Indigenous reconcilliation

Pope Francis blesses faithful during the Angelus noon prayer he delivers from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis to visit Canada as part of reconciliation efforts with Indigenous Peoples

The pilgrimage could be the occasion for a papal apology that has been demanded by many in Canada

Pope Francis blesses faithful during the Angelus noon prayer he delivers from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor Melven <ins>(Sx̄wen)</ins> Jones recounts the abuse he endured at six years old, as he sits outside his home in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)

‘It has to be heard’: Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor recounts torture he endured

Melven (Sx̄wen) Jones was forcibly held for two years

Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor Melven <ins>(Sx̄wen)</ins> Jones recounts the abuse he endured at six years old, as he sits outside his home in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)
Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor Melven <ins>(Sx̄wen)</ins> Jones recounts the abuse he endured at six years old, as he sits outside his home in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)

‘It has to be heard’: Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor recounts torture he endured

Melven (Sx̄wen) Jones was forcibly held for two years

Nanaimo Indian Hospital survivor Melven <ins>(Sx̄wen)</ins> Jones recounts the abuse he endured at six years old, as he sits outside his home in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)
Jaswinder Athwal packs cedar shakes at the Teal Jones mill in Surrey. On Sep. 30, Teal Jones is halting operations across the province in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. (Photo: Shawn Hall)

BC lumber company pauses operations to honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Family-owned company encourages employees to take time to attend local events, pay respect

  • Sep 27, 2021
Jaswinder Athwal packs cedar shakes at the Teal Jones mill in Surrey. On Sep. 30, Teal Jones is halting operations across the province in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. (Photo: Shawn Hall)
The Municipality of North Cowichan is considering retiring its coast of arms. (File photo)

North Cowichan to consider retiring its coat of arms

Reconciliation with First Nations cited in recommendation

The Municipality of North Cowichan is considering retiring its coast of arms. (File photo)
Sarah Robinson’s spirit lives on in the newly formed Sarah Robinson Foundation. (Submitted photo)

Sarah Robinson Foundation carries on the work of departed Indigenous women’s advocate

A fundraiser in Vancouver on Aug. 7, Sarah’s 36th birthday, helps the charity take flight

Sarah Robinson’s spirit lives on in the newly formed Sarah Robinson Foundation. (Submitted photo)
People sing and drum at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to honour the 215 children whose remains have been discovered buried near the facility, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 31, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. to mark Sept. 30 as day of commemoration for residential school victims, survivors

Sept. 30 has been made a federal holiday

People sing and drum at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to honour the 215 children whose remains have been discovered buried near the facility, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 31, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The federal government has provided the Pauquachin First Nation with more than $41 million in compensation for the historical wrong of Canada brokering a deal that caused the Indigenous community to become inaccessible by land. Pictured is the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett. (Black Press Media File Photo)

Greater Victoria First Nation receives $41 million from feds for road closure deal

Payment to Pauquachin First Nation compensates for deal that cut off community

The federal government has provided the Pauquachin First Nation with more than $41 million in compensation for the historical wrong of Canada brokering a deal that caused the Indigenous community to become inaccessible by land. Pictured is the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett. (Black Press Media File Photo)
Children from Penelakut led the march up Oak Street toward Waterwheel Park. (Cole Schisler photo)

More than 1,500 march in support of Penelakut First Nation after unmarked graves found

Large crowd supports families with children who never came home from residential schools

Children from Penelakut led the march up Oak Street toward Waterwheel Park. (Cole Schisler photo)
An Indigenous dancer performs in the Elbow River Camp at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, July 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘Miss the drumbeat’: Return of powwow season welcomed by First Nations

‘Everybody just wanted to powwow (to) renew their spirits and lift themselves up’

An Indigenous dancer performs in the Elbow River Camp at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, July 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Songhees Nation Chief Ron Sam read the South Island First Nations’ public letter, calling for solidarity and respect and an end to vandalism in the region. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)

Vancouver Island Indigenous leaders call for unity, end to violence, vandalism in Victoria area

A Malahat Nation totem was damaged in apparent retaliation of Capt. James Cook statue teardown

Songhees Nation Chief Ron Sam read the South Island First Nations’ public letter, calling for solidarity and respect and an end to vandalism in the region. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)
Wenona Hall, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley, with kids. (Devon Hall photography) Wenona Hall, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at UFV, with kids. (Devon Hall photography)

Canada Day as seen through an Indigenous lens

‘Canadians need to take the time to learn what it is that we are trying to reconcile’ - Wenona Hall

Wenona Hall, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley, with kids. (Devon Hall photography) Wenona Hall, associate professor of Indigenous Studies at UFV, with kids. (Devon Hall photography)
CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Council members and witnesses from the Hupacasath First Nation, left, and Tseshaht First Nation, right, prepare to raise their respective flags in front of Port Alberni City Hall on Monday, June 21, 2021. The flags will permanently fly as part of the city’s reconciliation work. See more coverage from the flag raising ceremony on page A5. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Vancouver Island First Nations flags to fly permanently at city hall

Addition of flags are one Port Alberni response to reconciliation

CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Council members and witnesses from the Hupacasath First Nation, left, and Tseshaht First Nation, right, prepare to raise their respective flags in front of Port Alberni City Hall on Monday, June 21, 2021. The flags will permanently fly as part of the city’s reconciliation work. See more coverage from the flag raising ceremony on page A5. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Skeena MLA Ellis Ross. (Photo by Peter Versteege)

BC Liberal leadership candidate condemns ‘senseless violence’ of Okanagan church fires

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross says reconciliation isn’t about revenge for past tragedies

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross. (Photo by Peter Versteege)
Vancouver Island First Nations and others gather on the lawn of the legislature to honour the 215 children who never came home from a Kamloops residential school. The timing of the discovery will affect Victoria’s marking of July 1 as Canada Day this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria cancels Canada Day events out of respect for First Nations

Reconciliation-based hour-long TV presentation to air later this summer, rather than July 1

Vancouver Island First Nations and others gather on the lawn of the legislature to honour the 215 children who never came home from a Kamloops residential school. The timing of the discovery will affect Victoria’s marking of July 1 as Canada Day this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Victoria West resident Heather Doyle beside the memorial she made to honour the 215 Indigenous children found in an unmarked, mass grave at the site of a former B.C. residential school. (Photo courtesy of VicPD)

Stuffed animal stolen from Vancouver Island memorial for residential school victims

Police have a suspect in case, replace stuffed animal and add toys to memorial

Victoria West resident Heather Doyle beside the memorial she made to honour the 215 Indigenous children found in an unmarked, mass grave at the site of a former B.C. residential school. (Photo courtesy of VicPD)
Chris Voller with Gwa’sala First Nation hereditary chief Willie Walkus at a farewell gathering for Voller. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

Island cop earns Reconciliation Award for culturally safe and competent policing

Inaugural award given by the BC Achievement Foundation to inspire other works of reconciliation

Chris Voller with Gwa’sala First Nation hereditary chief Willie Walkus at a farewell gathering for Voller. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
A seaweed farm installation in Klahoose First Nations Territory by Cortes Island. (Cascadia Seaweed photo)

Seaweed farming opens world of opportunity for coastal B.C.

“It’s projects like this that can show what true reconciliation is about.”

A seaweed farm installation in Klahoose First Nations Territory by Cortes Island. (Cascadia Seaweed photo)
Bob Joseph the bestselling author of ‘21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act’ has been an enabler for discourses about the Indian Act, since his 2015 blog post about the legislation went viral. (Courtesy of Vancouver Island Regional Library)

Bob Joseph: Why the Indian Act must go and Canada will be better for it

B.C. author explores the paradox of why it’s so difficult to let the act go and why it has to happen

Bob Joseph the bestselling author of ‘21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act’ has been an enabler for discourses about the Indian Act, since his 2015 blog post about the legislation went viral. (Courtesy of Vancouver Island Regional Library)
Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of British Columbia stands by a canoe carved by former lieutenant governor Steven Point. The canoe named Shxwtitostel (pronounced: Schwe-tea-tos-tel) means “a safe place to cross the river” in Halq’eméylem and is currently on display at the B.C. Legislature building. (Office of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia photo)

New award launched to celebrate champions of reconciliation in B.C.

Reconciliation Award launched by Lieutenant Governor, BC Achievement Foundation

Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of British Columbia stands by a canoe carved by former lieutenant governor Steven Point. The canoe named Shxwtitostel (pronounced: Schwe-tea-tos-tel) means “a safe place to cross the river” in Halq’eméylem and is currently on display at the B.C. Legislature building. (Office of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia photo)
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