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Restorative Justice: The Power of Gratitude in Challenging Times

April 11 Eleven joined this Restorative Justice conversation to explore the benefits of gratitude when facing conflict in our lives. Leading us in this conversation were Program Coordinator, Jessica Terezakis, longtime volunteer and Restorative Justice Salt Spring Island Board member, Laura Dafoe, and new volunteer, Fig, bringing her rich experiences with nonviolent communication and community activism. After a Land Acknowledgement, during which we were reminded that Restorative Justice principles are grounded in Indigenous circle practices throughout the world, we began our exploration of the power of gratitude in challenging times. We began, as we do each second Friday of the month when we welcome our Restorative Justice volunteers, by reviewing the Five Agreements: 1) Honour each individual’s opportunity to speak when holding the talking piece. 2) Speak and listen with care 3) Speak and listen from the heart. 4) Take the time you need while also being mindful of…
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Premier Directs Government to Cancel American Contracts Wherever Viable

The B.C. government has updated its direction to ministries, health authorities and core Crown corporations to critically review all contracts with United States companies to decrease the Province’s dependence on goods and services from U.S. suppliers. “As people are choosing to buy B.C. and buy Canadian, British Columbians expect their government to join them in choosing to avoid U.S. purchases wherever possible,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why we’ve directed our government to use its purchasing power to exclude American suppliers and support Canadian companies and trusted and reliable trading partners instead. Today, we’re expanding that directive to include looking for every opportunity to move existing contracts away from U.S. suppliers and cancelling non-essential government travel to the United States.” The new directives order government, where viable, to: - exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers under existing contracts with U.S. suppliers; - excl…
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Welcoming MLA Rob Botterell

April 4 Twenty-two joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Rob Botterell and Julie Luna. He began his time with us this month acknowledging his appreciation for being able to live and work on this beautiful land, the unceded territory of 14 Indigenous groups. He spoke of his dismay with the recent display of prejudice by MLA Dallas Brodie. While he recognizes importance of freedom of speech, he believes so strongly that we should stand up and confront racist rhetoric that he will be bringing a motion to the legislature to censor MLA Brodie. While he understands that it may not pass, he is clear that it is his responsibility to challenge her belittling comments concerning Reconciliation. When asked what “excited and delighted” him, he spoke with awe of the amazing sunrise that morning. While many of us may have enjoyed this sunrise, he had a particularly pleasing perspective: True to his Green commitment, had arrived from his home on Pender Island on his sailboa…
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Brewing Up Community: How Ometepe Coffee Connects Islanders Across Continents

There’s something magical about the moment the blossoms begin to burst open in Ganges Village, signalling not only the beginning of spring but the start of another Saturday Market season. For Ometepe Coffee volunteers, those blooms are a signal: time to spring into action! Thousands of visitors enjoy the delicious, fair trade & fair wage, organic coffee served by Ometepe volunteers every Saturday, but few know the story of what goes into every cup. 34 years ago, Gulf Islanders visiting Ometepe, a little island in Lake Nicaragua in Central America, were struck by the islands’ beauty, but also its deprivations. People formed connections to the tiny island who shared an interest in community development and intercultural exchange banded together with BOSIA in the US (Bainbridge-Ometepe Sister Islands Organization) to found OGIFA:The Ometepe-Gulf Islands Friendship Association. In the three decades since, Gulf Islanders have fostered and expanded a remarkable islander…
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Obituary: Jeremy Peto Sibley

Jeremy Peto Sibley b. 20 October 1929 Kingston, Jamaica - d. 31December 2024 Salt Spring Island , BC, Canada Jeremy was born and grew up in Jamaica. His family lineage reaches back to the slave abolitionist Baptist minister William Knibb who came to Jamaica from England in 1824. Due to an injury, a great deal of Jeremy’s childhood years were spent on crutches. From an early age Jeremy loved sports and at Munro College, Jamaica, where he went to high school, he was given the important job of scorekeeper for cricket and football games as he couldn’t play himself. Later in his teens he loved spending the hot summer up in the Blue Mountains at his aunt’s small coffee plantation and having competitions with his cousin to see who could eat the most pancakes. Architecture was his calling and after a summer drafting job in Jamaica he was on his way to the University of Manitoba, Canada, one of the leading schools of architecture at the time. He graduated in 1952. Foregoing M…
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Police Investigate After Dogs and Owners Injured in Altercation

Police are investigating after two men and their dogs either suffered bite injuries or cut wounds during an altercation. On April 6, 2025 at 4:32 p.m., the Salt Spring Island RCMP received a report of a weapons complaint at Ruckle Park. A 46-year-old Salt Spring man called to advise that he had allegedly cut another dog owner by accident after he and his own dog were apparently attacked by another dog that had broken away from it’s leash. According to the 46-year-old, he was bitten by the other dog which then latched onto his dog. He apparently drew a small knife to stop the attack. The other dog owner, a 51-year-old Salt Spring man, quickly arrived to assist; however, when both dogs were separated it was discovered that he and his dog had both suffered cuts. The off-leash dog was taken to a veterinary by friends, while the 51-year-old man went to hospital. The 46-year-old man was arrested in relation to weapons offences and the knife seized. He was subsequently released …
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Golden Opportunity - Sunset Community Fire Hall No. 3 - Salt Spring Island, BC

Background: There are various residential locations around our Beautiful Island of Salt Spring that are beyond 8Km from one of our 3 Fire Halls. One area in particular is Sunset Drive, North from West Eagle Drive to Southey Pt and around the North End on North End Rd to just past Epron Rd. In December 2023 a number of Ratepayers from that area came to me as a Fire Board Trustee and asked if I could help mitigate the cost of their current Fire Insurance Premiums. Some Ratepayers are paying upwards of $2000/Yr or more in increased premiums for fire insurance for being beyond the 8Km distance criteria. As we continue to move forward with the effects of Climate Change, the costs of not being Fully Fire Protected will continue to increase, perhaps exponentially. The potential for being denied Fire Insurance altogether from the Insurance Underwriters is definitely a potential threat in the coming years. Once our New Fire Hall No. 1, across from Foxglove Farm on Lower Ganges …
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B.C. Ends Carbon Tax: Mixed Reactions on Salt Spring Island

April 2025 The British Columbia government officially ended the province’s carbon tax on April 1, 2025, aiming to provide immediate relief on fuel prices amidst rising inflation and affordability concerns. Premier David Eby cited economic pressures and political division as reasons behind repealing the policy first introduced in 2008. Salt Spring Island residents, known for their strong environmental ethos, are experiencing mixed feelings about the decision. The repeal cuts gasoline prices by approximately 17 cents per litre and lowers natural gas and heating fuel costs, providing immediate savings for island households and local businesses. This reduction is especially significant for Salt Spring residents who face higher-than-average living expenses and rely heavily on ferry travel and personal vehicles. However, the repeal also ends the Climate Action Tax Credit, which provided quarterly rebates to low- and middle-income families, often exceeding the costs they paid u…
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Enhanced Rental Assistance Programs Support Families and Seniors

More people will now benefit from enhancements to the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, helping low-income families and seniors afford their rent. “With the rising cost of living, we’re enhancing supports through the RAP and SAFER programs to ensure more families and seniors can access essential financial help,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes will help people stay in their homes in the communities they love and allow us to support more people as they manage the challenges of rent and living expenses.” Starting April 1, 2025, and as part of Budget 2025, RAP and SAFER programs have expanded eligibility criteria that will benefit more than 30,000 households in B.C. Existing eligible recipients will also see an automatic increase in their average benefits, providing them with more financial assistance to contribute toward rent. These changes build on the improvements to SAFER a…
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Obituary: Michael Lalonde

Michael Lalonde November 11, 1952 - March 7, 2025 It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I announce the peaceful passing of my wonderful husband Michael Lalonde at Greenwoods on Salt Spring. He was 72 years old. Michael had temporal frontal lobe dementia. Born in Cornwall Ontario, Michael had a real zest for life. Was a very peaceful man, searching for truth and enlightenment, treating everyone with kindness and respect. Everything he did, he did well. He was an avid reader and loved all genres of music, playing the accordion and guitar. George Harrison being one of his favourite singers. He did very creative rope work for boats, making rope mats.  At Expo 1967, he had a special place in the scout pavilion where he gave examples on how to make fishing flies to people visiting. He loved to paint, doing watercolours and  loved his sailboat. Michael worked at Foxglove for many years when it was owned by Tom Gosset. He worked on the sea walk when they first start…
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