From Haida Gwaii to the Arctic Sea to the east coast of Newfoundland, there are over 600 First Nations in Canada. But with so many unique Indigenous communities within the greater nation, how can they be individually respected as Canada progresses through the 21st century? 

This topic was addressed at a candidates forum in Vancouver Island’s Courtenay-Alberni riding on April 15. Hosted by the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Alberni Valley Transition Towns Society, the event brought hundreds to Port Alberni’s RimRock Casino.

Over the last decade the cost of renting, buying a house as well as our grocery bills have dramatically increased. What does the government need to do to reverse this trend?

                                                                         Courtenay-Alberni

Gord Johns, NDP

Seventeen Ehattesaht children were the lucky recipients of new-to-them bicycles thanks to a program based in Nanaimo called Bikes for Kids.

Greg Nowik is a mortgage broker and owner of Nowik Mortgage Team for more than 30 years. When he moved to Nanaimo with his family in 1998, he saw that his new home had a strong sense of community and volunteerism, so he decided to do the same. That is when the Nanaimo branch of Bikes for Kids opened its doors.

First Nations people continue to be impacted by the overdose crisis at an alarming rate, an issue experts have tied to underlying mental health issues.  What do you think ISN’T being done to help this issue?

Under a clear, sunny sky, members of the Snuneymuxw First Nation gathered on April 15 for a "Blessing of the Land" ceremony on the recently reclaimed Te’tuxwtun lands, where the Nanaimo Indian Hospital once stood.  

The land, part of a historic land reconciliation agreement signed early in 2024 with the Government of Canada, was once home to the notorious Nanaimo Indian Hospital and, prior to that, used by Western Forest Products and the Department of National Defence. Now, it is being returned to Snuneymuxw as part of an 80.09-hectare addition to their reserve lands.

The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) is hopeful Canada’s new Indigenous Justice Strategy, which was released in March 2025, will advance change and address systemic discrimination and the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system.

BCFNJC chair Kory Wilson said while long-term funding is vital to resolve this issue, it’s the will of everyone in the system that’s needed the most. 

“Together we’re stronger,” said Wilson. 

With waiters pocketing between $300 to $400 in tips on a good night in this sizzling tourist town, you’d think, considering the makeup of the area’s population blends 2,516 Tofino residents and 1,200 Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations (TFN), there’d be more than two local First Nations on deck taking food orders to take home a slice of that cake.

But the odd thing is… there isn’t.

Nuu-chah-nulth nations with a stake in forestry are hoping an industry reliant on exporting to the U.S. won’t suffer another blow due to an unpredictable American president.

The alarm was raised early this month after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on April 4 that duties on Canadian softwood lumber would be raised, increasing from 6.74 to 14.38 per cent. This follows a decision from the U.S. department to increase “anti-dumping” taxes on Canadian wood to 20.07 per cent. 

A Nanaimo Supreme Court justice has denied bail for Derian Tate, the man accused of murder in the shooting death of Patrick Charleson IV last September in Nitinaht.

The judge heard arguments from both the Crown counsel and defence attorneys on April 15, and summarized information both for and against granting bail. Due to a publication ban, those details cannot be shared.

What it boiled down to was the severity of the crime Mr. Tate is accused of and the responsibility of the justice system to keep the community safe.

With only 73 individuals remaining, the Southern Resident killer whale population is facing a critical moment in its survival. In response, the Government of Canada has announced a new suite of proposed measures to further protect the endangered species that inhabits the waters off British Columbia’s coast.