Fire Hall Planning Report
I am writing to let you know (and to pass it on) that the report, in all it's glory and detail is being posted to the Fire Department web site at hifd.org
The report part is easy to read, but it is the background information that makes for long reading.
It would be great if everyone who cares and intends on voting, when the time comes, reads the report and asks questions. Like everything, it pays to be informed and this subject has a lot of background, believe me. There is more than meets the eye and even skeptics will think twice after becoming aware of the facts.
Thanks
Giff
Hello Friends,
Our apologies to anyone who made the journey to the
yurt for the Goenka Vipassana Sit and/or Toning. The Yurt floor took longer than we thought for repairs and repainting. We have rescheduled the Meditation Sit for this Sunday and we will be back on schedule for yoga and meditation on Thursday morning beginning at 9:00.
A reminder about the Shamanic Journey Workshop on June
18th facilitated by Lynn Crawford; this workshop is
being offered as a Fund Raiser for the Yurt heating
system with a suggested donation of $50.00 - $75.00.
No one will be turned away, however, for lack of
funds. Please see our website,
www.deerheartsanctuary.com, for detailed information.
If you are interested in taking this workshop and the
currently scheduled date does not work for you and
please let us know because if there is enough interest
we could schedule to another day.
On Friday June 10th. Ron Sitter is hosting the first
Hornby Island Rhythm Circle with members of Kantata at
Joe King Club House from 8:30pm - 10:30pm. This is
open to everyone and we encourage you to come out for
this. No musical experience is necessary. If you
have something to shake, bring it along and join in
the fun. Ron just returned from a workshop on
Community Rhythm Circles in Vancouver and he is
excited to share his enthusiasm. This is an alcohol
free event.
Summer Solstice is almost upon us and we are
celebrating in the Yurt on Monday June 20th. There
will be Circle Dancing at 6:30 - 8:30pm. followed by a
music circle consisting of udu's, flutes, didges,
shakers, voice, etc. No loud drums please. For more information call Michelle at 335-0952.
And finally, please note the following workshops
scheduled for the beginning of July with Stephanie
Austin and Jim Hall. These folks are coming all the
way from Port Townsend and they have much to share in
their respective fields.
Astrology Forecast -- Summer 2005
With Stephanie Austin
Astrology helps us remember what we were born
for--what we came to learn and what we came to share
at this pivotal time on Earth. Join us for an in depth
look at the summer alignments and themes--what they
signify energetically and what they mean for us
personally. We¹ll talk about the power of the new
moons and full moons, retrogrades, planets changing
signs, and how to maximize the opportunities these
shifts offer. Whether you are a beginner or a longtime stargazer, this evening will help you learn more about yourself, your path, and how to utilize these alignments for personal and spiritual growth.
Stephanie will be available for personal astrological
readings at deerheart sanctuary on June 30th, July
1st, and July 3rd. An hour and a half in depth natal
and transit reading is $125. To schedule, please email Stephanie@EcoAstrology.com by June 27th; after that, contact Michelle at deerheart sanctuary.
Cost: $25
Date: Friday July 1st
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Stephanie Austin M.A. writes the New and Full Moon
Forecasts for the Mountain Astrologer magazine,
teaches Archetypal Astrology at John F. Kennedy
University, and has lectured at many regional and
international conferences. Her background includes
extensive personal growth work and studies in Flower
Essences, Ecopsychology, and Leslie Temple Thurston's
four-year teacher training program. She has been a
professional astrologer since 1986 and is now living
in Port Townsend, WA.
Medicine From the Spirit of Plants:
Using Plant Medicines for Transformation and to Boost Creativity
With Jim Hall
Small amounts of plant medicine work with the more
subtle properties of the plants. By using a few drops
of an herbal tincture or flower essence we have
harnessed the spiritual qualities rather than the more
physical properties. Utilizing the plant's energetic
nature helps dissolve the patterns and blocks to
manifesting our own essence. Join in a fascinating
evening on how to use the subtle energies of plants as
well as some simple but powerful visualizations to
increase the flow of your creative energy.
Jim will be available for personal sessions at
deerheart sanctuary on June 30th, July 1st, and July
3rd. Sessions are $30/half hour, $60/hour, $90/hour
and a half. To schedule to a personal energetic
healing and/or herbal session, please email Jim at ecomedicine@yahoo.com by June 27th; after that contact Michelle at deerheart sanctuary.
Jim Hall M.A. is a compassionate and entertaining
healer and teacher who offers a mix of herbal lore,
medical intuition, and energetic healing tools. He is
a third generation healer whose mentors include
herbalist Michael Moore, David Hoffman, Choctaw herbal
healer Karyn Sanders, Pomo "Dreamer" Lorin Smith, and
medical intuitive Laurie Schryver. He teaches at the
California School for Herbal Studies and has a special
interest in holistic treatments for cancer. Jim has
practiced various forms of healing for 25 years and
currently resides in Port Townsend, WA.
Cost: $25
Date: Thursday June 30th
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Astrology and Healing: Manifesting Your Heart's Desire
With Stephanie and Jim
Saturn begins a two-year journey through Leo on July
16th. Also known as Chronos or Father Time, Saturn
calls us to be in time--on track with our karmic
schedule and dharmic gifts. Saturn in Leo tells us
it's time to take our power seriously. Time to focus
and express our unique essence. Time to manifest our
heart's desires.
In the morning we'll talk about Saturn in Leo, what it
means for each of us, and where it's going to show up
in our lives most directly. After a lunch break, we'll experience and learn some energy tools for dealing with the fears and beliefs that come up when we approach our creative edges. Join us for a day of exploring your unique gifts and how to work with the obstacles that get in your way.
Fee includes a current transit chart and a personal
planetary flower essence to take home. Please register
and email your birth date, time, and place to Stephanie@EcoAstrology.com by June 27th.
Jim and Stephanie will also be available for
individual sessions at deerheart sanctuary on June
30th, July 1st, and July 3rd; to schedule, email Jim at ecomedicine@yahoo.com or
Stephanie@EcoAstrology.com. by June 27th; after that
date contact Michelle at deerheart sanctuary.
Cost: Sliding Scale $100-$60
Date: Saturday July 2nd
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
That is all for now.
Blessings to all, Michelle & Kevin
New Antiquarian / Collectible Bookstore Open
Mykaljon wants to tell everyone that he's finished his bookstore / office
and it's now open for visitors by Chance or by Appointment.
I moved here last January, having closed a large antiquarian bookshop that
I'd run for 18 years in Vancouver and later Victoria. I am now set up here
now doing mostly internet sales. The bookshop is at 5275 Jerow, and is a
separate building full of interesting antiquarian and collectible books
with some modern paperbacks and literature.
There is an emphasis on fantasy, science fiction, detective fiction,
metaphysical and occult books.
15,000 books in stock, but mostly they are still in storage - I just
finished shelving the new building last week!
Michael John Thompson
Antiquarian Bookseller
5275 Jerow HI V0R 1Z0
335-1182
Short Term Rentals Proposal
by Tony Law
Hi Folks:
This post provides information on a proposal I prepared for the Local Trust Committee on 19 June which the Committee has agreed to put forward as a starting point for focussed discussion on how to actually permit short term rentals in a new Land Use Bylaw. The proposal attempts to reflect both the interests and concerns that have been articulated in the community over the past several years - and more intensely over the past several months. I am looking for a solution that provides an appropriate balance between interest and concerns and which most of the community can buy into in terms of it being reasonable, fair, straightforward and legally certain. I believe that the number of questionnaire results returned provides a valuable indication of community opinions (at least from those who feel strongly enough about the issue to respond or who are conscientious survey-responders!). It was re-assuring to see exactly the same level of questionnaires returned from both residents and non-resident property owners. (Survey results attached) It is my perception that the survey results mirror what we have been hearing through other forms of input: Namely, that:
- Most people view STRs as being generally beneficial to the community. Most people state that STRs should be permitted either by Temporary Use Permit or as an outright use (with outright permission being the preferred option). About half of respondents would like to see STRs controlled either by prohibition or by a permitting process, particularly on small lots.
- There was no significant difference regarding how primary residences and other residences should be addressed.
I therefore believe that a broadly supported proposal would be one that allows short term rentals to be carried out on any residential lot, but with regulations that address impacts (particularly on small lots. I believe that if this use is to be permitted as an accessory use to a residential use, then provisions should ensure that the primary residential use and character of the property is maintained. What I am proposing would, I think, permit the long-standing, traditional way that short term rentals are carried out on Hornby. It would also provide for property owners who wish to carry out this activity at a more commercial level to have this considered. Here is the proposal (footnotes explain the rationale for the suggestions - some variations are also suggested at the end):
A PROPOSAL FOR PERMITTING AND REGULATING VACATION RENTALS
Definitions:
vacation rental means the rental, lease or letting of a dwelling unit for overnight accommodation for a period of less than 30 consecutive days to paying guests who normally reside elsewhere;
residential vacation rentals means vacation rentals which are regulated to retain the residential character and use of the property;
commercial vacation rentals means vacation rentals which exceed the regulated limits applied to residential vacation rentals.
Permitted uses
Residential vacation rentals, carried out in accordance with regulations, are a permitted use in all residential and agricultural zones.
Commercial vacation rentals are only permitted through the issuance of a Temporary Commercial and Industrial Use Permit. (1)
Regulations for residential vacation rentals
1) Residential vacation rentals may only be carried out on lots that are:
a) 2ha or greater in area;b) less than 2 ha in area and which have:
i) a sign in place, readable from the road, that provides an on-island phone number of the owner or the owner’s agent;(2)
ii) fencing along or within all property lines adjacent to another lot.(3)
2) The residential vacation rental must (4)
a) use only rooms that are located within the dwelling unit;
b) provide no more than two beds per bedroom.
3) The number of bedrooms provided in a residential vacation rental must not exceed: (5)
a) 2 if the lot is 0.1ha or less;
b) 3 if the lot is more than 0.1 ha.
4) The minimum period for the rental, lease or letting of a dwelling unit for a residential vacation rental must be not less than 7 days.(6)
5) Residential vacation rentals can only be carried out within one period not exceeding 10 weeks in each calendar year.(7)
Notes:
(1) This can allow for applications if someone want to operate a short term rental year round, with an increased level of occupany or for shorter periods. The application process provides for comments from neighbouring property owners and review by the Advisory Planning Commission.
(2) A major concern is that neighbours often do not know who to call to deal with problems if they arise. At lease one property manager already puts such signs in place. They would only need to be in place why the rental is operating and they could be small and discrete as long as they are visible.
(3) Another significant concern on smaller lots is renters (or their dogs) wandering on to neighbouing lots.
(4) This regulation parallels that for B&Bs and therefore puts in place a comparable level of accountability with respect to occupancy.
(5) Again, this parallels the requirements for B&Bs and addresses one of the most significant concerns: too many people staying in a house and thereby eroding the sense of a residential neighbourhood. Very small lots (0.1ha or less), where residential ambience and water supply can be more of an issue, should likely have smaller occupancy limits. People wishing to conduct businesses with a higher level of occupancy could be considered for a TUP which would provide accountability for higher potential impacts.
(6) Frequent turnover of people staying in a STR can erode the residential ambience and can lead to the "weekend warrior" types of occupancy.
(7) Traditionally, STRs have been conducted over the summer when residents vacate their homes or when part-time residents are not actually using their properties. At this time of the year, most commercial tourist accommodation is operating at or near capacity. In order to retain the residential use of the property as the primary use, a dwelling unit should be available for residential use for most of the year (by the resident owner, non-resident owner, friends or family or residential tenants). A dwelling unit that is available as visitor accommodation year-round is operating more like a motel than a residence and is competing with commercially zoned torist accommodation. In other communities, dwelling units have been bought or built for the principal purpose of tourist accommodation. It is only happened here to a very small degree and may or may not become an issue. The use of TUPs for such commerciual STRs will enable the community to keep a handle on this possible trend.
(8) There are other concerns that some people have suggested should be regulated (water use, waste disposal, noise, etc). However these are either a) issues cannot be regulated other than through a permitting process or b) issues that cannot be readily enforced. Regulations should probably be supplemented by advocated "guidelines" as proposed in the OCP.
Possible variations
A) A Temporary Use Permit could be required for lots under 0.25ha.
B) A Temporary Use Permit could be required for lots under 0.1ha
C) The upper limit for number of bedrooms could set at 4 for lots over 1ha.
D) The minimal rental period could be increased to, say, 14 days.
E) The period in which rentals may be carried out could be reduced to 8 weeks.
F) The period in which rentals carried may be carried out could be increased to 12 weeks.
I would like to emphasize that this proposal is merely being put out for discussion purposes. I believe it is time to focus in on what a workable solution would look like.
I know that both Salt Spring and Gabriola local trust committees are proposing Temporary Use Permits as the solution for their communities (and the trustees from those islands have suggested that I am being "irresponsible" in suggesting our community look at STRs as an outright permitted use.
However, I believe our community has a different history and context. I also have misgivings about TUPs as being administrative overkill for a use that many people want to see carried out. I believe that TUPs should be reserved for those situations that are clearly more commercial in nature and/or likely to have more impacts than an accessory residential use.
I also do not want to see our community torn apart on this or any other issue (I see both the Salt Spring and Gabriola, communities becoming very divided on this issue).
I would like to put out a call for all of us to come to the upcoming meetings in a co-operative problem-solving mode and with respect for the range of intesrts and concerns surrounding this issue. We are really good at this when we choose this approach!
Tony Law
Islands Trustee
Deadline extended for comments on Land Use Bylaw
The Local trust Committee has decided to extend the deadline for comments on the first draft of a new Land Use Bylaw to the end of July.
Please leave comments in the box at the "Free Post". They can also be e-mailed to dmarlor@islandstrust.bc.ca or mailed to the Hornby Island Local Trust Committee, Islands Trust, 1627 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8R 1H8.
We have asked staff to prepare a report on the input received and to prepare a second draft based upon this input. These will be presented to the Committee at its September meeting.
Many thanks to all who came out to the four Community Information Meetings; we heard some valuable input. The first draft provides a professional planning approach to implementing the OCP. We now need to re-shape it so that it is in accord with what works for our community.
Among other comments, we heard three main themes:
1. regulation should be limited and should focus upon. preventing the worst;
2. a more permissive approach should be taken with respect to livelihood opportunities, especially home occupations and agriculture;
3. there should be more flexibility around building size and configuration. We have taken note of this input and you will see it reflected in the second draft.
tony
Hornby Island Community Rhythm Circle
“No Musical Experience Needed”
Bring a bell, a couple of sticks to bang together, a drum, a home made shaker or anything else you want to use as a percussion toy. This is a free-flow rhythm circle and is not structured or choreographed music. It is not a performance...it is a dynamic music circle.
Date: June 10 (Friday)
Time: 8:30-10:30 pm
Location: Joe King Park
Cause: Community Feel-Good Event.
Kantata, your local percussion ensemble, is very pleased to invite you to this community rhythm circle. All are invited to come and enjoy two hours of free flow rhythm, healing and fun. This is a rhythm event for non-musicians – it will be your groove.
This is a child-friendly event – but it will be loud.
An offering is requested to help our Hornby Musicians pay their expenses for an upcoming gig on Cortes Island.
Namaste Friends,
We were surprised that the calendar didn't make it
into the First Edition this month and so we have
included a simple version for you here. The first week of June the Yurt will NOT
be available because we are redoing the floor. This
month will begin with the Goenka sit on June 5th.
We held our first silent meditation/yoga retreat this
past weekend and we were held with such beauty and
love by this land and all who supported us. Thank you
to Ambika for nourishing us with your light and to all
those who joined us for Satsang. There were three of
us who stayed in silence for the entire weekend and we
all agreed that the not speaking part was easy...it
was the constant inner chatter and the fiction that
spins out from this when there is no distraction that
was challenging. Our task was to simply be with
it...to cultivate some equanimity and witness the
stories that were spinning out automatically and
unconsciously. Quite revealing! Our minds have been
trained, programmed if you will to be reactive.
Cultivating equanimity is a step toward freedom. We
all enjoyed glimpses of this throughout the retreat.
Our next retreat will be held on the weekend of June
24th - June 27th. The cost for the weekend is $150.00
and includes camping, meals and yoga classes. The
Satsangs are open to the community by donation and
once again we will be sharing teachings on non duality
with audio tapes of Adyashanti.
On June 18th. 2005, Lynn Crawford has offered to hold
her workshop on Shamanic Journeying as a fund raiser
for deerheart. This money will go toward a heating
system for the yurt. There is more detail at the end
of this newsletter. Thank you Lynn!
Amanda Hale will be offering her 'Writing From The
Body' workshops every Thursday afternoon from 1:30pm -
4:00pm. in the Yurt. The cost for this workshop is
$30.00 and for more info please check our web site: www.deerheartsanctuary.com
On Thursday mornings please join us for mediation at
9:00 and yoga from 9:50 until 11:00 in silence.
* Circle Dancing has been canceled for June 8th. and
will resume on June 22nd. for a Solstice Celebration.
Ron sitter has just returned from a 'Community
Drumming Workshop' in Vancouver and he will be
offering this out to the community. We will let you
know when a date, location and other details have been confirmed.
Upcoming in July and August
"Singing With the Whole Self" -- facilitated by Louise
Jarvis
"Dances of Universal Peace" -- facilitated by Basera
Astrology Workshop -- facilitated by Stephanie Austin
Plant Spirit Medicine -- facilitated by Jim Hall
Silent Meditation Yoga Retreats -- facilitated by
deerheart sanctuary
Yoga Intensives -- facilitated by various teachers
Enjoy!
Blessings, Michelle and Kevin
-------------------------------------
Fund Raiser for deerheart sanctuary
"Neither in body nor in mind do we inhabit the world
of those hunting races of the Paleolithic millennia,
to whose lives & life ways we nevertheless owe the
very forms of our bodies & structures of our minds.
Memories of their animal envoys still must sleep,
somehow, within us; for they wake a little & stir when
we venture into wilderness...Whatever the inward
darkness may have been to which the shaman of those
caves descended in their trances, the same must lie
within ourselves, nightly visited by sleep." -Joseph
Campbell
PARTING THE VEIL:
An Introduction to Shamanic Journeying with Lynn
Crawford
Saturday, June 18, 10am-5pm
Deerheart Sanctuary
Suggested Donation $75.00 (includes lunch)
Learn a practical method for applying ancient
knowledge to modern life. In traditional societies,
shamans interfaced between the seen and unseen worlds.
By entering nonordinary reality through dream & other
means, they connected their communities to sources of
medicine, food, & wisdom. Contemporary students of
shamanism have uncovered core practices common to
shamanic cultures on all continents. The JOURNEY is
one of them. Through the journey, you will gain a tool
for accessing inner guides, retrieving lost selves and
lost power, dismantling conditioned habits of
reactivity, experiencing direct revelation. If you
would like to get outside the box of your usual
perceptions, develop a more conscious relationship to
power, and contact sources of energy, insight, healing
and wholeness on behalf of yourself and others, please
join us.
Lynn Crawford, LCSW has been a psychotherapist and
student of Buddhism in San Francisco for over 20
years. She is also a hypnotherapist, and is training
in core shamanic practices with Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D at
AnamCara Foundation.
For more information and to register, check out the
website at www.deerheartsanctuary.com; 250-335-0952;
Hornby Island, BC
June Calendar for deerheart sanctuary. For program
details, see www.deerheartsanctuary.com, click on
calendar and the program you're interested in.
5 Sun. Vipassana Meditation for Goenka Old Students
6 Mon. New Moon Toning
9 Thurs. Silent Thursdays
9 Thurs. Writing From the Body
16 Thurs. Silent Thursdays
16 Thurs. Writing From the Body
18 Sat. deerheart fundraiser -- PARTING THE VEIL: An
Introduction to Shamanic Journeying
19 Sun. Day of Silent Meditation
20 Mon. Full Moon Toning
22 Wed. Solstice Celebration Circle Dancing
23 Thurs. Silent Thursdays
23 Thurs. Writing From the Body
24 Fri. Silent Meditation/Yoga Retreat
25 Sat. Silent Meditation/Yoga Retreat
26 Sun. Silent Meditation/Yoga Retreat
27 Mon. Silent Meditation/Yoga Retreat
30 Thurs. Silent Thursdays
30 Thurs. Writing From the Body
About Short-Term Rentals
Over the past few days I have talked with a number of people seeking clarification and assurance around the issue of short term rentals - so this message is intended to help provide this.
One question a few people have asked is whether the way this issue is being dealt with on Salt Spring (total or at least partial pohibition) will set a precedent for Hornby.
The answer is "no". Each local government makes its own decison based upon what is most appropriate for the particular community (and within the constraints of relevant legislation).
On Hornby, the decision will be made by the Local Trust Committee.
The trustees have been taking a neutral position on this issue so far. We have been reading and listening to community comments (some very thoughtful ideas), receiving professional advice on possible options and seeing what we can learn from how this issue is playing out in other small communities.
We have been trying to provide feed-back to the community on what we have been hearing and learning.
We will NOT be making any proposals to the community on how short term rentals might be addressed until we have received input from the community on what option(s) would be most appropriate for Hornby.
This input will be derived from a questionnaire that will be sent in the next week or so to every household and every off-island property owner.
The results of this questionnaire will be published in the First Edition and on the web site and will guide the Local Trust Committee in preparing a proposal for community consideration.
The Local Trust Committee will Not be giving First Reading to any proposed bylaw relating to this issue until the Committee believes that it has a proposal that will be broadly acceptable to the community.
Here is what Trustee Eleanor Kneffel has written on the subject:
The LTC is not advocating any direction on this – it is up to the community to decide. To assure you, I highly doubt that the community would want to ban short term vacation rentals; there may be some individuals, of course, but not the majority by any stretch
I would echo her statement. I would also say that the situation on Hornby is different from that of some other communities because on Hornby there has been a long tradition of vacation rentals carried out (particularly on larger lots) by residents and with few concerns raised about the impacts. In other communities (like Salt Spring) they are being conducted on a much more commercial and aggressive scale.
However, that practice is starting to happen on Hornby and Denman with dewllings being bought specifically to operate for commercial visitor accommodation purposes. There is also concern about the change in scale and intensity of short term rentals on Hornby (particularly on smaller lots) and about where this is leading in terms of eroding the authenticity of residential neighbourhoods.
What I am hoping to hear from the community is some wisdom with respect to the appropriate conditions and requirements for short term rentals to be carried out in a way that will maintain both the ambience of the community and what has become a key source of income that enables quite a number of residents to continue living on Hornby.
As a planning agency, it is our responsibility to challenge the community to look at trends and practices that are occuring so that we can collectively consider what we might need to do to ensure that we don't end up somewhere where we don't want to be.
Please feel free to pass these comments on. (There has been quite a bit of misinformation and misrepresentation circulating.). Also please provide your suggestions on the questionnaire.
Eleanor and I fully appreciate that this is a big issue for a lot of folks - with important impacts upon their lives. We understand the anxiety that exists on all sides of the issue.
Our hope is that we can work towards a workable resolution that the great majority of people will find to be fair and reasonable.
We need everyone's help to arrive at that point!
Tony Law
Hornby Free Radio : CHFR-FM Open House
Come to Joe King Ball Park on May 22 nd! We’re having an open house and work party combo all day to the soundtrack of DJs spinning. There’s lots to do! If you don’t feel like working, hang out in the yard with the kids and play games, listen to music and talk to the Hornby Community Radio Society Board members.
We will have an information table set up with application forms available for aspiring DJs, talk show hosts and radio personalities. If you don’t want to host a show but want to help somehow, fill out a volunteer application form and tell us what your ‘area of expertise’ is; we will call on you when we need youl If you want a DJ slot at the open house, drop by the gas bar or call Albini at 3252.
Starting at 8 pm there will be a dance with live music; admission is free with an HCRS membership. Memberships are $10; if you are already a member, you pay nothing.
Please Note: This is an alcohol-free family event. Those who come with drink in hand will be asked to leave.
 Word Of Mouth was born on April 1, 2005, precisely at midnight. This site is an Aries Sun with Capricorn Moon and Sagittarius rising. Like all babies, it's not quite finished; it's got a long way to go and it needs help. On this page you'll find listings of upcoming events and news of various happenings on the island. This is also the space for updates from island groups and societies. Spread the Word!
About The Single Transferable Vote Thingie:
Thanks to Phil Bailey's diligent reminders, and an email he sent out with some informative links, I did a little research to find out what the heck the Single Transferable Vote thingie is all about. The following is from the Know-STV site, which is not in favour of the change. As a former northerner, I have had reservations about this system--I have known just enough to fear that the entire north of the province would be effectively disenfranchised if this system is adopted. These questions and answers help make the potential problems clear.
This first article speaks against STV. A second article follows, which presents the 'yes' side of the argument. Please read both before making up your mind--and check out the links for more information. This is a complicated subject and we all need to be informed.
More from the site the first article came from: knowstv.ca
More from the site the second article came from: www.fairvotingbc.com
The 'yes' campaign: stvforbc.com
The Citizens' Assembly Alumni site: bc-stv.ca
And, if you want to try a demo of the system, go here: bc.demochoice.org/index.html
The Single Transferable Vote — Questions & Answers
Produced by KNOW STV
The following are factual Questions and Answers about STV that should be considered by all voters before they decide how to vote on May 17, 2005.
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The Single-Transferable Vote (STV) is an alternative to the First Past The Post electoral system currently in use in Canada and every province, as well as in the United Kingdom and United States. It is also sometimes called the Single Member Plurality system.
First Past The Post is used by the most people — about 45% — in the world living in democracies, in about 67 countries.
STV is used in just two countries nationally: Ireland and Malta, representing about one 10th of 1% of the world population. It is also used in the jurisdictions of Northern Ireland, as well as the Australian senate and in some Australian states, such as Tasmania.
Other countries use a variety of electoral systems, with List Proportional Representation and the Two Round System being the next most popular after First Past The Post.
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Under STV in BC, there would be fewer but much larger constituencies in which voters elect their Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to represent their interests.
BC currently has 79 different constituencies but under STV there could be as few as18 constituencies or less. Each larger constituency would have from two or three members in rural areas to as many as seven MLAs in larger urban areas.
Voters would rank all candidates in that larger constituency by their personal preference, with a 1 being their first choice, 2 their second and so on. Voters can rank every candidate in their constituency if they want to.
A mathematical formula called the Droop Quota is used to determine the percentage of support a particular candidate needs. This quota will be different depending on the number of seats in your constituency. The quota is the number of valid votes cast divided by the number of seats plus one, plus one vote.
The method of transferring ranked preferences is called the "Weighted Inclusive Gregory Method" (see Citizens Assembly Technical Report for details).
In a constituency of 100,000 voters electing three members the number of votes needed to win is 25,001: that is 100,000 divided by 4 (3 + 1) + 1 vote.
When counting the vote, all number 1 preferences are counted first. Once a candidate has received enough votes to win, the number 2 preference choices of those voters are counted and so on until all candidates are elected in the constituency. Click here for an explanation of STV vote counting.
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None of those questions can be answered until after the referendum on May 17, 2005. If BC voters vote yes to STV, the Electoral Boundaries Commission — an independent commission established by the government, will draw up new constituency boundaries and determine the size of each constituency.
But you can click here to see how BC’s constituencies might look under STV, in a map prepared by the pro-STV group Fair Voting BC.
You can also look at the Citizens Assembly Technical Report, which discusses these and other issues.
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Under First Past the Post, each voter chooses one candidate to represent their constituency and the candidate who wins more votes than any other is elected.
Each FPTP constituency has one MLA who is personally accountable to those voters and the constituencies are much smaller both geographically and in terms of the number of voters in each one.
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Yes. One of FPTP’s biggest advantages is the simplicity and ease of understanding it brings to all voters. In recent New Zealand local elections using STV for the first time 11% of all votes were disqualified, more than 14 times the number rejected in the previous election.
Voters may also be faced with a very large ballot and dozens of candidates in larger ridings, making it hard to rank the candidates knowledgeably.
Voters will also be confused by a mathematical quota called the Weighted Inclusive Gregory System which determines how and where exactly their vote will be “transferred” to, by having to rank a large number of candidates in each constituency and by the need to trust computers to get the results right.
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There will be less local representation and accountability because STV will mean much larger constituencies and MLAs will be representing far more people over a wider geographic area.
Under First Past The Post, smaller constituencies with only one MLA mean that elected representative must be available and accountable to the constituency, not just the part of it with more voters.
In large rural constituencies that contain a major town, it’s possible that all MLAs elected will come from that town because that’s where the most voters are, reducing accountability for other parts of the constituency.
In city constituencies like Vancouver, the majority of MLAs may come from one part of the city. In Vancouver municipal elections the west side of the city has elected the vast majority of city councilors because west side residents vote in higher numbers than east side residents.
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BC and Ireland are quite different geographically, with BC many times larger. However Ireland’s population is very close to BC’s 4 million people and they have 166 representatives in their parliament, called the Dail, while in BC we have just 79 MLAs in the B.C. Legislature.
That means tiny Ireland has double the number of elected representatives as huge BC for roughly the same number of people.
Inevitably with huge ridings and few MLAs parts of BC would likely lose local representation. In some areas it is possible that no local candidate would be elected as an MLA, removing local representation completely.
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No. STV supporters say it is more proportional than FPTP but there is no guarantee that seats won will correspond with popular vote. Proportional representation electoral systems such as List PR are designed to ensure such proportionality, not STV.
If a party got 10% of the vote under STV it would be unlikely to win a seat in any constituency in BC. Look again at the example of a constituency of 100,000 voters electing three members: the number of votes needed to win is 25,001, which means that a party would need at least 25% support to win one seat of the three.
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No. Proponents say because STV it is more proportional "overall" if is a fairer system. But a candidate in a two-member riding in northern BC can get elected with 33% public support while a Vancouver or other large urban centre candidate can get elected with just 13% of the votes cast.
This means some MLAs have had to win far more support than others to be elected to the BC Legislature.
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Not necessarily. Malta has used STV since 1921 but since 1950 not a single independent candidate has been elected. Any candidate requires significant funding to win election and with STV the constituencies will be much bigger, forcing candidates to raise even more money. In a seven-member constituency as proposed for Vancouver, major parties will likely spend $1 million or more in that constituency campaign alone — an amount no independent candidate could possibly raise.
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Not necessarily. In Malta, which has had STV since 1921, there are only two parties with elected officials. In recent elections the largest third party has won less than 2% of the vote and no seats. In Ireland small parties have won seats but so have smaller parties in BC under First Past The Post, as recently as in 1996.
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No. In Malta women make up just 9.2% of the country’s legislators, with only 6 women elected out of 65 representatives. In Ireland just 13.3% of elected officials are women.
By comparison, in British Columbia under our First Past The Post system, women make up 22.8% of our MLAs, 18 out of 79. While it isn’t representative of our society, it is significantly better than under either STV system.
And in Canada women represent 21.1% of all elected Members of Parliament, with 65 women out of 308 seats.
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If no vote were to be “wasted” that would mean every voter’s candidate of choice would have to win election — it’s not possible or sensible. Elections are to select which candidate in each constituency has the most support and then which parties across the province have enough support from elected members to form a government.
STV supporters say that by ranking your choice of candidates, the odds are one of your choices will win a seat. But that’s a little like saying if you bet on every horse in a horserace, one of your picks will be a winner.
And because of the complicated transfer system, you will never know were your vote actually went in electing the MLAs for your constituency.
Under First Past The Post, your vote goes to one candidate and is counted clearly. Regardless of your choice, that’s not a wasted vote.
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Maybe. In Malta, where STV has been in effect since 1921, there is almost always a majority government formed by one of their two major parties. And our current electoral system does not guarantee majority governments — look at the federal minority government situation in Parliament today.
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No. It is a mistake to think an electoral system will change the nature of politics and politicians. Under STV, if no party has a majority there will have to be deals to form a minority government supported by several parties.
What STV does mean is that potentially a party with just a few MLAs who may represent a very minority view will have the balance of power and can dictate policies in the backroom to the other parties who want to form a government.
And under STV there will be deals around nominating candidates in the multi-member constituencies that STV requires.
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Because STV combines the smaller single member constituencies of our current system into large multi-member constituencies, the likelihood is that special interest groups would dominate the nomination process of political parties even more than today.
For example, if 7 candidates from each party are to be nominated in a large Vancouver riding, whoever signs up the most party members for their own personal campaign will also be able to pick the party’s other 6 candidates, because they will have the most votes at the meeting.
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To adopt an STV electoral system requires 60% of all valid votes in the May 17, 2005 election to vote in favour, plus the referendum requires that 60% of all 79 constituencies in BC to vote in favour of STV by a simple majority.
That is, overall 60% of all BC voters must vote yes to STV and voters in at least 48 of BC’s 79 constituencies must vote in favour of STV by 50% plus 1 vote.
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STV is complicated, confusing, prone to errors and delay, it reduces local accountability, increases the size of ridings, allows MLAs to avoid direct accountability for their decisions, increases party control and allows special interests to dominate party nominations.
It also hasn’t been proven to do many of the things its proponents claim — like increase the ability of third parties and independents to get elected, and it is not truly proportional in guaranteeing that each party will get the number of seats in the Legislature equivalent to the percentage of votes they received.
How Many Votes Do I Have?
One. Each riding will have more than one seat. Therefore, collectively, the voters in each riding will elect more than one MLA, but individually, each voter has one vote. By ranking candidates in order of preference voters indicate that if their first choice is eliminated their second choice becomes their first choice. This process repeats itself until one’s ballot comes to rest with one candidate.
A voter’s support will go largely to one candidate. However, if that candidate has a surplus, the full value of votes cannot be used by that candidate, and some fraction of a vote’s full value will be distributed to remaining candidates according to the voter’s preferences.
How Many Candidates Will There Be, and How Confusing is That?
The number of candidates on the ballot will vary depending on how many seats are to be filled in a particular riding. Most ballots will contain more names than is currently the case. The Assembly has wisely decided to make ballots user-friendly. Instead of a long, alphabetically arranged list, candidates will be grouped by party affiliation. Many voters will rank candidates within the party box of their choice. To avoid undue advantage the order of listing both for parties and candidates will vary from ballot to ballot. No ballot will contain nearly as many names as is the case in Vancouver local elections.
Is BC-STV Difficult?
It is both difficult and easy. Filling in the ballot is as easy as 1,2,3, but conducting the count is admittedly more difficult than for first-past-the-post, due to the desire to count 2nd, 3rd, etc. choices. The counting method is required to select those candidates who on balance enjoy the greatest amount of support.
Election BC is charged with ensuring the integrity of the system. Their personnel are politically neutral and professional.
The Irish have used this system since 1921. Political parties have twice tried to entice the Irish to drop their system in favour of our current system. By referendum the Irish people rejected such enticements. If the Irish are intelligent enough to use this system, why should British Columbians not be able to handle it?
How do I know my ballot will not be used to help one of my later preferences defeat one of my first choices?
Your ballot is not transferred away from your most preferred candidate until he or
she is either elected, or eliminated due to lack of support. Only then can your vote go to count for another candidate.
Is this Proportional Representation?
Partially. In important respects BC-STV is unlike most proportional representation systems. For example, votes are for candidates, not for parties, and nominations are conducted at the local riding level not at party head office. Also, it is not fully proportional in results, particularly in ridings with less than 5 seats.
However, overall provincial results approach full proportionality and are far more proportional than our current system.
Most proportional representation systems empower parties, BC-STV empowers voters.
Will All MLAs Come From the Larger Population Centers?
No. Each block of voters can elect their own MLA. Each existing riding will always retain sufficient numerical strength to elect their own MLA.
Each riding will have exactly the same number of voters. In each riding a quota is calculated as follows: 100 divided by (number of seats plus1) = quota. This is the percentage of votes each MLA needs to be elected. The quotas ensure larger population centers cannot get more representation than they deserve based on population.
It is to a political party's advantage to run a slate of candidates with appeal to each grouping of voters. For example, if most of Vancouver Island outside of Greater Victoria were one riding returning six MLAs, it would be foolish for a party to run candidates exclusively from Nanaimo. Why? Because Nanaimo voters cannot fill six quotas, they can fill only one quota.
What Are the Benefits for Interior and Northern Ridings?
Under the current voting system winning parties always get more seats than they deserve. Under more proportional systems majorities are earned, not manufactured. Such systems produce much stronger competition for every last vote. In New Zealand, following the change in voting system, the scattered farmers on the North Island report amazement at now being courted by politicians.
When few votes are wasted the rural vote takes on a new significance. Those relatively few votes are then important. Currently, a party can win government in just the Lower Mainland. That would be impossible under a more proportional system. Unlike the current situation, any representational vacuum “beyond Hope” would soon be filled, because those votes would be needed, and they would have more weight and be worth more than is the case now.
Federally, it is very similar. On most election nights some party has formed government before a single British Columbian vote has been counted. The remedy is a more proportional voting system. The three federal elections before the most recent one, produced majority governments on about forty percent of the popular vote. If seats had been allocated in proportion to the popular vote, no government could have been formed until after every last vote in British Columbia had been counted.
Proportional voting systems are designed to include minorities. Rural British Columbia is a minority. It deserves to be included, and this change in the voting system can do it.
To maximize the significance of votes from the Interior and North requires a voting system that yields proportional results, effective local representation, lessens party discipline, gives more independence to MLAs, and permits candidates whose support is strictly local to get elected. BC-STV satisfies these requirements.
Will Women and Minorities be Fairly Represented?
That will almost certainly be the case, if voters are so minded. It will result from the free choice of the people, not from quotas or affirmative action programs enforced from a party's head office.
Ireland and Malta have not attained gender parity, in fact not even shown any improvement, but that is a function of societal forces. There is nothing intrinsic to BC-STV that would hinder women and minority representation, and much to encourage it.
Voters have more choice. For example, under the current system if you wish to vote for a Liberal but also a woman you may not have that choice, since you must accept whatever candidate the Liberals nominate. Under BC-STV parties will offer multiple candidates in each riding, therefore the chance that you can vote both Liberal and gender is much greater. Those who wish to can even vote exclusively for women candidates, and option not open under the existing system.
Is Coalition Government the Inevitable Result?
No, that is up to the voters. Voters may well choose to avoid coalitions. No one can predict such outcome before hand.
Ireland had mostly one-party majority government for about 50 years, but during the past 25 years Irish voters have chosen coalition governments.
If voters don’t like coalition governments they have the option of going back to single-party majority government without the need to change the voting system.
Are Coalition Governments Weak Governments?
There are instances of weak coalition governments, but many more instances of strength and stability.
It is important to recognize what is meant by strong government. One-party rule gives a premier almost unlimited powers. To some this seems beneficial, others disagree. When premier Bill Vander Zalm decided to stop funding all abortions, supporters saw this as strong government, many others as dangerous extremism.
In the long term, governments are strong when they can be held accountable and their decisions reflect majority views. For that to happen the makeup of government must be representative of the people, and manufactured majorities must give way to earned majorities.
Consensual decision-making is more challenging then dictatorial fiat, but it forms the basis of a stable democracy. Remember, democracy is much more than voting - it's what happens for the whole period of governance, and BC-STV's effects would carry through between elections
It is often over looked that the US form of government is based on reaching consensus. In the US congressional system all law proposals and budgets require extensive negotiations to ensure majority support, often bi-partisan. Every initiative requires building coalitions in both Houses of Congress. Does anyone accuse the US of weak government?
After much study the Citizens Assembly unanimously concluded that one-party rule was the least desirable feature of our system of governance.
What is the Difference Between Minority and Coalition Government?
Minority governments result from “first past the post” and are nearly always unstable and short lived. Under “first past the post” a small increase in popular support results in a large increase in seats. Hence, there is an incentive for parties to manufacture a quick election.
Under proportional voting there is no incentive for parties to call an early election. Under such systems parties form coalitions – government made up of more than one party, much as British Columbia experienced during WW II.
It is a common mistake to use the terms Minority and Coalition government interchangeably. In fact, they are very different. Parties form coalitions to avoid being a minority government. Minority government is always unstable. Coalition government can be very stable. Most democracies in the world are ruled by coalitions.
Will Party Discipline Automatically Disappear?
No. Political parties and party discipline are deeply entrenched in our political history and culture. Even if possible, it is doubtful removing parties and party discipline would be a good thing. In Ireland, parties function much as they do most places.
BC-STV has the potential to somewhat weaken excessive party discipline, not to it. Whether it will lessen party discipline remains to be seen. MLAs might choose to not avail themselves of new possibilities, and voters may choose not to force the issue by voting for MLAs who want less discipline
Mostly, it will be up to the voters. There is nothing to stop voters from supporting MLAs who are strong party people. Alternatively, voters may be inclined to vote for independents or those who show a measure of independence from party control.
Why Does BC-STV Have Potential to Make Politics More Civil?
Under BC-STV, candidates will receive second-place support (and perhaps third-place, fourth-place, etc.) from voters whose first preference is a competing candidate. This is a powerful incentive for candidates to show civility to the other candidates. Election campaigns will be more positive and less negative. Negative advertising and unfair personal attacks are counter productive in preferential voting.
The current voting system rewards destructive behavior. BC-STV rewards candidates and parties who built bridges and seek consensus.
Is the Change to BC-STV Open to Legal Challenge?
All voting systems are open to legal challenge. Currently, the “first past the post” system is under a Charter challenge conducted by the Constitutional Test Case Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto.
It is difficult to imagine that a court would toss out a decision popularly endorsed by a double 60% majority, particularly when the proposed system is more democratic than the one it replaces.
If it Ain’t Broke, Why Fix It?
The present system works reasonably well in two-party systems such as the US, or for electorates with little diversity, such as Alberta. “First past the post” is no longer appropriate for British Columbia. Time has brought to our province greater diversity, a changing role for women, an appreciation that forty percent of the voters should not have one-hundred percent of the power, nor be completely excluded. British Columbia has seen both extremes in its recent history, and neither is healthy.
Voters have local MLAs, but generally not effective local representation, they wish for less party discipline, more accountability in government, and a less polarized politics. The system is broken, and needs fixing.
The Citizens Assembly found much that needs fixing and therefore recommends a change in voting system.
When Will We Know the Final Election Results?
Before computers, counting the vote could take days. Today, results will be known very quickly.
Will There be a Paper Trail?
Yes, when the Assembly selected the final technical details for BC-STV it insisted there be a paper trail.
If No Party has a Majority, How is Government Formed?
Political parties negotiate a coalition agreement by allocating cabinet positions to the parterning parties, then jointly drafting a legislative agenda, in general outline.
It might take some time before parties get used to doing politics differently. They will be assisted by many examples, for most democracies work this way.
It might take some time before government is formed and the legislature meets", but this is no different than the current situation.
It is not uncommon for the legislature to take a recess between administrations even under “first past the post”. For example, the BC legislature did not convene between June 17, 1986 and March 9,1987 to facilitate the transition from the Bill Bennett to the Bill Vander Zalm governments.
Who Decides Who will be Premier?
Usually, the leader of the party that has the most seats will become premier. The decision is up to the legislature, as it is now.
Who Decides the Riding Boundaries?
By law a Boundaries Commission must be struck every ten years to draw new boundaries to reflect changes and shifts in population. Under BC-STV riding boundaries will change less frequently since in multi-seat ridings additional population can be accommodated by simply adding one seat, rather than changing the riding boundaries. This will also save costs compared to the present system.
Do Other Countries Use BC-STV?
Yes, it is used in Malta, the Republic of Ireland, Tasmania, the Australian Senate, some local elections in New Zealand, and Northern Ireland, and will be used in Scotland’s next local elections.
Also, it was used to elect MLAs in the cities of Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg from the early 1920s to the mid-1950s. In each of those cases it was abolished by the government of the day for purely political reasons and without consulting the people.
If This is so Great, Why so Few Examples?
Usually, electoral change is instigated by political parties. No political parties will ever favour BC-STV, since it empowers voters more than political parties. That the current government has supported the Citizen's Assembly process is a fortuitous aberration that BC voters must take advantage of.
The system proposed by the Citizens Assembly will receive a favourable hearing because political interests have been excluded from the decision-making process. British Columbians have a unique opportunity to empower voters rather than parties.
What Would the Results Have Been in the Last Election Using BC-STV?
DISCLAIMER: Predicting results had there been a different voting system is always highly speculative.
· Liberals might have won a majority with 56, instead of 77 seats.
· NDP might have won 16 seats, instead of 2 seats.
· Green might have won 7 seats, instead of no seats.
· Unity and Marijuana might not have won any seats. A party could win seats on less than three percent popular support but only if such support is geographically concentrated.
When surplus votes are transferred, how are they selected?
The question assumes that some votes need to be transferred. That is incorrect. Rather, some part of every surplus vote needs to be transferred.
Suppose a candidate has 10% more votes than needed to win. That means the candidate can use 90% of the value of every vote. In this case, 10% of every vote’s value is transferred to remaining candidates. Hence, all votes are transferred, but at a reduced value.
POLICE LIAISON REPORT
David Work
This year’s Police Liaison Committee has had their first meeting and those present thought it would be a good idea to introduce ourselves to the community and explain our purpose.
Our role is to be a communication pipeline for community issues regarding policing. Please understand that we are an elected committee of H.I.R.R.A. and are not, in any way, recruited or appointed by the R.C.M.P. as informants to report individual criminal activity. We can advocate the processes for an individual to follow but are not here as advocates for that individual’s situation, problem or concern. Anyone wishing to report criminal activity should contact the R.C.M.P. or Crimestoppers and not our committee.
Goals for the upcoming year include organizing the “Meet the Summer Police Meeting” this spring, distributing another survey for public feedback and establishing a set of protocols to deal with various police issues.
Anyone with ideas, suggestions or a policing issue to raise may drop a note in the H.I.R.R.A. box at the Free Post or contact a member of the Police Liaison Committee.
Phil Bailey, April Lewis, Marcel Poulin, David Work, Wings, Harry Fearman, Gregg Kendrick
I Went To Ratepayer's
by Phoenix Wolf-Ray
It's been many years since I went to a general meeting of the Hornby Residents & Ratepayers' Association, though I usually go the AGM. Tonight (April 13) I decided to put on my roving reporter hat, go to this month's meeting and see what's happening.
There were nineteen people, by my count, not including the Executive & Janet... Dan (the secretary) wasn't there, he was off tangoing in Brazil (gee, poor guy). I was pleased to see the circle format has been reinstated--years ago when I was on the Executive, we held meetings in a circle format, and found it worked very well in facilitating communication and minimizing dissent. Somehow it's harder to yell at somebody when you can look them in the eye.
I was even more pleased to discover that the proposed new Constitutional Bylaws include a provision to ensure that meetings will be held in circle in the future! That's wonderful... when I first came back to the Island, I was seriously disappointed to find that meetings were once again in a square classroom format, with the bosses (I mean, the executive) sitting at the head table facing the kids (I mean, the public). I thought we'd lost ground. I'm happy to be wrong!
There was a table, though it was pulled into the circle, and only Janet sat at it. The Executive were part of the circle--I liked that.
So, the usual preliminaries--interminable minutes were read from the AGM, which I shan't comment on, other than to commend their thoroughness. I was at that meeting, and every detail was mentioned. (Detailed minutes-keeping is essential for a good meeting--if there is no record of it, it may as well not have happened.)
Next, they read the correspondence; not much.  There was a letter from somebody in the regional district offices about money available for recreation grants in the community: this money is meant for nonprofit organizations for recreational purposes only (rather a broad umbrella, I think). I thought I heard that the grant process is to be supervised by HIRRA--please correct me if I misheard that, somebody. The deadline is in August this year, so better get on that, groups...
The other piece of correspondence was an email from Andrew Carmichael, the only detail of which I remember is that the 15-35 age group is under-represented in the ferry survey. That age group was also under-represented at the HIRRA meeting, I noticed; there was not a single person there under forty, which made me one of the younger folks present. Now, it's not necessarily wrong that the elders rule, but if you belong to the younger age groups and feel disgrunted because your voice isn't being heard, there is something you can do about it. Go to meetings! Yes, lots of the process is boring. But there are moments that make it worthwhile. And where else can you have a direct say in your own governance?
Blah blah, who am I to talk? Ok, end of lecture.
There was a bunch of discussion about applying for a $5000 grant to study a fuel-loading issues (ie removal of debris & dead branches) from regional parks' trailsides, for fire safety. I noticed, wow, these people really care about the details. They wanted to know about everything--all to the good, again, I thought. It was decided to go ahead with the grant application, though Marcel was unconvinced of the need for such a study. He said, it's obvious that we need to clean up the debris, why pay big bucks for a study? While others felt that the more information we could gather, the better.
At this point, I noticed RoBear nodding off... well, maybe he'd had a hard day  . I sympathized...
The Farmer's Market folks had asked for, and were given, permission to go ahead and fix the torn-up grass in the market area (beside the RCMP station). Seems like unknown drivers have been using that spot for a drag track. Hmph! Some people's children! So now, some sort of fence or barrier will have to be erected to allow the grass to regrow.
Then somebody said something about a generator for the clinic... makes sense that they should have one.
There was mention of the possibility of a meeting at New Horizons to discuss 'proportional representation'. Phil stepped in to correct Fred here, pointing out that the correct term is 'single transferable vote'. Apparently Phil knows a lot about the subject, but when invited to explain, he said it would take too long! It's a complicated subject. Guess we'll have to go to that meeting so we can make an informed decision on election day (either that, or have a long talk with Phil).
Margaret Sinclair announced the Co-op AGM, May 29th at the Hall. Apparently it's the 50th anniversary of the Co-op this year--so it will be their 50th AGM. Look for a big celebration, complete with refreshments and entertainment. Helen O'Norah is rumoured to be planning a presentation, something secretive and interesting. The meeting starts at 10 am and will go on until who knows when. There will be slide shows, presentations & wine & snacks afterward.
About the new Gas Bar, the site plans have been approved with some restrictions. Islands Trust insists on cedar siding, no flashing neon signs (awww!!) and as many trees left standing as possible. Geez, those guys are tyrants!
The thing is going to cost between eight and nine HUNDRED thousand dollars--yeeowch! That's almost a cool mil... fortunately, the Co-op is pretty healthy fiinancially, what with all those tourist dollars in the summer. They have reserves of half a million already, with the chance of getting grants & interest-free loans from Federated. This is by no means a sure thing, since the folks at Federated have to approve of the project, and some of them are skeptical ("You guys are crazy! It's a money-loser!").
But they do have some positive voices on their side as well; and apparently they like Alan Fletcher a lot, considering him rather more sensible than the average Hornby Islander. Alan will do a visual presentation at the Co-op AGM around the look of the new gas bar. .
The plan is to clear some of the land, prepare overflow parking spots and drill a well this year, but not to start building until (at best) a year from now. So we'll have a chance to get used to the idea first...
Margaret pointed out that the Co-op puts huge $ into this community; she said, "I wasn't going to do a 'rah-rah'," but then she went ahead and did it. And why not? The Gas Bar, Hardware and Post Office all lose money, but they keep them around as community services. The Co-op provides jobs, pays contractors, buys local goods. So, here we go... one, two, three:
Rah-rah for the Co-op!
Then Serena Laskin presented the report for the Shared Lands Committee. They have the basic go-ahead from BC Forests to clear 2-3 acres for the Farmer's Market & other community events, band shelter etc. They don't yet have a license to cut, but that will come.
They are requesting timber rights; the plan is to get a local contractor to take responsibility for doing the work of clearing & landscaping the site & pay the stumpage, in exchange for the timber. They're asking for help from people with forestry experience to help them walk the land and choose trees for cutting. Serena asked HIRRA to apply for a grant-in-aid on behalf of the Shared Lands.
Tony spoke on behalf of the tree-hugging parts of himself and expressed sadness for the trees to be cut in the name of progress. He suggested we all consider that loss. Serena acknowledged his feelings and said that they will take the minimum number of trees possible, but that they do want sunshine in there. She invited Tony to participate in the tree-choosing process. He accepted, and Marcel also volunteered his expertise.
Fred suggested that they create a visual drawing to show what the land will look like when the trees are cut. Serena said they would try but had some difficulty with mapping. Ian Batey suggested that they go to the Regional District website--he felt that they would help with mapping--provide aerial photos with property lines overlaid. This idea was met with enthusiasm, as it comes at just the right time.
Then Ian reported on the 911 tower progress. Tree removal and spiral pruning was done in January (tch! more trees cut!  ). They've taken up the components, bits 'n pieces 'n such, some via helicopter (that's what the choppers were about yesterday, if you heard them out there) and some via Northwind Trail.
The tower will be assembled & raised, weather permitting, in the next week or so. After they're done they plan to repair damage to the trail caused by the hauling of stuff. After the meeting, Ian showed slides of what they've got up there so far.
Then Carol Quinn gave the regional district report; I chose that time to go to the bathroom. No offense meant to Carol, but I found that part to be particularly soporific. I fortified myself with a couple of Donna D's excellent homebaked cookies before I returned.
A word to the wise: those cookies may well be the best incentive to go to HIRRA meetings they've yet come up with. You've gotta try them! Tonight there was double chocolate and oatmeal-cranberry. Yum! And there was tea and coffee, too. All by donation.
One piece I took in from Carol's report--the Regional District's Grants-in-Aid deadline is the end of April, so all the local societies need to get on the ball with their applications!
Then Tony Law spoke for Islands Trust. Eleanor sent her apologies as she couldn't be here... Tony dropped one piece of potential bad news for cash-strapped islanders, which is that our 52% discount on ferry tickets is going away in the next few years. Seems like our discount is greater than most; some places only have a 13% discount. So they're trying to average the thing out; by 2008 our discount will be reduced to 35%. They plan to phase it in to make it seem less painful. Ouch anyway.
Personally, I think they oughtta raise the price for visitors and reduce the price for residents. Just my opinion.
The Islands Trust is looking into other local governance options besides municipalities, which seems not to be a popular choice in the Islands. Saltspring and Gabriola both recently defeated, by a large margin, attempts to go municipal.
Much talk of short-term rentals; a difficult issue on all the islands. Possibly counsellors will come from Tofino, where they also are struggling with the issue, to discuss the problem.
Next week, there will be a housing meeting (ISLA) Wednesday evening at the Health Care building, 7:30 pm. There will be a drop-in in the afternoon from 2 - 4pm for those who can't make the evening.
Housing is a crucial issue for this community--no doubt of that! Speaking from personal experience... According to Tony, many families are talking of leaving Hornby--families with incomes who cannot find suitable housing.
Jan Bevan of ISLA (Islanders Secure Land Association) spoke; her group, a community land trust, is working on solving that issue. They are now registered as a nonprofit society and hope to register soon as a charitable institution so they can give tax breaks for donations & willing of land. They are concerned with, rather than preserving land for the sake of preserving it, holding land within the community for use such as housing, farming, gardening.
Then we went into the bylaws review part of the meeting, which was interesting enough, but I'm not going into details... it was late, half the people had gone home, we were all tired. You've probably all seen the proposed changes yourselves, because a mailout was done a couple of months ago. Some great stuff in there, though; I was impressed (see my comments above on the circle format).
My only concern was with the proposed raising of the quorum from ten, where it is now, to twenty-five. Not that it isn't a good idea; ten people doesn't seem like enough to entrust with making major decisions that affect the community. But if the quorum had already been changed to 25, the meeting tonight would not have qualified! I suggested 20 rather than 25; Fred assured me that the average meeting over the past couple of years was 35 attendees. Everybody else thought 25 was a fine number. Well... we'll see. If nothing else, perhaps it will encourage more people to come if word gets around that decisions coudn't be made at a particular meeting because a quorum wasn't present.
All in all, the meeting was was an interesting experience broken by stretches of necessary tedium. Perhaps I will continue to come and add my body to those numbers. I encourage you to come also. Second Wednesday of the month. Great cookies.
Question left unresolved: Was that a sock Donna was knitting--or a sweater sleeve?
The Hornby Alternative Living Experience (H.A.L.E.)
by Phoenix Wolf-Ray
 We met with Sandra Mark (shown left) on Friday, April 22nd, to try to move ahead the Renaissance Project, whose mandate is to organize and market workshops in the off-season months that will bring people to the island to study with local teachers on topics of local expertise (agriculture, arts, health, environmental technologies, etc). So far, the Renaissance Project has not attracted enough interest to remain viable; however, there were six interested, focused people in this group, so much work was done!
So far, we've focused on island branding, along with the other economic renewal projects, because everything we do needs to be marketed. Money will be needed to move on to the next step in the branding work, though. HICEEC will manage the branding--it will take care of the administration for all the economic renewal projects, including maintaining standards, quality criteria and the monitoring process.
We started off with a pre-existing plan decided at the last workshop to open with a kickoff series of workshops on the May 24th long weekend in 2006; by the end of this meeting, that plan had been moved up to the last week in September. We will be marketing these workshops starting with the May long weekend coming up. We will set up a kiosk at the Farmer's Market that weekend, and at the Radio Society launch party on the 22nd of May at the Ball Park. Raven Grant has offered to sit the table at the markets and talk to people.
We need to attract participants and workshop leaders, as well as food and accommodation providers. Marcel expressed some reservations around the promotion and marketing of Hornby, which would bring more people here. There was further discussion; we got clear that the idea is not to just bring more people here, but to have some control over who comes and why--to increase the quality of interaction between islanders and visitors. We want to magnetize the people who resonate with our values, and not to encourage 'mindless pandering'.
We realize that we need credibility, which means that potential facilitators must meet some standards; give references from clients and / or participants in former workshops, as well as professional references from peers. Potential workshop leaders need to describe their program in some detail and tell us their teaching techniques and plan.
We are not interested in excluding people who can't meet the standards, rather we want to teach people how to present workshops and help them develop experience through a mentoring program.
We discussed the name of the project, agreeing that the Renaissance Group is a fine name to use internally amongst ourselves, but that it didn't quite convey the messsage we want to get across (it might get confused with the Renaissance Faires, for example!). We wanted a cool acronym, so Peter came up with "H.A.L.E: Hornby Alternative Living Experience". This was unanimously accepted--cool!
Now, the plan is that the last weekend of September through to the first weekend of October will be our target for the first series of workshops. That is the shoulder season, and restaurants and B&Bs should still be open then.
To streamline things, we decided to restrict it to people who are already experienced teachers, rather than trying to institute a training/mentoring program now. That will be in place over the winter for next year.
By the July 1st long weekend, we need to have a program design / catalogue ready, which will present the programs to market to the public. A sign should be prepared, and posters. Logistics need to be nailed down; food, accommodation (billeting, B&Bs willing to participate), child care). We plan to offer different packages with different levels of accommodation; some people will prefer to billet with a family for the 'authentic island experience', while others will pay more for privacy.
The registration process needs to be in place by July 1st. We will offer early discounts: 25% between July 1st and August 1st; 15% between August 1st and September 7; after September 7, full price.
This is an exciting project with a lot of potential to expand our economic season into what has always been the off-season. B&Bs, food providers and various islanders with support services to offer, skills to share in a teaching setting stand to benefit. It has the added benefit of attracting people who will be interested in the core values of this community--it's the Hornby Alternative Living Experience, the whole thing, that we are looking at here, not merely a series of workshops, products or services.
Anybody interested in being part of this in any way, to help with the planning and organizing, as facilitator or participant, should email Darlene at ceec@uniserve.com and she will put you on the updates mailing list.
Local band TreeRoots Revolution is pleased to announce the completion of their website. There, you will find songs to be downloaded for free, information about the band's upcoming CD ('Deeper Than Grass'), photos, bios and more. If you wish, advance orders for CDs can be placed there--they accept PayPal. The URL is: http://www.treerootsrevolution.com
Hornby Community Radio News
updated April 10/05 Broadcasting by May - Launch Party May 22nd! Momentum is building, folks! We have discovered that there is a lot of volunteer energy and enthusiasm among the building community on this island (surprise, surprise)--so we will be building a small studio right at the base of the tower. This will solve a number of potential difficulties that the previous plan to occupy the caretaker’s trailer at the Ballpark had raised (such as the need for extra co-axial cable to stretch from the caretaker's trailer to the tower, the need to dig a trench to accommodate the cable across the road, and several other issues unmentionable here).
The big news is--the concrete pad has been poured for the tower! With the help of Charles Mattson and Jaysen Dyer (thank you both!), we now have the prettiest concrete pad on the Island. Have a look… that’s where the tower will be erected on the 24th of April... ‘twill be a grand erection, indeed…
Our launch party will happen on the 22nd of May at Joe King Clubhouse—all day and into the night. If you want to practice being a DJ and preview your show, that will be your first chance! We hope to be ready to broadcast during Blues Week—that is the moon we are shooting for. Any and all help is welcome and much needed now.
If you want to have a show, now is definitely the time to define your vision. Our Programming Subcommittee, Jaysen Dyer & Peter Cloud Panjoyah, are working on developing application forms, but don’t wait--write out your idea and get it in to the HCRS box at the Free Post or talk directly to Jaysen or Peter.
Meantime, memberships in the Hornby Community Radio Society are still available at the Gas Bar for $10 per year; check this month's First Edition for more information as well as for the list of needed donations.
HCRS Board members are: Albini LaPierre (President), Phoenix Wolf-Ray (Vice-President), Lawrence Nyberg (Treasurer), Bill Matthews (Secretary),Verne Wright, Samuel Roberge and Chris Denton. Talk to any of us to learn more, or call Albini at 335-3252.
We were unable to close the deal by last week as hoped, due to legal wranglings amongst the various lawyers involved. We really hope to have this complete by this weekend (April 9 or so), but it has delayed the official "take over". Stay tuned.
Our interim Manager, Peter Grant, is busy getting up to speed and figuring out how the place works. Make sure you say "hello" to him next time you stop in. He's been coming here for years, and has a place on Mount Rd. Working with the HICEEC Management Committee, he will be helping us figure out how things work and recommend changes. He will complete his short-term transition contract in September, at which point a permanent position will be posted.
The "Community Celebration Day" is scheduled for Saturday April 30th - all day at the Thatch, so mark your calendars and be sure to come by and help us celebrate this amazing accomplishment.
COURT REPORT
by David Work
 Ever since I was dismissed from my duties as manager of the Hornby Island Recycling Depot in 1990, the Recycling Committee has labeled me as a disgruntled ex-employee with an anger problem, bent on revenge. However, I have always maintained that because I exposed their environmental violations in 1990 and a number of times since, those implicated in the scandals have sought to discredit and incriminate me in a desperate attempt to shift the focus away from their own transgressions.
Many times I have been heard to say that “I want my day in court” to settle this matter and clear my name. On March 30th my main opponents finally gave me that opportunity. I had been charged with “causing a disturbance by shouting” at the recycling depot on July 9th, 2004 and had been prohibited from using those facilities for 9 long months. Having no desire to throw away thousands of dollars on a lawyer, I decided to represent myself. It had been a setup, revenge for my latest whistle blowing, but my job would be to convince the judge of this.
The Trial began at 10:00 a.m. with the Crown’s star witness, Janet LeBlancq, ex-depot manager , testifying that I approached the office window and began to yell at her about my non-volunteer status and that I had been disrupting the depot business like this on a continual basis for more than 5 years.
Under cross-examination, Mz. LeBlancq denied that she had picked a fight with me on the day previous to the incident. She denied that my video documentary on her most recent episode of car crushing had had anything to do with the committee’s decision to discontinue auto recycling at the depot. She also claimed to be unaware of the fact that I had been interviewing the public with a video camera and collecting complaints about her performance. I was easily able to provide the evidence that proved her statements to be false.
Next the Crown called on ex-Recycling Committee chair and member of the Order of Canada, Judith Lawrence, to testify. Lawrence accused me of verbally abusing her for 15 years and agreed with LeBlancq, that on July 9th, I had confronted them and began to yell about my non-volunteer status.
When I cross-examined, Lawrence denied firing me in 1990 and denied any involvement in an illegal burner scandal that same year. She denied that she had caused the incident on July 9th by demanding that I give back my volunteer badge and that she had followed me around and provoked me with such comments as “you’re evil-spirited” and “you’re sick, you need professional help”. She also denied discussing a restraining order with Mz. LeBlancq 5 days before the alleged disturbance. Again, I was able provide the evidence to expose her dishonesty.
The Crown’s remaining witnesses said little to support the prosecution’s case. Then it was my turn and I had three witnesses. One had overheard Lawrence and LeBlancq discussing a restraining order on July 4th. and the other two had witnessed Mz. Lawrence following me around harassing me while I was trying to do my recycling. One of my witnesses had even seen LeBlancq trying to provoke an incident the day before the alleged disturbance and on July 9th had heard Lawrence shouting all the comments she had denied under cross-examination.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., in his final submission the Crown Prosecutor had to admit that he really didn’t have a strong case. “I’m handing it over to you, your honour” he said to the judge who immediately waived my final submission and announced “you are free to go, Mr. Work”.
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