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| Some of the participants in Sunday evening's streamcast from North Coast, Central Coast and Haida Gwaii leaders on COVID |
A number of First Nations and municipal leaders from Haida Gwaii as well as the Central and North Coast gathered virtually on Sunday to host a live stream Town Hall on their desire to see COVID-19 related travel restrictions be installed in the region as a coordinated response to the coronavirus.
With the declaration that "we're all in this together" Haida Nation President, Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop led the community leaders through the near two hour Zoom United Coast live stream event.
The Haida Nation leader outlined their first goal is to seek out a meeting with Premier Horgan to discuss their concerns.
In addition to the Haida leader, among those participating through the Zoom platform were Heiltsuk Nation Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett, Gitxaala Nation Chief Councillor Linda Innes, North Coast Regional District's Barry Pages, Queen Charlotte Mayor Kris Olsen, Central Coast Regional District Chair Samuel Schooner and Lax Kw'alaams Mayor Garry Reece.
Some of the issues discussed included the fishery and concerns over how opening it to the sports fishing community would have a serious impact on local communities. During the conversation it was noted that their concerns have been relayed to NDP MLA Jennifer Rice and NDP MP Taylor Bachrach. It was noted during the evening that both had kept lines of communication open for all communities involved.
There were also calls and concerns for the closure of the commercial fishing industry in the region owing to concerns over the ability for health maintenance and isolation measures.
The participants from Haida Gwaii and Central Coast outlined how they have put together their checkpoints and how they monitor them for non-essential residents, noting how traffic has become less and less since the initiative began as well as to make note of an advertising campaign that was announced to support the program.
Chief Councillor Innes noted some history, speaking to the days of the Spanish Flu and outlined how her community relies on Prince Rupert for groceries and other staple items and how they have worked with their members in the urban area during the pandemic period as well as the partnerships that they have forged with such groups as the Port of Prince Rupert.
She also called for the Federal and Provincial governments to meet with the group, observing how the province's decision to suspend the municipal local states of emergency impacted on their communities as well.
Chief Councillor Slett outlined the timeline of their lockdown which may be extended later this month, as well as to the other measures that they have in place in their territory.
In addition to the concerns over the sports fishing issues, many of the participants noted how they are seeking to have their concerns over the proposed opening of the province to hunters as another area where they are looking to address with both the Federal and Provincial governments.
Barry Pages made note of the cooperation that has taken place and how they have been proactive and how all are hopeful that their work will ensure that COVID-19 does not reach their communities,.
Mr Pages also made note of how many of the communities are similar in nature, as well as to comment on the lack of reply to the correspondences that have been forwarded to the Premier and provincial Government.
Letters which he noted have been sent as part of their coordinated, collective approach on the issues.
"It's kind of sad that we haven't got a response on either of them yet, you know I recognize that the province is kind of looking at things on a macro level. But you know, from our communities, we're rural, isolated, small communities with limited resources and what happens on the coast up here is different than what's happening in the urban areas, So I think it's essential that we stick together and continue to lobby on behalf of our communities and our residents and the most vulnerable in our communities" -- Barry Pages, North Coast Regional District head and Mayor of Masset during the COVID-19 forum Sunday night.
Kris Olsen followed up noting of the coordinated nature of their work and how as community leaders they know of their unique needs and how he hopes that their efforts will be recognized by the provincial government.
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| Lax Kw'alaams Mayor Garry Reece at Sunday's webinar on COVID-19 |
Mayor Garry Reece provided a recap of the lockdown that is in place in Lax Kw'alaams and how there have been challenges in keeping that status in place in the community, with a number of those coming into the community not following the regulations in place related to isolation.
He also noted that there has not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Prince Rupert yet which he called a good thing.
He also outlined how the plans for blockade on the highway have gained some feedback and how he has heard back from both the Ministry of Transportation officials out of Terrace as well as from the RCMP.
"The news release that we put out there, I got an email from the District Manager up in Terrace of Transportation, Dan Baker and he wanted me to inform him if we were going to be going up and doing a blockade on our reserve up on the highway. And the RCMP is already aware of our news release there, so I had a call from them also.
And, so I'm sure the Premier got word of that already and you know I think we'll make a decision if we're gonna get a meeting with the Premier, which I'm hoping we do and voice those concerns with him to not allow visitors into Prince Rupert.
You know we have a lot of Band members that live right in Rupert there I think we've got over a 1,000 band members that live right in Rupert, a lot of elders there and you know we need to protect them there also there.
So if we're going to do this blockade and stop our people, that's going to take us leaving our community here and so I'm going to be talking with some of my councillors tomorrow to discuss that, if that's the action we're going to have to take if we're going to go and blockade, we're going to have to leave our community here and to do that. And I'm pretty sure my council is in full support of that yet.
It's pretty scary and you know I feel for Alert Bay with what's going on there, you know and I wish them the very best there and I also wish to thank the Haida Nation for organizing this here and all the Coastal communities joining in here and working together as one that's what we need to do and to open some ears back in Victoria there, that's what we need to do" -- Mayor Garry Reece of Lax Kw'alaams on plans for a blockade on Highway 16
As for the travel restrictions and Haida Gwaii checkpoints, Gaagwiis outlined how they have created information checkpoints with their focus on the BC Ferry Terminal and the transit of travellers between Prince Rupert and Skidegate.
He noted how they have been working together on both sides of Hecate Strait to have information checkpoints in place to see who is coming into the community for essential work, as well as for those returning to Haida Gwaii and to inform them of their state of emergency, which came into place on March 23rd.
Noting how the Province had suspended the declarations of local emergency on the mainland and in other communities, he paid tribute to the leaders of communities on the mainland for standing with the Haida Nation on their approach to the COVID-19 issues.
"More recently we've recognized that the focus on the Ferries is really taking up a lot of energy and different approaches to that. Whether that's working directly with BC ferries, or our checkpoints, along with working with our neighbours.
As Mayor Reece mentioned we've had those discussions around using or jurisdictions to protect our communities and potentially escalating those if we need to.
And I really appreciate and want to acknowledge the leaders on the mainland for standing with us. Because as President of the Haida Nation I also have citizens in Prince Rupert that I represent and I want them to be safe as well and so this isn't just about you know our reserves, or just about Haida Gwaii.
This about everyone in the North and Central Coast and we're committed to work together and to help protect our citizens on the mainland as well and our family and neighbours on the mainland." -- Haida Nation President, Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop
Prince Rupert Mayor Lee Brain received a shout out from the Haida Nation leader, who hailed the Prince Rupert Council for his efforts.
"I would also like to acknowledge the City of Prince Rupert and Mayor Brain as well, for his efforts and send our support to him and his community,"
And while he was saluted on the night, Mr. Brain was not included in the collection of local leaders participating on Sunday, it was noted that not all community leaders were available on the night for the online forum.
Though had he participated, could have provided the results of what became a focus group over the weekend.
With many residents of Prince Rupert responding to his recent Facebook post on the proposal for a checkpoint on Highway 16 and other measures related to the ongoing calls for stronger measures.
In an unusual amount of contrarian comment for the Mayor's facebook page, which often finds endorsement of his plans from his followers; many of the comments for his Thursday submission were not in favour of the checkpoint plans, nor some of the other elements related to such measures.
With many asking if the City of Prince Rupert endorsed that move, that question and a few other inquiries on related themes for the Mayor remain unanswered on that forum to this point.
You can review the Sunday night presentation below:
Last week Premier John Horgan spoke specifically to the concerns of rural and remote residents of the province, including those on Haida Gwaii and the Central Coast.
The call for tighter regulations in the region comes as British Columbia makes plans to actually reduce some of the current orders in place under the Provincial State of Emergency.
Later this week, the Premier plans to outline how British Columbia plans to move forward in reopening the business and how that will evolve in the province.
More notes related to the past proposed measures and those now in place on the North Coast and Haida Gwaii can be found from our archive page here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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