Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee regular meeting, January 14, 2026

[0:00:00] Voice 6: and all

[0:00:01] Voice 14: right

[0:00:10] Voice 15: chair we're ready when you are all

[0:00:11] Voice 5: right well good morning everyone i'd like to call

[0:00:15] Voice 5: this regular meeting of the executive committee to order begin by acknowledging that we're meeting

[0:00:21] Voice 5: on the unseated territory of many coast salish first nations and we affirm our commitment to

[0:00:26] Voice 5: work in the spirit of partnership and respect with all first nations whose territories include

[0:00:30] Voice 5: the islands trust area i'm laura patrick i'm elected on salt spring and the chair of trust

[0:00:36] Voice 5: Council. Joining me today are trustees of, well, I guess I should say Vice Chair Peterson from

[0:00:43] Voice 5: Liskety Island, Vice Chair Elliott from Gabriela Island, and Vice Chair Maude from Maine Island.

[0:00:50] Voice 5: Thank you for joining me today. I'd like to turn it over to CAO Ruben Broney to introduce the staff

[0:00:57] Voice 5: that are joining us today.

[0:00:59] Voice 4: Thank you, Chair, and good morning, Executive Committee. In joining us

[0:01:03] Voice 4: today, our Director of Legislative and Information Services, David Marler, Director of Trust Area

[0:01:08] Voice 4: Services, Claire Frater, Director of Planning Services, Stefan Cermak, Senior Indigenous

[0:01:13] Voice 4: Relations Advisor, Joe Elliott, and our Executive Coordinator, Alexandra Trifonidis.

[0:01:19] Voice 5: All right, thank you. Thank you, staff, for being here to support us today.

[0:01:23] Voice 5: So, Vice Chairs, we have an agenda before us. Are there any changes you'd like to see to the agenda?

[0:01:31] Voice 5: Not seeing any, can we approve the agenda through general consent?

[0:01:34] Voice 5: excellent thank you very much uh so there are some context notes um no there are no

[0:01:43] Voice 5: context notes i apologize um so the first thing that we have on the agenda is our meeting minutes

[0:01:49] Voice 5: from december 17th on page four of the agenda package are there any additions or corrections

[0:01:54] Voice 5: to these minutes uh vice chair mod um

[0:01:58] Trustee Maude: thank you chair i just wanted to um uh just do some

[0:02:01] Trustee Maude: Business Rising Fundamentals 11.6, the discussion that we had with regard to the November upcoming

[0:02:10] Trustee Maude: minutes and my perceived conflicts. I'm just noting, doing a little bit of a hunt and poke

[0:02:18] Trustee Maude: through the published calendar, that several LTCs have adopted an in-person situation.

[0:02:28] Trustee Maude: I also note that there's some committees also that are scheduled in that week, which I'm kind of a little bit confused about.

[0:02:38] Trustee Maude: The Governments Committee's meeting on November 25th, the Trust Programs Committee meeting on November 26th.

[0:02:45] Trustee Maude: Those committees hardly will even have been struck, never mind meeting.

[0:02:50] Trustee Maude: So we were supposed to have a report, which I don't see anywhere in this agenda,

[0:02:54] Trustee Maude: But just wanted to flag for staff that maybe we need to do a pretty deep dive into those couple of weeks post the initial trust council and ensure that the calendars are correct.

[0:03:07] Trustee Maude: And again, I'm strongly suggesting that those should all be electronic meetings, but lacking a staff report on that.

[0:03:15] Trustee Maude: I don't know if that's been addressed or not. So thank you.

[0:03:20] Voice 5: CEO Bruni, did you have anything to comment on that item?

[0:03:24] Voice 4: um it's something certainly we can look at and i don't know if director margaret can speak to

[0:03:27] Voice 4: sort of past experience with election cycles and how we've managed that but yeah i

[0:03:31] Voice 4: think it is

[0:03:32] Voice 4: unlikely that um in many cases that some of those meetings will actually proceed given the transition

[0:03:38] Voice 4: following election director mother yeah

[0:03:41] Voice 1: through the chair um i think we would need to look at it

[0:03:45] Voice 1: the assumption obviously is that the appointed appointments would be made in november at the

[0:03:51] Voice 1: the very first meeting but that might not happen so we may want to look at

[0:03:57] Voice 1: this through the working group and for orientation of a trust council the

[0:04:07] Voice 1: intent really is the first meeting is more orientation but also there is some

[0:04:11] Voice 1: business reasons for some of them to to meet early so yeah past experience is

[0:04:19] Voice 1: is that we have done it as soon as possible

[0:04:22] Voice 1: and focused it as in-person

[0:04:26] Voice 1: and for the orientation rationale,

[0:04:30] Voice 1: but we can do something different this year, for sure.

[0:04:34] Voice 5: CAO Brownlee, did you wanna follow up or?

[0:04:37] Voice 4: Thank you, Jay.

[0:04:38] Voice 4: Yeah, I was just gonna offer that we can bring back

[0:04:40] Voice 4: a report to Trustee Maud's point or Vice Chair Maud's point.

[0:04:44] Voice 4: We can bring back a report to the next DC meeting

[0:04:46] Voice 4: on that that just outlines the rationale

[0:04:49] Voice 4: chanel and how we see those fitting into the schedule all

[0:04:52] Voice 5: right excellent so i see uh vice

[0:04:54] Voice 5: chair peterson yeah

[0:04:56] Voice 11: just for um the ceo's benefit because um you were i don't think you were at our

[0:05:03] Voice 11: december 17th meeting lucky you um yeah some of the other concerns um there is uh there was two

[0:05:11] Voice 11: ltc's scheduled on the same day um and it's really just we don't know what the composition

[0:05:18] Voice 11: composition of the next EC is going to look like. We don't know what the appointments are going to

[0:05:24] Voice 11: look like. And so I think Vice Chair Maud's correct in thinking that we should approach

[0:05:31] Voice 11: it a little bit cautiously because we don't know what any of those look like and we don't want to

[0:05:36] Voice 11: try, we don't want to get into a scheduling nightmare, especially for in-person meetings

[0:05:43] Voice 11: meetings and committee meetings where it just, depending on the appointments, it may be physically

[0:05:48] Voice 11: impossible to make that work. So it's important to really consider that. It's really a dense

[0:05:55] Voice 11: schedule. I appreciate wanting to get trustees oriented, but we also need to make sure we're

[0:06:02] Voice 11: not hamstringing the incoming executive.

[0:06:06] Voice 5: Thank you, Vice-Chairman.

[0:06:08] Voice 5: on?

[0:06:08] Trustee Maude: Yeah, thank you. Just to sort of add on to that, the Governance Committee and Trust

[0:06:14] Trustee Maude: Programs Committee meetings that I found that were scheduled, they seem to be in direct

[0:06:18] Trustee Maude: conflict with LTC meetings. So I just, my suggestion was just that two or three week

[0:06:26] Trustee Maude: block that staff maybe just should do a deep dive review what is scheduled. And I would

[0:06:32] Trustee Maude: suggest everything that is scheduled should be electronic. That's appropriate. Thank you.

[0:06:36] Voice 5: all right thank you well we heard from uh ceo brony that they'll bring a report so um that'll

[0:06:41] Voice 5: be a future meeting are there any other um items in the uh december 17th agenda um minutes if not

[0:06:51] Voice 5: can we approve the minutes through general consent thank you so i want to move to the follow-up

[0:06:57] Voice 5: action list which begins on page 11 of the of the report and i'll turn this section over to

[0:07:04] Voice 5: to CAO Bruni to lead us through.

[0:07:07] Voice 4: Thank you, Chair.

[0:07:09] Voice 4: Just by way of a quick general update,

[0:07:12] Voice 4: so we're shifting our focus now

[0:07:13] Voice 4: following December's Trust Council

[0:07:14] Voice 4: to look at issues around the implementation

[0:07:17] Voice 4: of the operational review recommendations,

[0:07:19] Voice 4: particularly the corporate planning process piece.

[0:07:21] Voice 4: And so I'm working on that.

[0:07:24] Voice 4: And then election prep continues to ramp up

[0:07:27] Voice 4: and will be increasingly become a priority

[0:07:28] Voice 4: over the next couple of months.

[0:07:31] Voice 4: no updates from me on the two CAO items on the follow-up action list I will note though you'll

[0:07:37] Voice 4: see a couple of items in the list now where we've marked them as deferred because these are items

[0:07:44] Voice 4: that we hadn't started work on and so per the recommendations of the operational review we're

[0:07:49] Voice 4: doing that assessment on items that we would be deferring I think there's just a couple for the

[0:07:53] Voice 4: executive committee follow-up action list but there will be doing a similar assessment for

[0:07:58] Voice 4: trust council um and other committees as well just to identify items where we should be flagging that

[0:08:04] Voice 4: we likely won't be getting those that work um anytime soon and with that um unless there's

[0:08:11] Voice 4: any questions from the committee okay uh i'll pass it on to director marler then for the for

[0:08:18] Voice 4: his follow-up action items and update yeah

[0:08:21] Voice 1: thank you through the chair um it's on page 11 and goes

[0:08:25] Voice 1: goes on to page 12. There's a total of seven items. One of them I've indicated is deferred

[0:08:32] Voice 1: as per the council direction. And I think two of the items, three and four, are going

[0:08:38] Voice 1: to be going through the governance committee. So those are ongoing. The one that's not started,

[0:08:44] Voice 1: number three, I would consider that part of the governance committee's policy process

[0:08:49] Voice 1: so we can do that work through that process.

[0:08:54] Voice 1: I don't have any further comments

[0:08:56] Voice 1: unless you've got any questions.

[0:09:01] Voice 5: We're not seeing any, so carry on.

[0:09:03] Voice 4: We'll move then to Director Cermak

[0:09:05] Voice 4: for planning services update.

[0:09:15] Voice 10: Good morning.

[0:09:16] Voice 10: So this seems to be a lag with my button pushing.

[0:09:19] Voice 10: Good morning.

[0:09:20] Voice 10: Not much to update except for item two

[0:09:22] Voice 10: on my follow-up action list, which says 0%.

[0:09:24] Voice 10: That's not true.

[0:09:25] Voice 10: It was waiting for my drafting of a briefing

[0:09:28] Voice 10: to cover the other briefing, that is complete.

[0:09:32] Voice 10: So it's just a matter of me forwarding it off now.

[0:09:34] Voice 10: So I would recommend upping that to about 30%

[0:09:37] Voice 10: with the briefing and the distribution to everybody

[0:09:40] Voice 10: will take a little bit of time.

[0:09:41] Voice 10: But the other items are as marked and no change.

[0:09:49] Voice 4: Okay, seeing no questions.

[0:09:50] Voice 4: I don't think there's any update on the two items

[0:09:53] Voice 4: for Director of Financial Employee Services.

[0:09:56] Voice 4: In her absence, of course, she's focused heavily

[0:09:59] Voice 4: heavily on all things budget now as we push towards finalizing the budget for March so we'll

[0:10:06] Voice 4: pass it on to Director Frater and as well as the Senior Indigenous Relations Joe Elliott

[0:10:12] Voice 4: Advisor Joe Elliott if they have updates on their items.

[0:10:16] Voice 7: I don't know thank you CAO Brony through

[0:10:19] Voice 7: the chair just for support particularly number nine you'll note we've marked one as complete

[0:10:23] Voice 7: which is around the advocacy around the license of occupation I've marked that complete because

[0:10:29] Voice 7: I think that we met with the Minister around the topic, so I think that's about the highest level

[0:10:34] Voice 7: advocacy we can undertake, and now all topics relating to Crown land and referrals are going

[0:10:41] Voice 7: to be bundled into the working with the staff, but I'm happy to report you'll see on your agenda that

[0:10:47] Voice 7: we've received feedback from the Minister that we have to go ahead to work with their staff on those

[0:10:52] Voice 7: agreements now, so I suggest number nine be removed and we'll instead be working with staff to advance

[0:10:57] Voice 7: that work um as part of all crown land discussions um finally just wanted to let you know how much

[0:11:04] Voice 7: of my time has been with the conservancy working on the letters to all first nations around the

[0:11:09] Voice 7: five-year plan for the conservancy um so that's been sort of a major initiative and we are hoping

[0:11:13] Voice 7: those letters will be out this week i'd be happy to take questions on any of the other items but

[0:11:18] Voice 7: some of the items are on your agenda today thank you thank

[0:11:23] Voice 5: you can i was going to suggest if we

[0:11:25] Voice 5: could uh address item nine probably at the time we review the correspondence which is um on item

[0:11:31] Voice 5: a 12 point fund uh go ahead vice chair peterson yeah

[0:11:36] Voice 11: just on uh i think it's item two the referral

[0:11:42] Voice 11: um consideration i know this has been on the list for a while and and and i appreciate it's not a

[0:11:48] Voice 11: simple um simple work at all um it's marked for march um i'm assuming for march trust council

[0:11:59] Voice 11: possibly but i just wondered if you have any update on are we getting closer to um and in

[0:12:07] Voice 11: particular have we have we been able to uh have some conversations um with nations about this

[0:12:15] Voice 7: So to date, this project has been led by Director Cermak. Perhaps I'll ask him to answer,

[0:12:20] Voice 7: but I'll just note that now that we have an executive administrative assistant,

[0:12:24] Voice 7: I'm hoping to work with that person on the administrative side of referrals

[0:12:28] Voice 7: with our senior Indigenous relations advisor. But perhaps on the larger piece of the project,

[0:12:34] Voice 7: I'll defer to Director Cermak.

[0:12:38] Voice 10: And this is in regards to the referral project,

[0:12:40] Voice 10: oh through the chair, sorry, excuse me. The referral process, yeah, we've been picking up

[0:12:45] Voice 10: those pieces again we have a brief project charter actually with the help of director fader she's

[0:12:50] Voice 10: always willing to help and have some administrative guidelines and we've begun the key

[0:12:57] Voice 10: challenge has been planning a discussion with the first nations we've had a few but we haven't

[0:13:02] Voice 10: picked that up and we just begin that process again of how to how to get that process rolling

[0:13:09] Voice 10: initiated what information to bring so not a lot of movement but we recognize it's a priority

[0:13:14] Voice 10: And as we get through the some initial for myself, my team with the regional planning committee meetings and the hiring process of new RPM, this is our first priority.

[0:13:28] Voice 5: Right. I believe Salt Spring Island has made a standing resolution to extend the referral time for First Nations.

[0:13:37] Voice 5: It'd be interesting to see how that's working.

[0:13:40] Voice 5: Okay. Any other questions?

[0:13:47] Voice 5: Anything further on this follow-up action list?

[0:13:52] Voice 4: I don't think so, Chair. Thank you. And

[0:13:54] Voice 5: I'll just note

[0:13:55] Voice 4: that Senior Policy Advisor Yeomans

[0:13:57] Voice 4: has joined us as well, probably for the Bowen Island items that are coming up on the agenda.

[0:14:03] Voice 5: Excellent. Thank you very much. Okay, then we're going to move on to the next item, which

[0:14:09] Voice 5: is our reports on local trust committees and advocacy topics. And that's going to quite start

[0:14:16] Voice 5: start to the year the um i'll look i see uh vice chair peterson first on my screen so over to you

[0:14:22] Voice 5: well

[0:14:25] Voice 11: thank you chair um so i've had no uh ltc meetings since we last met but i'll just briefly

[0:14:31] Voice 11: mention um monday attended the bc municipal climate leadership council meeting with uh minister dix

[0:14:40] Voice 11: i think i saw your name on the attendee list there as well chair um and coming up next week

[0:14:47] Voice 11: For my birthday, I get a special meeting with Salt Spring for an OCP LUB update.

[0:14:55] Voice 11: And then Friday the 23rd on Hornby, it's going to be a big day.

[0:15:00] Voice 11: We have a regular meeting starting at 1130, followed by a community information meeting on bylaws 176 and 177, which are the short-term vacation rental bylaws.

[0:15:13] Voice 11: So expect that to be a robust discussion and a long and busy day for trustees and staff.

[0:15:22] Voice 11: But looking forward to, I think, Hornby's, it's been quite a road to get to the point where we're at with those bylaws.

[0:15:33] Voice 11: Of course, the province bringing in new legislation partway through the project has changed things.

[0:15:43] Voice 11: and sort of extended the timeline,

[0:15:44] Voice 11: but I think we're getting close to the finish line

[0:15:47] Voice 11: on those bylaws, and I think that's good news.

[0:15:51] Voice 5: All right, thank you.

[0:15:52] Voice 5: I can follow up for you on last night,

[0:15:54] Voice 5: had a community information meeting on Salt Spring.

[0:15:56] Voice 5: I was the only trustee there from the local trust committee,

[0:15:59] Voice 5: but I really want to thank and appreciate staff.

[0:16:03] Voice 5: There was a good high staff presence there,

[0:16:06] Voice 5: and I know it's hard to go to these evening meetings,

[0:16:09] Voice 5: but the public appreciates that we're holding meetings

[0:16:11] Voice 5: meetings in a time slot that allows broader representation to come and I'm really grateful

[0:16:16] Voice 5: for staff and putting on a respectful evening um the trust policy statement okay I see um Vice

[0:16:25] Voice 5: Chairman next well

[0:16:27] Trustee Maude: thank you Chair um I don't like um Vice Chair Peterson and I have no meetings um

[0:16:33] Trustee Maude: recently since December uh have done coming up on Tuesday um uh primary focus of that meeting is on

[0:16:41] Trustee Maude: on the path forward for the housing project,

[0:16:44] Trustee Maude: which is doing very, very well, thank you.

[0:16:47] Trustee Maude: Only thing I have on my radar with that meeting

[0:16:51] Trustee Maude: is the trust has been getting a lot of criticism

[0:16:54] Trustee Maude: within the community for a winery that's being developed,

[0:16:58] Trustee Maude: which is within the ALR.

[0:17:00] Trustee Maude: To date, there has not been any interaction

[0:17:03] Trustee Maude: with Highlands Trust because all the activity

[0:17:06] Trustee Maude: activity is under the jurisdiction of the agricultural land commission they have permitted

[0:17:14] Trustee Maude: what is happening and as I say nothing to do with the trust but the island has concerns and they're

[0:17:21] Trustee Maude: wondering why the island's trust is not doing anything about it so I'm anticipating a rather

[0:17:26] Trustee Maude: robust town hall so I've asked staff to be prepared for that and and consider inviting

[0:17:33] Trustee Maude: inviting somebody from the lc to attend that meeting because i anticipate that uh there are

[0:17:38] Trustee Maude: some fairly strong questions that are being asked and i don't think we're going to have the answers

[0:17:44] Trustee Maude: and hopefully agricultural land commission will and that's about it for me thank you

[0:17:49] Voice 5: thank you very much um over to vice chair elliott oops

[0:17:57] Voice 15: there we are um yeah no updates uh from me

[0:18:01] Voice 15: the four ltcs um well actually we don't start until the first meeting on maine um end of the

[0:18:09] Voice 15: month and nothing to report all

[0:18:15] Voice 5: right well thank you very much um i have little to report as well

[0:18:22] Voice 5: i have um meetings coming up but this week we have a protocol meeting with um gambier

[0:18:31] Voice 5: local trust committee in sunshine coast regional district and next week with

[0:18:37] Voice 5: gabriela has a regular local trust committee meeting so we'll be all back into the busy

[0:18:43] Voice 5: meeting schedules i think early over the next few weeks so thank you for your work um we'll

[0:18:50] Voice 5: look over again to trustee elliott for the island trust conservancy oops sorry uh vice

[0:18:55] Voice 5: chair peterson did you have something done um

[0:18:58] Voice 11: yeah no worries chair and um i just wanted to

[0:19:00] Voice 11: I just wanted to sort of give a shout out to our Member of Parliament's office here

[0:19:06] Voice 11: on Huete Leskete has been reaching out and really doing some good legwork for some advocacy

[0:19:15] Voice 11: for some community interests.

[0:19:18] Voice 11: And I just wanted to acknowledge that Gord John's office has been really responsive to

[0:19:24] Voice 11: requests from the community for assistance at the federal level.

[0:19:29] Voice 5: Thank you very much.

[0:19:31] Voice 5: Okay, Vice Chair Elliott, carry on with the Islands Trust Conservancy.

[0:19:35] Voice 5: There isn't much to update.

[0:19:37] Voice 15: Our next meeting is January 20th.

[0:19:41] Voice 5: All right.

[0:19:41] Voice 5: Thank you.

[0:19:43] Voice 5: So we're going to move on then to bylaws for approval and consideration.

[0:19:47] Voice 5: Item 7.1 is the Bowen Island Municipality Official Community Plan Bylaw Amendment Bylaw

[0:19:52] Voice 5: number 675, request for decision on page 18.

[0:19:57] Voice 5: I assume that's over to you, Director Cermak.

[0:20:01] Voice 10: Thank you, Chair. I'm going to take this one, and then I believe Jason's going to take the next one.

[0:20:06] Voice 10: So this one you've seen before, Bowen Island By-law 675.

[0:20:11] Voice 10: It's an OCP amendment to allow the land use by-law accompanying to be amended to permit one additional lot.

[0:20:20] Voice 10: The Executive Committee first considered this by-law in June 2025.

[0:20:24] Voice 10: At that time, the EC found that the bylaw was contrary to two policy statement policies regarding density limits and the addressing of aesthetic, environmental, and social impacts.

[0:20:35] Voice 10: The EC requested more information to confirm the acceptable community amenity contribution in clarification of how undeveloped densities from Cape Roger Curtis were to be applied.

[0:20:45] Voice 10: The EC received that information in September 2025 and consequently resolved that the bylaw

[0:20:54] Voice 10: was no longer contrary to the policy statement.

[0:20:57] Voice 10: Since then, the bylaw has not been amended.

[0:21:00] Voice 10: There's no new information.

[0:21:02] Voice 10: It's received public hearing approval and it's here for your final consideration of

[0:21:06] Voice 10: approval.

[0:21:07] Voice 5: All right.

[0:21:08] Voice 5: Thank you very much.

[0:21:09] Voice 5: Any questions for the director?

[0:21:10] Voice 5: if not entertain the resolution all right vice chair elliott okay

[0:21:24] Voice 15: i move that executive committee

[0:21:26] Voice 15: approve bylaw number 675 cited as bowen island municipality official community plan bylaw number

[0:21:33] Voice 15: 282 2010 amendment bylaw number 675 2025 pursuant to section 38 of the island stress act is there a

[0:21:43] Voice 5: second seconded by vice-chair maude any discussion i will call about all those in favor rise your

[0:21:52] Voice 5: hands and that carries so thank you moving on to item 7.2 on the agenda on page 27 of the agenda

[0:22:03] Voice 5: package is bowen island municipality official community plan amendment bylaw number 693

[0:22:08] Voice 5: request for decision and i believe that's going to be uh jason yeomans is going to take this one as i

[0:22:16] Voice 5: understand okay

[0:22:17] Voice 9: good morning executive committee thank you chair uh this request for decision

[0:22:21] Voice 9: concerns an official community plan amending bylaw and corresponding land use bylaw amendment bylaw

[0:22:27] Voice 9: that ec reviewed at its september meeting of this year and at that time found these bylaws to be

[0:22:31] Voice 9: consistent with the policy statement the purpose of the bylaws is to enable a rezoning that will

[0:22:38] Voice 9: result in a subdivision turning two lots into three lots on the island the proposal would

[0:22:43] Voice 9: generally have already been consistent with the official community plan except

[0:22:46] Voice 9: the proponent can't connect to the community water system that they were

[0:22:50] Voice 9: planning to and so they plan to service these lots with an on-site water system

[0:22:55] Voice 9: and therefore the lots that are being created are too small as to what the OCP

[0:23:00] Voice 9: and the land use bylaw on BIM would otherwise allow but they've provided

[0:23:04] Voice 9: professional reports that would indicate that the lots are able to be serviced

[0:23:07] Voice 9: by this proposed water system at some time in the future. The bylaws haven't

[0:23:12] Voice 9: changed since uh ec last reviewed them and so staff are recommending approval of the official

[0:23:17] Voice 9: community plan amending bylaw as being not contrary or at variance to the policy statement

[0:23:21] Voice 9: thank you

[0:23:23] Voice 5: thank you very much any questions for um jason humans not obtain a resolution

[0:23:36] Voice 5: vice chairs are slow on the draw today vice chair elliott i was

[0:23:40] Voice 15: just puzzling over the lot layout

[0:23:42] Voice 15: out it looks very convoluted um anyway i move that executive committee approved bylaw number 693

[0:23:49] Voice 15: cited as bowen island municipality official community plan bylaw number 282 2010 amendment

[0:23:56] Voice 15: bylaw number 693 2025 pursuant to section 38 of the islands trust act thank

[0:24:02] Voice 5: you is there a second

[0:24:03] Voice 5: second by vice chair maude is there any discussion see none i'll call the vote all those in favor

[0:24:12] Voice 5: raise your hands and that too carries thank you very much thank

[0:24:17] Voice 9: you and

[0:24:18] Voice 5: on to the next item is

[0:24:19] Voice 5: 7.3 salt spring island local trust committee bylaw number 549 request for decision on page 38 of the

[0:24:25] Voice 5: agenda package so it's back over to you director sir mac thank

[0:24:30] Voice 10: you again chair this bylaw i have

[0:24:32] Voice 10: just a brief is to rezone the subject property to permit the development of 50 affordable housing

[0:24:38] Voice 10: units, general offices, a child day care center, and reduced minimum lot size for the potential

[0:24:44] Voice 10: subdivision, which would separate the 50 affordable housing units from the medical clinic and child

[0:24:51] Voice 10: day care center. Accompanying this bylaw, which you don't see, but it's in the report,

[0:24:58] Voice 10: is a housing agreement bylaw, which would capture the affordable housing agreement.

[0:25:04] Voice 10: It's an administrative bylaw, that's why ECE doesn't see it.

[0:25:07] Voice 10: And a few interesting notes about this application is that the current zoning proposal before

[0:25:17] Voice 10: you, although it seems like a lot for Islands Trust, 50 affordable housing units, it's just

[0:25:22] Voice 10: an amendment to the current zoning, which allows 48 affordable housing units and two

[0:25:26] Voice 10: staff accommodations.

[0:25:28] Voice 10: So it's the same density, hence why you're not seeing an OCP amendment.

[0:25:31] Voice 10: amendment. And it's kind of a massage, I would say, to the size of the clinic, which again is a

[0:25:37] Voice 10: needed community amenity to allow them to grow a little bit. And then by separating the parcel

[0:25:43] Voice 10: into two potential lots allows the two entities to be eventually self-sufficient. It's already

[0:25:51] Voice 10: met all the OCP requirements of infrastructure. And the last thing I want to note is the

[0:25:57] Voice 10: recommendations to First Nations, the LTC spent quite a bit of time considering what the response

[0:26:03] Voice 10: was and have responded by a covenant requiring the applicant to meet the First Nations conditions

[0:26:10] Voice 10: that were brought forward as noted in the report. So with all those items, staff recommend that the

[0:26:16] Voice 10: EC approve the bylaw.

[0:26:19] Voice 5: Any questions for Director Cermak? If

[0:26:22] Voice 5: not, I'll turn this over to Vice Chair

[0:26:24] Voice 5: Peterson. Go ahead, Vice Chair Peterson.

[0:26:35] Voice 11: Oh, I didn't hit my mute button. I am pleased to move

[0:26:39] Voice 11: that the Islands Trust Executive Committee approves Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee

[0:26:43] Voice 11: Bylaw 549, cited as Salt Spring Island Land Use Bylaw No. 355, 1999, Amendment No. 5, 2025,

[0:26:54] Voice 11: 25 and bylaw number 550 cited as salt spring island housing agreement bylaw number 550 2025

[0:27:03] Voice 11: in accordance with section 27 of the islands trust act yeah

[0:27:08] Voice 5: before we second that i just uh

[0:27:10] Voice 5: director cermak in your presentation you said that the ec doesn't approve administrative bylaws so i

[0:27:16] Voice 5: just wanted to double check is that supposed to be there well

[0:27:22] Voice 10: i see uh director martyr popping

[0:27:24] Voice 10: popping up so maybe I'm going to reserve my comment there did I get that wrong director

[0:27:29] Voice 10: Marla

[0:27:29] Voice 1: I'm kind of executive committee has to approve all local trust committee bylaws

[0:27:35] Voice 1: regardless but the policy the policy of Council is the administrative bylaws are deemed to be

[0:27:42] Voice 1: consistent with the policy statement so it's more of a rubber stamp than a review of the of the

[0:27:49] Voice 1: the policy statement for those bylaws.

[0:27:51] Voice 1: So it's appropriate to approve it.

[0:27:55] Voice 1: Yeah, I got no concerns with the way it's done, thanks.

[0:27:58] Voice 1: My

[0:27:58] Voice 10: apologies and sorry for the clarification.

[0:28:01] Voice 5: That's okay, I just wanted to confirm.

[0:28:03] Voice 5: So thank you very much.

[0:28:04] Voice 5: Is there a second to this motion?

[0:28:08] Voice 5: Seconded by Vice-Chair Maud.

[0:28:10] Voice 5: Is there any discussion?

[0:28:13] Voice 5: Vice-Chair Peterson.

[0:28:15] Voice 11: Yeah, I would just mention briefly,

[0:28:18] Voice 11: local trust committee went over the housing agreement

[0:28:21] Voice 11: fairly carefully, made a few amendments

[0:28:23] Voice 11: that were, I think, reasonable and common sense.

[0:28:28] Voice 11: Director Cermak mentioned the agreement

[0:28:32] Voice 11: with the CAO at First Nation.

[0:28:35] Voice 11: I really feel like the applicants have done

[0:28:39] Voice 11: an excellent job moving this forward.

[0:28:43] Voice 11: A big appreciation to the staff

[0:28:46] Voice 11: Staff helping speed this application along doesn't hurt that a member of the board used to be CAO of Islands Trust, as far as understanding the administrative, but I think this is great, great news for Salt Spring and I'm really happy to see this coming along as speedily as it is. Thank you.

[0:29:07] Voice 5: Thank you very much. Any further discussion? If not, I'll call the vote. All those in favor, raise your hands. And that carries. Thank you very much. So we're going to keep on moving here. We're at item 8.1.1, which is the December Post-Trust Council Survey Results Briefing on page 79 of the agenda package, and I assume that's CAO Broney.

[0:29:35] Voice 4: thank you chair yeah our usual briefing on the results of the survey we now

[0:29:39] Voice 4: do is a

[0:29:39] Voice 4: standard practice following trust council um i think generally it speaks for itself

[0:29:43] Voice 4: but overall this is probably the most positive um response we've seen uh certainly in the in

[0:29:49] Voice 4: the last year or so particularly with regard to facilities and logistics

[0:29:52] Voice 4: so there were no significant issues a few couple concerns about just around time for

[0:30:00] Voice 4: for the budget discussion and some people felt that was a little rushed although i think there

[0:30:04] Voice 4: were one or two people who also felt that we that council uh used too much time for that so

[0:30:09] Voice 4: it's kind of a balancing opinions there but overall very positive response and uh we're

[0:30:15] Voice 4: close to finalizing plans as well now for for the march meeting in duncan in terms of venue

[0:30:20] Voice 4: and logistics as well so happy to take any questions um otherwise presented for your

[0:30:25] Voice 4: your information.

[0:30:27] Voice 5: Any questions? Vice Chair Elliott.

[0:30:33] Voice 15: Thank you, Chair. This is only tangentially

[0:30:35] Voice 15: related, but is there any idea when the update to eScribe might happen and our agenda packages

[0:30:45] Voice 15: might be available online with links rather than as long PDFs? I know that was last year I was

[0:30:55] Voice 15: hearing that that update might be possible but i'm not sure where we're at with that

[0:30:59] Voice 4: uh maybe through the chair i'll defer to director marler on that one

[0:31:04] Voice 1: yeah um kind of two responses one is uh each scribe of um delayed um rolling it out so i

[0:31:13] Voice 1: think there's quite a few things you need to iron out first so that's one the other is we haven't

[0:31:19] Voice 1: been in a rush to do it because of a few other technical changes we've had to make and also

[0:31:25] Voice 1: staffing um lack of staffing in is to actually undertake that work now that we have a full

[0:31:31] Voice 1: complement we're able to seriously look into it um it is a change in software and how we do business

[0:31:38] Voice 1: so that's something that we might want to just hold off until we have a five-year information

[0:31:45] Voice 1: Information Technology Plan, which is being worked on.

[0:31:49] Voice 1: We don't expect that plan to take long to pull together,

[0:31:52] Voice 1: but definitely should make sure that any changes

[0:31:58] Voice 1: we make to eScribe or products that we use from eScribe

[0:32:04] Voice 1: should fit with that five-year plan.

[0:32:06] Voice 1: Thanks.

[0:32:08] Voice 5: Thank you.

[0:32:09] Voice 5: Any other questions on the report?

[0:32:12] Voice 5: Otherwise, I guess we can just receive for information.

[0:32:17] Voice 5: Okay, so the next item on the agenda is item 10.1.2.1 under Executive Community Projects. This is the 2025-26 Annual Report Contents Request for Decision on page 80. I assume this is over to Director Frater.

[0:32:33] Voice 7: Yes, thank you. This is an annual item brought your way for you to confirm the proposed table of contents for the annual report.

[0:32:41] Voice 7: Following this approval or any amended approval, we will kick off the annual process this year,

[0:32:47] Voice 7: looking for all bodies of the trust to contribute content, which will make its way to Trust Council for approval in June.

[0:32:53] Voice 7: So you'll see at the end of the report, there's an attached proposed table of contents.

[0:32:58] Voice 7: that we'd appreciate your review and feedback

[0:33:00] Voice 7: and then we'll move on with the process.

[0:33:02] Voice 7: Thank you.

[0:33:03] Voice 5: Just a quick question to you, Director Frater.

[0:33:05] Voice 5: Is this generally the same table of contents

[0:33:07] Voice 5: that we've used at least last year?

[0:33:10] Voice 7: Generally the same.

[0:33:11] Voice 7: Some minor changes to remove the CAO hiring committee

[0:33:14] Voice 7: and minor changes like that.

[0:33:16] Voice 7: But yes, generally the same.

[0:33:18] Voice 5: All right.

[0:33:19] Voice 7: Any questions for the director?

[0:33:20] Voice 5: Not seeing any.

[0:33:26] Voice 5: There is a resolution.

[0:33:32] Voice 5: All right, Vice Chair Elliott.

[0:33:36] Voice 15: I move that the executive committee approves the proposed table of contents for the 2025-26 annual report.

[0:33:43] Voice 5: Is there a second? Second by Vice Chair Maude. Vice Chair Peterson, you're just a little slow today on the fundraising from Laskini. Any discussion? I will call the vote. All those in favor, raise your hand. And that carries. Thank you very much.

[0:34:06] Voice 5: it seems like just yesterday that uh ceo brony and i uh delivered the uh witness the report

[0:34:11] Voice 5: being tabled in the legislature so uh it seems like it'll be a while before we see it but that's

[0:34:17] Voice 5: good okay the next item is 10.1.2.2 uh the communications on the 2026-27 draft budget

[0:34:24] Voice 5: briefing on page 83. this again will be director freighter thank

[0:34:30] Voice 7: you chair uh this is being brought

[0:34:32] Voice 7: at an early stage here to executive committee just to make sure that we are communicating well and

[0:34:37] Voice 7: seeking early comment and feedback about the proposed approach to budget communications

[0:34:42] Voice 7: so at this time staff having heard fairly non-specific comments at trust council have

[0:34:49] Voice 7: taken the approach that we're developing some graphics and revised content to put up on the

[0:34:54] Voice 7: islands trust budget webpage as the primary communication method and those materials may

[0:35:01] Voice 7: also be used at some point for the property tax notice which would be provided to you in march

[0:35:06] Voice 7: for review you'll see attached there's some illustration around the language we might use

[0:35:12] Voice 7: and some sample graphics and a list of graphics is also listed in the follow-up section that we're

[0:35:18] Voice 7: continuing of the briefing that we're continuing to work on so we'd appreciate your feedback and

[0:35:24] Voice 7: course correction if this is not the approach that you are expecting thank you any questions

[0:35:29] Voice 5: questions for the director. I have just one question regarding, well, I know this is the

[0:35:38] Voice 5: direction that Trust Council wants us to take, but I'm wondering if it would be useful to have

[0:35:43] Voice 5: some social media clips that trustees could use to drive people to our website?

[0:35:54] Voice 7: So I think that depends because any communication about the budget is therefore going to drive

[0:35:58] Voice 7: engagement, which Trust Council didn't want to do. So that's partly why we wanted to prompt

[0:36:02] Voice 7: this conversation today was just so we all had a common understanding of what level of promotion

[0:36:07] Voice 7: you want because any level of promotion is going to result in engagement and feedback to trust

[0:36:12] Voice 7: council on the budget so just walking in a fine line there around making sure we're honoring the

[0:36:17] Voice 7: request to communicate but not seek engagement but happy to you know certainly we can communicate

[0:36:22] Voice 7: around the work we're doing if that's the will of executive committee vice chair peterson uh yeah

[0:36:31] Voice 11: Yeah, just a comment on the proposed materials there.

[0:36:36] Voice 11: I really like the little house graphic infographic there, and it just should make sure that it's much bigger when it goes on the website, so it's easy to read.

[0:36:48] Voice 7: Noted. Thank you.

[0:36:52] Voice 5: I'd be interested to hear from vice chairs regarding at least having some phrases and links prepared that trustees could use if they choose to.

[0:37:06] Voice 5: that's we're just a lot leave this passive vice chair peterson well

[0:37:13] Voice 11: i think i uh i mean i think

[0:37:16] Voice 11: there's a difference between um sort of the outreach type engagement and and um and trustees

[0:37:26] Voice 11: having information at hand uh to respond to questions and point and i think that's kind of

[0:37:33] Voice 11: my impression is that what that's what you were sort of talking about chair um and and and i do

[0:37:38] Voice 11: support um having something available for trustees when when those questions come in to sort of help

[0:37:45] Voice 11: help direct the traffic there i think that's to me that's a little bit different than

[0:37:50] Voice 11: than engagement per se and then also just um note that uh last year um financial planning committee

[0:38:01] Voice 11: with approval from Trust Council really focused more on the pre-budget consultation.

[0:38:08] Voice 11: I don't want to assume that that's what FPC will do again this year,

[0:38:14] Voice 11: but I think that's actually, I mean, that was done because it was really felt

[0:38:20] Voice 11: that that's a better time to receive input than when the bulk of the work is done

[0:38:27] Voice 11: and decisions are largely made.

[0:38:30] Voice 11: So point that out. Thank you.

[0:38:33] Voice 5: Thank you, Vice Chair Elliott.

[0:38:36] Voice 15: Yeah, I think it would be a good idea to just have, if possible, an image that says, you know, here's information on the budget.

[0:38:45] Voice 15: This is a new format. This actually responds to something I think we were discussing last year at Financial Planning Committee of, you know, more breakdowns, more comprehensive information available on the website.

[0:38:58] Voice 15: website. So I don't think pushing engagement would be the point. It's the information is

[0:39:05] Voice 15: available. Here it is. That's, you know, as simple as it needs to be. So I definitely support that.

[0:39:13] Voice 5: All right, Dr. Crater, would we need to give that direction to you? Or would that?

[0:39:23] Voice 5: If you

[0:39:23] Voice 7: would, certainly, if you'd like us to put out social media, I don't know if that needs to

[0:39:28] Voice 7: to be done by resolution we're hearing that request so certainly we can prepare a social

[0:39:32] Voice 7: media post when the materials are ready and all the website just to advise that they're there

[0:39:36] Voice 7: I would expect that the public will you know react when we publish that but certainly you

[0:39:42] Voice 7: can welcome that correspondence to your agenda should you receive any yeah

[0:39:46] Voice 5: I think it's also

[0:39:47] Voice 5: that trustees have the link and some words about it so that they can respond when they receive

[0:39:53] Voice 5: direct emails I think was what I was thinking too and

[0:39:56] Voice 7: certainly once the web page is built we can

[0:39:58] Voice 7: we'll advise trustees via email that the material is available to them and their communities

[0:40:02] Voice 7: so they can then communicate as they wish about it.

[0:40:06] Voice 5: So no resolutions are necessary then?

[0:40:08] Voice 5: No. Thank you. All right. So trustees are just receiving this then for information.

[0:40:20] Voice 5: Okay. So I'm going to keep moving forward then. Oh my goodness. I think we're up to 10.2.2.1,

[0:40:28] Voice 5: which is the avicc ubcm resolution selection request for decision on page 92 of the agenda

[0:40:35] Voice 5: package is that you again director freighter oops i see trustee peterson's raised his hand too

[0:40:41] Voice 11: yeah thank you chair um i did talk to director freighter about this um i would actually like

[0:40:49] Voice 11: to defer this to our february meeting and the reason for that is um the cathat regional district

[0:40:57] Voice 11: is going to be considering this at their January meeting and should they choose to go ahead

[0:41:07] Voice 11: Director Frater indicated that for us to simply mirror and reinforce would be a fairly small

[0:41:15] Voice 11: bit of work and so I'd like to wait and hopefully let them do the heavy lifting on this

[0:41:22] Voice 11: and um and then we can uh support if that's appropriate so my preference is to defer until

[0:41:29] Voice 11: they've had that discussion at the catholic all

[0:41:32] Voice 5: right thank you um are there any other comments on

[0:41:37] Voice 5: this vice chair elia um

[0:41:40] Voice 15: i don't have any resolutions to propose um but just a little bit

[0:41:45] Voice 15: bit of an update RDN director Vanessa Craig who's the aerial director for Gabriola has been working

[0:41:55] Voice 15: on a resolution which I think was adopted by their board yesterday around revising the building code

[0:42:03] Voice 15: for small houses now of course that's not within our legislative authority but

[0:42:07] Voice 15: But because we were working with the RDN on a framework for small housing, this has to do with the direction the province is moving with step code, making everything, you know, and seismic, sorry, energy efficiency and seismic does not necessarily apply.

[0:42:26] Voice 15: And even in their own technical materials, houses under a thousand square feet, it's actually less efficient to try to make them step code compliant. So they've been working with their staff on that. I think it'll be a very novel and it's well-researched.

[0:42:45] Voice 15: and as well to note that the RDN is exploring a rural housing strategy

[0:42:51] Voice 15: and they're going to be scoping a report.

[0:42:56] Voice 15: It's going to be mainly focused on zoning.

[0:42:58] Voice 15: Of course, it's not going to include our area,

[0:42:59] Voice 15: but they have requested that the scoping considers how to work with Islands Trust

[0:43:04] Voice 15: and include Area B where it makes sense.

[0:43:08] Voice 15: So I'd just like to maybe ask the director to sort of keep an eye on the landscape there

[0:43:15] Voice 15: for housing-related resolutions

[0:43:19] Voice 15: for rural housing strategies

[0:43:21] Voice 15: because we did discuss that at UBCM

[0:43:24] Voice 15: and I think the ministry is looking for solutions

[0:43:28] Voice 15: like tell us what's going to work.

[0:43:30] Voice 15: So local governments need to keep advocating

[0:43:32] Voice 15: for both zoning and code

[0:43:38] Voice 15: that fits our island rural communities.

[0:43:43] Voice 15: Thanks.

[0:43:44] Voice 5: Thank you.

[0:43:45] Voice 5: I just really want to acknowledge the vice chairs for working with their political advocacy with the regional districts on these AVICC-VCM resolutions.

[0:43:56] Voice 5: I think when we stand with our partners, we are stronger as we move forward with the resolution.

[0:44:01] Voice 5: So thank you for that.

[0:44:03] Voice 5: And do we need to make a resolution to bring this back at the February meeting?

[0:44:13] Voice 5: I believe that could be done by general consent.

[0:44:16] Voice 5: I'll look to, is that Alexandra? Is that what you were going to suggest?

[0:44:21] Voice 7: Exactly, yes.

[0:44:22] Voice 5: All right. Through general consent, can we agree to bring this, the staff report for the AVICC UBCM resolution selection back to our February meeting?

[0:44:34] Voice 5: Thank you very much.

[0:44:38] Voice 5: So carrying on.

[0:44:41] Voice 5: Goodness, I think we jump all the way to correspondence, if I'm correct.

[0:44:45] Voice 5: Correct. So we have item 12.1, which is the 2026 January 6th response from Minister Neill

[0:44:54] Voice 5: on the UBCM 2025 Crown land agreements on page 103. And bring a reminder that we should consider

[0:45:03] Voice 5: removing item number nine on page 16 of the follow-up action list. Look over to you,

[0:45:08] Voice 5: Vice-Chairman.

[0:45:09] Trustee Maude: Thank you, Chair. Just a note, the original letter that was sent to the Minister

[0:45:14] Trustee Maude: spoke of the minister meeting with the executive committee at UBCM and I would have I thought the

[0:45:23] Trustee Maude: wording would have been a little bit more appropriate if this had said had vote had

[0:45:26] Trustee Maude: met with members of executive committee because of course executive committee as a whole did not

[0:45:32] Trustee Maude: meet with her so just a little point of when we're doing correspondence with the minister

[0:45:39] Trustee Maude: that we maybe should be a little bit more careful with our wording because

[0:45:42] Trustee Maude: Because it sounded like we were saying that she had met with everybody in the Executive Committee where she had not.

[0:45:49] Trustee Maude: So thank you.

[0:45:50] Voice 5: Well, I would point out it was a quorum of the Executive Committee that met with the Minister.

[0:45:55] Voice 5: Yeah.

[0:45:57] Voice 5: Again, this is the response before us.

[0:46:00] Voice 5: I believe the Director had suggested that we consider removing Item 9 on page 16 of the Agenda Package.

[0:46:07] Voice 5: That would need to be done under resolution, if I'm looking for...

[0:46:13] Voice 5: Yes?

[0:46:14] Voice 5: Yes.

[0:46:14] Voice 5: yes so

[0:46:15] Voice 15: and i have

[0:46:16] Voice 5: one ready for you

[0:46:17] Voice 5: vice chairs would you like to see that resolution i believe

[0:46:21] Voice 5: that's a yes all right vice chair peterson ah

[0:46:34] Voice 11: quick on the draw this time i move that executive

[0:46:37] Voice 11: committee request item nine on the director of trust area services uh full of action let's be

[0:46:42] Voice 11: removed all

[0:46:44] Voice 5: right is there a second ah sorry to my vice chair mod is there any discussion

[0:46:52] Voice 5: If not, I'll call the vote.

[0:46:55] Voice 5: All those in favor, raise your hands.

[0:46:57] Voice 5: And that carries.

[0:46:59] Voice 5: So thank you very much.

[0:47:00] Voice 5: And one less item on your follow-up action list to Director Frater, well, except you've

[0:47:05] Voice 5: got work to do with staff and I'm glad we had this commitment from the minister following

[0:47:09] Voice 5: our meeting.

[0:47:11] Voice 5: Okay, then.

[0:47:12] Voice 5: We have our work program before us on page 104.

[0:47:19] Voice 5: Are there any changes that need to be made?

[0:47:43] Voice 5: Seeing any.

[0:47:44] Voice 5: So would we just receive these then for information or approve through general consent?

[0:47:51] Voice 5: I'm just, I guess, receive for information if we're not making any changes.

[0:47:58] Voice 5: All right, trustees, just a reminder that our next meeting is on February 4th at 915 electronically.

[0:48:07] Voice 5: We're going to be going into a closed meeting for anyone that's listening in.

[0:48:11] Voice 5: And then we're going to be taking an extended break until 1.30 today, where we will be carrying on with item number 16, which is a co-governance presentation by the Cowichan Tribes.

[0:48:26] Voice 5: So, please come back at 1.30 if you're viewing this meeting.

[0:48:32] Voice 5: So, Trustees, we have a motion at item 15 to go into closed meeting.

[0:48:40] Voice 5: Go ahead, Vice Chair Peterson.

[0:48:42] Voice 5: I

[0:48:47] Voice 11: move that the meeting be closed to public subject to sections 91 G and I of the community

[0:48:54] Voice 11: charter in order to consider matters related to litigation or potential litigation affecting

[0:49:00] Voice 11: municipality the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor client privilege including

[0:49:04] Voice 11: communications necessary for that purpose and that staff attend the meeting thank

[0:49:09] Voice 5: you very much is

[0:49:10] Voice 5: there a second to that motion second by vice chair Elliott is there any discussion call the vote all

[0:49:17] Voice 5: All those in favor, please raise your hands.

[0:49:19] Voice 5: And that carries.

[0:49:20] Voice 5: So let's give staff a few moments to close the meeting.

[0:49:23] Voice 5: Should we take a break for a little bit, 10 minutes,

[0:49:28] Voice 5: or do you want longer?

[0:49:29] Voice 5: 10 minutes?

[0:49:31] Voice 5: Okay.

[0:49:31] Voice 5: Vice chairs, we'll take a break in 10 minutes,

[0:49:33] Voice 5: and then we'll open and close.

[0:49:35] Voice 5: Open and close.

[0:49:36] Voice 5: All right.

[0:49:37] Voice 5: And

[0:49:58] Voice 6: five, turquoise circle north.

[0:50:06] Voice 5: Okay to get started?

[0:50:07] Voice 7: Yes, chair, go ahead.

[0:50:09] Voice 5: All right.

[0:50:10] Voice 5: And I want to bring us back.

[0:50:12] Voice 5: We've been on break since 1055, and I only want to remind because we have new participants that we began our meeting today by acknowledging that we're meeting in the unceded territory of many Coast Salish First Nations.

[0:50:26] Voice 5: And we reaffirmed our commitment to work in the spirit of partnership and respect with all First Nations whose territories include the island's rest area.

[0:50:34] Voice 5: area um i'm laura patrick i'm elected on salt spring island in the chair of trust council

[0:50:41] Voice 5: and i'd like to introduce the other uh executive members here we have uh

[0:50:47] Voice 5: vice chair maude from main island we have vice chair tim peterson from liskiti island

[0:50:55] Voice 5: and vice chair toby elliott from gabriela island i'm going to turn over to trustee

[0:51:01] Voice 5: Gavreau, the chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy, to introduce the members of the board who are

[0:51:06] Voice 5: joining us and the names of the ones that aren't here or at the time. So, Chair Gavreau.

[0:51:13] Voice 6: Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Yes, my name is Lisa Gavreau. I'm from Galliano Island.

[0:51:20] Voice 6: I am honored to be the chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy and honored to be here today.

[0:51:25] Voice 6: I've noticed that only there's one board member. There's six board members in total.

[0:51:30] Voice 6: there's one um a government appointee um that would be uh who is our vice chair um and his

[0:51:37] Voice 6: name is tanner timothy perhaps you want to introduce yourself tanner yes

[0:51:42] Voice 16: thank you very

[0:51:44] Voice 16: much chair galvaro um good afternoon everyone my name is tanner timothy i am a member of slyman

[0:51:50] Voice 16: first nation as well as weevakai nation through my two great grandmothers molly timothy and annie

[0:51:57] Voice 16: Yesu. I am calling today from the unceded traditional territory of Tsleil-Waututh.

[0:52:03] Voice 16: I'm living and residing on Burnaby Mountain, British Columbia, and I'm honoured to be here

[0:52:09] Voice 16: today with Islands Trust Council as well as the representatives of Trust Conservancy.

[0:52:14] Voice 16: Thank you very much.

[0:52:16] Voice 6: Thank you. We also have an appointee from the Executive Committee that

[0:52:20] Voice 6: serves on the Islands Trust Conservancy Board, and that would be Vice-Chair Elliott. Thank you.

[0:52:28] Voice 5: all right well thank you and uh welcome again i'm going to turn over to our ceo um

[0:52:33] Voice 5: reuben brony to introduce the staff that will be joining us uh this afternoon thank you chair

[0:52:40] Voice 4: patrick uh good afternoon everybody uh i'm cao reuben brawny and joining us on the staff side

[0:52:45] Voice 4: our director of legislative and information services david marler our director of trust

[0:52:50] Voice 4: area services claire freighter our director of planning services stephen cermak senior indigenous

[0:52:55] Voice 4: Relations Advisor, Joe Elliott, Islands Trust Conservancy Manager, Wendy Terrell, and our

[0:53:01] Voice 4: Executive Coordinator, Alexandra Trifonidis. Thank you.

[0:53:05] Voice 5: All right. Well, thank you so much

[0:53:08] Voice 5: for the staff that are joining us today. So the Trust Council was grateful at its December meeting

[0:53:16] Voice 5: to have Brody Guy, the CEO of the Islands Coastal Economic Trust, give us a presentation on the work

[0:53:23] Voice 5: that they're doing um on co-governance and we're i'm extremely honored to be able to introduce

[0:53:29] Voice 5: uh stephanie atleo the director of governance for cowichan tribes uh to to present to us today on um

[0:53:38] Voice 5: on co-governance uh models that uh that they can share with us so uh

[0:53:48] Voice 5: i'm very honored to have you here stephanie and um the floor is yours

[0:53:54] Voice 3: My traditional name is Suneep Tanat. I am a member of Couch and Tribes. Raised here,

[0:54:00] Voice 3: live here, work here. I left community for a bit to do some work in Aboriginal relations

[0:54:08] Voice 3: for an environmental consulting company and came back when I was elected onto council.

[0:54:13] Voice 3: Spent time on council for about 10 years and left my seat to do this job. So this seems

[0:54:22] Voice 3: to be the governance work that I was looking to do that you don't actually get to do when you're

[0:54:27] Voice 3: on council. So just so everybody knows, Cowichan Tribes, we are located in the Cowichan Valley. So

[0:54:36] Voice 3: we are between Victoria and Nanaimo. And we're made up of seven traditional villages here at

[0:54:45] Voice 3: couching tribes our traditional territory um we we go really in our claim area right now in modern

[0:54:54] Voice 3: day is up into into chimenus river and up into stamenus there we have a lot of shared interest

[0:55:01] Voice 3: in territory on the gulf islands and we work very collaboratively with our um with sanic

[0:55:08] Voice 3: families for for things that are happening on the gulf islands we go up into malahat territory and

[0:55:17] Voice 3: we have very collaborative discussions with them when things are coming on overlapping areas of

[0:55:24] Voice 3: interest for both of our nations and then we're up into lake couch in there so as you probably saw

[0:55:33] Voice 3: in the news. We also were successful in our court case about our Kleptinas traditional village over

[0:55:40] Voice 3: in the south arm of the Fraser River. Historically, we were seven, 11 villages that co-habitated that

[0:55:52] Voice 3: area, used the resources, lived together. We had 103 longhouses there at one time and we went back

[0:55:59] Voice 3: and forth so uh when we came back to the island we went back to our traditional villages uh where we

[0:56:05] Voice 3: we lived but over there we were together as a the couch and nation and so um we are learning how to

[0:56:13] Voice 3: be that again when it comes to um shared decision and um shared interest and taking care of all of

[0:56:21] Voice 3: of us. Now we're five. We went from 11 to five just through the colonial process. I imagine that

[0:56:30] Voice 3: part of those 11 that we speak of were our individual nations here within Couch and Tribes

[0:56:38] Voice 3: because we were and we still are seven under the umbrella of Couch and Tribes. Couch and Tribes

[0:56:44] Voice 3: was created through the Colonial Indian Act process. So that's a little bit about us.

[0:56:52] Voice 3: I unfortunately can only be here till 2.30. I have a different meeting to jump into. Eamon

[0:56:59] Voice 3: Gaunt, our treaty negotiator, was to be here with me as well, but he was double booked.

[0:57:05] Voice 3: But I am glad that I was able to come today. Joe was told we don't have a model to talk about.

[0:57:15] Voice 3: And I'll explain why. It's very difficult for us in some of the work that we do and some of the tables that we're at to get more of a co-governance agreement than a co-management agreement.

[0:57:33] Voice 3: And most of the agreements that we have right now, there is a collaborative approach to creating those tables, identifying who should be at those tables, what the scope of those tables are, what the interests of both sides are, what resources are needed to support those tables.

[0:57:54] Voice 3: uh but from a first nation side there's always still a power dynamic that exists

[0:58:03] Voice 3: and one side of the table has the final say in areas that sometimes we can't come to an agreement

[0:58:12] Voice 3: to so here at coaching tribes we have um a watershed um agreement right now with the

[0:58:23] Voice 3: province and we work uh together we have a working group we uh we have a g2g table we meet um but

[0:58:34] Voice 3: there are areas where couching tribes the province needs to push things forward and we're not ready

[0:58:43] Voice 3: to be there yet and at the end the province has to do what they're told to do so that it in

[0:58:49] Voice 3: in situations like that, it's not a true G2G relationship. There is still that

[0:58:55] Voice 3: power dynamic that exists. It's frustrating to work through. I think the more in co-management

[0:59:04] Voice 3: agreements that you can have agreements about what is true shared decision-making areas in the work

[0:59:14] Voice 3: and how are those decisions made how are disputes resolved in areas that are known to

[0:59:26] Voice 3: one side that is probably being led by legislation and laws and all of that that don't actually lead

[0:59:33] Voice 3: first nations in the work they do in in their community on the reserve lands

[0:59:38] Voice 3: there needs to be transparency from that side and some trust built there that when it is a

[0:59:46] Voice 3: discussion that is going to lean one way more than another or in the middle

[0:59:52] Voice 3: that needs to be known to the table and I'm a very straight shooter

[1:00:00] Voice 3: and I hit the G2G table where our watershed table was and the province came with something and we

[1:00:08] Voice 3: had opposing opinions and we tried to debate it and I looked at them and said you're going forward

[1:00:13] Voice 3: this is just a a point you wanted to discuss but then let us know I said don't waste our time

[1:00:21] Voice 3: come to the table tell us the province is telling you to do this based on the legislation and you're

[1:00:26] Voice 3: are moving forward and anything that we're saying right now isn't going to influence the direction

[1:00:31] Voice 3: that we're going it was kind of shocking for them but i think it changed the dynamics at the table

[1:00:36] Voice 3: and really started to have them understand um what true relationship building with the first

[1:00:45] Voice 3: nation should look like and we are straight shooters and we just want that back we want

[1:00:54] Voice 3: that back you need to be honest with the purpose with the intention and with the limitations

[1:01:01] Voice 3: and we weren't upset with any of the individuals at the table there are limitations on what they

[1:01:06] Voice 3: could bring to us the other thing that's important uh when you're working in these situations and

[1:01:14] Voice 3: considering co-governance co-management is the decision makers need to be at the table

[1:01:21] Voice 3: table. That's the other thing that gets frustrating is the technicians get sent

[1:01:28] Voice 3: and they're not able to move things forward or make any commitments. They have to always go back

[1:01:34] Voice 3: to the bigger table on their side. And that gets really frustrating and it really does break

[1:01:41] Voice 3: relationships. So I think in our situation, just talking from a First Nations perspective and

[1:01:50] Voice 3: moving forward and all of these different initiatives, we have different levels of

[1:01:56] Voice 3: agreements. There's a memorandum of understanding that we've signed with different entities that

[1:02:04] Voice 3: want to work with us. And that's just details what, you know, we understand is going to be

[1:02:10] Voice 3: the work forward in our purpose. We have protocol agreements, mostly with other First Nations and

[1:02:16] Voice 3: and how we work together in a respectful cultural way.

[1:02:21] Voice 3: We signed a big one with the Wissanik First Nation

[1:02:25] Voice 3: and up into Staminis.

[1:02:27] Voice 3: There's 11 of us working together on the,

[1:02:32] Voice 3: it's called the Indigenous Management Board,

[1:02:34] Voice 3: and this is the entity that's working with DFO and Parks

[1:02:38] Voice 3: about their marine protected area out in the waters there

[1:02:42] Voice 3: and through the Gulf Islands,

[1:02:44] Voice 3: between the island and the gulf islands so we're working together and that's a protocol agreement

[1:02:49] Voice 3: we had a big ceremony signing with our other nations so really working together to to define

[1:02:57] Voice 3: the work both sides identifying what consultations needed in our own communities because you know we

[1:03:05] Voice 3: do understand when we are doing this there is non-indigenous communities that need to be

[1:03:13] Voice 3: consulted so what does that look like and how do we support each other in that process

[1:03:18] Voice 3: and what is the balance of the voices right because some of the work is 100 percent in our

[1:03:23] Voice 3: community um and consulting our neighbor yes this is what we're doing but what is the balance of

[1:03:31] Voice 3: um voices that are brought to the table when you're looking at considering a decision that

[1:03:37] Voice 3: that needs to be made. With our Hokusaila watershed, you know, we have to consult with

[1:03:45] Voice 3: the farmers, we have to bring the forester in, we have to bring in all these different

[1:03:54] Voice 3: individuals that have some effects that are going to come with the different management

[1:04:00] Voice 3: ideas that we're bringing forward. But each idea on both sides is worked through at this GDG table.

[1:04:08] Voice 3: So setting up a table with a terms of reference and who's going to be there, what exactly you need to move these projects forward and those resources.

[1:04:23] Voice 3: is that we have had a few proposals put forward when we're looking at forestry and looking at a

[1:04:34] Voice 3: joint co-governance model that's been presented from you know the other side of the table

[1:04:42] Voice 3: and it leans again more to co-management so it's really understanding what the limitations are with

[1:04:50] Voice 3: If I'd say the side of the government, I'm just going to I'm just going to go there because really that those are the agreements that we've been in.

[1:04:59] Voice 3: And what does that decision making model look like and where are the authorities to make those decisions and what are the decisions that can't be on the table?

[1:05:10] Voice 3: So, again, really having an analysis of what you wanted in the relationship. Is it an even relationship? Because if it is an even relationship, then you could move more into the co-governance because both sides have equal authority at that table and equal decision making power with this dispute resolution option as well, because there are going to be times.

[1:05:40] Voice 3: So that decision making model is really going to be important when you come to situations where there is a disagreement.

[1:05:49] Voice 3: How do we move work forward when both sides are not fully in agreement with the path forward?

[1:05:59] Voice 3: So I, again, the reason I don't have like a template agreement to go through is I really think that it depends on the table you're sitting and to be to fully build that relationship.

[1:06:15] Voice 3: relationship, um, you need to start with nothing. Um, and you go together and you start identifying

[1:06:23] Voice 3: what co-governance looks like for, you know, the First Nation you're talking to, or the, uh,

[1:06:30] Voice 3: or the group of nations that you're talking to, if it has to be a multi-nation agreement and table.

[1:06:35] Voice 3: Um, and you, you start building it from there. Um, there's a lot of resistance at times, um,

[1:06:43] Voice 3: in First Nation communities when something pretty much drafted already comes to us and is presented

[1:06:49] Voice 3: as a template. So I think to build that respect and to build that relationship with the community,

[1:06:59] Voice 3: you go in and you, you know, propose these options, co-management, co-government. What does

[1:07:07] Voice 3: that look like for you and how can we build that relationship and start building this agreement?

[1:07:12] Voice 3: So both sides have that equal say into it.

[1:07:19] Voice 3: And when you come from a place on our side, when you build it, it does build that relationship.

[1:07:27] Voice 3: And with our Huxela watershed, like I said, it's more co-management, but we're building these really good relationships with the people on that side of the table and trying to move more to a co-governance path forward.

[1:07:46] Voice 3: And there's been agreement on both sides, but it's just so, like I said, it's so difficult when one side is led by legislation and laws that the other side isn't.

[1:07:57] Voice 3: and so respectful, um, inter, um, changes as well of information. Um, I think that's why it works

[1:08:07] Voice 3: so well with, uh, the IMB with the 11 nations working together with parks and DFO is that,

[1:08:14] Voice 3: um, the 11 nations we meet, we have, uh, tables all the time. We meet multiple times a month and

[1:08:21] Voice 3: And we don't always meet with the province, but we have shared values.

[1:08:28] Voice 3: We've, you know, we have shared values.

[1:08:29] Voice 3: We have shared teachings.

[1:08:30] Voice 3: We have shared vision.

[1:08:32] Voice 3: There's times that we don't agree and we have to figure out what is the priority in the

[1:08:39] Voice 3: discussion right now, where can we agree and how does that move forward?

[1:08:43] Voice 3: So I think the example of the IMB is one that could be an example that non-Indigenous organizations who want to partner with First Nations could look at as a template.

[1:09:02] Voice 3: That was a protocol agreement we signed, so it wasn't a co-governance.

[1:09:06] Voice 3: I think in First Nations communities, we always stand on that respectful government-to-government relationship anyway, so that wasn't so much needed, but the protocol agreement in defining what the purpose was of the IMB, what our goals were, our shared vision, how we're going to work together,

[1:09:35] Voice 3: how many representatives from each community will sit at this table.

[1:09:41] Voice 3: So everybody had equal votes and equal say in decisions making forward in the work plan.

[1:09:47] Voice 3: So it's public.

[1:09:50] Voice 3: I know they're, I don't know if they have a website now or they're rebuilding it,

[1:09:55] Voice 3: but it is a really good example of multi-communities working together

[1:10:03] Voice 3: for a shared interest and shared shared vision um yeah so that that's really uh

[1:10:15] Voice 3: what i can say and i can answer questions but uh i would suggest and i don't know what's coming up

[1:10:21] Voice 3: for for you all moving forward and and what you're looking to do with uh communities but

[1:10:27] Voice 3: um i always suggest to any proponent proponent coming to couch and is you know come in

[1:10:35] Voice 3: And with an open mind and an open heart and no agenda you're not willing to share in that first meeting of what your purpose and your vision is.

[1:10:48] Voice 3: And there will be, I know, certain areas that can't be a shared decision.

[1:10:54] Voice 3: There's things that you have to abide by in your society rules.

[1:11:04] Voice 3: I'm sorry, I don't know what governs you, but as long as you're open and transparent about that at that table, those are always good relationship building opportunities with us.

[1:11:17] Voice 3: us and i sit at multiple tables uh you know for me uh i am on the negotiating team now for

[1:11:25] Voice 3: cleptinus with the province and i'm negotiating with emma um ministry of finance for uh or sorry

[1:11:33] Voice 3: ministry of forest now for a reconciliation agreement specific to forestry and things like

[1:11:38] Voice 3: that so um i've had a lot of different approaches come our way uh in in uh provincial ministries or

[1:11:51] Voice 3: uh different proponents wanting to work with us uh but we we stick to our same story here

[1:11:57] Voice 3: and that is really about building relationships and trust and a mutual respect um uh that's that's

[1:12:05] Voice 3: the big thing um because we can see through a lot of the the things that are fluffy and we're not

[1:12:13] Voice 3: fluffy uh so so don't be fluffy just be honest um and uh yeah and if they tease you then you're on

[1:12:24] Voice 3: the right side because uh we have elders here and we say that to all these uh individuals that come

[1:12:30] Voice 3: in and they get to meet our elders if they tease you then they like you okay if they're quiet

[1:12:37] Voice 3: you got to reassess what's going on and and try to get to that situation where they're going to bug

[1:12:42] Voice 3: you yeah so please ask me any questions um i am open to answer anything uh give suggestions um

[1:12:52] Voice 3: amen uh he's been busy on our treaty um that is a set out process that's frustrating

[1:12:59] Voice 3: frustrating for us we're looking at different processes to start exploring but that is a table

[1:13:06] Voice 3: where you know it's a good example of one side has a very clear mandate that doesn't align with

[1:13:12] Voice 3: a first nation's mandate in in and we don't have a shared vision

[1:13:20] Voice 3: um the end goal is a treaty for both sides but the way the path forward and the and what should

[1:13:29] Voice 3: should be there, um, included in what the community needs to best, uh, suit, uh, building

[1:13:34] Voice 3: their future isn't shared in, in the vision of how you get there.

[1:13:38] Voice 3: So, um, that's a situation that skews a lot of, uh, First Nations when you think about

[1:13:47] Voice 3: trying to build relationship with them.

[1:13:49] Voice 3: So that's why I suggest, you know, coming in, just open heart, open mind, um, put that

[1:13:57] Voice 3: out out there what your your intentions are and then build it from there um and then you'll you'll

[1:14:03] Voice 3: start building some trust with community oh

[1:14:08] Voice 5: so that's it

[1:14:09] Voice 5: well stephanie thank you and i appreciate

[1:14:12] Voice 5: that you are a straight shooter because that's uh that's the message we we need to hear i see that

[1:14:18] Voice 5: janine jorgensen a board member from the island stress conservancy has joined us so janine it's

[1:14:22] Voice 5: wonderful that you could get here um so stephanie is uh offering to answer questions and answers and

[1:14:30] Voice 5: take questions so um raise your hands if you'd like to ask a question and oh you've got a quiet

[1:14:41] Voice 5: crowd here today yeah that's not normal uh i see trustee um our vice chair peterson yeah well thank

[1:14:51] Voice 11: thank you for uh thank you chair and thank you um stephanie for for joining us today i guess um

[1:14:58] Voice 11: Yes, to me, the obvious question is, is how do we start? How do we get started? How do we sort of make opportunities to sit down and have those initial discussions?

[1:15:12] Voice 11: um

[1:15:15] Voice 3: i suggest just reaching out to each of i'm assuming you're wanting to make connections

[1:15:22] Voice 3: with first nations and the gulf island around the islands uh vancouver island i would suggest

[1:15:28] Voice 3: reaching out to um their administration so each of them will have like a executive manager or

[1:15:36] Voice 3: someone who leads their um in our case it's a it's a cao um i would reach out to their office

[1:15:44] Voice 3: and just request a meet and greet and just uh information sharing and possibly um things that

[1:15:55] Voice 3: you know are coming up that you would love to connect and potentially start working together

[1:16:00] Voice 3: So I think that's the best way is to reach out to that administration office, try to make a connection. In our case, they might refer you to me or refer you to our lands and resource department to make that connection.

[1:16:17] Voice 3: connection. But I would just start that way as a meet and greet. This is what we're about.

[1:16:23] Voice 3: This work is coming up or has been going on, and we'd love to connect if that's what your

[1:16:29] Voice 3: intention is with the different First Nation communities.

[1:16:36] Voice 5: Thank you, CIO Ruben Brony.

[1:16:40] Voice 4: Thank you, Chair. And thank you, Stephanie. I really appreciate the chance to have this

[1:16:46] Voice 4: conversation with you one of the things that i'm very conscious of and i think is both is limited

[1:16:52] Voice 4: capacity both with nations and within our own organization and i'd welcome any thoughts you

[1:16:59] Voice 4: have and advice on how we can be most respectful of nations time um and i'm conscious of that off

[1:17:07] Voice 4: because often we come at it with the you know we have our own deadlines um often self-imposed but

[1:17:14] Voice 4: but not always, where we have to meet and we want to try and follow the process and ensure that we

[1:17:20] Voice 4: have meaningful engagement and build those relationships. But we want to do that in a

[1:17:24] Voice 4: way that is respectful of the fact that we know we're not the only ones at the door and seeking

[1:17:30] Voice 4: to build those relationships and seeking to do that engagement. And so welcome any insights you

[1:17:34] Voice 4: have on how we can be most productive and effective, but also most efficient in both for

[1:17:40] Voice 4: you and and for us thanks um

[1:17:43] Voice 3: yeah resourcing is a huge issue for most first nations and i know it

[1:17:48] Voice 3: is here because we're stretched so far and the amount of referrals we get each day is um it is

[1:17:56] Voice 3: it's crazy like i and some of them we just get to uh because we're respectful of each other's

[1:18:02] Voice 3: territory and um responsibility to take care of those lands and waters so some of them where we

[1:18:09] Voice 3: we, you know, we answer and say, we'll defer to the nations who, um, overseas and caretakes that

[1:18:16] Voice 3: territory. So we'll do that. Um, to, I'll, I'll just give a suggestion. I think in the outreach

[1:18:26] Voice 3: to community, to meet and greet and introduce yourselves. Um, if you have an idea of what you

[1:18:32] Voice 3: have going on right now, or what's coming up, I would suggest just giving, uh, you know, a really

[1:18:37] Voice 3: high level overview of what it looks like and what's coming up so um even at that meeting um

[1:18:46] Voice 3: we could say oh you know thanks for that that that one we would just defer to basanic

[1:18:51] Voice 3: or that one we would refer to uh halalt there could be an opportunity to kind of go through

[1:18:57] Voice 3: those um areas that you want you want to possibly engage in what that engagement might look like and

[1:19:05] Voice 3: give the um the manager or director whoever will be meeting with you an opportunity to

[1:19:11] Voice 3: start thinking through uh what resources could be uh necessary um it's it's difficult getting

[1:19:22] Voice 3: funding for resourcing for sure um we find it difficult even when the province comes at us to

[1:19:28] Voice 3: get some money out of them so we can get in some um further supports but there's always opportunity

[1:19:34] Voice 3: opportunity um for funding applications and grants and you might know of some of those that

[1:19:41] Voice 3: you could suggest to nations that could support some of the engagement you need to do with them

[1:19:47] Voice 3: so i would just put together like when you go to meet them just be prepared for

[1:19:54] Voice 3: that high level presentation of what's coming where you would like to collaborate or consult

[1:20:00] Voice 3: salt so they can start thinking through that and with some of those deadlines that you might have

[1:20:05] Voice 3: to or know that are coming that is one of the challenges we face here at Couchin is we'll get

[1:20:12] Voice 3: a letter and can you respond in 30 days well no because I have 150 of these in front of you

[1:20:20] Voice 3: that I have to read and figure out my response and they're not just letters they're packages

[1:20:25] Voice 3: of information so I would start with high level um and not overwhelm everybody at first but just

[1:20:32] Voice 3: put just lay the table I guess and maybe start asking um what what do you see how would you

[1:20:41] Voice 3: want to work together and uh that could be how you come with that open heart and mind and start

[1:20:46] Voice 3: forming that agreement of you know uh collaboration um I don't like the word consultation you know

[1:20:55] Voice 3: collaboration is always a good one because you're working together for a shared interest a shared

[1:21:02] Voice 3: um vision hope that helps yeah

[1:21:07] Voice 4: it does thank you very much yeah

[1:21:08] Voice 5: you're welcome thank you

[1:21:09] Voice 5: uh joe elliot you had your hand up and it went back down again did you uh no

[1:21:14] Voice 2: i had my hand up

[1:21:15] Voice 2: because it was in line with our room's question and thank you for that because that's a really

[1:21:18] Voice 2: good question in regards to uh human resources and the amount of referrals that nations um

[1:21:22] Voice 2: that they receive and one of the processes that Island Trust has been looking at is developing

[1:21:29] Voice 2: MOUs relationships with First Nations and we've sent out a request to all the nations specifically

[1:21:36] Voice 2: the five nations for Couch Nation and I don't you know I'm just wondering if you have any

[1:21:43] Voice 2: advice and what is the best approach to approach that as five nations or to look at as individual

[1:21:49] Voice 2: individual nations in regards to their approach of looking at MOU because MOUs can address some

[1:21:54] Voice 2: of the challenges that are we all face is that in especially the nations regards to being under

[1:21:59] Voice 2: resource for referrals it could support the communication could collaborate and bring people

[1:22:04] Voice 2: together and it advances the understanding relation but it also also looks at opportunity

[1:22:10] Voice 2: it could look at future opportunities in regards to how we could work together in a better way and

[1:22:15] Voice 2: So I'm just wondering if you have any advice in regards to the approach of a MOU, if Couch Nation is interested in or if it's inclusive to all the five nations through the Couch Nation.

[1:22:27] Voice 2: Hi, Chika.

[1:22:28] Voice 3: Hi, Chika.

[1:22:30] Voice 3: Nice to see you, Joe.

[1:22:31] Voice 2: Yeah,

[1:22:32] Voice 3: good to see you too.

[1:22:35] Voice 3: So this is one of the relationships or things that we're working through right now because we're Kleptinas, so we're a Couch Nation.

[1:22:43] Voice 3: nation um but for cleptinus and then when we come over here um we're not all five together

[1:22:50] Voice 3: on everything so i would suggest approaching each of the five uh for an individual mou since

[1:22:59] Voice 3: where you do your work is really uh islands in the gulf islands if i understand properly

[1:23:04] Voice 3: so that would be um us in our individual villages um you know liax and traditional villages is an

[1:23:12] Voice 3: island we have penelope on an island and so i would i would suggest that um all five are approached

[1:23:20] Voice 3: for an mou i

[1:23:22] Voice 2: try and i got a follow-up question if that's okay uh through chair patrick is that

[1:23:26] Voice 2: okay absolutely we we have uh our island trust meetings uh we have it in certain areas uh

[1:23:32] Voice 2: it's a close to venues it's close to conference centers and so with that you know some of the

[1:23:38] Voice 2: the areas that are selected are closer to some other nations so we've had a couple in in couching

[1:23:43] Voice 2: and we're you know we're if one's coming up in um in march and it's i believe it's going to be

[1:23:49] Voice 2: in couching and we're looking at the um in our couching facility at the heritage center

[1:23:56] Voice 8: and

[1:23:57] Voice 2: so that's a possibility so we're looking for people to do welcome and opens and looking for

[1:24:02] Voice 2: your guidance and that because i i reach out to follow the protocol and sure we have the right

[1:24:06] Voice 2: people at the those um to do provide the welcome and open and but then there's there's some nations

[1:24:12] Voice 2: like we we deal with 32 nations and with specifically tied to certain areas like

[1:24:18] Voice 2: couch or naimo or victoria then you're only reaching certain of the first nations because

[1:24:24] Voice 2: that's you know our traditional territories we all work together but you know there's some

[1:24:28] Voice 2: you know overlap interests but but then you specifically have to focus on something i know

[1:24:34] Voice 2: and couch and liaxin being you know they had their like on the island but now they're coming back to

[1:24:40] Voice 2: couching and we're trying to explore how we can be more inclusive to other nations to provide the

[1:24:44] Voice 2: welcome and opening in certain areas and i don't know if you have any advice on that that um

[1:24:50] Voice 3: so

[1:24:51] Voice 3: for here because so just about liaxin so liaxin needed a land base on the island and there was

[1:25:00] Voice 3: too much dispute um in the area that they would have uh would have been ideal for them um between

[1:25:07] Voice 3: uh other hulk minam nations uh so couchin allowed them to have land up in scuts so we're not

[1:25:18] Voice 3: agreeing that this is their traditional territory or that they had traditional villages here

[1:25:23] Voice 3: um but to help um have them have a land base because they don't even have a space for a

[1:25:30] Voice 3: graveyard and that's heartbreaking uh that we uh came into agreement and are allowing them to have

[1:25:38] Voice 3: um uh a land base um here in our our core territory um so i would stick with couch and

[1:25:48] Voice 3: being the welcome um if you're in halal because we do i would just look at whose core territory

[1:25:56] Voice 3: you're in we do have overlapping interest in use but we do respect um uh between us when we're

[1:26:04] Voice 3: looking at things like that whose uh territory we're in so when the qn are working together this

[1:26:09] Voice 3: is a good example because liaxin doesn't have a land base they have a building in halal that's

[1:26:17] Voice 3: their office space um and it's right next door to halal's uh office so we take turns um hosting

[1:26:27] Voice 3: meetings for our our qn our coaching nation uh when we're doing club tina's business

[1:26:32] Voice 3: when we're in the liaxin building lax and chief chairs and she does the welcome and

[1:26:37] Voice 3: when we walk next door to the whole building that chief chairs and does so um i would just respect

[1:26:45] Voice 3: whose core territory you're on even though there's a lot of overlap um it does get kind of you know

[1:26:53] Voice 3: if you're in shanagan that's complete overlap territory malahat and couching right um so i can

[1:27:00] Voice 3: see where you run into those challenges it might be uh best to maybe ask both if if they want to

[1:27:08] Voice 3: each give a welcome and respecting that they both share that territory um that's a suggestion i

[1:27:16] Voice 3: i could have just so there's but uh we don't meet up there often but that is a a good example would

[1:27:23] Voice 3: be sean again where which chief do i invite so you'd want to respect both and we work very

[1:27:31] Voice 3: collaboratively with them right now in those shared interests there because neither of us

[1:27:36] Voice 3: can claim it as exclusive it is shared so um that probably didn't help you joe but you know a

[1:27:45] Voice 3: a suggestion could be that you invite the two that are shared caretakers of

[1:27:51] Voice 3: that land to participate.

[1:27:53] Voice 3: One could give the welcome and one could do a prayer or something like that.

[1:27:57] Voice 2: Okay. Hi, Stephanie. Yep. Thank you.

[1:28:00] Voice 5: Thank you.

[1:28:03] Voice 13: Hi. I'm sorry for any background noise that may come across.

[1:28:07] Voice 13: So I'm in another role.

[1:28:10] Voice 13: I am school board trustee for Galliano Island and we've been working for

[1:28:15] Voice 13: the past almost two years i think on the indigenous education council and that's been a lot of

[1:28:20] Voice 13: relationship building like going to all the rights holders of the gulf island school district and

[1:28:27] Voice 13: we've everyone's been coming together in cowards at the cultural center and we all like malahat

[1:28:33] Voice 13: wasanich and i'm wondering if you think looking at the terms of reference in that legislation from

[1:28:41] Voice 13: from that bill 40 i believe it was or c40 or something uh if there's something like that that

[1:28:47] Voice 13: we could possibly pull from to start building these relationships and understandings and

[1:28:54] Voice 13: agreements and all that because it's all about transparency and working collaboratively and

[1:29:03] Voice 13: also ensuring that however education goes within our district within any of the districts because

[1:29:09] Voice 13: it's throughout the province uh indigenous education is guided by the rights holders of

[1:29:15] Voice 13: the district and yeah i feel like that's something that should be done everywhere across every

[1:29:21] Voice 13: sector in my opinion but you know one person but i'm wondering if that is something that you

[1:29:28] Voice 13: think might be a good approach because like wasanich comes up liax and comes uh to cowardson

[1:29:36] Voice 13: like we all come to and we go there right we don't uh we don't unless they want to come

[1:29:44] Voice 13: visit us

[1:29:45] Voice 13: we don't it we're we're the ones doing the work we're the ones creating

[1:29:50] Voice 13: helping create change and support their direction their guidance right and that

[1:29:55] Voice 3: could be a model that works for your uh organization right now that you

[1:29:59] Voice 3: You may.

[1:30:00] Voice 3: want to look at that and i with the indigenous management board where we're looking at the marine

[1:30:05] Voice 3: protected area that was a situation where they were consulting with 19 and there wasn't a joint

[1:30:14] Voice 3: table for the first nations to meet together and also then work with uh you know dfo and parks

[1:30:21] Voice 3: so we came together and created and and eight nations stepped out because they're like this

[1:30:29] Voice 3: this isn't our territory to take care of, we'll leave it to you 11. So they determine themselves.

[1:30:35] Voice 3: And if that's a model that, you know, after discussion at your tables, you could look at

[1:30:42] Voice 3: where you call everybody together, and you have these joint meetings and discussions.

[1:30:46] Voice 3: I don't think anybody's opposed to that. And it might even help with your resources and our

[1:30:50] Voice 3: resources too, that there's not multiple meetings everywhere. And if most of those nations that you

[1:30:57] Voice 3: you want to talk to in this context are involved there they would have it could be something that

[1:31:03] Voice 3: you propose and say you know we're doing this here it seems to be working and a lot of you

[1:31:08] Voice 3: are sitting at the table and here's an example of the terms of reference and how comfortable are you

[1:31:14] Voice 3: with considering that approach for the work that we're doing here so um if you find that's working

[1:31:21] Voice 3: And it's a model that you as a team want to discuss in how you work with, because I think Joe said 32 First Nations or, you know, you might want to put it to the areas, right? So you have the Coast Salish and then, you know, you kind of, you kind of do that work.

[1:31:38] Voice 3: So I would suggest your table to sit down and look at what options and resourcing is huge.

[1:31:46] Voice 3: So what meets, what can you cover in your resourcing too?

[1:31:51] Voice 3: And it might be just a meeting here in Cowichan and everybody comes and that's your meet and greet and you give your high level presentation.

[1:31:59] Voice 3: I do suggest reaching out still to each individual nation's admin to invite them, set something up and move forward.

[1:32:11] Voice 3: So I'll leave that to you, but I don't think that's a bad approach at all.

[1:32:15] Voice 3: And we see it working like you just shared with the school districts and we see it working with the IMB, that joint table.

[1:32:30] Voice 5: Thank you,

[1:32:31] Voice 3: Vice Chair Elliott.

[1:32:36] Voice 15: Thank you, Chair and Heichka, Stephanie, for your presentation.

[1:32:40] Voice 15: It's been very helpful.

[1:32:42] Voice 15: I am wondering, in your experience, does discussion on shared values have any bearing on the success of the table?

[1:32:54] Voice 15: Because you mentioned vision, having maybe a different vision at the outset, but maybe a shared objective or a goal.

[1:33:01] Voice 15: yeah but it seems that if you've got a different value system that might is does that engender

[1:33:10] Voice 15: conflict is there um is it a good would it be a good thing to work through some of those values

[1:33:18] Voice 3: i always think it is and in most of the work that i do and i work a lot with uh government um

[1:33:26] Voice 3: And my approach, because I get all these pressures all the time and the question about why I'm creating laws, why I'm creating policies, because that's part of my role here is law development and implementation of jurisdiction and why I'm falling into these colonial processes.

[1:33:45] Voice 3: and that's the the understanding that some people have when we're implementing our own

[1:33:52] Voice 3: laws and jurisdiction internally and i always say well what i'm doing is um indigenizing the

[1:33:58] Voice 3: colonial system right because we still live in this colonial world and we have to figure out how to

[1:34:03] Voice 3: do jurisdiction internally as we always did but in this foreign um system so when i'm at these

[1:34:12] Voice 3: these tables a lot of the time what we bring is our teachings and our values to it and we share

[1:34:18] Voice 3: our teachings at these tables we have 12 core teachings that our elders have given

[1:34:22] Voice 3: us and that

[1:34:23] Voice 3: kind of guides our work some of that does go into agreements too so i think if you can look at

[1:34:31] Voice 3: you know what are your values well our values are to you know love nature to take care of nature to

[1:34:39] Voice 3: to look after the water, to look after the land,

[1:34:41] Voice 3: to create something for our future generations.

[1:34:44] Voice 3: And that's what we've been left with and kind of drives our purpose.

[1:34:49] Voice 3: So if you can find those common belief systems

[1:34:54] Voice 3: and you start sharing those and see how that drives the vision moving forward,

[1:34:58] Voice 3: I think it's always a valuable discussion to have

[1:35:01] Voice 3: because we're all here for a purpose, all of us individually,

[1:35:05] Voice 3: individually, and being able to share what our values individually is with the table we sit and

[1:35:11] Voice 3: the other people sitting across from us, and you start to find those connections, then you can

[1:35:16] Voice 3: start building on those. And I think it's really important. And that's why I think the IMB works so

[1:35:21] Voice 3: well. And they they created a video and I don't know if it's it's posted now, but it's a lot of

[1:35:27] Voice 3: our elders talking about the job that we have and the importance of the water and all of those

[1:35:34] Voice 3: And so the people coming to the table already know who we are, because we've shared that. And they can start connecting who they are to that because they realize we do have a lot of shared values and it helps when you're creating that path forward. So I would, I would suggest it's always a good conversation to have, even with your table.

[1:35:59] Voice 5: Thank you very much.

[1:36:02] Voice 5: Wendy, Tyrell.

[1:36:03] Voice 14: all thank you chair patrick and and heichka thank you so much stephanie this has been really really

[1:36:12] Voice 14: informative interesting and inspiring in a lot of ways i appreciate it it's nice to have that

[1:36:17] Voice 14: that hope and understanding um i work with as the manager for the conservancy violence trust

[1:36:25] Voice 14: conservancy and we are um getting ready to send an email out which is um an invitation to engage

[1:36:33] Voice 14: engage on a broad spectrum, but also kind of with an objective of our five-year plan is coming up

[1:36:40] Voice 14: that we have a deadline, a mandated deadline for our five-year plan in the end of 2027. So

[1:36:47] Voice 14: we've been spending quite a lot of time trying to devise how to approach this initiation of

[1:36:54] Voice 14: engagement, like what I'm hoping to call true engagement, where we sit at a table together

[1:37:00] Voice 14: together with the nations and yes 32 nations um so our approach is is kind of leaning towards

[1:37:08] Voice 14: um an information session to start a very broad overview of our shared values but allowing for

[1:37:14] Voice 14: you know that open conversation to move forward into the next steps um and yeah I think my I have

[1:37:23] Voice 14: a little concern of having an you know information session where all 32 nations are invited okay yeah

[1:37:31] Voice 14: and that's my question to you is um this is what we have planned um you know there's always some

[1:37:37] Voice 14: concern about nations needing more um maybe a private space to speak yeah

[1:37:47] Voice 6: i

[1:37:48] Voice 3: respect that

[1:37:51] Voice 3: I think you, it's really going to be a discussion at your table about opportunities for joint meetings, what needs to be nation to nation, or nation to, I'll just call you a nation, you know, what needs to be that way.

[1:38:12] Voice 3: so it's your call I'm not suggesting you do it all that way but I do even if you decide you're

[1:38:19] Voice 3: not going to have the bigger meeting and you do want to have a meet and greet with each one I do

[1:38:24] Voice 3: suggest that you know what's coming up in the next year or two high level they start preparing for

[1:38:31] Voice 3: and with the engagement that you need to do being clear about your purpose you know do you just want

[1:38:43] Voice 3: them to review it and say that they reviewed it uh do you want feedback do you what does

[1:38:50] Voice 3: their feedback mean are you going to make any um changes because of feedback you got from them so

[1:39:00] Voice 3: you need to be very clear on what your purpose is if it's just information sharing and making

[1:39:07] Voice 3: sure they're aware of this uh work plan report whatever the document is you need to review

[1:39:12] Voice 3: you then just be transparent about that and uh but if there is opportunity uh for them to have

[1:39:21] Voice 3: meaningful contribution uh in in and collaborate with you on maybe some things that they think

[1:39:29] Voice 3: they would like to suggest for change um so just be really clear about your purpose uh there's

[1:39:36] Voice 3: A lot of times that we get called to consult or engage, but our voice isn't.

[1:39:44] Voice 3: I'll tell you, I go to these all the time with the province, with all of their legislative amendments that they're hoping to do because of DRIPA.

[1:39:53] Voice 3: We sit there and we tell them all the things that need to change and then it stops.

[1:40:00] Voice 3: We're putting it on pause. We'll come back to it.

[1:40:02] Voice 3: So what we're saying doesn't fit into the box that they've been put in and where they're allowed to make changes.

[1:40:11] Voice 3: So just be very clear on your intentions for the consultation.

[1:40:17] Voice 3: And if it's information sharing, then just just let the community know it's information sharing.

[1:40:24] Voice 3: We will consider if you have some feedback, but we can't guarantee that we can make any edits.

[1:40:29] Voice 3: you know those are the those are the um things that we need to know uh because if it's just

[1:40:36] Voice 3: information sharing send me the report i'll read it i don't need to meet with you um we don't have

[1:40:43] Voice 3: time and uh yeah so i just i i just suggest being very clear about your purpose and i don't suggest

[1:40:52] Voice 3: in any way if that doesn't work for you to have a big meet and greet with everybody please don't

[1:40:56] Voice 3: do that i'm just saying that meet and greet i think with some high level um overview of what's

[1:41:02] Voice 3: coming up and where you might want to share information or have collaborative conversations

[1:41:09] Voice 3: you can give them the heads up yeah the

[1:41:12] Voice 14: idea is the information meet and greet is the is the first

[1:41:17] Voice 14: step phase one and then phase two would be meeting with each nation individually and we are coming to

[1:41:22] Voice 14: to the table without a document and we're asking for code development oh

[1:41:26] Voice 3: nice so there you go yeah

[1:41:28] Voice 14: so i'm yeah so i'm glad to hear that you know it doesn't seem like a um a horrible idea to invite

[1:41:36] Voice 14: 32 nations to one information session the plan is to go to you know for any nations that are

[1:41:43] Voice 14: interested um yeah your nation as well definitely to be that to sit at the table together to speak

[1:41:50] Voice 14: think about it okay thank you good

[1:41:52] Voice 5: luck thank you thank you very much i'm not seeing any other

[1:41:58] Voice 5: hands up come on here is there any other questions i see toby i see yes toby elliott

[1:42:07] Voice 5: you know

[1:42:08] Voice 15: i'll always jump in if there's a chance for another question actually it's it's kind of a

[1:42:14] Voice 15: an invitation um i don't know if you know much about islands trust but we are in a very

[1:42:20] Voice 15: unique wonderful position of being able to go forward with the minister's directive to

[1:42:29] Voice 15: engage with nations in the trust area working towards consensus so there's several very large

[1:42:38] Voice 15: policy documents and and i think the innovative potential in the islands trust mandate to protect

[1:42:45] Voice 15: and preserve in cooperation with First Nations really has not been exercised or operationalized.

[1:42:56] Voice 15: And I'd love to see when there is time and space, who and where will we develop a model

[1:43:07] Voice 15: for co-governance in the trust area?

[1:43:09] Voice 15: I think this is one government that actually, not because we have capacity, but because

[1:43:15] Voice 15: we have the mandate, the legislative mandate does exist, that a model or a framework could

[1:43:22] Voice 15: be developed in an area and then expanded to other areas. So if there's interest in

[1:43:28] Voice 15: Cowichan tribes, I think particularly with regard to the conservancy, we have very exciting

[1:43:38] Voice 15: horizons to look to that the minister has directed us to actually engage with nations

[1:43:45] Voice 15: on the philosophy of conservation so really challenging the colonial structure and framework

[1:43:53] Voice 15: and asking those questions with a deep um with a mind and a heart to listen and to

[1:44:03] Voice 15: create something new that is truly collaborative so i would just i hope we can we can work together

[1:44:13] Voice 15: with that vision i think islands trust is the leadership is looking towards that

[1:44:21] Voice 15: residents in the trust area are struggling with other other concerns taxation and property values

[1:44:28] Voice 15: among them um but we do have very strong directives from from the ministry itself so that is our our

[1:44:36] Voice 15: governance and sort of our marching orders and and i really would look to the chair to um and

[1:44:43] Voice 15: and the chair of the conservancy to to invite that conversation of true collaboration so thank you

[1:44:49] Voice 15: for giving us some hints and clues today well

[1:44:54] Voice 3: it sounds exciting i know our lands and resource

[1:44:56] Voice 3: department would love it because that's one of the things we face um uh consistently when you

[1:45:03] Voice 3: look at resource um extraction from our area uh the water is conservation and um and looking at

[1:45:12] Voice 3: a first nation's um first nation's values and beliefs and understanding and teachings around

[1:45:20] Voice 3: conservation and being able to share that and come to some um i like that the philosophy of

[1:45:27] Voice 3: conservation so i think that's definitely an invite we would welcome and have some team that

[1:45:33] Voice 3: would would welcome that conversation and collaborate on something like that and i'm really

[1:45:40] Voice 3: glad that i was able to share i was like what am i going to talk about um i always doubt myself

[1:45:47] Voice 3: when i come to these things because i think i don't have as much to contribute as maybe sometimes

[1:45:52] Voice 3: sometimes people get out of it but I appreciate all the questions and the opportunity to to meet

[1:45:59] Voice 3: you all and talk to you and with the work that you shared in your questions about what's coming

[1:46:05] Voice 3: up I'm sure I'll meet some of you again very soon because I usually end up at these these meetings

[1:46:13] Voice 3: I don't mind but yeah

[1:46:17] Voice 5: well I really appreciate Stephanie and we've heard loud and clear of

[1:46:23] Voice 5: showing up with an open mind and hearts forward um a desire to to move forward is is not our

[1:46:32] Voice 5: challenge i know ceo brony just delivered us an operational report and said your your desires are

[1:46:38] Voice 5: here your capacity's here we need we need to work on it ourselves and we are working away on these

[1:46:44] Voice 5: things um so it's it's always we always are kind of i'm i know i'm always nervous when i can't start

[1:46:52] Voice 5: start something if i can't finish yeah what's the next step and i think i've heard you we just need

[1:46:57] Voice 5: to initiate that conversation and show up and be very honest about our our own capacity and our

[1:47:02] Voice 5: own challenges yes

[1:47:04] Voice 3: that we're

[1:47:05] Voice 5: transparent fully yes

[1:47:07] Voice 3: so uh yeah well it was really nice to meet

[1:47:11] Voice 3: you all i need to jump into my next one but uh yeah i'll see some of you soon and maybe all of

[1:47:17] Voice 3: view i'm not sure okay well thank

[1:47:20] Voice 5: you so much stephanie thank you yes

[1:47:23] Voice 3: hey gus yeah hey all

[1:47:26] Voice 5: right well trustees um our our executive committee we have a meeting that was actually

[1:47:35] Voice 5: embedded within our meeting i really want to thank the island stress conservancy board i'm

[1:47:39] Voice 5: enjoying uh working more closely with you and having you present in our our meetings and really

[1:47:46] Voice 5: really look forward to our, a stronger relationship between Trust Council and the

[1:47:51] Voice 5: Islands Trust Conservancy, because I think we have far more power together than I think we

[1:47:58] Voice 5: realize sometimes. And I'm excited about the journeys that we're on. So Vice Chairs, I think

[1:48:04] Voice 5: we're at the end of our meeting today. And I just need a motion to adjourn. So moved.

[1:48:12] Voice 5: Thank you, Vice Chair Elliott. Is there a second? I see from Vice Chair Maude. So the executive committee is adjourned. And I want to thank again the Conservancy board members and staff for joining us today. And that was exciting.