Nov 30 - Songhees sue feds and rail caretakers over E&N

Good morning !

Who says Christmas wishes are only for kids? This holiday season, Capital Daily and The Westshore are inviting readers to submit a Christmas wish they’d like to see come true in their municipality.  

Submit your holiday wish, along with your full name—please include the name of the municipality where you live—to [email protected] by Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Your wish may be addressed to the mayor or a particular council member. Inappropriate wishes will be disqualified—and remember, not all wishes will receive a response. We also can’t promise they’ll be granted.

We’ll collect and send them all off by elf-mail to your local Santa (councillor). Look for a response to your unique wish in our Dec. 19th/ 20th newsletter.

— Sidney

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 8 / 4

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 8 / 4

Monday: 🌤️ 7 / 6

NEWS

Songhees sue federal government and non-profit to clean up E&N rail

The lawsuit, filed in the Victoria Supreme Court of BC earlier this month, contends the court should declare that the right-of-way for rail service through Songhees lands has expired and the property has reverted to reserve land for the Songhees Nation.

If the court affirms the land to be under the care of Songhees, the First Nation is expected to file a suit requiring the cleanup and restoration of land, which has been unused since 2014. 

The rail is owned by the non-profit Island Corridor Foundation (ICF)—made up of 14 First Nations and 5 regional districts on the Island. The rail service shut down passenger service in 2011, followed by commercial service in 2014, due to the poor condition of the tracks—which run 225 km from Victoria to Courtenay—after more than a century of service.

The lawsuit asserts that the Crown should have cleaned up the right-of-way immediately after the end of all rail service. It also claims that while the railway was in operation it contaminated the land with chemicals, coal, ash, gasoline, and cinder. 

Land taken 140 years ago under rail clause

The First Nation says when the rail was built through the Songhees Point reserve in 1886, it was done without the permission of the nation or the federal government. Eventually, the feds approved Canadian Pacific Rail’s right-of-way through the reserve and moved the Songhees people off the land—using a clause in the Indian Act that allowed reserve land to be taken for rail use—to their current location at Admirals.

The process to build the E&N railway has been called the “great land grab” by the Hul’qumi’num people, as First Nations throughout the Island were moved from traditional lands to small reserves. 

Last spring the future of the rail line came to a head after the Snaw-naw-as Nation in Nanoose sued for the return of the right-of-way on the grounds that the rail use that had allowed its removal was no longer active. At the March 2023 court-imposed deadline, the federal and BC governments returned that stretch of land. BC also committed $18M to future consultations with affected First Nations about E&N rail.

Songhees suit is the second of its kind this fall

The Snaw-naw-as filed suit in the Supreme Court of BC in October to get the newly returned land cleaned up (or to be compensated for cleaning it up themselves), naming the Attorney General of Canada and the ICF.

The Snaw-naw-as people aren’t waiting for a court decision—they’ve begun the cleanup themselves, having removed approx. 1km of railway track and disintegrating creosote-treated ties. Once the cleanup is complete, a land assessment will be done to determine how contaminated the 4 ha of land is and what the future use of it could be.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Road closures, CCTV deployment downtown for Santa Claus parade. [3:30-7pm]

Int’l Day of Consent: Hotel Zed matching fundraiser for Good Night Out.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Free and public seasonal events around the CRD this December

The holiday season is arriving and municipalities in the CRD have a snow-globe full of festive events planned for everyone to enjoy. Victoria, Saanich, Sidney and others are all lighting up their streets and inviting everyone to fun-filled activities for all ages in celebration of the season.

In an economy where families are ever more mindful with their expenses, municipally sponsored events provide accessible entertainment. These events are a way for people to enjoy a time of year that can often be expensive, and as stressful as it is cheerful.

Whether it’s a visit and photo with Santa, a carriage ride, or a romantic walk under sparkling lights with a hot chocolate you're looking for, the CRD has it all. 

To help you as you plan we’ve generated a list of the events and holiday happenings around the region by municipality. The majority of them are free or by donation to attend.

Check out the full list here.

Season kicks off with 42nd Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade

Today the largest nighttime parade in Canada will feature floats from more than 80 local organizations along with bands, performers, and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Food and cash donations will be collected once again for the Mustard Seed Street Church and Food Bank. Mustard Seed will serve by-donation hot chocolate at Douglas and Humboldt starting at 4:30pm. 

The parade itself begins at 5pm. It ends around 7pm, and then the annual Lights of Wonder display will launch in Centennial Square, where families can also take photos with Santa (by donation).

This year’s route will go north along Government, east on Humboldt, and North on Douglas—ending at the Victoria Public Market. Road closures begin downtown at 3pm.

SPONSORED BY PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

Double your donation on Giving Tuesday

On this year’s Giving Tuesday (December 3) you can double your donation to PHS Community Services Society, a charity that houses people experiencing homelessness in Victoria.

Thanks to an anonymous supporter, donations will be matched to a total of $5,000. Make a difference - donate today.

⭐️ Capital Picks

❄️ Whoville: A snow-covered Comox Valley looks like a scene from a Dr. Seuss book. [Facebook photo]

👩🏽‍⚕️ Victoria housing provider PHS Community Services Society is hiring casual Mental Health Workers. $31.56 p/hr plus 10 per cent in lieu of benefits. Apply here.*

🌟 Legislature lights are officially on. [Upcoming Christmas events]

🎄 Be the hero of your neighborhood this holiday season with FestiLight's dazzling, professional lighting installations that bring magic and joy to every home.*

😂 Jerry Seinfeld announces Victoria show, April 26. Tickets on sale Dec. 6. [Details]

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Major Crimes hands back reopened investigation of teen's death to VicPD 
The unit had already declined to reopen Samantha Sims-Somerville’s case prior to VicPD Chief Del Manak’s statement last week about it; a VicPD spokesperson said Manak didn't know that at the time. Per an email sent to Sims-Somerville’s mother, her case (originally ruled an overdose, but now considered a possible homicide) did not meet the threshold for engagement and was passed back to VicPD. VIIMCU said it recommended another independent agency to VicPD but did not specify which agency.  [CHEK]

Search for missing Saanich man with dementia called off, family continues to look
Police called off the search for Christian Dube, 64—who was last seen a week ago near PKOLS/Mt. Douglas after leaving his care home at Broadmead Lodge—pending another sighting of the man. His niece says she was told he had not been taking his stroke medication and has other health concerns, in addition to dementia. His family and volunteers will keep looking, and plan to check near the Uptown area next. [Times Colonist]

Langford woman blames nearby construction for 2-year rodent invasion
She says the mouse infestation has been “like 101 Dalmatians" and has led to her getting to know the exterminator well enough that he invited her for Thanksgiving. She cites nearby demolitions and argues the city should include rodent rules in construction bylaws. [Sooke News Mirror]

🗓️ Things to do

🎅🏼 Victoria Santa Claus Parade: Check out the beloved Victoria holiday tradition in its 42nd year, starting at Belleville and Government today. 5-8:30pm. [Info]

📺 Or you can watch the parade from afar on the TV broadcast or livestream from CHEK. (Begins 5:30pm)

🩰 Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Nutcracker: See the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Canadian spin on the ballet, featuring a hockey game, Mounties, and polar bears, at Royal Theatre today and tomorrow. 1pm & 7pm. [Info]

🐴 9th Annual Deck the Stalls: The Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association will showcase decorations for 12 horse stalls today. Vote for your favourite stall and enjoy holiday treats. 10am-2pm. [Info]

❄️ Quadra Village Holiday Market: Check out this holiday event organized by youth from the pre-employment and life skills program at Quadra Village Community Centre today. 10am-3pm. [Info]

🧑‍🎨 Artistic Craft Market: Visit the Da Vinci Centre for two days of exceptional arts and crafts, with 40 exhibitors showcasing their work today and tomorrow. 10:30am-5pm. [Info]

🎄 Christmas Market: Kick off the holiday season with a day of festive cheer at the Victoria Public Market today. 11am-6pm.  [Free]

🎁 Chinatown Wonders Christmas Pop-up: Visit Victoria’s Chinatown for a Christmas pop-up, with a lineup of Chinese creators’ products. Today 12-7pm; tomorrow 11am-5pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Friday’s headlines: Poll results shed positive light on BC Ferries; Avian flu hits Saanich Peninsula; Saanich to address shelter shortage; And more. [Nov. 29]

Salsa slapshot: Victoria Grizzlies turn back the clock. [The Westshore]

HarbourCats Christmas open house. [Today]

Mount Washington opens early. [Ski today]

1924 Island road trip through Cameron Lake area. [Facebook photos]

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