Oct 2 - First Nations' Truth and Reconciliation Day snub

Good morning !

I didn’t make it to the South Island Powwow on Mon., as my colleague Robyn and 11k others did. I don’t have a horse in this race, but I can’t help but wonder whether John Rustad should have gone. Perhaps it would have changed his opinion on one of his campaign announcements. That’s our first story.

Scroll down to our second, if you enjoy eating sea urchins and their creamy orange roe, or uni, which is the creature’s ovaries or testicles.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 17 / 9

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 16 / 9

Friday: 🌦️ 16 / 11

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NEWS

Conservative Leader Rustad offers a pointed challenge to Indigenous rights in BC

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, calls it “astonishingly reprehensible.” And, “quite frankly, racist,” he says.

Phillip is talking about a campaign announcement from the BC Conservatives. He’s as miffed about the timing as he is about the content. OK. Maybe more about the content. But it’s close.

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad picked—of all days—Truth and Reconciliation Day to let it be known if elected premier, one of the first things on his to-do list is to unhook this province from UNDRIP, United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which as the title suggests, guarantees Indigenous rights.

“We find it to be very counterproductive, very negative, and quite frankly racist to make such an announcement, such an ambiguous announcement on Reconciliation Day,” Phillip said.

“The acceleration of industrialized destruction of our homelands, our territories, is nothing to cheer about,” he said. “It's not economic reconciliation. It's economic exploitation.”

 Read Sidney Coles’ full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Did you witness a motorcycle collision Mon. on Cook? [VicPD]

Blue-Green algae bloom at Thetis, Durrance, Beaver, and Prior lakes. [Info]

Malahat repaving near Goldstream. [Expect delays beginning Fri.]

NEWS

VIU and Canadian Food Inspection Agency team to test shellfish

Biology students are feeding biotoxins to sea urchins in an experiment that ultimately could improve food security for remote Indigenous communities.

The biotoxin, also known as paralytic shellfish poison, doesn’t harm the sea urchin, nor does it affect clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels—but it can be deadly for humans. And because people who live on the coastline rely on the ocean for a lot of their food, coastal Indigenous communities are at higher risk of being affected by paralytic shellfish poison (PSP).

Lead researcher Timothy Green, VIU’s Canada research chair in shellfish health and genomics, says generally speaking, a person living in Bella Bella eats about 24 times as much seafood as someone who lives in the BC Interior.

By exposing sea urchins to PSP, the Vancouver Island University students are trying to determine whether the shellfish bioaccumulate the toxin—store up more of the poison than they excrete—to lethal levels.

If they do—and biotoxins can stay in clams for two years after being exposed, for example—then the sea urchins are a no-go to eat. But if they don’t then bon appetit.

You can’t see, smell, or cook away the toxin, so the point of the study is to try to create a portable testing kit that people in remote communities can use in a snap.

Read more about sea urchins by the seashore here.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

📖 GVPL seeks emerging authors. [Apply here] 

🖊️ Victoria Festival of Authors tickets on sale. [Oct.16-20]

🏆 Victoria named #1 best small city in the world by Condé Nast Traveler for the second straight year.

🌅 Good morning October: See the sunrise matching the month’s usual orange and black colour scheme. [Facebook photo]

🍁 The Canadian Club of Victoria presents Community Safety & Well-being, featuring Sandra Severs, President of the Victoria Downtown Residents' Association. October 8, 11:45 AM - 1:30pm at Hotel Grand Pacific. Get your tickets today!*

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🗞️ In Other News

Legislative precinct running out of space, hiring consultant
The legislative chamber, committee rooms, MLA offices, caucus spaces, and staff areas are nearing capacity, according to a posting for a consultant to help develop a procurement process for planning future maintenance for the building. It would also aim to address seismic upgrades needed—which could cost an estimated $700M-$900M, roughy 100 times the cost of constructing the buildings back in the 1890s. [Times Colonist]

After 2 months of construction, Shelbourne reopens
Residents who’ve been out of luck for parking between Bay and Hillside can finally have their street back. New lighting, signal poles, sidewalk work, and the construction of bike lanes from Haultain to North Dairy made parking a challenge. Construction on the Saanich side continues with more bike lanes and 21 new or improved bike and pedestrian crosswalks going in—with a projected end date of spring 2026. [CHEK]

NDP promises to compensate patients for long medical drives
Patients in small BC communities who have to fly to larger centres for treatment can apply to get some of that cost back—and the New Democrats want to expand that to people who drive there. If re-elected, the incumbent party pledges to move those payments upfront. Right now, workers in BC can take eight days off work due to serious illness without fear of losing their jobs. The NDP promises to expand that to 27 weeks, as it is in Ontario, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. [CTV]

Man charged in Ditidaht First Nation murder investigation
A violent Sat. morning incident left one dead, one arrested, and the First Nation placed under lockdown. RCMP arrived at a home at 7am to find a man dead. No cause was immediately made available. Resident Derian Tate was charged with first-degree murder. Tate appeared in court yesterday via video. He’ll remain in custody until Oct. 8, when it will be determined whether he’s eligible for bail. [Lake Cowichan Gazette]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎪 The circus is in town!: American Crown Circus at Mayfair Shopping Centre. From thrilling acrobats to hilarious clowns, the circus has something for everyone. Mayfair. Tomorrow-Mon. [Info]

🧱 🎃 Create a LEGO Pumpkin: Kids aged four and up can unleash their creativity by building LEGO jack-o-lanterns and decorating spooky colouring sheets at Staples. Today. 5-7pm. [Info]

🧠 Drink and Think Trivia: Have fun at a fast-paced trivia game with colourful graphics, upbeat music, and great prizes at Penny Farthing Pub. Tonight. 7-8:30pm. [Info]

🎤 Donovan Woods: Enjoy the singer-songwriter Donovan Woods’ blend of folk, country, and pop at the McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 8pm. [Info]

🎶 Xana: See the independent Queer artist present The Sex Was Good Tour at Capital Ballroom. Tomorrow. 9pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday headlines: South Island Powwow draws 11K to RAP; Victoria hopes grants will help pay for bike lanes, Crystal Pool, Centennial Square; Kittens found in box in Thetis Lake parking lot; And more. [Capital Daily]

South Island Powwow photo essay. [Capital Daily]

No exemptions for you: BC says no to View Royal and Sooke density regulation requests. [The Westshore]

Saanich seeks public input on pickleball & tennis. [Survey]

River otters horse around on a Nanaimo dock [VanIsleWildlife]