As homelessness and addiction continues to be a problem that plagues Port Alberni, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s Teechuktl (Mental Health) department and the Port Alberni RCMP have pledged to work together to bring support to Nuu-chah-nulth people that have come into contact with police - but don’t necessarily belong in cells.

For Jenelle Johnson-Sabbas, basketball is like an escape. From the moment she steps onto the court, everything around her disappears.

“It’s just me and the ball,” she said. 

The 17-year old has been around the game her whole life. Her mother played when she was in high school, as did her father.

At home, “it’s just non-stop basketball,” she said. 

An Ahousaht elder suffered painful injuries after a dog on a long leash attacked her as she was walking to visit her granddaughter at work on Dec. 8.

The attack on Lily Webster prompted Ha’wilth Hanuquii (Nathan Charlie) to issue a public statement. After conferring with both hereditary and elected chiefs Hanuquii warned the people via social media.

“Dogs that are aggressive or on the loose will be dealt with, either by the Care Network or (will) be put down,” he stated.

Residents of Ahousaht can now pick up their mail within the village thanks to the efforts of Postmaster Rebecca Martin, who successfully moved the Canada Post office from the Ahousaht General Store to a central location in the community.

Prior to Dec. 13, people had to take a boat ride over to the nearby Ahousaht General store to pick up their mail twice a week. For a community of about 1,000, that’s a lot of boat rides.

“People would sometimes get stuck at the camp waiting for a boat in the rain,” said Martin.

The Lummi Nation has declared a disaster after removing 70,000 invasive European green crabs from their sea pond in November.

According to Seattle-based King News, the Lummi Nation cultivates shellfish and juvenile salmon in their 750-acre sea pond. The European green crab preys on young oysters, clams, and are known to dig down into the sand, uprooting eel grass, which is habitat for juvenile salmon.

First Nations are stepping up pressure, urging the federal government to get back to the table as soon as possible and conclude talks involving a marine protected area four times the size of Vancouver Island.

Government-to-government negotiations on the proposed Tang.ɢwan-ḥačxʷiqak-Tsig̱is Marine Protected Area (MPA), also known as the Pacific Offshore Area of Interest (AOI), were sidelined during the 2021 federal election campaign.

The housing shortage on the west coast is making it difficult for Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) members to return to their homelands, leaving some on a housing waitlist for up to 20 years, said TFN Tribal Administrator Jim Chisholm.

Houses within the Tla-o-qui-aht communities of Ty-Histanis, Esowista and Opitsaht are becoming increasingly overcrowded, as many can’t afford the cost of real estate or rent in the area.

“We’re bursting at the seams,” said Chisholm. 

The daily provincial illicit drug overdose death toll continues to rise at an alarming rate six years after a state of emergency was declared by the provincial health officer. In a video statement issued Dec. 9, B.C.’s Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe pointed to the volatile toxicity of the unregulated drug supply as a leading factor in overdose deaths.

Sheila Malcolmson, minister of Mental Health and Addictions, said October 2021 was the worst month in B.C. history with more than 200 lives lost due to drug toxicity.

“It is heartbreaking,” she said.

Looking out from her living room window towards the Hesquiaht harbour, Dianne Ignace marveled at a bright rainbow that emerged in the sky. Within minutes, it was swallowed by thick, gray clouds. Then, came the hail.

“Today is one of those days where every 15 minutes the weather has been changing,” she said. “That's the phenomenon that I've been noticing – the speed of change around this weather is way too fast. It doesn't give me any time to plan.”

Teechuktl’s Feed the People event brought meals to the streets today, with a focus on Port Alberni’s areas of highest poverty.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s mental health department undertook the initiative for the 10th year in row, but for the second-year concerns over the spread of COVID-19 prevented the team from holding its usual indoor meal. With the help of donations from the community 400 meals were prepared, including hot turkey lunches cooked in the Tseshaht First Nation’s Maht Mahs kitchen.