Hi there,

It’s great to be back in the Cowichan Valley! My time off was wonderful, but it feels good to return to the West Coast and get back to work. We have a lot on the go right now, so thank you to everyone who shared story ideas with Shalu while I was away. It’s always great to hear from the community about what matters most to our readers, and I’ll be working through those ideas in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, if you didn’t get a chance to let us know what has you curious about the Cowichan Valley, message me any time at eric@thediscourse.ca or simply reply to this email.

Local news and updates.

• Cowichan Tribes citizens voted 85 per cent in favour of adopting a new education law that would establish an education system rooted in Quw'ustun teachings and values. In a press release, Cowichan Tribes says the law will create a system where Quw'utsun smun'eem (Cowichan children) can “learn, grow and thrive within their culture, while also meeting provincial and national standards.” Once the law is passed the Nation will move forward with board recruitment, curriculum development and policy creation. In 2022, Cowichan Tribes citizens approved a formal education agreement with Canada which recognized the Nation’s authority to govern kindergarten to Grade 12 education.

• The family of a 12-year-old boy who was struck and killed while rollerskating on a country road between Shawnigan Lake and Cobble Hill is calling on the province to adopt a law that would revoke the licences of drivers involved in fatal crashes until charges are laid and heard in court. The family of Xavier Rasul-Jankovic says police have not confirmed whether the driver who hit their son has had their licence suspended. His mother, Zahra Rasul, told the Times Colonist that she and her husband spoke with Premier David Eby earlier this month to advocate for what they’re calling “Xavier’s Law.” Eby told them the government has begun work on the proposed law and that he is committed to seeing it passed. Read the full story in the Times Colonist.

• A Chemainus resident is challenging two bylaws passed by North Cowichan Council that would enable commercial development of four parcels of land at the corner of Henry Road and the Trans-Canada Highway. Jaclyn Casler filed a petition in the B.C. Supreme Court for a judicial review of the bylaws, saying the municipality did not follow a fair process and that council’s decision goes against the Official Community Plan, which promotes pedestrian friendly development. In her affidavit, Casler wrote that council relied on letters of support without disclosing to the public that several were written by tenants of the developer. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 24. Check out the Cowichan Valley Citizen for the full story.

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Also, check out The Discourse on our new TikTok page! Follow us to hear from our reporters about the stories they cover and catch videos from events across the Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo and  the Comox Valley.

Photo of the week.

The Malahat Legion got a face lift this summer after art students from Frances Kelsey Secondary and Shawnigan Lake School were asked to help design and paint four murals for the building. Check out some of the close up shots of the mural on the Legion’s Facebook page! Photos courtesy of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 134. 

Do you have a great photo from the community? Share it with us for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter. We’d love to see the Cowichan Valley through your lens. 📸

Community events.

• Now until Oct. 19: 🧦 The Malahat Legion is collecting donations of new and gently used socks for Warmland House Shelter and Mischa Lelum Youth Emergency Shelter. Drop off socks any time before Oct. 19 at 1625 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd.

• Oct. 17-21, 24-26 and 28-30: 👻 Tickets are still available for early and later departures of the BC Forest Discovery Centre’s Halloween Train. This annual event is full of family fun including crafts, train rides, trick-or-treat stations, live entertainment and more. Tickets available online.

• Friday, Oct. 17: ⭐️ The Cowichan Community Centre and Cowichan Intercultural Society co-host the annual Cultural Connections Activity Night from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cowichan Community Centre Heritage Hall. This free event is an opportunity to build community while trying out activities such as henna, origami, Chinese calligraphy, cultural dancing and music, activity stations and more.

• Saturday, Oct. 18: 🧶 The Cowichan Valley Fleece and Fibre Fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the HUB at Cowichan Station. This is the oldest fair on Vancouver Island and brings people together over all things fibre. Nanaimo author Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa will also be there with her recent book, The Teachings of Mutton, A Coast Salish Wooly Dog. She will be joined by Coast Salish artist and storyteller from Lyackson First Nation, Andrea Fritz.

• Saturday, Oct. 18: 🌲 B.C. author Heather Ramsay will be at Volume One Bookstore signing copies of A Room in the Forest, a coming-of-age novel that follows a young woman from Alberta who travels to Haida Gwaii in the 1990s for a tree-planting job. This is a free event and takes place from 11 a.m to 12:30 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 20: 🐚 The Cowichan Watershed Board’s Fall Speaker Series kicks off with an engaging talk on how protecting ecosystem health can support traditional Quw'utsun shellfish harvesting practices. Hear from Dr. Shannon Waters, a member of Stz'uminus First Nation and B.C.’s Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Planetary and Water Health, and Tim Kulchyski, a Quw’utsun member and Natural Resource Consultant for Cowichan Tribes.

• Wednesday, Oct. 23: Cowichan Valley Youth Services presents a screening of Uncharitable, a film which examines the constraints non-profits currently face and offers a new way of thinking about charitable work. Admission is based on a sliding scale.

• Saturday, Oct. 25: 🍁 Author Bill Arnott pays a visit to Volume One Bookstore to chat with readers and sign copies of his book, A Festive Season on Vancouver Island, in which he captures the Island’s natural beauty and cultural history. Admission is free and the event runs from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 28: Cowichan Community Action Team hosts Better Together 2.0, an event for youth, parents and guardians to learn about substance use and ways to support young folks to create healthier and safer communities. Hear from people with lived experience, health-care professionals and local service providers. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and pizza and refreshments will be provided.

• Saturday, Nov. 1: 🎃 Celebrate All Hallows with a night of good vibes, a DJ Dance party and performances from local drag stars Billie Boy Toy-Ton and Sheila V Toff at the Queer All Hallows Dance Party at The HUB at Cowichan Station. Tickets start at $25 and the event is 19+.

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