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Focus Magazine Nov/Dec 2016

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  1. until
    The internationally-acclaimed Gesualdo Six present a program of English music on their North American tour. There will even be some special guest appearances from our own Cathedral Choir members and Young Choristers as they prepare for a trip to the UK. Christ Church Cathedral, 7:30 pm February 11, 930 Burdett Avenue, Victoria BC. Tickets available at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-gesualdo-six-english-motets-tickets-478952579057
  2. until
    Groups announce February 25 rally at Provincial Legislature, issue declaration calling on the Province to accelerate action for threatened forests. UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES/VICTORIA—168 organizations across British Columbia have issued a declaration called United We Stand for Old-Growth Forests, calling on Premier David Eby and his government to fulfill their commitments on old-growth. Signatories of the declaration, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Climate Caucus network of municipal elected leaders, and B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU), are urging Eby to follow through on his October 2022 promise to “accelerate” action to protect old-growth forests within 100 days, and implement a paradigm shift in forest stewardship to safeguard biodiversity. The organizers announced plans for a mass mobilization to hold the province accountable, with a march and rally scheduled for February 25, Eby’s 100th day. “The government’s continued negligence and stonewalling on truly protecting old-growth and elder trees is endemic in its approach to climate change and the stewardship of our environment,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “This feigned ignorance of what is happening to our forests by government and industry will be our downfall, and the impacts of this inaction will prevent us from leaving our future generations with a rich legacy of vibrant, healthy and productive forest lands.” Phillip added. “We must do everything in our power to protect these ancient giants and we cannot stop putting pressure on our governments to do their jobs: to protect us and the environment, not act as timber barons whose only concern is this year’s financial statements.” Despite promising to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) in 2020, the B.C. government has permitted the destruction of thousands of hectares of the most at-risk old-growth stands in the province. The 2020 recommendations were tied to a three-year framework with the goal to have all implemented in 2023 — to date, not a single recommendation has been fulfilled. Premier Eby pledged to accelerate action upon becoming leader of the B.C. NDP, and called on Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen to “begin implementation of recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review” in his mandate letter. However, the most at-risk old-growth forests are still being clearcut while B.C. stalls on enforcing logging deferrals. The deferrals are the bare minimum and most urgent recommendation of the 2020 OGSR. “We must continue to hold our governments accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis that we are suffering through, and this environmental negligence and corporate greed must be stopped,” said Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “Our future generations are dependent on the actions we take today, and we are at a critical point in time for direct action to protect forest ecosystems. For too long we have allowed governments to tear down our ancient elders, who are our relatives, but no more. We are standing up to protect them.” Protecting the last stands of old-growth is as much an issue for human rights, labour, education, and healthcare as it is for environmental groups. Organizers say this is a movement for all people, which is reflected in the list of declaration signatories, and are inviting all individuals and groups to participate in the United for Old-Growth march and rally at the B.C. Legislature on February 25. The signatories are calling on the province to align all forest management with the principles of free, prior and informed consent for First Nations. The declaration draws on the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Resolution 2022-32, affirmed by Chiefs in June 2022, and calls for full financial support to enable logging deferrals, and fulsome funding for First Nations-led conservation initiatives. Organizers say the declaration is open to additional signatories and invite new groups to join and demonstrate the broad support for old-growth protection in the lead-up to February’s mass mobilization. “Whether it’s youth yearning for a liveable climate, working families seeking sustainable jobs in their communities, doctors and nurses speaking up for a healthy planet, Indigenous people defending what’s theirs, or faith, environmental and community groups standing up for irreplaceable ecosystems, protecting old-growth is a movement for everyone,” said Jackie Larkin, organizer with Elders for Ancient Trees, a founding signatory on the United We Stand declaration. “From elders to the youngest children, everyone belongs and all are welcome—we invite all organizations to join this declaration, and everyone who’s able to unite with us to make February 25th a day to remember.”
  3. Groups announce February 25 rally at Provincial Legislature, issue declaration calling on the Province to accelerate action for threatened forests. UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES/VICTORIA—168 organizations across British Columbia have issued a declaration called United We Stand for Old-Growth Forests, calling on Premier David Eby and his government to fulfill their commitments on old-growth. Signatories of the declaration, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Climate Caucus network of municipal elected leaders, and B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU), are urging Eby to follow through on his October 2022 promise to “accelerate” action to protect old-growth forests within 100 days, and implement a paradigm shift in forest stewardship to safeguard biodiversity. The organizers announced plans for a mass mobilization to hold the province accountable, with a march and rally scheduled for February 25, Eby’s 100th day. “The government’s continued negligence and stonewalling on truly protecting old-growth and elder trees is endemic in its approach to climate change and the stewardship of our environment,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “This feigned ignorance of what is happening to our forests by government and industry will be our downfall, and the impacts of this inaction will prevent us from leaving our future generations with a rich legacy of vibrant, healthy and productive forest lands.” Phillip added. “We must do everything in our power to protect these ancient giants and we cannot stop putting pressure on our governments to do their jobs: to protect us and the environment, not act as timber barons whose only concern is this year’s financial statements.” Despite promising to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) in 2020, the B.C. government has permitted the destruction of thousands of hectares of the most at-risk old-growth stands in the province. The 2020 recommendations were tied to a three-year framework with the goal to have all implemented in 2023 — to date, not a single recommendation has been fulfilled. Premier Eby pledged to accelerate action upon becoming leader of the B.C. NDP, and called on Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen to “begin implementation of recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review” in his mandate letter. However, the most at-risk old-growth forests are still being clearcut while B.C. stalls on enforcing logging deferrals. The deferrals are the bare minimum and most urgent recommendation of the 2020 OGSR. “We must continue to hold our governments accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis that we are suffering through, and this environmental negligence and corporate greed must be stopped,” said Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “Our future generations are dependent on the actions we take today, and we are at a critical point in time for direct action to protect forest ecosystems. For too long we have allowed governments to tear down our ancient elders, who are our relatives, but no more. We are standing up to protect them.” Protecting the last stands of old-growth is as much an issue for human rights, labour, education, and healthcare as it is for environmental groups. Organizers say this is a movement for all people, which is reflected in the list of declaration signatories, and are inviting all individuals and groups to participate in the United for Old-Growth march and rally at the B.C. Legislature on February 25. The signatories are calling on the province to align all forest management with the principles of free, prior and informed consent for First Nations. The declaration draws on the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Resolution 2022-32, affirmed by Chiefs in June 2022, and calls for full financial support to enable logging deferrals, and fulsome funding for First Nations-led conservation initiatives. Organizers say the declaration is open to additional signatories and invite new groups to join and demonstrate the broad support for old-growth protection in the lead-up to February’s mass mobilization. “Whether it’s youth yearning for a liveable climate, working families seeking sustainable jobs in their communities, doctors and nurses speaking up for a healthy planet, Indigenous people defending what’s theirs, or faith, environmental and community groups standing up for irreplaceable ecosystems, protecting old-growth is a movement for everyone,” said Jackie Larkin, organizer with Elders for Ancient Trees, a founding signatory on the United We Stand declaration. “From elders to the youngest children, everyone belongs and all are welcome—we invite all organizations to join this declaration, and everyone who’s able to unite with us to make February 25th a day to remember.”
  4. Everyone is welcome to post comments on this website. We prefer that you use your real name but will allow comments posted anonymously that add to the conversation. Comments made by the same person using different names will all be removed.
  5. Everyone is welcome to post comments on this website. We prefer that you use your real name but will allow comments posted anonymously that add to the conversation. Comments made by the same person using different names will all be removed.
  6. Again, to clarify for readers, this commenter implies that she knows the identity of the hunter. Neither Cheryl Alexander or FOCUS knows the identity of the hunter, and there is no intention to suggest that the hunter is any particular person. We ask that people not speculate on this website about the identity of the hunter who killed Takaya.
  7. To clarify for readers, this commenter implies that he knows the identity of the hunter (based on his reference to the social media posts of a particular person). In fact, neither Cheryl Alexander or FOCUS knows the identity of the hunter and there is no suggestion that it is any particular person.
  8. Notice to readers of these comments: The last two comments have been posted from the same IP address. FOCUS requests that commenters who post multiple comments identify themselves with a consistent name.
  9. What a remarkable coincidence! Guest “too funny” and Guest “Trump lives in your head” have the same IP address. That is, they are likely the same person. Guests are welcome to make multiple comments, but please use a consistent username, otherwise all but one of your comments will be removed.
  10. A recommendation to readers: Please contact Saul Arbess via this website if you would like to make a donation to help the blockades at Fairy Creek. Use the "Contact Us" button below.
  11. until
    Luke Ramsey: Real Cloud September 12 - 26 Opening Reception: September 12, 1-3 PM Artist in Attendance Madrona Gallery is pleased to announce "Real Cloud", a solo exhibition of works by Luke Ramsey Artist Statement: The show is titled "Real Cloud." The premise stems from considering dependencies on the digital cloud - uploading data, messages, photos, and art, while considering that real clouds don't store large amounts of data in the same way. A real cloud may store a moment of visual data, but clouds change and evolve and don't need servers. I like to approach my work like the flow of a cloud passing in the sky and how it can also shape itself to its environment. In most of the new work, clouds are represented as themselves, as islands, as molecules, aggregates, or patches of paint on a graffiti wall. Luke Ramsey is internationally recognized for his art and design work. He describes his work as, "Organized chaos - a play with paradoxical themes. The content is influenced by a beautifully strange cosmos of organisms and comedy. The approach needs to feel fluid and not forced." Ramsey served as the City of Victoria's first artist in residence from 2017-2018 and his work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the permanent collection of the City of Seattle. mage: Luke Ramsey, "Real Cloud", 30 x 24, Acrylic on Canvas M A D R O N A G A L L E R Y | 606 View Street | Victoria, B.C. V8W 1J4 T: 250.380.4660 E:info@madronagallery.com Check out our website.
  12. until
    Fringe Mini Celebration August 26 - 30 In July we announced that we had made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Victoria Fringe Festival. This has been a year like no other, and we couldn’t let a summer go by without a mini celebration of the Fringe to bring us together, share some great memories, and be entertained – and it’s all FREE! As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We are stirring up a fresh batch of Fringey lemonade August 26 to 30. We hope you'll join for this Fringe celebration featuring: FringeKids Online, August 29 + 30, fun for kids ages 6+ with special online appearances from some favourite characters. Josephine Online, August 26 - 30, stream the 2019 Audience Favourite Pick of the Fringe winner on demand anytime online between noon on August 26 and midnight on August 30. Postcards of Fringe Love, an analogue and digital memory sharing project. Meet the artists of the Victoria Fringe Indigenous Artist Program with Q&A's featuring four artists, released over the next 2 weeks. Explore the Fringe celebration events
  13. Posted August 13, 2020 Image: Dr Tim Takaro's treetop camp, intended to delay Trans Mountain construction. Pipeline opponents continue the battle from treetops and in insurance company boardrooms. Go to story
  14. July 26, 2020 Dear Premier John Horgan, Minister Doug Donaldson, Sheila Malcomson, Doug Routley, and all Members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Out of our deep concern for British Columbia’s old-growth forest and the species that are disappearing with them, we will go on a hunger strike until Premier John Horgan implements a ban on the logging of old growth forests across BC. The hunger strike will begin on July 27th, 2020 when we, James Darling and Robert Fuller, will stop eating. Globally, we are facing a crisis so terrifying that it’s almost beyond description. We are at the beginning of an exponentially worsening climate catastrophe and living through a human-driven mass extinction. Science predicts that the globe would still experience at least a 4 degree Celsius average temperature increase, even if every nation did everything it pledged under the Paris Accord.1 At the same time, human actions are being described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences as “biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction.”2 In a November 25, 2008 letter to the B.C. Auditor General requesting an audit, the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria states: “...habitat loss is the primary threat to BC’s at risk species. Habitat destruction and degradation threatens 86 percent of species at risk in the province. Therefore, this government’s failure to properly identify and protect critical habitat for such species is an egregious failure to steward a key public resource. It is a failure to operate ‘economically, efficiently and effectively’ as per s. 11(8) of the Auditor General Act... A recent comprehensive assessment of BC’s biodiversity estimated that there are approximately 1600 species at risk in BC today and that approximately 43 percent of BC’s assessed species are at risk.”3 A decade later, thirteen eminent BC scientists report in The Narwhal that 1,806 BC species are at risk of extinction and call for a law to protect their habitat.4 Protecting endangered species was a pre-election promise from the BC NDP. Not a square metre of land in BC has been protected from industrial development for endangered species thus far. The dire state of BC’s old growth was described in a recent scientific report prepared by three BC forest experts. They explain that “over 85 percent of productive forest sites have less than 30 percent of the amount of old forest expected naturally, and nearly half of these ecosystems have less than 1 percent of the old forest expected naturally. This current status puts biodiversity, ecological integrity and resilience at high risk today.”5 No job, no industry, and no business is more important than the continued existence of old-growth forests in our province. They have been shown to sequester far more carbon than the seedlings that might replace them.6 The planet desperately needs them alive right now. Old-growth logging is inherently unsustainable since the practice destroys ecosystems that take thousands of years to develop. So the question is how much old-growth forest will be left when we finally stop cutting it down? Do we have to destroy all of it just to postpone making unavoidable, difficult decisions? We ask that you do the right thing for the world our children will inherit. James Darling (250) 816-4321 james0darling@gmail.com Robert Fuller (250) 591-1062 bevnbob@gmail.com 1 Climate Tipping Points—too risky to bet against: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019- 03595-0 2 Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction: https://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/E6089 3 Request for an audit of Ministry of Environment’s Failure to identify critical habitat for species at risk: http://www.elc.uvic.ca/publications/request-for-an-audit-of-ministry-of-environments-failure-to- identify-critical-habitat-for-species-at-risk/ 4 BC has a whopping 1,807 species at risk of extinction—but no rules to protect them: https://thenarwhal.ca/b-c-has-a-whopping-1807-species-at-risk-of-extinction-but-no-rules-to-protect- them/ 5 BC’s Old Growth Forest: A Last Stand For Biodiversity https://veridianecological.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/bcs-old-growth-forest-report-web.pdf 6 Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continually with size: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12914
  15. Minister Donaldson's personal work history, as described on Wikipedia: "With his father working in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Doug Donaldson was born in 1957 at the Canadian Forces' Zweibrücken Air Base in Germany.[1] Donaldson completed a bachelor's degree in Biology and moved to Field, British Columbia where he worked in Yoho National Park for 8 years before leading private guided tours of the area.[2] After completing a Masters in Journalism he had numerous articles published in the Calgary Heraldand The Vancouver Sun but moved to Smithers where he wrote for a local newspaper, The Interior News. He took a job in Prince George with the CBC Morning Show but moved back to the Bulkley Valley area, living in Telkwaas a technologist in the forestry industry before moving to Houston working as a manager at Northwest Community College (later renamed "Coast Mountain College").[3] Finally, Donaldson settled in the village of Hazeltonwhere he became the communications officer for the Gitxsan Treaty Office.[4] In 1992, he starting teaching journalism at the Gitxsan Wet'suwet'en Education Society located in the same village.[5] In 1994, he co-founded the non-profit group Storytellers Foundation which focuses on civic literacy and economic development on the community-level.[3]" There's no mention of Donaldson ever having been "president of COFI".
  16. Minister Donaldson's personal work history, as described on Wikipedia: "With his father working in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Doug Donaldson was born in 1957 at the Canadian Forces' Zweibrücken Air Base in Germany.[1] Donaldson completed a bachelor's degree in Biology and moved to Field, British Columbia where he worked in Yoho National Park for 8 years before leading private guided tours of the area.[2] After completing a Masters in Journalism he had numerous articles published in the Calgary Heraldand The Vancouver Sun but moved to Smithers where he wrote for a local newspaper, The Interior News. He took a job in Prince George with the CBC Morning Show but moved back to the Bulkley Valley area, living in Telkwaas a technologist in the forestry industry before moving to Houston working as a manager at Northwest Community College (later renamed "Coast Mountain College").[3] Finally, Donaldson settled in the village of Hazeltonwhere he became the communications officer for the Gitxsan Treaty Office.[4] In 1992, he starting teaching journalism at the Gitxsan Wet'suwet'en Education Society located in the same village.[5] In 1994, he co-founded the non-profit group Storytellers Foundation which focuses on civic literacy and economic development on the community-level.[3]" There's no mention of Donaldson ever having been "president of COFI".
  17. If you live in Saanich with more than three roommates, you could be evicted from your home. That is straight. up. wrong. But, this week, we have a chance to fix it. For decades, students and other tenants have been evicted from their homes because of an outdated, discriminatory bylaw that prevents more than four unrelated people from living in the same dwelling. Does this bylaw seem absolutely absurd and unjust to you? We think so too. Saanich Council has proposed an amendment to Zoning Bylaw 5.20, increasing the number of unrelated people that can share a home from four to six. On Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 10 am, students and tenant advocates will show their support for this change at a Saanich Council public hearing . It typically costs over $1500 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Saanich, if you can even find one. That’s simply out of reach for the majority of single people in this municipality. Since the onset of the housing crisis, local renters have been increasingly burdened by housing costs, with many paying as much as half of their incomes for a room. This bylaw amendment will help lower the cost of shelter by sharing the cost of rent across a greater number of residents. When students are unable to afford to rent legally, they are forced to live above occupancy limits, leaving them without tenant protections, at increased risk of domestic or sexual abuse, vulnerable to predatory landlords, and living in unsafe or illegal spaces. Many Saanich homes have more than four bedrooms, however the current bylaw bars more than four unrelated tenants from legally filling those rooms. Students are forced to either cross off those options in a tight market, waste money and rooms by living with fewer people, or live in violation of the bylaw. In the face of coronavirus-related economic turmoil and a local housing crisis, this is inefficient and simply unacceptable. Some opponents of this necessary, inclusive increase have relied on unfounded stereotypes of students as disruptive to neighbourhoods, citing issues such as noise and crowding. But this bylaw is not about parking, noise disturbances, or unsightly premises. Saanich has many other bylaws to keep those individual issues in check. A bylaw that keeps many homes in this municipality off-limits to residents based on marital and family status is unnecessary, discriminatory, and disproportionately impacts the lives of students and low-income renters. The UVSS urges all Greater Victoria residents to express their support for this Bylaw amendment by sending an email to council@saanich.ca by Friday, June 19 at noon. A coalition of students and the Victoria Tenant Action Group will be attending the meeting to advocate for changing the Saanich Zoning bylaw 5.20. All residents in Saanich deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes—stop the criminalization of roommates in Saanich. The University of Victoria Students’ Society Victoria Tenant Action Group
  18. Photographed by Glen Wagner Tule Bluett observed near Dallas Road in September 2019. Go back to City of Victoria animal observations map

    © Glen Wagner

  19. Black Turnstones photographed by Allan Smith Observed on Ogden Point Breakwater in January 2020. Go back to City of Victoria animal observations map

    © Allan Smith

  20. Posted May 4, 2020 Photo: Salon Modello on Cadboro Bay Road Salon Modello faces uncertainty even when allowed to re-open. Go to story
  21. admin

    Martina Edmondson

    "Tree Poems" Learn about Martina Edmondson's life and art here
  22. Posted April 22, 2020 Photo: Care aides need personal protective equipment, too. They are protecting our most vulnerable citizens and we need to provide for their needs. Go to story
  23. Posted April 21, 2020 Photo: Nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists and staff at Vancouver General Hospital ER While some are using the COVID-19 crisis to push for more privatization of medical care in Canada, the crisis demonstrates the strength of public medicare. Go to story
  24. March-April 2020 Focus.pdf
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