Chief Calvin Craigan appeared before the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) planning and development committee on April 17, announcing the appointment of Coun. Chris August as the new shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation director on the SCRD board.
August, now starting his second term on council, takes over from Coun. Garry Feschuk, who will serve as alternate director.
Addressing the board publicly for the first time since he was elected chief in February, Craigan said he looked forward to maintaining the strong working relationship between the shíshálh Nation and SCRD, especially on critical environmental issues.
“We hope to work very closely with the SCRD in terms of the politics that are happening in the Salish Sea and other areas,” he said. “The government feels it can come in and start to devastate the resources we have built over the years and the resources we have protected over the years. So we need to support local governments to protect things like drinking water.”
Craigan also garnered some laughter when he described how different the relationship was in the 1970s, when he first served as chief.
“Having to share land and resources was kind of a new thing for us and we didn’t know how to react at that time,” he said. “We said we’ll just go to their meetings and make out like we want to cooperate, and hopefully they’ll go away. But obviously you’re still here.”
Keats dog control
A vicious dog bylaw for Keats Island is in the works.
All Area F islands were removed from the SCRD’s animal control service effective Jan. 1, 2013, but complaints from Keats Island residents prompted West Howe Sound director Lee Turnbull to call for a bylaw to address vicious dogs on the island.
“Gambier and associated islands have no interest at all, but Keats has an interest in limited dog control. They don’t wish for dogs to be contained on properties or on a leash,” Turnbull said.
Turnbull also asked that the required bylaws, budget and timeline be drafted in an expeditious manner.
“I’m feeling this was not addressed on a timely basis,” she said.
Egg sales
Planning staff will draft a zoning bylaw amendment to permit egg sales, but only in Roberts Creek and Halfmoon Bay.
Roberts Creek director Donna Shugar made the request, saying the issue continues to arise in her area.
Board chair Garry Nohr asked that his area, Halfmoon Bay, also be included “because a person is forced to go so many miles to flog them, and they’re selling.”
Other rural directors said they were not prepared to take that step yet and asked to have their areas excluded, at least for now.
