The Huu-ay-aht have tentatively agreed to protect the old growth recently identified by a provincial panel – with the exception of 645 hectares needed to continue forestry operations in the First Nation’s territory over the next two years.

Announced Dec. 1, the statement represents a balance between the First Nation preserving forest for future generations, and the immediate need to keep employment and business interests going.

It’s been more than a year since a report made 24 recommendations addressing Indigenous-specific racism in B.C.’s health-care system, but its author says “ineffective collaboration” has slowed improvements.

Led by independent reviewer Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, the In Plain Sight report identified “widespread systemic racism against Indigenous peoples” which resulted in a range of negative impacts, including death. 

While Turpel-Lafond said there have been “some” signs of progress, they don’t go far enough.

Looking back on the cancer diagnosis he received over two years ago, Wally Samuel reflects that a terminal outcome never came to mind as he prepared for treatment.

“I didn’t really think of death right away or anything like that,” says the Ahousaht member. “I just said, ‘How are we going to beat this? What do we have to do?’.”

Samuel had experienced months of unexpected weakness before receiving the news of liver and colon cancer in September 2019.

Most of the food trucks have packed up and gone home for the season, but there is one run by excited new owners that will continue to sell hot, fresh food at Clutesi Haven Marina over the winter.

Rob and Nellie Lindsay are the proud new owners of Mr. Potato food truck. The previous owners operated the food truck on Highway 4 and featured the potato tornado on a stick.

The Lindsay’s have moved the food truck to Clutesi Haven Marina to take advantage of traffic coming from the west coast and the more social atmosphere at the marina.

Vina Brown has vivid memories of watching her granny, Elsie Robinson, bounce between soaking swamp grass, hanging cedar bark to dry, and weaving baskets while watching sports on the TV inside her Nanaimo home.

There was a grace and ease in her technique that Brown said she absorbed without realizing it at the time.

“The intergenerational transference of knowledge was organic,” she said.

Putting her observations to the test, Brown would retreat into her bedroom where she created hand-strung jewelry that she sold at the local flea market.

Thousands of British Columbians remain displaced following a series of devastating floods and landslides that have swallowed highway roads and entire cities in the southern part of the province.

The floods prompted British Columbia to declare its third state of emergency this year on Nov. 17. The devastation was triggered by an atmospheric river that carried rainfall two times the average amount within a 72-hour period.

Gina Pearson just might want to go out and purchase some lottery tickets.

That’s because Pearson, who is the emergency response co-ordinator for the Tseshaht First Nation, has surprisingly not had any additional stress at work in recent weeks.

Yes, various parts of British Columbia have suffered devastating consequences of late because of floods and landslides.

And the B.C. government declared a provincial state of emergency on Nov. 17 to provide a response to the widespread damage.

A new campground, offering 27 sites, is expected to open just outside of Port Alberni this coming May.

Work on the venture has begun after the Hupacasath First Nation and Mosaic Forest Management recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build the campground.

The new facility, which will overlook Mount Arrowsmith, will be on Loon Lake, a stocked fishing lake located about 10 minutes east of Port Alberni.

A new wind buoy being deployed off the southern tip of Vancouver Island could help remote communities cut their diesel dependence.

The buoy was manufactured as part of a project out of the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery.

Led by UVic mechanical engineering professors Brad Buckham and Curran Crawford, it was designed to explore wind resources off the coast of Vancouver Island.

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s (NTC) Teechuktl Mental Health team and Quu’asa staff are gearing up for this year’s Christmas Feed the People. 

Through food donations, the event will be providing 300 meals to anyone in need in Port Alberni on Dec. 8.

“Christmas is a time of year that's supposed to be happy,” said Irene Robinson, Teechuktl’s Quu’asa southern region outreach wellness worker. “You have family gatherings – you eat together, but not everyone can do that.”

Robinson said Feed the People is an opportunity to bring a smile to someone’s face.