 1G0 Hours: Mon - Thu 10-4 Our Contributors this month: Georgia Nicols, Joanne Sales, Bill Veenhof, Mary Ann Moore, Linda Tenney, John Beaton On the Internet www.eyesonbc.com & www.facebook.com/eyesonbc For Advertising Options Call 250-757-9914 to inquire or visit www.eyesonbc.com/advertise to request ad rates. VISA & MasterCard accepted Printed on Vancouver Island, BC
by Linda Tenney I have to admit, I love the start of a new year. A fresh canvas, a new box of paints, and a head filled with creative hopes, dreams and wishes. This particular January 1st presents the opportunity to keep useful things I learned in the year just past, and to kick to the curb things better left behind. There are many of both. When I think about what I learned in 2015, the lessons can be distilled down to one word – strength. I learned about strength from friends, family and strangers. We all have things to teach and things to learn. I learned from my friend who is building a tiny home despite the bumpy roller-coaster ride to its completion. I learned from a stranger’s relentless search for her lost cat, undaunted by the many possible ‘house cat meets rural wilderness’ scenarios. I learned from a friend who has decided to leave her happy life on Vancouver Island to live closer to her family as she ages – with strength she has accepted her limitations. I learned from clients, now friends, who struggled with business decisions this year, yet remained optimistic and can now see a brighter future. I learned from my own mother, who despite severe health issues, fights through the pain to remain independent and vital. And I learned about my own power through the loss of a loved one, and ultimately found the strength to move on. I greatly admire the teachers and thank them for the insight that will undoubtedly carry me through 2016 with even greater strength and determination. So let’s get started, shall we? May this coming year see own your hopes and dreams realized! I’ll be working on making mine reality ... I know you will too. ~
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WORLD COMMUNITY FILM FESTIVAL 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Changing the World, One Frame at a Time By David Morrison
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n certain ways I am a creature of habit. I enjoy my routines, and being organized, with both work and social plans in place for weeks and months ahead. In this regard, over the last few years some annually staged events have become personal traditions, meaning things I simply must or will not miss. One such example is the twoday World Community Film Festival (WCFF) in February, presented across four Courtenay venues handily situated mere yards from each other. Screening documentaries principally concerned with social justice and environmental issues, it is an event that has unfailingly put fire in my belly to make positive changes in my life, to become engaged with causes that matter, and to spread the word to that end. This is just one reason, but a big one, as to why the WCFF is so very important. In 2016 the WCFF reaches the amazing milestone of its 25th Anniversary, and to put that in context I know attendees who were in diapers when the first one was held. In these days of Netflix and download convenience the WCFF’s longevity is testament not only to its status as being as inspirational and
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educational as it is entertaining, but also a tribute to the incredibly hard work of the many volunteers that have passionately driven it for a quartercentury. At the helm of this force for good have been WCFF founder Wayne Bradley and Janet Fairbanks, with whom I chatted recently. Of the WCFF’s origins two-and-ahalf decades ago, Wayne says: “The festival was the bright idea of a friend of ours who was involved with Cuso International (Canadian University Services Overseas) in Vancouver. There weren’t a lot of film festivals around back then, and I’d never even been to one!” As Janet recalls, it immediately captured local imaginations: “The very first festival may have even had the largest attendance! There were hundreds of people, but it also ran for a third day, which we did for the first two or three years.” As Wayne explains, the organizers were astonished at the turnout: “I was stunned! I was really skeptical we could do it, but we did it and could not believe the community response.” These days, such is its standing and enduring appeal that the WCFF attracts attendees not only from the
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Comox Valley, but routinely from all over Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and considerably further afield. “We even have a couple come from Winnipeg, who stumbled across us because they came here for a holiday,” chuckles Wayne. “Now they come every year!” If you, dear reader, have not yet attended the WCFF and may view such a journey as unfathomable simply to watch a few films, let me tell you as one who has that it is worth every cent in fare or gas, every kilometre traveled. The WCFF is inspiring, empowering, moving, fascinating, vital and beautiful. Trust me. If the festival has one drawback, however, it is trying to decide what to watch - akin to selecting the juiciest strawberry! The programming is of such a high quality and widespread interest that across the four venues there are always clashes that my wife and I usually need to settle (in advance) by the flip of a coin! The 25th WCFF presents the same problem for us, with an embarrassment of documentary riches as usual, but all in all it is a nice problem to have. continued on page 18
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Aries (March 21-April 19) This is the only time of year when the Sun is at the top of your chart, shining down on you with a flattering light. In reality, this means people in power and authority will see you as competent and talented, which is why you might be approached to take on an extra job. Everyone thinks you’re the cat’s meow! (Do nothing to dissuade them of this point of view, by the way.) Meanwhile, grab opportunities to travel. Chances to improve your job are waiting to be plucked. Taurus (April 20-May 20) This month, travel – you want a chance to discover adventure and see new places and meet new faces! If you can’t travel, then be a tourist in your own city, which I have tried and it’s fantastic. (No one is more surprised than me.) Book a hotel and see the sights – the whole enchilada. It can be a one-night getaway. Enjoy romance, social diversions, parties, sports, playful times with children and yes – vacations! Fun, fun, fun! (Good food, drink and sex are de rigueur.) Gemini (May 21-June 20) You are intense this month. Yes, you will feel passionate about sex but you feel passionate about everything! You see things in black and white. “I love this.” “I hate that.” Fortunately, fair Venus is opposite your sign, which smoothes things out for you with partners and close friends. Continue to look for ways to improve your home or benefit from the buying and selling real estate because this is what you can do. Likewise, family is warm and mutually generous. Cancer (June 21-July 22) This is the only time all year when the Sun sits opposite your sign, which means it is as far away from you as it can get. Since the Sun is your source of energy, this means that you will be more tired and fatigued. Therefore, this month, you need more sleep. This opposing Sun also gives you a chance to objectively see your style of relating to others. You can learn something. A work-related romance might spring up now, due to the loving influence of Venus, which can also attract more money or praise on the job.
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Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This month, you will party hard and work hard. You will put lots of energy into fun times and entertaining diversions. Amusements, love affairs, romantic flirtations, sports events and playful times of children will be tops on your list. However, all this fun takes organization! Someone has to provide transportation, get the tickets, make reservations, buy the food, get the drinks and make it all happen so that everyone says, “Ha ha, it is to laugh!” This theatrical magic takes planning and you will work hard to organize everything!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Shop for wardrobe goodies because you will like what you see in the mirror. This lovely influence lasts until Jan. 23. Fortunately, this month, your focus is on cash flow, earnings and your possessions. You will give lots of thought to what you buy, what you want to give, what you want to get rid of, and what you want to keep. At a deeper level, you’re wondering about your values in life, in other words, what really matters? If you don’t know what matters, how will you know how to make important decisions?
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) This is the one time of year when you eat what you want even though a little voice on your shoulder is whispering warnings about suuuuugar! But hey, it’s your turn for vacations, flirtations, romantic tête-à-tête’s, the theatre, movies, sports events and playful times with children. Many will entertain at home more than usual and you will redecorate and tweak your digs to show off your elegant taste and prodigious efforts. And why not? With Jupiter in your sign – you shine!
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This is your hour to shine! Use this month to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year. You have the advantage of attracting favourable situations and important people to you, so make the most of this! Many of you will travel and will continue to want to travel for months ahead because of Jupiter this year and next. Take advantage of this prompting from the universe because travel will be joyful in the next six months. The way to use astrology is know how to time events and activities so that you get the most bang for your buck.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This month home, family and your personal life are your top priority. Many of you will focus on a parent more than usual. All of you will feel comfy in familiar surroundings, especially if someone else has vacuumed, dusted and polished the furniture. When everything looks sparkling and lovely, and decorated as only you can do – you enjoy your home. This is when you love to relax and remind yourself how fortunate you are. Of course, fair Venus will invite the hordes to create a slushy mess at the front door and make your kitchen look like a bomb went off. Oh well. (If you put out fresh flowers and lit candles, you don’t have to dust.) Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Strap on your roller-skates because you’re busy with short trips and visits with friends and siblings plus a long To-Do list with increased reading, writing and studying. Many will shop for beautiful things for yourself and loved ones, perhaps taking advantage of sales after the holidays. “This is gorgeous and so cheap, I can’t resist!” The pace of your days will accelerate but you will enjoy it. Some will see ways to earn more money on the side or boost your income. Meanwhile, life swoons dizzily along with your increased popularity.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This month, you are best served to be low-key because you need to catch your breath before your birthday arrives. Indeed, your true New Year begins with your birthday. And that is the time when you really need to make resolutions that are meaningful to you. Therefore, use the month ahead to examine your life and scrutinize the past year so that you know what you want in your New Year. Meanwhile, Venus will attract friendly, fun-loving, times! In fact, a friend could become a lover. (This is often confusing for you.) Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) This month is full of fun-filled activities with friends and groups. This is the perfect time to share your hopes and dreams for the future with someone because their feedback will help you. Meanwhile, Venus, will attract a romantic interlude with someone older or richer, or someone who acts like a mentor to you. Others will ask for your input about office redecorating, furniture placement, layout, design, PR work or how something should look. People in authority are impressed with your diplomacy and charm. (It’s all smoke and mirrors.) ~
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TALKING TO ELEPHANTS AND TAMING OURSELVES by Joanne Sales
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e need to have some big canvas conversations, with very large things, like oceans and elephants. I love elephants. When I go to the zoo, I try to stay with the elephants long enough that they could notice me, standing like a boulder with crowds rushing around me. If an elephant could hear me, I’d say, “I’m sorry, and I love you.” There is a man called the Elephant Whisperer, and elephants did hear him. Conservationist Lawrence Anthony agreed to adopt a herd of violent and unruly elephants in his Thula Thula game reserve in South Africa. The herd was in a crazed state after the matriarch and her baby were shot. Anthony was their last hope. But even after the elephants arrived at the reserve, they continued to break out of the reserve. Anthony told of the day he stood face to face with the new matriarch, with only a meaningless electric fence between them. She could have easily trampled him on the spot. He talked calmly to her. “You are safe here. But if you leave this place you will all be shot.” He says there was a moment of recognition and then matriarch led the herd away. Anthony decided to live with the elephants.
When Anthony died of a heart attack in March 2012, two herds of elephants walked for over 12 hours to Anthony’s house, where they stood in silent vigil for 2 days, before slowly dispersing. Elephants are known for their grieving rituals. But how did they know Anthony had died?
metaphor for the rational mind – and the image of an elephant to represent the massive presence of emotions, intuitions, and gut feelings inside us that determines our moral stance. But that is what moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt does in his book, “The Righteous Mind.”
This is a hard to believe but well documented story. Obviously, an elephant is not just an elephant. Certainly that is true in India.
This book made me rethink everything. (I’m still rethinking!) The subtitle of the book reveals what a massive task Haidt took on – “Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion.” He found our sore spot! We are so divided on religion and politics that we can’t even talk to each other. In fact, we don’t even want to! We look over to the opposite sides of the aisle (more like a chasm) and wonder, how can those “so called good” people on the other side of the aisle be so stubborn, blind, immoral and downright stupid? What’s wrong with them? Meanwhile, they are over there thinking the same things about us.
Ganesha, the Hindu God with the head of an elephant, is perhaps the most accessible face of the divine to people in India and around the world. I know Westerners who have no religious practice, who nevertheless have an image of Ganesha in their homes, and will ask him for help without hesitation. Ganesha is so huge he is said to hold the whole cosmos in his giant belly. If you need to walk through a jungle, have an elephant lead the way. He’ll knock aside anything that stands in your path. Not surprisingly, Ganesha is known as the Remover of Obstacles. I rode an “Elephant in Buffalo.” (It’s true.) I was a very small rider on top of a very massive, intelligent animal. I never expected to read to book that would use the small rider as an
Haidt proposes, with countless studies and history to back it up, that our conscious, rational mind is simply the press secretary for the massive elephant of intuition, gut feelings, and emotions that churn inside us. The elephant makes the decisions, and it is the job of the press secretary (the CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
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rational mind) to make the elephant look good, rationalizing and justifying whatever the elephant “feels” to be true. We like to think that we have figured out what is right and wrong by using reason and intelligence, but apparently we are much more emotional for that to be the whole story. I watched the new movie Inside Out two times. Animated characters become the five primary emotions of a preteen girl: Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness – and surprisingly, Disgust. I wondered how disgust got such a prime role on that small panel of emotions. From Haidt’s book, I now understand. Disgust is our moral barometer. We feel disgust, and then we declare that something is morally wrong. “That person’s behavior is just plain disgusting. It makes me want to throw up. I don’t know why but I’m right and it’s wrong.” When do we feel disgusted? Haidt suggests that there are 5 foundations on which our morals rest, and these foundations are much like perceptions or emotional taste buds. The Foundations are: Care/ harm, Fairness/cheating, Loyalty/betrayal, Authority/subversion and Sanctity/ degradation. When any one of these 5 morality switches is flicked, we are fit to be tied, reacting from the belly up. I can’t explain in a few hundred words what took Haidt a book to explain, but here are some intriguing insights. While all five foundations are active for everyone, Progressives put the most emphasis on Fairness and Care Foundations. (Is it hurting anyone?) Conservatives also focus on Loyalty, Authority, and Sanctity. Sanctity is not confined to religion. One person will be outraged when his group’s Scripture is insulted. Another will be outraged when a ‘sacred’ old growth forest is destroyed for personal profit. “It’s morally wrong. It’s disgusting behavior.” In industrialized countries and especially among the rich, the J A N U A R Y
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moral focus is on individual rights. In more traditional societies, and throughout history, it was the tribe. Our individuality-focused morality conflicts frequently with morals designed to maintain and strengthen the tribe. Nevertheless, we are still wholeheartedly and unquestionably attached our group – whatever it is. We would die for our tribe. We’ll die for our tribe, and we do. That’s the Loyalty/betrayal foundation. But how do we chose our group? This is fascinating. Humans are omnivores. Our instinct to try new things has allowed us to move almost anywhere and adapt to almost anything. That instinct has saved us. We also have an instinct to not try new things, to stick to the familiar and traditional. That instinct has saved us as well. Which is right? Unquestionably, there is wisdom in both. Which instinct dominates in your psyche? It may likely determine your political position, progressive or conservative. Is there any hope that we can talk to our neighbor’s wild elephant or tame our own? There is. I have a puppy, and one of the most used phrases in our house is “Gentle mouth … gentle mouth.” When she hears those words now, she will release her sharp fanged canine teeth and return to mouthing instead of biting. Haidt says that the only way to talk to an angry elephant is with a “Gentle Mouth.” Arguments are useless. We have to talk directly to the emotional elephant – it’s useless to talk to the rider. And while the elephant is hard-wired to respond to love and kindness, it will shut down when it detects aggression and hostility. So seek first to understand. Be kind and sincerely curious. Each “side” has wisdom to share. Sound bite media is doing us an injustice, for no one can explain the complexities of a situation in a minute. Hate radio and biased reporting has made enemies of us all. We need honest, in-depth news
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reporting, and education, education, education. The ARTS are a powerful way to reach the elephant. Music. Photography. Visual arts. There are many ways we can speak to each other if we just keep our mouths shut! We’re addicted to stories, just like our ancestors. Books, movies, videos, television, magazines, parables, documentaries, even gossip. An argument will not change our minds, but a movie or book will. I recently read a book about two women living under the Taliban in Afghanistan, and now when there is news about Afghanistan, I turn the radio up rather than down. My Care module is fully activated. Stories teach us, entertain us, and the right stories might save us. Take Dumbo for example. A favorite elephant. He has our hearts on a platter, with his innocence, his plight, his devotion to his mother. We rejoice when he learns to fly! But then he doubts himself. When the feisty crows give him an ordinary feather, and tell him it is magic, Dumbo flies again! He sets off to right the moral wrongs! But he drops the feather. We’re squirming in our seats. Dumbo! Wake up! The power is not in the feather! The power is in you! There we are again – talking to elephants. And we really do need to talk! The greatest hope is that we can calm our own elephant’s tirades, and learn to slip around it to find our common ground. We’re here for a while together; it’s worth the try. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 Joanne Sales is a freelance writer, blueberry farmer living in rural Qualicum Beach, and Director of Vancouver Island’s Broombusters Invasive Plant Society. Questions about her articles should be directed to joanne@glasswing.com. For information or questions regarding Broombusters Invasive Plant Society - www.broombusters.org. Ph: 250-7524816, Email: info@broombusters.org
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of his own people who could not rise beyond their own divisive rage.
Mahatma Gandhi is a good model for us. He took the high road on each of the five Moral Foundations. He tried to be (FAIR) to all. He was loyal to his “expanded” tribe, including both Hindus and Moslems. (LOYALTY) He refused to inflict harm on the British (CARE) He continued to practice his religion, (SANCTITY), chanting continuously the mantra Ram, (AUTHORITY). But ultimately he was killed by a group
On November 29, over 120 people marched in Parksville, joining with 600,000 people in 175 countries calling for immediate climate action. Humans, like elephants, have always used rituals, and a march is a modern day ritual. After the march, a smaller group of us gathered at the beach. We each picked up a rock that we wanted to be a carrier for us – to carry our sadness, fears, desires, and all the intense emotions that arise as we witness Climate Change. We sang, we circled, we walked the labyrinth, carrying this rock. When it was time to return the rock to the ocean. I ran out of words. If we think it was hard to talk to an elephant, what can one possibly say to the Earth at this time? I found myself repeating the four short phrases of the ancient Hawaiian practice of Ho’oponopono, “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Thank you.”
Bert, Terry & the Boys wish everyone a prosperous New Year
One by one we threw our rocks into the ocean. The sun was setting on that cold, still November day, and the fading light highlighted the overlapping ripples which would leave Parksville’s beach and travel all the way to Paris. Rituals are one way for us to bypass our raging elephants. There are other ways. Like the rock that sank down into the waters of the ocean, it is possible for us to sink down below the reactionary elephant of our personal emotions and opinions - even for a moment - just long enough to leave a note of goodwill. One short, kind, healing message. We can do that many times a day, especially when we think we know it all. Say what you want. May all beings be well and happy. Peace on earth. Health and healing. Help. SOS. Please. Thank you. Whatever. Your rock of good will carry different words than mine. But every message counts. It’s a good place to start the New Year! Here’s to all aspiring Elephant Whisperers! And here’s to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. And here’s to a more peaceful New Year for everyone. ~
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A Taste of Haida Gwaii
FOOD GATHERING AND FEASTING AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
A REVIEW BY MARY ANN MOORE
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usan Musgrave has a wonderfully droll sense of humour, is a novelist and fine poet and runs Copper Beach House in Masset on Graham Island, the largest of the islands of Haida Gwaii. All of these aspects of her wit and wisdom have gone into the making of this gorgeous book – a feisty feast of all things Haida Gwaii. For those who don’t know, Haida Gwaii is described as a “remote archipelago” off the northern coast of British Columbia. There are thirtyfour words for “salmon” in the Haida language, and they’re included along with stories about Haida culture. continued on page 21
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JANUARY 2016
Commercial • Residential • Grid-tie Solutions Your Lighthouse Country connection! ... with 37 years of experience
Our tide table measurements are taken from the Hornby Island substation. For other tides, visit http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/english/Canada.shtml on the Internet. Printed courtesy Canadian Hydrographic Service.
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Providing comfortable and full-body maintenance massage in your own home, or Reflexology, ROD SAUER Aromatherapy and Shiatsu, 250-821-9106 angelcaringtouch@gmail.com Second Level Reiki.
ECHO PLAYERS PRESENTS ...
The Sound of Murder! by Alistair McVey
T
he Sound of Murder by William Fairchild, a murder thriller with intriguing twists and turns, opens at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach in February. Directed by Wendy Punter and produced by Judi Andrews, this play features a successful writer of children’s stories, Charles Norbury, who has a decidedly dark side. An unlovable man, he has no friends, is arrogant, controlling, sadistic and cruel. His younger, attractive wife, Anne, starved of love and denied children of her own, has met another man, Peter Marriott. When she asks Charles for a divorce, he adamantly refuses for selfish reasons even though he does not love her and treats her with contempt. In the Norbury’s stylish, weekend cottage in Surrey, Peter and Anne, now desperate, consider murdering the author. The story spirals down to a thrilling and surprising conclusion, involving the lover, the author’s frustrated secretary, a tape recorder left running during the murder planning and, inevitably, the police. Wendy Punter, who has directed several plays for ECHO Players and for previous theatre groups in Alberta, has had a great deal of experience with the genre, having read many murder mysteries but not having found one that appealed to her as much as this one does. Even now, after having sat through several rehearsals for this production, she says that she still finds it intriguing. She has assembled a talented cast, many of whom will be recognized by our audiences at the Village Theatre – Doug Alseth, Heather Haseltine, Chris Lee, Susan Warner and David Attley will be joined by Barrie Atkinson who is a
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Front: Wendy Punter (director), Barrie Atkinson and Heather Haseltine. Back: Douglas Aalseth, Susan Warner and David Attley. Missing: Christopher Lee. new member with ECHO Players, but with many years of experience elsewhere. “They are a wonderful cast to work with; they play off each other so well - a perfect match,” says the Director. “The logic of the murder is impeccable. Very diverting. The evening is a rewarding one.” - London Sunday Times The play opens at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach on February 18th and runs until March 6th. To enquire about tickets, please phone the Village Theatre Box Office at 250-752-3522 (even when closed, we check your messages regularly). Based at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach, ECHO Players is a community theatre society which has served Oceanside and beyond for over 40 years. ~
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FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR BILL VEENHOF
Regional Director, Area H billveenhof.com - ph: 778-424-2810 ■ bill.veenhof@shaw.ca
A
rlene and I hope that you had a Merry Christmas and happy New Year. We wish you all the best in 2016 New Chair at the RDN Annually, Regional Districts hold an inaugural meeting where the Directors vote for the individual who will be the Chairman for the coming 12 months. In early December, the RDN held its Inaugural Meeting and I was voted in as Chairman of the Board for the RDN. Director Colin Haime (Lantzville Mayor) was voted in as Deputy Chair. What does this mean? Firstly, I am still your Area H Director and will continue to represent your interests as I have in the past. There will be no change in that. As Chairman of the Board, I pick up additional responsibilities such as managing Board Meetings and greater oversight of the day-to-day running of the RDN. My most important task will be to ensure that the elected representatives of our municipalities and rural areas can work together as an effective team in a safe and respectful environment allowing them to make decisions that reflect the needs of the constituents. Area H OCP Review One of the planks in my election campaign was that I would ask for an Area H Official Community
Plan (OCP) review. I had hoped to get this going in 2015 but staff workloads have precluded this. The OCP review will start in early in the New Year and involve full and complete community consultation.
Natural Environment - Sub-topics - Environmentally sensitive areas, Coastal zone and sea level rise, Groundwater, Surface water, Streams and lakes, Steep slope hazard, Development permit areas
A supporting web site has been built and can be found at http://www. rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=3624.
Transportation – Sub-topicsCycling & pedestrian infrastructure, Roadside trail, Traffic calming, E&N Railway Corridor, Highway corridors, Transit
While it is early days, you should note that we will be seeking members to form a community working group. These are people who have a community vision and are willing to work respectfully together with a goal of an invigorated and current OCP. This OCP Review will have full and complete public engagement and will be a “targeted” OCP review, meaning that it is not a complete re-write but will be focused on amending those areas in need of change, or adding topics currently absent. Below is a list of identified topics in need of review. The topics will be presented to the community for review and amendment (and additions) at the first general community meeting. This first meeting is expected in early 2016. When complete, this process will constitute a full OCP review. Economy – Sub-topics - Tourism, Tourist accommodation, Aquaculture cultivation & processing, Agricultural Land Reserve, Commercial development
Deep Bay- Sub-topics – Access, Parking, Economic development, Residential development Horne Lake – Sup-topics - Vision for Horne Lake Recreation Area, Community services RDN Board We recently completed most of the work required to build a strategic plan. I think it noteworthy that the municipal Directors agreed to let the rural directors have a “rural only” planning session. The outcomes from those discussions were rolled into the larger board plan and helped ensure that our rural voice was heard. This was a very positive event. The months of January, February and March tend to be the busiest for the Board and this year will be no exception. We will be focused on finalizing the Strategic Plan, approving the budget and starting the process to hire a new CAO. ~
Housing – Sub-topics - Seniors housing, Affordable housing
For questions or comments, Director BILL VEENHOF can be reached at 778-424-2810 or bill.veenhof@shaw.ca
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SERVICES OFFERED / NEEDED FIRST RATE MASONARY – Over 15 years experience providing first-rate, creative workmanship within budget and on time! Old brick restoration. All stone and tile work. Fireplace facing. Retaining walls and pavers. Chimney construction, cleaning and repairs. FMI Call Jason Buxton (250) 802-5515. THE FIX-IT SHOP – Repairs to all makes and models of lawnmowers and ride on lawn tractors, including John Deere. Pick-up and delivery available. Used equipment for sale. Call (250) 702-2191 or email fixitshop009@gmail.com
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Parksville / Qualicum / Bowser PICK-UP, TUNE-UP AND CLEAN-UP FOR SMALL ENGINE POWERED EQUIPMENT. Riding mowers, garden tractors, etc. Call Ron at (250) 937-0044 or email ronmorrison100@gmail.com
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MOVING...MUST SELL! Pine dresser....$200, Panasonic 20-inch flat screen TV....$50, one bucket-type rattan chair and two cushions....$25, cherry wood-type horizontal picture frame with double matt and glass....$50, round glass topped rattan table and four swivel padded chairs....$250. Phone Ann at 250-871-5708.
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and uplifting stories as well,” Janet interjects, “but we do work very hard to try to find truly inspiring stories.” I for one, and my wife for two, can attest to the fact that the hard work has paid off.
continued from page 7 A few highlights of WCFF 25 definitely worth noting: The opening night feature, with a title echoing the raison d’être of the WCFF, is How to Change the World. Examining the early days of Greenpeace (founded in Vancouver, of course) and the heroic actions of the group’s original members, the WCFF screening will be graced by the presence of one of those brave early activists, Rex Weyler, for a Q&A session. A packed house is guaranteed. Saturday brings a full day of powerful films so potentially riveting that in truth it is difficult to recommend any individual documentary or suggested schedule. (Where did we put that coin?) From a personal perspective, as a music industry veteran I am looking forward to Following the Ninth: In the Footsteps of Beethoven’s Final Symphony, a study of the significance of Op. 125 as the stirring soundtrack to protests and resistance around the globe. Landfill Harmonic, a profile of the Paraguayan kids of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, whose instruments are made entirely from garbage, also looks remarkable. A lot of ground will be covered on the Saturday, especially concerning First Nations affairs and history; environmental issues, the exploitation of labour, and the good work being done by so many to alleviate suffering and oppose oppression the world over. There will be films of provincial and national interest, and at various junctures stops in the US, Australia, France, Japan, China, Egypt, West Africa, Honduras, Chile; the Hawaiian island of Kauai and, to close out the festival in epic style, Haida Gwaii.
Consider, however, that the program for WCFF 25 has been painstakingly pieced together from scores of films watched by the selection committee pretty much since the curtain went down on 2015’s event. “There are so many fabulous films we could screen, so paring the list down is a major challenge,” says Janet. “We’re watching them all year. We find that the ones that follow a character, or just a few characters, are the ones that stay with you. And we try to make sure we’re covering as many parts of the world as we can, as well as local and Canadian films that look at what we are doing in Canada that affects the whole world.” “The criteria for selection is something of a melting pot,” continues Wayne. “We like to have films that present some historic perspective, and have to always think of what the issues of the day might be. We look at others festivals’ films, as their audience award winners are often the most popular films at our festival. Over time we’ve learned to recognize the types of films that people will be attracted to. Films about food issues, for example, are always really popular, and the dynamics in the community and the broader country will often automatically direct you to a certain theme – First Nations films, for example – because there is a focus of energy going into the making of those films. We tap into that energy and try to use it to inspire people.”
I could have talked to Janet and Wayne all day long. I haven’t even touched on the interesting topics of how Wayne calculates potential educational opportunities from average individual viewings, or the nitty gritty programming complexities of staging this event, or the positive impact of the evolution of filmmaking and screening technology on the festival – maybe next time – or, indeed, the changes Janet and Wayne have made in their own lives, not necessarily as a direct consequence of their involvement, but of the festival content that has inspired them as viewers. That’s what the World Community Film Festival does, and is for. See you there, then? Look out for us; we’ll be sat next to the couple from Winnipeg. ~ The 25th Anniversary of the World Community Film Festival will be held at four venues in downtown Courtenay on Friday, February 5th and Saturday, February 6th. For full programming details please visit www.worldcommunity.ca/filmfestival or contact Janet Fairbanks and Wayne Bradley on (250) 337-5412 or by email at wcfilmfest@gmail.com. Tickets are on sale now from the box office at the Sid Williams Theatre, 442 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay (Tuesday to Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm). Tickets can be purchased in person, by telephone on 1-866-898-8499 (toll free) or (250) 338-2430, Ext. 1, or online at sidwilliamstheatre.com/tickets. ~
Facing the Fear
“Although we screen films with some kind of message, we like ‘entertainment’ J A N U A R Y
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WOMEN OF THE AGES
I come from Scotland, which has a rich history. But that history gives short shrift to the heroism and hardships of Scottish women. I wrote this poem in their honour.
About this Poem ...
Each stanza has five lines and each line has four beats. The beats fall on the first of each pair of syllables, i.e. the rhythm is DA-da, DA-da (trocahic meter). For instance, the first line goes: I’M the LASS of INverGArry, The rhyme-scheme is abaab with two quirks. The a-rhymes end on the unstressed syllable of a full DA-da pair (feminine
I’m the lass of Invergarry, singing by the loch alone of the lad I was to marry, of the baby in my belly he begot but would not own. I’m the mother of Glenfinnan, feeding sons who gird and go, dreading battles, ripping linen, dressing wounds and watching crimson drench the strips of my trousseau. I’m the widow of Culloden, sowed and reaped and left to weeds till I’m winter-tilled and sodden, till my tilth and clods are broken by the cold that kills my seeds. We’re the women of the ages, wooed to walk the aisles of grief; we’re the wear on well-worn pages where posterity retraces deeds of men in bold relief.
rhymes, e.g. Ages/PAges). In the b-rhymes, the last “da” is dropped. They end on a stressed DA syllable (masculine rhymes, e.g. WEEDS/ SEEDS).
aged, and old. The final one gives them a united voice.
This poem has been previously published in an e-book called ”The Wolves Passed Here”, which you Also, in the third a-rhyme the words can find online, and in an Ascent almost rhyme, but don’t quite (slant Aspirations anthology called “One rhyme, e.g. ages/pages/retraces). Sweet Ride”. Also, a singer named Laura Cortese recorded it as a song. You The first three stanzas express the points can find YouTubes of her performing it. of view of three women: young, middle-
John Beaton lives in Qualicum Beach. His poetry has been widely published. He served for four years as moderator of one of the Internet’s most reputable poetry workshops and is a Spoken Word performer, a member of the band Celtic Chaos, and a co-organizer of local events, including a community showcase for musicians and Spoken Word performers, the Qualicum Acoustic Café (QUAC). You can find samples of John’s work by searching online for “John Beaton poetry”. To receive a monthly newsletter about local community events organized by John and his family and friends, email him at jabeaton@gmail.com. ~ J A N U A R Y
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Community Event Calendar January 2016 LIONS REC HALL – 280 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. FMI on Hall Rentals Call Bert Carter: (250) 240-4538.
LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE (LCC) 240 Lions Way, Qualicum Bay. FMI on Hall Rentals, call Sheena McCorquodale at (250) 757-9991. FMI on Events at the LCC visit www.communityhall.ca.
IN THE COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREA
QUALICUM BAY LIONS CLUB – Meet at 7pm, every second and fourth Tuesday in the Lions Den at the Lions’ Rec Hall.
SECOND SUNDAY MARKET at the Lighthouse Community Centre in Qualicum Bay – Sunday January 10 - 8am-Noon, Pancake Breakfast - $5 or $7. Enjoy live music, breakfast, shopping for a treasure, or even a few chickens for your coop!
RDN RECREATION PROGRAMS View recreation programs online at www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation. FMI call Chrissie at (250) 757-8118, email at cfinnie@rdn.bc.ca or call Oceanside Place at (250) 248-3252. Pre-register for all programs to avoid program cancellation.
LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY SCRAPBOOKERS – Meet 3rd Saturday monthly at the Lions’ Rec Hall, 9:30am4:30pm. $10. Door prizes. FMI Call Jorgie 250-757-8358 or Shirley (250) 757-8384.
BOWSER TENNIS CLUB - info: steelehunt@shaw.ca, or ph 250757-8307
Let’s FLOOR CURL! Have fun with us. Every week from mid September to end of MAY. Mondays & Fridays, 1-3pm at the LIONS REC HALL in lovely QUALICUM BAY. We are a happy mixed group of all ages and skills. Game Is played indoors on gym floor. Curling rocks are supplied. Join the club for the season and enjoy “extra events”. Dropin is $2. Come anytime. FMI call Fred or Lorraine: 250-752-0216.
SECOND SUNDAY MARKET- would you like to be a vendor? We encourage artisans, farmers and crafters. We supply tables and chairs FMI: https://sites.google.com/site/ lighthousecommunityhall/pancakebreakfast. TAOIST™ TAI CHI - Mondays 9:30-noon at the Lighthouse Community Centre in Qualicum Bay. Wednesdays 10:4512:15, (Sep 30-May 2016) at the OAP Hall in Fanny Bay. Contact: Richard 250-752-1231.
QUALICUM BEACH FARMERS’ MARKET - Starts the New Year on Saturday January 9th, 8:30-noon. The majority of our Market vendors are inside the Community Centre at Veteran’s Way and Memorial in Qualicum Beach for the winter. You’ll find from-the-farm produce, meats, fish, flowers, locally roasted coffee, breads, sweets and artisan-crafted products are available throughout the year! Live music! No dogs, please. FMI: qbfarmersmarket.com PARENTS & TOTS FRIDAYS - 10am11:30am. At the Fanny Bay Community Hall. Come and enjoy a morning of socializing, snack, early literacy activities, songs, games, stories and parenting resources. This is a FREE program supported by Comox Valley Family Services Association, Baynes Sound Lions and the Fanny Bay Community Association. Facilitated by Evelyn Bally 250-335-9022
LIGHTHOUSE SPINNERS – Bring your Spinning Wheels and fibre and meet the Lighthouse Spinners at the LCC, Tuesdays at 10:30am. FMI Call 778-424-1001. ADULT BADMINTON AND PICKLEBALL at the LCC. Badminton - Mondays 7pm. Pickleball and badminton - Thursdays 4-6 pm. Dropin fee - $4. Equipment provided. 15 years and older. Beginners welcome. steelehunt@shaw.ca, or 250-757-8307 for more info.
Starting Wednesday, Jan 13th 2016 Lunch served noon-1pm, Open ‘til 1:30pm
The QUALICUM BEACH GARDEN CLUB meets on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7 pm Qualicum Beach Civic Centre Speaker is Derrick Grimmer. Topic: Developing a Wildlife Friendly Garden New members and guests welcome.
CARPET BOWLING – 12:45 to 3pm at the LCC. FMI Call Layne (250) 7578217. AA LIGHTKEEPERS - Fridays at 7pm at the LCC. FMI contact (250) 757-2300. BRIDGE – Nordin Room 1-4pm Fridays at the LCC. FMI Sheila Steele 250-7578307.
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HAPPY WANDERERS’ TRAVEL CLUB meets at the Shelley Road Hall (Parksville) on Wednesday, January 27, 2016. Travel desk opens at 1pm; regular meeting begins at 2pm. Guest speaker: Kelly Watson from West World Tours. New members welcome. Please bring your own coffee mug or tea cup. E Y E S O N B C . C O M
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February 6th - QUALICUM BEACH SEEDY SATURDAY, QB Civic Centre, 747 Jones St., 10am-3:30pm. Speakers: Linda Gilkeson, “Do You Really Know What the Problem Is?” and Connie Kuramoto, “Water, Water, Everywhere.” 70+ Vendors, Seed Swap, Farmers’ Market, Master Gardeners, Milner Garden’s “Shoots With Roots” Children’s Program, Seedy Cafe, Door Prizes, and Raffle. Garden Chemicals drop off. Admission by Donation. www.qbseedysaturday.com
Musgrave bought Copper Beech House from David Phillips in 2010. Many famous people have visited through the years including Pierre and Margaret Trudeau in the mid-seventies. A recipe for Mussels Trudeau is included as well as Beets Margaret Atwood.
QUALICUM BEACH FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, January 20, 7pm at the Qualicum Legion. Guest speaker will be Wedlidi Speck, on ‘Where Roads Meet: Traversing the World of Mythology, Science and Me’. Guests welcome.
Besides cooking the food featured in the recipes and menus in the book, Musgrave did the “food styling” and took many of the photographs. Another of the photographers was Michelle Furbacher, art director at Whitecap. I can only imagine how much fun she had getting to eat the foods she photographed: Potatoes Haida Gwecchio for instance, and Copper Beech House Clam Chowder. And as A Taste of Haida Gwaii is about food gathering as well as feasting, Musgrave does that too. She has arranged the wild foods she gathers in order of their appearance – “from seaweed and elderflowers in the spring to chanterelles and other wild mushrooms in the fall, with one exception. For easier reference I have grouped the Berries of Haida Gwaii in one section, starting with salmonberries in spring and ending with cranberries in fall,” she writes in her chapter, “Food Gathering All Rear Round.” As Musgrave says in the section on picking and pickling Sea Asparagus, also called “beach asparagus: “[Food gathering] gets you out of the house, out of the kitchen, and you come home with a whole new appreciation for being outdoors – with a purpose!” The journey through the book is a delightful one with tales of “rogues” Musgrave has known; stories from her early years; and “Asides,” one of which is entitled “Cilantro.” There are those who hate cilantro and they can’t help it she learned. They may be “genetically predisposed.” Still, the word “cilantrophobia” is a a great one.
QUALICUM BAY LIONS AND QUALITY FOODS IN QUALICUM BEACH HELP THE FOOD BANK AGAIN.
Some of Musgrave’s poetry is featured and her prose is lyrical too. In the section on “Wild Roses or Nootka Roses,” she writes: “I have intoxicating memories of driving down to the Village of Old Massett on a fiercely windy but warm afternoon in June, and plucking wild rose petals, soft as the kisses of moths, while the bouldery clouds blew by overhead and ravens spoke in tongues from the trees.”
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nce again the Qualicum Bay Lions Club has come to the aid of the food bank with the help of Quality Foods of Qualicum Beach. This will be the second donation in as many months; the food bank needs this and so much more at this time. The Qualicum Bay Lions Club, with the help of Quality Foods, has been donating to the food bank run by the Salvation Army for many years. We are so thankful for all the great work they do. “The Lions Club motto is “We Serve”, and by looking out for those in need we feel we are really living up to that pledge,” says Lions Club member, Brenda Low. “The Lions donate to numerous local causes and the members of the club are always eager to give a helping hand to those in need.” Interested in becoming a member of the Qualicum Bay Lions Club? Contact Bert Carter at (250) 240-4538 for more information. J A N U A R Y
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My partner and I plan to visit Copper Beech House in the spring and experience, for a short time, the type of life Susan Musgrave has enjoyed for several decades. She plans her “activities around the incoming and outgoing tides, the rising and setting sun.” A Taste of Haida Gwaii: Food Gathering and Feasting at the Edge of the World by Susan Musgrave (Whitecap, 2015) Mary Ann Moore is a poet, writer and writing mentor based in Nanaimo. She writes a blog at www.apoetsnanaimo.ca ~
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by Joanne Sales
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ome join your neighbours in the excitement of imagining spring! Browse, watch, learn and buy. Purchase plants and local organic seeds from local seed companies. Wander through the aisles of dahlia tubers, fig trees, hellebores, herbs, and countless varieties of seeds. Talk to the farmers and gardeners who have grown unique varieties. Bring seeds you’ve collected in your garden to trade for seeds in the Seed Swap, or buy Seed Swap seeds for just 50 cents a package. It is a popular event, and you’ll be inspired by the enthusiasm of the gardening enthusiasts around you. Master Gardeners will be on hand February 16th to answer your questions. Shoots with Roots offers activities for you and your children.
Two great speakers in the Windsor Room will help with garden problems you may have. Seedy Saturday SPEAKERS: Linda Gilkeson (10:30-noon) “Do You REALLY Know What the Problem Is?” This workshop will help us distinguish between disorders, diseases and insect pests based on simple diagnosing rules; and we’ll learn how to deal with them all using organic methods and prevention. You are invited to bring your gardening problems to her – including photos or samples in a sealed plastic bag. Connie Kuramoto (12:30-2:00) will speak on “Water, Water, Everywhere.” Kuramoto will explore the extremely timely issue of water usage in our gardens, including water saving strategies, water collection, and building the water holding capacity of our soil. “What will YOU create this spring and summer?”
SEEDY SATURDAY!
A woman artist spoke on CBC about the experience of being an artist. She said something intriguing: An artist creates something that was not there before. That is what we farmers and gardeners do as well! We are using our hands to allow something to take shape, manifesting flowers, giving form to food and beauty, and giving life to plants of all kinds. We are co-creators with the mysterious forces of Mother Nature, in the unique position of being able to make choices. When we get the inspiration - “I want to plant this!” - the seeds are first planted inside us. Then we plant them in the earth. In time, there will be blueberries, cucumbers, dahlias and kale; squash, roses, hazelnuts and beans. Something will be there that was not there before. Something will grow because of our love and efforts. Let seeds be planted in your imagination! That’s what Seedy Saturday is for. ~
14th Annual Qualicum Beach Seedy Saturday February 6, 2016. 10am-3:30pm Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 747 Jones Street. Free admission - donations gratefully accepted.
For more Information www.qbseedysaturday.com
2016
We wish you PEACE + HAPPINESS + PROSPERITY