From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
Warm summer greetings, with the scent of ripe salal berries and sweet summer in the air. This report shares updates for Area C, including news on wharf renovations and Bylaw 642, a potential Electoral Areas Grant-in-Aid Service.
(Interview by Manda Aufochs Gillespie; written version by Roy L Hales)
In the conclusion of a two part story, Manda Aufochs Gillespie interviewed Renate Harvey and RenÃĐe Desautel from Sonora Island, as well as Sheila Hollanders from Read Island, about life on their islands. In Part 1 they talked about their daily lives, the seasons and community life. This segment deals with community support and future sustainabilityâ the Surge Narrows Community Association and funding, land access/emergency preparedness, relationships with Homalco First Nation, youth and schooling challenges, and hopes for the next decade.
Continue reading Folk U: Life on Read and Sonora Islands (Part 2)Interview by Manda Aufochs Gillespie; written version by Roy L Hales
On Friday, May 29, 2026, Chief Kevin Peacey of the Klahoose First Nation came to the Cortes Radio station, where he was interviewed by Manda Aufochs Gillespie. This is a highly edited and abridged transcript of that program.
In part one: Kevin talks about the Klahoose population, housing, the new cultural centre, the chief and council, canoe journeys and community activities.
Manda: “Cortes Community Radio sits on the ancestral and territorial lands of the Klahoose, Tla’amin, and perhaps the Homalco peoples. I’d like to thank this land, these people who have walked this land through time, and all those who continue to love and work to honour this place we call home. Today, we are very lucky to have our neighbour and leader of the Klahoose First Nation join us in the studio. Chief Kevin Peacey, thank you so much for being here.”
Kevin: “Thank you for having me.”
Continue reading Folk U: Chief Kevin Peacey on Politics, Projects & the Past (Part 1)
In the most recent round of a social media war of his own making, MP Aaron Gunn makes the misleading claim that the government is sending homeowners letters that their property may now belong to First Nations.
His statement is based on a notification that the city of Richmond sent out to property owners within the boundaries of the old Cowichan summer village of TI’uqtinus, in October 2025.Â
To put this in context: the land should have been made into a reserve. Instead senior colonial officials ignored their government’s instructions to protect the settlement and purchased it themselves in a series of transactions between 1871 and 1914. After a lengthy lawsuit, the Supreme Court of British Columbia restored title to the 800 of the village’s original 1,846 acres âover which they have proven sufficient and exclusive occupation.âÂ
Continue reading Fact-Checking MP Aaron Gunn: Are Private Property Rights Actually at Risk?Local Chiefs reassure Aaron Gunn: “Chillax, bud.”
press release from the four cited First Nations
March 11, 2026
Chiefs from four First Nations communities are urging the public to please approach Aaron Gunn with no caution whatsoever. He is completely harmless, though momentarily unsettled by the alarming possibility that someone might acknowledge the land before a meeting.
Yesterday on social media, the MP appeared to crash out and demand to speak to the manager of land acknowledgements, a position that observers confirm does not exist.
Continue reading MP crashes out over harmless land acknowledgements
