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Cleanup continues Former Nanaimo resident shares hurricane story. PAGE 18 Romantic jazz Singer performs intimate concert at north-end restaurant. PAGE B1 Playoff power John Barsby football team eager to flex its muscles.
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Fire departments struggle to retain volunteer ranks I TIME INVESTMENT one of challenges to keeping firefighters. BY CHRIS BUSH THE NEWS BULLETIN
CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Facing the heat Brad Bird, right, assistant to Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney, faces a crowd of about 40 people protesting the Canada-China Foreign Investment Agreement in front of Lunney’s constituency office in north Nanaimo Wednesday. The demonstration, organized by Communities to Protect Our Coast, drew some participants who shouted down Bird, hollering insults when he tried to respond to questions about the agreement.
Snuneymuxw pursues rights to estuary BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
Snuneymuxw First Nation is embarking on a strategy to remedy what it calls the wrongs done to the Nanaimo Harbour and Nanaimo River Estuary, both on historic fishing and cultural grounds of the band, says Chief Douglas White III. White said the strategy will involve a combination of legal actions, including a possible lawsuit, to implement Snuneymuxw’s Aboriginal Title and Fisheries recognized in the
Douglas Treaty of 1854, which granted First Nations on Vancouver Island the liberty to hunt over unoccupied lands and the right to “carry on their fisheries as formerly” in exchange for surrendered lands. The treaty was reinforced in the 1960s when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of Snuneymuxw band member Clifford White, who was charged with hunting deer out of season on traditional territory. Historically, the Nanaimo Estuary and Nanaimo Harbour were both important sources of food
for Snuneymuxw people, but because of industrialization have become too polluted to fish. White said, based on case law, the Douglas Treaty is still valid but is being violated by the federal and provincial governments and the Nanaimo Port Authority. “The estuary is the heart of what our Treaty of 1854 recognizes and protects. For a number of years Snuneymuxw has made it clear that we would no longer tolerate the denial of our title to the estuary, including our fisheries,” said White in a release. ◆ See ‘ENVIRONMENTAL’ /3
Volunteer fire departments across B.C. are fighting to keep their ranks up to minimum operational levels in spite of the fact volunteer firefighters are paid hourly when they respond to emergencies. Becoming a volunteer firefighter – commonly called paidon-call firefighter – involves a serious commitment. Volunteers must respond to emergencies any time of the day or night. There is no shift change or relief guaranteed after hours on an incident and afterward they either try to get a couple hours sleep or return directly to their regular jobs. They also commit many more hours training and servicing equipment. Volunteers must also meet the same training certification levels as full-time firefighters and, once trained, can be headhunted by full-time departments or leave because of work commitments away from the communities they live. Age and other demographics can also contribute to attrition. Some departments on south
Vancouver Island have reported volunteers leaving after serving less than three years – a loss of manpower and the investment in training paid for by the community. Jason deJong, North Oyster Fire Rescue chief, and five other chiefs of departments serving the Cowichan Valley Regional District are working to develop retention programs. North Oyster Fire Rescue serves a large rural community that is a mix of farms and residential properties south of Nanaimo. Population growth and density is low and a high percentage of people work away from the community. The department has 18 volunteers, but needs at least 25. Volunteers stay about five years on average. Recent recruitment drives have been successful. “The recruitment is fine, but then there’s the retention, which I think is the more important issue,” deJong said. “I’m taking this to the CVRD chiefs to see what we can brainstorm on a regional level, with the six of us. I think all the fire departments in the region, the Island and the province have to be on board with this and come up with solutions.” Gabriola Island has two fire halls. Of 30 positions, 27 are filled. ◆ See ‘WOMEN’ /4
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