Up front: Excited sisters get a chance to walk Hollywood red carpet page 3 Valley: Wounded Warriors hit the road to raise trauma awareness page 5
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Friday, February 13, 2015
Tribes hopes Grace Islet resolution can set a B.C. template Disrupted burial ground: Deal avoids potential lawsuit but Cowichan says work still needed in this situation and others John McKinley
News Leader Pictorial
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owichan Tribes is pleased construction has halted on Grace Islet, cautious about saying a deal to preserve the culturally sensitive site is done, and eager to put new protocols in place to ensure such a scenario doesn’t arise again. The islet, located just off Ganges on Saltspring Island, generated headlines last year when construction of a luxury home disrupted a First Nations burial site. Cowichan Tribes Chief William Seymour said that by allowing construction, the province had infringed on Aboriginal rights and title, and disrespected the deceased. He said a coalition of First Nations was William Seymour: ready to go to court over hopeful the issue. That case was headed off last month when the province announced it would be buying the property from its Alberta owner in conjunction with First Nations and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The price was undisclosed. Last week, the Cowichan people released a statement from Seymour that work still needed to be done, but progress has been made on a plan to protect the site. “Mutual agreements have been met on proposed protocol, an on-site ceremony prior to dismantling of the abandoned project, removal of the building and ecological restoration,” the statement read. “Cowichan Tribes is hopeful the premier will attend the longhouse ceremony where those who fought to keep Grace Islet protected and structurally undeveloped will be acknowledged.” The statement also said continued solidarity is key to bringing the deal to a proper conclusion. Elders of the affected bands will take a lead role in reconciliation of the site. “While all the chiefs involved acknowledge this result comes only through unity that we were able to force negotiation to take back Grace Islet, the intricate framework of this agreement has yet to be concluded among the parties as we work toward finalization of this phase. “A response from Premier Clark on this matter and several other ongoing issues has yet to be received, but Cowichan Tribes remains hopeful to re-engage discussions with the province and Canada. more on page 2
Andrew Leong
Travis Lulay of the B.C. Lions, accompanied by teammate Rolly Lumbala, visited Chemainus Secondary School on Wednesday, to talk with studentsabout the Be More Than A Bystander campaign to end violence and verbal and physical abuse in school and in the community.
Students tackle violence with a roar BC Lions: Quarterback Travis Lulay urges students to speak up about violence against women Lindsay Chung
Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle
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ll it takes for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing. Standing in front of a packed gymnasium, B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay delivered those words to Chemainus Secondary School students in the context of violence against women. It’s a quote retired Lions offensive lineman Angus Reid would use that Lulay always liked. And it fit perfectly with the theme of the presentation Lulay and fullback Rolly Lumbala were making Wednesday as part of the Be More Than a Bystander campaign. The program — an an initiative between the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia and the Lions — encourages people to break the silence surrounding violence against women and girls, to speak up, and to intervene. One of the Lions’ main messages: doing
something is better than doing nothing. “All we’re doing is encouraging you guys to be leaders, to do something, to stand up for what we all believe in,” Lulay told the students. “Let’s make this world a better place.” In B.C., there are more than 1,000 physical or sexual assaults against women every week, Lulay said. “That’s over 50,000 a year,” he said. “That’s far too many, I think it’s easy to agree. This is one of the numbers that is kind of shocking: one in three women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. It’s pretty easy to think of three women who are close to you; just know that at some point in time, there’s a chance that somebody close to you could deal with some of these issues.” Lulay says that part of the reason the players visit schools and speak to young people is that women younger than 25 experience the highest rate of partner violence of all age groups. In many of those cases, violence occurs in dating relationships. “A study in London, Ont., found the stu-
dents who reported the highest incidence of dating violence were young women in Grades 9 and 10 involved in steady dating relationships,” he noted. “Again, it’s dating relationships; it’s not always stranger danger, as you see on TV.” At least one million Canadian children have witnessed violence against their mothers by their fathers or father figure, noted Lulay. “One of the things we’re talking about today is how this isn’t just an issue that affects women; gender violence is a bigger issue that affects us all,” he told students. The Be More Than a Bystander initiative stresses making a difference doesn’t necessarily mean taking a “superhero approach” and physically jumping in. “You often think that if you see something going on, you either do nothing or you physically get in the middle of it, and that’s a scary thought. So, all too often, we end up doing nothing,” said Lulay. “All we’re saying is you do have options. more on page 2