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Help Raise Awareness by Painting Messages of Strength
Heaven or Hell: Which One Are You Living in Right Now?
Lesley Young is an Advanced Neuroptimal Neurofeedback practitioner offering transformative sessions locally. A s I sit here in self-isolation,
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I am enjoying what is being offered to me right now: a pause from the rigors of a daily schedule, more quality time with my family, and much needed selfcare. Consequently, my heart is flooded with a sense of gratitude and joy. In fact, I almost forget there is a pandemic going on until I have to leave my sanctuary and venture out to shop for groceries.
Once out into the world I am astounded by the fear and anxiety that some people appear to be experiencing. Why, during this pandemic, are some people experiencing heaven on earth and others a living hell?
Now I certainly acknowledge the suffering of those who have been directly affected by the virus and those who have lost their income. But what about the rest of us? Why would this forced “time out” be felt as a welcoming gift by some and a prison by others?
In his book Everything is Here to Help You, Matt Kahn claims that in order to heal our emotional density within (i.e. deep-rooted anxiety, fear, sadness, anger) we need to give ourselves “the gift of space”—a break from our daily routines and distractions. According to Matt Kahn, our hearts require these moments of spaciousness and rest to heal and align.
Those who meditate or take regular time outs from life’s routines and distractions know this gift of space and its benefits well. In my observation, these people tend to be the ones enjoying this forced isolation. However, for those who rarely take time to slow down and go within, this gift of space may be perceived as a nightmare as it triggers unconscious emotional density; overwhelming the person with anxiety, fear, and anger.
None of us are completely immune to the effects of this prolonged time out. Between moments of bliss, I have certainly experienced fear and anxiety around homeschooling my nine-year-old daughter. Initially I felt angry and inconvenienced. However, a deeper look within revealed the root cause and with compassion, self-love and patience I was able to transform this anxiety into an opportunity to create a greater connection with my daughter.
If you do feel overwhelmed with emotion and cannot find relief, neurofeedback can help. Neurofeedback can help you to quickly move through all the emotional density that is being triggered by this pandemic. I saw this played out in one of my clients. The first time she came for a session she was wearing what looked like a gas mask and her eyes were filled with fear. After a few sessions her anxiety lessened, and she was able to go out in the world without her gas mask. She reported that she felt calmer and more relaxed than she has felt in a long time and yet the world events had not changed!
If Matt Kahn is right and everything is a here to help us, then maybe this unprecedented time is an opportunity for healing—healing ourselves, our families, and Mother Earth. If you are finding it challenging to sustain a healthy mind and lifestyle during these unprecedented times remember that you are not alone. Support is available.
During times of isolation, restricted access to services, economic downturn and increased stress occurrences of violence against women escalate - intimate partner violence, family violence, sexual assault. Help raise awareness by painting rocks with messages of strength, courage and self-love. On the back, write our message “Domestic Violence... women are NOT ‘Safer At Home’ COVID-19” #sharethelovecovid19 . “Share the Love” and generate a sense of community during these socially challenging times by using sanitized hands to leave your rock in a public place. www.warmlandwomen.org fb/warmlandwomen Instagram warmlandwomen
As we are slowly emerging from quarantine, we are still encouraged to stay at home as much as possible. Practicing your exercise routine at home is one aspect of life that Valley Voice readers have had to adapt to in this Covid-19 world we live in. For some, if you were Practicing yoga@home regularly attending a yoga studio for class you may have found it hard to keep up your own practice at There, we just did yoga. Read the paragraph above again more slowly and do some more yoga. home. Or you may be new to yoga and home) and you just never had a chance to start. True yoga means there is no need to do anything special with your body. Yoga translated means I often say that everyone can do yoga. And it’s true. Everyone can do yoga at anytime. Right now you can practice. Let’s do yoga together. joining, union, connecting. It is about staying present with yourself. It is about meeting your body and your mind, your emotions and thoughts, and so connecting to your whole self. First, notice where you are sitting or lying down to read this article. Feel the sensations of your skin touching clothing or furniture. Feel how gravity is working on your body. Notice your hands, if they are touching this paper, or resting on a surface, feel your eyes as they move across the words. Then, become aware of your emotions, are you feeling sad, happy, rejected, ecstatic, depressed, lonely, joyful, irritated? Become aware of The only thing you need to practice yoga is yourself and your present moment awareness. You can practice yoga lying in your bed, walking your dog, standing doing the dishes, kneeling while gardening, playing with your kids or grandkids. Anytime you bring yourself back to this moment now to notice and fully connect to what you are doing and what you are feeling, you are practicing yoga. whatever you are feeling and simply allow yourself to feel. A formal yoga class will show you how to use the light of your Next, notice any thoughts you are having. They may be thoughts about the past or the future. The images in your mind could be distracting you, just notice. awareness in a guided and very deliberate way in different poses. This is the “practice”. Then after the practice comes the real yoga, the moment you get off your mat and move about your Now, bring your attention to your breath. Notice your how you are inhaling and exhaling. Bring the light of your awareness into your breathing, into this moment now. Be curious. daily life. Notice if you can continue to experience the beauty and the wonder of the world from a body and mind that work together, that are connected. Yoga teaches you to live from an open heart that beats only in How does it feel to join with yourself in this way? Stay this moment now. That’s yoga@ home. www.kathywhiteyoga.com curious, and don’t think there is a correct way to be. There is simply this now. And you are joining it. You are in a deeper connection with everything that is arising inside of you. It’s that simple. Kathy White, yoga teacher, art therapist and certified facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. Her yoga studio is in Crofton. She teaches Kaiut Yoga in her studio and currently all classes are online on Zoom.
Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health Wild Goose Qigong (Chi Gong)
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Mondays 9~10:15am (Rivendell) Wednesdays 10:15am-11:30am Thursdays 8:45am-10am (HUB) Fridays 10am-11:15am (Victoria) Northern Shaolin Chun Yuen Quan Dynamic movement
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Tuesdays 6pm-7:15pm Wednesdays 9am-10:15am
Diana Pink I 250 597-2102 I afreshstart@shaw.ca 55
DIRECTORY OF LOCAL SERVICES
A great way to discover local services and businesses. 2 sizes of ad space are available to suit every business message and budget. Affordable, stylish and straight to the point.
Directory Size A - 1 logo + 8-12 word listing Full Colour 1 X $63 6X $53 12X $43 Black & White 1 X $52 6X $42 12X $32 Contact Adrienne Richards for more info 250 510 6596 or by phone to adrienne@cowichanvalleyvoice.com Deadline for July 2020 Issue 140 - June 18
Acupuncture
A practice focused on health solutions through Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Online booking & direct billing.
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End of Life Care
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Wise Words
My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’
Michael Jordan, NBA Star
Artist Studio
Clearwater Studio, on Clearwater Farm
Open By Appointment or Sundays, 11am to 4 pm, June through September. Visit clearwaterstudio.ca 3915 Clearwater Road, Cobble Hill
Clay
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Hilary Huntley www.trialbyfi repottery.ca I 250-710-8758 Natural Beauty www.trialbyfi repottery.ca Prudence Natural Skincare & Cosmetics Sunday 12-4pm, Monday 10-4pm Tuesday to Thursday 10-4pm, Friday 10-5:30pm • 155 Craig Street, Downtown Duncan www.prudencenaturalbeauty.ca
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Discussion Group on 5G
A concerned group of citizens in the Cowichan Valley are looking for a moratorium on 5G until proven safe for our communtiy. If you are interested in more discussion on this topic with others please contact dorotheasiegler@gmail.com
Food More than a Meat Shop
Gluten Free/Organic Pasta’s, Organic Meat, Homemade Sausage, International Foods.
The Duncan Butcher 430 Trans Canada Hwy 250 748 -6377
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Health and Healing
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Bioenergetic Balancing with Magnets & Energy Healing
* Boost the immune system * Prevent illness & fatigue * Feel healthier
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What’s your story around body image/ food/health? Did you know?
It’s not so much WHAT you eat that affects you, but what’s EATING YOU! Lifestyle Mentor I Certifi ed Eating Psychology Coach
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June is Water Month at The Community Farm Store; join us in celebrating and learning more about this powerful life force. Water is essential to our health and vitality. How can we do our best to care for and conserve water and the world that lives beneath the surface? We are committed to protecting our World’s water and supporting sustainable choices for seafood, sea vegetables, salts, water vessels, purification systems, and reusables to keep plastic waste out of our rivers, lakes and oceans. We always strive to bring you the most sustainable and durable options.
Appointments available: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-12pm. To book please email: cfsforthesoul@gmail.com or message us on our Facebook page “CFS for the Soul”
Celebrate the magic of gem water with 25% off our full VitaJuwel water bottle collection at CFS for the Soul for the entire month of June (in stock items only).
Father’s Day is June 21st! Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. - Anne Geddes
The Community Farm Store Organic Health & Whole Food Market
www.communityfarmstore.ca 2-5380 Hwy 1, Duncan BC V9L 6W4 250-748-622 CFS Hours Monday-Saturday 10-6 Closed Sunday Open July 1st 10-6 Please follow our Facebook Page for the latest information
Thank you to our wonderful customers and community. We appreciate everything you are doing to help us and each other.
Island Hellerwork & Somatic Counselling ALIGN - CONNECT - EMBODY
Healing with sound has been around for thousands of years. There have been many instruments used for healing, including, didgeridoos from Australia, Tibetan Singing bowls, Tuning Forks, Native Drums, Rattles, voice in sound vibration and chanting, and of course my favourite…….. the Native American Flute.
The sound of the Native American Flute is an ancient sound. There are a number of cultures around the world that have flutes with a similar sound to the Native American Flute. Flutes from Peru, South America, in Europe, flutes from Ireland and even China to name a few.
I have been creating Heart Song Native American Style Flutes for 15 years, and have created close to 1000 flutes that are being played locally, throughout Canada, and around the globe. During this time of self-isolation, I have come to realize, it’s not really the flute that I am creating...but the ability to create their sound. It is a sound that I believe, affects us on a cellular level, and lives in our DNA.
Having sold these flutes at markets and festivals for a long time, I have heard many people say they feel the vibration of the sound, in their bellies, or in their hearts. Many people have just broken out in tears, just hearing the sound for the first time.
People who have purchased these flutes have done so when they were going through a rough time, a time of grieving or separation. People have purchased them for loved ones, to bring calm and healing. Some say different tones bring healing to specific chakras of the body. These flutes have also been purchased by some just to connect, to that soulful part of themselves.
These flutes are created from nature and are best played outside in nature. Many times they are played reflecting the sounds of our natural environment.
Chirps and barks, to mimic birds and animals, breathy sounds, reflecting the sound of the wind.
I would like to invite Native American Flute players and enthusiasts to join me for an event. This is not a gathering, and social distancing, will be asked to be respected to all who participate, and the number of people will be limited. It is my hope, should
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this event be successful, that we can continue a similar event in various locations on Vancouver Island, and maybe even farther abroad, in the future.
Join me, and let’s find our own personal spot among the trees, or by the waters edge, in one of our amazing parks here in the Cowichan Valley, on Sunday June 21st from 11-1.
Let’s celebrate the Summer Solstice, and Father’s day, and play our flutes for ourselves, for our loved ones, for the trees, the birds and all creatures, to the Earth, and let’s together send healing vibrations as far out as our imagination can carry it. Pack a snack and play your favourite song, play your Heart Song, or play whatever happens to reveal itself.
If you would like find out more information about how to participate, and the specific location for this event, please contact: Rommy Verlaan (creator of Heart Song Flutes) at: rommyflutes@shaw.ca.
Heart Song Native American Flutes is celebrating 15 years and 1000 flutes!
Valleyview Centre So much to off er! 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd
Wellness
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Healthcare
Cobble Hill Dental
250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice We Welcome New Patients!
Food
Country Grocer
250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Deli & Floral, Supplements
Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese
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Fitness
Valley Health and Fitness
250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes
Release trapped emotions Resolve sleep problems Manage stress and pain Achieve self-confidence 250-597-3686
First appointment free!
David Yaeger Certifi ed Emotion Code Practitioner davidyaeger650@gmail.com https://discoverhealing.com/practitioner-map/ (fi nd me just north of Duncan)
Reimagining Canadian Food Systems
Alistair MacGregor is the MP for Cowichan-MalahatLangford and the federal NDP’s Critic for Agriculture
Currently, only 5-10 per cent of food on Vancouver Island is produced locally. While food supply chains remain relatively secure, meaning that there is no need to hoard food due to COVID-19, a crisis such as an earthquake or other natural disaster could leave us facing a precarious lack of supplies. Food production and supply chains aren’t a particularly glamorous policy issue but are critical to the fundamental well-being of our communities. COVID-19 has offered us an opportunity reconsider what our food production looks like.
In terms on tangible changes, we can provide direct financial support to small-scale local food producers and invest in initiatives such as farmer’s markets to ensure that food is distributed directly within the community. As we hear stories about mountains of uneaten potatoes and thousands of wasted liters of milk, we can also explore food waste reduction; my NDP colleagues and I have long been the proponent of a national food waste strategy, which could be implemented in tandem with local initiatives. For example, the Cowichan Green Community has successfully implemented a food recovery project and redistributed to the community through their ReFresh marketplace. Initiatives like this could benefit greatly from federal support and could be expanded into other regions where both food insecurity and food waste remain problematic. In connecting the dots between food waste and food insecurity, we can work together support vulnerable community members, reduce the environmental impact of wasted food, and build community resilience.
Going further, we can also step back and examine the role of food banks within our community. While mass donations to food banks during COVID-19 have been tremendously beneficial, the reality remains that food banks are a band aid on top of a critical systemic issue. The current federal donation towards food banks, totaling $100 million, puts the onus on food bank employees and volunteers to supply the community, and forces people to depend upon charity-style social services. Instead, we should be supporting food banks while also providing money directly to those in need, so that people can address their own needs in times of crisis instead of spending hours waiting on already-strained social services. In strengthening government support systems, we can reduce reliance on local charities, and create more resilient communities where individuals and families can feel secure in having their basic needs met.
Farmers, food producers, food banks, families, and individuals have all stepped up to keep our community fed and supported. It is time for the federal government to step up as well. We can choose to prioritize local food production and sustainable agricultural practices. We can choose to reduce food waste, support community gardens, and help people to help themselves. We can choose to create communities that no longer need food banks, where chronic food insecurity has been addressed by systemic changes, and not simply by band aid solutions.
Georgia Nicols M.A. Georgia’s book, You and Your Future is a best seller with international printings in 3 languages. georgianicols.com
Aries (March 21-April 19)
The everyday pace of your life is accelerating! Plus, your interest in the world around is increasing. You want to schmooze. You will want to travel or take short trips if you can. Enjoy “distance” interactions with neighbours, siblings and relatives, especially with someone whom you haven’t seen for a while. This is an excellent time to study and learn new things. Your honesty and forthrightness will command the respect of others. It generally always does – but hey, not always, right?
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
You’re the financial wizard of the zodiac. (Many of you work in financial institutions.) You know how to make money in your own backyard! Small wonder that you’re focused on money, cash flow and earnings this month with three planets sitting in your Money House: The Sun, Mercury and retrograde Venus. However, in addition to thinking about what you own, you will also be thinking about what it is that you value in life. It’s valuable to know what is important to you, so you can make wiser decisions in the future.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Ta da! For the first time in almost a year, this month, the Sun now moves into your sign. This will boost your energy and enthusiasm for life! You will be more interested in the world around you and will attract people and fortunate circumstances to you. You’ll have a strong urge to get out and travel because you have a desire to relate to others. This combo of Venus and the Sun will attract people to you. Meanwhile, Mars is sitting at the top of your chart arousing your ambition. It’s all systems go for Gemini!
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Your birthday is a month away, which means your personal year is coming to an end. Therefore, set aside some quiet time this month to think about what you want your new year ahead to be all about. How do you want it to be different from last year? What are four things you would like to see happen? The next few weeks are excellent for research and working behind the scenes. In fact, Mars will give you the energy for creative, intellectual work. Mars will make you identify with your ideas and really believe in them. Yes!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This month brings a shift for Leos. Suddenly, you’re popular! Enjoy the company of younger people as well as creative, artistic types. Some of you will become more involved in clubs, groups and classes. You have had time to think about the role that friendships play in your life and now you have a better idea of what this means to you. This month is about goalsetting. Meanwhile, disputes about shared property and debts might occur. (Oops, how could I forget to mention that your sex drive will be amped?) Woot!
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Once a year, for four weeks, the Sun sits at the top of your chart shining a spotlight down on you and this light is flattering. When this happens, people admire you, especially bosses, parents and VIPs. (You don’t have to do anything special. Chalk it up to good lighting.) This wonderful time has arrived, which means that this month is the best time of the year to make your pitch and do what you can to advance your agenda because doors will open for you! Your turn to shine!!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
This month, you’re drawn to intellectual ideas, the media, people from other cultures, plus, exploring opportunities in publishing, the law and medicine. You want to explore the world of ideas! Romance with someone “different” might begin. If you don’t travel, you will dream about doing so and make plans for the future. But all will not be dazzling conversations because fiery Mars will make you work to get better organized, and work hard at your job. (Pick up your shovels! Let’s sing another chorus of The Volga Boatmen.)
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a passionate month, and your passion will express itself in many ways (and yes, certainly that); but for starters, you will reflect upon deep psychological truths about yourself. You will do a lot of self-scrutiny, which in turn, might affect someone else. Romance that begins now will be wild and intense! Mars makes your desire nature strong, plus, you want to be free to express yourself in any way possible. “I am!” This is a good time to seek out a loan or attract money to you through your spouse or your business partner.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
This month, the Sun is opposite your sign. (Happens only once a year.) Because the Sun represents energy, and in your chart, the Sun is now as far away from you as it can get all year, this means your energy will be flagging and you will need more sleep. However, both Mercury and retrograde Venus will also be opposite your sign. (This is the best position for relationships
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for Venus!) This is why it will be easy to express your affection to others and easy for others to love you. Mercury will make you talkative. Enjoy fascinating conversations!
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
This month you will work hard, plus you will look for ways to best manage your life. You want to know what duties and responsibilities are a priority. Something else will occur in the next few weeks and it is this: very likely, you will have to work for the benefit of someone else. However, the placement of Venus indicates that coworkers will admire you and your relations with them will be smooth and harmonious. Furthermore, your ability to express yourself in a clear, direct manner will be strong during this time. “Ten-shun!”
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This month, you will do your own thing. You feel lighter and more playful!. You’ll have a greater concern with kids and be more interested in social pleasures and romantic enjoyment. This is the one time of year when you can really be yourself! Creative activities are favoured. Romance will be fun-loving. Although you will work hard to earn money, you will also spend it freely. You’ can sense there is no need to pretend to be what you are not.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
With Mars in your sign until July, you will be a force to contend with because Mars makes you energetic, confident and more of a fighter for your own rights. This higher energy level will also make you more active. Meanwhile, your focus on home and family will be strong, especially with a parent. Many of you will use this time to redecorate and tackle home repairs. Family discussions will be important; nevertheless, you will welcome time to be by yourself and reflect upon your life, the existential angst in the world and what summer shoes you should buy.
www.georgianicols.com
Image Chris Istace
Consultation About The Forests: We Don’t Take The Math Exam Before We Learn To Add And Subtract
The pivotal moment has come for each and every one of the hundreds of people who have been asking for an enlightened new way to caretake our Six Mountains Forest to take action.
Public consultation, paused because of Covid, is about to start up again, but not in the way many of us hoped for. Rather than debate with diverse experts on the forests, consultation is going online with virtual tours. The process is going to happen fast—first stage ends in September—yet, there are many questions that need to be addressed:
We wouldn’t take a math test before learning the subject, so why is consultation beginning with a survey? Where in the consultation budget is education? Who will teach us the important lessons we need to know about the forests? How will citizens be made to feel comfortable expressing their opinions? Can there be guarantees of anonymity so people can speak and answer surveys frankly and freely?
What we need now, it seems to me, before surveys, first and foremost is information 62
and education from forest experts knowledgeable about the diverse vales and systems that make up our forests— above all, how they survive and die. Then, we can engage and answer surveys in an informed way.
Can this happen online? It remains to be seen. At this point all we can do is pay attention, be informed and participate.
To cover the process and ask the tough questions of those running it, we are fortunate to have one of the top investigative, multiple-awardwinning journalists in the province living here, Larry Pynn.
WDWS will continue to link to Larry’s important sixmountains.ca articles. WDWS will continue to give updates and warn what is coming. We are close to a thousand subscribers—if every subscriber reminded twenty friends to sign on, who reminded twenty friends…
This, my friends, is what it’s going to take.
Submitted by Icel Jane Dobell
Love Letters
The pandemic has changed more than our lives – it has changed our deaths. Hospital visiting rules keep us from physically being with loved ones as they die; social distancing rules keep grieving family and friends apart. Funerals are live cast; rituals around death have been altered.
We often think of the deathbed as the location of a final meaningful exchange between people. Popular culture has strengthened this idea, with movies highlighting the deathbed scene and the forgiveness and healing that occurs after a lifetime of adversity. We look at lists of ‘famous last words’ as the last chance for a person to leave their mark on the world. In reality, these expectations are often left unfulfilled, but many still wait until the end to say all those things that have been left unsaid.
What if we decided to say those things long before death is imminent? Recently, more people are choosing to have their memorial services or celebrations of life while they are still alive. This gives them one last chance to see everyone they love and for those meaningful exchanges to take place.
These types of gatherings cannot happen at present, but maybe we can try to connect with those we love in whatever way we can. Phone calls, video calls, letters, emails – these may not be ideal means of communication, but they are something. This might be a time to reflect on the nature of our relationships - to reminisce and remember, perhaps to forgive. Keep in mind that some relationships are complex and may be too difficult to mend. Start with what is comfortable, what is easy. Even just saying ‘thank you’ is a powerful start. Try writing a love letter to a friend, a family member, or yourself.
This is a good reminder for all of us. Don’t wait for ‘when this is over’ – try to do and say what you can now. It’s never too early to start. If you want more information on how to start, or for assistance on any issue related to end of life planning, please call us at 250-732-6452 or send us an email info@ greatcircleplanning.ca – we’re here to help!
Submitted by Jan Thompson
Public Engagement On North Cowichan’s Municipal Forest Reserve Under Scrutiny
Public consultation should be an open and transparent process.
But it’s been a constant struggle to get details about the consultation process into an interim management plan for the 5,000-hectare Municipal Forest Reserve.
When I couldn’t get answers from North Cowichan or Lees & Associates consultants, I went directly to council for clarification on Wednesday, May 20.
The next day I received an update from Megan Jordan, the municipality’s communications and public engagement manager.
She informed me that PlaceSpeak will continue to be used for the public consultation process into interim management of the forest reserve (despite several members of council raising concerns about the on-line platform).
But it won’t be necessary for the pubic to register for PlaceSpeak in order to fill out a questionnaire about the future of the forests. “We will have the survey link on our webpage, as well as in PlaceSpeak to reduce barriers to access,” Jordan said. “This means everyone does not have to register for PlaceSpeak to fill out the survey and provide feedback.”
She added that individual names won’t be included with a summary of the questionnaire results. “Instead, it will be more high level; for example, it would state 60% of residents feel it is important to be able to access recreational trails” in the forest reserve.
Jordan also said there will be an opportunity for written submissions — though it may limited.
“While Lees is ideally predicting 10 500-word email submissions, the fact is they have budgeted for collating 5,000 words of free-form submissions within the project cost. Anything above and beyond this threshold would cost extra for their time….
“This is so because PlaceSpeak has algorithms and software within the platform that make the process of collating free-form submissions quicker, easier, and less manual.”
At the previous council meeting, on May 6, Mayor Al Siebring, and councillors Rob Douglas, Tek Manhas and Christopher Justice, to varying degrees,
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expressed concerns either about PlaceSpeak being a confusing platform or fears that a strictly on-line consultation process might exclude a portion of the citizenry.
“I live on-line, I registered, I created an account with PlaceSpeak….” Siebring said. “I have never ever been into PlaceSpeak to do some consultation or to engage in something where I’ve completed the process because ever single time I walked away frustrated because the platform drives me crazy.”
He added: “My head just explodes. I look at that platform and I go, ‘no.’ We’ve got to find a better way to do it.”
Consultant Erik Lees countered: “On a good day, we get 10 per cent of the community that will attend in person” for a publicengagement meeting compared with perhaps 70 to 80 per cent who are on-line. “I actually think we can extend our reach.”
Jordan commented that the benefits of PlaceSpeak are that it is Canadian and the data stored on Canadian servers, it is used by the other jurisdictions, including Cowichan Valley Regional District, and it verifies that comments are coming from citizens of North Cowichan.
Ultimately, council did not specifically vote to reject PlaceSpeak. That’s why I went to council to seek clarification on its future use.
B.C.’s Ministry of Forests told me it has conducted several recent public consultations on forest issues without using PlaceSpeak.
Everyone is waiting to see what Lees rolls out next on the public engagement.
The exact wording of the public on-line questionnaire will be critical.
The first draft included four options for continued logging during the interim, but no option for “no logging.” A citizens’ Working Group has asked that the question be removed.
On a related matter, I filed a freedom-of-information request — my second to date — to North Cowichan for more information on stakeholders.
A total of 20 stakeholders will be interviewed by the consultants, but, until now, we’ve been kept in the dark on who they might be.
The municipality provided me with a table detailing a crosssection of 16 stakeholders ranging from forestry to conservation groups who had been contacted by Lees.
Another four will be added shortly, bringing the total to 20.
The 16 to make the cut so far are as follows (presented exactly as listed on the table): Chemainus Residential Association; Maple Bay Community Association; Quamichan Residential Association; Crofton Community Centre - residents association; Chamber of Commerce - Duncan; Tourism Cowichan; Six Mountains Ecological Society; Cowichan Valley Naturalists/Mt Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve/ Natures Trust BC/Cowichan Stewards; Cowichan Land Trust; Nature Conservancy of Canada; BC Community Forest Association; Catalyst Paper Mill; Mosaic Log Sort - Crofton and Chemainus; Local Forestry Union United Steelworkers?; Cowichan Works; Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society.
Let’s hope this consultation meets the high public expectations for engagement on the critical forestry issue.
