Video of the event organized and hosted by the Salt Spring Forum and Driftwood, moderated by Aletha Humphreys.
Trust and CRD candidates face public at meeting
With 10 hopefuls on stage — and just two hours at their disposal — candidates faced bright lights, strict time limits and pointed questions from a nearly packed house at ArtSpring’s main theatre Thursday, Oct. 6.
The all-candidates debate, co-sponsored by the Driftwood and Salt Spring Forum, welcomed three candidates for Capital Regional District (CRD) director — Jesse Brown, Kylie Coates and incumbent Gary Holman — and seven vying for two seats on the Islands Trust — Ben Corno, Gary Gagné, Jamie Harris, Don Marcotte, Jenny McClean, incumbent Laura Patrick, and Elissa Poole.
Throughout the event, candidates sought to reach voters on a personal level; many spoke to their “island roots” — whether born here or more recently transplanted. They proffered evidence of their relatable life experiences, and offered assurances of engagement for the traditionally under-represented. And they presented their résumés of accomplishments, whether in public office or in their personal lives.
Moderator Aletha Humphreys held candidates to a tight format, giving each just two minutes for an opening statement, then launched the event directly into audience questions. And while it might have seemed there was an agreed-upon list of issues critical to Salt Spring, the candidates nonetheless had different ideas about how to address them.
Unsurprisingly, the first questions out of the gate were directed at Islands Trust candidates and concerned housing — specifically the recently-put-on-hold Bylaw 530, meant to add to the rental housing pool by allowing additional secondary units on properties. Corno said he liked the idea, but agreed it needed more “accurate language,” specifically addressing whether properties would be bus-serviced.
Gagné said he felt 530 was a “nuclear option” that shouldn’t be used until other ideas failed, such as getting Salt Spring included in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax, or enforcing against illegal short-term vacation rentals.
“Change zoning and small areas to allow equal density and see how it goes,” said Gagné. “If it’s successful we can do more of this.”
Harris, who is running as a slate with Marcotte and largely spoke for the pair, felt Bylaw 530’s problem was that it didn’t go far enough.
“We would either amend or create a new bylaw, for all suites and cottages to be legalized without restrictions,” said Harris, “other than the ones in the existing building code and Vancouver Island Health Authority regulations.”
McClean reminded the audience that a big reason 530 was put on hold had to do with opposition from the Tsawout First Nation, so addressing their concerns — and those expressed by the broader public — should come first. She also had misgivings about the idea of spreading density all over the island.
“The idea that was around for awhile was actually to have [focused] density around Ganges,” said McClean, “which was supposed to cut down vehicle traffic, so people can live near services.”
Patrick said 530 was never likely to solve the housing crisis on its own, citing BC Housing data showing single-digit uptake of accessory dwelling units when permitted in rural communities.
“This form of housing is already legal in all the other Southern Gulf Islands,” said Patrick, “and they’re not seeing runaway use of their cottages and suites.” Patrick also spoke about legalizing existing suites “in a way that works,” and bringing in business licences for some short-term vacation rentals.
Poole said she agreed 530 wasn’t going to be the answer to the housing crisis, going a step further to say she believed it was a “waste of time for us to be arguing about.”
“Already over the past 10 years, the Trust legalized 2,000 properties or suites and long-term cottage rentals, and it made very little difference,” said Poole. “We should be working on the things that will be the answer, pilot projects in the appropriate areas.”
A question on adapting to climate change was directed at both Islands Trust and CRD candidates, offering the latter their first opportunity to respond to a crowd largely focused on potential trustees. All three, asked whether they were planning for rising ocean levels, agreed climate change was an enormous problem that would affect Salt Spring.
“It is the overarching issue of our time,” said Brown, “and it’s the reason I got into politics in the first place.” Brown added he felt Salt Spring Island could be a “miniature model society” in its response, and hopefully be inspirational to other communities.
Holman pointed to climate-change-focused initiatives that took place during his service as the incumbent, when he spearheaded gas tax funding for both the Climate Action Plan 2.0 and agricultural food plan.
“It shouldn’t just be about mitigating [greenhouse gas] emissions, but actually adapting to changes that are already baked in,” said Holman. “Moving the fire hall uphill was part of that. I’m looking at the feasibility of relocating our government [offices] into the middle school — again, on higher ground.”
Coates said his experience with the Department of Defence had made clear to him climate change — “not Russia,” he quipped — is the number one threat, not just for Salt Spring, but for all of Canada.
“We as a community should — and will — show the rest of British Columbia that we can get this done,” said Coates. “But we have to tell Victoria — and we have to tell Ottawa — to get their act together, because we can’t just do it as a community, we have to do this as a country, as a continent, and as a world.”
Trust candidates were less concordant about the impacts of climate change for Salt Spring; Patrick pointed to her record and the importance of preparing for sea level rise, while Poole pointed out current trustees approved a development permit for Vortex, “a development on a flood plain, known to be in a storm surge area.”
Corno said part of long-term planning should include “imagining what moving the town would look like”; Gagné said he’d learned “our land is rising at about the same rate as the sea so far,” so he was less concerned about rising waters than potential wildfires and drought.
Harris agreed fire was the primary climate impact for the island, saying it was the result of “decades of mismanagement of our protected forests” and particularly called out those who might disagree with him on other matters to collaborate on wildfire mitigation.
And his running-mate Marcotte was more direct.
“The climate’s been changing for millions of years,” he said. “I remember being a kid and they were telling me, ‘Oh, the oceans are gonna rise.’ Well, I’ve been here 50 years, and they haven’t risen.”
For her part, McClean said she believed cooperative, community actions could be as powerful as legislation.
“More than just focusing, as we always hear, on emissions trading and electric cars, I feel that the more that people can share and work together, the less energy each person will individually use,” she said. “It really comes down to the commitment of people, and a heart and willingness to work with each other.”
A video recording of the evening can be watched here.
Editorial: Voting homework worth it
Low turn-out rates in municipal/local government elections are often decried.
But it’s understandable for people to shy away from voting when they don’t know the people, their positions or the burning issues.
While the last advance poll day is today (Oct. 12) and general election day is on Saturday, there is still time to get more information in order to make more confident and informed decisions before facing the long ballot sheet at the polling station.
Salt Spring voters must choose between three candidates for one Capital Regional District (CRD) position, seven candidates for two Islands Trust seats and five candidates for three school board positions, and are being asked for approval to establish a CRD local community commission (LCC).
One of the best ways to get a sense of the candidates is to watch the video of last Thursday’s all-candidates meeting at ArtSpring. Whether illuminating policies, philosophies, experience levels or character, seeing and hearing individuals speak to a crowd in such a format is somewhat like “speed dating,” noted meeting moderator Aletha Humphreys. People can be drawn to vote for a particular candidate for any reason and all of them are valid.
We are grateful to the non-profit group Salt Spring Forum for partnering with the Driftwood to present the event and arranging for Cameron Byers to take care of the videography. We congratulate Humphreys, all candidates and audience members for creating a civil evening of discourse. A video of a Sept. 28 Zoom all-candidates meeting hosted by Salt Spring Solutions and Transition Salt Spring is also on the transitionsaltspring.com website.
Ample written information is available online as well, on various social media and candidate sites, and the Driftwood website. A compilation of opinion about the LCC proposal, including a couple of pieces that did not make it into print, is one of the elements of the Driftwood’s online opinion section. Another is candidate answers on housing issues posed to them by the Salt Spring Housing Council, and Q&As with all candidates. It’s also helpful to know what powers a government body or elected official really have to make changes.
Democracy always works better with more participation. It might take a bit of time to make an informed choice, but it’s worth it.
Salt Spring Men’s Shed opens doors
A new men’s organization on the island is seeking tool and materials donations — and, even more importantly — new members.
The Salt Spring Men’s Shed officially opened its workshop doors Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 154 Kings Lane — a location being provided by the Gulf Islands Seniors Residence Association (GISRA). It’s part of a larger, global movement of creating such spaces, designed to provide men with “somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to” – all the while contributing to the wider community by building and fixing things.
There are more than 2,800 Men’s Sheds worldwide according to the Men’s Shed Association of British Columbia. Salt Spring’s will be one of more than 20 planned or in service within the province.
“Friendships will be made here,” said founder Tristan Laurillard. “Our members are good men — happy to chat, work on a creative project together or build something useful for the community.”
Men’s Sheds are described as places for men to work alongside one another — fixing, building, sometimes just tinkering — and to socialize. Many (but by no means all) Men’s Shed members are retired, often at an age when they begin to miss the sense of collaboration and purpose jobs once provided. In countries such as Australia and Ireland, according to organizers, Men’s Sheds are included in national public health strategies — staving off social isolation or various stigmas associated with health conditions and/or aging.
Organizers say the sheds are also an opportunity to learn or pass along skills, and be truly useful for the community. From park benches to tiny libraries to wheelchair ramps, the Salt Spring Men’s Shed is on the lookout for people and projects where their skills can be of assistance.
“The support we have received thus far has been tremendous,” said Laurillard. “People really want to help with making this project happen.”
He said that in addition to funding from the Salt Spring Island Foundation and United Way of BC, letters of support have poured in from local MP Elizabeth May, the Salt Spring Community Health Society, Salt Spring Community Services, GISRA, the Wagon Wheel Housing Society, and other agencies.
For more information, to donate or to join, call the shed at 250-999-1033 or visit the www.saltspringmensshed.ca website.
Q&A with Salt Spring School Board Candidates
Five candidates are vying for three seats as trustees for Salt Spring on the Gulf IsIands Board of Education.
Below are answers to three of the questions posed to Salt Spring school board candidates by the Gulf Islands Teachers’ Association. Note that while George Sipos’ name is still on the printed ballot, he is no longer seeking a seat on the board.
1. What are the critical issues facing our local schools right now?
2. The Fraser Institute ranks schools based on data from the Foundational Skills Assessments and is reportedly now providing this information to real estate organizations. What is your view of this policy?
3. Recruitment and retention of teachers in the Gulf Islands is a significant challenge. What solutions do you propose to address the critical shortage of qualified teachers in our district?
Tisha Boulter
1. If elected I represent the Salt Spring Island voters, yet my board responsibility is in servant leadership to the Gulf Islands as a whole.
Some key critical issues on my mind and heart if elected will be monitoring our new configuration model to ensure it is meeting the needs of the students, and that appropriate, financially stable supports are available for our staff to provide the best opportunities for learners. Collaborating on a renewed strategic plan will be a big piece of work for the new board. I will advocate for values to guide us that stand for diversity (SOGI and BIPOC rights), sustainability (environmental and financial), Opportunity (for all learners) with a restorative practice lens. We need to continue building relationships and trust that contributes to a sense of belonging and collaboration within a system that has complex rights, responsibilities, roles and accountabilities.
2. It is frustrating to witness the Fraser Institute continue to practise ranking schools based on FSA scores. It is small minded to propose that this tells a person anything meaningful about a school or its community. For the last four years as a trustee, our association has advocated to the Ministry of Education to stop this policy.
3. Recruitment and retention strategies are multifaceted. They need to consider housing costs/availability (outside of our control), keeping up with provincial pay grids, participating in in-house trainings/incentives (bus drivers/EAs for example), as well as investing in healthy, vibrant school cultures that attract potential employees.
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Nancy Macdonald
1. A short list:
• Learning loss due to Covid
• Recruitment of teachers and EAs
• School and community culture
• Faith in the entire system
2. Frankly, we can do nothing about what the Fraser Institute does given the flow of information that is accessible to anyone now. Those of us who sheepishly felt proud in the early 2000s when GISS ranked highly continued to denounce the use of one standardized test to rate schools. I feel strongly that all kinds of data must be shared openly and honestly so the FI isn’t the only institution spouting off. How many kids are going in to trades, how many kids to Emily Carr, etc. and then long term, how many kids are building your house or managing your account at the bank. I am a data seeker. In Saanich we tripled our Indigenous grad rate by figuring out the reasons for lack of success. You can smother the FI by bringing in more information and sharing it publicly.
3. This is a very big problem and we aren’t alone. We want teachers (and nurses!) to bring their families here and stay in the community. I have gone on record saying teachers should be paid more because it is wrong that a teacher can’t afford to buy a simple home. I propose a task force, where a diverse group could brainstorm ideas and at least engage in options for the education community. If the hospital foundation did some things, why can’t we?
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Jenny McClean
1. Although GISS is considered an excellent school compared to other schools, it does face negative cultures within the student population. There is a rise in online trends, and issues affecting all schools also affect or will affect GISS. There is a rise in cyberbullying, and the increase in violence in schools across North America and the world. Salt Spring Island is not really affected as other schools are, but it is better to be preventative. Education is needed on all forms of racism and marginalization.
I would say that my greatest concerns are around a return to overcrowding in the elementary schools.
I am interested in protecting the programs that were unique to SIMS. I hope to keep the option open for returning the SIMS building to its use as a public education building.
Other issues I am interested in include: remote learning options, home learners, working with the Outer Islands, mental health and the use of devices.
Studies show that excessive phone use in classrooms is a detriment to education. There are studies showing a 20 per cent decrease in absorbing what a teacher is saying if a student is online at the same time. I support ways of learning that do not include the need for a handheld device.
2. FSA tests are not a great way of ascertaining the quality of education as a lot of people are not great at taking tests. It shows more about how skilled a student is at taking the FSA test and does not show much about the quality of education at the particular schools. The use of FSAs has brought in an element of learning as a means to an end, and plays into parental pressures on students.
3. It seems to me that the main issue with retaining teachers in local schools is about housing them. There are currently teachers commuting from Vancouver Island to work on Salt Spring. If they are offered a job in the district where they live, they will stop teaching here. As for solutions, possibly making teacher housing a priority, recruitment and incentives for teachers to teach in this district. Also, hiring people as they study.
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Rob Pingle
1. Mental health is a critical issue facing our schools. I have seen improvements in the district’s work to address mental health but the pandemic created new challenges that are being felt everywhere. I will work to ensure the district continues to focus on the mental health of our students and staff to ensure the best educational outcomes.
2. I have never liked the Fraser Institute and how they ranks schools. Sharing this information with real estate organizations is a new low that shows they have no interest in improving educational outcomes for students. That said, I still believe that the Foundational Skills Assessments provide a helpful snapshot of our students’ abilities. Our ability to graduate students prepared for the future is aided by the FSAs. I will continue to advocate for the province to mask the school by school data so it is only used by educators best experienced to improve the outcomes of our students.
3. Recruitment and retention of all staff in the district is an issue and it is also being felt by other sectors locally and the teaching profession provincially and nationally. Locally our district needs to continue to work with local and provincial partners to make housing more affordable and more units available to house all staff in the district. Provincially there needs to be a focus to increase the number of teachers certified and ensure the certification process for out-of-province and out-of-country teachers is made as streamlined as possible.
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Anna Szul
1. The pandemic has created problems at all levels of society and has disproportionately affected lower-income families and minorities. Although this isn’t directly a school-based issue, all societal issues become school issues. I realize that our teachers, support staff and administrators work really hard to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all children, however, I feel that the pandemic has set so many things backward and the atmosphere in our schools is no exception. In my personal experience, there have been more “behavioural issues/bullying,” to use a catch-all phrase, in students recently. The bullying itself is not the issue, however, it is indicative of underlying problems in children’s lives. In essence, everyone is under stress and the children are sponges that collect all these feelings and let them out at school.
2. In my opinion, Foundational Skill Assessments should be used only for their intended purpose of providing information to teachers, schools and the district. I do not believe results, data and statistics from the FSA should be shared for the purpose of ranking school communities and especially not for real estate purposes.
3. Locally, challenges in the recruitment and retention of all workers are linked to the housing crisis, and teachers are following suit. We need to work with local governments to prioritize affordable housing for critical service providers like teachers.
Local election poll dates, times and more
The first of two advance polls for local government elections and referendum questions was held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, with a second one set for Wednesday, Oct. 12.
On Salt Spring Island the advance polls are at the Salt Spring Public Library program room and Community Gospel Chapel from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. People can also vote at the Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church at 9296 East Saanich Rd.
On Saturday, Oct. 15 — main election day — polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Community Gospel Chapel, the library and the seniors annex at Fulford Hall on Salt Spring, and off island at the Saanich Peninsula Presbyterian Church.
People voting for Salt Spring school board candidates should note that while George Sipos’ name is on the ballot, he has since chosen not to serve as school trustee, so people should not vote for him.
The remaining five candidates for three seats are Tisha Boulter (incumbent), Nancy Macdonald, Jenny McClean, Rob Pingle (incumbent) and Anna Szul.
Three people are in the running for one Salt Spring CRD director seat: Jesse Brown, Kylie Coates and Gary Holman (incumbent).
Seven people are on the ballot for two Salt Spring Islands Trust trustee positions: Ben Corno, Gary Gagne, Jamie Harris, Don Marcotte, Jenny McClean, Laura Patrick (incumbent) and Elissa Poole.
Salt Spring voters will also be asked if they are in favour of the CRD Board adopting Bylaw No. 4507. The bylaw would authorize the establishment of a local community commission, which would consolidate several existing CRD commissions and services, and see four elected commission members and the electoral area director oversee those services and related CRD issues.
For voting place, candidate and referendum question details for other Gulf Islands elections, see this CRD link and the Islands Trust page here.
In order to be eligible to vote, people must be 18 years or older, a Canadian citizen and have resided in B.C. for six months prior to voting day. If you are already on the voters’ list, a piece of government-issued identification with a photo and address must be shown at the polling station.
For people who are not already registered to vote, two documents proving identity and residency (one with a signature) must be shown.
The ballot consists of one piece of paper with all candidates and the referendum question on it. As in the 2018 local election, ballot sheets are placed by voters into a machine, which does the vote counting.
Candidates Answer Housing Position Questions
The Salt Spring Housing Council sent a questionnaire to all three candidates for CRD director and seven candidates for the Islands Trust. Responses were received from five Islands Trust candidates: Gary Gagne, Jamie Harris, Don Marcotte, Laura Patrick and Elissa Poole, and one CRD candidate, Gary Holman, and forwarded to the Driftwood for publication.
Since this compilation was published, CRD candidate Jesse Brown has submitted a statement about his position on affordable housing position. It appears at the end of this Q&A.
Question 1
Do you support the Islands Trust Housing Action Program? If so, please describe which aspects you will support if elected.
Gary Gagne – candidate for Islands Trust
There are parts of the report that I agree with, but my understanding is that housing is not the responsibility of the Islands Trust. Zoning changes to facilitate multi-family units is under their discretion, but may not necessarily be the most sustainable avenue. Maximizing use of larger properties to create a simpler type of housing that includes growing food, collecting rainwater in ponds (via berms and swales) and efficiently using that water and grey water, and composting wastes seems like a much more pragmatic and environmentally friendly way to house not only farm workers but other workers as well. Zoning for this is under the umbrella of the Islands Trust and should be supported. This type of housing aligns beautifully with the intention of the slogan Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, which needs more than ever to be taken to heart.
Jamie Harris/Don Marcotte – candidates for Islands Trust
The Housing Action Program process, which started over a year ago, while very well intentioned, is, in our opinion, typical of the other literally over two dozen studies on affordable housing which have taken place in the Islands Trust Area over as many years.
During the past year, dozens of renters have been given their two months’ notice. The Housing Action members themselves have publicly expressed their frustration to the Local Trust Committee over the process.
So, while we fully support the ideals of the Program, we feel action actually has to be taken, not just talked about.
If elected, it is our intention to focus all available staff time on bringing forth the necessary amendments to finally put workforce ownership housing front and center and into the Number One priority. There is no more important issue for us to focus on.
Laura Patrick – candidate for Islands Trust
I absolutely support the Local Trust Committee’s Housing Action Program. I was instrumental in setting the overarching principles, beginning with the one that states that the Local Trust Committee takes a leadership role in identifying a variety of housing options that meet the needs of Salt Spring residents of all abilities, incomes, lifestyles, and household types.
If elected, I will make the development and implementation of a public engagement strategy for the program the highest priority because we need to bring the many voices and perspectives together to listen and learn from each other and identify community-led solutions.
We need to act on the recommendations of the Housing Action Program Task Force, beginning with their first recommendation, which is to increase interagency collaboration, because for real change to occur, we must work cooperatively to seek senior government support with dedicated funding.
Elissa Poole – candidate for Islands Trust
I support this in spirit, but the devil’s in the details, and the need for implementing some of these plans quickly suggests choosing first those initiatives that are least controversial, and easiest to move forward. Preferable are sites that are less likely to spark NIMBY protests, and that are on main public transportation lines that facilitate getting to work, getting children to school, etc. and that have enough space to utilize ample water collection. It would be useful to have a comprehensive list identifying potential building sites, which would include approaching landowners who have not yet developed properties close to the Ganges area for multi unit projects. What I’d eventually like to see is a way to provide incentives for below-market sales and/or donations of land that would allow landowners to receive some of the same tax benefits that they receive when they covenant or eco-gift a property. This obviously has to be achieved through collaboration with government agencies. Also we will need direct funding from the province, so having a provincial representative on Trust Council (recommended in the Governance Review Report, incidentally) would be very useful.
Gary Holman – candidate for CRD
I support the general direction of the Program, which I understand currently consists of Bylaws 530 (Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs) and 526 (Farmland Housing), as well as the Tiny Homes Pilot Project.
I have no comments on Bylaw 526 at this time, except that any funding or other strategies aimed at incentivizing suites and cottages may possibly consider prioritizing farmlands near villages or public transit routes. Regarding tiny homes, there is no restriction to building very small homes on appropriately zoned properties, including homes with dimensions and foundations (e.g., post and pad or concrete slab) that would facilitate moving them. My understanding is that the primary obstacle to tiny homes on wheels is the BC Building Code, which would require provincial amendments, which is beyond the purview of individual electoral areas.
Question 2
What specific improvements to the Housing Action Program would you propose to address community concerns, overcome opposition/barriers, and ensure tangible outcomes are developed more quickly?
Gary Gagne – candidate for Islands Trust
The rules need to be updated to take into account the climate emergency and its consequent lack of sustainable housing, water and food. This update needs to take into account the ways in which this is already being done. We already have examples of small communities of workers and entrepreneurs living in more sustainable ways on single properties. They are being targeted, persecuted and penalized rather than supported.
Jamie Harris/Don Marcotte – candidates for Islands Trust
Regarding “Community concerns,” we feel the ongoing “opposition” to every housing proposal, such as we have most recently witnessed with Bylaw 530, come from a small group of people in our community. They are not, and do not represent, and should not be referred to as “the Community,” and their concerns should not be referred to as “the Community’s concerns.” Their opposition, which is voiced on a regular basis in the Driftwood, is a perfect example of what has become commonly known as either NIMBYism, drawbridge mentality, or, more recently, BANANAism (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone.)
We find it interesting that the vast majority of the “opposition” comes from people who have moved to the Island in the last 20 years.
With respect to “ensuring tangible outcomes are developed more quickly” it is our opinion the time for studying the housing crisis has long past. Everything we need to know has been provided through previous studies by experienced experts. We know the size of our workforce and we know our workforce cannot currently afford to buy here. We are committed to ensuring the crisis is actually addressed, in spite of the opposition we fully expect from naysayers.
The missing ingredient to taking action on the housing crisis has been “political willpower” in the face of opposition. We will provide that.
Laura Patrick – candidate for Islands Trust
I don’t think that the Islands Trust does an acceptable job of communicating with or listening to the community. The responsibility for sharing information with the public and getting feedback has defaulted to the planning staff, who are experts in land use planning, not public engagement.
To work together as a community, we must bridge our differences and find the things we can agree on. We need to be able to look each other in the eye, talk to each other, exchange ideas and find common understanding. Through constructive dialogue we can bring the community’s various voices and perspectives to the table, then listen and learn from each other.
The Working Group of community volunteers proposed that a public engagement plan be developed and implemented that includes various outreach actions such as focus groups, community workshops, idea generators, and inviting inspiring speakers to explore the “art of the possible.”
If elected, I will make the development and implementation of a public engagement strategy for the program the highest priority.
Elissa Poole – candidate for Islands Trust
The community opposition to Bylaw 530 circles around the lack of checks and balances for adding ADUs right across the island, on almost any size lot. Since it risks adding to the number of illegal STVRs and/or raising property values, and may contribute to water shortages and/or increased densities in rural areas, there are legitimate concerns about the implications of Bylaw 530 over the long-term. If Bylaw 530 were to be revised with significant caps and quotas, and if First Nations were to approve it in a more cautious form, it would probably have more support, including mine.
However, Bylaw 530 likely promises far more than it will achieve and raises false hopes for quick solutions. Since the current measures the Trust has already put in place for easing zoning restrictions for ADUs has made very little difference, the question is, “why should we expect Bylaw 530 to be more effective?” Bylaw 461 allowed an additional 1,598 lots to have suites that could be occupied full time (although many do not currently have suites on them), and it did not ease the rental situation. Since many lots still do not allowsuites to be occupied full time, some of those not covered by Bylaw 461 might may be appropriate legalizing long-term rentals.
There are many lots allowed to have seasonal cottages (ie., only occupied part time).
Bylaw 512 (which passed) mapped 411 of these lots, and allowed them to be occupied full time (although they can also be used as B &Bs or long-term vacation rental of 30 days or longer). Since we don’t know the number of cottages already present on these lots, it’s difficult to monitor effectiveness; however it points up the need to have a true count of what rental options currently exist, in addition to what we need.
If these lots don’t currently have cottages or suites built on them, the other fear is that those that are newly constructed will be priced out of affordability, given building costs of ca. $500 sq ft, and that these are more likely to enter the illegal STVR market unless there is adequate bylaw enforcement. A $500 dollar fine for an STVR that rents out in the summer at $600/night is hardly a powerful disincentive. But truly adequate enforcement against STVRs would likely increase the number of houses that would enter long-term rental, as will the Speculation and Vacancy Tax, and having provincial support on this is essential. Getting rents down is also hugely important: one hopes the outrageous and exploitive rents we see on the island ($1500 for a one-room cottage with no hydro?) will come down if availability increases.
The following could be put into place fairly quickly: Programs linking landlords and employers, who then recommend specific employees for rentals; standard leases that address security concerns of both landlord and tenant; a registry that gives us a clearer picture of rental options potentially available and a way for keeping track of island workers still without housing; build-out numbers to show us what the population of the island will be if all lots are developed, with current zoning mapped against recommended maximum population numbers for the island.
Supplying more multi-unit complexes remains the best solution, while recognizing that what the island can support in terms of population growth truly is limited. Adam Olsen, in voicing his support for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax, specifically mentioned that increasing supply, the usual way of addressing housing shortages, is not possible on Salt Spring due to the island’s limited resources, particularly given the potential impacts of climate change. It’s a hard truth, but there it is.
Gary Holman – candidate for CRD
I support the general direction of the Program, which I understand currently consists of Bylaws 530 (Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs) and 526 (Farmland Housing), as well as the Tiny Homes Pilot Project.
I have no comments on Bylaw 526 at this time, except that any funding or other strategies aimed at incentivizing suites and cottages may possibly consider prioritizing farmlands near villages or public transit routes. Regarding tiny homes, there is no restriction to building very small homes on appropriately zoned properties, including homes with dimensions and foundations (e.g., post and pad or concrete slab) that would facilitate moving them. My understanding is that the primary obstacle to tiny homes on wheels is the BC Building Code, which would require provincial amendments, which is beyond the purview of individual electoral areas.*
*Please note this is not a mistake. Mr. Holman specifically provided the same answer to cover both questions 1&2
Question 3
The 2020 Housing Needs Assessment showed that we needed 601 new housing units by 2025 of which 46% or 276 units should be studios or one bedrooms, 40% or 238 units should have 2 bedrooms, and 14% or 87 units should have 3+ bedrooms.
We can expect the need and the consequences of not meeting these needs to continue to increase i.e. illegal boat living and transient dwellings that have unregulated environmental impacts, illegal ADUs, homelessness, islanders forced to leave, workforce shortages, reduced services including essential health and school services.
What specific actions will you take within your capacity as Trustee or Director to address this housing shortfall?
Gary Gagne – candidate for Islands Trust
If elected I would work with other elected officials to persuade the provincial government to include Salt Spring in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax. The threat of this tax has increased condo rental availability by 20,000 units in the Vancouver area.
The Lady Minto Hospital Foundation did a study that found at least 500 properties have been converted from long term rentals to Short Term Vacation Rentals since the advent of websites dedicated to promoting tourism. This diminishes community values and has questionable sustainability. If these 500 properties are not being used as long term rentals, what makes us think that 500 or 5,000 new secondary dwellings will be use as long term rentals? This is magical thinking. What is actually true. They will become more STVR’s unless the means to restrict STVR’s is put into place along with ways to encourage long term rentals. I like the idea of an agency that protects both landlords and tenants equally, by vetting and vouching for tenants and should include employers looking for worker housing, to encourage landlords back into the long term rental market. It may not be under the umbrella of the Islands Trust to directly put this into place, but working in cooperation with other organizations on the island (breaking down silos) this could be a useful tool. Again – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle has become more important than ever.
Jamie Harris/Don Marcotte – candidates for Islands Trust
The 601 is a fraction of the number of workforce housing units we need long term. The 2021 Census indicates there are over 6,000 people receiving employment income on the island. Those 6,000+ equal 6,000 jobs, which, over time, will have to be filled by the next generation(s). It doesn’t take a genius to understand that the housing crisis is getting worse by the year, and the need for employee housing will grow each year, EVEN IF the number of jobs flat lines.
We must start thinking long term, not just addressing our current housing deficit. It is our position that all suites and cottages need to be legalized for long term rentals with no restrictions (as was recommended in 2004 and 2010 to our Local Trust Committees) as a temporary fix while the real challenge of providing long term ownership for employees gets underway. E.g. the Whistler Housing Authority model.
Whether people like it or not, there is only one way for employee housing to be “carved out” of the landscape, and that is rezoning property to allow for employee housing.
Laura Patrick – candidate for Islands Trust
The CMHC Housing Supply Challenge grant submission prepared by the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society and the Southern Gulf Islands Housing Coalition was actually quite inspirational. I would use it as a call to action and starting point for interagency collaboration in the Gulf Island region.
I will continue to work on an expanded use of accessory dwellings on the island as one way to increase the rental stock for residents. I believe there is a path forward to allowing secondary suites, cottages, and suites in accessory buildings (e.g., over a garage) for full-time rental, while limiting the total number and environmental impacts.
I will continue to support housing proponents who are seeking to build lower-impact multi-family housing by working on making the rezoning and development approval processes at the Islands Trust easier to navigate. The Islands Trust should develop standardized templates for common requirements and standardized requirements for technical studies.
I have developed good working relationships with senior government staff and elected officials during my term as a Trustee. I will keep the pressure on the Province to help create housing solutions specifically tailored to our rural islands, including stable and secure funding.
Elissa Poole – candidate for Islands Trust
First things first: I will urge quick implementation of development permit areas to ensure that watersheds and coastal Douglas fir ecosystems are protected. This is by far the best tool we have for protecting water supplies, and we can’t build new housing projects without that supply secured for the future. We still need to update CDF and watershed maps, and maps of donor areas for density transfers, because they will inform us as to which currently undeveloped land might be available to give or receive higher densities. While transferring densities has not always been welcomed, I can see its use as a limited or occasional tool.
I’d like to see restrictions on the size of new houses in the updated Official Community Plan. It has been attempted before, and is effective in other communities. In parallel with that, the price of building permits should be significantly increased for every additional 100 sq feet beyond a given size, the latter to be determined. That money should go to affordable housing, just as we hope the revenue from the Speculation and Vacancy Tax will.
I would support a bylaw allowing properties currently zoned for seasonal-cottage use only to move to full-time rental status, providing environmental standards for water, septic, footprint, etc. are strictly met and the cottages are outside the watershed areas zoned specifically to protect our drinking water supplies. I would support their legalization where it can be substantiated, they will be rented to islanders, be affordable and their numbers will be limited to comply with our OCP.
Gary Holman – candidate for CRD
I am proposing a detailed affordable housing action plan for SSI to build on the success of the past term in which over 120 units of affordable, supported and worker housing have been built or funding commitments have been secured. In addition to the measures I’ve suggested above to amend and complement Islands Trust land use strategies, I’m proposing the following plan which of course is always subject to taking advantage of unforeseen opportunities – available properties, proponents or funding – that may emerge.
In general terms, the action plan I’m proposing below focuses on existing properties already designated for affordable housing; support the full continuum of housing and supports (e.g., a permanently funded homeless shelter and grants in aid for social support organizations); as well as demand-side and regulatory measures that dampen speculative market forces (e.g., including SSI in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax).
• Building new housing on properties already designated for affordable housing including Dragonfly, CRD’s Drake Road, and the Land Bank. A total of over 100 units are possible on these properties, and an under-appreciated secondary benefit of new housing is that it frees up existing rental units. The priority for CRD’s Drake Road property is to prove groundwater supplies (a new well funded by gas tax is being drilled now) and to solicit and help secure funding for new proponents, including off-island NGOs. For Dragonfly, an ownership project that will be funded by buyers, the priority is to establish a new CRD water utility and perhaps use gas tax funding to help fund any necessary upgrades to Drake Road or connecting pathways to Ganges. CRD can assist the Land Bank properties with gas tax funding for water and sewage treatment infrastructure and perhaps in other ways such as securing funding.
• Permanent funding for our homeless shelter. The current 24/7 funding for Community Services’ homeless shelter, which we secured this term, extends until the end of March, 2023. My understanding is that BC Housing is including permanent year round 24/7 funding for the shelter that will be included in the next Provincial budget. I will work with Community Services, MLA Olsen and other locally elected officials and organizations to ensure the Housing Minister understands that permanent funding for our homeless shelter is vital in a community with one of the highest per capita homeless rates in BC.
• Renew CRD regional housing funding, including incentives to renovate suites and cottages for long term, affordable housing. CRD regional housing programs have allocated millions in funding to Salt Spring and have supported thousands of affordable housing units across the region. These programs are now coming to an end and must be renewed. I will be advocating for an even more ambitious program, not just because of the dire need for affordable housing, but because it is an excellent investment from both a financial and socio-economic perspective.
I will also be advocating for more flexible funding criteria, including incentives to renovate suites and cottages for long term, affordable rentals, similar to a program that was implemented in Victoria. Depending on the scale of the incentive, a housing agreement could also be placed on the dwelling unit to ensure affordable rentals for a period of time. Such an incentive could be applied to new rental units in the NSSWD water moratorium area to help fund water conservation measures that would ensure no net increase in water demand from the property.
• Continue use of gas tax funding for housing infrastructure and establish an inter-agency working group to explore other measures to free up water in the NSSWD and Fulford Water District service areas. Examples have been noted above about how gas tax funding is currently being used to support affordable housing, for the first time ever on Salt Spring. I will advocate the establishment of an inter-agency working group, perhaps under the auspices of the SSI Watershed Protection Alliance (SSIWPA), to identify how measures such as gas tax funding for water conservation and transfers of unused water connections or even water licenses could be used to free up water for affordable housing.
As I noted above, by collaborating with NSSWD, the Fulford Water District, Islands Trust and Provincial water licensing authorities on such measures we could focus new affordable housing in or near villages rather than promoting development in environmentally sensitive areas (e.g., drinking watersheds) or remote locations that will reinforce car and fossil fuel dependency.
• Secure permanent funding for the SSI Housing Council. The Housing Council is a group of community organizations that are building and advocating for affordable housing of all kinds, including related supports and facilities for the unhoused. The Council meets regularly to share information and promote collaboration. A draft governance study has been completed to examine alternative organizational and funding structures. The Housing Council could go beyond information sharing and actually provide services (e.g., a rental referral service, monitoring housing agreements, providing short term financial assistance to avoid evictions) and even become a housing provider, but the first step is to complete the governance study to clarify its objectives, structure and funding. I have made a standing offer to provide grant in aid funding to complete this study.
• Include SSI in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax and explore implementation of a business license to better enforce the ban on Short Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs).The purpose of such measures is to free up housing for rental use. One of my platform commitments in 2018 was to explore the inclusion of Salt Spring in the provincial Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT). The SVT would result in a property tax surtax ranging from 0.5% to 2% depending on residency for homes left vacant and not rented for at least 6 months of the year. Property owners would also be exempt from the tax if part of their property (suite or cottage) was rented out. Proceeds from the SVT are earmarked by legislation for affordable housing within the taxed area. I will be advocating that the revenues are returned to local jurisdictions, but this shouldn’t be a condition for inclusion.
I followed through on that promise by reviewing and providing a summary of the SVT to locally elected official (including our MLA), participating in two meetings with the Minister of Finance to advocate for SSI’s inclusion, and requesting a CRD staff report. The SVT has recently been expanded to include 6 smaller municipalities on South Vancouver Island. The Minister has so far declined to include SSI, explaining that SSI was not excluded by policy, but inclusion would depend on an assessment of SVT impacts in smaller communities. To be pursued next term.
Islands Trust has proposed that business licensing be implemented on SSI to better manage STVRs. As requested by the Trust, I directed CRD staff to provide a staff report on business licensing (as well as the SVT). Staff concluded that the costs of CRD implementing a business licensing program would not be covered by license fees, and so unlike the SVT, would require ongoing taxpayer support. Staff also indicated that the required Provincial approval for business licensing could also be requested by the Trust as a logical extension of their land use authority and existing OCP, bylaws and experience regarding STVR enforcement. I believe business licensing could be helpful in enforcing the ban on STVRs, but I want to be clear that I do not support licensing to permit regulate stand-alone STVRs.
Question 4:
What would you do, if elected, to address the water/sewer issues that are a barrier to
increasing multi-family housing in and around Ganges?
Gary Gagne – candidate for Islands Trust
As a trustee on the board of NSSWD, I am quite well informed (and learning more all the time) about the over-allocation of water in all of our systems on this island. The moratorium was instituted following the “Precautionary Principle” and remains in effect until we learn conclusively that it is not necessary. Even if we do relax the moratorium to some degree for affordable worker housing, it will be reinstated in the near future as Salt Spring’s population continues to grow at 10% per year…
I have no use for sewer systems that dump millions of gallons of tainted water into our oceans. I lived here during the great “Sewer Debate.” Just as the opponents to the ocean outfall were beginning to win in court, the provincial government imposed an “order in council” directing the province to build that sewer system, with all court challenges deemed null and void. Alternatively, many other communities use this so-called “waste” to be composted to feed our depleting soils; and the water is processed and recycled for more useful purposes, rather than polluting our waterways.
A final note about focussing our housing solutions around Ganges: with the climate crisis and rising sea levels, we need to be mindful of elevations that are likely to be under water when considering new residential complexes.
Jamie Harris/Don Marcotte – candidates for Islands Trust
The water issue in Ganges falls on North Salt Spring Waterworks District’s moratorium, which, in our opinion, and based on the 2015 and 2022 hydrology study on Lake Maxwell, should never have been implemented in the first place. Pressure needs to be exerted on the Province, the Inspector of Municipalities (which has veto power over the NSSWD), and the Ministry of Housing, which has recently shown it is prepared to use its power of “statutory immunity” to get affordable housing started in communities across BC. We will apply that pressure.
The sewer issue is a challenge since the latest capacity report (May 22, 2018) indicates that the Ganges Sewer Plant would experience a “surcharge” if all properties in the Ganges Sewer Area were developed to their current zoning. In other words, if all the currently zoned properties in Ganges are built on, to their maximum potential, the plant likely does not have enough capacity to service them.
This brings up the question of expansion of capacity, and therefore the related question – Who will pay for the expansion? The current Ganges Sewer Ratepayers are not going to want additional taxes to provide for an expansion. Thus, IF there is going to be an expansion of the plant, external funding will have to be applied for. Since we aren’t a municipality, it is entirely uncertain where that funding could potentially come from. However, what is clear, is that at some point the CRD is going to have to tell an applicant applying for rezoning for affordable housing that there is not enough capacity.
If the capacity question is not addressed now, it could lead to multiple years of delays in any development in the Ganges Area.
We find it “troubling” this has not been addressed by our current Trustees or CRD Director, in spite of the fact the capacity report was issued PRIOR to their election in 2018.
Thus, the idea of densifying Ganges, which has been proposed by many over the years, is in jeopardy unless planning for the future is started now. To the best of our understanding that planning for expansion of the capacity has not been started.
We will press the CRD to initiate the necessary path forward with the hope there is a solution that will allow for the densification of Ganges for employee ownership housing.
Laura Patrick – candidate for Islands Trust
It is time to run a Solutions Lab to address water and housing in Ganges. A Solutions Lab is a space that enables diverse groups of people to come together to develop solutions to a problem that no one person or group could solve alone. These challenges are typically complex and systemic – and are not easy to deal with. The ‘space’ of a solutions lab is not typically a physical space. A solutions lab is really a set of steps (a process) we go through to work together in collaborative ways that don’t start with answers, but start by deeply understanding a problem.
If elected, I will seek funding and a lead agency to design and implement a Solutions Lab that will lead this community on a path to sustainable solutions for the water and housing challenges in Ganges.
Elissa Poole – candidate for Islands Trust
The availability of water is the major stumbling point for approving sites for any kind of multi-unit affordable housing in or close to Ganges. The same hurdle is becoming increasingly likely for areas on the Fulford water supply from Weston Lake. It may be possible to maneuver a few water licenses from the NSSWD. Some areas have not been tested for the possibility that successful wells could be drilled; that’s certainly something that should be followed up. Rainwater collection, grey-water systems, composting toilets and water storage – all of these could affect the way water needs are factored into building permits to enable specially-tailored regulations for multi-family housing. And, lastly, one needs to protect the water supplies in the future, with increasing droughts and higher temperatures inevitable, so protecting watersheds and forests through development permit areas, and funding continuing restoration work in the NSSWD, is crucial.
Gary Holman – candidate for CRD Director
I’ve addressed this question with respect to water above, primarily to continue use of gas tax to help fund alternative water supplies and conservation measures, and an inter-agency working group to explore other measures (e.g., water conservation investments; transfers of water connections and licenses, rainwater catchment).
The Ganges Sewer Commission has just completed a $3.5 million upgrade to its sewage treatment plant that has also increased its capacity. Affordable housing projects within the Ganges sewer service area (e.g., Drake Road) already have access to the system. Projects outside the system would have to cover any incremental costs of upgrades to the collection and treatment system. For such projects, it may be more effective to invest a package treatment plant and/or septic system. As CRD Director, I would consider use of gas tax to help fund such investments for affordable rental projects.
FROM CRD candidate Jesse Brown:
Local politicians have several tools to support affordable housing in their communities. This includes dedicating land and reducing red tape to make it more efficient for non-profit and Indigenous housing providers and co-ops, as well as private developers, to build and protect affordable homes. If elected on October 15th, I will work with the community to:
- Support eco-density in Ganges and areas serviced by sewer and water;
- Support fast-tracking rezoning and permitting for the development of rental buildings and homes;
- Support legalizing suites and cottages on Salt Spring;
- Support the visitor economy by preventing unnecessary over-regulation of rentals and bed and breakfasts;
- Support part-time residents, workers, and renters by preventing harmful taxes, and;
- Support the centralization of island-wide water management including existing lake/watersheds, groundwater, rainwater catchment, and water recycling.
Everyone deserves a safe, secure, and affordable home. Let’s work together to ensure working people and families can continue to live on Salt Spring Island!
Forty years of painting illuminated
Margaret Mackenzie shares profound body of work
By MARCIA JANSEN
Driftwood Contributor
It was a couple of months into the COVID-19 pandemic when Ken Mackenzie gave his wife Margaret a final push towards her retrospective art show.
He had quietly saved up some money over the years to get the independent exhibition of Margaret’s work on the way. The exhibition, taking place at Mahon Hall from Oct. 7 to 16, is the culmination of 40 years of work and study and consists of more than 60 paintings.
Margaret, 79, had always been involved in crafts but took up painting in the late 1970s after she started a drawing course at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Before that, she was a registered nurse in Newfoundland and Halifax.
After she and Ken, now 84, had moved from Ottawa to Montreal and adopted two children, she found it hard to find work in a hospital as a native English speaker. Instead, encouraged by her husband, she applied to Concordia University and got a degree in fine arts.
Ken and Margaret moved to Salt Spring in 1991 and started a bed and breakfast in their home on Castle Cross Road. Guests bought Margaret’s artwork and encouraged her to create more.
Her painting got more serious after she contracted an infection and a wrong diagnosis led to an infected lymphatic system.
“I was in pain for more than a year. No specialist could find the cause, and painting was a way to process my feelings,” she said.
Margaret started out with watercolour but has since worked with oil, pastels and charcoal. Her work — which she refers to as “painterly drawing” — expresses a theme deep in metaphorical imagery and paradoxical meaning. Three images that stand out in her work: trees, skulls and whales.
“The tree is a metaphor for birth, the skull for death and the whale for freedom, and they are all connected,” she explained. “It is my spiritual expression of divining the inner life in everything.”
Dualism became a reoccurring theme in her work after she read a book about the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.
“During my sickness, Kierkegaard’s words spoke to me. I found in him a friend who understood me. In life, you need the paradox to be whole. You need the darkness to see the light. It helped me to not let the pain drag me down, but to find peace in it.”
Her whale paintings, inspired by the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick and the biblical story of Jonah and the whale, form a big part of the exhibition.
“My last work pictures Jonah on the shore, with a whale in the distance. He came out of the darkness and into the sunshine. Just like me.”
At age 79, Margaret feels it is time for a final exhibition of her work.
“During the pandemic, my infection flared up again. Pain comes and goes in cycles. My art, once again, helps me through it,” she said. “The light in my paintings comes from within. It symbolizes all that we live for — for our lives to be an expression of hope amid the trials and tribulations of living.”
The retrospective exhibition of Margaret’s work runs from Oct. 7 to Oct. 16 at Mahon Hall, daily from 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On Friday, Oct. 14 at 12:30 p.m., Ken will give a talk, “Bowing our Heads in Dutiful Submission,” based on his yet-unpublished book Victoria: The Outpost of Empire, about how two daily newspapers in Victoria reported local feelings about the province’s role in the British Empire, and how three particular Brits, including Rudyard Kipling, viewed Canada’s steady progress towards full nationhood between 1890 and 1914.
Santa’s Workshop seeks new recruits
A long-running volunteer-sponsored Salt Spring event is about to gear up for the holiday season — and is seeking new members, particularly those interested in leadership roles.
For more than three decades, Santa’s Workshop has been providing toys and gifts to needy children at Christmas; those toys are gathered, organized, and distributed by a hard-working core of volunteers.
“We come together for only one month before Christmas,” said coordinator Wendy Eggertson, who has led the group for the last several years, “and have a lot of fun doing it.”
Eggertson said this year that would be from Nov. 21 to Dec. 16, and hopes to see new volunteers interested in sharing leadership with two or three other people for a year, with the intent of them taking on those responsibilities with confidence the following year.
“We are a finely oiled machine, with responsibilities clearly delineated, and jobs spread amongst many volunteers,” said Eggertson. “The goal would be to get a few individuals to share the leadership.”
Responsibilities would include communicating with past and potential volunteers, arranging space for the workshop, communicating with the media, arranging for distribution of gift collection boxes, writing and processing applications, communicating with applicants, arranging gift preparation and distribution schedule, arranging and processing gift certificates and pool passes and “basically overseeing the running of the workshop,” said Eggertson.
“We have many dedicated volunteers who come together every year to provide for children at Christmas who might not receive anything at all, if it were not for the Workshop,” she said. “Parents have been so grateful over the years. This alone makes it a most worthwhile and gratifying endeavour.”
The first planning meeting will be in the second week of October; for information and to volunteer, contact Eggertson at 250-221-2381.
Students drum, march on reconciliation day
Observance included day-long powwow drumming and song
Gulf Islands Secondary School (GISS) students and staff observed Truth and Reconciliation Day early on Thursday, with a day of learning and listening highlighted by powwow drumming, singing and a march through Ganges.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was Friday, Sept. 30. GISS is usually closed on Fridays, so the school’s observance was moved up so everyone could participate meaningfully.
The drumming started at 9 a.m., and didn’t end until dismissal, featuring a rotating group of student musicians taking turns offering “many hands,” according to Indigenous education principal Shannon Johnston. She said some communities will drum for as long as two days.
“The drum beat is the heartbeat,” said Johnston. “We’re drumming for those who did not make it home from the residential schools, who’ve been living in a place of anguish.”
The idea, said Johnston, is to welcome those children back to the creator and their loved ones, to release them from that pain. The drumming was part of a week that saw staff engaging students on how they can be part of the ongoing process of truth and reconciliation — a cultural shift that is still, Johnston agreed, in its early stages.
“Yes, we’re looking backwards in time, to a history that we are not proud of,” said Johnston, “but we’re listening deeply to the elders who are telling us the truth — the first step in truth and reconciliation.”
That deep listening to things that are hard to hear, and conversations that are hard to have, is how we can honour those elders and their story, said Johnston.
“We look back to yesterday, and look forward to tomorrow. And by participating in events like this, you’re changing the trajectory of tomorrow for so many.”
As the drumming continued, music teacher Michelle Footz led the GISS choir — and ultimately, the entire gathered school — in a song by Indigenous composer Sherryl Sewepagaham. Footz and Johnston said the song was given to them at a recent conference of elders, knowledge keepers and songmakers in Victoria. Because it was gifted, the song is sacred, Johnston said. Footz said the melody gives singers and listeners a framework, but not a specific message.
“Because there are no words, you can think about what the meaning is,” said Footz, “either by singing along or just listening. We sing it six times. The first time we each set our own intention with the meaning of the song, and that can feel different for everybody.”
Drums in hand, students and staff then marched in song off school grounds, down Rainbow Road and through town, encountering waves of encouragement and cheerfully beeping horns along the way.
“It’s exciting and beautiful,” said Johnston. “I’m so excited to see all our youth here at the high school, standing in a place of pride as they learn about their cultures.”