Cortes Currents

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - What really matters to you this election? What do you wish you could ask? Tune in this Friday at 1 p.m. (and Monday at 6:30) on CortesRadio.ca or 89.5FM for the beginning of our Folk U election series where host Manda Aufochs Gillespie goes deeper with this year's candidates vying to represent North Island-Powell River in the federal government.

BUT FIRST: What do you want to ask the candidates? What matters most to you right now? What are the small town issues that aren't being asked? Send your questions to [email protected] in advance of Fridays show and help make this a meaningful conversation with today's candidates.

This week features current M.P. Rachel Blaney of the NDP. (Last week was with the Green Party candidate, available on folku.ca/podcasts) Invites out to the other candidates and awaiting response.

Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 and Mondays at 6:30 @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - What really matters to you this election? What do you wish you could ask? Tune in this Friday at 1 p.m. on CortesRadio.ca or 89.5FM for the beginning of our Folk U election series where host Manda Aufochs Gillespie goes deeper with this year's candidates vying to represent North Island-Powell River in the federal government.

BUT FIRST: What do you want to ask the candidates? What matters most to you right now? What are the small town issues that aren't being asked? Send your questions to [email protected] in advance of this Fridays show and help make this a meaningful conversation with today's candidates.

This week features Green Party Candidate Jessica Wegg (Friday Sept 3 at 1 p.m.) and next week is current M.P. Rachel Blaney of the NDP (Friday Sept 10 at 1 p.m.). Invites out to the other candidates and awaiting response.

Ed Halverson/ CJQC News - Students may only have to wear masks for a week once schools open across the province on Sept. 7.

Premier Designate Tim Houston and Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang announced the schools reopening plan Monday.

Students will be required to mask up for the first week but with the province projected to move into the fifth phase of the COVID-19 reopening plan on Sept.15, that requirement could be short-lived.

Phase five of the reopening plan assumes the epidemiology is good and 75 per cent of Nova Scotians will have received their second doses of vaccine.

Strang says as a result, rules around mandatory masks and social distancing will be lifted.

“I’m sure there are mixed views on this. Some will be thrilled to get rid of masks and others will be nervous to stop wearing them and that’s totally normal. It’s time to start living more with COVID,” said Strang. “Even if we see rising case numbers that would have previously meant province-wide restrictions, our vaccine coverage means that we can carry on with only border restrictions and maybe, if necessary, targeted local restrictions.”

Despite the impending easing of restrictions, Strang says it’s not time for Nova Scotians to let their guard down.

“But we also need to keep practicing the good habits that help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and quite frankly, will also help reduce the spread of influenza and a range of other organisms that cause other respiratory and other gastro-intestinal illnesses. So staying home when you’re sick, washing your hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces are important whether restrictions are in place or not,” said Strang.

He added that Nova Scotians need to accept that a fourth wave of COVID-19 is coming.

“We will get the fourth wave here. We will get some cases. We may get little clusters in unvaccinated populations,” said Strang. “How we minimize the impact of the fourth wave, it really is, the key driver there is our vaccination rate.”

Strang was also asked how businesses can restrict admittance to individuals based on their vaccination status.

The chief medical officer of health says he has been advising private businesses to ensure that whatever policy they decide to put in place does not discriminate against people or infringe on their rights.

In his first appearance at a COVID-19 briefing since winning a majority in last week’s election, Houston echoed Strang’s remarks and added his government will not be issuing vaccine passports.

“There was some talk towards the end of the campaign about a Scotia-pass concept. That was not something that bubbled up from public health,” said Houston. “So the province is contemplating phase five re-opening with restrictions removed.”

Houston also announced that due to a steep uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past couple of weeks, anyone travelling from New Brunswick who has not been double vaccinated will have to quarantine, beginning Wednesday.

Houston says his government plans to continue to follow public health advice in order to make the best decisions for Nova Scotia around COVID-19.

“The reality is being cautious has kept this province safe and we will continue to be cautious.”

Photo credit: Premier Designate Tim Houston appearing at his first COVID-19 briefing Aug. 23. Photo courtesy of the Nova Scotia government.

Roy L Hales/ CKTZ News - NDP candidate Rachel Blaney is running for reelection in North Island-Powell River. She has been the MP for the riding since 2015.

CKTZ spoke with her about the key issues in this federal election.

“What we’ve been hearing here, in our campaign office, is climate change; housing and affordability; care for seniors; and Indigenous issues- people wanting to see more reconciliation and action around reconciliation,” said Blaney.

In the podcast below, Blaney speaks about:

- A young professional couple who live in an RV because they cannot afford to buy or rent a house and pay off their student loans.

- Seniors who pay so much for rent that they are forced to choose whether the resulting shortfall will mean less food or no medication.

- Young people who pay so much for rent that they cannot imagine saving up enough for a down payment on a home.

- The speed with which our environment is changing: the wildfires and heatwaves and a Liberal federal government that talks about these issues but does very little.

- The amount of emissions that come from food waste, which is something everyone can address

Blaney also talks about the struggle to address these issues during her six years in office.

“There are multiple solutions but now we are in a crisis point. So even though we are seeing more housing coming into some of our communities, we are just so far behind,” she said of the housing crisis

Asked why we should vote for her, Blaney pointed to her track record of helping communities and individual constituents.

This ranges from things like helping people apply for the $600 disability tax credit, to ensuring that an economic diversification agency office will open in Campbell River.

“I am a voice that you can trust. I may not always agree with you, but I will always have a conversation. Me and my team are out there working really hard to have conversations with people and understand the issues," she said.

CKTZ News is asking every federal candidate in the local riding three questions:

- What is the most important issue(s) in this election?

- What have you done, personally, to address this issue(s)?

- Why should we vote for you?

The federal election is Sept. 20. Stay tuned to CKTZ's coverage of the federal election over the next month:

Photo credit: NDP incumbent Rachel Blaney at Cortes Island's Seafest during the 2019 election – Photo courtesy the NDP party of Canada

Daniel Centeno/ CJRU - Toronto mayor John Tory announced on Aug.19 that all staff workers employed by the city are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct.30.

Starting on Sept.6 until Sept.30, all city staff must show proof of at least one vaccination.

"The city of Toronto has a duty as an employer to do everything that it can to ensure that our work environment is safe for all of our employees," said Tory. "To that end, the city government has worked to develop a vaccination policy focused on the health and safety of our employees. Protecting our employees helps protect them and their families and loved ones, and very important as well, it protects members of the public."

Mayor Tory says those unvaccinated or prefer to not disclose their vaccination status will be mandated to attend educational sessions on the benefits of taking the vaccine.

These workers will be required to have at least one vaccination by Sept.30, and their second by the October 30 deadline.

Tory’s announcement follows Toronto’s increased efforts to ensure all eligible individuals are fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19, including the delta variant.

"This is about protecting our entire, broader workforce of approximately 36,660 employees, and ensuring that the city government is ready to weather a fourth wave and the delta variant," Tory said.

On Aug. 20, Toronto reported 136 new COVID-19 cases, with a total of 650 cases reported in Ontario. The 650 cases is Ontario’s highest number since early June.

The province conducted more than 28,000 tests in the previous 24-hour period. The positivity rate stands at 2.4 per cent.

Toronto has administered about 4.5 million vaccines so far with about 66 per cent of eligible Torontonians fully vaccinated, according to the City of Toronto website.

Top photo credit: Sunset helicopter tour of Toronto by mwangi gatheca via Unsplash

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On Friday August 6th on Folk U Radio 89.5 FM cortesradio.ca Ayurveda practitioner Muneera Wallace joined host Manda Aufochs Gillespie to go deeper into how to use this ancient wisdom for better understanding one’s self and being more proactive in creating a healthy and balanced life.

To get a 101 primer on Ayurveda also with Muneera Wallace listen to Muneera’s Ayurveda 101 Folk U here: https://cortescurrents.ca/ayurveda-a-holistic-healing-science-from-the-east/

What are your health and diet questions? Email them in advance of the show to [email protected] or call on Friday to 250-935-0200.

What are you reading? Share your favourite reads by emailing in advance to [email protected] or by calling on Friday during showtimes to 250-935-0200.

Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 and Mondays at 6:30 @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.

Anastasia Avvakumova/ CKTZ News - The Cortes Community Housing Society (CHS) is launching a summer fundraiser to expand and improve the trail system in the south end of Cortes Island.

Executive Director Sandra Wood explained the fundraiser’s goal is $80,000, which will be used for:

Planning the trail route

Clearing undergrowth

Creating level pathways

Installing culverts

Creating signage

Tree limbing and maintenance

Firewood production

Building park benches

CHS places an emphasis on generating local economic development and hopes to hire local tradespeople and craftspeople, and use primarily lumber from Community Forest and on-island mills.

The trail improvements will include

An east-west segment from Manson’s Hall to the Health Center

A bypass of part of the logging road which will be decommissioned once housing construction begins

Aligning the entrance from Cemetery Road to be across from the Siskin Lane trails entrance and raise it to avoid mud in the winter

Ultimately, a continuous connection of Smelt Bay to Manson’s Landing

Provide pedestrians and bicyclists a safer alternative to the road, thereby increasing foot and bike traffic and decreasing automobile usage

All donations will receive a 2021 Canadian charitable receipt from the CISS–Housing Committee. You can donate online now by clicking here

or by sending a cheque to:

Cortes Island Seniors Society–Housing Committee

PO BOX 27

Mansons Landing, BC,

V0P 1K0

American donors can get a US tax deductible receipt via TIDES-US Foundation by designating your donation to the Cortes Community Housing Fund – 2250 via this link

Two exciting events with prizes will also be announced in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, CHS will continue to work with architects and engineers to successfully reapply for BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund, likely in 2022, to begin work on the housing units.

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - Is reading a lost art? Not on Cortes and the surrounding Salish Sea communities! What then are some great and popular reads to inspire you.

This week Juli Nelson of B.C. tiniest bookstore, Marnie's Books, and Bernice McGowan of the Louise Tooker bookmobile lending library will join host Manda Aufochs Gillespie to talk more about these tiny and inspiring sources of books as well as to share more about what they and your neighbours are reading. Juli will also share more about the new Literary Arts Journal being published on Cortes.

Anastasia Avvakumova/ CKTZ News - On Wednesday, August 4, the Vancouver Island Health Authority declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at a long-term seniors’ facility in Campbell River when 3 staff tested positive.

The news bulletin identified the situation at Discovery Harbour long-term care home to be low risk since no residents have experienced any symptoms. The 3 staff members are self-isolating at home, and twice-daily screenings continue for all staff and residents.

Island Health has increased personnel presence onsite to take proactive measures, such as identifying anyone who may have been exposed. Additionally, the families have been notified and visits restricted to essential. Admissions and transfers are on hold for the duration of the outbreak, enhanced sanitation protocols are being followed and any symptomatic staff or residents will be tested for COVID-19.

As of Thursday, August 5, Island Health is reporting a total of 5 active cases in North Vancouver Island, with a total of 89 across the whole health authority. The British Columbia Center for Disease Control reported the total number for the same area as above 100 active cases, due to a difference in reporting time frames. Of these, only 1 person is hospitalized and none are in critical care.

August 4 saw the first Walk-in Wednesday, when clinics across the province administered COVID-19 vaccinations to 33,000 British Columbians. Nearly half this number was patients without an appointment and over 8,000 received their first doses. The BC government news channel reported that as of Thursday, 81.7% of eligible people 12 and older have received their first dose and 68.4% have received both. Fully vaccinated people are accounting for roughly 5% of symptomatic infections.

Data reported at the end of July shows that nearly all positive samples across the province were attributed to variants of concern. On Vancouver Island, sample prevalence for the Delta variant was 100% of the total 30 positive tests in the week ending July 24.

Overall, case incidence rates for all age groups remain low and relatively stable.

Roy L Hales/ CKTZ News - Green party MLA Adam Olsen has been listening to the calls for a better ambulance service since 2017. The need became even more apparent after 808 people died during the last five days of June. 75% of them are believed to have perished because of the heat wave that stuck the province. A large number were allegedly waiting for ambulances that arrived too late.

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Photo credit: Adam Olsen - submitted photo