INTERESTING NEWS
Tseshaht rugby star wins Tom Longboat Award
The rugby sevens Olympian Shalaya Valenzuela is named this year’s top female Indigenous athlete in Canada
By Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor
Ottawa, ON – Shalaya Valenzuela likes her new designation.
It was officially announced this past Saturday that Valenzuela, a Tseshaht First Nation member, has been chosen as this year’s top Indigenous female athlete in Canada.
She was presented with her national Tom LongboatAward at theAboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) gala ceremony in Ottawa.
“That has a nice ring to it,” she said of her latest accolade.
Valenzuela had made history last year.
She was a member of the Canadian women’s rugby sevens squad that captured the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Thus, she became the first Indigenous woman from the country to win an Olympic medal in the version of rugby, which sees seven players per side on the field as opposed to the traditional 15 athletes per club.
During the 2024-25 season, Valenzuela also competed in 23 other international World Rugby Seven matches.
Plus, after the Paris Olympics, she returned to school and suited up for the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds team that ended up winning its national university title.
Valenzuela was not that surprised she was named the recipient of the Tom LongboatAward, annually presented by theASC, the governing body for Indigenous athletics in Canada.
“It’s been a big year for me,” she said. “So, I was hopeful. But I definitely think I put in a lot of hard work this year. So, the award just reflects this past year and all the achievements I’ve had.”
SwimmerApollo Hess, a member of Kainai Nation inAlberta, was chosen as the male winner of the national Tom LongboatAward.
The awards are named in honour of Longboat, one of the country’s best long-distance runners ever. Longboat, a member of Six Nations of Grand River in Ontario, participated in the marathon event at the 1908 Summer Olympics. He also won the prestigious Boston Marathon in 1907.
TheASC also annually honours regional (provincial or territorial) recipients of the Tom LongboatAwards.
“I was notified that I was a regional (British Columbia) recipient,” Valenzuela said. “And then a couple of weeks that followed, I was notified I was the national recipient.”
Valenzuela added she believes capturing the national award is just as memorable as winning an Olympic medal.
“It’s right up there,” she said. “It’s one of the biggest national awards you can get for Indigenous sports. So, I would put it right up there next to the Olympics.
I’m really proud to be able to represent my culture on the world stage and being a role model for Indigenous athletes. So, I think it’s just as meaningful but in a different way.”
During her acceptance speech at Saturday’s gala, Valenzuela touched on challenges she had early in her life.
“Most of the challenges I had that I was referring to was being in foster care at a young age,” she said. “Obviously my parents struggled with their own challenges. I was mainly just talking about that, using sport as my outlet to be able to express myself and it being a place where I could just be me, because at that time I think I
was just yearning for a sense of belonging and to feel equal.
“Sport was like a level playing field where it didn’t matter who I was or where I came from.”
Valenzuela was hoping that she would be on the field this fall to help the UBC Thunderbirds in their quest to defend their national title. The Thunderbirds are hosting the eight-team Canadian university championships, which run from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2.
But she has been unable to play for the UBC club this fall as she is recovering from a July surgery to repair a tornACL in her right knee.
“That was one of the most upsetting parts being injured, was that I knew I would be missing out on nationals at home,” Valenzuela said. “And we just came off UBC’s first national title. I was ready to back that up with back-to-back national titles. I was a little bit upset but
things are looking really good for us.”
Though she will be unable to play for the Thunderbirds at this year’s Canadian tournament, Valenzuela has found another way to have a key role at the event. She will be providing colour commentary analysis for tournament matches that will be broadcast on CBC Sports.
Valenzuela said broadcasting is a field she might explore after her playing days are over.
“I think it could be a nice side gig,” she said. “I know a lot of athletes after they retire from sport still want to stay connected to their sport. So, I know there’s been a lot of players who have gone on to broadcasting as the next path. I’m just keeping an open mind about it because I realize it is really fun and I’m passionate about it. I will definitely keep my options open if opportunities arise.”
Submitted photo
After an Olympic medal in 2024 in rugby sevens, followed up with a national university championship, Shalaya Valenzuela was presented with the Tom LongboatAward at theAboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) gala ceremony in Ottawa on Oct. 25.
Bamfield road reopens, more daily closures expected
A new weather station has been installed on the route to be er inform drivers of
By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor
Bamfield, BC - Residents of communities on southwest Vancouver Island are no longer cut off from PortAlberni, after the Mount Underwood wildfire shut down the Bamfield road for two and a half months.
On Oct. 24 Bamfield Main reopened, although daily closures are expected as crews continue to repair damage from the forest fire. More than 1,000 dangerous trees had to be removed from the slope along 1.5 kilometres of the road. OnAug. 11 the Mount Underwood wildfire closed down the road, raging to encompass 3,600 hectares south of PortAlberni in a matter of days.
Kilometre 8 - 9.5 of Bamfield Main was affected, a section owned and managed by Mosaic Forest Services. Power was also shut off to Bamfield, the Huu-ay-aht village ofAnacla and the Ditidaht village of balaacadt on Nitinaht Lake, a service that BC Hydro restored onAug. 23.
Daily closures of the Bamfield road are expected over the coming weeks, as repairs from the wildfire continue and the route is yet again battered by fall storms. When the road re-opened Environment Canada had issued a heavy rainfall warning for western and inland Vancouver Island.
“Astrong frontal system is crossing Vancouver Island this morning,” stated the federal agency on Oct. 24. “Heavy rain over the west and inland sections
rain, flooding, other hazards
The Bamfield road has reopened, although daily closures will continue this fall as repairs continue. Flooding also remains a concern on the road during heavy rain this fall. Pictured is a slide that occurred at the 44-kilometre marker outside of Bamfield on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.
of Vancouver Island will taper to showers this morning. The highest rainfall amounts are expected over the northwestern portions of the regions, near Gold River and Zeballos.”
In recent years Bamfield Main has received over $40 million in major upgrades that built up the road and replaced its gravel and dirt surface with a smoother chip-sealed coat. But flooding during heavy rainfall remains a concern – a dynamic that tuned tragic on Oct. 18, 2024 when Bamfield locals Bob Baden and Ken Duncan lost their lives as the flooded road swept their vehicles into the
Sarita River during high tide.
With the road now reopened a weather station has been installed to monitor wind conditions and precipitation in the region. Gates are also in place on either side of the damaged section of Bamfield Main to shut off access if hazards arise.
“An operating protocol is in place to guide closures during periods of high wind or heavy rainfall, ensuring public safety remains the top priority,” stated the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in a press release. During the road closure those living in Bamfield,Anacla and Nitinaht were
forced to rely on a series of logging roads to Youbou and Lake Cowichan. Frustration brewed and on Oct. 5 a group of Bamfield residents walked through the roadblock to see the damage for themselves. Questions arose as to why Mosaic wasn’t allowing the public to use a detour road around the closure that it had opened for forestry operations.
On Oct. 9 Mosaic issued a statement saying that this road would not be opened for public use, as it is intended for industrial drivers with radio-equipped vehicles and safety equipment.
The Youbou route was previously relied upon to get essential supplies into the Alberni Valley to the west coast while the Cameron Bluffs wildfire closed Highway 4 during the summer of 2023. But this series of logging roads to Lake Cowichan is hazardous for public use, according to the Ditidaht First Nation.
“We urgently need action to maintain the road so emergency services can reach our people, visitors, and our neighbours,” said Ditidaht Chief Councillor Judi Thomas in a statement fromAug 22.
“Access to balaacadt and our neighbouring communities is not only a matter of emergency response and safety — it is also the foundation of our local economies. Tourism is vital to the west coast, and every road closure threatens small businesses, cultural tourism, and the livelihoods of families across the region.”
Updates on the status of Bamfield Main are available at https://www.drivebc.ca.
Kristen Young photo
Tofino’s MacKenzie Beach officially changed to tinwis
The new name for the popular spot means ‘calming waters’ or ‘calm beach’ in the Nuu-chah-nulth language
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Tofino, BC – MacKenzie Beach in Tofino has been officially renamed tinwis (pronounced ti-nu-wis) by the Government of British Columbia following a proposal and years-long consultation led by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN).
Located on the west side of the Esowista Peninsula in the District of Tofino boundaries, tinwis means “calming waters” or “calm beach” in the Tla-o-qui-aht dialect of the Nuu-chah-nulth language. It is the site of a Tla-o-qui-aht village and is also the site of Christie Indian Residential School after if moved from Meares Island in 1971. Christie was B.C.’s last residential school that shuttered in 1983.
“It has been a gathering place for generations of Tla-o-qui-aht people. The name reflects the Nation’s deep cultural, geographical, and spiritual connection to the site,” reads an Oct. 15, 2025, announcement from ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ ḥaw̓ iiḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht hereditary chiefs).
The BC Geographical Names Office notified Tofino Mayor and Council of the official name change in a letter dated May 15, 2025, after a public comment period that was open from September 20 to December 20, 2024.
“The name change was supported by the District of Tofino,Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, Tourism Tofino, Indigenous Tourism BC, Destination BC, Westcoast Inland Search and Rescue, Canadian Coast Guard, and Friends of Clayoquot Sound,” notes the government letter.
“Adoption of this name does not prejudice legitimate claims to the land,” the letter concludes.
Saya Masso, TFN’s manager of lands and resources, says tinwis has always been a place of refuge for Tla-o-qui-aht. Historically, when Tla-o-qui-aht warriors went whale hunting, they would anchor their whales at tinwis to wait for the right tide to bring them in.
“When a place has a name in our language, it often tells you what it was used for, or what it provides to our people.
To see the name MacKenzie Beach no longer used—and to formally put the traditional place name tinwis on the map— means the world to me,” said Masso in the announcement from TFN ḥaw̓ iiḥ.
“It’s a significant step toward reconciliation and elevating our language back into its rightful place on these lands,” Masso continued.
“Language is so important to us,” he continued. “Residential schools caused a deep loss of language and understanding. It’s not enough to learn the words—you have to live them. Place names like tinwis help us live our language again.”
TFN Chief Councillor Elmer Frank pointed out that the name tinwis also now
appears on Google Earth.
“It’s all part of reconciliation,” said Frank. “We are seeing more willingness now to reconcile with First Nations, particularly with the province.”
On Sept. 30, 2025, Tofino Mayor Dan Law signed a renewed protocol agreement with TFN Chief Frank. The agreement aligns the District of Tofino with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’sAct and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Mayor Law says the district is in the process of reviewing their street naming policy to further incorporate Tla-o-quiaht names.
“We’re just excited to support Tla-o-quiaht in their endeavours,” said Law. “The renewed protocol agreement shows that the two communities are moving forward together in the spirit of collaboration, mutual support and friendship.”
According to the book The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names byAndrew Scott, MacKenzie Beach was adopted in 1975 to honour Bob and Doris MacKenzie who ran a resort in Tofino in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
However, in Margaret Horsfield and Ian Kennedy’s book, Tofino and Clayoquot Sound, it states the beach was named after Donald MacKenzie, a veteran of Vimy Ridge, who came to work as the Lennard Island light keeper in the mid-1920s.
In 1929, for $250, MacKenzie purchased 400 metres of shoreline on sixteen hectares of land at the beach now bearing his name. The book states the beach was formerly known as Garrard Beach, named after Francis Garrard, Lennard Island’s first light keeper.
Tinwis is known for being one of the
best places in the area to watch the sunset and often the best spot to surf in Tofino when the big winter swells close out all the local beaches.
Many accommodation providers share tinwis, including Bella Pacifica Campground, MacKenzie Beach Resort, Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort and Ocean Village Resort.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation on this important and meaningful milestone,” said Zara Sheehy, assistant general manager of MacKenzie Beach Resort, which is located at the end of MacKenzie Beach Road.
“The official recognition of Tin Wis Beach is a nice step in honouring the Nation’s language and deep connection to Tofino, and we think that the meaning behind the name suits the beach really well.As for our own branding, we have not yet arrived at a decision regarding any potential name changes, and are giving it thoughtful consideration,” said Sheehy in an email.
The beach area directly in front of Crystal Cove Resort, which is located on the far south end of tinwis and off Cedarwood Place, is not within the designated boundary of the official renaming zone. Crystal Cove Resort manager J.J. Belanger says they are applying to the province to name that section of beach Crystal Cove
Under the BC Geographical Naming Policy and Procedures, a naming decision requires “an engagement period to request comments from First Nations and local governments whose territories and boundaries a feature is within, and from organizations impacted by a proposed name.”
The calming waters at tinwis on Oct. 8, 2025. The site has been offically re-named from previously being MacKenzie Beach.
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Wounded cougar euthanized in PA alley
Reward offered for information on persons responsible for initially injuring animal
By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
PortAlberni, BC –Awildlife charity is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for injuring a young male cougar and not reporting it.
On the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 12, the RCMP and BC Conservation officers were summoned to an alley near Dunbar Street and 4th Avenue in Port Alberni, where a cougar was spotted in the residential neighborhood.
According to information obtained from the BC Conservation Officer Service, they, with assistance from the RCMP, located and immobilized the animal in the residential area.
“Physical assessment of animal found that it had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to a leg and into the chest. (The) leg was badly broken, and the animal was humanely dispatched,” states the COS in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa.
They went on to say that the COS had received reports over several weeks, “of a cougar in town with a limp, but were unable to locate to observe the animal.”
Social media posts indicate the limping cougar had been observed around town for five to seven days prior to Oct. 12.
One image shows the wounded feline hiding under a wharf deck near the ramp at Fisherman’s Dock by the Harbour Quay.
The COS is seeking information from the public to find out who is responsible for having injured the cougar without reporting.
“These actions had put the community at risk, and information regarding who is responsible will help the COS hold those parties accountable,” they stated.
The Furbearers, a North Vancouverbased wildlife charity, initially issued a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the identification and conviction of the person(s) responsible. On Oct. 22 this reward was doubled to $2,000.
“The Fur-Bearers is a non-partisan,
Ha-Shilth-Sa belongs to every Nuu-chah-nulth person including those who have passed on, and those who are not yet born.Acommunity newspaper cannot exist without community involvement. If you have any great pictures you’ve taken, stories or poems you’ve written, or artwork you have done, please let us know so we can include it in your newspaper. E-mail holly.stocking@nuuchahnulth.org. This year is Ha-Shilth-Sa’s 51st year of serving the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. We look forward to your continued input and support. Kleco! Kleco!
registered Canadian charity founded in 1953 to protect fur-bearing animals through conservation, advocacy, research, and education,” says their website.
“This case may include potential violations of the BC Wildlife Act, and that’s why we’re issuing this reward,” explains Lesley Fox, executive director of The Fur-Bearers.
She went on to say that while cougar hunting is legal in British Columbia, it is regulated.
“Hunters must hold the appropriate licenses and follow season dates, management unit rules, bag limits, and methods set out in the provincial hunting and trapping regulations,” she continued. Anyone with information about this situation is asked to contact the BC Conservation Officer Service through the Report All Polluters and Poachers (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277, or use the online portal at https://forms.gov. bc.ca/environment/rapp/
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Days after being injured by what conservation officers believe to be a gunshot, a cougar was euthanized in a PortAlberni alley on Oct. 12.
Citaapi Mahtii apartments bring cultural amenities
Rental complex offers 35 units for First Nation tenants, aÅending to Port Alberni’s ongoing housing shortage
By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
PortAlberni, BC – Citaapi Mahtii, Ahousaht First Nations’new apartment building, celebrated its grand opening on Friday, October 17, with tours of the facility and acknowledgment to partners.
Citaapi Mahtii, located at 4210 Cedarwood Street in PortAlberni, is an apartment building that delivers 35 new housing units to singles and families in the Alberni Valley. The four-storey building offers a range of living unit sizes from studio apartments all the way to fourbedrooms for larger families. It includes a community space for gatherings.
Because it is anAhousaht-led project, a bulk of the units will be rented to members of the First Nation, but some units are set aside for other First Nations.
At the grand opening people were invited inside the building into a gathering space that is designed to allow tenants andAhousaht leadership a place to conduct meetings, have celebrations or practice culture. Phillip Guy Louie noted that the building was designed with a community space because, “this place is for community.”
And when the doors opened on Oct. 17, not only invited guests, dignitaries and media showed up, but also neighbours living nearby, saying they wanted to have a look inside.
The building property is fully landscaped with a lawn and native plants like salal and ferns.Ahousaht artist, teacher and Ha’wilth Uukwaqum (James Swan) delivered two carved poles that he had been commissioned to make for the new building.
Greg Louie, Citaapi Mahtii’s chairman and manager of the construction project, pointed out a plaque at the main entrance. It is an Indigenous-style painting showing a mountain. Made byAhousaht artist Wally Thomas, Louie said the painting depicted Citaapi mountain, also know as Catface Mountain, inAhousaht territory. There are many stories about the importance of Citaapi Mountain toAhousahts, like the fact that it can be seen from far offshore and was used as a landmark for people returning home from fishing. And so, it was decided that Citaapi would be a suitable name for the new apartment building, a home-away-from-home for Ahousaht members.
Louie said there’s about 500Ahousahts living in PortAlberni. Louie formerly served as chief councillor of the First Nation, and back when he was elected Louie heard from members in PortAlberni ask
Greg Louie, Citaapi Mahtii’s chairman and manager of the construction project, cuts a cedar ribbon at the official opening of the apartment complex Oct. 17. Located near PortAlberni’s Fall Fair grounds, the development brings 35 units for First Nation families.
chief and council for help with housing in the city.
Shortly afterward, he said BC Housing made an announcement about First Nations housing opportunities and that is whenAhousaht leadership began connecting with partners to make the dream a reality.
BC Housing, a supporter of the project, said the new building provides individuals, seniors, families and intergenerational households with safe, culturally supportive homes, in a space designed to strengthen community, belonging and cultural connections.
Calling it a great accomplishment, Hupacasath member Rod Sayers recalled pastAhousaht and Nuu-chah-nulth leader Nelson Keitlah’s words.
“An accomplishment of one Nuu-chahnulth-aht is an accomplishment for all Nuu-chah-nulth,” he shared.
Ken Watts also acknowledgedAhousaht leadership saying they followed proper protocol, coming to Tseshaht to ask permission to build in their territory. Calling it an important and sacred protocol, at that initial meeting Watts saidAhousaht made commitments, “and follow through is important,” he added.
“What I love aboutAhousaht is they look after their people no matter where they are,” said Watts.
lead and is working on their own urban housing project in Port Alberni.
Ahousaht Councillor Phillip Guy Louie noted that the City of PortAlberni also made a valuable contribution to the success of the project. He thanked Mayor Sharie Minions for the donation of municipal land. The site, a city-owned property, once housed a long-closed school and daycare.
“Many parts came together,” said Louie.
NTC Vice-President Les Doiron said he and many other Nuu-chah-nulth leaders are part of theAboriginal Coalition to end Homelessness. He congratulated Ahousaht and their partners for delivering on such a much-needed project.
“This is a great story and a great day,” said MP Gord Johns. “We know Indigenous people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness.”
Mayor Minions said it was in 2017 that
the city, along with Tseshaht, Hupacasath and the PortAlberni Friendship Center, came together and created the Reconciliation Committee to build better relationships from the city’s perspective.
“This land is now used to improve the lives of community members,” she said.
Ahousaht artist, Ha’wilth and teacher, James Swan, ʔuu-kwa-qum, delivered two carved poles which will be installed at the new building. He told Ha-ShilthSa that the poles were commissioned on behalf ofAhousaht Ha’wiih. One pole features a raven, and the other, a thunderbird.
To enquire about housing, visit the Citaapi Mahtii website at https://citaapi. ca/
Citaapi Mahtii Housing Society Manager Jude Newman is already accepting housing applications. She can be reached by phone at 250-206-4210 or by email at jude@citappimahtii.com
Denise Titian photos
With that said, Watts said his nation tookAhousaht’s
Uchucklesaht’s ‘community led’ climate action plan
Ethlateese remains dependent on diesel, but plans are moving forward for improved sustainability in territory
By Sam Laskaris Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor
PortAlberni, BC –ANuu-chah-nulth
First Nation has been recognized provincially for its dealings with climate action.
The Uchucklesaht Tribe was one of seven communities within the province that received climate and energy action awards at the Union of BC Municipalities convention held in September in Victoria. Uchucklesaht was honoured for its climate action plan, released earlier this year.
The Nuu-chah-nulth Nation, which has its headquarters in PortAlberni, has about 350 members.
Communities are asked to self-nominate for the various awards, which do not bring financial compensation.About 30 applications were sent in.
“It’s a pat on the back,” said Nigel Moore, Uchucklesaht’s special projects manager. “It’s also great for our leadership to see the Nation getting recognized in this way, sort of alongside large municipalities in the province.”
Uchucklesaht’s climate action plan was released this past May at a community event. Moore said the plan was 14 months in the making.
“It’s the first time we’ve done a comprehensive climate action plan,” he said. “We had previously done a community energy and emissions plan, which looked at how we can reduce our climate change causing emissions.”
But Moore said this year’s plan was different, as it brings 50 recommendations.
“It not only addresses how we reduce emissions, but also how we adapt to climate change,” he said. “So, it’s got recommendations both for mitigation of climate change as well what to do for adaptation to climate change.”
Judges who determined the various awards felt Uchucklesaht’s plan was “an outstanding example of a community-led project that works especially well for the context of an Indigenous community and can be replicated by others.”
Judges were also impressed with the level of community engagement, which included a working group of 20 members that met monthly. Group members made five presentations at community events and conducted a survey of 20 per cent of the First Nation’s members.
Moore felt the plan created plenty of interest, as it reflects how changing temper-
atures and weather patterns are already impacting “cultural keystone species”.
Moore also said the plan did not simply include details on how to save fuel during operations and how to make buildings more efficient. He believes such information can be dull.
“It was really about confronting things like food security and how that’s going to be impacted by a climate change,” he said. “And the health of the territory and different ecosystems and how those things are going to be affected by climate change.”
Uchucklesaht’s community energy and emissions plan had been released in 2022.
Moore said it was a year later the First Nation decided to do its follow-up plan.
“We’re part of a program called the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative,” he said. “And we’re part of that because our village Ethlateese is completely diesel dependent. So, we’re trying to find a way to get off of diesel.And they have this three-phase program that they support diesel-dependent communities.”
Moore explained the initial phase provides training to staff to create energy champions within the Nation. Phase two is to do an energy plan.And then the third phase is to implement projects that
reduce diesel.
Moore is hoping Uchucklesaht is viewed as a trendsetter with its climate action plan.
“I think that certainly from the perspective of somebody who works on climate change and has been doing that as sort of a career, I definitely want us to be a role model and for us to be sharing what we’re doing,” he said. “And if others want to continue to do that work in their communities, then I think that’s a great thing.”
Those who served as judges for the award have a similar line of thinking as they provided the following comment: “The community-led plan provides an excellent path forward and shows other communities how this work can be done with strong community involvement.”
Moore said many of the recommendations in the plan have started taking place. That includes the First Nation’s efforts to reduce emissions and get Ethlateese off of diesel use.
“Implementing clean energy projects is something that we’ve been working on an ongoing basis and continue to work on,” he said. “But then there’s a whole bunch of more of climate change, adaptation focussed projects that were recommended.”
Moore also said Uchucklesaht has received some funding to start carrying out some plan recommendations.
“We’ve got several ongoing studies right now that are doing a bit of a deeper dive into some of the issues and concerns with climate change impacts that were identified in this climate action plan,” he said.
Uchucklesaht has long-term goals to improve sustainability, aspirations that could be helped by plans to implement several climate monitoring stations in the territory.
These monitoring stations will keep tabs on marine environment, including water temperatures and water levels.
“The idea of all of these different monitoring stations is that we’re going to be collecting local climate data and being able to understand what’s really happening in our territory at that local level as opposed to just instead of assuming that larger scale, models and information are going to apply to us,” Moore said.
He added Uchucklesaht officials will be sharing details on their climate action plan at the Indigenous Coastal Climate Coalition event set for Nov. 4-6 in Victoria. Several other coastal First Nations are expected to attend the conference.
Nigel Moore photo
The Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation has about 350 members, with its territory in Barkley Sound south of PortAlberni. Pictured is the village of Ethlateese.
Nuchatlaht appeal, seeking title over rest of territory
With a long list of intervenors supporting its case, the First Nation seeks to prove historical use of inland region
By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor
Vancouver, BC - In October the Nuchatlaht were back in court, this time to appeal a ruling from last year in hope of proving historical ownership over the inland areas of its territory.
The small Vancouver Island First Nation had four days to appear before the B.C. Court ofAppeal, with a trial scheduled in Vancouver Oct. 20-23. This appearance marks the latest chapter in the Nuchatlaht’s quest to gainAboriginal title over 201 square kilometres of land encompassing the northern part of Nootka Island – a court battle that began over eight and a half years ago when the late Tyee Ha’wilth Walter Michael filed a claim to the B.C. Supreme Court in January 2017. This current appearance seeks to build on Justice Elliott Myers’ruling from April 2024.After nearly 60 days in court the judge determined that the Nuchatlaht are the rightful owners of a portion of the area they claimed, amounting to 12 square kilometres – most of which is on a strip along Nootka Island’s northwest coast that doesn’t extend more than a kilometre inland.
During court proceedings the Nuchatlaht’s legal team argued that the claim area’s entire watershed should be recognized due to the traditional use of the whole area, but Myers remain unconvinced. With a few small exceptions that he added, the judge’s definition of the Nuchatlaht’s title land generally aligned with the provincial government’s argument to the court.
Myers determined that the Nuchatlaht treated the interior of the rugged region differently than coastal areas where evidence of settlement can be found.
“With respect to the interior, there is almost no evidence of use by the Nuchatlaht,” wrote Myers, who was unconvinced that the nation’s ancestors left evidence of occupation above an elevation of 100 metres. “Confining the boundary to the 100-metre contour reflects the distinction between the coastal and interior areas.”
During the past B.C. Supreme Court trial, a major part of the Nuchatlaht’s argument was the hundreds of trees in the area that were partially harvested by the First Nation’s ancestors.Archaeologist Jacob Earnshaw identified 8,386 of these culturally modified trees (CMTs) in the claim area, but in his ruling Myers noted that these sites have an average distance of 845 metres from the shore, pointing to the heavy reliance that Nuu-chah-nulth people historically had on the ocean.
In a statement from the First Nation this month, Tyee Ha’wilth Jordan Michael said that evidence of past occupation can be found throughout the claim area.
“I’ve hiked through our forests. There’s signs of our people everywhere. Everywhere you look you find CMTs,” said the hereditary chief. “This past summer we found carvings on our title lands.”
With the appeal the Nuchatlaht are bringing several other First Nations into the case to present evidence as intervenors, including the Dzawada’cnuxw, Tseshaht, shishalh and Cowichan, as well as Nuchatlaht’s neighbours to the south and north, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Ehattesaht.
The court’s decision hinges on proving a continued, historical occupation and use of the claim area since 1846, the year that the British Crown asserted sovereignty over the region. The rest of the area being
contested in court is Crown land, with a harvesting tenure held by Western Forst Products. Logging has ceased as the court case progressed.
“Hopefully they’ll look at our history,” said Nuchatlaht CouncillorArchie Little as he awaited the court appeal.
Little spent his early childhood in the village of Nuchatlitz, which is overseen by mountains not included in Myers 2024 ruling. In 1988 the First Nation moved its main reserve from this village site to the coast of Vancouver Island.
“We only have 20 per cent of our trees left,” said Little, who cites thousands of years of sustainable forest management from his ancestors. “All we want is to do better, to show that ownership and that respect.”
With just six per cent of the claim area recognized so far, Chief Jordan Michael has called the past B.C. Supreme Court
ruling “a partial victory”. Under Canadian law, the 2024 ruling gives Nuchatlaht ownership over expanded sections of its territory beyond the coastal patches of Indian Reserve land. This includes Owossitsa creek, a sacred sockeye-bearing stream that only the First Nation’s Tyee can access for fish.
“We’ve opened it up so our people can see the area. We’ve built a road where we can drive it, tourists can go there,” said Little, noting the Nuchatlaht plan to put up signs with rules encouraging visitors to respect the H=ahahuu>i. “There’s evidence of two longhouses that you can see as you drive on that road.”
The newly recognized title land also includes Nuchatlitz Provincial Park, which Little says was previously established without the First Nation’s consent.
“They made a provincial park in that area, and then we were given that land
in the title,” he said. “We’ve got some cabins that non-Aboriginals built. Well, they’re ours now.”
As the Nuchatlaht look to the future use of its land, Little said they are not against harvesting, but it needs to be done differently than under the province’s forestry tenure to ensure that enough will be left for future generations. The title case was originally launched when it became clear that Western Forests Products’views did not align with what Nuchatlaht wanted for the territory, explained Little.
“We made some demands of Western, and they said a flat no right away,” recalled Little, who sat in these talks alongside the former Tyee Walter Michael. “They said, ‘because our bosses are in New York, the stockholders’. I said, ‘No, your boss is sitting right here. He owns it’.”
Eric Plummer photo
Nuchatlaht Tyee Ha’wilth Jordan Michael stands with supporters before the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver in 2022 as his nation’sAboriginal title claim went to trial. Proceedings continued Oct. 20-23 as the First Nation went before the B.C. Court ofAppeal.
Vancouver Registry map
The B.C. Supreme Court has recognized a portion of northern Nootka Island as NuchatlahtAboriginal title land.
Nuchatlaht’s case draws upon historic concept of Aboriginal territory
‘No one had a higher idea of exclusive property’ than the Nuu-chah-nulth, according British Royal Navy explorer Captain James Cook
By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
Vancouver, BC – Nuchatlaht Tyee
Ha’wilth Jordan Michael arrived at Vancouver Law Courts on Oct. 20, appealing the May 2023 decision of Justice Elliot Myers that determined that the Nuchatlaht are the rightful owners of some of their territory – but not all of it.
The Tyee Ha’wilth was accompanied by some of his people and his counsel, led by Jack Woodward. In addition, at least another dozen lawyers were present in person or by remote connection. The latter represented other parties, intervenors, that have an interest in the outcome of the appeal that took place for four days this week before three judges.
Nuchatlaht title trial tasked the nation to prove that they are the rightful owners of about 201 square kilometres of land. In his ruling, delivered in May 2023 with a further decision the following year on the extent of the title land, Justice Elliott Myers found that the Nuchatlaht had proven their case, but only in part.
In his interpretation of the evidence presented, Justice Myers found that the Nuchatlaht did not prove that they actively utilized their territory above the 100 metre line from sea level. Instead of the 201 square kilometres Nuchatlaht were expecting, they were recognized to have 11.33.
“With respect to the interior, there is almost no evidence of use by the Nuchatlaht,” wrote Myers, who was unconvinced that the nation’s ancestors left evidence of occupation above an elevation of 100 metres. “Confining the boundary to the 100-metre contour reflects the distinction between the coastal and interior areas.”
The appeal required the Nuchatlaht’s legal team is to show that the trial judge made an error of law.
On the opening day of proceedings Woodward started his presentation talking about 1778, the year Captain James Cook landed at the home of the Mowachaht in Yuquot. Woodward went on to say that it was at that time that the Nootka name was applied to the Mowachaht people and, eventually, to all their Nuu-chah-nulth relatives.
On his third official worldwide scientific journey inApril 1778, Cook recorded in his writings that “no one had a higher idea of exclusive property” than the Nuu-chahnulth. Woodward noted that there are several historic records that speak to this.
“The Nuchatlaht were not just hunters, fishers and foragers. They were also foresters,” said the lawyer, who argued that the Nuchatlaht relied heavily on forest resources for their everyday needs.
They needed forest materials that made them successful mariners and whale hunters, including 400-plus year-old cedar trees used to make large canoes, house posts and totem poles.
‘Postage stamp approach’vs. territorial scope
Nuchatlaht’s expert witness archaeologist, Jacob Earnshaw, has identified 8,386 culturally modified trees (CMTs) in Nuchatlaht territory - even though a large percentage of this area has been logged, thus erasing further CMT evidence.
The term culturally modified trees was first used in Canadian courts at the time of the Meares Island case in 1984. These are trees, stumps and logs that show evidence of being used or harvested for cultural purposes.
Woodward argued that the Nuchatlaht were wrongly confined by Justice Myers to small, specific parcels of land as opposed
Aclearcut on northern Nootka Island, part of an area that the Nuchatlaht are claiming title to that has been provincially
to territorial ownership.
“They’ve revived the postage stamp approach, which was rejected by the courts in the Tsilhqot’in case,” said Woodward. He went on to say they would show that lands above a 100-metre elevation were wrongfully excluded from the Nuchatlaht claim by the judge and thatAboriginal perspective was not considered.
Woodword took the court through about two dozen maps illustrating Nuchatlaht territories from several different sources.
He noted that a map from anthropologist Philip Drucker, which is one of the earliest non-Nuchatlaht territorial maps, showed boundary lines that traced the mountain tops around the inland territories of a nation. The mountain top marks the highest point of a watershed and is often used as a marker to establish territorial boundaries.
Woodward said there is proof that the Nuchatlaht and other Nuu-chah-nulth nations made and utilized overland trails, like the Kyuquot Sound Trail, Nootka Trail and the Muchalaht Trail that led to the head of Alberni Inlet. These trails are identified in Drucker’s notes and are above the 100m contour line above sea level.
“You have the map made in 1771 showing the appellant claim of territory,” said
Woodward. “You have both a European account andAboriginal evidence showing claim of ownership. That is proof.”
But, he said, there is more evidence.
Heavy reliance on forest resources
Drucker’s notes show Nuu-chah-nulth industrial culture and a heavy reliance on coniferous trees. Felix Michael, who was great grandfather to the present day Nuchatlaht Chief Jordan Michael, was the tyee at the time Drucker was making his notes and was the principal Nuchatlaht informant for Drucker’s book on northern Nuu-chahnulth tribes.
“I think the judge was unnecessarily dismissive of these maps,” said Woodward. He offered up to the court maps from different sources made over time, mostly by Europeans. There was one made by Mowachaht Tyee Ha’wilth Maquinna and 11 others that Woodward said mostly come from peer review publications.
“The judge should not dismiss these maps as Drucker clones,” he said.
On the issue of CMTs, Woodward said the trial judge refused to acknowledge evidence that dates past 1846.
“It’s a science,” said Woodward. “You can determine when trees have been modified
and the judge would not consider this.”
Woodward agreed with the trial judge that the Nuchatlaht occupied lands near the shore but stressed that, to survive, they needed inland resources as well. Presenting maps by the BC Heritage Conservation and archeologists, Woodward demonstrated that Nuchatlaht forest harvesting activities went much further inland than 100 metres above sea level. Large red and yellow cedars were left to grow over 400 years to gain the straight, clear grain needed to make canoes, house posts and totem poles. They would have been left alone and would not show much in terms of forestry activity, argued Woodward.
Other cedar trees were reserved for bark or plank harvesting, leaving the tree alive to be harvested again in the future. These trees were not suitable for canoe making.
Woodward said he believed the judge made an error when he excluded Nuchatlaht CMT areas identified in the province’s own map.
According to Woodward, the court ac-
Photo submitted by Jacob Earnshaw
designated as Cr
Nuchatlaht Tyee Ha’wilth Jordan Michael on the steps of the
Aboriginal territory
explorer Captain James Cook in 1778
cepted maps submitted by the province that identified sites and not territories. That’s where the trial court erred, he stated.
“The province drew boundary at the 100-metre level with some exceptions,” said Woodward. He called the boundary line established by the trial judge arbitrary, as “there is no basis in Nuchatlaht culture” for this lineation based on elevation.
“We do not rely on habitation continuity in this case – instead, it is exclusive control of the lands,” Woodward commented of Myers ruling, “he is wrong because he misconstrued what it is.”
And if the Tsilhqot’inAboriginal title is the test to prove other cases, Woodward said coastal First Nations not only meet that test, but they exceed it.
“The Nuchatlaht had intensive forestry activity and that is proven,” said Woodward. Intervenors in the case includes Tseshaht, Ahousaht, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Ehattesaht, Cowichan Tribes, Chemainus, Halalt, Tsawout, Dzawada’cnuxw, and Shishalh.
Court appeal could lead to another trial
More than eight years into a court case, small First Nation awaits a decision from the B.C. Court of Appeal on the extent of its title land on Nootka Island’s northwest coast
By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor
Vancouver, BC - The possibility of another trial loomed over the final day of Nuchatlaht’s appearance in the B.C. Court of Appeal, an outcome that would mean the small First Nation will be fighting to gain Aboriginal title over its traditional territory for years to come.
After four days in court from Oct. 20-23, three judges are now tasked to determine if the small First Nation deserves a reconsideration over the extent of their title land on Nootka Island. The Court ofAppeal faces the challenge of determining if Justice Elliot Myers erred in his past ruling from the B.C. Supreme Court, a judgement on the extent of Nuchatlaht’s rightful ownership over territory on northern Nootka Island. Adecision from the B.C. Court ofAppeal isn’t expected until 2026, possibly not for several months.
The Nuchatlaht have claimedAboriginal title to 201 square kilometres, covering the northern portion of Nootka Island that includes Nuchatlitz Inlet. In his ruling from May 2023 and further clarified inApril 2024, Myers determined that the First Nation demonstrated a historical occupation over a portion of this claim area – but not all of it. The court ruled that Nuchatlaht haveAboriginal title to just six per cent of the area they claimed, mostly confined to coastal areas along Nootka Island’s northwest coast.
In his final submission to the appeal court on Oct. 23, Jeff Echols from the provincial government’s legal team stressed that the Nuchatlaht historically had a “very strong maritime and ocean resourced culture”, noting that Myers’judgement found that the interior regions of Nootka Island weren’t occupied by Nuchatlaht tribes.
“We need that evidence, we can’t just have assertions,” said Echols while court on Oct. 23.
The Nuchatlaht’s case relied upon the presence of thousands of culturally modified trees (CMTs), stands that had been partially harvested but continue to grow in the area the First Nation claims that it historically occupied. But in his judgment Myers found that these trees were, on average, within one kilometre of the coast, indicating that the Nuchatlaht had little use of farther inland parts of Nootka Island that were in the higher elevations.
“We can’t assume occupation based on the fact of CMTs,” said Echols. “The CMT evidence isn’t everywhere.”
The Nuchatlaht’s legal team have countered this view to argue that, as much of northern Nootka Island has been logged, there is likely evidence of historical Indigenous forestry practices that have been destroyed. There is also the traditional Nuuchah-nulth concept of a chief’s territory stretching far inland to include a watershed that drains from the mountains. This was illustrated in maps made by anthropologist Philip Drucker, who studied northern Nuuchah-nulth tribes in the 1930s.
In his final submission Echols questioned this concept.
“There are various watersheds, there are watersheds within watersheds,” he said. “Which watershed are we talking about? How does it relate to local group or territory?”
The direction of the case relies upon the Tsilhqot’in decision as a precedent for Aboriginal title. In 2014 the Supreme Court of Canada recognized that this “semi-nomadic” tribe had demonstrated a continued and exclusive occupation of a large area in
central British Columbia when British sovereignty was declared in 1846. This applies to 2,000 square kilometres north of ___ - 10 times larger than what the Nuchatlaht are seeking title for on Nootka Island.
During the last day of the appeal Jack Woodward of the Nuchatlaht’s legal team noted documentation of Nuchatlaht speaking with Capt. James Cook when the British explorer came to Nootka Island in late 1700s.
“The nature of their occupation was enough to meet that test,” said Woodward to the three judges in reference to the Tsilhqot’in precedent.
While the B.C. Supreme Court was clarifying the extent of Nuchatlaht’s title area, the First Nation’s legal team pointed to other examples in the world where territorial boundaries stretch far inland, despite settlement being on the coast. Labrador was used as an example, after a boundary dispute arose with Quebec in the early 1900s before Newfoundland and Labrador has become a province within Canada. Quebec and Canada argued that Labrador should just encompass one mile inland.
But in 1927 the Judiciary Committee of the Privy Council in London, which was Canada’s highest appeal court at the time, ruled otherwise. Despite its predominantly maritime culture, Labrador’s boundary went far east to the height of the mountains,
including the watersheds that the coastal settlements relied on for their subsistence.
In his judgement on the extent of the Nuchatlaht’s title land, Myers didn’t find this historical decision to be applicable.
“AscertainingAboriginal title here is a different exercise,” wrote the judge.
“My role is to apply the test set out in Tsilhqot’in and other cases. Having found that there was no evidence of sufficient occupation of the interior area, I do not think it is open to me to award that area based on a principle of international law. That would be a matter for a higher court.”
The Nuchatlaht’s title case was first filed to the B.C. Supreme Court in January 2017, and another trial will likely present an expensive undertaking for a First Nation of fewer than 160 members. So far the Nuchatlaht have benefitted from fundraising with the help of other organizations, including the Wilderness Committee.
“There’s a lot of support, because people want to see change, they want to see better management,” said Nuchatlaht Councillor Archie Little, referencing the province’s past use of the claim area under the ForestryAct. “We look at the tens of thousands of years we were here, where we owned, where we managed, where we enhanced, where we protected, where we accessed, where we shared the resources - and how we were prosperous.”
Photo submitted by Jacob Earnshaw expert witness report provincially designated as Crown land under the ForestAct.
Photo submitted by Jacob Earnshaw expert witness report
Acedar tree on northern Nootka Island continues to grow despite bark being removed by Indigenous people.
Can restorative justice help the clogged court system?
Talking circle seeks a ‘perspective shift’ for offences, including assault, robbery, arson, theft and drunk driving
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
PortAlberni, BC – Is restorative justice a solution to B.C.’s backlogged court system? Can it reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in jail?
Duncan Booth, executive director of the Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society (AVRJS), believes the process has the potential to reduce recidivism, plus save time and money for criminal justice partners including the RCMP, Crown counsel, the courts and BC Corrections.
“The model that we’ve been using to facilitate our cases is certainly more inline with Indigenous tradition than the criminal justice system that we have now,” said Booth.
“We use a healing circle and a talking piece. We try our best to be mindful of using a trauma-informed lens. It takes as long as it takes. We do a lot of pre-work,” he said.
According to Public Safety Canada, it costs taxpayers $255,889 per year to keep an Indigenous woman incarcerated. For men, it costs $146,456 per year.
Founded in 2001 with a small budget and small case load, theAVRJS team worked on 21 new files this past year for a range of offenses, including: assault, robbery, mischief, arson, theft and drunk driving.
Sexual assault and intimate partner violence are a bit of a “grey area” for the Restorative Justice team, says Booth.
While they don’t readily take cases of that nature on, when they do, it’s a matter of making sure they have the appropriate team in the healing circle.
Restorative agreements are sorted out within the healing circle, which could include commitments to community service, written and in-person apologies, connections to employment, counselling, cultural, and recreational services and healing.
“Really the whole idea is not to punish but to repair the harm that was caused. (The circle) provides closure to the harmed and a path to go forward in a good way,” said Booth.
Individuals referred to the restorative justice process generally avoid incarceration and permanent criminal records,
according to Booth.
“Typically, we get a lot of first-time offenders,” he said. “In my limited in opinion, it gives people that perspective. It’s that healing, it’s that knowing that they’ve taken the actions to repair the harm that they’ve caused. It causes a perspective shift.”
“There is always some sort of trauma involved. I don’t think people just go out and commit crimes. There are no bad people, I think there are bad circumstances and there are bad systems,” he continued.
Tseshaht First Nation elected Chief Councillor Wahmeesh (Ken Watts) said Tseshaht does not currently have any resources for justice activities, so they look to partners likeAVRJS for support.
“Restorative justice is an opportunity that is addressed on a case-by-case basis,” said Wahmeesh in an email.
“At times, the formal legal process must occur, but often our Nation can work collaboratively with theAlberni Valley Restorative Justice Society and other groups to take on the necessary work that reflects our territory, values and principles,” said Wahmeesh.
On Oct. 14, the BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC), in partnership with the BC RCMP, officially opened an Indigenous Diversion Centre (IDC) in Prince George, B.C.
The IDC is the first of its kind in Canada and diverts Indigenous people from being charged with an eligible offence. The centre is a therapeutic diversion model, according to the BCFNJC, that focuses on the root causes of offending by providing a caring cultural environment where true rehabilitation and healing can occur.
“Our team will develop an individualized 90-day Diversion Plan where our participants commit to a set of activities in order to have their charges dropped,” notes the BCFNJC.
With PortAlberni’s elevated crime rate, Booth would love to see a similar Indigenous diversion centre open in the region.
“There is an unfair representation of Indigenous people in the court system. Ultimately, what we would like to do is build out relationships,” he said.
Funding crisis in a time of growth
AVRJS recently held an inaugural healing circle at Tseshaht’s new Somass Hall, and Booth says the demand for restor-
ative justice continues to grow with additional referrals coming from Tseshaht, Uchucklesaht, Hupacasath,Ahousaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations, as well as local schools and community groups.
But sadly, like hundreds of non-profits across the province, theAVRJS is fighting an uphill battle to secure funding.
“We might have to pump the brakes because we don’t have the funding,” said Booth, who is the only paid staff at the society.
“Across the board there have been cuts to everybody. That’s starting to be more visible, but we are hopeful. There are things hanging in the rafters,” he said.
“There’s definitely a big need in the community. I think it’s really compelling and important work that supports better outcomes for people. I’m really hoping we can continue on the upward trajectory that we’ve been on,” he added.
Anyone interested in learning more about restorative justice is encouraged to attend theAVRJSAGM on Dec. 3 at the Echo Centre or visit their website: albernirestorativejustice.com/.
Phrase†of†the†week:†%ay’iic^h=†hinin%a>†%iš†ma>mis%i†tuumuqk†ši>†hiinin†%a>iš†@aqh
Pronounced ‘ah each h ish ma lath ch ilh tuu muk silth hii nin alt ah ak’, it means ‘Autumn is here, colder weather, everything get darker earlier, the late fish come in’ Supplied by ciisma.
Illustration by Maddexx George
Submitted photo
Hearts were warmed after a recent volunteer facilitator healing circle training session hosted by theAlberni Valley Restorative Justice Society.
Suicide for First Nations youth is four times higher
Coroner’s panel report makes recommendations, including developing more communal, safe spaces for youth
By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
British Columbia – This past summer, a 14-year-old boy hung himself in the rural First Nations community of Pacheedaht on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island.
“It was the saddest, saddest thing ever,” said Pacheedaht Chief CouncillorArliss Jones. “He was just an innocent little kid. The youth are still really hurt about him.”
Suicide deaths in Pacheedaht are high, says Jones. It’s a grim reality many Indigenous (First Nations/Métis/Inuit) communities in British Columbia face; a new B.C. coroner panel report shows Indigenous youth and young adults are disproportionately overrepresented among those who die by suicide in B.C.
The report, Creating Connection, Supporting Strengths:AReview of Youth and YoungAdult Deaths by Suicide In British Columbia, 2019-2023, found the rate of death by suicide among Status First Nations youth and young adults is four times higher than the provincial rate.
The report says it is “inextricably linked to colonialization and the multi-generational trauma, racism and discrimination brought to bear by the residential school system and other such structures.”
“We just need to embrace our children and raise them in a different way than we were raised because it’s not working,” said Jones.
The panel reviewed the deaths of 435 young people in B.C. between the ages of nine and 25 who died as a result of suicide between Jan. 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2023. Suicide is the second most prevalent cause of death among children and youth in B.C., and the third-leading cause of death among adults aged 19 to 29 years.
In comparison, during the previous five-year period (2014 to 2018), there were 381 suicide deaths, an average of 76 deaths annually.
Ryan Panton, chair of the panel report,
emphasized that the number of deaths by suicide should not be correlated with the state of mental health in B.C.
“This is a very trying time to be young in this province,” said Panton at an Oct. 15 media event.
The report lists five recommendations intended to prevent future deaths and improve public health for youth and young adults in B.C., including implementing a provincial suicide-risk-reduction framework specifically focused on youth and young adults.
It also calls for improved data collection, information sharing and reporting, and to review existing health-related resources to ensure they meet the diverse needs of school-age students.
It says training of medical professionals should include early identification, assessment and follow-up of young people who may be at higher risk of death by suicide.
The last recommendation is to leverage current spaces owned or leased by the province to use as safe places for young people to gather and connect.
“Communal spaces are limited for many young people, particularly but not exclusively for those in rural and remote communities,” said Panton.
Pacheedaht’s mini youth centre to open on Halloween
Jones shared that Pacheedaht had just completed renovations to the basement of a run-down old house into a mini youth centre. The nation kitted the space out with two TVs, an Xbox and baking supplies so the youth could do bake sales.
“It’s so they have somewhere to go,” said Jones, adding that the space officially opens on Halloween.
Jones says Pacheedaht is also capacity building for hunting by hand selecting young applicants for big game tags, like elk, and things like day trips out of community to fairs or participating in annual tribal journeys give the youth something to focus on.
“We need to get the kids out on the land and put the phone down for a couple hours and be present,” said Jones.
With respect to the potential harm of screen time, Panton said the “conversation was inconclusive” and that only a small number of deaths reviewed were related to social media.
“There are definitely concerns about some of the dangers of online use, particularly unsupervised online use when it comes to younger folks, but there is also an acknowledgement that this is a place where young people often find support and connection,” said Panton.
“Sometimes these connection points can be positive,” he said.
B.C.’s Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan noted that the Coroner Service investigates those types of deaths on a case-by-case basis and said they would “absolutely consider doing an inquest”.
There are about 40 children from kindergarten to Grade 12 living on traditional Pacheedaht territory, according to Jones. She says many of those kids spend three hours a day on a school bus to attend school in Sooke.
“The kids don’t want to do homework because they are on a bus for three hours a day,” said Jones.
She said the school district recently met with Pacheedaht about building a new community school on reserve lands.
Pacheedaht qualifies for a new school, according to Jones, as she listed off their need to bring a classroom closer to home: High drop-out rates, low graduation rates, high suicide rates, high addiction rates, no sports and recreation, alcoholism and drugs.
“Yesterday was the first time that the (school district) really started to listen to our needs,” she said.
Other major findings from the report included 66 per cent of decedents were assigned as male at birth and that there were higher rates of death in the Northern and Island HealthAuthorities.Almost half of the decedents (52 per cent) had an MSP billing for a mental health issue and/or a suicide attempt in the year prior to death. Fifty per cent of the youth under 19 who died by suicide were involved with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) in the year preceding their death.
About 10 years ago, Jones’son was one of three Pacheedaht members to commit suicide. Her son was 29 years old at the time of his death and had two children. Jones says her son, who was an alcoholic, was trying to get help, but found “it impossible to get men’s resources.”
“My son found the second one that had passed away. He could not get that picture out of his head. He was already hurt. He just couldn’t recover from that,” she said.
Dr. Baidwan says, “there is a tremendous commitment from the government to do the right thing” when it comes to implementing the recommendations.
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s (NTC) Teechuktl Mental Health provides clinical counselling and child and youth counselling within Nuu-chah-nulth communities. They also have counsellors on-site at the NTC office on Redford Street in Port Alberni. Teechuktl’s harm reduction team offers calm and steady support in the time of crisis, without judgement.
KUU-US Crisis and Care Society offers 24-hour support to individuals in the Port Alberni area and Indigenous communities across British Columbia. If you or someone you know is facing a difficult situation, call toll free 1-800-588-8717.
In an emergency, call 9-1-1, or go to a hospital emergency room.
In a crisis, call 1-800-SUICIDE at 1-800-784-2433 or 9-8-8 anytime of the day or night.
Nora O’Malley photo
Young boys watch waves crash on Pacheedaht Beach, near the town of Port Renfrew on southwestern Vancouver Island.
for MaritimeAchievement, from the Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of BC, left, and His Honour Sergio Cocchia, right, at the Government House on Oct. 21.
Tla-o-qui-aht carver receives maritime award
Joe Martin receives accolade on behalf of his ancestors, reflects on how his father and grandfather taught him
By Karly Blats
Ha-Shilth-Sa Contibutor
Victoria, BC - Tla-o-qui-aht carver Joe Martin was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’sAward for MaritimeAchievement last week, which he accepts on behalf of his ancestors.
The Lieutenant Governor’sAward for MaritimeAchievement recognizes individuals and organizations along B.C.’s coast and inland waterways who have made noteworthy contributions to the province’s maritime interests. This includes the areas of science, technology, business, maritime skills, nautical heritage, culture, art and academic endeavours.
The scope of the award also recognizes Indigenous and traditional practices, environmental stewardship and ensures diversity in nominees, recipients and award administration.
Martin was recognized for his longstanding commitment to traditional Nuu-chah-nulth carvings, mentorship and cultural and forest protection.
“I’m happy that I received [the award] but I do receive it on behalf of my ancestors…art has been one of the most important aspects of humanity and the world over,” Martin said. “It’s not just one group of people, it’s everywhere. My ancestors were no different. They did really amazing things and it is from them that I learned [to carve], so I accept it on their behalf.”
Martin learnt to carve from his father and grandfather, an education that began with cedar dugout canoes (chaputs). He has since created many totem poles that have been shipped around the world.
Most recently, Martin’s work can been seen at the Best Western Tin Wis Resort in Tofino where a 23-foot totem pole stands symbolizing teachings of natural law. He guided the creation of this project, which was carved by Gordon Dick and Kelly Robinson.
As a life-long Tofino resident, Martin was the only one of his siblings not to go to residential school. He said his father gave him no choice but to learn to carve.
“He was a hunter, fisherman, trapper and canoe builder and when he was going to do any of these things, he would say ‘get ready, we’re going,’not ‘do you wanna come?’, it was not like that,” Martin said. “I had no choice.”
When he completed his first canoe, Martin said his father put his hand on his shoulder and said “Son, now you don’t need to depend on anybody for anything.”
After years of carving, Martin stays inspired to make art by the teachings of his ancestors, which he aims to pass on to the younger generation.
“I try to teach whoever wants to learn, because in our communities we do have a lot of social issues that are derived from the residential school syndrome,” Martin said. “We still have people dying from drug overdoses …it’s ugly, it’s really horrible.”
Martin said there is not a large number of young people wanting to learn to carve, but he has seen a promising few.
After many years working as a logger, Martin saw how much waste occurred in that industry. Now he continues to practice, and teach, ancient protocols when it comes to cutting down trees.
“Our people were only allowed to cut trees in the fall or wintertime because of the respect we had for all those birds that may be nesting there,” Martin said.
“That’s what I still like to do.”
Currently, Martin is working on two welcome figures, a male and female, that will stay in Tofino.
“I’m waiting for the river to go down and there is a tree that is standing there… I’ve visited it several times and I’ve been down there many, many times,” Martin said. “It’s one of those things…you don’t take it lightly, you give thanks to the creator for having these things.”
Recipients were chosen for the Lieutenant Governor’s award by members of the Government House Foundation, Maritime Museum of BC, representatives from the broader community and professional mariners.
“British Columbia is a province proudly defined by its beautiful coastline and waterways,” said the honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor or B.C., in a press release. “As Lieutenant Governor, I am delighted to support this important recognition of those whose work has touched and been touched by all things maritime. From ship building to life saving to capturing the incredible grandeur of coastal British Columbia through art or history, there are myriad of reasons to nominate an individual for the award for MaritimeAchievement.”
NCN Mental Health Counselling
Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30am – 4:30pm
4841 Redford Street, PortAlberni
NCN Mental Health Services – DropIn Counselling with Margaret Bird, Registered Clinical Counsellor and Play Therapist. For on and off reserve members of all ages of the Nuu-chahnulth Tribal Council. Call (250) 724-3939 to book your appointment.
Making Connections Women’s Group
Tuesdays: November 4, 18, 25
ʔumʔiiqsu Centre, CFW Boardroom
ʔuʔaałuki quqʷaasʔi (Look after other people). Making Connections:A group for Nuu-chah-nulth women to
&Community Beyond
come together and grow. Through the creativity of vision board making, we’ll explore healthy relationships, stress management, effective communication, setting boundaries, and defining what success means to each of us. Together, we’ll reflect on our past, embrace our present, and shape our future in a safe and supportive space. Light snacks and refreshments will be offered. Open to all Nuu-chah-nulth women ages 18+. To ask questions please contact: Celine Sauve: celine.s@huuayaht.org or call or text 250-731-5676
Healthy Babies
Mondays: 10am – 12:00pm
4841 Redford Street
NTC Child and Youth Services presents Mondays Healthy Babies Group. 10am12pm. Please enter the building through the 4th avenue side of the orange stripe building. Ring the doorbell to be let in.
25 Years Ago in Ha-Shilth-Sa Vol. 27 – No. 22November 2, 2000
Two Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ members were recipients of Canada’s prestigious medal of bravery awards. The two men had a major role in assistance when a tragic house fire devastated their community. Reuben Gillette, Verna Hanson and Philip Harry also received recognition for their efforts with Commendations of Bravery.
RCMP officer Darrell Baker brought the names and their selfless heroism before the Canadian Declarations Advisory, wanting others to recognize the efforts these five people made to save the lives of those in the house fire. While there was a tragedy, they can acknowledge they can count on one another as the need arises.
Christopher Roy photo
Tla-o-qui-aht carver Joe Martin, centre, accepts the Lieutenant Governor’s award
Holly Stocking photo
Myra Mack cuts Doreen Little’s hair on the first day of the DAC HealthAbility fair, held on Oct 22 and Oct 23 at theAlberniAthletic Hall in PortAlberni.
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
Helping Nuu-chah-nulth navigate health care system
Indigenous Patient Navigators and Indigenous Liaison Nurses work in hospitals to assist
By Denise Titian Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
PortAlberni, BC – TheAnnual Health Ability Fair, hosted by the Nuu-chahnulth Tribal Council’s DisabilityAccess Committee, delivered two days of helpful wellness and healthcare information at theAlberniAthletic Hall.
One of the presentations came on day two with Dr. Roger Boyer, manager of Community Health at the NTC. His presentation was called ‘Moving forward together; Self-care for mind, body and spirit through Nuu-chah-nulth values’.
Boyer’s presentation focused on information from his COVID-19 research project in which Nuu-chah-nulth-aht were surveyed about their experiences during the pandemic.
Boyer focused on wellness, and he engaged with the crowd, answering their health care questions. When it comes to seasonal vaccines, he recommended if you’re 55 or older and are managing health issues like hypertension, diabetes or chronic illness, protecting yourself from COVID or the flu could be in your best interest.
Whether or not you choose the vaccinate, Boyer reminded everyone that handwashing is the number one defense to stay well in the cold and flu season. Some people don’t like to get vaccinated because they have gotten sick a day or two later.Awoman asked why she feels worse the day after an influenza vaccination.
“That’s because your immune system has been triggered and is building defenses against flu strains,” Boyer told her. He went on to explain that the typical flu vaccination contains 13 different
strains of influenza.
“It is what we’re thinking will be circulating in the population this year,” said Boyer.
If you want to get vaccinated, Boyer said you can now get a COVID shot together with your influenza vaccination. Getting vaccinated gives some resistance against the viruses and we never know when we’ve been exposed to the dangerous ones.
Another important reason for Nuu-chahnulth-aht to get vaccinated lies in our genes.
“Nuu-chah-nulth have a very unique immune genome,” said Boyer, adding that many of us struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. “This means your immune system is already fighting, so when you get sick, it impacts you very hard.”
Boyer explained that this is why, for Nuu-chah-nulth people, it’s very important to get protected.
When an audience member asked if there’s anyone that should not take vaccines, Boyer said in his professional opinion, only those who believe the shot will cause more harm than good, should not take it.
“Nuu-chah-nulth have a very unique immune genome”
~Roger Boyer, Community Health Manager
“If you have any questions, or feel my information contradicts yours, just talk to your doctor,” Boyer advised.
Shingles is the chicken pox virus that lies dormant in our spine until something wakes it up. The shingles virus rash often appears in a place on your body that has been weakened by things like previous injuries or arthritis.
The shingles vaccine is expensive, but if you are immunocompromised, you may get a special authority prescription from your doctor to get the shots for free. You get one shot, then follow up six months later.
In another presentation,Amanda Watts and RubyAmbrose described the services they offer to Indigenous people receiving care in the hospital.Amanda, a nurse, is an Indigenous Patient’s Navigator at the emergency department of the West Coast General Hospital in PortAlberni. She provides assistance to those who identify as Indigenous that come to the emergency department to receive care.
“We assist patients from the emergency department through to admitting,” said Watts.
When emergencies happen, family
First Nation patients
members are often far from their home and feeling helpless. Island Health through the First Nations HealthAuthority offers Indigenous Liaison Nurse and Indigenous Patient Navigator programs to support patients and their families.
Watts andAmbrose said they can assist clients with things like writing letters to help patients get assistance from their nation when it comes to patient travel. Sometimes they help to arrange rides back to the west coast.
They advocate on behalf of patients and their families as they make their way through the health care system. They will work on the patient’s behalf to ensure that their needs are being heard and attended to.
Another unique way these services support Indigenous people is the willingness to bring in supports in the form of cultural, spiritual, and traditional healing.
If you are receiving health care at the hospital and would like the support of an advocate, you may ask your nurse to connect you with one.
RubyAmbrose is the South Island Tertiary Manager for Island Health and oversees Indigenous Patient Navigators and Indigenous Liaison Nurses at the hospitals she covers. She assists with helping patients understand their care and discharge plans.
“There are so many different kinds of supports we can do,” saidAmbrose. She says she is working on bringing in culture to the hospital setting in Port Alberni. Brushings, she said, are being provided in collaboration with Island Health staff.
“We all want the best for our people –hishukish tsawak (everything is one)”, saidAmbrose.
Most house fires start in the kitchen, says deputy chief
By Chloe Wangler & Holly Stocking Ha-Shilth-Sa Staff
PortAlberni, BC – On the first day of the DAC (DisabilityAccess Committee) HealthAbility Fair started with a talk led by Deputy Fire Chief Travis Cross on the prevention of fires in your home and tips for creating a safety plan.
On Oct. 22 Cross expressed the honor the PortAlberni Fire Department holds in its service to the community and began the discussion by asking those in attendance who had personally experienced a fire in the home. With many in the crowd raising their hands the tips and tricks for prevention began.
Fires in the home are most common in the kitchen and are preventable. Cross reiterated “that it is always better to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to fire safety”. Small steps include using timers when cooking, keeping the area around the stove or hot surface free of flammable sources, and never leaving your cooking unattended. It’s the little steps that could make a big difference.
In the aftermath of a kitchen fire on May 14 at the home of Frank Pollard and Gloria Fred on Wattys Road, the Port Alberni Fire Department visited homes throughout the summer on the Tseshaht and Hupacasath reserves, checking that smoke alarms were properly functioning and installing new alarms as needed. This program focused on recognizing the improper placement and function of installed smoke alarms.
“All the new alarms were supplied to
the PAFD from the Office of the Fire Commissioner of BC,” said PAFD Chief Mike Owens.
“Tseshaht has had our fair share of emergencies including most recently wildfire: having our community prepared, focused on prevention and partnering with groups like theACRD and the Port Alberni Fire Department are key to our success,” said Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts. “Simple acts of fire smart actions such as trimming trees and shrubs near your home or ensuring your smoke alarms are working will help keep our families and homes safe.”
Function and location are both key to ensuring your smoke alarms are going to be helpful in a home fire. You can reduce your family’s risk of fire-related injury or death by installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, the hallway outside of the bedrooms and on each level of your home, including the basement. The fire department advises to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when installing, testing monthly and cleaning your alarms. It is advised that keeping batteries in good working condition and replacing any alarm older than 10 years are all critical factors in ensuring your smoke alarms work for you. Replacing the batteries twice a year was a tip from Cross, making it a routine for a task that is easily forgotten by many.
With the cooler temperatures and holiday season approaching, it is important to maintain a safe space around all heaters and have all extension cords and holiday decorations in a safe working order.
Candles should never be left unattended and there are many flameless options available to decrease the fire risk.
As a final note Cross explained the importance of making an escape plan, having a designated muster point and practicing it with your children and others in the home. In the event of a fire, remember to stay below the smoke, and close the doors behind you as you make your way outside. This helps limit the spread of damage from fire, smoke and
soot, said Cross.
For those interested in having fire alarms assessed or installed please call the PortAlberni Fire Department nonemergency line, 250-724-1351, to request the service.
“We’ll actually install it with our firefighters, and it’s all free of charge,” said Owens. “We’re happy to be out there engaging with the community and making the homes safe.”
Holly Stocking photo
On Oct. 22 Travis Cross, deputy fire chief of the PortAlberni Fire Department, spoke about the prevention of fires in your home and tips for creating a safety plan, part of the DAC (DisabilityAccess Committee) HealthAbility Fair.
Roger Boyer
Rebound of salmon stocks a mystery due to data gaps
Pacific Salmon Foundation reports increases in some species, but has yet to link this to phasing out fish farms
By Roniya Sahin Ha-Shilth-Sa Contributor
Arecent annual report from the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) details which populations are rebounding, but gaps in data obscure why certain stocks are increasing or decreasing.
The PSF’s 2025 State of Salmon report categorizes salmon population averages by the spawner abundance and the total abundance. The spawner abundance is the number of mature salmon that return to their spawning grounds to reproduce after escaping. The total return abundance is the number of spawned and caught salmon that survive to maturity.
The PSF notes that though spawner abundance for some salmon species might be high, it isn’t enough to raise the long-term average, which is the accumulation of all data recorded over the years.
The spawner abundance for the sockeye salmon in west Vancouver Island, for example, increased by 11 per cent over the last year. The total abundance decreased by four per cent, but that didn’t stop Graham Murrell, a marine biologist and the fisheries manager for the Hupačasath First Nation, from noticing a favourable sockeye salmon rebound this year.
“Our sockeye returns were good for the most part,” said Murrell. “They move with the weather.”
Favourable cooling temperatures in west Vancouver Island made a large yield possible.
West Vancouver Island, east Vancouver Island and the Mainland Inlets are split up in this year’s annual report in an effort to capture how the salmon react to the rich ecology unique to west Vancouver Island. Compared to the other regions studied, west Vancouver Island doesn’t have large river systems. The region is made up of remote inlets and small coastal streams that together build a diverse ecosystem. With that, diverse and small populations of salmon, like sockeye, dot the coast. The notable salmon-bearing rivers include Great Central Lake, which is monitored by the Hupačasath First Nation.
The Great Central Lake dam helped yield better returns for the nation.Afish flow committee oversees the lake to “increase or decrease flow to make sure we have sufficient water for the duration of the salmon migration season,” said Murrell.
Favourable ocean conditions are theorized in the PSF report to be one of the contributing factors to salmon recovery. With a short life-span of two years, pink salmon spend most of their time in the ocean rather than freshwater, which might be why some regions are experiencing a massive spawner abundance increase for the species.
However, the issue of insubstantial data relevant to salmon recovery remains.
As it stands, the most recent decade has been the worst for collecting salmon spawning data, according to PSF’s Senior Director Katrina Connors.
“The information that we use to assess the state of salmon doesn’t exist already in a centralized place,” said Connors, “part of the effort behind producing [the State of Salmon] report goes into identifying what are the best sources of information for each [salmon] species and population across the 10 regions.”
The PSF collected data from organizations like Fisheries and Oceans Canada, various technical committees, as well as the Pacific Salmon Commission. Regions that did not have adequate data were
often assessed with indicator systems belonging to different organizations. Sometimes, the indicator systems would not have enough resources to accurately capture individual diversity in the salmon, making it hard to characterize fluctuation in population.
Jim Lane, director of fisheries for the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council (NTC), has highlighted that the biggest challenge with understanding why certain salmon populations are rebounding is that there is not enough proper data.
The current state for the coho salmon is reported by the PSF to be below longterm average “for the first time since 1999” in west Vancouver Island. But, Lane has noted that coho salmon are not getting noticed enough to garner the claims associated with sharp population decline, nor figuring out a clear idea of
why this might be happening.
The gaps in data make it hard to assess if the reduction of certain external and harmful activity to the salmon population had a direct impact in recovery. Open-net aquatic agriculture, for example, has been slowly phasing out of west Vancouver Island, but with multiple interconnected variables affecting salmon productivity, both Connors and Lane are tentative to directly label that as a contributing factor.
“There’s a lot of information about open-net fish farms that make it hard to produce single variable results,” said Lane. “That information can change, which will end up changing the result.” Lane added that a variety of interactions are affecting salmon differently from one year to the next. Currently biologists don’t sufficiently understand these factors enough to nail down one variable as the
single reason as to why some stocks are improving, he said.
Similarly, Connors said it’s “hard to say” if the thinning out of open-net fish agriculture is a leading factor in salmon recovery.
“For the PSF, the reality is: it’s a bit too early to tell. We don’t have enough data to confidently attribute [salmon recovery] to fish farm removal, but it’s likely a factor at play,” said Connors.
Freshwater in west Vancouver Island has been experiencing worsening conditions, with drought being a main issue highlighted in the report.
“Droughts [were happening] every five years, for example.And now, it’s pretty much every year we’re preparing for that inevitability to hit us,” said Murrell regarding how droughts have affected the Hupačasath First Nation.
Industrial logging on west Vancouver Island could also have a part in droughts. Logging disrupts the unique terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem of west Vancouver Island by depositing sediments in streams and estuaries. Rivers that depend natural flow are prone to drying up due to industrial logging causing more sediments to deposit in streams, said Lane.
“Industrial logging doesn’t directly cause droughts, but they are definitely one of the leading factors,” said Lane, noting that drought effects are enhanced by the loss of shade and sediment buildup in salmon habitat.
Though gaps in data remain a persistent issue, hope for salmon recovery is still strong.
“We’re seeing signs of recovery in some regions,” said Connors. “To me, it speaks to the fact that salmon can still return in fairly large numbers and we need to do everything to create the conditions for success.”
Fernando Lessa/Pacific Salmon Foundation photo
Some sockeye salmon stocks are showing signs of an increased abundance, according to a new report from the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Uu-a-thulk photo
Ajoint Uu-a-thluk, Hupacasath and Fisheries and Oceans Canada snorkel survey of the Stamp River tracks salmon migration.
