Island View, Ep. 5: Truth & Reconciliation, a Heated Development Permit Debate, and Why Good Local Journalism Matters

In Episode 5 of Island View, our weekly current affairs show for Gabriola Island, we recap two discussions at the most recent Local Trust Committee meeting, plus an interview with Island resident Zulis Yalte, who explains how racism & trans/homo-phobia motivated her to volunteer with Life on Gabriola TV. Details below.

Segments:

1:25: The September 14th meeting of the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) opened with Islands Trust Trustees Susan Yates and Tobi Elliott acknowledging the upcoming National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Yates said she had been inspired during the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts recently when she heard two Indigenous authors read and speak: Angela Sterritt, author of “Unbroken” and Jody Wilson-Raybould, who wrote “True Reconciliation: How to be a Force for Change.” Yates said Sterritt, when asked by an audience member what non-Indigenous people can do, suggested the audience of several hundred “stand up whenever they witness racism” and “believe our stories.”

Trustee Tobi Elliott revealed that she had created her own personal Reconciliation Mandate last year and read from the document, which describes her commitment to the truth and reconciliation process.

Meanwhile, the Gabriola Museum has issued an invitation to the public “to join them in honouring this year’s National Day for Truth & Reconciliation at the Museum on September 30. The events start at noon with the launch of Elder Geraldine Manson’s new book, 'Snuneymuxw Mulstimuxw: Sacred Place Names, their Travels, and Stories.'"

9:24: Life on Gabriola TV presents video of a heated debate over a development permit, from the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee’s most recent meeting.

Chair Peter Luckman along with Trustees Tobi Elliott and Susan Yates reviewed an application for a development permit from Centre Stage Holdings, which seeks approval to cut down trees on property it owns on Gabriola.

Elliott challenged the request as she is not convinced the concerns of the Snuneymuxw First Nation have been adequately heard by the LTC itself and the company. Two representatives spoke about the company’s goals and confirmed there are no plans for a subdivision on the land, which contains some sensitive Indigenous sites.

The conversation became heated and, at one point, a company representative accused Elliott of rolling her eyes as she spoke. Luckman intervened and asked everyone to “calm down.”

Then another representative of the company provided the following background: the applicant has been in discussion with First Nations for 20 years; three archeological assessments have been done, the most recent one a couple of months ago, with a representative from the Snuneymuxw First Nation in attendance; and the company has agreed to register covenants to protect archeological sites on the property.

But that was the controversial nub of the meeting and, until that is confirmed by staff and others, the LTC trustees voted to delay a decision until their next meeting in October.

(Note: This video is taken from the Islands Trust Zoom feed. The individual shown in the right-hand window is an applicant on a different matter who was admitted to the Zoom call prior to his application being discussed.)

52:38: As Life on Gabriola TV continues to seek volunteers, we talk with longtime resident Zulis Yalte, who signed up at our launch event in August.

Yalte says good local journalism is badly needed on the island because, in her opinion, “What we have is superficial... the latest artist or whatever,” but not with the depth that was provided by The Flying Shingle in the past. In her view, that newspaper's editor, Chris Bowers, was “a more critical thinker” who went into depth on issues and called people to account.

Yalte believes we need more of that because, for instance, "organizations are running with a half-a-million dollars" but "I don't see public accountability happening." She says there are critical issues on Gabriola, like housing, health, racism, and trans/homo-phobia, but she feels the media offer only glossy, superficial coverage such as “Nice island, great tourist place to come to," as opposed to covering homelessness and seniors in "dire circumstances right before our eyes that we don’t know about.”

Top of mind for Yalte right now is racism as well as prejudice against people in the LGBTQ+ community. "It's come to the fore. There are increasing numbers of people of non-white races here on the island, and they're being treated abysmally." She agrees the island has a lot of the same issues as big cities. "It's a microcosm of the larger world. We have all the same issues. Absolutely."

Her reason for signing up to volunteer with Life on Gabriola TV is simple. "I care about this community."

Life on Gabriola TV is generously sponsored by:

The Gabriola Arts Council

The Haven, Gabriola Island

LJI Initiative, Heritage Canada

Yalte interview journalist: Theresa O'Leary / Videographer: Jessie Zhang