Democracy Saltspring has cancelled the all-candidates meeting it had organized for the Legion premises on Tuesday, Sept. 14.
Spokesperson Tony Brogan said Thursday that regulations related to COVID-19 and the new vaccine card system have made it impossible to proceed.
In an email sent to the candidates, Brogan said it turned out the event would be restricted to a maximum of 50 people rather than the 80 originally contemplated, and organizers would have to assume liability “that could amount to thousands of dollars in fines and in extreme cases jail time for accidental or deliberate violations of B.C. government mandates.”
He added that his group would have to ensure that everyone attending had been vaccinated at least once.
“We consider medical records a private matter and are not willing to attempt such a search,” Brogan wrote.
Candidates would also have to display a vaccine passport.
“We are sad to have to cancel this event but ask you to consider how a little more democratic freedom has died under COVID dictat,” his email to candidates stated.
Salt Spring Islanders gathered in downtown Ganges on Wednesday afternoon to protest British Columbia’s COVID-19 policy, in particular the vaccination requirement for non-essential services and entertainment venues coming into effect on Sept. 13.
Billed as an event supporting “unity, medical freedom and the right for everyone to choose,” the rally ran from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Organizers had sought to stretch a line of peaceful protest from the Beachside cafe all the way to Thrifty Foods and managed to cover at least half the distance. Many vehicles passing by showed their support by honking their horns.
Handmade signs shared statements from “resist medical coercion” and “no vaxx pass” to “Men, will you rise up to protect your kids and wives?”
The event also attracted a few counter protesters, including one young woman holding a sign stating “Vaccines work.”
A speaker at the close of the rally said the group plans to be back in town on Sept. 13. Starting that day, a provincial health order requires people aged 12 and up to have proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to attend places such as indoor concerts, theatre, dance and symphony events; restaurants and pubs; gyms, exercise facilities and pools; and indoor recreational classes and activities like pottery, art and choir. Post-secondary students living in on-campus housing in B.C. will also be required to be vaccinated.
Full vaccination with two doses is required for those situations by Oct. 24. The requirement is in place until Jan. 31, 2022 and could be extended.
The Driftwood posed three questions to the six candidates running in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding in the Sept. 20 federal election. Their answers are below.
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. Climate justice and social justice. I know there can’t be one without the other. That’s why I am standing for bold climate action that builds on the leadership of First Nations and creates good green jobs to support families and communities. Our plan is comprehensive and will address both the affordability issues that are holding us back and the climate emergency that threatens our children’s future. Jack Layton presented the first Climate Change Accountability Act in 2006, and we have built on that work ever since. We will introduce an Environmental Bill of Rights and create and fund a Climate Accountability Office, to provide independent oversight of federal climate progress.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. We will create a 10-year nature plan to reverse species loss and curb the trade of wild animals. We will protect our waters by reducing emissions, expanding marine protected areas, reducing key threats to ocean ecosystems, and implementing a national freshwater strategy. We will support Indigenous-led nature conservation, land-use and climate planning, including by growing the Indigenous Guardians Program and working together to advance the protection and restoration of wild Pacific salmon.
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. Justin Trudeau promised to have a national vaccine passport by the end of October. Now he says it may not be in place for a full year. Like so much else it’s taking too long. We will create a passport that allows Canadians to travel internationally, and mandate vaccination leave for federal workers.
We would make it a Criminal Code offence to harass or obstruct someone from accessing medical care and amend the Criminal Code to make it a more serious offence to assault a health-care worker.
We’d also create workplace vaccine clinics, so access is convenient, support school-based vaccination programs, restore the Canada Recovery Benefit to $2,000 and extend pandemic support for workers and small businesses.
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. The climate emergency and handling the COVID pandemic, as well as post-COVID recovery. The “why” is that we are running out of time to avert catastrophic climate change. The most recent IPCC report, dubbed “Code Red for Humanity,” should have galvanized all parties to put climate at the top of the agenda. Ideally, post-COVID recovery is aligned to the transition away from fossil fuels and the enormous economic opportunity it represents.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. Greens have the strongest climate plan and policy of any party. We are the only party to fully recognize that we are in a climate emergency and take the steps necessary to avoid unstoppable, self-accelerating global warming. We must reduce GHG by 60 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. One critical key to global progress has been recognized by Greens, and no one else. That is to take on directly the obstacles to climate action created by the World Trade Organization. Our platform calls for the creation of a revamped World Trade and Climate Organization to ensure that trade is consistent with a global carbon budget.
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. More than a Liberal government effort, my sense of the response is that it was an inspiring non-partisan effort. Parliament acted as Team Canada. All the bills passed between March and September 2020, a total of $80 billion in emergency relief, from CERB to CEWS and various patches, business loans and other programmes, were passed unanimously. The mechanism of unanimous consent meant that any one MP could have, at any point, called out “nay” and stopped one or another element of the COVID response measures. I wish all Canadians could have heard the phone calls I had with key ministers, the emergency briefings and the fortnightly meetings between the four opposition parties and the Minister of Finance. I especially wish that partisanship had not reared its ugly head. The pandemic parliament worked well by focusing on Canadians’ health and working round the clock to help.
Greens would have ensured greater collaboration and coordination between the federal government and all provincial/territorial health officers.
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. The federal government should be upholding the constitution and be on the side of personal bodily sovereignty. Medical freedom is of the utmost importance and medical information should remain private. This election is quite literally the last chance for freedom in Canada.
Also, the federal government needs to stop out-of-control spending. During the pandemic, Canada borrowed the most as a percentage of GDP of any nation in the G7 and is still spending and borrowing like a drunken sailor. Income assistance being doled out by the federal government is creating a workforce shortage and needs to end along with all lockdown measures.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. Freedom. A woman sent me an email who left Poland 35 years ago. She is terrified. What she sees happening in Canada with dividing us over vaccination status as eerily similar to Poland’s history. It took 50 years to end the tyranny in Poland. We need to end the tyranny now.
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. I think the Liberal response has been nothing short of disastrous. If we had followed the science from the Great Barrington Declaration, which thoroughly described best practices for pandemic response, that would have protected the vulnerable and caused minimal harm to the rest of the population. We would have promoted early disease treatments that have been effective in other countries to drastically reduce hospitalizations and death. We would not have allowed censorship of doctors and medical researchers. Mental, physical, and economic health outcomes would have been much better for Canadians.
David Busch – Conservative Party of Canada davidbusch.ca/
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. The cost of living: The cost for food, transportation and housing are rapidly rising out of reach for many Canadians. The housing supply locally is insufficient to meet the demands of our growing population with the benchmark price for a single family home now exceeding $1,000,000.
Health care: Far too many residents in the riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands do not have a family doctor. Wait times for medical testing, and procedures are unreasonably long. Recently the Saanich Peninsula hospital had to close its ER overnight to due a lack of staff. Meanwhile Salt Spring is unable to recruit and retain needed health-care professionals for Lady Minto Hospital.
Economic recovery after the pandemic: We, as a country, need to get back to work and be as productive and creative as possible both to support ourselves and our families and to help to pay back the debt individuals and the country have incurred during the pandemic.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. I am proud of our whole plan, which can be read at www.conservative.ca/plan/
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. While the Liberal government obtained vaccines, they arrived well after other developed countries. Our current high vaccination rate is a tribute to our provincial health officers and the drive of Canadians.
The Trudeau Liberals failed to provide leadership on this issue. They refused to listen in January of 2020 when the Conservatives, NDP and the Bloc called for the borders to be closed. Likewise the Liberals saying in April of 2020 that masks were of no value did nothing to instill trust in the medical system.
A Conservative government would not have partnered with China for a vaccine. We would have negotiated with reputable pharmaceutical companies first to obtain vaccines in a timely manner. A Conservative government would have worked with the provinces to provide all available information and ensure it was public so as to minimize fear and address the concerns of those reluctant to be vaccinated.
Finally, a Conservative government would not have called an election when the health officers were warning of a fourth wave, needlessly risking Canadian lives.
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. The most urgent issues facing our society right now are the climate crisis and the housing crisis. Young people, working people, Indigenous people, vulnerable and marginalized people are living increasingly precarious, anxious, impoverished lives because of the unavailability and exorbitant expense of housing, and because of the looming threat of rapid anthropogenic climate change and catastrophic weather events. The Communist Party of Canada promotes the building of publicly owned, social housing, with rent geared to income such that no one need spend more than twenty per cent of their income on housing, and promotes the nationalization of the energy industry such as to rapidly transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. The Communist Party of Canada promotes public ownership and democratic control over critical sectors of the economy, from energy, to finance, to telecommunications. The NDP has abandoned its normative commitment to public ownership, and their spending commitments in effect hand over public money to private interests to achieve desired ends, exactly as the Liberals do. Public investment is good, but what is required is a fundamental transformation of production, exchange, communication and distribution in our society from being oriented around the ends of private profit to being oriented around the achievement of definite, determinate, social, political, and ecological needs.
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. The pandemic took us all by surprise and dealing with it in government was a tremendous challenge. Nevertheless, our party critiques the lopsidedly pro-capitalist and imperialist elements of the Liberals’ response. First, Canada was, shamefully, the only G7 nation to raid the COVAX reserve, intended for use by the global south, and failed to make its contributions to COVAX in a timely manner. Second, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy amounts to a permanent and ongoing no-strings-attached public subsidization of the private economy, which has been paid out in huge dividends to wealthy shareholders. And, third, handing over $5.4 billion of public money to Air Canada, a private company, without making that bailout contingent on a public equity stake in the company, is perfectly representative of how the Liberals work for their wealthy donors, not everyday Canadians.
Q. What do you believe are the two most urgent issues requiring federal government attention at this time, and why?
A. The two most urgent issues are climate change and continuing to support Canadians through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Q. Describe one of your party’s platform policies that you are particularly happy to promote.
A. We know that climate change is now the overriding environmental issue facing our communities and our planet.
Page 42 of the Liberal Platform includes a report card on key actions to fight climate change the Liberal government implemented since 2015. Two key actions we have taken include:
• In December 2020, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced our Liberal government’s new Strengthened Climate Plan for a Healthy Environment and Healthy Economy, including 64 new measures and supported by an initial $15 billion in investments to help build a better future.
• With a national price on carbon (rising to $170 per tonne by 2030) and other measures, we will cut Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. This is an increase from our previous pledge to cut emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
• In June, the Liberal government passed the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12), to set legally binding emissions targets to reach net-zero emissions in 2050. Bill C-12 improves transparency and consistency on climate action and will enable Canadians to hold the federal government to account for meeting emissions reduction targets. Most of the leading environmental organizations in Canada, Mark Jaccard of Simon Fraser University, Andrew Weaver and others endorsed this legislation.
Q. How do you feel the Liberal government has handled the pandemic response? What would be the same and what would be different about your party’s response?
A. When the pandemic began, our Liberal team quickly procured vaccines to keep Canadians safe and healthy. We provided support to the provinces and territories, and to all Canadians to ensure they have access to strong public health leadership, supplies and funding to support health services.
Thanks to the hard work of Canadians, we’re among the top countries in the world for COVID-19 vaccinations. Canadians want to finish the fight against COVID. They want to send their kids back to school knowing they’ll be safe. They want to visit loved ones and take vacations, and our small businesses and our communities want to get back to normal.
Residents of Canvasback Place have vowed to do everything necessary to stop a new telecommunications tower from being installed virtually in their backyards, and are hoping to convince the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee to reverse its position on the tower as a starting point.
The LTC voted in July to submit a statement of concurrence to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) on the joint application by Rogers Communications and CREST Emergency Communications to construct a new 40-metre (130-foot) tower on Channel Ridge. While that letter has already gone out, the LTC has now directed staff to investigate whether any other action should be taken.
“There’s a small group of us that are looking at what next steps may be,” resident Elaine Senkpiel told the Driftwood. “I think [group member] Julian Clark has put it very well when he said we’ll take any and all actions: political, media, potentially legal. We hope we don’t have to go that route, but we’re not going away.”
Residents including Senkpiel implored the LTC to reverse their decision at their Aug. 31 business meeting. Clark observed that under ISED regulations, Rogers could expand the tower height by up to 25 per cent without any further approval once it has been in existence for one year.
“A 40-metre tower exceeds (and 50 meters will vastly exceed) the surrounding tree height and will most likely require an aviation warning system, including a flashing red light that is active 24 hours a day,” Clark stated in a written submission. “Rogers simply stated they will comply with Transport Canada safety requirements, but they did not clearly state what those requirements will be.”
Clark additionally outlined potential harms to local residents’ health, property values and community aesthetics as reasons for a reversal.
Connie Nichols-Ledger’s Canvasback home lies directly downhill from an existing Telus tower close to where the new tower is proposed. The tower is buffeted by a large North Salt Spring Waterworks holding tank and some surrounding forest, although that was considerably thinned after the disastrous December 2018 windstorm. The neighbours estimate the new tower will be just 43 metres (145 feet) from Nichols-Ledger’s back property line and 55 metres (180 feet) from her back door.
Local governments are directed not to comment on the contentious issue of the potential health impacts of electro-magnetic radiation during the ISED referral process, as long as the proposal complies with Health Canada’s “Safety Code 6” parameters. However, Nichols-Ledger relies on a pacemaker to regulate electrical activity in her heart and to keep it pumping every day. Electromagnetic interference is a known risk for people like herself; people with pacemakers must stay two feet away from induction ovens, for example. Nichols-Ledger said the manufacturer will not guarantee her pacemaker’s functioning will not be impacted by the new tower.
“Maybe I’m naive, but I always thought the Trust was elected in order to look after our interests and the interests of the island. And it doesn’t just mean watersheds and ecology, etc., etc. It also means the average human being,” Nichols-Ledger said. “I’ve thought about this so much, and it just seems to me to be so inhumane not to do all of the work.”
Since talking to residents, Salt Spring trustee Peter Grove has expressed concern that the Rogers and CREST application may have been misleading and that due process on consultation was not followed. His fellow trustee Laura Patrick, who opposed the original statement of concurrence, has the opposite view.
“I did vote against it because I did visit the site and I did read the package,” Patrick said, noting she had voiced concerns about lack of direct consultation with area residents before the July 27 vote.
The Canvasback group has suggested the tower would be more appropriately sited on other undeveloped acreage nearby owned by the Onni Group, where roads and utilities were put in for an as-yet unconstructed Channel Ridge village site. The residents would also like to see the Salt Spring LTC follow telecommunications policy like the one the Galiano Local Trust Committee adopted in 2018, with its more cautious 500-metre siting setback and early consultation guidelines.
Rogers and CREST could have been required to provide a list of possible siting options under the Islands Trust’s model antenna strategy, which the Trust’s local planning committee developed in 2018 for local Trust committees to potentially adopt. Salt Spring does not currently have an approved policy of its own. Since the federal government revoked a letter of understanding with the Islands Trust some years back, ISED’s default consultation procedure applies.
LTC chair Peter Luckham suggested last week that community concerns about health and property values are not things the LTC can consider in its referral, so reviewing the decision again may not produce any new results. But he encouraged the LTC to work on how it addresses such applications in the future.
“Let’s get the model antenna strategy project on our work program and let’s get that work done. Even as is, it doesn’t require a lot of work. It’s better than nothing,” Luckham said.
A community fundraising campaign has been been launched in hopes of completing a long-stalled project with a timeline that has outlasted two of its biggest champions to date.
The Memorial Harbourwalk Fund, now open on the GoFundMe platform, has a $100,000 target and the goal of finishing the “Matt Steffich & Arvid Chalmers Harbourwalk” at last. The fundraiser was created by islanders Wayne Tepper and Bruce Cameron.
“It’s time to make this project happen. Bruce and myself have taken it upon ourselves to really light a fire under it again,” Tepper told the Driftwood.
Most of the existing boardwalk was built in the late 1980s. The campaign to finish the project by bridging gaps and extending the structure around more of the harbour has been gaining steam over the past six or seven years and is now on the Salt Spring Parks and Recreation project list.
Tepper said he was close to both Chalmers and Steffich, who died in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Chalmers had built part of the original infrastructure in front of property he co-owned on the waterfront, and made several creative proposals over the years for completing the missing gaps. Steffich championed the completion project as an executive member of the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce and as chair of the Harbourwalk Steering Committee, which reports to the Salt Spring Parks and Recreation Commission.
The fundraiser campaign was announced during a memorial event for Steffich held on Aug. 22.
“Matt’s celebration of life was a wonderful experience, just amazing,” Tepper said. “He was well-loved by this community. This project was so important to him. So it’s really time for this project to be built – in both of their memories.”
Salt Spring’s previous Capital Regional District electoral area director Wayne McIntyre awarded $150,000 in Community Works Funds to initiate planning work on the project. Part of the funding was used to assess the existing boardwalk structure and the feasibility of rehabilitating or replacing sections of the boardwalk that have been closed. Archeological, environmental, geotechnical and structural studies have also been completed.
Speaking during the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee meeting last Tuesday, current CRD director Gary Holman reported that next steps will be to commission the detailed design drawings, along with consultation with First Nations, Ganges Marina and the public in general. A request for proposals to undertake this work is being drafted, he said.
Holman said the harbourwalk is a PARC priority, but it has been delayed because of some other opportunities that arose, such as the possibility of acquiring new parkland on Mount Maxwell and leasing the vacant Salt Spring Middle School for use by community groups. The need to act quickly on those opportunities has taken up crucial staff time, but Holman said there is funding set aside for the detailed designs and he hopes work will get underway this fall. Those drawings will also aid future grant applications, he noted, although the project is still far from the funding and building phases.
Steffich’s widow Christine is listed as the GoFundMe campaign beneficiary. Tepper said she will be the keeper of the funds until there is more known on how the community can get involved.
In response to the good question about crosswalks posed by Larry Woods in his letter to the editor in last week’s Driftwood, the following is a glimpse into the limitations and progress of the CRD’s Salt Spring Transportation Commission.
While Salt Spring’s only body with some responsibility for our roads, please keep in mind that they are all owned by the province and managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI).
The transportation commission’s mandate is to work with MoTI to enhance pedestrian safety. Examples are the sidewalks and pathways that were recently constructed in Ganges and along Lower Ganges between Booth Canal and Central. Construction of additional pathways and sidewalks remain a top priority for commissioners, CRD staff, and our CRD director, Gary Holman.
While MoTI approved three new crosswalks as a part of these sidewalk/pathway projects, it has been difficult to get MoTI approval for new crosswalks. Why is it difficult to do something as seemingly-simple as painting pedestrian crosswalks on our streets? Amazingly, every painted crosswalk has to be studied and approved by MoTI — and MoTI is not a big fan of crosswalks, relying upon the statistics that more pedestrian accidents occur in crosswalks. While one could argue that there are simply more pedestrians in crosswalks fuelling these statistics, MoTI’s response is generally that pedestrians are safer crossing mindfully at intersections than crossing on the painted lines with — possibly — a false sense of security. (A little-known fact is that all intersections are legal crosswalks even without the painted lines.)
Now, Larry. . . I can hear you scoffing at this. . . and you will get widespread support for questioning this logic.
In response, the transportation commission, working with Gary Holman, MLA Adam Olsen and MoTI, is advocating for pedestrian safety by:
• Installing flags at many crosswalks (thanks Peter Meyer!). They can be placed at all crosswalks if utilized enough, so, grab one when you cross!
• Working with ICBC to conduct a road safety study to identify danger areas that need signage and safety markings.
• Supporting its Traffic Calming and Accessibility Working Groups to identify pedestrian safety and accessibility needs.
• Using their recommendations, initiating a Ganges Active Transportation Study to further analyze pedestrian safety needs, presumably including additional crosswalks.
• Developing a good working relationship with our MoTI area manager to enhance pedestrian safety.
Now, I know, it would be far easier to simply paint some lines on our streets, but please understand, we are aware of our many pedestrian safety challenges and are doing our very best to address them.
The writer chairs the CRD’s Salt Spring Transportation Commission.
The ArtSpring stage has remained dark for all but 22 days of the past 18 months. The galleries have fared a little better, with several exhibitions and of course the vital work of the island’s vaccination clinic. But we’re certainly ready to have the building filled once again with the sight and sound of live music, dance, theatre, visual art, conversation, laughter and applause.
The ArtSpring stage is where national and international touring artists and incredible local performers entertain our very lucky community, and our own ArtSpring Presents 2021-22 season promises something very special.
The season begins on Oct. 7 and 8 with Wen Wei Dance Ying Yun, a sublime piece choreographed for five female dancers. There’s another chance to see part one of Jeffrey Renn’s masterful one-man show, At Your Service (part two is in late November), followed by our first live music presentation, Victoria folk trio West My Friend. November brings contemporary Indigenous dance company Red Sky Performance (Trace) from Toronto, and beguiling singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing.
The new year launches our classical music programming with baroque violin/viola duo Chloe Kim and Joanna Hood, and the long-awaited performance by concert pianist Angela Hewitt. Making very welcome returns to ArtSpring are pianist Michael Kaeshammer, and the Indigenous company Dancers of Damelahamid (Spirit and Tradition). Canadian bassoonist George Zukerman emcees a celebration of Beethoven’s early music with a 10-strong ensemble in The Young Beethoven, and dynamic quartet The Fretless return to push folk music to exciting new heights.
Into the spring, we have guests from afar — Argentinian soprano María Cristina Kiehr and lute player Ariel Abramovich — and close to home, with Christina Penhale and Jeffrey Renn performing some of Shakespeare’s most iconic love scenes in Lovin’ Shakespeare. The season closes with Canadian dancer/choreographer Peggy Baker (unmoored).
Along with the joy of reopening comes new safety protocols. Proof of vaccination is required for all patrons age 12+ until at least Jan. 31, 2022, and masks must be worn at all times. Audience capacity is 129 seats.
Executive and artistic director Cicela Månsson has been reflecting on the work and achievement of ArtSpring.
“All of us at ArtSpring are excited to reopen and have community as well as visiting artists back on the stage, and in the gallery. It is, after all, what we do. We all know there will be challenges, but with our staff, board, volunteers, and supporters we have the capacity to meet those bumps in the road. And in the end, when we see how loved and heavily used this space is by the community it really makes it all worthwhile.”
Ticket sales start on Tuesday, Sept. 14 (for members and 2019-20 season subscribers) and on Tuesday, Sept. 21 for general sales.
Mom died September 3rd at age 93 with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) at home, on her own terms.
She was fiercely independent, stubborn, interesting, unique, and loyal. But above all, she loved her family. Her caring and concern sometimes spilled over into worry, but that never stopped her from wanting us to live life to the fullest.
She also loved nature, and planted trees wherever she lived, first in Vancouver and then on Saltspring for the past 20 years.
Mom knew, firsthand, how fleeting life can be, and how quickly the underpinnings of our world can evaporate. It was wrenchingly hard to say good-bye, and yet our last days together were filled with joy, laughter, wonderful meals and memories to treasure.
She is survived by her five kids and their families, including 11 grandchildren.
We are grateful for everyone who enriched Mom’s life, including those who fought for end of life rights.
Since Jody was passionate about protecting a healthy future for her family and all beings, donations to the Land Conservancy in her honour, or simply working to protect forests and plant trees are good ways to honour her passing.
“For all that has been, thanks, For all that is to come, yes!”
A year later, we honor the life and death of Ray Phillips…
Raymond died on September 24th 2020 at the age of 84 at Lady Minto hospital from complications due to multiple strokes in recent years.
Ray was born in New Westminster, B.C. on February 15, 1936 to father Harry and mother Dorothy (nee Beaton) as the second of two children.
Ray spent much of his youth working in his father’s store, Phillips Appliances in New Westminster. He attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a BA. Over the course of his life, Ray had many careers, from stock brokerage, to sales, to real estate consulting. It was not until mid-life, however, that Ray discovered his real passion, where depth psychology and quantum physics meet. This passion led Ray to pursue a master’s degree at Pacifica Graduate Institute and to spend the rest of his life working on his magnum opus exploring the intersection of new physics and psychology through the lens of his own life story.
Ray reveled in being a father and grandfather, taking immense delight basking in the presence of his children and grandchildren. Family meals and snuggles on the couch were among his favourite things in the world. Ray also loved golf, a good drink with friends, and the simple pleasure of solitude, while having a good “think” and a glass of red wine.
Ray was preceded by his parents. He is survived by his brother Gordon Phillips, daughters Heather, Chelsea, and Amy, his son, Cam (Tanya) and his three grandchildren, Lyra, Connor, and Nathan as well as his two ex-wives and dear friends, Jean and MarySue.
Due to covid complications, details for a celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
Joseph Campbell’s famous phrase “Follow Your Bliss” was very meaningful to Ray. To honor his memory we invite you to “follow your bliss” in some way.
Tony (Anthony Norman) Eyles died unexpectedly on September 8th in Vancouver.
Born in Nelson, B.C. in 1979, Tony grew up on Salt Spring Island, was part of the first Kindergarten class at Fulford School and graduated from GISS. Tony worked at a variety of jobs from bar tender to Food and Beverage Manager and over the last few years trained as an elevator mechanic.
Twelve years ago Tony met Caitlin Pender, the love of his life. They married in September 2012 and have two children, Haven age 8 and Piper age 6. Tony adored his family and they were his priority in life. His motto was “Family First”. He lived by it and expected the same of others. He was thankful that both his union and his employers supported him in this. Tony was a loyal friend, a loving son and brother, a devoted father and an adoring husband.
The family are devastated by this loss but very grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received.
Tony is also survived by mother Carole Eyles, father David Eyles, sister Natasha Ayton, brother-in-law Ciarán Ayton, niece Saoirse Ayton, nephew Oisín Ayton and a large cohort of aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family. Predeceased by brother Nathan.
A private funeral will be held in Maple Ridge. The service will be live-streamed and recorded for those who are not able to attend.
