Cortes Currents

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The pandemic inflicted deep financial wounds on some businesses; others prospered. Things looked pretty uncertain when the crisis reared its head last March but, as manager Eric Hargrave explains, 2020 is turning into the Cortes Natural Food Co-op’s best year ever.

>>> Best Year Ever in terms of sales

“In terms of net profit, it’s the biggest we have ever seen - for the first half of the year at least and we expect that to continue,” he began.

Hargave was pondering a much different scenario last March. He didn’t know if he would need to close the doors and to go to deliveries only, or if the Co-op would have any staff.

“March and April were up about 33%, compared to what they would usually be. That means we were profitable in the Spring, rather than just breaking even. Then the summer was busier than what we expected. We figured we’d be down maybe 25%. We were only down 10%, so it was like a normal summer from a couple of years ago.”

>>> This fall

Sales volumes normally take an abrupt drop after labour day, but that didn’t occur this year.

“Even in September and October, we are 25% up over last year. Which is a lot! - something I wouldn’t have guessed,” said Hargrave. “Just right now, we are starting to see days that are comparable to what they were last year.”

“People are … not coming to the store as often, but they are buying a lot more when they are at the store. They are looking for new and interesting things to take home because they have been cooking for awhile. They are willing to try new things. They aren’t spending that money in restaurants, so they are generally willing to spend it in the grocery store.”

>> A lot of people on this island right now

Hargrave explained, “There are a lot of people on this island right now. I do not know where they are staying, or where they are living, but a lot of people who decided to come when the pandemic started are still here. People who had a second home here, or that sort of thing, but we are also seeing new people. I’m not sure if they are just straight up tourists, or they are coming to visit other people they know here. We still have the occasional person just browsing, who has never been in our store before - which is very different for October.”

In the podcast above, Eric Hargrave also talks about keeping up supplies and how the Co-op Cafe is doing.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - There is currently only one active case of COVID 19 in North Vancouver Island and there have been no reports of new cases anywhere on Vancouver Island since last Thursday, but British Columbia has just set a record for the highest daily rise over a three-day period. As of 4:30 PM Monday, there were 2,316 active cases, and 77 people in hospitals, on the Mainland. It is not certain that Vancouver Island will continue to remain relatively COVID free while the virus spreads throughout the rest of the province. Dr Bonnie Henry has just issued a province wide health order limiting gatherings in homes to immediate family and six others.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - There is currently only one active case of COVID 19 in North Vancouver Island and there have been no reports of new cases anywhere on Vancouver Island since last Thursday, but British Columbia has just set a record for the highest daily rise over a three-day period. As of 4:30 PM Monday, there were 2,316 active cases, and 77 people in hospitals, on the Mainland. It is not certain that Vancouver Island will continue to remain relatively COVID free while the virus spreads throughout the rest of the province. Dr Bonnie Henry has just issued a province wide health order limiting gatherings in homes to immediate family and six others.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The final count will not be finished for another three weeks. However as of 1:58 AM this morning, Elections BC reports that 45.03% of the known electorate voted NDP, 35.41% chose the Liberal and 15.30% the Greens. John Horgan won his majority, Michele Babchuk is our new MLA. and the only real surprise was the Green party numbers on Vancouver Island.

Sonia Furstenau and Adam Olsen have both been re-elected.

The Green party has also won its first seat on the Mainland: West Vancouver-Sea-to-Sky.

>>> North Island

Driving around Cortes Island recently, it’s not surprising to learn that there was a three race in North Island. We may lean further to the left than most of British Columbia, but every lawn sign I saw was Green. Alexandra Morton is currently in second place. As she is less than a hundred votes ahead of Liberal candidate Norm Facey, this could change, but it is also a pattern repeated in other eight Island ridings*, as well as Powell River-Sunshine Coast.

>>> The rest of Vancouver Island and Powell River

Nanaimo-North Cowichan, Chris Istace trails Doug Routley (NDP) by 1,001 votes.

Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Nicole Duncan trails Murray Rankin (NDP) by 1,647.

Victoria-Beacon Hill, Jenn Neilson trails Jenn Neilson (NDP) by 1,777.

Powell River-Sunshine Coast, Kim Darwin trails Nicholas Simons (NDP) by 2,166.

Victoria-Swan Lake, Annemieke Holthuis trails Rob Fleming (NDP) by 2,739

Esquimalt-Mtechsin, Andy MacKinnion trails Mitzi Dean (NDP) by 3,136

Nanaimo, Lia Versaevel trails Sheila Malcolmson (NDP) by 3,857.

Langford-Juan de Fuca, Gord Baird trails Premier John Horgan (NDP) by 3,887.

Mid Island-Pacific Rim, Evan Jolicoeur trails Josie Osbourne (NDP) by 4,537.

It seems unlikely that the Green Party will take any of these seats from the NDP after the final count, but the Liberal party finished second in most of these ridings in the 2017 provincial election.

This is not the first election where the Green party has shown promise. In the weeks prior to the last federal election, 338Canada’s projections showed them leading in four Vancouver Island ridings. This melted down to two on election day, which has been the pattern up until now. 1:54

This time, the numbers suggesting potential for a Green shift come from election results.

One of the questions on a recent Angus Reid poll was what would be your second choice? The Green Party was 20% ahead of second place NDP. (Greens 34%; NDP 14%; Liberals 10%; “Another party” 18%; Undecided 22%)

If there is a marked Green shift in the next election, or the one after that, most analysts expect it to be strongest on Vancouver Island.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - The final count will not be finished for another three weeks. However as of 1:58 AM this morning, Elections BC reports that 45.03% of the known electorate voted NDP, 35.41% chose the Liberal and 15.30% the Greens. John Horgan won his majority, Michele Babchuk is our new MLA. and the only real surprise was the Green party numbers on Vancouver Island.

Sonia Furstenau and Adam Olsen have both been re-elected.

The Green party has also won its first seat on the Mainland: West Vancouver-Sea-to-Sky.

>>> North Island

Driving around Cortes Island recently, it’s not surprising to learn that there was a three race in North Island. We may lean further to the left than most of British Columbia, but every lawn sign I saw was Green. Alexandra Morton is currently in second place. As she is less than a hundred votes ahead of Liberal candidate Norm Facey, this could change, but it is also a pattern repeated in other eight Island ridings*, as well as Powell River-Sunshine Coast.

>>> The rest of Vancouver Island and Powell River

Nanaimo-North Cowichan, Chris Istace trails Doug Routley (NDP) by 1,001 votes.

Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Nicole Duncan trails Murray Rankin (NDP) by 1,647.

Victoria-Beacon Hill, Jenn Neilson trails Jenn Neilson (NDP) by 1,777.

Powell River-Sunshine Coast, Kim Darwin trails Nicholas Simons (NDP) by 2,166.

Victoria-Swan Lake, Annemieke Holthuis trails Rob Fleming (NDP) by 2,739

Esquimalt-Mtechsin, Andy MacKinnion trails Mitzi Dean (NDP) by 3,136

Nanaimo, Lia Versaevel trails Sheila Malcolmson (NDP) by 3,857.

Langford-Juan de Fuca, Gord Baird trails Premier John Horgan (NDP) by 3,887.

Mid Island-Pacific Rim, Evan Jolicoeur trails Josie Osbourne (NDP) by 4,537.

It seems unlikely that the Green Party will take any of these seats from the NDP after the final count, but the Liberal party finished second in most of these ridings in the 2017 provincial election.

This is not the first election where the Green party has shown promise. In the weeks prior to the last federal election, 338Canada’s projections showed them leading in four Vancouver Island ridings. This melted down to two on election day, which has been the pattern up until now. 1:54

This time, the numbers suggesting potential for a Green shift come from election results.

One of the questions on a recent Angus Reid poll was what would be your second choice? The Green Party was 20% ahead of second place NDP. (Greens 34%; NDP 14%; Liberals 10%; “Another party” 18%; Undecided 22%)

If there is a marked Green shift in the next election, or the one after that, most analysts expect it to be strongest on Vancouver Island.

Max Thaysen/Cortes Currents - This week, Cortes Currents presents a conversation with the Manager of the Cortes Community Forest, Mark Lombard, and President of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative, Carrie Saxifrage. The Cortes Community Forest Cooperative (CCFC) is the non-aboriginal equal partner with the Klahoose First Nation in the Cortes Forest General Partnership (CFGP).

Max Thaysen/Cortes Currents - This week, Cortes Currents presents a conversation with the Manager of the Cortes Community Forest, Mark Lombard, and President of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative, Carrie Saxifrage. The Cortes Community Forest Cooperative (CCFC) is the non-aboriginal equal partner with the Klahoose First Nation in the Cortes Forest General Partnership (CFGP).

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U Radio - With a high stakes election in the U.S., a sudden BC election called amidst a pandemic, and numerous local elections across Canada, the role of democracy is on many people’s minds. What works? What doesn’t? How is it that democracies can be used for personal gain and it can seem so hard to change things even when they seem to so obviously go wrong.

This week’s guest, Rex Weyler, is a pulitzer-prized nominated author, journalist, ecologist, co-founder of Greenpeace International, musician, educator, and immigrant. He’s a favourite at Folk University and I’m glad to welcome you here to Folk U Radio. Thank you Rex!

How do democracies go wrong?“

“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is a quote by British politician Lord Acton. People use power, often unintentionally, for their own gain, even if well intentioned. Democracy attempts to disseminate this power out to more people.

Nevertheless, democracies go wrong all the time. Listen to the program to find out how.

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U Radio - With a high stakes election in the U.S., a sudden BC election called amidst a pandemic, and numerous local elections across Canada, the role of democracy is on many people’s minds. What works? What doesn’t? How is it that democracies can be used for personal gain and it can seem so hard to change things even when they seem to so obviously go wrong.

This week’s guest, Rex Weyler, is a pulitzer-prized nominated author, journalist, ecologist, co-founder of Greenpeace International, musician, educator, and immigrant. He’s a favourite at Folk University and I’m glad to welcome you here to Folk U Radio. Thank you Rex!

How do democracies go wrong?“

“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is a quote by British politician Lord Acton. People use power, often unintentionally, for their own gain, even if well intentioned. Democracy attempts to disseminate this power out to more people.

Nevertheless, democracies go wrong all the time. Listen to the program to find out how.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - On July 13th, Regional Director Noba Anderson’s lawyer filed a suit against the Strathcona Regional District (SRD), in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She seeks repayment of her legal fees, from a frivolous lawsuit brought against her last year, and the dismissal of a subsequent SRD motion of censure. The case is to be heard sometime during the assize week starting November 23, 2020. James H Goulden just filed the SRD’s Response to Petition.

>>> Legal argument for not paying court costs

This document argues that the SRD’s Indemnification Bylaw only provides protection for officials “in connection with the exercise of of the official’s powers or the performance, or intended performance of the official’s duties or functions.”

“The Disqualification Petition is not a ‘claim, action or prosecution’ and was brought against Director Anderson in respect o the alleged receipt of gifts that were not in connection with the exercise of exercise of her powers or the intended exercise of her powers or the performance or intended performance of her duties or functions. The SRD is therefore not required to indemnify Director Anderson for the legal costs incurred.”

>>> Legal argument for censorship

The Response to Petition also confirms Anderson’s contention that she was censored for showing her lawyer confidential SRD documents, while seeking his legal advice.

According to the SRD’s Code of Conduct Bylaw, “information discussed or disclosed at closed meeting or the board” or marked as confidential “must not be disclosed or released to anyone.”

>>> Chronology of events

Thus when Director Anderson’s lawyer, Matthew Voeil, cited two of these documents, in a March 7, 2019 letter to the SRD, the Board perceived it as a violation of the Code of conduct.

In response, the SRD stopped providing Director Anderson “with closed reports to the Board respecting matters that relate to Director Anderson and to which Director Anderson may be in a conflict of interest with the Board.”

On April 15, the SRD’s legal counsel wrote Mr Voeill that these documents were confidential and “should be returned to the SRD or deleted.”

On May 1, 2019, Mr Voeill responded that “Director Anderson was entitled to disclose those documents to him.”

At their closed meeting a week later, on May 8, the Board resolved to not pay Director Anderson’s legal fees.

continued on the Cortes Currents website