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Vol. 11 Issue 4October 2014

Serving the Juan de Fuca:Port RenfrewJordan RiverOtter PointEast SookeMalahatShirley

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Rural Observer Fundraiserat Sooke Harbour House

Sip, Nibble & Learn

Wine Tasting

Rural OBSERVERCelebrating Our Rural Community Lifestyle

2 October 2014

A group of Juan de Fuca residents formed a non-profit society to launch a news and advertising publication for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.

We provide a forum for our rural communities to share news, exchange ideas and develop a sense of community. At the same time the publication gives businesses within and outside the electoral area an opportunity to promote their products and services and reach potential customers. We also hope to make current information about the region and its services available to the many tourists who visit the area each year. Our goal is to protect, preserve and enhance rural life.

The publication will rely on community members to share their interests and points of view through articles, correspondence and photographs. We welcome articles and letters reflecting the very diverse interests of our member communities and expressing all points of view. The editorial committee reserves the right to edit for brevity, accuracy, clarity and taste. Though every reasonable precaution will be made to verify the accuracy of material submitted, the editorial committee assumes no responsibility for the content of published articles. The responsibility is that of the writers. References and descriptions of products or services are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. We’re online! www.ruralobserver.comIf you wish to submit an article for an upcoming issue of the Rural Observer, please email it to:

submissions@ruralobserver.com

Or mail to: Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society 2617 Seaside Drive, Shirley, BC V9Z 1G7

BECOME A MEMBER or RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!Celebrate our rural community lifestyle by helping us share stories and information about our region. Become a member of the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society today. Our fee structure is as follows - you may renew/join at the basic level of $20, become a “Supporter” for $50, or a “Lifetime Member” for only $100. We recommend the lifetime membership - you won’t need to remember to renew each year! The Rural Observer needs your support to keep it strong, viable and independent. Please make out cheques to the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society and mail to: 6602 Tideview Rd, Sooke, BC, V9Z 1A6

* MEMBERSHIP FORM ON PAGE 15 *

The Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society Mission Statement

Mailing Services

3 October 2014

continued on page 4

No (More) Oil Tankers, Pleaseby Jeff Bateman

A familiar message became a mantra locally this summer thanks to Otter Point’s Bob Phillips and his band of sign makers: “No More Tankers,” the placards read in black script against an aqua blue background. They flowered practically overnight following the Harper government’s approval of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline project early this summer. And the intent was clear: enough already, no means no, stop the madness.

The signs went up in support of Let BC Vote, the campaign for a provincial referendum on heavy oil pipelines launched in June by the Dogwood Initiative. The Victoria-based non-partisan environmental group began the No Tankers movement a decade ago and remains at the forefront of efforts to stop the latest wave of projects planned to ship crude oil from Alberta’s tar sands west to the coast and onward to Asia.

A team of more than 50 local volunteers led by Amanda Johnston and quarterbacked by JDF regional organizer Terry Dance Bennink came together in double-quick time to start collecting their share of 4,000 and counting (as of Sept. 1) signatures from JDF residents. BC’s “direct democracy” safeguard – attempted nine times on a variety of issues since 1995 and successfully making it to the ballot just once in the case of the 2010 vote to end the Harmonized Sales Tax – needs the support of at least 10 percent of registered voters in each of the province’s 85 electoral districts as a first requirement. Some districts have exceeded that total handily, others are lagging. In JDF terms, we’re about two-thirds of the way to qualifying, notes Johnston. (Learn more at http://www.letbcvote.ca.)

For their part, Transition Town Sooke and Awareness Film Night’s Jo Phillips teamed up to request that Sooke voters have their say on the subject with a November ballot question. The idea first arose towards the end of Transition’s June 26 public forum on the Enbridge decision that featured inspiring words from Dogwood’s Kai Nagata, Sooke councillor Maja Tait, the T’Sou-ke Nation’s Andrew Moore and former federal Environment Minister David Anderson. Sooke council gave us a tentative thumbs up in late July, however a subsequent staff report revealed the costs and complications involved along with the Chief Election Officer’s opinion that one referendum question (on borrowing for a new community centre) was enough for attention-deficient voters.

To everyone’s surprise and delight, however, council again (as is its usually regrettable habit) blindsided staff and voted unanimously on Sept. 8 in favour of a non-binding plebiscite on Nov. 15. A packed house burst into applause, and there’s no question the passionate, well-reasoned turns at the microphone by the likes of Johnston, Bruce Lemire Elmore, Gail Armitage, Ralph Hull, Mark Ziegler, Tia Leschke and the Sooke Salmon Enhancement Society’s Robert Gamache helped turn the tide. “I’m over the moon and so is our Sooke team,” said Bennink afterwards. “No other municipality has put this issue on the November election ballot to my knowledge – an historic precedent.”

Strong sentiments on this subject are nothing new hereabouts. Local voices were raised in the early 1970s in support of David Anderson’s call for a moratorium on tankers in BC’s northern inside passage and the Strait of Georgia. In fact, Ralph Hull, then living in the Cowichan Valley, took a lead role as a self-described “rabble rouser” in organizing citizen groups and ensuring Pierre Trudeau’s government did the right thing. Numerous resolutions have been passed at the municipal level opposing coastal tankers and drilling, the latest set of them (including one initiated by Randall Garrison when he was an Esquimalt councillor) triggered by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

The difference now is that the waters in question are right outside our front doors. If Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion goes ahead, tanker traffic passing through the Juan de Fuca Strait will increase sevenfold (to as many as 400 tankers per year). As local researcher Kandace Kerr also noted in the materials she prepared for Transition’s council submission, they’ll be playing dodge ‘em with the 920 large vessels that are currently traversing the Strait each month – tankers, cargo containers, cruise ships and ferries included.

All this maritime traffic in the legendary “graveyard of the Pacific” makes an incident of some smaller or larger kind “inevitable,” a word used by both JDF Regional Director Mike Hicks and Sooke Mayor Wendal Milne in letters they sent to Ottawa in January,

4 October 2014

No More Tankers: Vox Populi

“The Northern Gateway project along with other pipeline proposals would pose risk of unacceptable damage to this valuable coastline. I am very concerned about any increase of tanker traffic along the coast, and especially in the Juan de Fuca Strait.” – Sheila Whincup “Are we really willing to put our biggest asset, the ocean, at risk? And for what reason? This community will see no benefits leading from the Enbridge pipeline, but may have to deal with the negative impact.” – Maja Tait

“Ideally, a strong, concerted campaign now will ensure that we won’t have to keep playing whack-a-mole with every new dirty energy project that arises over the next 30 years.” – Dogwood Initiative’s Kai Nagata

“Our rich algae beds require extreme protection to preserve a huge number of marine species and our oceans. Any local seaweed expert can confirm this. Most people do not know that seaweeds and other algae produce more than 50% of the oxygen on the planet. Literally we must protect them for the air that we breathe!” – Christine Hopkins

“Increased crude oil tankers traffic will only increase the odds of an environmental catastrophe.” – JDF Regional Director Mike Hicks

“The lure of fast money is irresistible. We’ve fought back against these kinds of proposals before, and I’m sure we’ll have to do so again and again.” – David Anderson, former federal Minister of the Environment

“The very thought of laying pipes across Beautiful BC is positively obscene.” – Barry Whiting

“The tourism sector generates $2.2 billion and more than 60,000 jobs annually for the Vancouver Island economy, according to Tourism Vancouver Island. An oil spill could seriously jeopardize these benefits for years to come.” – Mark Zeigler

“There have been a number of near misses recorded in recent years, so I believe it is inevitable that a major collision will occur in the future.” – Sooke Mayor Wendal Milne

2012. The current emergency response time would be as long as 18 to 72 hours (depending on the size of the spill) plus travel time as Western Canada Marine Response Corp. sends its team from the Port of Vancouver. (We’re in the secondary – or “enhanced” in WCMRC lingo – response area. Its primary focus is the Strait of Georgia.) The late Bob Clark, our regional director at the time of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, purchased oil containment boom equipment that’s available for use in the Sooke Harbour. An offshore spill would be a trans-border issue, of course, and we could also count on action from Washington state (i.e., US Coast Guard crews based in Port Angeles and the rescue tug at Neah Bay).

As letter writers supporting Transition’s request and folks like Seaflora’s Diane Bernard and the T’Sou-ke Nation’s aquaculture team leader Blake Barton said to council directly, a serious spill would be devastating not only to the maritime environment but to local business, real-estate prices, sports fishing, tourism and, in general, our ongoing ability to harvest riches of all kinds from a (relatively) clean ocean. Elected officials in Colwood, Metchosin, Victoria, Cumberland and Burnaby have all passed recent resolutions to that effect, and now Sooke voters can draw their own line in the waters.

The key words in this latest manifestation of the No Tankers campaign are “no more.” What’s needed now is to hold the line on current fossil fuel consumption, then join the rest of the world in seeking alternate energy solutions while also finding individual and community ways to simplify and make do with less in this era of peak everything.

Jeff Bateman is president of the Sooke Transition Town Society.

5 October 2014

Money Money Moneyby Susan Nelson

What a driving force, no? Life seems to be defined so much by one’s financial wherewithal. In the book, The Value of Nothing, Raj Patel illustrates how much our perception of what is good and right has to do with the power that economics has been given in our world today. He looks at how we managed to arrive to this place where “Making It” now means having plenty of money whether or not it comes from producing something useful or providing a needed service. Actually it seems that the further away one gets from the basic necessities of life the more money one can receive.

Stockbrokers, financial managers, investment consultants are some of the highest paid (and not just a salary) people in the world and then there are the people who do nothing but make money on the money they have. Something seems askew to me when a person can “make” a six figure income from designing cell phone ringtones while a person who cares for children in a daycare centre earns less than $20,000 per year.

The topic of economic inequality has been getting into the headlines in the last few years and hopefully there will be some thought and action put into what we value and maybe more importantly, why. Why would we put a higher value on how a cell phone sounds than support for people who care for children? Why is it that we are so afraid of not having enough money and what exactly is enough? Why have we decided that things are worth more if they cost more?

What would we need to change in order to free ourselves of the consequences that arise when goodness, comfort, happiness, peace of mind, etc. are equated with access to money? Raj Patel believes that it is important to consider all the unpaid work that has been done/is being done both in the service of the family and in the broader community. Every day chores, taking care of loved ones, giving someone a ride, “informal” teaching, listening to a friend in need, learning and on and on. Much of this work has become institutionalized. We no longer ‘do’ for ourselves and each other so we must depend on various often expensive institutions or companies to provide what we need. In Twin Oaks, an income sharing intentional community in Virginia, the members each commit to working somewhere around 40 hours a week, but that includes things like cleaning their own house, cooking, even going to the doctor. That is because all the efforts to sustain daily life on the personal level mean that that person is able to contribute fully to the community as a whole. The work that they do for generating an income for the community is just part of what is seen as valuable labour.

Small groups that form non-profit organizations to provide some needed service or product for the local community also show the way to replacing a money based value system with a system that values commitment and shared responsibility.

Now you may not have been expecting a fundraising pitch at this point but here it is. The

Rural Observer is published by a non-profit community service organization formed to “provide a forum for our rural communities to share news, exchange ideas and develop a sense of community.” There is no charge and the magazine is mailed throughout the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area. The cost of production and distribution is $19,000 per year. Advertising pays for approximately $13,000. That leaves $6,000 to be covered by donations in the form of grants, memberships, individual donations and fundraising events.

That brings us to WINE TASTING! A grand occasion to Sip, Nibble and Learn at the Sooke Harbour House with Ben Philips, Sommelier of Style Wines of Vancouver. He will be offering a wide variety of wines as well as wine appreciation techniques, wine and food pairing ideas, tasting terminology, proper glassware and printed information about the wines. There will also be exquisite cheeses and such to accompany the wine and door prizes just for fun.

A good opportunity to taste some excellent wine to choose for your Thanksgiving dinner and of course to value and support the Rural Observer.

Sip, Nibble & Learn1:00 - 4:00p.m., Sunday October 5thSooke Harbour House Garden Room

Tickets are $50Call 778-528-2299

Sip, Nibble & Learn

WineTasting

Proceeds support the printing of the Rural Observer. Thank you for your support!

Sunday Oct. 5, 1 - 4pmSooke Harbour Housein the Garden Room1528 Whiffin Spit Road

$50

you. With the government making decisions about whether to allow huge fleets of super tankers to transport oil from the proposed pipeline in Kitimat and also into terminals in Vancouver, we are deeply concerned. An oil spill on our west coast would smother the seaweeds and the micro-algae, making it impossible for them to photosynthesize and thus leading to mass die-offs of our ocean’s primary source. Every level of the food chain would be affected, either directly or indirectly, by an oil spill. The seaweeds, the prawns, the crabs, the bivalves & univalves, the fish, the orcas and yes…our beloved salmon. Furthermore, the effects of an oil spill ‘clean-up’ could be almost equally catastrophic. Sometimes harsh chemicals unsafe for consumption are used as well as a new technique that disperses the oil into small particles that then cannot be collectively cleaned up and could continue to suffocate the single-celled algae that are responsible for producing most of the world’s oxygen supply (the very air we breathe), for years to come.

With consistent, heavy tanker traffic in our dangerous, stormy, wild Northern waters, a significant oil spill is statistically an inevitability. As we have witnessed in the past, an oil spill in the ocean is devastating to any marine ecosystem. I believe a marine ecosystem as rich and diverse and abundant as ours deserves the utmost care and collective contemplation of the practices that we, as the people who live, work and play here, allow in our delicate and near-pristine ocean ecosystem. If a major oil spill happens on our coast, not only will our seaweeds disappear, but so will the species dependent upon them for food and shelter. So too, we fear, will the health & lifestyle of the west coaster.

Amanda Swinimer, BSc+ Marine Biology, is the Owner/Operator of Dakini Tidal Wilds. Amanda wild-harvests local edible seaweeds and teaches people about seaweeds via educational tours, workshops and at schools.

Christine Hopkins, registered aromatherapist, thallassotherapist, sells seaweed for therapeutic use in baths and for skin absorption, and teaches people about the amazing healing properties of seaweeds.

Learn more about seaweeds by visiting www.dakinitidalwilds.com. Amanda & Christine will be teaching classes on seaweeds at Royal Roads University in winter 2014/spring 2015.

6 October 2014

Awareness Film NightFilms on topics normally disregarded

by mainstream media.

Screened monthly from October thru May. Available every day at the lending library.

Details: www.awarenessfilmnight.ca

The Effect of an Oil Spill on Seaweeds - and All Levels of the Food Chainby Amanda Swinimer and Christine Hopkins

Did you know that right here in the Pacific Northwest, we have among the richest diversity of seaweeds on the planet? With over 650 species, some still waiting to be discovered and at least one species having been named by Bamfield’s own kelp expert, Dr. Louis Druehl, Ph.D., our foreshore invokes a jaw-dropping sense of awe to some of the world’s leading phycologists.

Aside from the absolutely astonishing health benefits of seaweeds, such as their hyper-abundance of rare & essential minerals in bioavailable forms, their richness in most vitamins, their effectiveness in treating many chronic and acute illnesses and their promising preliminary results in the treatment and prevention of certain types of cancer, they are ecologically critical.

Most of the world’s oxygen is produced by algae, and most of the world’s carbon is fixed by algae. Algae is the primary source that feeds the world’s oceans that cover two thirds of our planet. Here in the Pacific Northwest, countless species of invertebrates and vertebrates use the seaweed gardens as a nursery. The Kelp Forests are an oasis for a huge diversity of marine species and are among the most diverse ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean.

If you rely in any way on the ocean as part of your livelihood and lifestyle, then the health of seaweeds is even more significant to

7 October 2014

Your Rural Voice in the Legislature#122–2806 Jacklin Rd, Victoria, BC V9B 5A4

250-391-2801john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca www.johnhorganmla.ca

John Horgan MLA Juan de Fuca

JH-RurObs-1405.indd 1 2014-05-15 2:00 PM

The Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 3pm, Juan de Fuca Local Area Services Building

#3 – 7450 Butler Road, Sooke, BCPublic Welcome to Attend

For meeting confirmation or enquiries, please call 250.642.1500.

Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission

Bitumen Infused Local Sea Salts?by Jessica Abel

Did you know that we have local sea salt hand harvested from the western coastal waters of Vancouver Island? A sea salt harvestry named Saltwest Naturals is located in Otter Point, and was formerly known as Salish Sea Salts. Our company has been producing high quality natural Canadian cooking sea salts and mineral sea soaks since 2011. The natural sea salt is often purchased as gifts to represent “a piece of the Island,” and/or taken home by tourists and locals to reap the rewards of using our mineral rich, natural and organic products. Most popular is the Organic Sweet Smokey Maple Sea Salt, a custom blend created with Salmon in mind and intended as an easy flavourful rub. Both could be lost if we don’t stop the increase of tankers carrying bitumen through our coastal waters for the benefit of Asia.

Sea salt and a good cooking oil is a match made in heaven. Replace that good cooking oil with bitumen and you have a salt harvester’s worst nightmare. Bitumen infused sea salt won’t be a #1 selling flavour, but where it does rank #1 is in the threat to our local sea salt harvestry. If an oil spill did occur it would seriously cripple everything we have worked so hard to achieve in this business over the last three and a half years. We have put forth a tremendous amount of our effort; energy and financially we have innovative investments that help us produce our sea salts in a sustainable way.

Recently a solar greenhouse was added making us the first solar produced sea salt in Western Canada, and there are plans to expand by adding an additional 2 greenhouses in the spring of 2015. Our best and most exciting investment is our new desalinization process, which creates potable drinking water from the seawater. We have been using the water to irrigate our land, but some customers have commented that they would love to see us offer it by the bottle. We have a great business and it all depends on the coastal waters being clean. It is our responsibility to find ways to move away from fossil fuels and turn towards renewable energy sources. Every dollar counts and if we keep voting for fuel everyone will lose. Supporting businesses that are investing in our future and not our demise is key. It’s not going to happen over night but even a 10% reduction in fuel consumption is 10% less fuel being lugged across our ocean and 10% less carbon being pumped into our atmosphere. I recently read that this pipeline and terminal would provide 104 permanent positions in the company and 113 positions associated in the marine service. Just along our Juan de Fuca regional coast we could lose that amount of jobs when the oil spills, because it isn’t a matter of if it will happen, but when.

There are so many small businesses that rely on the health of our ocean that we would be crazy to sit back quietly and let it happen. Voicing your opinion is great, but we also need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if there are changes we can make in our own lives to help reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. Mahatma Gandhi said it best: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Jessica Abel is the founder of Saltwest Naturals

The Rural Observer’s Publication Schedule for 2014:December Issue - December 4, 2014

8 October 2014

Doug Read Licensed Realtor26 years experience~20 years *Selling* in *East Sooke* Benefit from my LOCAL EXPERIENCE and LOCAL SERVICE.

Doug ReadPemberton Holmes Real Estate250-361-7939 or 250-642-2705 or toll free 1-866-536-7169email: info@dougread.com web site: www.dougread.com

Tansy Ragwort - A Problem in Our Communities by Moralea Milne

Sunday July 27th was once again declared “Tackle Tansy Ragwort Day” by the District of Metchosin. Although Tansy Ragwort is gaining a foothold here and elsewhere on Vancouver Island, the good news is that efforts to combat it are spreading as well.

East Sooke took up the challenge this year, thanks to a few dedicated volunteers. The beautifully designed East Sooke Bridges website profiled it in their invasive species site. http://www.eastsookebridge.com/#!invasive-species/chqc Tackling the Tansy signs were also put up on the Sooke Mirror distribution boxes encouraging people to “see it sprout…tug it out!” This seemed to have the desired effect as Tansy Ragwort corpses became visible on the roadsides. May next year see even more intensive efforts at eradication underway on roadsides and on private properties as more people become aware of the issue.

Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobea) is a member of the aster family. During the first year of growth it forms a ground-hugging rosette of lobed leaves, in the second year it shoots up to its full height of

up to 1.2 m (4 ft). Usually it will die after flowering but can become a short-lived perennial. You might ask how a plant with such a short lifespan can become a huge problem….each plant can produce up to 150,000 wind-blown seeds which can remain viable for up to twenty years and the dense root system can displace agricultural forage and native species, reducing pasture production by over 50%.

Horses, cows and goats that ingest tansy ragwort can suffer liver damage which can lead to poor condition and death. Apparently most poisonings are the result of eating small quantities over an extended period, the effects accumulate over time. Effects are worse on young animals.

“Symptoms include depression, loss of appetite, chewing of fences and dirt, restlessness and wandering aimlessly, walking into fixed objects, yellow or muddy discolouration of mucous membranes and an unpleasant pig-like skin odour. In severe cases serum will seep through the skin due to a photosensitive reaction resulting from liver damage”.

The highest concentrations of the toxic alkaloids occur in the flowers and dilute forms of the poison have been found in honey and milk products. Although the potential risk to humans is considered very slight, caution should be observed when using these products over the long term.

Three biological agents have been released to help control the spread of tansy ragwort, the most conspicuous is the beautiful red and black cinnabar moth, which flies in June and July, laying its eggs on the plants. The striking yellow and black striped caterpillar can defoliate a plant very effectively. Uprooting plants infested with caterpillars and inoculating barren plants is a good way to help curb the spread. As well, the caterpillars are

9 October 2014

East Sooke Community Calendar Unless otherwise indicated all events & classes held in the East Sooke Fire Hall meeting room.

East Sooke Volunteer Fire Department1397 Coppermine RoadFire Practice Thursdays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.Volunteers Welcome

East Sooke Fire Protection &Emergency Services CommissionThird Mondays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

EAST SOOKE HARVEST ART & CRAFT FAIRSaturday & Sunday, Oct. 4th & 5th10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.copperminepark@telus.net

Karate Classes For All Agesasielopp@telus.net

Cardio & Strength Classpureconfidencefitness@hotmail.com

Hatha Yoga Classesconnieroseyoga@gmail.com

250-478-4358www.stinking fish studio tour.com

Saturday & SundayNovember 15 & 16

10am- 5pmStinking Fish Artists

schooling under one roof!West-Mont Montessori

4075 Metchosin Rd — SPECIAL GUESTS —

An array of Stinking Fish artists from past years!

apparently toxic to our native alligator lizards. A seed head fly and a root eating flea beetle have joined the control arsenal and the root beetle seems to be making some headway in reducing populations.

Tansy Ragwort’s bright yellow blooms make them easy to spot and remove. A number of people throughout Metchosin have taken it upon themselves to uproot every plant they find. The plants have a shallow, fibrous root system, which makes them easy to dislodge. By mid to late summer, even uprooted plants might continue maturing the seeds and the flowers at least should be bagged and sent to the dump. It is considered advisable to wear gloves when tackling the plants.

It is thought that the plants were originally brought over from the British Isles as a medicinal herb, but as in many cases, too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect.

10 October 2014

Shirley Women’s Institute Celebrates 90 Years by Brianna Shambrook

This fall marks the 90th anniversary of the Shirley Women’s Institute (SWI), which was the first organization in Shirley. To honour the occasion, the SWI has partnered with the Sooke Region Museum to develop a travelling exhibit that can be showcased at fairs and meetings. In 1924, eight women founded the SWI. The women held their first meeting on October 24, 1924 inside the Shirley School House, which, unfortunately, no longer exists. Ultimately, the SWI wanted to help develop their community and support rural women who sought self-sufficient lifestyles. Today, the SWI has the same goals and values as it did 90 years ago.

The institute took on many issues such as improving road conditions and modern services like electricity. The SWI is also renowned for their fundraising and have been recognized for their role in hosting and aiding health clinics. Perhaps the most notable accomplishment of the institute was helping to stop the combination of Thanksgiving and Remembrance (Armistice) Day into one holiday. At the October 7, 1926 meeting the SWI adopted the following resolution: “Moved by Mrs. Edwin Clark, seconded by Mrs. H.J. Kirby that-Whereas the true significance of Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day is lost by being combined in one holiday, and whereas November 11th should be kept as a holiday in honour and memory of those who made the Armistice possible, therefore be it resolved to ask women’s and other organizations to take steps to induce the Federal Government to have Armistice Day Nov. 11th proclaimed a public holiday.” Due to this proposal, the two holidays were never combined.

The SWI also had a well-known presence at craft fairs near and far. The members submitted handicrafts such as handmade dolls and stitchery. Handmade clothing was also submitted in some fairs. Amongst the SWI archives at the Sooke Region Museum are numerous scrapbooks containing the institute’s winning ribbons at events such as the PNE, the Luxton Fair and the Sooke Fall Fair. The institute was also active in All Sooke Day, which ended in 2002, and local parades.

Four years ago the institute was suffering. Most of its members were growing older and they found it difficult to keep the institute running. Luckily, in 2011, a few women in the community

recognized the importance of the institute and took it upon themselves to revive it. Just as in 1924, they started with eight members. Today, the institute has members ranging in age from their 20s to 80s. This is quite unusual for a Women’s Institute. Younger generations are becoming more interested in being self-sufficient and living independently. To encourage this younger age bracket and uphold their values, the SWI holds regular workshops on topics such as harvesting, soap making, handicrafts, canning, and preparing and preserving food.

The travelling exhibit has two components: a tri-fold presentation board and a briefcase with replicated documents and pictures. The tri-fold presentation board (3’6” W x 2’4” H) was designed using Microsoft Publisher and printed on foam core at Island Blue in Victoria. The board includes information on the institute’s origin, values and revival as well as pictures and documents. The SWI 1924 certificate of incorporation and long-time member Jean Robinson’s 1979 invitation to meet the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia are among the documents included on the board. Also included on the board are scans of the institutes winning craft fair ribbons. The tri-fold design is ideal for setting up on tables at the many craft fairs and meetings its members attend.

The briefcase was originally donated to the Sooke Region Museum on September 25, 2013 by the SWI, and then repurposed for this exhibit. The briefcase has clear signs of wear and tear. When brought to the museum the handle was falling off, but the museum’s exhibit tech stabilized it. Inside are documents, pictures, letters, books, and other objects such as a WI tablecloth. All of the materials have been replicated for people to handle and read. Current President, Stephanie Croft, was keen on including letters written to the SWI from service men during World War II. These WWII letters were duplicated as authentically as possible

The travelling briefcase with many of its contents on display.

11 October 2014

and are some of the most stimulating material inside the travelling briefcase.

The institute also asked the museum to reproduce artifact 1979.100.001, which is a framed collection of pictures showing 13 original members. The framed piece will hang in the Shirley Community Hall. On Sunday September 21st the SWI celebrated their 90th anniversary with a tree planting ceremony in Pioneer Park. The travelling exhibit was on display in the hall for all to enjoy. Additionally, a plaque was presented and guests enjoyed refreshments in the hall. For more information on the SWI please contact President Stephanie Croft (stephaniecroft@hotmail.com). Check out our online archives for the Rural Observer’s July 2012 edition to read an article on the institute’s revival, written by Stephanie.

Brianna Shambrook is the Collections and Exhibits Manager at the Sooke Region Museum.

Images from artifact 1979.100.001. This reproduction will hang in the Shirley Community Hall. A collection of replicated World War II letters

written to the SWI by service men.

Calendar of Events for ShirleyUnless otherwise indicated, events are held at the Shirley Community Hall

Shirley Fire DepartmentPractices held Thursdays7:00 – 9:00 p.m.To volunteer: 250-646-2107

Shukokai Karate for all agesAlida – 250-642-4631

Pilatesinfo@sandrasmithyoga.com250-646-2651

Yoga Tuesdays, 6:00– 7:00 p.m.

Nia Dance/Movement movingmelody@gmail.comor 250-646-2995

Shirley Quilters and CraftersThursdays, 10:00 a.m.

Shirley Women’s Institute 1st Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.stephaniecroft@hotmail.com

Shirley Fire Commission Meeting3rd Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.

Shirley Community Association MeetingWednesday, November 12, 7:30 p.m.

Shirley Fall Craft FairSunday, November 16, 201410:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Fern Dunn – 250-646-2009marydunn@shaw.ca

12 October 2014

Randall Garrison, MPESQUIMALT–JUAN DE FUCAA2 – 100 Aldersmith Place View Royal, BC V9A 7M8 M–Th, 10–4 / 250-405-6550 Randall.Garrison@parl.gc.ca www.randallgarrison.ndp.ca

Helping constituents with Federal government programs and services.

RG-RuralObserver-1311.indd 1 2013-11-06 12:35 PM

Photos by Larry McCafferty

13 October 2014

For people wholike this sort of thing

This is the sort of thing they’d like.

Things & stuff.Fresh everyday.

M-F 6-5S&S 7:30-5(The New Branch in The Prestige Hotel is open Victoria Day to Thanksgiving)

Tastes of India - Authentic Indian CuisinePooja Barooah is a full-time mom who loves to cook! She proudly offers authentic Indian take-out in Sooke every Wednesday, cooked in the Sooke Harbour House kitchens. Personally selected, fresh ingredients are used for all meals. Her food is perfect for anyone looking for a convenient and tasty meal, and all meals are custom made to suit preferences, allergies and taste palates. Most meals can also be frozen, so feel free to ask her for advice if you are planning in advance. People place their orders by noon on Tuesday for pick-up Wednesday.

Pooja also caters events and teaches classes on how to prepare your own meals. Here is an easy recipe, especially appropriate for this time of year when eggplants are readily available.

Fried Aubergine (Eggplant)

Ingredients: 1 Eggplant 1 Tbsp chili powder Turmeric powder - a pinch Garam masala - a pinch (optional) Salt - as needed 1/2 a lemon Oil - as needed

Method:Cut the eggplant into thin circles.Season the eggplant circles with the above seasonings.Shallow fry the eggplant on a griddle.Flip the eggplant when one side browns.When both sides are browned, remove from griddle and add few drops of lemon juice on top.

Serve with rice or chapati.

Rural RECIPE

Inn fRestaurant gGallery aSpa1528 Whiffen Spit Road, Sooke, BC Tel: 250-642-3421

Book now...

events@sookeharbourhouse.com

for your holiday season events, parties, and winter get-aways!

14 October 2014

Once again, on November 15th, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area residents will be voting for their Advisory Planning Commission representatives, Land Use Committee representatives and Regional Director. I am again putting my name forward to be considered for Regional Director.

In the last 6 years we have made and witnessed many improvements throughout the Juan de Fuca. Port Renfrew has a new fire hall, new fire trucks, improved transfer station, improved Tsunami warning system, high speed internet, improved water system with standby generator, emergency Telus phone system and a strong relationship and partnership with the Pacheedaht Nation. The community recreation hall was completely renovated including the addition of a standby generator. It now houses the Chamber of Commerce, Post Office and Vancouver Island Regional Library. Residents enjoy their services and a huge dance/meeting hall at absolutely no financial cost as a result of rent collected.

Cottage development has been extensive, resulting in almost a 80% increase in the Port Renfrew residential and parcel tax base. In addition, Jack Julseth, owner of the cottage development company 3 Point Properties, generously donated $20,000 from his cottage sales towards our new First Responder Truck. This development, combined with the 24 million dollar highway improvement on the Pacific Marine Circle Route has resulted in a very stable, prosperous and exciting community and full employment for its residents.

Jordan River residents have formed a new community association and affiliation with OPSRRA. They have enjoyed a new level of input and consultation on all issues concerning their community from development of the Jordan River Regional Park to speeding traffic. Probably the greatest relief for many Jordan River and Shirley residents was the CRD’s 9 million dollar purchase of the water front lands from the River Jordan to Sandcut Beach forever preserving their public use.

Shirley residents now have high speed internet, an improved radio call-out service for their fire department, a terrific new restaurant, “Shirley Delicious”, and are working through the revised OCP. The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society, supported by the CRD, continues in their quest to secure the transfer of the Sheringham Lighthouse, which is anticipated in the very near future. Otter Point is the new home of our Juan de Fuca office . The building houses our planning, building inspection, parks, and emergency services departments as well as a 2,000 square foot meeting room and emergency radio room and tower. Our payments are less than our previous rent and the Juan de Fuca residents will own the building outright in 15 years. The office adjoins our relatively new Williams Simmons Park with its manicured lawn, picnic area , walking trails and lake.

Otter Point residents, after years of meetings and discussion have completed their OCP review. This is incredibly significant as this once partially fractured community came together, discussed their differences, compromised and worked together to produce a document and plan that has ended land use controversy in the community. A tremendous accomplishment.

East Sooke residents are building a new fire hall and are the new home of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. They are working on their OCP review and similar to Otter Point are working together towards a common community goal and plan.

Willis Point continues to have a strong community association and voice on matters concerning their residents. If it is road maintenance, land use, building a new fire department garage, or questioning the CRD’s plan for treating sewage sludge at Hartland, the residents are united and powerful in their representation.

From the desk of Mike Hicks, JdF Regional Director

15 October 2014

Malahat residents , after some negotiation now pay the same for fire protection as their neighbors and partners in the CVRD. They now share with Otter Point, East Sooke and Shirley the opportunity to build a detached suite on their properties over 1 hectare. Over the past 6 years we faced and resolved many important issues concerning the Juan de Fuca. The Marine Trail Development, re-zoning of the Western Forest Products lands released from the TFL and down zoning of Rural A lands by the CRD are on the top of the list. I have received over 32,000 e-mails and answered 14,500, all concerning important matters to our residents.

We are fortunate to have great staff in our local office. We have had virtually no staff turn-over in the past 6 years which has contributed to a stable and happy working climate. This, in conjunction with a good and open relationship with our senior management team at the CRD, has resulted in a relatively stable governance system for the Juan de Fuca and one of the lowest tax increases in the CRD or Vancouver Island.

Until the Core Area sewer project is solved, I predict a very unsettling if not chaotic environment at the CRD. More than ever, the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area must be strongly represented to maintain the attention they need and receive from the CRD staff and Board.

If you or our community chooses someone other than myself for this job, I want to sincerely thank everyone for giving me this life

Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society2015 MEMBERSHIP / RENEWAL FORM

Name ____________________________________

Address _______________________________________

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Phone ____________ E-mail ______________________

Are you able to help? _____________________________

Return to: JdF Rural Publication Society, 6602 Tideview Rd, East Sooke BC V9Z 1A6

Jo in UsBECOME A MEMBER or

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

Celebrate our rural community lifestyle by helping us share stories and information about our region. Become a member of the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society today. Our fee structure is as follows - you may renew/join at the basic level of $20, become a “Supporter” for $50, or a “Lifetime Member” for only $100. We recommend the lifetime membership - you won’t need to remember to renew each year! The Rural Observer needs your support to keep it strong, viable and independent. Please make out cheques to the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society and mail to: 6602 Tideview Rd, Sooke, BC, V9Z 1A6

Rural OBSERVERCelebrating Our Rural Community Lifestyle

experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and every little accomplishment and change we made to improve our lives. If you choose me to represent our Juan de Fuca residents, I will continue to try and represent you in the best way I can.

Thank you and all the best,Mike Hicks

16 October 2014

From the desk of John Horgan, MLA Juan de Fuca

When I last wrote in the Rural Observer I had just announced that I would be running for Leader of the Official Opposition. With the full support of the caucus I was acclaimed leader on May 1, 2014. It has been an amazing experience to date, and I look forward to continuing

to serve my constituents, the people of BC, and to hold the BC Liberal Government to account.

What a summer it has been with the good, the bad and the ugly. The good has been spending time in the communities that make up Juan de Fuca, attending fairs, meeting with constituents and cheering on the local sport teams. The bad has been the teachers’ strike and the seeming disinterest of the government to ensure our students are back in school. The ugly is the mining disaster at Mount Polley owned by Imperial Metals Corp.

We are so fortunate to live in an area where communities big and small have farmer or country markets where we celebrate our heritage. Events such as Shirley Day, Metchosin Day, the Highlands Fling and Sooke Fall Fair, to name a few, keep us connected and appreciative of our rural roots. My new role as leader of the opposition has taken me all around the province and makes me appreciate even more the amazing people and places we have in Juan de Fuca. My community office has been busy this summer advocating for constituents and helping folks with many different provincial programs.

Which brings me to the bad. I am hopeful that by the time this is published that the government has come to its senses and has

realized that education is important and that reaching an agreement with teachers needs to be their first priority. Time and again I have asked the government to put aside politics and to take responsibility for finding a solution to the dispute. For most of the summer there were very few meetings, little to no movement and a lackluster effort by the government to see that our students are back in the classroom. The uncertainty about the start of the school year has caused huge stress for students, parents and employers. There has been no sign from the government of leadership or a willingness to get kids and teachers back into classrooms.

And then there is the ugly: the Mount Polley tailings pond calamity. I spent several days in the Cariboo meeting with the people negatively affected by this crisis and seeing firsthand the destruction that words and pictures just cannot adequately capture. Natural resources are an important source of employment and revenue for our province, but it takes oversight and enforcement by government to ensure that our environment is protected. The tailing pond collapse highlights an abysmal failure of government stewardship and now our environment and all British Columbians will pay the price.

Currently the Minister of Environment is cautioning that only some parts of fish are edible. It is only through good fortune that people were not hurt or killed with the collapse. More importantly, we are learning that the BC Liberal Government is continuing to show their attitude of arrogance and secrecy. They have refused to release even the most basic records to the public in a timely manner. How can we have confidence in the government and their ability to handle emergencies if they do not share information with the public?

I believe that we can create jobs and wealth from our natural resources. We need to protect our resources but also to take a balanced approach to their development. For the past 12 years the BC Liberal government has seen a decrease in value from our resources coming back to the public, which means less financial resources for health care, for education and vital social programs. We need to change that. I want people to see the importance of the economy and our valuable social programs and how they are linked. Being stewards of our resources, for this and future generations, is the responsibility of government.

The Legislature is scheduled to resume sitting on October 6th, and I look forward to raising these issues and many others. Holding the government to account is the responsibility of the official opposition and as leader and your MLA I plan to do just that.

Email: jdfepc@crd.bc.ca

Email: jdfepc@crd.bc.caPhone: 250-642-8105Cell: 250-883-0607

#3-7450 Butler Road Sooke, BC V9Z 1N1

Update from the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Societyby Michael Galizio, President

I am happy to report that the Society is close to acquiring a portion of the land at Sheringham Point including the parcel that holds the lighthouse structure. The land will become a community park for all to enjoy. In a recent letter from DFO, Minister Gail Shea, the Minister, wrote:“I understand that the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society (the Society) has submitted an initial business plan for acquisition of the lighthouse to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and that the Society is currently working with DFO officials to refine it prior to its review by the Department’s Lighthouse Business Case Review Committee. Once a plan is approved, DFO will then advise Parks Canada, so that they can proceed with their review process for designation of the Sheringham Lighthouse as heritage under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. As required under the Act, a decision to declare a lighthouse heritage and to transfer it to a non-federal agency is followed by a 90-day advertisement period. At that point, the transfer of the lighthouse to the Society could be concluded.”

The Business Plan has now been approved and DFO has notified Parks Canada to proceed with the heritage review process - which should be concluded in September.

Lighthouse View and Jennie’s Trail: After 5 successful years managing and maintaining the 3.5 kilometer trail that was obtained by the Society for the CRD, the Society is working to renew the agreement.

Flea Beach: The Society manages and maintains a Right of Way called Flea Beach under a lease from the Ministry of Transportation. Upon completion of the Community Consultation phase of the process, the Society created a work plan that was subsequently approved by the Ministry. The Society is now working with local volunteers and others to complete the work plan, including removal of unsafe trees, ecosystem restoration, watercourse restoration, drainage improvements and a repair of the road.

Oral History: the Society continues to record and add histories to the Oral History Project. Recently, interviews with Rodney and Myrna Sullivan were added. Go to www.sheringhamlighthouse.org and click on “Oral History”; it will take you to the YouTube channel for viewing.

Please join us in protecting and preserving the lighthouse at Sheringham Point. Go to www.sheringhamlighthouse.org and click on “Join Now”.

October 201417

A History of the Sheringham Point Lighthouse

“Located on the rugged southwest coast of Vancouver Island, the Sheringham Point Lighthouse in Shirley, British Columbia has shone across the treacherous waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca since its construction in 1912.”

...And so begins the story of the iconic lighthouse, a story of dedicated people and a very special place that continues to unfold today.

In celebration of the lighthouse’s 100th birthday, the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society published a 20 page colour book entitled, A History of the Sheringham Point Lighthouse, written and researched by Rebecca Quinn and the volunteers of the SPLPS. It features over 30 photos - historic and current - as well as maps, journal entries, and drawings.

A History of the Sheringham Point Lighthouse is available from the Society’s website, www.sheringhamlighthouse.org, as well as at Bolen Books, Shirley Delicious, Sooke Region Museum, the Royal BC Museum, the BC Maritime Museum, the Reading Room and several other locations around the area. Its publication was made possible by generous assistance from the Juan de Fuca Economic Development Commission.

October 201418

From the desk of Randall Garrison, MP Esquimalt Juan de Fuca

Farm to Fork: a Pan Canadian Food Strategy

In my February 2014 Observer column I mentioned that Canada should re-orient agricultural laws towards principles of food sustainability including healthy, safe, locally

grown food.

My colleague Ruth Ellen Brosseau, the NDP Deputy Agriculture Critic has done extensive research and consultation across Canada that has led to the recently introduced “Everybody Eats: the NDP Vision for a Pan-Canadian Food strategy.” You can see the entire document at my website randallgarrison.ca and clicking on “Food to Fork.” The document covers the components of food production from farm to factory to household including sustainable agricultural communities, support for local agriculture, and the importance of maintaining food safety standards.

Our comprehensive food strategy puts forward practical policies to ensure that everyone eats well, that our agricultural communities are sustainable for generations to come, and that Canadian products find growing markets at home and abroad.

Government needs to show more support for local food and local food networks with the goal of increasing the amount of food that is sold, processed and consumed locally. In parts of the riding including Metchosin and Sooke and in local groups committed to increasing local food production and use, like the Sooke Food Chi, many small market gardeners, farmers and ranchers work hard to get their products to local markets and farm gate outlets. We need to support these local folks who provide so much fresh, local and safe food.

When going to weekly farm markets in the region this summer, I was continually struck by the fresh, healthy products available and the proud, positive ethic of the producers selling their food. These people who do the very hard farming work deserve credit for producing and bringing their cornucopia of delectables to local markets.

All these fresh, local products are important to ensuring that we use local products to help move Canadians to eat a more balanced and healthy diet.

Canada is a signatory to the International Covenant on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights, which includes the right to adequate food. Locally that means that all our individual farms and gardens contribute immensely to the fact that we have very health, robust and sustainable local small scale farming and agriculture.

Over the last few years I have hosted an annual local food dinner. When I started just four years ago it was hard to find anyone able to build an entirely local buffet menu. But now, thanks to the hard work of local producers and restaurants and rapidly increasing demand by consumers, local food menus are increasing common and easy to find. So progress to sustainable local food supply is being made. My hope is that we can move quickly to increase that transition to more local, sustainable and healthy food.

The Farm to Fork strategy includes something else I have previously mentioned in Rural Observer columns, that we should preserve the right of farmers to save and condition seed for their own use.

In summary the NDP Pan-Canadian Food strategy will help make our food production and food products more available and healthier for everyone, right here in the western communities and right around the world.

A Sea of Bloom p,17 250-642-3952

Alice McLean Pottery p.9 250-642-3522

All Sooke Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair p.9

Aristos Mail Tech Inc. p.2 250-384-7678

Awareness Film Night p.6 awarenessfilmnight.ca

Axel Joosting Web Design & Consulting p.2 250-642-4773

Coastal Crunch Granola p.13 250-642-7906

Craidelonna Lodging p.5 250-646-2242

Custom Digging p.14 250-413-7685

Digital Direct Printing Ltd. p.2 250-388-7082

Dom’s Water Service p.7 250-646-2528

Doug Read - Pemberton Holmes Realty p.8 250-642-2705

East Sooke Community Website p.8 eastsookebridge.com

Felix Irwin - Chartered Accountant p.8 250-642-5277

Hugh Gregory Fine Painting p.18 250-480-8295

J & A Living Wells p.4 250-646-2633

James Craven & Associates p.12 250-744-9455

JdF Community Land Trust p.15 jdflandtrust.ca

JdF Emergency Program p.16 250-642-8105

JdF Parks and Recreation p.7 250-642-1500

John Horgan - MLA, JdF p.7 250-391-2801

Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic p.4 250-478-0422

Kimmel Massage Therapist p.10 250-646-2865

Marlene Bowman - Seagirt Pottery p.18 250-642-7620

No Tankers Campaign p.3 LetBCVote.ca

Noella LeDrew, Graphic & Web Design p.19 778-352-2070

Numa Farms p.6 250-474-6005

Otter Point Electric p.14 250-588-4324

Race Rocks Automotive p.16 250-478-1920

Randall Garrison, MP p.12 250-405-6550

Rural Observer - Advertising p.19 778-528-2299

Salish Sea Technologies p.16 778-425-1994

Sheringham Point Lighthouse Pres. Soc. p. 20 250-646-2528

Shirley Delicious Cafe p.11 778-528-2888

Shirley Education & Action Society p.10 seasbc.org

Sooke Harbour House p.13 250-642-3421

Spanish For All Occasions! p.7 778-528-2299

Standing Cedars Acupuncture p.6 250-893-5621

Stinking Fish Studio Tour p.9 250-748-6688

Tastes of India in Sooke p.13 778-350-9479

The Stick In The Mud Cafe p.13 250-642-5635

Victoria Alarm Service p.4 250-721-0266

Vivi Curutchet - Architectural Drawings p.2 778-528-2299

Walk, Sit & Stay - Dog Walking p.9 250-642-0458

Westshore Yoga p.14 778-430-0662

Westside InstaPrint p.18 250-478-5533

October 201419

FREEINFORMATION FOR THE ASKINGOur advertisers are happy to provide any information about their products or services. Please feel free to use the phone numbers below to contact them directly.

SEASHelp make certain Shirley stays a rural community..

10 years of service, and a new dedication to the principle of “Stay Rural” focusing on watershed protection

Join SEAS today: go to our newly revitalized website andjoin the effort to Stay Rural.

www.seasbc.org or stayrural.org

Shirley Education and Action SocietyMAKE A DIFFERENCE

Vivi CurutchetAdvertising Sales

Ph: (250) 642-1714Email: advertise@ruralobserver.com

Vivi CurutchetAdvertising Sales

Phone: 778-528-2299Email: advertise@ruralobserver.com

October 201420

The Society needs your continued support to preserve and protect the lighthouse at the foot of Sheringham Point Road.Now is the critical time for you to express your support.

There are two ways to help:

Please go to: sheringhamlighthouse.org and click on “Take Action”. Send an email to the decision makers. It’s easy, fast, and will help make the difference.

And, while you’re on the site, click on “join now” and become a member.

SHERINGHAMLIGHTHOUSE.ORG

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. DON’T STOP NOW.

It is available at thesefine locations:Goldstream Nature HousePeoples Drug Mart - SookeRoyal BC MuseumMaritime Museum of BC in VictoriaSooke Region MuseumShirley Delicious - Shirley Tale of the Whale - SookeBolen Books - Hillside Mall

or at sheringhamlighthouse.org, click on “buy it now”

Lighthouse History Book

Don’t forget to get your copy of the

BC Lighthouse Channel