Islands Trust Council regular meeting, March 12, 2026

[0:00:00] Trustee Patrick: along the beautiful, beautiful river here.

[0:00:05] Trustee Patrick: Trustees, for today,

[0:00:07] Trustee Patrick: I just would like to go back

[0:00:10] Trustee Patrick: and finish a couple of items first

[0:00:12] Trustee Patrick: that are before us.

[0:00:14] Trustee Patrick: Items 7.2.5 in the addendum

[0:00:17] Trustee Patrick: as well as 12.2.1 in the addendum.

[0:00:21] Trustee Patrick: And there are a few items

[0:00:23] Trustee Patrick: that we had dropped off before

[0:00:26] Trustee Patrick: in Section 7,

[0:00:29] Trustee Patrick: but both 723 and 724 could be deferred to a later meeting.

[0:00:34] Trustee Patrick: So that's my proposal right now is that we defer those two items,

[0:00:39] Trustee Patrick: start with 725 in the addendum, 12.1,

[0:00:42] Trustee Patrick: and then carry on with trust area services.

[0:00:50] Trustee Patrick: We do have a break this morning at some point around 1030-ish,

[0:00:57] Trustee Patrick: lunch at noon and then we're aiming to wrap up at 2 30 today with everyone's help and with that

[0:01:05] Trustee Patrick: we will begin then with item 725 in the addendum which is the ratification of the accessibility

[0:01:15] Trustee Patrick: committee appointments request for decision on page 15 and i welcome director marler to the

[0:01:20] Trustee Patrick: podium yeah

[0:01:22] Voice 9: so this is trust council policy 231 is the accessibility committee is appointed

[0:01:29] Voice 9: after we do some advertising by the executive committee and it requires ratification by trust

[0:01:35] Voice 9: council so on february 25th executive committee in camera considered several new members which

[0:01:44] Voice 9: which they appointed. So I came out of camera and then did the appointment. So this is before

[0:01:50] Voice 9: you. The resolution is that Trust Council ratify the February 25, 2026 Executive Committee

[0:01:57] Voice 9: appointments to the Accessibility Committee. The names of those people are in the report

[0:02:03] Voice 9: and you'll see them, sorry, you will see them on the top of page 16 of the addendum.

[0:02:12] Voice 9: Any

[0:02:15] Trustee Patrick: questions for the director? Not seeing any. Is someone willing to advance the resolution on page 15 of the addendum? Trustee Gavril.

[0:02:31] Voice 14: Thank you. I move that Trust Council ratify the February 25th, 2026 Executive Committee Appointments to the Accessibility Committee.

[0:02:43] Voice 14: committee is

[0:02:44] Trustee Patrick: there a second seconded by trustee yates is there any discussion not seeing any i'd

[0:02:52] Trustee Patrick: like to call a vote all those in favor please raise your hands 19

[0:03:04] Voice 9: in favor all

[0:03:06] Trustee Patrick: right lower your

[0:03:07] Trustee Patrick: hands any anyone opposed that carries all right thank you trustees we're going to carry on then

[0:03:19] Trustee Patrick: with item 12.2.1 in the addendum which is a request for trust council sponsorship of temporary

[0:03:28] Trustee Patrick: a use permit application fee request for decision it's on page 17 of the addendum package and i'm

[0:03:35] Trustee Patrick: going to welcome director cermak to the podium thank

[0:03:44] Voice 11: you terry good morning trust council i'll

[0:03:46] Voice 11: keep this nice and quick you have before you a free sponsorship application for the tune of 2

[0:03:51] Voice 11: 282 dollars it's for a temporary use permit to host a festival with a community workshop

[0:03:57] Voice 11: group activities and music on the subject property on hornby island there is approximately eight

[0:04:02] Voice 11: $8,500 available in the budget, so more than enough to cover

[0:04:06] Voice 11: this sponsorship, and the application meets

[0:04:09] Voice 11: the requirements with interest policies. Therefore, staff recommend approval of the

[0:04:14] Voice 11: request.

[0:04:15] Trustee Patrick: I think you meant Main Island.

[0:04:18] Voice 11: I did. Where did it warn me? Oh, this is another subject matter. My apologies.

[0:04:23] Trustee Patrick: That's all right. Are there any questions for the director?

[0:04:31] Trustee Patrick: No questions? Is there someone? Trustee Evans?

[0:04:36] Voice 19: I guess my question is, is this a single-use, temporary-use permit for a single, you said this is for a festival, or is this going to be a multi-year one?

[0:04:54] Voice 11: Thank you to the Chair. I don't know the answer to that question. This is just a fee sponsorship, but I suspect a temporary-use permit is generally more than one year, but that will be up to the main island LTC to decide.

[0:05:06] Voice 11: side.

[0:05:08] Trustee Patrick: There are no further questions. Trustee Maberly.

[0:05:12] Voice 28: Thank you, Chair. I move that the Trust

[0:05:14] Voice 28: Council approve financial sponsorship of $2,282 for temporary use permit application MAPLTUP

[0:05:23] Voice 28: 2026-0035.

[0:05:25] Trustee Patrick: Before it's seconded, I did notice another question on the screen. So if we can

[0:05:29] Trustee Patrick: just hold off on the seconding of that motion, Trustee Morrison.

[0:05:33] Voice 27: So just to be clear, this isn't

[0:05:37] Voice 27: to cost to us because this is a pain from one pot into another correct

[0:05:42] Trustee Patrick: yes yes you're correct

[0:05:47] Trustee Patrick: thank

[0:05:48] Voice 27: you okay

[0:05:50] Trustee Patrick: so the motion's been made is there a second motion seconded by trustee elliott

[0:05:54] Trustee Patrick: is there any discussion not seeing any i'm going to call the vote all those in favor raise your

[0:06:02] Trustee Patrick: hands lower your hands any opposed and that carries and i should say that's also in this

[0:06:23] Trustee Patrick: year's budget so it's the current budget all right i think that completes the items in the

[0:06:31] Trustee Patrick: addendum that we received that's excellent now we're going to begin on day three in section 13

[0:06:40] Trustee Patrick: of the agenda package for trust services i see director frader making her way to the podium

[0:06:49] Trustee Patrick: there's one consent item there which is the director's quarterly report does anyone have

[0:06:55] Trustee Patrick: any questions on that report not seeing any can we by general consent uh island stress council adopt

[0:07:05] Trustee Patrick: the rec the take for information trust area services quarterly report thank you so this

[0:07:14] Trustee Patrick: brings us to item 13.2.1 on page 584 of the agenda package this is the indigenous relations action

[0:07:22] Trustee Patrick: Action Plan 2026-28, Request for Decision.

[0:07:26] Trustee Patrick: I'll now invite Director Frater to introduce this.

[0:07:33] Voice 20: Thank you, Chair.

[0:07:34] Voice 20: I'm just going to bring up my notes here.

[0:07:36] Voice 20: Good morning, Trust Council.

[0:07:37] Voice 20: It's nice to be here.

[0:07:39] Voice 20: Yes, we're happy to bring you a draft Indigenous Relations Action Plan.

[0:07:46] Voice 20: It's being brought to you today for general comment and feedback and endorsement,

[0:07:50] Voice 20: but the intention of staff is to continue to refine it

[0:07:54] Voice 20: working with, you know,

[0:07:56] Voice 20: to receive more comment and feedback in order to bring it back to you in

[0:07:59] Voice 20: June. I just want to acknowledge we have Joe Elliott here today, who worked very closely and

[0:08:04] Voice 20: helped lead development of this plan, along with so many other people on staff who have contributed

[0:08:10] Voice 20: thoughtful comments over multiple years, all of which has been collated and provided here for you.

[0:08:16] Voice 20: It is informed also by the suggestions and feedback from Indigenous governing bodies and

[0:08:20] Voice 20: knowledge holders and staff suggestions, co-salish knowledge, and also include some recommendations

[0:08:25] Voice 20: from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The intent and commitment of the plan is a

[0:08:30] Voice 20: willingness to work in new ways and take the time needed to improve our systems, processes,

[0:08:36] Voice 20: and activities in a way that really changes us at an organizational level. We want to take

[0:08:42] Voice 20: responsibility for reviewing the methodologies, having conversations, and developing new processes

[0:08:47] Voice 20: and policies that are key to really foundational change management. Recognizing that relationship

[0:08:53] Voice 20: building is not a checklist or a conventional assessment process with time limit of outcomes

[0:08:59] Voice 20: will be really important to moving this forward. So we're going to move at the pace that is needed

[0:09:03] Voice 20: to really get this right and do it in a respectful way. Finally, we just really want to make clear

[0:09:11] Voice 20: that relationship building cannot occur without addressing anti-Indigenous specific racism

[0:09:15] Voice 20: at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels.

[0:09:19] Voice 20: This form of racism is embedded in colonial laws, policies,

[0:09:23] Voice 20: professional practice, and decision-making structures

[0:09:25] Voice 20: that continue to shape outcomes.

[0:09:28] Voice 20: So as we take on this work, it's going to be really important

[0:09:31] Voice 20: to challenge those past practices and assumptions and biases

[0:09:35] Voice 20: and just be really honest with each other

[0:09:37] Voice 20: and continue moving forward in a brave way.

[0:09:40] Voice 20: As we implement this, we're going to be undertaking learning,

[0:09:44] Voice 20: self-reflection and accountability from everyone and look forward to your

[0:09:48] Voice 20: comments and feedback so that we can get it right and move forward you'll note

[0:09:54] Voice 20: that it's a two-year plan this is intentional so that now that you've

[0:09:57] Voice 20: approved a manager coming in the manager can help us work on the plan but also

[0:10:02] Voice 20: provides a bridge so we've got some activities underway it is not a

[0:10:06] Voice 20: reconciliation plan this is about indigenous relationships for us with the

[0:10:11] Voice 20: think it reflects the stage at which we're at now as an organization to build towards

[0:10:17] Voice 20: good relationships that then are a good foundation for moving forward into bolder action.

[0:10:23] Voice 20: We encourage you to act on commitments with open hearts and minds, embrace the challenges of

[0:10:28] Voice 20: working together. And I'll finally, I'll note that this plan, ideally all the policies and

[0:10:35] Voice 20: activities in it will work together to reduce any risks associated with non-approval of bylaws that

[0:10:39] Voice 20: move forward there's an immense amount of work that goes into development of local trust committee

[0:10:43] Voice 20: bylaws and other bylaws and if we can get it right and have good strong processes underneath us

[0:10:49] Voice 20: it really reduces risks associated with all of that work not being successful when it reaches

[0:10:54] Voice 20: the minister's desk our intention is that this is a living document so over the two-year um

[0:11:01] Voice 20: time frame if we note that there's changes needed or additional activities we can come back to trust

[0:11:06] Voice 20: council and have it amended by trust council to reflect those changes so if the new manager arrives

[0:11:11] Voice 20: and has a different vision or something certainly the intention is to come back over that two-year

[0:11:15] Voice 20: time frame and and tweak it as necessary i'll turn to joe and see if there's anything else

[0:11:21] Voice 20: you'd like to add otherwise we'd really welcome your feedback thank

[0:11:27] Voice 26: you claire no i don't really

[0:11:29] Voice 26: have anything i just want to emphasize on the importance of the team working together and

[0:11:33] Voice 26: developing this um relationship plan um it definitely gives us a scope in regards to how

[0:11:38] Voice 26: how we can focus and move forward and build a relationship with First Nations.

[0:11:42] Voice 26: And I think that's the beginning part in defining who we are and how to define reconciliation.

[0:11:47] Voice 26: But, you know, a lot of times when our First Nations are working with governance,

[0:11:51] Voice 26: we develop a framework that we think is meaningful and reachable.

[0:11:57] Voice 26: But at times when we get down to the groundwork, it's almost like we're going back to the beginning

[0:12:02] Voice 26: and building that relationship with our First Nations.

[0:12:03] Voice 26: And I think that's the priority, is moving forward, building that respectful relationship with the First Nations, the Indigenous government bodies, and everything else will fall into place.

[0:12:14] Voice 26: Rather than working at defining what reconciliation is, working with the nations to define what reconciliation means to the nations.

[0:12:21] Voice 26: And it's developing that process, building that relationship.

[0:12:25] Voice 26: And I think, you know, we're not here where we're at in regards to building strong relationships with First Nations.

[0:12:31] Voice 26: We're here because of the great work that the land planners, Claire and the trustees

[0:12:37] Voice 26: and how we're working together to move forward, and I just want to emphasize that in a good

[0:12:42] Voice 26: way.

[0:12:42] Voice 26: So thanks.

[0:12:45] Trustee Patrick: All right.

[0:12:46] Trustee Patrick: Well, thank you, Director Frater.

[0:12:48] Trustee Patrick: Thank you, Joe Elliott.

[0:12:50] Trustee Patrick: Any questions regarding this plan, staff?

[0:12:55] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Bernardo.

[0:12:59] Voice 10: Yeah.

[0:12:59] Voice 10: Two questions about the plan.

[0:13:02] Voice 10: plan the first one is um uh i'm curious about what the um most prominent contributions from igbs

[0:13:12] Voice 10: to developing the plan uh might have been or what they were uh what i'm getting at i'm just

[0:13:17] Voice 10: curious about what their advice was at least to date as you've been working on the plan but their

[0:13:22] Voice 10: advice is how can we um best approach the development of good relationships you know

[0:13:28] Voice 10: What are they saying? I mean, the document here is, you know, it is what it has to be.

[0:13:33] Voice 10: It's very formal. I'm just curious about really what the perspective is, the real time perspective, not in the abstract,

[0:13:42] Voice 10: but the real time perspective of the things that IGB thinks that we can improve to move things along.

[0:13:49] Voice 10: The other question is, the plan assumes that we are going to have our manager of Indigenous relations and that we will.

[0:14:00] Voice 10: I'm not quite sure how to phrase this

[0:14:02] Voice 10: but to what extent does developing this plan now tie the hands

[0:14:06] Voice 10: of the manager of the Indigenous Relations? Is it going to be something like

[0:14:10] Voice 10: that person comes in and they're given the framework or

[0:14:15] Voice 10: is this going to be flexible so the new manager

[0:14:18] Voice 10: can adapt and change the framework as they do the work?

[0:14:22] Voice 10: Thank you.

[0:14:23] Voice 20: Dr. Britten? I'll start and then

[0:14:27] Voice 20: And maybe I'll turn to Joe Elliott to supplement.

[0:14:29] Voice 20: In terms of what we're hearing from nations, I think a lot of it is around respectful conduct from the trust.

[0:14:35] Voice 20: So on an administrative level, when they speak with us now, they're often having to speak to different bodies and different staff, people who aren't communicating amongst each other.

[0:14:45] Voice 20: So it can become quite repetitive for the nation having to share its values, priorities, feedback between different offices and different teams without the Islands Trust being internally coordinated to already have shared that information internally.

[0:14:57] Voice 20: And that can seem quite wasteful and disrespectful of their time and effort. So I think that's one of the key pieces we've had, that there's a need for more internal coordination and better retention around what is being shared with us so that we can really help them have more capacity to deal with us by not having to constantly provide that.

[0:15:15] Voice 20: So you'll see that reflected in the plan here around a lot more documentation procedures and ensuring that we work more broadly as a whole of government approach to Islands Trust.

[0:15:25] Voice 20: I would say that's really one of the key themes we've had.

[0:15:28] Voice 20: Another is working on a referral process, which you know is underway, to try and find ways that are custom to each nation's needs around how to provide the information in an efficient manner through the manner that works best for that nation,

[0:15:42] Voice 20: whether it's a change in how we deliver the information, how we structure it, how we name

[0:15:46] Voice 20: files, like really specific pieces. So those would be some overarching themes that are really

[0:15:52] Voice 20: at a practical level. And I would say they're looking for, in terms of at the more philosophical

[0:15:57] Voice 20: level, looking for Islands Trust to be consistent in its commitments. So it's fine to say we have

[0:16:04] Voice 20: a reconciliated declaration, but they're looking for that commitment to be implemented in a

[0:16:09] Voice 20: a consistent, coherent way over time. So we can be a trusted partner to work with, that there'll

[0:16:15] Voice 20: be an ongoing commitment, because they have a lot of priorities, and they want to invest

[0:16:19] Voice 20: where it makes sense for them. And they can see that there will be a durable commitment

[0:16:22] Voice 20: and a durable relationship. I'll look to Joe Elliott and see if there's anything,

[0:16:26] Voice 20: or the staff at the table, see if there's anything further to supplement.

[0:16:31] Voice 20: Okay, and then with regard to your second question around the manager, as I noted,

[0:16:35] Voice 20: this is intended to be a living document. It's a bit more like a work plan. Certainly, I think

[0:16:40] Voice 20: our intention would be it takes a while to settle into a new job and this is a plan for the whole

[0:16:44] Voice 20: organization multiple teams will be working on this all at once and so it allows us to you know

[0:16:49] Voice 20: start this if a manager comes in and has a different vision certainly we'll bring that back

[0:16:53] Voice 20: to you and adjust it but i would think many of these activities are already underway or need to

[0:16:58] Voice 20: happen regardless of the new vision of someone um so certainly you know we will be using adaptive

[0:17:04] Voice 20: management as we go forward should the manager come in and have a new approach follow up go

[0:17:10] Voice 20: Very

[0:17:11] Voice 10: quick follow-up. In terms of not sending either mixed signals or just separate from that, just not creating a situation where it's just confusing where IGBs have to deal with multiple voices and they're not sure who's speaking for what, there is a distinction between the ITC and the rest of the trust.

[0:17:34] Voice 10: Trust. Have we communicated that clearly enough that that IGBs are comfortable with that distinction

[0:17:41] Voice 10: that they're dealing with the ITC is a different thing than dealing with the rest of the organization?

[0:17:48] Voice 20: If I might, Chair, can I clarify by ITC, do you mean Islands Trust Council or Islands Trust

[0:17:52] Voice 20: Conservancy? The Conservancy, yes. I think there is a general understanding from nations that

[0:17:57] Voice 20: they're different bodies. One of the products you'll see that we're proposing to put together

[0:18:01] Voice 20: is sort of a primer on islands trust that can be provided to the indigenous governing body staff

[0:18:06] Voice 20: when we work with them and when new staff get hired we can share that as background so when

[0:18:11] Voice 20: they engage with us they have an understanding of how are we structured and what are our powers and

[0:18:15] Voice 20: how do they differ from local governments so that we can then be really upfront and transparent

[0:18:19] Voice 20: about that but i would say with the people i've engaged with there's good understanding

[0:18:23] Voice 20: about the trust and the different powers within the different bodies

[0:18:26] Voice 20: all

[0:18:28] Trustee Patrick: right Campbell then

[0:18:29] Voice 20: Evans yeah

[0:18:33] Voice 24: thank you um I guess we've been talking about these new

[0:18:37] Voice 24: positions and now this new action plan and I I've been struggling with voting yay or nay for them

[0:18:47] Voice 24: and I'm the reason being was I believe we had two um presentations from two different people

[0:18:56] Voice 24: early on in our term where we were basically informed that we are working bottom up in a

[0:19:06] Voice 24: system that is somewhat imperfect and that we were ahead of where we should be in accordance

[0:19:18] Voice 24: with the federal and the province and so when we're creating something like this

[0:19:26] Voice 24: what really is the framework that we're following or are we just winging it because it seems like

[0:19:35] Voice 24: something a direction that we need to be going and I don't mean that to be disrespectful of the

[0:19:41] Voice 24: work that's being done I'm just I'm really curious about the validity of these things that we're

[0:19:47] Voice 24: putting forward if it's not our place to be the ones to be putting them forward I

[0:19:58] Voice 20: can start with

[0:19:59] Voice 23: with an answer

[0:20:00] Voice 20: to that. I see the chair may also have comments. In response to that, I will

[0:20:05] Voice 20: state that I think it's the responsibility of all levels of government to work on reconciliation and

[0:20:10] Voice 20: to work to improve relationships with Indigenous communities. I would say especially so in the

[0:20:14] Voice 20: islands when there is so much heritage and such connection of Indigenous people to these islands

[0:20:20] Voice 20: for which these are spiritual, historic, and ongoing relationship with the islands. So in

[0:20:28] Voice 20: in order to make good decisions, you need information from all sources, which includes

[0:20:32] Voice 20: the really important feedback and knowledge of Indigenous communities. So to do that, I think you

[0:20:38] Voice 20: need to have good relationships. You need to have good processes that facilitate that knowledge

[0:20:43] Voice 20: sharing. I would say that both at a moral level, but also a practical one. For your bylaws to make

[0:20:49] Voice 20: it through the minister, there's an ever-increasing expectation that you're going to work towards

[0:20:54] Voice 20: you know work towards consensus with nations and you're going to work together to find a path

[0:20:59] Voice 20: forward for island communities indigenous communities that works for the betterment of

[0:21:05] Voice 20: all and for the betterment of the islands so it's with that perspective that we bring forward this

[0:21:09] Voice 20: you know quite administrative plan to really help facilitate that with regard to broader

[0:21:15] Voice 20: discussions at the federal and provincial governments those are those are happening

[0:21:18] Voice 20: those are all around us but this plan is focused on the good work of islands trust council

[0:21:22] Voice 20: implementing your reconciliation declaration and trying to just move us forward in a good way that

[0:21:28] Voice 20: advances the good relationships that you are all having with Indigenous leadership and that we're

[0:21:32] Voice 20: having at the administrative level. I would turn to the chair and also just ask if that's

[0:21:38] Voice 20: a sufficient answer and see if there's anything from the staff table to supplement that large

[0:21:42] Voice 20: question. The

[0:21:44] Trustee Patrick: only thing I would add is our declaration was made in March of 2019 at Trust

[0:21:49] Trustee Patrick: Council. And this is about our work, our work of creating better relationships. And it's a long

[0:21:59] Trustee Patrick: term commitment to create those better relationships. And there's the Truth and

[0:22:05] Trustee Patrick: Reconciliation Commission. There's Goal 43. There's a number of guiding principles that we

[0:22:12] Trustee Patrick: look to, but it's our commitment to build this relationship. This is the work that we committed

[0:22:17] Trustee Patrick: to do and to move forward in a in a much better way okay thank you um what

[0:22:27] Voice 19: did i say there evans

[0:22:28] Voice 19: then bolin oh thank you and thank you trustee campbell for the segue into uh what i was going

[0:22:35] Voice 19: to say um so on page 94 in the agenda at the bottom number two there is a statement that says

[0:22:43] Voice 19: supports efforts to co-develop planning land use management and land protection processes

[0:22:48] Voice 19: SESIs with the IGBs within the Islands Trust area. We had a discussion on this at

[0:22:54] Voice 19: interest programs and it was a very good discussion. It brought a lot of clarity to

[0:23:01] Voice 19: why we're going down this route, why it's important, why it's beneficial to us as a

[0:23:08] Voice 19: governing body and how it ties into the way that the provincial government is setting us up to do

[0:23:15] Voice 19: our work um and so i did want to turn this back over to staff rater to go into this again in a bit

[0:23:22] Voice 19: more detail as far as this is our work with first nations and indigenous governing bodies

[0:23:31] Voice 19: to work together on the processes that surround our referral process it refers it goes around

[0:23:38] Voice 19: our engagement. It goes around how we work internally with Indigenous governing bodies

[0:23:46] Voice 19: and also helping identify where potential legislative changes may occur. So I just

[0:23:54] Voice 19: wanted to hand this back over to Staff Raider because I know she's got better insight into this,

[0:23:59] Voice 19: but it was a good discussion. So I did want to bring this out in the public Trust Council

[0:24:04] Voice 19: council forum, rather than just keeping it at the trust programs level.

[0:24:14] Voice 20: Certainly, I didn't hear a question there. But what I can say is, I think Trustee Evans has

[0:24:17] Voice 20: captured it quite well, that as we move into deeper relationship, there's a desire to make

[0:24:23] Voice 20: sure the process that we're using work for everyone, and that we can work at an early

[0:24:27] Voice 20: stage with Indigenous communities and leadership to bring things forward in a good cooperative

[0:24:33] Voice 20: manner. So there's efficiencies for both and it leads to good decision making that reduces

[0:24:39] Voice 20: conflict by the time we get to good decisions. We've had all perspectives heard and the processes

[0:24:44] Voice 20: are brought together in a good way together in a way that works for both parties, I think. And

[0:24:50] Voice 20: this is true of all levels of government that we work with. We try to get early input and work

[0:24:54] Voice 20: together in a way that leads to a good decision and in a cost efficient, practical way that leads

[0:25:00] Voice 20: to good relationship and good outcomes so that's the that's at the heart of all of this I would say

[0:25:05] Voice 20: and I think I look to the staff table that's really our goal that we're working towards together

[0:25:09] Voice 20: is to try and come up with that and it's it's hard work right we're turning a very big ship in a new

[0:25:13] Voice 20: direction and I'll acknowledge it's you know there there are some waves that are bumpy and some that

[0:25:18] Voice 20: are smooth and and then we're doing this and it's a commitment over time to just work in a good way

[0:25:23] Voice 20: and work with a good heart and you know there'll be some bumps but I think we're doing it and I

[0:25:27] Voice 20: i really look at this table and there's been a lot of commitment through this term to try and do

[0:25:31] Voice 20: things differently and to try and be bold and brave and you know it takes some courage to try

[0:25:36] Voice 20: and shift old practices and bring your communities with you as you do so um acknowledging this is you

[0:25:42] Voice 20: know at the end of the day about friendship community and it's it's all the good that's

[0:25:45] Voice 20: about the islands trust and all the care that people have for these islands bringing it forward

[0:25:49] Voice 20: in a way that people work together in a good way yeah

[0:25:55] Voice 19: sorry i just wanted to have a quick

[0:25:56] Voice 19: follow-up statement as well um this is a bottom-up working togetherness process versus a top-down

[0:26:04] Voice 19: uh federal or provincial direction i mean there

[0:26:08] Voice 19: is some in there but this is this is good relations

[0:26:11] Voice 19: starting with us through willingness versus being mandated i

[0:26:18] Voice 23: would

[0:26:19] Voice 20: say yes i would say i mean i see

[0:26:22] Voice 20: see the leadership from this table that this is your this is your vision and this is led by

[0:26:28] Voice 20: islands trust that said if you want to have bylaws that are approved by the minister you're going to

[0:26:33] Voice 20: have to develop them in future in a way that respects your relationship with indigenous peoples

[0:26:37] Voice 20: and demonstrates that you've listened closely to what their requests have been of your decision

[0:26:42] Voice 20: making so i would say it's both but i would say the primary driver is the commitment of the people

[0:26:46] Voice 20: in this room and online around how you want to conduct yourselves and how you want to advance

[0:26:51] Voice 20: advance reconciliation at this time in Canadian society? How do you want to move yourselves

[0:26:55] Voice 20: forward? And I've really seen the leadership from this body, but it's all levels of government are

[0:27:00] Voice 20: moving in a new way towards how they're doing their work. Thank you. Trustee Boland, then Elliot.

[0:27:13] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Boland? Yeah, it looks like it's frozen. Okay, I'm going to move on to Trustee Elliot,

[0:27:22] Trustee Patrick: and hopefully Trustee Boland can reconnect.

[0:27:26] Voice 12: Well, thank you. I sent a number of, well,

[0:27:29] Voice 12: Well, thank you, first of all, for this work.

[0:27:31] Voice 12: I know it's been a long time coming.

[0:27:33] Voice 12: Both you and Joe Elliott have really worked hard,

[0:27:38] Voice 12: and I think it's a very strong framework.

[0:27:41] Voice 12: I really like how the goals set out sort of the direction.

[0:27:46] Voice 12: So I have a few comments, but in the interest of time,

[0:27:51] Voice 12: I'll try to just be quick, and I've sent you an email.

[0:27:56] Voice 12: So in the context of reconciliation, Joe,

[0:27:59] Voice 12: Jo, you mentioned, you know, working together with First Nations to define what reconciliation means.

[0:28:05] Voice 12: I think that might be important to foreground. That is a goal that we don't want to define reconciliation.

[0:28:11] Voice 12: This is a process to articulate it in partnership.

[0:28:16] Voice 12: So I think that we could work a little bit on the preamble as well as what vision are we working towards.

[0:28:23] Voice 12: Claire, you suggested the impacts of, or rather not wasting First Nations time being a trusted partner. I think if that is the vision, is it just institutional stability? Is it administrative coherence, improving our systems and processes, better relationships with First Nations?

[0:28:43] Voice 12: I think we could capture a little bit more clearly that vision that we're working towards.

[0:28:48] Voice 12: So I wouldn't mind seeing something clearer there.

[0:28:52] Voice 12: I do think the timelines for some of the actions are not really realistic.

[0:28:57] Voice 12: There's a lot there.

[0:28:58] Voice 12: Maybe we could look at those again, focusing on realistic actions that need to take place immediately and maybe build towards what are the future ones, you know, to support this goal's direction.

[0:29:11] Voice 12: and then I have a suggestion to combine goals three and four making more institutional space

[0:29:18] Voice 12: for Indigenous relations and building a strong administrative foundation are similar so I'll

[0:29:24] Voice 12: come back to my other points to give others some space thanks thank

[0:29:27] Trustee Patrick: you uh trustee Boland are you

[0:29:31] Trustee Patrick: connected now yes

[0:29:34] Voice 21: I am sorry I dropped out I won't turn my video on because it may destabilize

[0:29:40] Voice 21: everything um so thank you for um this and the discussion um what i miss in this document i mean

[0:29:49] Voice 21: it's it's perfectly good document with a lot of good actions is uh the role of trustees

[0:29:56] Voice 21: it is in almost entire i mean i think i did

[0:30:00] Voice 21: find where it said okay um teach trustees you know how to greet in indigenous languages

[0:30:07] Voice 21: um so there's a very small space for trustees and that's my frustration as long as i've been

[0:30:13] Voice 21: a trustee and i hear what the indigenous bodies are saying about confusion and inconsistency

[0:30:21] Voice 21: because i too i feel i have no picture no clear picture of what's going on and what we intend

[0:30:28] Voice 21: I intend to do, consistent or otherwise.

[0:30:33] Voice 21: And, you know, I'm on Saterna and maybe we haven't done an OCP overhaul, etc., which means that we haven't had to sit down and, you know, try and engage with First Nations on a particular substantive piece of work.

[0:30:52] Voice 21: But in a general sense, I have had very limited exposure and very limited conversations with First Nations people.

[0:31:02] Voice 21: I hear about it at Trust Council that it's happening on Laskete or in other places, but I don't get feedback on any of those meetings that are held and what was discussed and what was achieved and what the goal and the outcomes were.

[0:31:20] Voice 21: And so I look at this plan and it's staff to staff. Fair enough. But I don't see what the role is for me or trustees who follow me. I feel like we're not included. And, you know, if we're included, it's by virtue of being generally included in a policy that's being created.

[0:31:44] Voice 21: And I also would echo what Trustee Campbell perhaps said, I see my time is up, I'll just finish with this, is I think everything that's in it is good, but I'm missing the guide rails, the sort of where are we going with this?

[0:32:00] Voice 21: What is the end point in the sense that how are we directed to execute our responsibilities other than to meet and greet and talk, which is fine.

[0:32:15] Voice 21: But I don't see what the outcome is going to be other than a good relationship.

[0:32:22] Voice 21: Thank you.

[0:32:23] Voice 20: Thank you.

[0:32:27] Voice 20: I can offer some comment on that, that I think the vision of how you want to move forward is to be set by this table and by yourselves.

[0:32:35] Voice 20: So I would say you've written to the province saying you want to change the governance of Islands Trust to better incorporate Indigenous leadership and values into the organization.

[0:32:44] Voice 20: That has been a statement of this body.

[0:32:47] Voice 20: I would say there are multiple opportunities for trustees to get to know Indigenous leadership.

[0:32:52] Voice 20: you know simply you can simply you know ask to attend their meetings go for coffee we have the

[0:32:59] Voice 20: UBCM community to community grant program if you wanted to have some kind of community building

[0:33:04] Voice 20: relationship where you can get to know Indigenous leadership better certainly that's a method where

[0:33:09] Voice 20: we can ask for some funds to support those relationships and I think it really does

[0:33:13] Voice 20: depend on the communities that you're working with and I understand you know some Indigenous

[0:33:17] Voice 20: leaders are really in demand there's a lot happening for them and so you have to build

[0:33:21] Voice 20: those relationships you know in that context um but i really think it's you know this plan is an

[0:33:27] Voice 20: administrative plan for us to as an organization move forward and i take that feedback maybe there

[0:33:32] Voice 20: is more we can add to the plan and i look forward to those comments around supporting you as

[0:33:36] Voice 20: leadership in building those relationships and i'd look forward to that feedback and how we could

[0:33:40] Voice 20: weave that in here um but yeah it's for it is for you as a body to determine how you want to have

[0:33:46] Voice 20: have relationship and how you want to move forward and in terms of that ultimate vision

[0:33:50] Voice 20: that needs to come from this table I think around how is it you want to move forward and what does

[0:33:55] Voice 20: the future look like so as staff I think I turn that back to you a little bit around I think it's

[0:34:00] Voice 20: for this body itself to determine where it wants to go in the future and how it wants Islands Trust

[0:34:05] Voice 20: to be as I will state I know for your bylaws the minister is certainly encouraging you and there

[0:34:11] Voice 20: is an expectation that you will be listening deeply and respectfully considering all the

[0:34:16] Voice 20: the feedback you have and demonstrating how you've dealt with each piece of feedback and

[0:34:20] Voice 20: considered it for your bylaws so there's that sort of administrative need to like really deeply

[0:34:25] Voice 20: consider what you're hearing but at the large governance level i think i'll turn that back to

[0:34:29] Voice 20: you in the chair around how how you do what is your vision and how do you want to move that forward

[0:34:34] Voice 20: and certainly happy to move that into this document as you wish

[0:34:37] Trustee Patrick: thank you thank you just

[0:34:39] Voice 21: Just a comment. Yeah, that's fine. But I will comment. I'll send back something. But I would welcome building out in this document specific activities or advice for trustees that includes trustees in this document more than it is at the moment. Thanks.

[0:35:01] Trustee Patrick: all right thank you and as we heard from the director at the beginning this is a draft

[0:35:04] Trustee Patrick: intended to grow so this is uh the kind of feedback that we need to to hear all right

[0:35:09] Trustee Patrick: trustee morrison then luckham thank

[0:35:12] Voice 27: you um thanks very much to all who've worked on this and i

[0:35:17] Voice 27: really appreciate seeing this because i remember when that reconciliation motion got put on the

[0:35:24] Voice 27: the table in 2019 and this is a long way from that so thank you for that I do

[0:35:32] Voice 27: want to echo and sort of maybe add a piece to what trustee Campbell said the

[0:35:38] Voice 27: legal briefing that we had and just to be clear that this is not about the

[0:35:44] Voice 27: ethical dimensions of choosing to do this administrative action plan okay

[0:35:51] Voice 27: OK, this is about our legal entanglement in the moment of what we have been guided on from our own lawyers.

[0:36:01] Voice 27: And I can't get too in depth in a public meeting about that.

[0:36:04] Voice 27: But just my understanding right now is that we can do particular things and other things we are constrained in some ways.

[0:36:18] Voice 27: and that is part of the messiness of reconciliation of working through a

[0:36:24] Voice 27: colonial system with a grassroots strategy to find a new way forward I do

[0:36:29] Voice 27: understand that so I guess I would just want to make sure in in the

[0:36:36] Voice 27: administrative work that there are very clear I don't know if it's guidelines or

[0:36:45] Voice 27: or goals or objectives, but something to try and untangle us from the messy legal situation that

[0:36:52] Voice 27: we're in. Because I don't want to over promise things to First Nations, to our communities that

[0:36:59] Voice 27: we actually don't have statutory authority to deliver. That's my biggest concern. Because in

[0:37:06] Voice 27: building a relationship, it is about trust. And it's about being able to say, yes, we can do the

[0:37:11] Voice 27: things that you know we are building towards um so i guess that's just a sort of thought into the

[0:37:19] Voice 27: space so thanks again for all this work

[0:37:21] Trustee Patrick: thank you trustee luckham and borthwick um

[0:37:30] Voice 6: thank you chair

[0:37:31] Voice 6: and um thank you to you trustees that have asked some very thoughtful questions there's a lot of

[0:37:43] Voice 6: of, this is very deep, requires serious reflection. I circled a

[0:37:53] Voice 6: sentence in this report at the beginning because it, for me,

[0:37:58] Voice 6: captured the essence of the reason for this work. And I'm

[0:38:03] Voice 6: just going to read that. The ongoing legacy of cultural

[0:38:07] Voice 6: erasure, neglect of ancestral sacred sites, and systemic

[0:38:13] Voice 6: Pandemic disregard for Indigenous presence has caused lasting harm and mistrust.

[0:38:22] Voice 6: Meaningful reconciliation requires truth-telling.

[0:38:28] Voice 6: And in those last two words is the essence of it.

[0:38:34] Voice 6: And each and every one of us, I think, need to embrace the essence of that truth-telling,

[0:38:42] Voice 6: but also truth hearing. This is a draft intended to grow because we're on a journey like a ship,

[0:38:58] Voice 6: somebody else said, slow to turn. You can't see the horizon. Honestly, we don't really know

[0:39:06] Voice 6: where this is going. All we have is a compass, moral compass. And so we are traveling this path

[0:39:15] Voice 6: and we will learn along the way and the friends that we meet along that way will help guide us

[0:39:22] Voice 6: to where we need to be but again self-awareness and truth um i am grateful to all of the staff

[0:39:33] Voice 6: that have contributed to this this discussion i would say is way easier than having crafted this

[0:39:40] Voice 6: It's a lot that had to come be pulled together and to stand behind, and I'm proud of all

[0:39:48] Voice 6: the individuals that have stood behind this and stood behind council and helping us find

[0:39:52] Voice 6: our way.

[0:39:54] Voice 6: There's a lot of talking, I apologize for that.

[0:39:57] Voice 6: But this is about each and every one of us, individuals, trustees, connecting with other

[0:40:06] Voice 6: individuals, Indigenous peoples, community and governance and leadership in a

[0:40:13] Voice 6: truthful way. We need to open our hearts and our minds to to take us past where

[0:40:24] Voice 6: we came from. We all have different histories. Our families have different

[0:40:28] Voice 6: histories. It hasn't been easy but I'll just say that racism continues to be

[0:40:39] Voice 6: in a kind term an undercurrent if but at at times it's an overwhelming flood that is not easy to get

[0:40:53] Voice 6: past because we've ended up in a situation where the disregard has caused lasting harm

[0:41:02] Voice 6: harm, we haven't necessarily always been conscious of that disregard, me included.

[0:41:11] Voice 6: And there's opportunities to learn.

[0:41:13] Voice 6: And this action plan is a methodology for us to advance that.

[0:41:20] Voice 6: But in order for us to advance that, each and every one of us needs to open our hearts,

[0:41:25] Voice 6: ask the questions for which you don't have the answers to draw upon yourself, and that

[0:41:31] Voice 6: we need to help each other on this journey and reflect on the principles that are embraced here.

[0:41:42] Voice 6: But this is a fabulous conversation. I'm proud to be part of this council and have this

[0:41:47] Voice 6: conversation. This is important work and we need to go there. Thank you.

[0:41:52] Trustee Patrick: Thank you. Trustee Borthwick,

[0:41:55] Trustee Patrick: than Getty?

[0:41:59] Voice 1: Yeah, I'm excited by the potential of this plan. And I want to echo a little bit of what

[0:42:07] Voice 1: I felt Trustee Boland to be saying, in that I want to make sure that leadership to leadership

[0:42:13] Voice 1: is a much larger part of how this goes forward. Obviously, there's complications in that.

[0:42:19] Voice 1: I think there's also strengths that lie at this table that we're maybe not using as much. There

[0:42:25] Voice 1: There are a lot of really strong relationships with indigenous leadership that are already embodied here.

[0:42:30] Voice 1: But there's also trustees who have had no contact and no and no means to do that.

[0:42:38] Voice 1: I think I think there's there's trustees around this island who are trustees around this table who don't know how to pronounce the various names of their islands in the languages that that have been there since time immemorial.

[0:42:49] Voice 1: So part of how historically, if we talk about the cultures from which many of us come in terms of settler cultures, if we talk about the history of how respect would be shown from one body to another, is that their leaders show up and not a representative.

[0:43:08] Voice 1: If you send a representative to meet the leader of another body, you're by default saying, well, our leader actually doesn't have the time to be here.

[0:43:15] Voice 1: it's really important that we are are part of that and obviously not all of the things there's

[0:43:20] Voice 1: a lot of work that needs to be done staff to staff totally understand that and i think that

[0:43:24] Voice 1: work is happening and it's really good i am very privileged to be uh part of an island on an island

[0:43:31] Voice 1: where where our staff have a fantastic relationship with the nation and it's getting stronger all the

[0:43:36] Voice 1: time and i get the benefits of this frequently and in the moments when i get to meet with the

[0:43:41] Voice 1: the chief and council, which are also wonderful and precious to me, the big thing that strikes

[0:43:48] Voice 1: me as the best, the best, the biggest leap forward in terms of normalizing and strengthening those

[0:43:54] Voice 1: relationships is the normalizing, is that we get to know one another personally and on an individual

[0:43:59] Voice 1: basis. And I think in terms of, and I apologize for the time, I'll be quick, but in terms of

[0:44:05] Voice 1: talking about consistency and making sure that like information that has been given to one staff

[0:44:10] Voice 1: member doesn't get lost another really good way for a body to maintain consistency is it's part

[0:44:16] Voice 1: of our job as your leadership part to if we hear that feedback directly we can then be like hey

[0:44:24] Voice 1: this staff person's going off in a different direction we need to make sure that we've

[0:44:27] Voice 1: already said this thing if we make the promise we can hold help hold you to it and that's our job

[0:44:33] Voice 1: and and to to keep us out of that keeps us out of part of our our role um so i'm really keen for

[0:44:39] Voice 1: that um i have other other bits here but but even yeah i think that's that's really it and the the

[0:44:45] Voice 1: outcome i think to to just respond to trustee boland is i think the outcome is the relationship

[0:44:50] Voice 1: um is the conversation everything else will flow from there thank

[0:44:55] Trustee Patrick: you very much uh trustee

[0:44:58] Trustee Patrick: getty then harris um

[0:45:02] Voice 3: thank you very much for all of this work um this is a very detailed

[0:45:07] Voice 3: detailed both breadth and depth in terms of the content that you've got in this. And I think it's

[0:45:13] Voice 3: going to be very helpful. I think that some of the most, the strongest and richest and most positive

[0:45:20] Voice 3: relationships or experiences that I've had with this council and this term has been in the

[0:45:26] Voice 3: Indigenous training that we've been getting. We just finished an Indigenous-specific racism course

[0:45:34] Voice 3: that was very painful in many ways

[0:45:36] Voice 3: in terms of the ways of looking at the extent of the racism

[0:45:43] Voice 3: and how subtle it can be sometimes

[0:45:45] Voice 3: and how blatant it can be at other times.

[0:45:47] Voice 3: But working with all of the staff

[0:45:49] Voice 3: and working with other trustees

[0:45:51] Voice 3: in terms of coming up with ways of dealing with that

[0:45:54] Voice 3: and talking about it and having a conversation

[0:45:56] Voice 3: so that you challenge it

[0:45:57] Voice 3: and you support the anti-racism kinds of things.

[0:46:03] Voice 3: So I personally have decided I'm not running for council next time, and I think this is the work that I'm going to miss the most.

[0:46:12] Voice 3: And I think that this is the strength of this organization.

[0:46:17] Voice 3: So, with respect to Trustee Campbell and Trustee Morrison, the last point under the first section of governance was to engage with the province to analyze Section 7 of the UN Declaration Act to see how it pertains to the Islands Trust Conservancy, or Islands Trust Conservancy, sorry, local trust committees in Bowen Island Municipality.

[0:46:44] Voice 3: so it's in there it's one of the things to work on and um i'd be interested if all of this

[0:46:51] Voice 3: some of them um seem to be on you've mentioned timelines and a lot of it's ongoing and some of

[0:46:57] Voice 3: it's this year some of it's next but i would be very interested in terms of what the trust

[0:47:02] Voice 3: realistically thinks is possible in terms of priorities um i would uh really like to see the

[0:47:10] Voice 3: reference toolkit developed so that when we are making referrals to all of the nations that we've

[0:47:18] Voice 3: got a standard way of doing that so that and we have a way of understanding what their capacities

[0:47:23] Voice 3: are and what the expectations are in timelines for instance developing the donated book library

[0:47:30] Voice 3: I've got a huge box at home that I'm going to be bringing to one of the councils but I think that

[0:47:36] Voice 3: all of these, and I might even have some art for some lobbies or something, but I think that all of

[0:47:42] Voice 3: this, whatever we can pick out of this and work on and develop in terms of what each of us have

[0:47:50] Voice 3: the strengths to do and the interest to do, and supporting the staff efforts in terms of what

[0:47:56] Voice 3: your interests and strengths are, and whoever gets hired as the senior manager, I think this

[0:48:05] Voice 3: This is going to, hopefully, because we're neighbors

[0:48:10] Voice 3: and because we're actually living and working

[0:48:14] Voice 3: and trying to plan for the land at the same time and together,

[0:48:18] Voice 3: that this is going to be real good strength and precedence

[0:48:23] Voice 3: for a lot of different parts of the province.

[0:48:26] Voice 3: And I think, hopefully, we can be successful

[0:48:28] Voice 3: in terms of the areas that we've got.

[0:48:31] Voice 3: and um i think this is pointing us in the right direction that is going to be really really

[0:48:38] Voice 3: helpful there's lots and lots of work to do but um we're more than capable and i think that if our

[0:48:43] Voice 3: hearts are in it then we're going to succeed and thank you for your work

[0:48:49] Trustee Patrick: thank you trustee harris

[0:48:53] Voice 30: thank you um somebody was mentioning um you know truth and people need to acknowledge truth of

[0:48:59] Voice 30: things that have gone on historically, and I think that's

[0:49:04] Voice 30: very important. Truth. Whole truth, not half-truths.

[0:49:08] Voice 30: A complete whole truth, and unfortunately, a lot of that wouldn't be palatable

[0:49:11] Voice 30: for people to even speak about, and that's going to have to come out and come to the top

[0:49:16] Voice 30: if anything is going to be done genuinely.

[0:49:21] Voice 30: And I have yet to hear the whole truth.

[0:49:25] Voice 30: I hope we get there one day, because

[0:49:28] Voice 30: Because if, you know, serious rifts are going to ever be healed, whole truths need to come out across this whole, you know, what would encompass the whole region of, you know, the Islands Trust region.

[0:49:41] Voice 30: But there's overlapping stuff.

[0:49:43] Voice 30: You know, look at the whole coastal region of British Columbia.

[0:49:47] Voice 30: And, yeah, whole truth, all of it, not half.

[0:49:52] Voice 30: Let's hear it all.

[0:49:53] Voice 30: Thanks.

[0:49:55] Voice 30: Thank you.

[0:49:55] Voice 30: thank you

[0:49:56] Trustee Patrick: trustees we've ended the the list of first-time speakers there are three people who

[0:50:01] Trustee Patrick: wish to speak again i just look to you for time and we can carry on this conversation if you wish

[0:50:06] Trustee Patrick: to but i'm just looking to you for go to second speakers uh trustee fast

[0:50:12] Voice 15: did you i think we still

[0:50:14] Voice 15: got uh uh things on the agenda i just wanted to let you know that i'm in good support for this

[0:50:22] Voice 15: and I'd like to move the motion when we get to that point

[0:50:26] Voice 15: that we endorse the plan.

[0:50:28] Voice 15: That's mostly what I've been hearing

[0:50:29] Voice 15: and I wonder if I might make that motion.

[0:50:33] Trustee Patrick: I'll look to trustees.

[0:50:35] Trustee Patrick: There were some second speakers.

[0:50:36] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Bernardo, did you have an alternative?

[0:50:38] Voice 10: Well, yeah, I think it might be wise

[0:50:41] Voice 10: to continue the discussion somewhat

[0:50:43] Voice 10: in that we've heard from Director Frater

[0:50:47] Voice 10: that staff is looking for some input to us.

[0:50:51] Voice 10: I mean, we've heard general support and some general questions, you know, philosophical questions, really.

[0:50:58] Voice 10: But in the nitty gritty, I think it would be helpful if trustees could put forward some ideas, if they have them, about the actual content.

[0:51:10] Voice 10: We've touched on that with some of the remarks we've heard from trustees Boland and Borthwick.

[0:51:14] Voice 10: but I just think it'd be helpful if we continued a little bit that gives the

[0:51:18] Voice 10: staff the input about the actual content.

[0:51:21] Trustee Patrick: All right. Like I said, it is a draft report,

[0:51:23] Trustee Patrick: so it is a work in progress to do second speakers.

[0:51:26] Trustee Patrick: There's three seconds speakers.

[0:51:27] Trustee Patrick: Did you have specific comments on a content that would be you trustee

[0:51:32] Trustee Patrick: Bernardo is first on the second speaker list. Did you have, well,

[0:51:36] Trustee Patrick: then let's hear your specific content. Yes. So yeah.

[0:51:39] Trustee Patrick: Try to keep to two minutes, please.

[0:51:41] Trustee Patrick: please?

[0:51:43] Voice 10: First, Trustee Campbell, I think, has identified a real issue. The constitutional

[0:51:49] Voice 10: obligation with respect to reconciliation and First Nations rests with the province and the

[0:51:54] Voice 10: federal government. In our letter to the province, the number one thing about which we asked for

[0:51:59] Voice 10: guidance was reconciliation. The answer we got was yes, reconciliation is a top priority, and it's up

[0:52:04] Voice 10: to us to work it out with the IGBs to figure out how to make it happen. That's what this draft

[0:52:11] Voice 10: plan is all about, developing the necessary relationships within the limitations of our

[0:52:16] Voice 10: existing jurisdiction. And what we heard from Trustees Bowen and Borthwick, I think, is highly

[0:52:22] Voice 10: relevant to that. Institutions do not have relationships. What they have is arrangements

[0:52:28] Voice 10: that work for them and they're contingent real relationships are between people and um i would

[0:52:36] Voice 10: like to see um incorporated in the plan an element uh a strategy for helping trustees

[0:52:43] Voice 10: uh meet the leaders of the relevant indigenous leadership groups uh in their areas i think that's

[0:52:50] Voice 10: that's a top priority i know i felt um i have felt that is a missing component in terms of

[0:52:57] Voice 10: of just getting a handle around the issues.

[0:53:02] Voice 10: Being presented with a list of things that the staff has learned,

[0:53:07] Voice 10: talking to the staff, corresponding staff within IGB,

[0:53:12] Voice 10: is, you know, it's helpful, we're learning something,

[0:53:14] Voice 10: but that's not helpful for us to sort of build the trust relationship

[0:53:19] Voice 10: that goes both ways.

[0:53:20] Voice 10: So if we could incorporate some element in the strategy

[0:53:24] Voice 10: strategy of structuring encounters. I've talked to people about this before, and the advice I get

[0:53:30] Voice 10: is, well, you know, just call them up and, you know, try to work something out. I don't think

[0:53:35] Voice 10: it's that helpful to just encourage trustees to be free agents and just wander off and do it on

[0:53:40] Voice 10: their own. I would certainly appreciate some structured help in building those relationships.

[0:53:46] Voice 10: Thank you.

[0:53:49] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Elliott, comments on the

[0:53:50] Voice 12: content? Thank you. Our work is land use planning,

[0:53:54] Voice 12: and so I think there's one item that's hidden in here that I think should be expanded on so

[0:54:03] Voice 12: the baseline engagement framework document that records expressed guiding principles and interests

[0:54:07] Voice 12: and the tools available to the Islands Trust to address those interests so how we are understanding

[0:54:13] Voice 12: the interests of First Nations and those are captured and embedded into all of our various

[0:54:21] Voice 12: projects, I think is a very important component. I would suggest an additional goal, which I've

[0:54:29] Voice 12: sent to you, of integration of Indigenous knowledge and governance perspectives into

[0:54:34] Voice 12: decision-making. I recognize we're not at the place maybe of integrating. However, learning,

[0:54:42] Voice 12: gaining an understanding of their interests and how those are incorporated specifically into land

[0:54:48] Voice 12: planning, I think could be better articulated. And we can capture some of the other items like

[0:54:53] Voice 12: the bylaw enforcement piece and pull that into the land use planning. I don't actually agree

[0:54:58] Voice 12: that we need this document to be articulating how leadership shows up to meetings. To me,

[0:55:05] Voice 12: this document looks like an institutional reorganization. And if that's what it is,

[0:55:11] Voice 12: let's make that vision more clear. And we have a separate document for how does leadership to

[0:55:16] Voice 12: leadership meetings and protocols happen. I think there's some confusion about what this document's

[0:55:22] Voice 12: trying to achieve with institutional coherence and processes and an administrative foundation

[0:55:27] Voice 12: that will continue respectful relationships through process making with First Nations.

[0:55:34] Voice 12: We're talking government to government. That is a process creation framework, and I think that's

[0:55:41] Voice 12: what this document is trying to be if you're trying if trustees want direction on how to

[0:55:46] Voice 12: engage with other first nations leaders that's through education and that's captured in a

[0:55:51] Voice 12: different way here thank you all

[0:55:56] Trustee Patrick: right trustee campbell on content i

[0:56:00] Voice 24: think um to maybe not

[0:56:05] Voice 24: not content, but process, but hear me out.

[0:56:10] Voice 24: To Trustee Getty's point about point number seven being

[0:56:15] Voice 24: that we've been instructed to do this with the province,

[0:56:18] Voice 24: I feel like it would be helpful if before we passed decisions like this,

[0:56:27] Voice 24: if we got a checkmark from the province,

[0:56:30] Voice 24: if we sent something like this to the province and said,

[0:56:33] Voice 24: this is what we're looking at,

[0:56:35] Voice 24: this is what we would like to do in conjunction with their blessing or however it would go

[0:56:44] Voice 24: because I feel like we are still just throwing things at a wall and seeing what part is going

[0:56:49] Voice 24: to stick and I think that it would be helpful to involve the province in the process to at least

[0:56:56] Voice 24: know if we're getting it right or not instead of just having it returned to us to say you missed

[0:57:02] Voice 24: the mark or it's okay oh

[0:57:08] Voice 11: director sir mac thank you chair um just to that point we as staff do

[0:57:15] Voice 11: meet regularly with lubri the uh that part of the provincial branch that deals with our bylaw

[0:57:19] Voice 11: referrals to the ministry and in doing so we do have an established checklist and a flow chart

[0:57:25] Voice 11: that we review regularly with them to make sure that when bylaws go to them they are in a way

[0:57:30] Voice 11: that's most expedient and effective for them to manage.

[0:57:34] Voice 11: We're in that current review process right now.

[0:57:36] Voice 11: We're in between meetings.

[0:57:37] Voice 11: That's led by our planning department.

[0:57:39] Voice 11: And actually, I'm looking at RPM Jamaret,

[0:57:42] Voice 11: who has been very key to having those meetings.

[0:57:45] Voice 11: During those meetings, we also have various documents from TAS going there.

[0:57:50] Voice 11: So we have an established process.

[0:57:53] Voice 11: Since I've been with the trust, we've had that process,

[0:57:56] Voice 11: and we continue to refine it.

[0:57:57] Voice 11: that document is not included in here

[0:58:00] Voice 11: just because it's an internal working document

[0:58:03] Voice 11: between the two agencies.

[0:58:05] Voice 11: But I just wanted to let you know that the...

[0:58:08] Voice 11: Is that me?

[0:58:09] Voice 11: Sorry, there's some switchers.

[0:58:11] Voice 11: I just wanted to let you know that we do have

[0:58:13] Voice 11: an actual flow diagram checklist that we're refining.

[0:58:16] Voice 11: And that was evident at last at the EC meeting last week

[0:58:20] Voice 11: whereby the documents we use

[0:58:23] Voice 11: were in the process of being refined

[0:58:27] Voice 11: mind according to the ministry desires. Thank you.

[0:58:31] Trustee Patrick: I'd also like to add that we're not working

[0:58:33] Trustee Patrick: in isolation. I know our CAO attends meetings with CAOs across local government. I know

[0:58:40] Trustee Patrick: Director Cermak meets with planners from across local government across British Columbia. I know

[0:58:47] Trustee Patrick: our staff are involved in multiple professional organizations. Those of us at the executive go

[0:58:53] Trustee Patrick: go to AVICC and UBCM where we meet with other local governments, attend sessions, and this is

[0:59:01] Trustee Patrick: a process all local government is going through. We are not in isolation, and the work that we're

[0:59:08] Trustee Patrick: doing in some areas we may hope we're ahead, but in some areas we are falling behind from what

[0:59:14] Trustee Patrick: other local governments are doing. So this is where, like I said, we're not out on our own,

[0:59:19] Trustee Patrick: we're not doing something that's any different than any other local government.

[0:59:24] Trustee Patrick: Who is next?

[0:59:28] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckman Fast.

[0:59:31] Voice 6: Thank you, Chair.

[0:59:33] Voice 6: You know, I'll apologize.

[0:59:35] Voice 6: I haven't read the document in depth to be able to provide you with a great deal of detail for amendments.

[0:59:44] Voice 6: However, the reading that I have done as I go through, one thing that I struggle with in life, and it might be just my problem, is acronyms.

[0:59:53] Voice 6: And IGB, as a starter, when you're talking about a body, I think it's...

[1:00:00] Voice 6: a diminutive that's the right phrase and would suggest it only actually happens about four times

[1:00:05] Voice 6: in the document it's not going to save a lot of ink and so i think it would be better to say

[1:00:10] Voice 6: indigenous governing bodies it's important thank you

[1:00:19] Trustee Patrick: trustee fast and

[1:00:21] Voice 15: borthwick thank you i'll um

[1:00:25] Voice 15: a couple of comments uh one of them just the idea that our work is land use planning i just want to

[1:00:34] Voice 15: to challenge that a little bit because um i think that's one of our main tools uh perhaps um coming

[1:00:42] Voice 15: from bowen island municipality i look at a little differently i think we're also the islands trust

[1:00:46] Voice 15: conservancy we acquire land and manage land um i think uh uh land use planning doesn't get at the

[1:00:55] Voice 15: The other things we could be learning, like the relationships with land, with marine areas, with healthy waters.

[1:01:09] Voice 15: I have the opportunity to work with some working groups with First Nations staff, some of whom are First Nations folks.

[1:01:19] Voice 15: folks, maybe their leadership, they might not be elected leadership, but I just think there's a lot

[1:01:26] Voice 15: to learn in getting involved. I agree with the chair about AVICC and other UBCM, other groups

[1:01:34] Voice 15: where local governments come together. Lots of more and more First Nations folks are there and

[1:01:41] Voice 15: and you can meet them.

[1:01:43] Voice 15: So I just wanted to say,

[1:01:47] Voice 15: meeting leaders doesn't have to be a formal thing

[1:01:50] Voice 15: arranged by staff.

[1:01:52] Voice 15: And I hope you come, Joe,

[1:01:54] Voice 15: to April 17th, Howe Sound Community Forum.

[1:01:58] Voice 15: Squamish Nation elected leadership are going to be there.

[1:02:02] Voice 15: It'll be our first chance really to meet them.

[1:02:04] Voice 15: And that's an opportunity that we can all work towards

[1:02:08] Voice 15: setting those kinds of things up.

[1:02:09] Voice 15: and that's through the support of our secretariat function.

[1:02:13] Voice 15: Thank you.

[1:02:16] Trustee Patrick: Well, thank you.

[1:02:17] Trustee Patrick: And actually, that is a good point on content.

[1:02:20] Trustee Patrick: Our islands are multi-jurisdictional

[1:02:23] Trustee Patrick: and as we advance relationships,

[1:02:28] Trustee Patrick: so our regional districts and others

[1:02:30] Trustee Patrick: in projects in our islands

[1:02:32] Trustee Patrick: and I think there could be better coordination

[1:02:35] Trustee Patrick: across the various jurisdictions

[1:02:38] Trustee Patrick: that are working in the same geographic space

[1:02:41] Trustee Patrick: so that, you know, that we all kind of advance together and help and not compete in that valuable time that we're taking up.

[1:02:53] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Borthwick, then Evans.

[1:02:57] Voice 1: Yeah, and I just wanted to sort of follow on a little bit from what Trustee Elliott was saying in terms of that part of this is education.

[1:03:04] Voice 1: And I completely agree, but I do think it is part.

[1:03:07] Voice 1: part um and i think the point that that i was trying to make and i think trustee boland was

[1:03:11] Voice 1: trying to make is i we would like to see ourselves be active planks in the plan uh in terms of coming

[1:03:18] Voice 1: together in a good way and be a be an active strategic element of how we're engaging with

[1:03:22] Voice 1: with our you know our friends in the nations um and and uh trustee luckham uh hit pretty squarely

[1:03:30] Voice 1: on the head for me in terms of acronyms um i was also going to speak a little bit too and i i

[1:03:35] Voice 1: I appreciate that this is an internal document.

[1:03:37] Voice 1: There's a certain kind of language that we have within our body.

[1:03:41] Voice 1: But I think that if I was being engaged with, if I was reviewing this document and understood this to be part of the plan of how I was being engaged with as a person of any other group, the concept that, and I really do appreciate why this is the way that it is.

[1:04:00] Voice 1: But the concept of giving a script to someone as to how to greet me, as opposed to educating them on how to genuinely engage with me and learn a couple of words. And like, I understand that that's broadly what the script is. That's what that means in this language, or I assume I hope that's what it means.

[1:04:20] Voice 1: But I know a canned introduction falls very far short of a genuine, heartfelt connection.

[1:04:27] Voice 1: And so I think, you know, helping people to formulate those, absolutely.

[1:04:31] Voice 1: Scripting them, I don't love that.

[1:04:33] Voice 1: So, yeah, language, language like training in scripts.

[1:04:37] Voice 1: Being trained to meet a person, I mean, that sucks.

[1:04:43] Voice 1: Yeah, and I agree.

[1:04:46] Voice 1: I appreciate that, like, I've had this encouragement throughout the term.

[1:04:49] Voice 1: It's like, hey, if you want to engage with the nation, you just reach out, you just say hi. And I've brought this up a lot in our trustee onboarding orientation plans. And again, I'll wrap this up quickly. But in terms of early next term, one of the things that I sort of unconscious or sort of consciously expected at the beginning of this term and lamented not getting was I was expecting a sit down with staff to be like, hey, here's the nations that you deal with.

[1:05:16] Voice 1: with. Here's the recent history of failures, successes. These are the people we've worked

[1:05:21] Voice 1: with. This is the chief. They've been doing this for X amount of time. They're great. You know,

[1:05:26] Voice 1: that should be a short, it doesn't have to be a long thing. And I know in a lot of cases,

[1:05:30] Voice 1: we don't necessarily have all that information, but I think I would love, and obviously we didn't

[1:05:34] Voice 1: have Joe at the beginning of this term, but I hope at the beginning of next term, every LTC

[1:05:39] Voice 1: will get a chance to sit down with staff and they'll be like, hey, this is what we know about

[1:05:43] Voice 1: the nations we're dealing with um we would we're going to set up a meeting but here's like a couple

[1:05:48] Voice 1: of words here's how you say the name of your island and and this is what you do and then

[1:05:51] Voice 1: you're going to bring a blanket to that person and you're going to do those bits and pieces as

[1:05:55] Voice 1: appropriate but that's that's how i want to see us reflected in in how we're moving this forward

[1:06:02] Trustee Patrick: all right thank you trustee

[1:06:04] Voice 19: evans and maberly as this is a request for uh content in here

[1:06:10] Voice 19: one thing that i would i'm going to save all of my detailed stuff for when this comes back

[1:06:16] Voice 19: but i would like to draw attention to pages 614 and 615 in the agenda page 2627 of the document

[1:06:23] Voice 19: i understand that this is an appendix and it's an excerpt but what i would like to see in the

[1:06:30] Voice 19: missing from the trust object is a footnote added at the end of that section on page 615

[1:06:36] Voice 19: with the footnote at the bottom that states that this was addressed

[1:06:40] Voice 19: and the date that it was addressed

[1:06:42] Voice 19: so that it shows in this document that, yes, progress has been made.

[1:06:46] Voice 19: I think that that's important to have.

[1:06:50] Voice 19: So for those that don't know what I'm speaking about,

[1:06:52] Voice 19: that's missing from the trust object,

[1:06:54] Voice 19: it's referring to the mandate without having First Nations in it.

[1:07:00] Voice 19: So I would like to see that footnote that says that this was addressed.

[1:07:04] Voice 19: rest. I'm seeing lots of queried faces around the room. But if you take a look at that section,

[1:07:11] Voice 19: you'll see what I mean.

[1:07:14] Trustee Patrick: I do encourage, as this is a draft, if you see things that

[1:07:17] Trustee Patrick: think you need to be changed, I would really encourage you to reach out to staff.

[1:07:21] Trustee Patrick: Did you have anything, Dan?

[1:07:24] Voice 20: No, please. I guess that would be the good comment. Please email us,

[1:07:29] Voice 20: email Joe and myself. Any feedback that you have over the next few weeks, if something occurs to

[1:07:33] Voice 20: you as you have time to really dig into the document. That's what we're looking for. Please

[1:07:36] Voice 20: send us your thoughts, feedback, criticisms, things you think should be strengthened,

[1:07:41] Voice 20: whatever helps us to make this the document that Trust Council wants to endorse for, you know,

[1:07:47] Voice 20: undertaking the work over the next while. While I'm speaking, I'll perhaps address

[1:07:52] Voice 20: Trustee Borthwick's comment around scripting trustees. The intention in the document you'll

[1:07:57] Voice 20: see, I think it was 597, is to script chairs, essentially, and how to address meetings. And

[1:08:03] Voice 20: And I think that is something as we have an election coming, we really want to work with new chairs on how to run meetings in a way that creates a really safe environment for all and equips them to feel confident and capable as they undertake that work.

[1:08:15] Voice 20: By no means are we wanting to script your relationships. Those are yours. And that comes from your hearts, your minds and your ability to make friends and be co-leaders and establish collaborative relationships.

[1:08:28] Voice 20: And that's really the governance piece, right?

[1:08:30] Voice 20: But, yeah, no, the reference to a script is around meeting facilitation.

[1:08:37] Trustee Patrick: All right.

[1:08:37] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Maberly and then Middleton.

[1:08:41] Voice 28: Yeah, thank you, Chair.

[1:08:43] Voice 28: Yeah, I think Director Frater sort of grabbed it there in the last little bit

[1:08:51] Voice 28: that she said there.

[1:08:53] Voice 28: You know, I'm going to go back to something that Trustee Bernardo said,

[1:08:58] Voice 28: Actually, you know, regardless of my relationships with, you know, our local Indigenous bodies, it was really important to be able to make sure that not only my fellow trustees, but that staff were able to participate in a way that was inclusive to everybody.

[1:09:25] Voice 28: buddy and so you know it's it's one thing to have a relationship with with um indigenous bodies

[1:09:35] Voice 28: you know you a lot of these relationships are are built through um you know growing up through time

[1:09:42] Voice 28: through all of the experiences we've had together but the fact of the matter is at the end of the

[1:09:48] Voice 28: day we're doing business at the table and and we need to be able to do that business in an effective

[1:09:54] Voice 28: way. So I think an important

[1:09:58] Voice 28: part of the sort of, I'm not sure quite how to say this, but

[1:10:02] Voice 28: an important part of the strategy is to make sure

[1:10:06] Voice 28: that there's an avenue for

[1:10:11] Voice 28: a way that

[1:10:16] Voice 28: staff is involved in a

[1:10:20] Voice 28: collaborative way with whoever develops the relationship.

[1:10:24] Voice 28: It's not going to be, and it's not going to be the same people at this table next time, it's not going to be the same people at LTCs, is to create a framework that you build on from experience that other people have had, that they're no longer at that table.

[1:10:42] Voice 28: And so it's important to get, as Trustee Bernardo was talking about, to get a framework in there that you can sort of include everybody.

[1:10:52] Voice 28: everybody. And I think we were able to do that on Galliano.

[1:11:02] Voice 28: But, you know, it's, you know, as Director Frater said,

[1:11:09] Voice 28: the relationships, the start of the fire, you know,

[1:11:13] Voice 28: lighting the fire is generally comes through an individual's personal

[1:11:17] Voice 28: relationship with the nation.

[1:11:20] Voice 28: and and so we need to sort of create a framework so that we can we can build around that relationship

[1:11:27] Voice 28: and create the sort of progress that we need to make as we move forward so I just I just thought

[1:11:35] Voice 28: it was important to to sort of reinforce what trustee Bernardo was talking about because

[1:11:40] Voice 28: not everybody and I understand this not everybody is in the same position I am in

[1:11:46] Voice 28: where i grew up in the communities right so um it's it's it's important when we build this

[1:11:53] Voice 28: when we work this out that that's included i

[1:11:57] Trustee Patrick: thank you trustee middleton then hunter thank

[1:12:03] Trustee Middleton: you uh two points one very tiny point just in regard to how timing or uh the fiscal year

[1:12:11] Trustee Middleton: year notation is written in our documentation. We've kind of got both. We've got FY27 and we

[1:12:20] Trustee Middleton: have 26 slash 27. And I think that it can get a bit confusing because FY27 is actually 26, 27,

[1:12:29] Trustee Middleton: but that's counterintuitive. So this is a very small point. I would just say land on one

[1:12:34] Trustee Middleton: approach to naming timing or fiscal years in trust documents because we've seen a mixture.

[1:12:40] Trustee Middleton: Very small point. The larger point, I think, is it's a very impressive piece of work.

[1:12:46] Trustee Middleton: And what I've heard around the table in terms of people reflection is deep and and and honest.

[1:12:53] Trustee Middleton: And I think it's time to take up the minister's offer in the letter. We're not a client agency of the ministry.

[1:13:00] Trustee Middleton: We work collaboratively. His letter obviously stated that, you know, you're an independent body with your own tools and mechanisms.

[1:13:06] Trustee Middleton: So go out and do what you can do there because you're not actually reporting directly to us.

[1:13:15] Trustee Middleton: And the letter made the offer of two people that we can connect with for collaboration in this work, shall we say.

[1:13:23] Trustee Middleton: And I think let's take them up on that offer.

[1:13:25] Trustee Middleton: Let's send this document and say, hey, you know, here's where we're getting in terms of your encouragement to forge mutually beneficial or mutually respectful relationships.

[1:13:38] Trustee Middleton: What is your comment?

[1:13:39] Trustee Middleton: Otherwise, we kind of approach this like the Wizard of Oz.

[1:13:42] Trustee Middleton: We have the curtain, you know, boom, crash.

[1:13:44] Trustee Middleton: That's not a mutually beneficial bylaw.

[1:13:48] Trustee Middleton: You know, it's like it's foolish.

[1:13:50] Trustee Middleton: We don't need to be in a position of trepidation towards the ministry.

[1:13:55] Trustee Middleton: We're working collaboratively.

[1:13:57] Trustee Middleton: Now's the time for all of us, people in government,

[1:14:00] Trustee Middleton: nobody knows how to proceed with reconciliation.

[1:14:03] Trustee Middleton: There should be no shame in not being fully aware

[1:14:06] Trustee Middleton: of what's the best way to go about it.

[1:14:09] Trustee Middleton: But what are they seeing in the ministry

[1:14:10] Trustee Middleton: when it comes to other people, as the chair said,

[1:14:14] Trustee Middleton: in terms of their efforts?

[1:14:15] Trustee Middleton: What would they share with us?

[1:14:17] Trustee Middleton: What do they see in our document that looks really promising?

[1:14:20] Trustee Middleton: Whereas what do they see where they've already seen

[1:14:22] Trustee Middleton: that to be leading people into pitfalls?

[1:14:25] Trustee Middleton: So I would suggest that we invite those two or their designates to the next Trust Council meeting to make comment on this, you know, constructive comment on this plan and not keep it, you know, not be in the dark about their thoughts in terms of where they're going with understanding and embracing reconciliation as being the gatekeepers to what isn't properly consulted by law.

[1:14:51] Trustee Middleton: let's have that conversation out front you know and so i i don't know if we need to make a motion

[1:14:56] Trustee Middleton: at this point to invite them um if we do i'm happy to make that motion but um i think it was a we'll

[1:15:03] Trustee Middleton: take it as a genuine offer from the minister to make that uh invitation in the letter i say let's

[1:15:08] Trustee Middleton: take them up on it thank you i

[1:15:11] Trustee Patrick: said generally look to staff and say i i believe you are communicating

[1:15:14] Trustee Patrick: with ministry staff on a regular basis on on this work i'm seeing head nods so um so i think we are

[1:15:20] Trustee Patrick: are not nice and did you want to say no go

[1:15:22] Voice 4: ahead ceo brony yeah thank you and i think i think to

[1:15:25] Voice 4: that point um yeah staff do engage fairly regularly with with staff in the ministry specifically the

[1:15:31] Voice 4: individuals mentioned in the in the minister's letter and and if i'm not mistaken they're a part

[1:15:36] Voice 4: of the loopery group or at least one of those individuals is part of that loopery group that

[1:15:40] Voice 4: director sir mac uh spoke to and so we do engage with them regularly on our work um if council

[1:15:46] Voice 4: council wants to invite them to attend and speak to council we you can certainly ask us direct us

[1:15:52] Voice 4: to extend that invitation of course it'll be up to them whether or not they they are able and

[1:15:57] Voice 4: willing to do that all

[1:16:01] Trustee Patrick: right trustee Hunter thank

[1:16:03] Voice 13: you chair um on page 586 the second bullet the

[1:16:08] Voice 13: plan is to support efforts to co-develop planning land use and land protection processes to me that

[1:16:17] Voice 13: That almost sounds like co-governance, and I just want to caution, I mean, I'm 100% for reconciliation, but I don't want us to promise something that we do not have the legal authority to do.

[1:16:33] Voice 13: So that's my fear, that someone is going to see this as more than reconciliation, if that's, you can understand that.

[1:16:47] Voice 13: I really want to make sure we use the language that is going to be 100% understood by everyone.

[1:16:55] Voice 13: Thank you.

[1:16:59] Voice 20: Co-developing of processes squarely within your jurisdiction.

[1:17:02] Voice 20: I can make it akin to how we work with the ministry to co-develop the process by which we provide the bylaws to the minister.

[1:17:09] Voice 20: It's working with different organizations, other governments around how do we work together?

[1:17:13] Voice 20: other what is the process by which we develop material and develop information to provide to

[1:17:19] Voice 20: decision makers so absolutely within your jurisdiction we do it all the time so we're

[1:17:23] Voice 20: always working with other levels of government to develop ways of which we communicate and share

[1:17:28] Voice 20: information and bring information to you know between each other it's just part of good

[1:17:32] Voice 20: governance so it's it's happening already it's happened for decades this is about really

[1:17:38] Voice 20: really formalizing it and having the conversations more deeply with Indigenous bodies that we work

[1:17:43] Voice 20: with, because it's a bit disjointed at times. And I think sometimes it feels disrespectful

[1:17:48] Voice 20: that one local trust committee will be doing it one way, and then they go to work with a

[1:17:52] Voice 20: different local trust committee and find a very different experience. So it's trying to develop

[1:17:55] Voice 20: mechanisms that are coherent, consistent, that they've had a deliberative opportunity to tell

[1:18:01] Voice 20: us what works for them. That's what's intended, is to really have, again, it's founded in good

[1:18:05] Voice 20: relationship and efficiency at the end of the day um to some degree and also making space for

[1:18:11] Voice 20: different ways of knowing and different perspectives to come in so good decisions

[1:18:16] Voice 20: can be made where you've had a full spectrum of information provided to you thank you

[1:18:23] Trustee Patrick: we're on the third time speakers now so i think uh i'm gonna look to trustees i think this

[1:18:28] Trustee Patrick: conversation this is a draft document staff are open willing want to hear your comments

[1:18:33] Trustee Patrick: on this document it will grow it will evolve it will get better um so with that i think i'd like

[1:18:41] Trustee Patrick: to invite trustee fast with your permission to move forward with the motion so go ahead great

[1:18:47] Trustee Patrick: i'd be

[1:18:47] Voice 15: really pleased to move that trust council endorsed the draft islands trust indigenous

[1:18:53] Voice 15: relations action plan 2026 2028 and request that staff undertake more internal engagement and

[1:19:01] Voice 15: return a revised version to trust council for approval in june 2026. is there

[1:19:07] Trustee Patrick: a second to the

[1:19:07] Trustee Patrick: motion second by trustee getty is there any discussion

[1:19:15] Voice 30: trustee harris oh thanks i just

[1:19:20] Voice 30: wanted to um i was going to be a second time speaker um you know prior to this vote but um

[1:19:25] Voice 30: anyway my thought is that um you know we're talking about what i haven't heard talked about

[1:19:36] Voice 30: out here and i think it's important um is that whatever is done it needs to be clear and specific

[1:19:44] Voice 30: to what the impacts are to um non-indigenous people if because i've heard this you know

[1:19:54] Voice 30: we've been talking about anti-racism and um and racism that's been happening we don't want to fan

[1:20:01] Voice 30: the flames of racism from non-indigenous people because they don't understand what's going on

[1:20:09] Voice 30: they think it it's something that's you know a threat to them and to their um you know private

[1:20:15] Voice 30: property or livelihoods or whatever it may be because they are they haven't been they haven't

[1:20:20] Voice 30: had the reconciliation plan described to them in detail and they're you know people jump to

[1:20:27] Voice 30: conclusions and so i think it's you know one of the top priorities of whatever is being done

[1:20:35] Voice 30: that it has to be clear and concise as to what this means to everybody um i'll leave it there

[1:20:42] Voice 30: thanks thank

[1:20:43] Trustee Patrick: you any further discussion i'm going to call the vote then oh sorry trustee dons yeah

[1:20:52] Trustee Patrick: i just

[1:20:52] Voice 2: want to say i think i haven't heard all fabulous conversation but i think jamie

[1:20:57] Voice 2: kind of also brought up that really important point that we need to be communicating very clearly

[1:21:03] Voice 2: exactly what all of this is about to our public. So thank you, Jamie. I think that was well done.

[1:21:09] Trustee Patrick: Thank you. Any further discussion? I'm going to call the vote then. All those in favor,

[1:21:18] Trustee Patrick: raise your hands. 22. All right. Lower your hands. Anyone opposed? That carries. There's one

[1:21:43] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees, I think I'd like to move on to the next item on an update on the trust policy statement, which is item 13.2.2, page 623 in your agenda package.

[1:21:59] Trustee Patrick: Director Reiter.

[1:22:04] Voice 20: Thank you, Chair.

[1:22:05] Voice 20: This is being brought to you as a general update on the status of the project.

[1:22:09] Voice 20: project. As was noted at the time of writing it, we indicated to you that there was a high risk

[1:22:13] Voice 20: that the project might not be completed by end of term, and I'm here to tell you today,

[1:22:18] Voice 20: I think we're now in the place of advising you that the project will not be able to be

[1:22:22] Voice 20: completed this term. That said, I'm also here to encourage you to continue work on this document.

[1:22:30] Voice 20: So where we're at with the project is that we've had an enormous amount of feedback from all

[1:22:35] Voice 20: all directions which we're currently compiling for you and we've engaged a firm to help us

[1:22:40] Voice 20: with managing all of the survey feedback and we're hoping to have all of that done sort of in April

[1:22:45] Voice 20: with the intention of potentially using potentially we'll talk with executive committee

[1:22:49] Voice 20: I think at your next March meeting around scheduling a time in May to bring trust council

[1:22:54] Voice 20: together to talk about all of the feedback and receive some staff recommendations around next

[1:22:59] Voice 20: steps for the document so there is a vast amount of information that's coming in and we really want

[1:23:04] Voice 20: to honor all the commitment and effort and passion that communities other governments

[1:23:09] Voice 20: staff have brought to this such that we can then refine and polish that document in a way

[1:23:14] Voice 20: that reflects all the values and interests that you're going to be hearing about lots of

[1:23:19] Voice 20: constructive thoughtful feedback is coming in so we're really grateful i think i would speak on

[1:23:24] Voice 20: behalf of all the staff that are working on this project for just the extent of commitment from

[1:23:27] Voice 20: everyone that's really leaning in and helping to express what they care about for the trust area

[1:23:32] Voice 20: and what they want for the future of the Islands Trust

[1:23:35] Voice 20: and the future of the islands.

[1:23:36] Voice 20: So we're working very hard to get that all to you for May.

[1:23:41] Voice 20: We have talked with the ministry,

[1:23:42] Voice 20: and even if we get it to you very soon,

[1:23:46] Voice 20: it's likely they will be unable to get it all packaged up

[1:23:50] Voice 20: and to the minister in time for a ministerial decision

[1:23:53] Voice 20: before the local election.

[1:23:54] Voice 20: So this is inevitably carrying over the term,

[1:23:57] Voice 20: but it is our strong advice to you

[1:23:59] Voice 20: that you continue to work and refine this document,

[1:24:01] Voice 20: document and we look forward to bringing you advice in May. I will just further add that I

[1:24:08] Voice 20: just want to acknowledge for all of you, this is hard. The work of what you're doing here is, this

[1:24:12] Voice 20: is a complex context that we're working in with a lot of competing interests and values and a lot

[1:24:18] Voice 20: of passion that's going on. This is not easy, but I'm personally very optimistic. I think that there's

[1:24:22] Voice 20: just so much invested and so much effort that we really can come up with a document that expresses

[1:24:27] Voice 20: the vision and values of this region and want to you know express my support and continuing to work

[1:24:32] Voice 20: on it um and in terms of an update around our work with indigenous governing bodies we continue to

[1:24:38] Voice 20: work with them we've had some requests for capacity funding that we're working with nations around to

[1:24:42] Voice 20: provide and you'll see that in the budget that you received yesterday there's contingency money

[1:24:46] Voice 20: there for capacity funding to continue working with nations with penelicate we've had a request

[1:24:51] Voice 20: to come in with their elders council which we're currently working on and we are also hoping to

[1:24:57] Voice 20: work with the quits and nation more closely in the coming while here to really work they've provided

[1:25:02] Voice 20: extensive feedback over time and we're looking forward to hearing some detailed feedback from

[1:25:06] Voice 20: them around the document um just for your own interest we had 21 and 20 2 132 survey responses

[1:25:16] Voice 20: and more than 186 pieces of correspondence far more than what we expected in phase three of this

[1:25:21] Voice 20: engagement communities really care and so we're wanting to like work through that and really

[1:25:26] Voice 20: acknowledge all of the contributions that have been made and all of the effort um what else can

[1:25:33] Voice 20: i tell you here um as next steps we're going to be putting together a what we heard report

[1:25:36] Voice 20: um as i mentioned we're hoping to get done by the end of april um we're going through all the

[1:25:41] Voice 20: referral responses that we're receiving right now and we're going to frame up recommendations for

[1:25:45] Voice 20: you for next steps in a way that we hope will be manageable and straightforward for you to consider

[1:25:49] Voice 20: and debate and um i think i'll leave it there for now but very happy to take questions and i'll

[1:25:55] Voice 20: note jason humans is likely on the line here as the project manager who could take your questions

[1:25:59] Voice 20: as well all right i see one last comment i just want to acknowledge the team it's like this is a

[1:26:05] Voice 20: big project and i know everyone's really leaning in and working hard everyone at this table and

[1:26:09] Voice 20: many other people um throughout staff so just want to acknowledge that work thank

[1:26:13] Trustee Patrick: you all right

[1:26:14] Trustee Patrick: thank you and a huge thank you to the team this is this is big work it's also important work

[1:26:19] Trustee Patrick: we were just talking with about uh reconciliation what that looks like well having policies that

[1:26:24] Trustee Patrick: that would support us is a big step in that direction.

[1:26:27] Trustee Patrick: But Trustee Maberly, then Luckum.

[1:26:31] Voice 28: Yeah, thank you Chair.

[1:26:33] Voice 28: Just one question.

[1:26:36] Voice 28: So I know there's going to have to be extensive engagement

[1:26:40] Voice 28: with First Nations.

[1:26:45] Voice 28: We know there's going to be issues and direction

[1:26:49] Voice 28: coming from those nations that,

[1:26:52] Voice 28: and I think Trustee Hunter brought it up previously

[1:26:54] Voice 28: In our last talk about co-governance, I've had discussions with our local nations, and co-governance is definitely an issue that they don't see as, I don't want to put words in their mouth, but they've asked for co-governance.

[1:27:20] Voice 28: And so when we get into a situation where we can't resolve the issues between the nations, where do we go from there?

[1:27:27] Voice 28: I

[1:27:30] Voice 20: think that's the question of our time. So I don't have a ready answer for you here. I think that is going to be a central question as you look forward to the policy statement and governance at the trust is how do we address that question.

[1:27:43] Voice 20: So we are in active conversation with some nations who are looking for shared decision making to be expressed in the document. And we are actually going to be speaking with ministry staff around how do we accommodate that.

[1:27:54] Voice 20: we are also hearing from some nations that, you know, much as there is a desire for the really

[1:27:59] Voice 20: big change, there's also a desire to kind of raise the safety net around getting some policy

[1:28:03] Voice 20: improvement in the meantime. So I think those are nuanced and difficult conversations that we're

[1:28:07] Voice 20: having. And I don't have a ready answer for you today. But I think as you're, you know, as we're

[1:28:12] Voice 20: speaking with the province, and as we're working in relationship with nations, it's finding a path

[1:28:16] Voice 20: that's practical, and that is doable. And I think one of the things as you move forward and look at

[1:28:22] Voice 20: potential governance changes if that's something that this body wants is working with nations to

[1:28:27] Voice 20: really understand what is their desire what what do they see it looking like and what we don't know

[1:28:32] Voice 20: what is their how can it be nation driven in terms of what they see as being appropriate for this

[1:28:37] Voice 20: region and then what is what does this body see as the desire of island communities to work in

[1:28:42] Voice 20: partnership so i don't have easy answers and i think as we bring the policy statement forward

[1:28:46] Voice 20: we're going to be bringing you some of that information and you'll be hearing the recommendations

[1:28:50] Voice 20: nations directly from nations themselves. But yeah, I think it's a question of our time and

[1:28:54] Voice 20: I'll turn to the table and see if there's any more coherent answer than that. No. Okay. So I'm afraid

[1:29:02] Voice 20: I don't have all the answers today. Trustee

[1:29:05] Trustee Patrick: Luckman-Graham.

[1:29:09] Voice 6: Thank you, Chair. Thank you,

[1:29:11] Voice 6: Claire. Thank you, all of the staff for getting us this far. It's the project of the century

[1:29:22] Voice 6: to some extent, or long overdue. And with no disrespect or criticisms intended, I get it.

[1:29:37] Voice 6: But, and I'll just ask the question, and then I'll add an additional comment. What can we do?

[1:29:46] Voice 6: What could we do to simply land a finished document on the minister's desk before the end of this term?

[1:29:57] Voice 6: And so that's the question.

[1:30:00] Voice 6: And so I'll just add to that to say that once this lands on the minister's desk, guess what?

[1:30:07] Voice 6: It could be years before they come back because they, too, with their own responsibility, are going to have to engage with nations at the same level or deeper level than we have.

[1:30:20] Voice 6: And in fact, they're going to have to answer the very tough questions around, let's call it the innuendo of self-governance.

[1:30:30] Voice 6: Because certainly the thread is embedded and you can't pick that thread out.

[1:30:37] Voice 6: Of course, with a new council, there will be a significant amount of backpedaling just simply to get a new council to where we are.

[1:30:54] Voice 6: And that might take a couple of years.

[1:30:58] Voice 6: So I guess I'm saying that in any scenario, get it on the minister's desk, it's not over.

[1:31:09] Voice 6: There is still a lengthy period of time where we are going to continue to exist in this

[1:31:15] Voice 6: situation where the present policy document is inadequate.

[1:31:19] Voice 6: And what we are trying to do is move.

[1:31:23] Voice 6: It's not going to be perfect.

[1:31:24] Voice 6: We just want to raise the bar.

[1:31:25] Voice 6: We want to move the line.

[1:31:26] Voice 6: We want to make certain acknowledgements.

[1:31:29] Voice 6: So there we are.

[1:31:30] Voice 6: My question, what can we do or could do?

[1:31:33] Voice 6: I'm not using the word should because that's not for you to tell me, but what could we

[1:31:38] Voice 6: do?

[1:31:42] Voice 20: Well, I think at this time, supporting staff in going through the volume of material, and

[1:31:47] Voice 20: then we are going to bring you recommendations.

[1:31:48] Voice 20: I think from there, it's going to be up to this body to make the commitment to have the

[1:31:53] Voice 20: meetings necessary to work through all of that.

[1:31:56] Voice 20: And it will be unlikely you can do it at one meeting.

[1:31:59] Voice 20: So I foresee that there may be a series of special meetings coming where you continue to refine and work through this document and all the feedback you're getting.

[1:32:08] Voice 20: So I would suggest that it's going to be a commitment of this group to make the time and effort to really continue to work on it.

[1:32:14] Voice 20: And yes, that set the document into a good place for the future.

[1:32:18] Voice 20: I see the CAO likely has supplementary comments here.

[1:32:21] Voice 4: Yeah, thank you.

[1:32:22] Voice 4: I think to that point, as Director Frater has said, the advice from staff is if you are confident you are on the right direction with the policy statement, you should continue the work and invest the time and effort to advance it as far as you can.

[1:32:38] Voice 4: And staff will support you in doing that.

[1:32:40] Voice 4: And if that gets you to a point where, you know, by September, you've got a version that you're willing to endorse and send to the minister for approval, then you should take that step.

[1:32:51] Voice 4: And then it is on the minister's desk, as Trustee Luckham says, to respond as and when she and the ministry are able and see fit.

[1:33:01] Voice 4: But the biggest variable is, you know,

[1:33:04] Voice 4: the amount of effort that is going to be required from the organization.

[1:33:09] Voice 4: And I include both staff and council in that to advance it as far as you can.

[1:33:13] Voice 4: If you can get it to that point, then great. And then it'll be with the minister.

[1:33:17] Voice 4: And, you know, I don't think we can or should presume what a new council may or may not choose to do with that.

[1:33:23] Voice 4: This remains in your hands to advance as far as you can and as far as you wish to, and we'll support you to the fullest extent we can to do so.

[1:33:33] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees, I just want to note we're past 1030.

[1:33:36] Trustee Patrick: I was wondering if you wanted to pause and take a 15-minute break now, come back, finish this discussion.

[1:33:42] Trustee Patrick: And then I'm wondering if you want to take on the financial plan bylaw after this discussion.

[1:33:49] Trustee Patrick: So that might be good after a break to get kind of fresh and ready, complete this discussion and then take on the financial planning discussion if staff are prepared to move that forward.

[1:33:58] Trustee Patrick: So let's take a 15 minute break.

[1:50:06] Voice 14: Everyone,

[1:50:07] Trustee Patrick: chair has called. Take your seats, please.

[1:50:10] Trustee Patrick: Trustees, can we get back to the table, please?

[1:50:13] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees, I'd like to return us back to, we're on item 13.2.2, which is the project update on the policy amendment project. We had a speaker's list going. We have Trustee Grahams, then Evans.

[1:50:57] Trustee Patrick: Thank

[1:50:59] Voice 29: you, Chair. I didn't have much to say other than I can appreciate, especially for those of you who have been at this project for two terms now, that you want to see it get done.

[1:51:11] Voice 29: But there's really, it doesn't hurt to take the time. This is a really important document. And I'm thrilled that we've been inundated with people's suggestions and comments and referrals. That's great.

[1:51:25] Voice 29: that that that's actually a good thing and you know it's it's even not a bad thing to have a

[1:51:31] Voice 29: fairly fresh trust council look at what we have created and if if it's clear and concise and easy

[1:51:39] Voice 29: to understand then there shouldn't be much concern from their perspective but they may see something

[1:51:44] Voice 29: else that we've missed anyway i don't think it's a bad thing that's all i wanted to say

[1:51:49] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[1:51:50] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Evans and Peterson.

[1:51:53] Voice 19: Thanks.

[1:51:53] Voice 19: Just a quick question and clarification.

[1:51:56] Voice 19: So the May 13th Committee of the Whole is when we're looking to bring this back for discussion.

[1:52:01] Voice 19: And I guess my thought here is if we feel this is going to require a lot of conversation that might not be able to be dealt with in a single meeting,

[1:52:11] Voice 19: can we preemptively book additional special Committee of the Whole meetings

[1:52:16] Voice 19: now so that people can put them in their calendar and have a better chance of

[1:52:21] Voice 19: attending whereas the last round because they were booked so close to their

[1:52:28] Voice 19: occurrence too many people were not able to make it and we couldn't get quorum so

[1:52:33] Voice 19: that would be my only request. Chair Roy?

[1:52:38] Voice 4: Yeah thank you the the May 13th Committee

[1:52:41] Voice 4: of the whole meeting is the one that is scheduled for deliberation on any items in advance of

[1:52:47] Voice 4: June Trust Council.

[1:52:48] Voice 4: This could certainly be a part of that discussion.

[1:52:51] Voice 4: But yeah, I think we would anticipate that we probably will need to schedule at least

[1:52:56] Voice 4: one dedicated special meeting, probably a fairly substantive and long one to work through

[1:53:02] Voice 4: the what we heard report and potential recommendations from staff and next steps.

[1:53:09] Voice 4: And I don't know that we have identified a potential date for that, but we are certainly looking at doing that.

[1:53:16] Trustee Patrick: Well, thank you. I think the executive committee heard you, and that's going to be our role to start.

[1:53:20] Trustee Patrick: And we know the sooner we can get dates on the table, the higher likelihood people can commit to them.

[1:53:26] Trustee Patrick: All right. So thank you. Trustee Peterson, then Yates.

[1:53:31] Voice 8: Yeah, just briefly, appreciate the candor from staff.

[1:53:36] Voice 8: That's important.

[1:53:37] Voice 8: Um, and, uh, uh, I just had some thoughts, um, to Trustee Mabry's point, um, around things like co-governance. I mean, it's, it's really important that we're, um, putting out a really, you know, a realistic message. I'm not saying we're not about what, what we can do.

[1:54:03] Voice 8: And that's also a piece I've experienced that within some sectors of community that don't understand what the limitations that we do have are legislatively and are misunderstanding what some of the intent from trust council is.

[1:54:27] Voice 8: And then sort of further down that road, reflecting on what we heard from Doug White last fall, and this is in respect to things like co-governance, but the desire of this trust council and the previous to have the province engage in a review.

[1:54:50] Voice 8: you um and this is so it ties into it ties into the the uh aspirations of of uh first nations

[1:55:03] Voice 8: um and uh and and such a review and that and that the only way we're going to get there

[1:55:12] Voice 8: is is if we're going uh if we're going to the province with first nations

[1:55:17] Voice 8: in conjunction uh with the same message so thanks

[1:55:26] Voice 5: Trustee Yates, then Bernardo.

[1:55:29] Voice 5: Thank you, Chair Patrick, and thank you, Trust Area Services team and Director Frater.

[1:55:35] Voice 5: What an enormous amount of work this has been, and I'm so grateful for everything you've put into it.

[1:55:42] Voice 5: Also, for the work on the Indigenous Relations Action Plan, that is a beautiful piece of work, and I'm so happy to receive it.

[1:55:52] Voice 5: it. So first of all, I was telling people up until about a week ago that, oh, I'm sure we're going to

[1:55:59] Voice 5: get this done by the end of this term. I really want to get this done by the end of this term,

[1:56:04] Voice 5: mainly because I didn't want to pass it on to another council. I thought it was our duty

[1:56:10] Voice 5: to have this done in two terms. But I did change my mind a couple of weeks ago,

[1:56:18] Voice 5: looking at some of the input that is coming in also my own ideas and thoughts that I'd like to

[1:56:26] Voice 5: see a few little changes here and there so I don't feel as bad now about passing this on to

[1:56:32] Voice 5: another term I feel much better about it in fact and pursuant to some meetings I've had recently

[1:56:41] Voice 5: with our climate change group on Gabriola

[1:56:44] Voice 5: and sort of tangential also to the delegation

[1:56:47] Voice 5: we had the other day from Transition Salt Spring,

[1:56:51] Voice 5: I do have a notice of motion

[1:56:53] Voice 5: that I will be sending in regarding climate change.

[1:56:57] Voice 5: So I'm guessing that I send that in to executive

[1:57:03] Voice 5: or to trust area, trust programs

[1:57:07] Voice 5: for the May 13th meeting.

[1:57:11] Voice 5: some a suggestion on that i

[1:57:14] Voice 20: think at this stage if you've got motions you're thinking of already

[1:57:17] Voice 20: for that committee of the whole meeting you could send them into motion at islands trust and we'll

[1:57:21] Voice 20: just hold them um for when we get to that stage at the meeting thank you uh

[1:57:28] Trustee Patrick: trustee bernardo then

[1:57:29] Trustee Patrick: elliott uh

[1:57:32] Voice 10: thank you um first thing uh director freighter uh i appreciate the uh realism um that

[1:57:40] Voice 10: you've provided us today with respect to the to what's operationally feasible with respect to the

[1:57:47] Voice 10: trust policy statement um you know we have to be realistic about that i think we also have to be

[1:57:53] Voice 10: realistic about something else um the public feedback we've gotten um to date uh is bracing

[1:58:01] Voice 10: um we're getting it from both ends frankly um and i think we have a challenge with there being some

[1:58:11] Voice 10: considerable amount of misunderstanding out there uh and some unwarranted fears that are informing

[1:58:18] Voice 10: that there's a kind of a dynamic going on there in part only in part it's because of the nature

[1:58:25] Voice 10: of the document the strategy we've taken i mean what we're trying to do and what we're

[1:58:32] Voice 10: encouraging the public to do is basically swallow the elephant all at one go instead of

[1:58:36] Voice 10: in bite-sized pieces uh and uh i'm wondering if the misunderstanding is in part a function

[1:58:47] Voice 10: of the sheer volume of the thing it's big it tries to do a lot of things it's complicated

[1:58:52] Voice 10: as some people have mentioned already the most important piece of it is make sure we get the

[1:58:56] Voice 10: reconciliation aspects or the language that is supportive of reconciliation it's important to

[1:59:02] Voice 10: get that right it's crucial and i have been particularly um uh preoccupied and have thought

[1:59:11] Voice 10: a lot about the letter we received from mayor leonard from bowen island which identified a lot

[1:59:17] Voice 10: of um i think valid points about the nature of the language the nature of how does one interpret some

[1:59:25] Voice 10: of these policies it's not uh there's flexibility in that language that is also and potentially

[1:59:34] Voice 10: ambiguous so final point here i think we may need to rethink our strategy of how we advance the

[1:59:41] Voice 10: things that are in there thank you thank you trustee elliott

[1:59:46] Trustee Patrick: then bulk thank

[1:59:48] Voice 12: you and uh also

[1:59:49] Voice 12: So thank you, echoing Trustee Bernardo's comments on the complexity of the document and how challenging it is for some of our community members to.

[2:00:00] Voice 12: grapple with and understand it. I've heard that in a lot of community meetings. It's a lot. It's

[2:00:05] Voice 12: confusing. And I think some of the criticism that's coming forward is just lacking understanding or

[2:00:13] Voice 12: feeling like it was too much at once. So I do support, in general, slowing down and making

[2:00:20] Voice 12: sure we get it right. What I'm wondering is if staff could speak to the implications

[2:00:25] Voice 12: or have we considered sort of an abridged process

[2:00:34] Voice 12: where if this council could decide on the critical amendments,

[2:00:39] Voice 12: you know, based on First Nations feedback, first of all,

[2:00:42] Voice 12: we want to recognize and ensure that's supported.

[2:00:46] Voice 12: You know, Trustee Bernardo just said we can kind of all agree

[2:00:49] Voice 12: that the reconciliation policies probably would get a strong support.

[2:00:56] Voice 12: from this council. What if, could we think of a work plan towards the end of this term of

[2:01:04] Voice 12: perhaps just part two, the guiding principles, cooperation principles? I think, I don't think

[2:01:10] Voice 12: there's a lot of debate around those. Maybe there is, I don't know. And that policy, the goal one

[2:01:17] Voice 12: of advancing reconciliation, if we just had those amendments to the minister's desk with the current

[2:01:23] Voice 12: 1993 draft which you know has its limitations and challenges and objectionable language I agree

[2:01:31] Voice 12: there's there's stuff in that introduction that actually should really be amended if there's

[2:01:36] Voice 12: going to be anything but if we were to get one step over the finish line for this council to

[2:01:42] Voice 12: just get the really critical elements that this council could agree on is that a possibility

[2:01:48] Voice 12: Could you speak to the implications of that?

[2:01:50] Voice 20: I think that's a question I can't answer today because, of course, the approval of this document is a partnership with the minister.

[2:01:59] Voice 20: And you're now in receipt of a volume of feedback and suggestions from Indigenous governing bodies that if you took a narrow approach, you'd inevitably not be able to take up some of those suggestions.

[2:02:11] Voice 20: questions and I think that's a conversation we need to have with the ministry and possibly you

[2:02:15] Voice 20: would need to have with the minister is would that approach be acceptable or is the minister

[2:02:20] Voice 20: now expecting that you're listening and accommodating the full spectrum of feedback

[2:02:25] Voice 20: you're getting so I don't think I can answer that at this time certainly that's something staff can

[2:02:29] Voice 20: have dialogue with the ministry about is exploring options but I don't have an answer for you today

[2:02:33] Voice 20: on that.

[2:02:36] Trustee Patrick: Thank you. Trustee Falk in Boland. Yeah,

[2:02:40] Voice 7: thank you. I'm wondering if we have a summary of

[2:02:46] Voice 7: all the feedback. We probably don't yet. I've read, you know, a lot of the letters that we've

[2:02:51] Voice 7: gotten. But I, yeah, I kind of feel like we need to put it all in a bucket and say, pick it up and

[2:03:00] Voice 7: and then see what does it overall, what does it tell us?

[2:03:06] Voice 7: And I'm wondering, do we think that the things have been brought up

[2:03:13] Voice 7: can be addressed through tweaking, you know, what we have,

[2:03:16] Voice 7: the document that we have in front of us, or will a rewrite be needed?

[2:03:21] Voice 7: To me, that's an essential kind of assessment that we have to make

[2:03:25] Voice 7: at this point before we start talking about dates rushing through

[2:03:28] Voice 7: to get something on the table.

[2:03:32] Voice 7: The other thing that I hear from some of the comments is that the consultation, well, it leads me to ask, you know, has the consultation process and outreach that we've had, has it been received and felt satisfactory to our stakeholders, or are they feeling like they were not consulted properly?

[2:03:58] Voice 7: And I picked up from a lot of the comments that they didn't feel like the process was done well, and they didn't feel like they had been engaged with well, like some comments were, you know, the questions were the wrong questions, and I couldn't answer, I couldn't tell you what I wanted to tell you, because I was guided too strongly by the questions, you know, many, many, many other comments as well along those lines.

[2:04:23] Voice 7: so to me we've failed if we've if we go ahead and put a document on the table and say this is what's

[2:04:32] Voice 7: going forward whilst knowing that we have a consultation process that didn't satisfy our

[2:04:37] Voice 7: stakeholders that to me is doesn't feel right that would be a stop for me um so i'm concerned

[2:04:46] Voice 7: like we often put the horse before the cart kind of thing and if we rush right now to say that we

[2:04:53] Voice 7: have to set a date to get this done before our term is over. I feel like we're risking

[2:05:00] Voice 7: sacrificing quality in the document and also sacrificing the expectation of being

[2:05:06] Voice 7: truthfully and honestly consulting with our constituents. So anyway, that's my feeling

[2:05:14] Voice 7: right now. Thanks.

[2:05:17] Trustee Patrick: That would be an interesting question for the What We Heard report. Are we

[2:05:21] Trustee Patrick: only going to focus on this last six months or will there at least be a summary from the beginning

[2:05:27] Trustee Patrick: of the council the engagement that's occurred since 2019 so

[2:05:34] Voice 20: the previous rounds of engagement

[2:05:36] Voice 20: all feedback received is already documented on the website and available at this time on the 2050 page

[2:05:41] Voice 20: in the document library you'll see there's a community engagement folder and within that we

[2:05:45] Voice 20: have all the previous feedback there for trust council or the public to review at any time

[2:05:51] Voice 20: we will be you know collating all the themes and feedback that we've heard in this round and that

[2:05:55] Voice 20: what we heard report we're working with a firm to help us there's so much feedback to bring it in in

[2:05:59] Voice 20: a way that is digestible by trust council trying not to give you a thousand page of reading

[2:06:04] Voice 20: and with regard to feedback on the engagement process itself certainly i think we welcome that

[2:06:08] Voice 20: from communities i know we looked to local trust committees for you to tell us what was most

[2:06:13] Voice 20: appropriate for your communities and then we responded to that advice and requests from local

[2:06:18] Voice 20: trust committees so i would almost put it back a little bit on local trust committees like to

[2:06:21] Voice 20: reflect as well did the process that you select you know as we move forward it's good to get that

[2:06:26] Voice 20: feedback in for future engagement work that we do now that you've been through it would you have

[2:06:30] Voice 20: shifted what your advice and requests were for how that was undertaken and i think as we are you know

[2:06:36] Voice 20: bringing in potentially a team lead for communications and engagement all the learning

[2:06:40] Voice 20: that's happened there's been a lot of investment please share that with us and i would encourage

[2:06:44] Voice 20: you to be in touch with morgana and chloe and myself and share with the learning that you've

[2:06:48] Voice 20: had and the reflections that you've had about how the trust undertakes engagement it i will

[2:06:52] Voice 20: say it's always a balance between um you know being fiscally you know cautious around you know

[2:06:58] Voice 20: your budgets and the hard decisions that you make and being able to serve the diversity of

[2:07:02] Voice 20: communities in the trust area in the way that works best for that community so as we learn

[2:07:07] Voice 20: here we're really hoping that this process gives us feedback that we can incorporate into future

[2:07:12] Voice 20: work. And we're really grateful for the community's feedback that they're telling us what works and

[2:07:16] Voice 20: what doesn't, and we'll grow and learn from that. Thank you.

[2:07:20] Trustee Patrick: I should share that at the end of our

[2:07:22] Trustee Patrick: second community information meeting on Salt Spring, I think it was the last speaker went,

[2:07:27] Trustee Patrick: you're trustees. You've been entrusted to make a decision about the trust policy statement. I

[2:07:33] Trustee Patrick: understand that. That was a really interesting end when, after hearing all the conversations,

[2:07:39] Trustee Patrick: You're trustees. So remember that. OK, Trustee Boland.

[2:07:46] Voice 21: Thank you. I won't turn on my video just in case.

[2:07:50] Voice 21: So at the Saterna Island meeting, several people spoke.

[2:07:57] Voice 21: It was actually a bit of a revelation. A lot of people spoke, people who would have been on opposite sides of the table on many other topics.

[2:08:06] Voice 21: And they unanimously spoke out against the trust policy statement.

[2:08:11] Voice 21: People who supported the trust, who strongly support the trust and who've been there for a long time.

[2:08:18] Voice 21: One thing that really struck me was when Wayne Quinn, who was a planning manager in the Islands Trust some years ago,

[2:08:29] Voice 21: He spoke about the complexity that we were imposing and the fact that this policy was going to create a huge workload in terms of check, check, check, check this, check, check this, check this, check that, check the other.

[2:08:45] Voice 21: And then the obligation for any island who wanted to step away from some of the directive policies to create a variance, to make a case for why.

[2:08:59] Voice 21: And it really caused me to rethink and building on what Trustee Elliott said, I was thinking, is there a possibility that we could strip out all of the directive policies, stick with section of part one, part two, and the goals from part three.

[2:09:20] Voice 21: And then we have a nice, what I think is appropriate, high level policy statement, which says this is why we're here.

[2:09:29] Voice 21: This is what we're trying to do. This is how we're trying to do it.

[2:09:32] Voice 21: These are our principles. And then for the directive policies, remove them all, because effectively you are giving guidance to each island.

[2:09:40] Voice 21: each island has a huge effort and expense of you know cap every kind of capital sat down and come

[2:09:49] Voice 21: up with an official community plan and land use bylaws and a lot of people object to the fact

[2:09:55] Voice 21: that there's this one-size-fits-all blanket coming down from above two islands that have

[2:10:01] Voice 21: prided themselves on their individuality and their ability to manage what's appropriate for

[2:10:07] Voice 21: their island so it's just a thought and it's a simplification uh would be stick with part one

[2:10:15] Voice 21: part two part three goals only and then leave it to the islands to manage their own destinies

[2:10:22] Voice 21: they have done it successfully without these directive policies and you know are these going

[2:10:28] Voice 21: to add any value really have we done a cost benefit analysis of reining these directive

[2:10:35] Voice 21: policies on top of everyone. Thanks. All

[2:10:40] Trustee Patrick: right. Well, thank you, Trustee Bullen. We've reached

[2:10:42] Trustee Patrick: the end of our speakers list. This was for information. Executive Committee has heard

[2:10:48] Trustee Patrick: your comments regarding timing. We'll know where the report's coming. So right now, I would make

[2:10:54] Trustee Patrick: sure you circle that May date and make sure you're available for that date. We know that's going to

[2:11:00] Trustee Patrick: be a conversation about the trust policy statement with, I'd say, great certainty. And we'll see what

[2:11:06] Trustee Patrick: goes from there so thank you trustees we know this is important a lot of work's gone into this

[2:11:11] Trustee Patrick: you've put a lot of work into this and um we will keep things moving forward so that i think uh

[2:11:19] Trustee Patrick: we're gonna give uh director freighter a break uh uh trustee trustee middleton yeah

[2:11:25] Trustee Middleton: just a quick

[2:11:26] Trustee Middleton: comment i think it probably behooves us to to thank the people who've recently corresponded

[2:11:30] Trustee Middleton: and obviously put a lot of time and effort into analyzing the document and taking it very

[2:11:35] Trustee Middleton: very seriously. And I think to echo Trustee Bernardo's comments about Mayor Leonard's letter,

[2:11:40] Trustee Middleton: we've received some very, very good letters that I think need to be taken quite seriously. I think

[2:11:45] Trustee Middleton: they do, if taken in good faith, require a revision to the document. They're actually

[2:11:53] Trustee Middleton: people of shared wisdom that we might not have otherwise had available. And I think we just

[2:11:58] Trustee Middleton: publicly on the record here want to say thank you for your contributions. And we're open,

[2:12:03] Trustee Middleton: And obviously to further input, and we will endeavor to honor the time and effort that was put in to the review and have that reflected in the document, which is another reason not to rush through, but to basically take the time to distill down and incorporate this sort of collective wisdom, shall we say, that's emerging from our communities.

[2:12:24] Trustee Middleton: Thank you.

[2:12:25] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[2:12:26] Trustee Patrick: That is the next piece of work you're going to receive is what you heard.

[2:12:30] Trustee Patrick: And in the meantime, if you haven't read all those letters, I have, you should go to our website and read the material that's been received that's there for you.

[2:12:40] Trustee Patrick: So we're going to give Director Frater a break.

[2:12:43] Trustee Patrick: And we hope that Director Mobs got the rest that she needed after updating the budget and preparing for the bylaws.

[2:12:55] Trustee Patrick: and I'm going to turn the floor over to director mobs we're going to move to item 14 which is the

[2:13:02] Trustee Patrick: 2026-27 islands trust budget adoption financial plan bylaw request for decision over you to you

[2:13:11] Trustee Patrick: director mobs um

[2:13:13] Voice 18: thank you chair so I'll just ask Alex to pull up the table um showing the

[2:13:20] Voice 18: amendment to the budget that were made yesterday thank you Alex um so on your screen is a table

[2:13:26] Voice 18: that's reflecting the changes that were made to the budget yesterday. The first line reflects the

[2:13:32] Voice 18: plan spending that was in the draft 26-27 budget that was in the agenda materials. We then show

[2:13:38] Voice 18: adjustments for the late items that I mentioned in my opening comments yesterday and then of course

[2:13:45] Voice 18: we have adjustments for the two trust council directed amendments to contracted temporary

[2:13:49] Voice 18: staffing and secretariat services. So once those budget amendments have been reflected our total

[2:13:55] Voice 18: plan spending is at $11.77 million, which is about $47,000 more than it was initially in the draft

[2:14:03] Voice 18: budget. So that increase in plan spending will be paid for in a combination of grants and an

[2:14:10] Voice 18: increase to taxes. So about $20,000 of the increase will be paid for by grant funding.

[2:14:16] Voice 18: About $23,000 will be paid for by an increase in local trust area general taxes. And so that tax

[2:14:23] Voice 18: tax increase is now at 8.1%, and $4,200 will be contributed by Bowen Island Municipality,

[2:14:30] Voice 18: leaving their tax increase at 13.5%. And at the bottom of the page, there's a few notes,

[2:14:37] Voice 18: just as a reminder about what each of the adjustments relates to. All of those budget

[2:14:45] Voice 18: amendments have been reflected in the five-year plan, and so there's a second document we'll pull

[2:14:51] Voice 18: up on screen showing the five-year plan thank you Alex so year one of the five-year plan that's the

[2:14:58] Voice 18: budget year that you've all been working hard on at this meeting so the figures in year one have

[2:15:02] Voice 18: been updated to reflect the budget amendments from yesterday years two through five of the plan are

[2:15:09] Voice 18: based on year one of the plan and adjusted primarily for inflation given the absence of

[2:15:14] Voice 18: long-term plans with real financial implications attached to them that we can reference and so we

[2:15:20] Voice 18: we see planned spending of $11.77 million in year one, rising to $13.1 million in year five.

[2:15:29] Voice 18: And based on those projections, we see tax increases at the highest level in year one,

[2:15:33] Voice 18: which is the 8.1% for next year, and as low as 1.6% in year three. There is a table that

[2:15:43] Voice 18: gets attached to bylaw 204. So that's our third table out. Thank you. This is Schedule A. As I

[2:15:52] Voice 18: said, it gets attached to the five-year financial plan bylaw. It reflects the same information,

[2:15:57] Voice 18: just in a more summarized format. And this is what will be sent to the minister if the bylaw

[2:16:02] Voice 18: is approved today. So I'll happily take questions if there are any. Otherwise, we would look to

[2:16:08] Voice 18: a hopeful approval under a financial plan bylaw any

[2:16:11] Trustee Patrick: questions for the director trustee peterson

[2:16:14] Trustee Patrick: then fast uh

[2:16:17] Voice 8: thank you so it sounds to me i think i think that i also heard uh 8.1 percent yesterday

[2:16:25] Voice 8: and that uh based on the average property that'd be about 30 to 40 dollars can you remind us what

[2:16:33] Voice 8: what the value of the average property that we're going by there is roughly?

[2:16:43] Voice 18: I'd have to pull up that data.

[2:16:44] Voice 18: I don't have it available right now, but I can look that up and have an answer shortly.

[2:16:50] Voice 8: Great.

[2:16:50] Voice 8: And then the other thing is I'd love to be able to look at the table,

[2:16:56] Voice 8: the five-year plan that you were just showing.

[2:16:59] Voice 8: So can you distribute that, assuming that this passes?

[2:17:08] Voice 18: Absolutely.

[2:17:08] Voice 18: we can circulate that to trustees.

[2:17:12] Voice 15: Trustee Faust, then Yates. Thank you. I'm wondering

[2:17:19] Voice 15: on this page, I'm assuming that the Bowen levy is mixed into the line called revenue general

[2:17:25] Voice 15: property taxes. But I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you mentioned a $4,200

[2:17:32] Voice 15: hundred dollar number um apparently that's wrong um if you could go to the previous slide

[2:17:47] Voice 15: 528 okay i see it's all there thank you very much all

[2:17:55] Trustee Patrick: right trustee fast answered her own question

[2:17:57] Trustee Patrick: uh trustee yates thank

[2:18:01] Voice 5: you um could you please go to the next slide with the provincial funding

[2:18:06] Voice 5: funding so director mobs i just have a question is that uh wait a minute for um revenue uh it was

[2:18:26] Voice 18: the table

[2:18:27] Voice 18: there we go yep one of the

[2:18:30] Voice 18: stuff yeah yeah

[2:18:31] Voice 5: so the provincial funding is that the same

[2:18:34] Voice 5: as the the grant that we get every year that's been exactly the same amount for the past 10

[2:18:40] Voice 5: years or so because it's usually around 186 000 is that the same one yeah

[2:18:47] Voice 18: so the 180 000

[2:18:48] Voice 18: is a component of that provincial funding line so as I mentioned this is a more summarized table

[2:18:56] Voice 18: and so we do provide a bit more detail in the other table which shows the breakdown of our

[2:19:03] Voice 18: provincial funding so our provincial funding is the $180,000 plus any other provincial grant

[2:19:09] Voice 18: we expect to receive in any given year.

[2:19:12] Voice 5: Okay that's really important because it's that

[2:19:15] Voice 5: It's that $180,000 that hasn't moved in a very long time that many of us keep asking about, like, where is the province?

[2:19:25] Voice 5: So thank you very much.

[2:19:27] Trustee Patrick: Thank

[2:19:27] Voice 5: you. Any other questions?

[2:19:32] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckham, then Trustee Bernardo.

[2:19:36] Voice 6: Yeah, correct me if I'm wrong, Julia.

[2:19:39] Voice 6: I think there's an important distinction associated with the provincial funding.

[2:19:46] Voice 6: And that that $180,000 is a number that is derived from a formula that provides a similar grant to every municipality or regional district in the province.

[2:20:03] Voice 6: And I may have the details wrong there, but it is not directly associated with the unique and special character of the Islands Trust, which I think is the more critical question in that.

[2:20:15] Voice 6: But just wanted to clarify that that 180 is just a portion of funding that is provided to all levels of local government.

[2:20:26] Voice 6: And, of course, it's worth noting, and Julia can correct me if I'm

[2:20:29] Voice 6: wrong there, too, is that there's also a surcharge associated with collecting taxes, which happens to be uniquely similar.

[2:20:41] Voice 18: Yeah, you're correct on both fronts.

[2:20:43] Voice 18: The grants that we receive from the province, we receive under the regional district basic operating grant stream.

[2:20:50] Voice 18: And so it's a grant stream that's afforded to other regional districts in the area.

[2:20:56] Voice 18: It is based on a specific formula, which is why we haven't seen our amount change very much through time.

[2:21:03] Voice 18: A large portion of that formula is population based.

[2:21:06] Voice 18: And so, of course, the smaller population, we're going to receive a smaller amount.

[2:21:10] Voice 18: So, yes, we receive that, the same as regional districts.

[2:21:14] Voice 18: The second comment about, you know, there is a third charge on collection of property taxes, that's correct.

[2:21:21] Voice 18: So, the Provincial Surveyor of Taxes requisitions taxes on behalf of Islands Trust, and they do charge a fee for that service.

[2:21:29] Voice 18: That fee is collected directly from taxpayers.

[2:21:32] Voice 18: It's built into the tax requisition that property owners receive.

[2:21:36] Voice 18: And so, it's not something that Islands Trust receives directly at all.

[2:21:40] Voice 18: Thank

[2:21:42] Trustee Patrick: you. Trustee Bernardo, then Boland.

[2:21:47] Voice 10: Director Mons, I'm looking at the chart here and apologies if you actually have already touched on this and I failed to understand it.

[2:21:55] Voice 10: But when I'm looking at the five-year plan and the projections that are in there, in the subsequent budget cycle, the increase, the projected increase isn't huge, you know, a couple hundred thousand dollars there, a little under.

[2:22:15] Voice 10: Then it keeps going up and it keeps going up.

[2:22:18] Voice 10: And a number of questions here. In 26-27, one component, additional number in that $11,700,000 sum is the expenditures we have to do for the election, which is kind of an extraordinary expenditure of some hundreds of thousands.

[2:22:39] Voice 10: um i would have thought that um so when we're looking at the number in the second column for

[2:22:49] Voice 10: 27 28 uh we're not yeah are we projecting that there is going to be growth and expenditures

[2:22:58] Voice 10: that will basically be on an operating basis close to a half a million dollars uh increase

[2:23:06] Voice 10: increase. Because if you take out the extraordinary expenditure for elections this year,

[2:23:11] Voice 10: and then you just look at 27, 28, and just say, okay, that's just a more normal operating budget,

[2:23:19] Voice 10: together with the increased projection for that period of time, it's actually including what is

[2:23:23] Voice 10: an amount equivalent to the extraordinary amount we're paying now. So it works out somewhere around

[2:23:28] Voice 10: half a million or so. That's one question. Have I got that right, that that's a projection of

[2:23:36] Voice 10: what an increase in the operating costs will be and then do you have an average it's pretty clear

[2:23:43] Voice 10: that all of these increases as we move on to 30 31 are going to be principally funded obviously

[2:23:50] Voice 10: by growth and taxes and not growth in anything else in growth in any other revenue so what is

[2:23:57] Voice 10: the average if you just average it all out what are we looking at year to year in terms of an

[2:24:02] Voice 10: average tax increase that gets us to the $13 million operating cost. Thank you.

[2:24:12] Voice 18: Thanks for those questions. So Alex, I'll have you go back to the second table.

[2:24:17] Voice 18: You can pull that up on screen. And right at the top, we do show the tax increases that are

[2:24:27] Voice 18: expected for each of the years. So hopefully that answers your second question, Trustee Bernardo.

[2:24:34] Voice 18: So your first question about, you know, the jump between year one and year two, you know,

[2:24:39] Voice 18: maybe there's an expectation that we wouldn't see such an increase in spending given that

[2:24:43] Voice 18: we would be dropping the election cost.

[2:24:45] Voice 18: So year two does remove the cost for elections, but it does actually include projected increased

[2:24:52] Voice 18: costs for trustee remuneration.

[2:24:53] Voice 18: So, you know, that policy was reviewed at this meeting.

[2:24:56] Voice 18: There's an expectation that, or, you know, an assumption, I guess, that's built in that

[2:25:01] Voice 18: if that's implemented in year one um or yeah right away at april 1 2027 that that would sort of offset

[2:25:08] Voice 18: our elections cost and so that's why you're seeing um maybe a larger increase in year two than you

[2:25:13] Voice 18: would have expected

[2:25:15] Trustee Patrick: thank you uh

[2:25:17] Voice 21: trustee boland and getty thank you and thank you for this uh

[2:25:24] Voice 21: it's always good to look at the overall numbers and yeah the um trust remuneration so i'm looking

[2:25:31] Voice 21: looking at 30 to 31 and that does go up by um sorry in the in the um I believe it goes up by

[2:25:41] Voice 21: 500,000 as opposed to 200,000 every other year so I assume that's an election year and we've

[2:25:47] Voice 21: suddenly stepped up there again but my question really is so we're looking forward all the time

[2:25:54] Voice 21: and making this five-year plan and when you look back how well do we match the forecast

[2:26:03] Voice 21: and is there a level of discrepancy that raises a flag with us or with the province

[2:26:10] Voice 21: because we do provide this financial forecast to the province I believe as part of our you know

[2:26:16] Voice 21: here we are and we're doing a good job so is there a level where an alarm would be raised a

[2:26:23] Voice 21: discrepancy between what was forecasted even a year or two ago and what we were actually doing

[2:26:29] Voice 21: and would we have to you know make a sort of a note here's what happened um that's one question

[2:26:36] Voice 21: and the uh the provincial grant unrestricted the 180 000 and i think trustee luckham made a good

[2:26:46] Voice 21: point in that this formula is the same formula across all regional districts and the islands

[2:26:53] Voice 21: trust and nature of their work is extremely different or the nature of our work is different

[2:26:58] Voice 21: and unique we're always being told that so is it not possible to actually make an approach based

[2:27:05] Voice 21: on the fact that that formula is not appropriate for our unique nature in particular considering

[2:27:14] Voice 21: the fact that we harbor the islands trust conservancy as a body within us and we're

[2:27:20] Voice 21: accountable for that and the nature of those covenanted lands etc could we make a valid case

[2:27:28] Voice 21: that would describe a unique situation in which that calculation should be reframed for the trust

[2:27:36] Voice 21: thanks so

[2:27:42] Voice 18: i'll respond to those questions in order um if i may through the chair um so whether or not

[2:27:48] Voice 18: we have undertaken a historical review to look at, you know, how close were our financial projections

[2:27:55] Voice 18: in the five-year plan historically to where we actually land in those years? That's how I

[2:28:00] Voice 18: understood your first question. There hasn't been an in-depth analysis of that, certainly at our

[2:28:06] Voice 18: end. I can't speak to whether or not the province is undertaking that work. I have in history looked

[2:28:12] Voice 18: at that at a high level and we haven't been too far off with the exception of years where we

[2:28:18] Voice 18: implement new staffing so the five-year plan assumes stable staffing levels throughout there's

[2:28:24] Voice 18: no adjustments that are made for new staff in future years and so that can be a big area that

[2:28:31] Voice 18: might lead to a change from what we project to what actually transpires I would say that our tax

[2:28:36] Voice 18: tax increases that are projected into future years are often quite different. And that's usually a

[2:28:42] Voice 18: result of new grants that might come forward in any given year. You know, if there's a new grant

[2:28:48] Voice 18: stream that we apply to and we're successful, that will have an impact on taxation and also

[2:28:53] Voice 18: the use of surplus. So in year one of the plan, you see we're using a significant draw from surplus

[2:28:58] Voice 18: and reserve. And in future years of the plan that disappears, that makes the assumption that we will

[2:29:03] Voice 18: actually start spending our full budget and the trended island trust is just that we generally

[2:29:08] Voice 18: don't. But we don't build in assumed understanding of budgets into the five-year plan because the

[2:29:17] Voice 18: intent is always to budget what we will actually spend. So I would say those are the two primary

[2:29:21] Voice 18: drivers of where we might see differences in the projection versus what actually happens in those

[2:29:26] Voice 18: future years. Your second question around the provincial grant and whether or not there's

[2:29:34] Voice 18: room to examine a revision of that formula, I would say that, you know, I can't speak to that,

[2:29:39] Voice 18: that would need to be a conversation with the province, maybe a bit of an advocacy exercise.

[2:29:44] Voice 18: So Director Frater might have some more insights in that. Certainly, as it stands now,

[2:29:51] Voice 18: there isn't any way for us to influence that. But I'd say if Director Frater has any

[2:29:56] Voice 18: thoughts or comments on how that advocacy works.

[2:30:02] Voice 21: I mean, I just think it's a case in which maybe our unique nature, which is constantly emphasized, could be used to our advantage, that we need a unique formula.

[2:30:14] Voice 21: Thanks.

[2:30:15] Voice 21: CEO Ronnie?

[2:30:16] Voice 4: Yeah, thank you through the chair.

[2:30:19] Voice 4: If council wishes, as it has done in the past, for us to undertake advocacy and raise these issues with the province, we can do that.

[2:30:26] Voice 4: um how successful or effective a case we can make depends largely on the receptiveness of

[2:30:33] Voice 4: the province to engage in that conversation of course and recent experience has told us

[2:30:38] Voice 4: there's limited receptivity to that um that doesn't preclude us from from initiating that

[2:30:44] Voice 4: conversation again i think it would need to be um a very detailed well-articulated

[2:30:52] Voice 4: requests where that shows that we have done our homework to really articulate a viable option

[2:30:58] Voice 4: as opposed to a fairly general request but we can always take that forward if that's the request of

[2:31:04] Voice 4: of council it would just have to it would take us some work to map out what the what we believe

[2:31:11] Voice 4: an actual alternative option would look like thank

[2:31:15] Voice 21: you i think it would be uh interesting or

[2:31:18] Voice 21: helpful to share or circulate the basis of that because it does come up every year like why is

[2:31:25] Voice 21: the grant still only 180 000 and it's really a calculation that's very similar to the way in

[2:31:30] Voice 21: which the trustee salaries are created you know how many folios and what's the population blah blah

[2:31:36] Voice 21: so it would be interesting to look at that and put thinking caps on and think about it in the

[2:31:41] Voice 21: context of well i'm not a regional district i'm something else and therefore i'm being handicapped

[2:31:48] Voice 21: or not by this and i think thank you trustee luckham for emphasizing that which caused my

[2:31:55] Voice 21: caught my attention thank you all right uh

[2:31:58] Trustee Patrick: thank you uh trustee getty then evans

[2:32:03] Voice 3: uh one of the things that was mentioned yesterday in a conversation um after our meeting was that

[2:32:09] Voice 3: um i can't remember who it was now but they were surprised that we didn't have a conversation about

[2:32:14] Voice 3: fees and as a source of revenue and it when looking at the numbers in the

[2:32:21] Voice 3: previous table it's roughly 200,000 with an increase of about 4,000 every year in

[2:32:28] Voice 3: the five-year plan and that's roughly 2% of the expenses so I rather I'm not

[2:32:38] Voice 3: suggesting that we look at that now and do anything topsy-turvy with this

[2:32:42] Voice 3: document but if that could be an understanding that it either works

[2:32:48] Voice 3: through staff or it works through financial planning or somehow or other

[2:32:52] Voice 3: that is something that we seriously look at and I'm assuming in addition that the

[2:32:58] Voice 3: grants that are on I think this table that's before so the one that's on my

[2:33:04] Voice 3: screen at any rate in in terms of other grants there's a placeholder but I

[2:33:09] Voice 3: I assume that the understanding is that if there are grants that come in during a year,

[2:33:13] Voice 3: that that can improve the revenue side of things,

[2:33:20] Voice 3: which would end up ultimately in a surplus that could be applied later.

[2:33:25] Voice 3: But it's not going to affect the taxes this year.

[2:33:28] Voice 3: That's fairly basic math, I would assume.

[2:33:30] Voice 3: assume okay so the the BIM levy has gone down from thirty two point five to

[2:33:39] Voice 3: thirteen point five we've commented on the detailed letter that our mayor wrote

[2:33:47] Voice 3: with respect to the policy statement he's also authored another detailed

[2:33:53] Voice 3: report with respect to the Bowen's tax levy it's that wasn't agreed to by Bibb

[2:34:01] Voice 3: Council to forward to this body and there was a great deal of debate about

[2:34:05] Voice 3: it but there's put the council on notice that there's a quite a significant

[2:34:10] Voice 3: pushback from Bowen in terms of the money that gets spent by us on

[2:34:16] Voice 3: conservancy and Trust Council projects so that is that's looming in terms of if

[2:34:25] Voice 3: he is correct in his calculations and I'm not an accountant so I don't know and

[2:34:32] Voice 3: I know that there are questions and it's gone to staff to look at in detail but

[2:34:38] Voice 3: that may have an effect with respect to if there is a pushback from Bowen it is

[2:34:44] Voice 3: a chunk of money it's roughly 500 000 that comes into the trust budget um that may decrease in the

[2:34:53] Voice 3: um if he is successful in his arguments so that's something that needs to be kept in mind

[2:34:59] Voice 4: right ceo

[2:35:00] Voice 4: ronnie thank you through the chair thank you trustee getty on on the revenue point

[2:35:04] Voice 4: i think that's a valid point that is somewhat pertinent to to trustee boland's point as well

[2:35:09] Voice 4: I would just note that if we are to take forward at any point, seek to engage in a discussion with the province about provincial funding.

[2:35:17] Voice 4: I think there are two questions that I would expect the province to ask is what have you done to decrease your spending and what have you done to increase your revenues through things like fees?

[2:35:28] Voice 4: So I think that the revenue point and the fee point is a valid one worth exploring, particularly if you want to engage the province.

[2:35:34] Voice 4: on the Bowen Island piece just briefly as an update there too.

[2:35:38] Voice 4: I think coming up, Chair Patrick and Director Mobs and I

[2:35:43] Voice 4: attended the February 23rd Bowen Council meeting

[2:35:46] Voice 4: and Director Mobs did a very effective job

[2:35:49] Voice 4: of addressing some of the issues raised in the Mayor's report.

[2:35:54] Voice 4: We have subsequently, the outcome of that meeting

[2:35:56] Voice 4: was that Bowen Council requested their staff to meet with us

[2:36:00] Voice 4: to explore a review of the allocation model for Bowen.

[2:36:04] Voice 4: And we met with them recently and had that initial conversation.

[2:36:09] Voice 4: And we've committed with their staff to undertake a review of that in the new fiscal year to

[2:36:13] Voice 4: assess whether there's any options and opportunities to update that allocation model that could

[2:36:19] Voice 4: be addressed in next fiscal's budget preparation.

[2:36:21] Voice 4: So that work is underway.

[2:36:24] Voice 4: And I know Bowen staff will be reporting back to their council on that as well.

[2:36:27] Voice 4: And so I think, you know, that will be an active discussion. I also note that we currently have an executive committee meeting, joint meeting scheduled with Bowen Council on April the 1st, I believe, and I anticipate that the BIM levy will be a topic of conversation on that agenda as well.

[2:36:46] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[2:36:47] Voice 4: Trustee Evans, then Morrison.

[2:36:50] Voice 19: person. Thanks. And just because I haven't really spoken about this much in the past couple of

[2:36:58] Voice 19: meetings, corporate plan. I'm hoping that when we get the corporate plan organized and ready for

[2:37:06] Voice 19: rollout at the next trust council that comes after the elections, when we come to be doing budgets

[2:37:12] Voice 19: again in the future, we can be doing this in a slightly different manner, that the process will

[2:37:16] Voice 19: will be a little different and hopefully a little clearer that when we do our strategic planning,

[2:37:22] Voice 19: it's forward-looking. It's not just for that one year. If it's done under the corporate planning

[2:37:26] Voice 19: model, we will understand not just the upcoming year staffing projection needs, but the full

[2:37:33] Voice 19: five-year staffing projection needs, as well as the info technology that the project plans will

[2:37:40] Voice 19: will be fully developed so that we understand all of the proper bounds to prevent project

[2:37:46] Voice 19: sweep, staff resourcing plan, all of that.

[2:37:50] Voice 19: So when we're coming to these budgets, it's a lot easier for us to have a budget that

[2:37:58] Voice 19: is constrained to the work that we're doing, that we have agreed to in our strategic planning,

[2:38:06] Voice 19: that is achievable based on all of the information that we've received because we were able to

[2:38:11] Voice 19: make fully informed decisions rather than what we have been doing I feel over the past few years

[2:38:17] Voice 19: which is more reactive based budgeting where we sit around the table and we react to the numbers

[2:38:24] Voice 19: that we're seeing. If we're able to get this moved forward I'm hoping that the process will be a lot

[2:38:32] Voice 19: smoother so again I'm just encouraging work on the corporate planning process so that these

[2:38:40] Voice 19: conversations go smoother and faster and better. Thank you.

[2:38:45] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Morrison then

[2:38:47] Trustee Patrick: Elliot.

[2:38:48] Voice 27: Thank you. If I can just shed some light as to Trustee Getty's question or

[2:38:55] Voice 27: comment on the fees. I can't remember exactly the year that I first noticed

[2:39:00] Voice 27: that particular problem. I think it might have been the 2019 budget and I started

[2:39:06] Voice 27: asking questions of that director Marla can like probably comment on some of my

[2:39:12] Voice 27: like persistence on that one and planning had done some work to try and

[2:39:19] Voice 27: understand the costs of particular applications and how we were covering

[2:39:23] Voice 27: those costs because before that it hadn't been well tracked and then we

[2:39:31] Voice 27: have because we do have a policy for cost recovery on the books and so that

[2:39:35] Voice 27: That is something that has influenced my feeling about our budget is not only the provincial

[2:39:44] Voice 27: lack of commitment toward the trust in financial resources, but also the way in which we are

[2:39:53] Voice 27: paying for development in a particular way, like with public money, that I just feel is

[2:40:02] Voice 27: not really appropriate given our mandate and yet balancing that with what it

[2:40:07] Voice 27: looks like for the average person in the trust to do something on their local

[2:40:11] Voice 27: property so like where is the understanding of how we're managing that

[2:40:15] Voice 27: policy a little better so we don't yeah so just in terms of thinking that

[2:40:23] Voice 27: through it's a little bit more complex than simply provincial support it's

[2:40:27] Voice 27: about how we get our own governance questions in order and it's one of the

[2:40:33] Voice 27: reasons that I was in support of the original governance review is to really

[2:40:37] Voice 27: understand and deepen and improve those policies which include the corporate one

[2:40:43] Voice 27: that trustee just mentioned and a lot of the things that have been getting done

[2:40:49] Voice 27: so I appreciate greatly what has been done I feel like some of that has sort

[2:40:54] Voice 27: of perhaps fallen off and maybe um director mobs can answer for us if we're still tracking

[2:41:01] Voice 27: the costs of applications that would be helpful to know director

[2:41:06] Trustee Patrick: mobs um

[2:41:09] Voice 18: yeah sure i'm happy to

[2:41:09] Voice 18: provide some comments um first i'll just say i believe local trust committees have the authority

[2:41:15] Voice 18: to change their fees at any time that they wish and director marler or cermak could correct me

[2:41:21] Voice 18: me if that's wrong. You know, I sense that many local trust committees might want to have a bit

[2:41:28] Voice 18: of analysis done to inform any increases. And so that is actually on the work plan. So this has

[2:41:34] Voice 18: been raised several times at former meetings. There is a task or a project on the work plan

[2:41:40] Voice 18: for myself and Director Cermak to have a look at the fees and talk about or provide

[2:41:47] Voice 18: some different options of ways that fees could be increased so it's it's there it's something that

[2:41:53] Voice 18: we have made top priority for financial planning committee for next quarter so we've moved it to

[2:41:58] Voice 18: the top of our future project list as far as what we're doing right now to track staff time to

[2:42:06] Voice 18: understand whether how far off we are from a cost recovery model there's no tracking their staff

[2:42:12] Voice 18: time at this moment so the time tracking system that we were using was quite buggy having some

[2:42:17] Voice 18: and struggles, the decision was made that we were going to move away from an in-house model and buy

[2:42:21] Voice 18: something off the shelf. And so that was a purchase that was planned, I believe, for this fiscal.

[2:42:26] Voice 18: Dr. Cermak is overseeing that, so I looked to him to provide some additional comments. But

[2:42:30] Voice 18: as far as I understand, there's been some delays there, and we haven't yet secured that software

[2:42:34] Voice 18: system. And of course, once we find a system to purchase, it'll take some time to implement it,

[2:42:39] Voice 18: set it up, get staff trained. So if we were to undertake a full-scale, in-depth analysis of

[2:42:44] Voice 18: staff time it would be a while before we're going to have any results to inform future fees increases

[2:42:50] Voice 18: there's obviously ways to increase fees that are far simpler you know simply use that we could

[2:42:55] Voice 18: potentially use the hours that were collected under the former analysis and use that as a proxy

[2:43:01] Voice 18: for current day um dollars um you

[2:43:04] Voice 1: know there has

[2:43:05] Voice 18: been some more complexities in in processing

[2:43:07] Voice 18: planning applications as i understand it over the years and so maybe we just sort of come up

[2:43:11] Voice 18: with an adjustment for that all of those options will be discussed in the report that's coming

[2:43:15] Voice 18: forward so yes it is it is top of mind and I do think it's

[2:43:18] Voice 27: something worthy of taking

[2:43:20] Voice 27: a look at

[2:43:20] Voice 27: and maybe just a quick follow-up to that like I do great it is a vast improvement frankly for

[2:43:27] Voice 27: where we were back in 2019 we have had lots of conversations around this and the review that

[2:43:33] Voice 27: was done that did inform the fees that the changes in fees that have been mostly passed across the

[2:43:40] Voice 27: Islands now. And so really greatly appreciate that. The ombudsman report around bylaw enforcement has

[2:43:47] Voice 27: also helped with that, because that has calmed our communities to really understand that

[2:43:53] Voice 27: they're a combination of things, right? So it's not so simple as a one-to-one relationship. But

[2:43:59] Voice 27: thank you very much for all the work you guys have done on this.

[2:44:02] Voice 12: Thank you. Trustee Elliott.

[2:44:04] Voice 12: Thank you. I think we're straying a bit too far from this consideration of passing this bylaw, but two points I wanted to bring up. Yeah, in respect to the fees and collecting application fees, I think the number we heard in March, no, December, September on Gabriel, we're recuperating about 20%, if I'm not mistaken, of the total cost of applications through the fees that we're collecting.

[2:44:36] Voice 12: we're charging. So I think perhaps for next term, it would be good if that analysis sort of landed

[2:44:45] Voice 12: on LTCs sort of as a memo, as a briefing. How do you want to handle this? Is there an appetite for

[2:44:54] Voice 12: increasing fees and sort of doing a survey of, you know, the appetite in your local trust committee

[2:45:01] Voice 12: areas for increasing fees to offset the overall taxation. That might be a good project for

[2:45:06] Voice 12: starting off next year. People like to talk about taxation as soon as they get elected, I think.

[2:45:11] Voice 12: The second point about the provincial grant, we did have a lot of discussion. I think it was back

[2:45:18] Voice 12: in 2023 at executive committee because we'd been directed by council to develop a strategy to

[2:45:24] Voice 12: approach the province with amending the terms of that grant. And I remember director Marler brought

[2:45:30] Voice 12: a briefing or a memo on the history of that grant and it was really interesting because it actually

[2:45:36] Voice 12: is it appears it was an accident of history that it was meant to be a bridge to you know for a

[2:45:42] Voice 12: particular function uh 1985 or something 95 maybe anyway i was wondering if director marler could

[2:45:51] Voice 12: circulate that to the rest of trustees so we could have that information and stop having the same

[2:45:57] Voice 12: conversation about why is this grant not increasing at least we'll have the same understanding of why

[2:46:02] Voice 12: it exists at all so we can actually create a strategy in future thanks my trustees we've

[2:46:08] Trustee Patrick: reached the end of the list of first-time speakers we have about three people who have

[2:46:13] Trustee Patrick: are on the list and i'm trusty past you are second time speakers i'm

[2:46:22] Trustee Patrick: according to our list so i'm if you still have questions for clarity that's

[2:46:27] Trustee Patrick: what's important at this time I don't want to cut anyone off to understand

[2:46:31] Trustee Patrick: what they're what they're voting are so we have second-time speakers that are

[2:46:35] Trustee Patrick: asking for before I like to understand the the budget the five-year plan and

[2:46:41] Trustee Patrick: what there is no motion on the floor yet that's going to be the next thing that

[2:46:44] Trustee Patrick: we're going to so I'm gonna go to trustee Yates thank

[2:46:50] Voice 5: you chair Patrick I

[2:46:51] Voice 5: I did want to just ask a question about the fees because I am always concerned

[2:46:55] Voice 5: that hours are relatively so very low

[2:46:58] Voice 5: and that the taxpayers really have

[2:47:00] Voice 5: to subsidize development.

[2:47:01] Voice 5: So did someone say that it was going to be a priority

[2:47:04] Voice 5: on the financial planning committee?

[2:47:06] Voice 5: Okay, good, that's all I need to know.

[2:47:07] Voice 5: Thank you.

[2:47:09] Voice 5: Thank you.

[2:47:09] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckin.

[2:47:12] Voice 6: Thank you very much, Chair.

[2:47:16] Voice 6: With regards to the five-year plan, I guess,

[2:47:19] Voice 6: and with regards to additional funding and or revenues,

[2:47:29] Voice 6: You know, we're not going to change the formula, right, because that's a provincial formula and there's going to be resistance there. We need to actually articulate the unique nature of the Islands Trust. And along with Ken Hunter, we need to recognize that the rest of the province needs to pay for this unique amenity.

[2:47:51] Voice 6: um therefore and i'm going to sound like a broken record let's get the policy statement on the desk

[2:48:00] Voice 6: of the minister and get it approved because that clearly articulates more responsibilities and

[2:48:05] Voice 6: duties to engage and consult and it's certainly a viable avenue solid request for additional funding

[2:48:14] Voice 6: with respect to the the fees um we're talking an order of magnitude we're not talking five percent

[2:48:24] Voice 6: ten percent which twenty percent whatever we're talking an order of magnitude because honestly

[2:48:30] Voice 6: are we spending eleven million dollars to uh act on two hundred thousand dollars worth of revenues

[2:48:36] Voice 6: just leave it there we need to fix these things and i i promise thank you judy getty by the way

[2:48:45] Voice 6: I promised I was never going to raise that topic, so I'm glad there are others

[2:48:49] Voice 6: prepared to continue to raise that topic. It's been longstanding, many trustees. Thank you.

[2:48:56] Voice 6: Trustee passed.

[2:48:59] Voice 15: Thanks. We're back on the raising fees topic, which comes up often. There's lots of

[2:49:06] Voice 15: us that have been interested in this, as you've just pointed out. If you look at page 50 of your

[2:49:11] Voice 15: agenda, that's where you'll see it on the active projects of the Financial Planning Committee,

[2:49:16] Voice 15: and I'd be glad to make the motion when you're ready

[2:49:19] Voice 15: for first reading of the financial statements

[2:49:21] Voice 15: or I hope we get to that soon.

[2:49:22] Trustee Patrick: Well, we are at the end of our speakers list,

[2:49:25] Trustee Patrick: trustee Faust, you were the last speaker.

[2:49:26] Trustee Patrick: So if I don't see any other speakers,

[2:49:29] Trustee Patrick: are we ready for the motion to proceed?

[2:49:33] Trustee Patrick: I said motions because they're plural.

[2:49:35] Trustee Patrick: We are on, let's make sure on the right page,

[2:49:39] Trustee Patrick: so page 688 of your agenda package

[2:49:43] Trustee Patrick: are the series of motions on the readings

[2:49:46] Trustee Patrick: for the financial plan bylaw and trustee fast if you'd like to begin go ahead thank you chair

[2:49:52] Voice 15: i move that islands trust council bylaw number 204 cited as islands trust can uh council financial

[2:49:59] Voice 15: plan bylaw 2026 27 be read a first time all

[2:50:03] Trustee Patrick: right is there a second trustee yates seconds the motion

[2:50:07] Trustee Patrick: any discussion all right i'm not seeing any discussion so i think we're ready to call the

[2:50:19] Trustee Patrick: the vote? I'm sorry, there's one. I'm sorry, Trustee Falk.

[2:50:27] Voice 7: Yeah, I'm going to be voting

[2:50:29] Voice 7: against the motion, and I wanted to say why. As I spoke before, I feel like the budgeting process

[2:50:38] Voice 7: is backwards, and I think that needs to be addressed. And so when it comes to the opportunity

[2:50:49] Voice 7: for trustees to influence our process.

[2:50:52] Voice 7: I find that there are limited opportunities.

[2:50:55] Voice 7: And for me, this is the best opportunity

[2:50:59] Voice 7: that I've identified that I could use

[2:51:01] Voice 7: is to vote against something

[2:51:03] Voice 7: that I don't agree with on principle.

[2:51:06] Voice 7: And hopefully there'll be a change.

[2:51:09] Voice 7: I'm hoping to influence a change in the future.

[2:51:12] Voice 7: And there has been some discussion

[2:51:14] Voice 7: about that improvement of our budgeting process,

[2:51:17] Voice 7: which is encouraging to me and so anyway I want to say that I think that's what I

[2:51:36] Voice 7: want to say yeah

[2:51:37] Trustee Patrick: thank you thank you any further discussion trustee Middleton

[2:51:42] Trustee Patrick: yeah

[2:51:44] Trustee Middleton: we had a good discussion yesterday about collaboration and the budget but

[2:51:48] Trustee Middleton: the fact remains from a democratic perspective there are only really two

[2:51:54] Trustee Middleton: two functions of trust counsel, one hiring the CEO, the other is approving the budget.

[2:52:01] Trustee Middleton: So this really is kind of the most important marker to, I think, make a statement that

[2:52:08] Trustee Middleton: there needs to be, I mean, I voted for the budget for years and I've recently started

[2:52:12] Trustee Middleton: to express the fact through the vote, a negative vote, that our policy for our procedure for

[2:52:21] Trustee Middleton: arriving at the budget everybody's calling it um staff of non-national job and it's it's not a

[2:52:26] Trustee Middleton: criticism of the of the approach taken to the to building the budget it's it's what is before them

[2:52:32] Trustee Middleton: but i just think that um it's it's not in the spirit of trying to wreck things in the spirit

[2:52:38] Trustee Middleton: of trying to actually um make a notation that we really do urgently have to get on with revising

[2:52:45] Trustee Middleton: the way we fund the organization in alliance with a plan that covers the entire organization.

[2:52:54] Trustee Middleton: You know, if the budget does fail, it's not the end of the world.

[2:52:57] Trustee Middleton: Obviously, we'll have to continue talking and arrive at a budget that's workable for

[2:53:00] Trustee Middleton: the time being.

[2:53:01] Trustee Middleton: But I just wanted to explain that in case it was misconstrued what's happening with

[2:53:07] Trustee Middleton: the negative vote.

[2:53:08] Trustee Middleton: Thank you.

[2:53:10] Trustee Patrick: Just before I proceed, I think you said there were only two things, Trust Council.

[2:53:14] Trustee Patrick: According to the Islands Trust Act, we have to adopt an annual budget.

[2:53:18] Trustee Patrick: That is a responsibility of Trust Council.

[2:53:20] Trustee Patrick: We have to adopt a trust policy statement.

[2:53:23] Trustee Patrick: That's a responsibility.

[2:53:24] Trustee Patrick: We have to consider bylaws for approval.

[2:53:27] Trustee Patrick: We have to appoint officers and other employees.

[2:53:30] Trustee Patrick: We have to file an annual report.

[2:53:31] Trustee Patrick: We have to carry out other duties that the minister assigns to us.

[2:53:36] Trustee Patrick: And then there's a whole bunch of other things that we can do that we do get into.

[2:53:39] Trustee Patrick: So I just want to remind you there's multiple things we have to do.

[2:53:42] Trustee Patrick: uh trustee morrison and bolin thank

[2:53:46] Voice 27: you so first i'd like to just make sure we have a roll call

[2:53:49] Voice 27: for this vote and that it's recorded um and second um and again this has nothing to do with

[2:53:57] Voice 27: our relationships with each other or the terrific work that's been done by the financial planning

[2:54:01] Voice 27: committee and um director mobs those are all understood like so thank you all for your work

[2:54:09] Voice 27: I will be voting against this motion and I understand that we have differing views of

[2:54:17] Voice 27: what it means to hold our responsibility to the mandate. Part of my responsibility to the mandate

[2:54:22] Voice 27: is that the province steps up and does what they need to do and that we respect what our

[2:54:28] Voice 27: communities are saying to us about constant increased pressure for supporting the tax

[2:54:33] Voice 27: increases to do the work that we need to do. I actually think we need even a bigger budget than

[2:54:39] Voice 27: we have to do some of that work but it needs to be supported by the province and this is one of

[2:54:44] Voice 27: the few ways that we can say that and that's my responsibility whether it's civil disobedience

[2:54:49] Voice 27: or not in this role to do that so that's what i'll be doing thank you

[2:54:53] Trustee Patrick: trustee morrison if you wish to

[2:54:55] Trustee Patrick: have a roll call vote i need a motion i

[2:54:57] Voice 27: move to have a roll call vote is

[2:54:59] Trustee Patrick: there a second seconded

[2:55:01] Trustee Patrick: by trustee falk there's no discussion this is just a a vote so all those in favor of a roll call vote

[2:55:08] Trustee Patrick: vote please raise your hands lower your hands i think that's that that carries i can is it two

[2:55:26] Trustee Patrick: thirds 21 votes so uh we're going to carry on the debate that doesn't call that's uh just uh

[2:55:35] Trustee Patrick: we'll have a roll call when we get to the vote so thank you trustees

[2:55:40] Trustee Patrick: where are we on the list uh trustee boland then trustee bernardo thank

[2:55:45] Voice 21: you i echo what trustee

[2:55:47] Voice 21: Morrison said and Trustee Falk this is an oh this is one of the few opportunities where we can

[2:55:53] Voice 21: actually try to engage with the province um who till now have just patted us on the heads and

[2:56:01] Voice 21: sent us away and um yes we're obliged but that doesn't mean we have to pass a budget regardless

[2:56:10] Voice 21: We have to put a genuine effort into a process, and we have to reflect what we honestly believe in our vote.

[2:56:20] Voice 21: So that's where I'm coming from, and I think I'll be voting against it. Thank you.

[2:56:33] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Bernardo, then Evans.

[2:56:36] Voice 10: Thank you.

[2:56:38] Voice 10: I think we do have to face up to the reality that the budget process is suboptimal.

[2:56:45] Voice 10: in fact but you know i could say a bunch of things about that but you've heard me complain

[2:56:50] Voice 10: about the process for three years now so i don't i won't repeat myself the process isn't great but

[2:56:55] Voice 10: it's what we have um we were elected to administer the act um approving a budget is a requirement of

[2:57:04] Voice 10: statute that's part of the act we swore an oath after we got elected to um fulfill our duties in

[2:57:13] Voice 10: accordance with the law well the law includes passing a budget if we don't like the process

[2:57:19] Voice 10: we fix it and i will continue to nag that we need to fix it because what we have now is frankly

[2:57:25] Voice 10: lousy but we don't blow it up um if the province is being negligent and frankly it is in failing

[2:57:33] Voice 10: to fund the trust we advocate we push we shove but we don't defy the act i will be supporting the uh

[2:57:41] Voice 10: motion. Thank you.

[2:57:44] Voice 19: Trustee Evans.

[2:57:46] Voice 19: Trustee Bernardo said it a little bit more eloquently

[2:57:48] Voice 19: than I was going to.

[2:57:51] Voice 19: Similar sentiment,

[2:57:52] Voice 19: if we defy

[2:57:54] Voice 19: the legislative act

[2:57:56] Voice 19: that says we must approve a budget,

[2:57:59] Voice 19: we've already heard

[2:58:00] Voice 19: that the repercussions of that is

[2:58:02] Voice 19: there is no funding, therefore the trust

[2:58:04] Voice 19: no longer exists.

[2:58:07] Voice 19: Is that what we want to do?

[2:58:09] Voice 19: If we don't like the process,

[2:58:11] Voice 19: there is

[2:58:13] Voice 19: already on the books a methodology that we are working on to improve the process so that we can

[2:58:21] Voice 19: properly budget with known information for future planning not just reactive um cutting and trying

[2:58:30] Voice 19: to get things to to fit like we have been doing um i would actually like to call on um if i may

[2:58:36] Voice 19: through the chair uh director marla to remind us of the of what will happen if we do not pass a

[2:58:42] Voice 19: budget. Thank you.

[2:58:45] Voice 9: Yeah, thank you. The Islands Trust Act doesn't contemplate that you would not

[2:58:50] Voice 9: pass a budget. It uses the word must, which is definitive. There's no choice. You have to do it.

[2:58:58] Voice 9: So if you don't pass a budget today, we'll be looking to bring Trust Council back in a special

[2:59:03] Voice 9: meeting before the end of March to reconsider a different budget or an alternative to try and get

[2:59:09] Voice 9: a budget and to meet your obligations under the Act. If you don't do that, we don't know what

[2:59:15] Voice 9: the Minister will do. For local governments outside the Arms Trust, the Act actually,

[2:59:23] Voice 9: the Local Government Act does contemplate what would happen. And essentially, the Minister would

[2:59:30] Voice 9: impose a budget for the local government and appoint an administrator that would administer

[2:59:35] Voice 9: to that budget until the council can come to an agreement on what's appropriate uh we don't have

[2:59:43] Voice 9: that islands trust but i suspect something similar could happen um if trust council does not pass a

[2:59:50] Voice 9: budget thanks thank

[2:59:53] Trustee Patrick: you trustee harris then maperly thanks

[2:59:57] Voice 30: um i definitely was not

[3:00:00] Voice 30: elected to uphold the act um if anything i was elected to blow it up so for that reason um i

[3:00:06] Voice 30: will not be voting for this um i won't be in favor of uh of passing this i i don't see you know i i

[3:00:15] Voice 30: don't really understand the rationale that we have to pass a budget you know maybe we can deliberate

[3:00:20] Voice 30: and talk and but we don't have to we don't have to do anything um it's what we choose to do thank

[3:00:27] Voice 30: you trustee

[3:00:29] Trustee Patrick: harris we all took an oath of office to uphold the law trustee maberly thank you chair

[3:00:36] Voice 28: um i cannot support the motion i mean i think i i spoke yesterday about some of my reasons why

[3:00:43] Voice 28: um this is no um bearing on the hard work that's put in by the financial committee or staff that

[3:00:50] Voice 28: I've worked hard to bring forward a budget.

[3:00:55] Voice 28: My reason for opposition is very much like Trustee Falk said.

[3:01:00] Voice 28: We have one opportunity a year to really sort of affect structural change.

[3:01:08] Voice 28: I've been fairly clear through my term that I think that the Honest Trust is straying away from its mandate of land management.

[3:01:18] Voice 28: and the only way you can sort of get the trustees around this table to have a serious discussion

[3:01:27] Voice 28: about what it is we're doing here is to force them to all sit together in a time that's not

[3:01:36] Voice 28: scheduled, which is by not approving the budget. So whether we sat here until midnight, I have no

[3:01:44] Voice 28: problem with the oath we take to pass a budget. That's not the issue here. The issue here for me

[3:01:51] Voice 28: is we need as a group to understand that a lot of our constituents are asking for us to

[3:02:03] Voice 28: change how we're doing business. I don't see any other way to answer that call.

[3:02:14] Voice 28: all uh so you know i i won't support the budget and and i mean i was scary yesterday i think you

[3:02:21] Voice 28: have the votes to support it and and the sooner you do that and put me out of my misery i'm fine

[3:02:26] Voice 28: with that um but uh you know that that's i just want to be clear on the reason it has nothing to

[3:02:33] Voice 28: do with the hard work that the financial committee and that director mobs and her team have put into

[3:02:38] Voice 28: into producing the work that they do because if you look at the five-year plan pretty hard to

[3:02:43] Voice 28: argue with the five-year plan it's not that's not my argument my argument is the actual structure

[3:02:50] Voice 28: of the honest trust itself and and the work it's doing towards its mandate all

[3:02:57] Trustee Patrick: right trustees are

[3:02:57] Trustee Patrick: at the end of the first time speakers list of trustee getty so

[3:03:04] Voice 3: correct me if i'm wrong but

[3:03:07] Voice 3: if this is a protest uh vote against the um the way that the trust does business and the governance

[3:03:16] Voice 3: and how we come to budget decisions.

[3:03:21] Voice 3: You know, it seems to me that that's either trying to push

[3:03:24] Voice 3: the corporate planning model or I haven't had any of these people

[3:03:30] Voice 3: involved with and making submissions to the governance committee

[3:03:34] Voice 3: and, you know, coming and doing the work there

[3:03:37] Voice 3: or making various submissions.

[3:03:40] Voice 3: commissions and I haven't heard this kind of discussion either in the budget process as we

[3:03:48] Voice 3: did the community of the whole or any of the other we've always been talking about the numbers so now

[3:03:53] Voice 3: if it's coming down to the last second and we're talking about this is not a workable process

[3:04:00] Voice 3: that you know the people in our community want us to change how we do business I'm not sure what it

[3:04:06] Voice 3: it is that you're referring to. People in my community are saying, you know, this is a lot

[3:04:12] Voice 3: of money and, you know, we're short, there's pressures, financial pressures in terms of

[3:04:18] Voice 3: infrastructure costs and all of the other expenses that we've got on Bowen. And they want us to get

[3:04:24] Voice 3: the number down, but they've always been very strongly supportive in terms of both biodiversity

[3:04:31] Voice 3: and ecological protection and environmental and the federation of the

[3:04:37] Voice 3: trust and the fact that this whole archipelago is protected and that that's

[3:04:44] Voice 3: been a significant bonus to the whole province so I'm not sure what if you

[3:04:51] Voice 3: don't like the business of the trust and you don't like the way we're doing

[3:04:55] Voice 3: business then I'm very surprised that we're having this conversation at this

[3:05:00] Voice 3: juncture on this budget and it seems to me that those are the points that could

[3:05:06] Voice 3: have been and should have been raised at governance committee or at an earlier

[3:05:10] Voice 3: process of the council in terms of what is the problem you know are we getting

[3:05:16] Voice 3: too much into reconciliation is that a complaint I have heard that from some

[3:05:20] Voice 3: people I disagree with them is it that we're you know we're hiring too many

[3:05:27] Voice 3: many people, regardless of the fact that they're doing really, really good work, and they're

[3:05:31] Voice 3: overworked, and we're getting lots and lots of overtime for the money that we're spending,

[3:05:36] Voice 3: is it, you know, I just don't tell me what to do on my private land. It's, you know,

[3:05:43] Voice 3: private property rights. And that's the basic function of the trust, and always has been since

[3:05:49] Voice 3: since its inception, I'm a little bit perturbed

[3:05:53] Voice 3: that some of us are, I've got now eight people on a list

[3:05:57] Voice 3: that are saying, you know, I don't want to adopt this budget

[3:06:01] Voice 3: because of that process.

[3:06:04] Voice 3: And I don't see, I don't think it's reasonable

[3:06:08] Voice 3: in terms of making that connection at this point.

[3:06:11] Voice 3: We've been through the discussion about,

[3:06:14] Voice 3: we've had lots and lots of good ideas.

[3:06:16] Voice 3: We've had to decide which priorities we're going to fund

[3:06:18] Voice 3: and why, and we're going to have to either stick with it

[3:06:23] Voice 3: and explain it to our constituents

[3:06:26] Voice 3: or, you know, somehow figure out how to change it.

[3:06:30] Voice 3: It's not a matter of not having a budget.

[3:06:33] Voice 3: It's, you know, what we're going to spend the money on.

[3:06:35] Voice 3: We go, I don't know that I want to hear Lisa talk

[3:06:39] Voice 3: about conservancy all over again.

[3:06:42] Voice 3: Sorry.

[3:06:43] Voice 3: But, you know, I'm surprised that this conversation

[3:06:47] Voice 3: is happening now.

[3:06:48] Voice 3: Thank you, Chair.

[3:06:51] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Haberly, we're not going to talk across the table.

[3:06:53] Trustee Patrick: You've been put back on the list again, so I'm going to ask you to wait your turn.

[3:06:57] Trustee Patrick: We are going to respect the list.

[3:07:00] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Peterson, then Middleton.

[3:07:04] Voice 8: Thank you, Chair.

[3:07:05] Voice 8: I just want to start out by saying I've never heard of anyone who likes to pay taxes.

[3:07:11] Voice 8: I'm a landowner.

[3:07:12] Voice 8: I don't like to pay taxes either.

[3:07:14] Voice 8: But I also recognize that in our form of government, this is our way to contribute to all of the various effects.

[3:07:25] Voice 8: Some we love, some we don't love.

[3:07:28] Voice 8: It's how the game is played.

[3:07:34] Voice 8: That said, a couple of things have been mentioned on where we can improve.

[3:07:41] Voice 8: The very low fees that we're charging.

[3:07:44] Voice 8: in a sense subsidizing developments which tend to provide value for those applicants who are making those applications.

[3:07:59] Voice 8: Nobody makes an application that's, you know, for some reason that is not providing them benefit, generally financial benefit in the long run.

[3:08:11] Voice 8: And a little bit like Trustee Getty, I find it a bit troubling that with a couple exceptions of the people who have spoken up and said they're not going to support this budget, I have not heard substantive proposals from most of my fellow trustees that are opposing the budget.

[3:08:33] Voice 8: I've not heard substantive proposals from these trustees on alternative

[3:08:38] Voice 8: approaches or ways in which we could do better around this budget so they're

[3:08:45] Voice 8: standing on principle that's fine you can stand on principle all you want but

[3:08:50] Voice 8: in terms of participating in the process before today speaking to finance committee

[3:08:57] Voice 24: committee

[3:08:58] Voice 8: speaking in a

[3:08:59] Voice 8: governance committee and and all the other uh options that trustees have

[3:09:04] Voice 8: to participate in the process i just haven't seen that so i do find that a little bit troubling

[3:09:11] Voice 24: i'd like to raise a point of order that we're no longer speaking to the motion and it's become

[3:09:18] Voice 24: a discussion about trustees own perspectives about other trustees uh your your

[3:09:28] Trustee Patrick: point is well

[3:09:29] Trustee Patrick: Well taken. I would encourage people not to talk about other perspectives.

[3:09:34] Trustee Patrick: Talk about this is the vote before us.

[3:09:37] Trustee Patrick: There's a motion on the floor for passing the financial plan bylaw.

[3:09:42] Trustee Patrick: Thank you for that reminder, Trustee Campbell.

[3:09:46] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Middleton.

[3:09:50] Trustee Middleton: Thank you.

[3:09:51] Trustee Middleton: And Trustee Getty kind of gave an opportunity here to rephrase, I think, the reasoning for my negative vote,

[3:09:59] Trustee Middleton: which I'd like to speak in favor of, it's not a protest. It's actually a legitimate exercise of

[3:10:06] Trustee Middleton: democratic right to open up the budget. The line-by-line review process does not work.

[3:10:14] Trustee Middleton: It's engendered a budget that is too large for the appetite of our constituents in a context

[3:10:24] Trustee Middleton: of increasing taxation and declining service.

[3:10:27] Trustee Middleton: Don't just focus on what they don't trust us.

[3:10:30] Trustee Middleton: And so, yes, we need to pass a budget,

[3:10:33] Trustee Middleton: but we don't have to pass this budget.

[3:10:35] Trustee Middleton: And it's disingenuous to suggest that the sky is falling

[3:10:38] Trustee Middleton: because we're using our democratic right around this table

[3:10:42] Trustee Middleton: to actually open up this budget one more time

[3:10:45] Trustee Middleton: to seek to make it more affordable for our constituents.

[3:10:49] Trustee Middleton: And that's what my negative vote is about.

[3:10:51] Trustee Middleton: about. It's actually part of, I think, the process. Otherwise, why be given this right if the minister

[3:10:57] Trustee Middleton: says your job is to pass a budget? It would be pointless. It would be illogical to actually have

[3:11:03] Trustee Middleton: an elected council table if we didn't have the ability to tackle the financial bylaws all the

[3:11:10] Trustee Middleton: way through to its final passage to try to get a budget that we think is more suitable for our

[3:11:15] Trustee Middleton: constituents at this point in time and they've been very very clear and and the line item by

[3:11:21] Trustee Middleton: line item review of the budget process does not work we've not been able to affect the systemic

[3:11:28] Trustee Middleton: core of its unaffordability by just looking at each individual expense that's what this no vote

[3:11:34] Trustee Middleton: is about but the budget process at this point has failed to take into account this consideration

[3:11:40] Trustee Middleton: that our constituents have been asking us to to enact which is make it more affordable

[3:11:45] Trustee Middleton: so that that's what the votes here is about it's not a protest or some like little little um

[3:11:52] Trustee Middleton: you know game as i think somebody said not at all right

[3:11:59] Trustee Patrick: trustees a reminder we have gone through a

[3:12:01] Trustee Patrick: long process we've brought in uh you know lots of opportunities for changing the budget we have we

[3:12:07] Trustee Patrick: have exhausted our first-time speakers list we have up trustee elliott is first-time speaker

[3:12:14] Trustee Patrick: Just on

[3:12:17] Voice 12: that point, hearing from constituents, we have a wide range of constituents. I heard from three constituents in my community of Gabriola yesterday who spoke, sorry, Tuesday, during the town hall delegation, who spoke in support of at least the two additional staff positions.

[3:12:35] Voice 12: many people in my community want the trust to innovate they are frustrated with the lack of

[3:12:43] Voice 12: progress in two key areas indigenous relations which we do poorly and we report we don't do

[3:12:51] Voice 12: poorly we report poorly back to our communities and the communications piece and i think we've

[3:12:58] Voice 12: supported the land use planning function adequately now it's time to support the

[3:13:03] Voice 12: the trust area services, and the intergovernmental relations that are just as critical to our mandate

[3:13:08] Voice 12: as the land use planning function. Coordination, cooperation with others, that is the decision

[3:13:15] Voice 12: that this budget is making today. And my constituents have asked me to invest in that

[3:13:19] Voice 12: multiple times. I had one letter from a community of 4,500 saying your budget increases are too

[3:13:27] Voice 12: much and that was when we were looking at a 23 increase so i do not think that all constituents

[3:13:34] Voice 12: in the trust area do not

[3:13:36] Voice 12: want to see the islands trust funded adequately to do the re to do the

[3:13:40] Voice 12: work that we are doing so i am here to support this budget i think it represents the interests

[3:13:45] Voice 12: of the trust of the constituents with and the mandate of the trust which i was elected

[3:13:50] Voice 12: and I support thank you thank

[3:13:54] Trustee Patrick: you now reach the end of our first time speakers list we have one

[3:13:58] Trustee Patrick: two three four four speakers wishing to speak a second time I'm going to look to trustees around

[3:14:03] Trustee Patrick: the table do you want to entertain second speakers or should we go to the vote I'm hearing a vote

[3:14:13] Trustee Patrick: go to the vote um trustee Morrison's and asking for a second time speaker no no go to the vote

[3:14:21] Trustee Patrick: Okay. So I'd ask everyone to lower your hands. It's a roll call vote. Yes, that's correct. Thank you for reminding me. I have a roll call list in front of me. So for that, I'm now going to call the vote. I'm going to ask you to verbally say in favor or opposed.

[3:14:41] Trustee Patrick: And that's we're voting first reading on Trust Council Financial Plan Bylaw 2026-27.

[3:14:50] Trustee Patrick: Could you have people in the room use their microphones, please?

[3:14:54] Trustee Patrick: Thank

[3:14:54] Voice 21: you very much.

[3:14:55] Voice 21: In

[3:14:55] Trustee Patrick: the room, please speak into a microphone so that we can hear you.

[3:15:01] Trustee Patrick: Is Trustee Allen here?

[3:15:03] Trustee Patrick: No.

[3:15:05] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Bernardum?

[3:15:07] Voice 10: In favor.

[3:15:09] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Boland?

[3:15:15] Trustee Patrick: Opposed.

[3:15:17] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Borthwick?

[3:15:18] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:20] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Campbell?

[3:15:22] Trustee Patrick: Opposed.

[3:15:23] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Dodds?

[3:15:25] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:27] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Elliott?

[3:15:29] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:30] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Evans?

[3:15:32] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:33] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Falk?

[3:15:35] Trustee Patrick: Opposed.

[3:15:36] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Fast?

[3:15:38] Voice 14: In favor.

[3:15:39] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Gavreau?

[3:15:41] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:43] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Getty?

[3:15:44] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:45] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Graham?

[3:15:46] Voice 29: In favor.

[3:15:48] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Harris?

[3:15:50] Voice 13: Opposed.

[3:15:52] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Hunter?

[3:15:54] Voice 13: Opposed.

[3:15:55] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Laroney?

[3:15:57] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:15:59] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckham?

[3:16:01] Voice 6: In favor.

[3:16:02] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Maberly.

[3:16:05] Voice 25: Opposed.

[3:16:06] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Maude.

[3:16:07] Voice 25: In favor.

[3:16:09] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Middleton.

[3:16:12] Voice 25: Opposed.

[3:16:13] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Morrison.

[3:16:15] Trustee Patrick: Opposed.

[3:16:16] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Patrick.

[3:16:17] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:16:20] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Peterson.

[3:16:22] Voice 8: In favor.

[3:16:24] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Scott.

[3:16:25] Trustee Patrick: It's not here.

[3:16:27] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Stamford.

[3:16:28] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:16:30] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Yates.

[3:16:31] Trustee Patrick: In favor.

[3:16:34] Voice 9: 16 to 8.

[3:16:35] Voice 9: 16

[3:16:37] Trustee Patrick: in favor 8 opposed that passes so trustees we have a few more readings and then we can take a

[3:16:45] Trustee Patrick: lunch break on this one i believe so if we can proceed with the second readings trustee fast

[3:16:52] Trustee Patrick: i

[3:16:54] Voice 15: move that islands trust council bylaw 204 cited as islands trust council financial plan bylaw number

[3:17:00] Voice 15: or 2026-27 be read a second time.

[3:17:04] Voice 15: Is there a second? Seconded by Trustee Gavreau.

[3:17:07] Trustee Patrick: Is there any discussion?

[3:17:09] Trustee Patrick: If not, I'm going to call the vote. All those in favour, raise your

[3:17:16] Trustee Patrick: hands.

[3:17:30] Voice 9: Sixty in favour.

[3:17:31] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[3:17:34] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed, raise your hands.

[3:17:47] Trustee Patrick: Eight opposed. Lower your hands. That carries.

[3:17:53] Voice 15: Trustee Fass, continue. I move that Islands Trust Council

[3:17:57] Voice 15: Council By-law 204, cited as Islands Trust Council Financial Plan By-law 2026-27, be read a third time.

[3:18:04] Voice 15: Is there a second? Seconded by Trustee Getty.

[3:18:07] Trustee Patrick: Any discussion?

[3:18:08] Trustee Patrick: I'm going to call the vote. All those in favour, please raise your hands.

[3:18:22] Voice 9: 16 in favour.

[3:18:23] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[3:18:26] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed?

[3:18:34] Voice 9: 8 in favour.

[3:18:35] Trustee Patrick: 16 to 8, that carries.

[3:18:39] Voice 15: Trustee Fass, the final vote, or motion.

[3:18:41] Voice 15: I move that Islands Trust Council By-law 204, cited as Islands Trust Council Financial By-law 2026-27, be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs for approval consideration.

[3:18:53] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second by Trustee Evans? Is there any discussion? Trustee Boland, is that a discussion item? Yes?

[3:19:02] Voice 21: I think when it's forwarded, it should include a record of the vote.

[3:19:09] Voice 21: It does not include a record of the vote.

[3:19:13] Voice 17: But

[3:19:13] Voice 21: it could include a record of the vote. Do I need to make a separate motion to that effect?

[3:19:18] Voice 21: It

[3:19:19] Trustee Patrick: would be outside of this motion. That would be something you could consider.

[3:19:27] Voice 21: I would also like to respond to some of the comments about why we voted.

[3:19:32] Voice 21: I spent an entire

[3:19:36] Voice 21: elected term trying to change this

[3:19:39] Voice 21: Trustee

[3:19:40] Trustee Patrick: Boland, we're not going to respond to other comments at this point

[3:19:44] Trustee Patrick: this is debate on forwarding this motion to the Minister

[3:19:48] Trustee Patrick: Fine, I'll make a motion that the vote should be included

[3:19:51] Trustee Patrick: Outside of this motion, is there any further discussion on forwarding financial

[3:19:56] Trustee Patrick: by-law to the Minister? Not seeing any, I'm going to call the vote. All those in favour

[3:20:01] Trustee Patrick: please raise your hands

[3:20:11] Voice 9: 16 in favor.

[3:20:12] Voice 9: They

[3:20:13] Trustee Patrick: lower your hands.

[3:20:15] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed.

[3:20:22] Trustee Patrick: 16 to 8. That carries.

[3:20:24] Trustee Patrick: Trustees, I think we're going to

[3:20:25] Trustee Patrick: thank you very much. I know this is a lot

[3:20:28] Trustee Patrick: of work, a lot of debate.

[3:20:31] Trustee Patrick: Let's take a

[3:20:32] Trustee Patrick: lunch break and then we'll come back

[3:20:34] Trustee Patrick: to the... Sorry, Chair.

[3:20:37] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Morrison?

[3:20:38] Voice 27: I believe Trustee Boland

[3:20:40] Voice 27: raised a point related to the budget

[3:20:42] Voice 27: that may need to be finished about the

[3:20:44] Voice 27: vote needing to be forwarded i'm

[3:20:48] Trustee Patrick: sorry thank you thank you i i couldn't hear you i believe that

[3:20:52] Voice 27: trustee boland raised a point related to this item around the budget count being forwarded to

[3:20:58] Voice 27: the minister that needs to be considered in this item will we come back to that after lunch yes i

[3:21:03] Trustee Patrick: said she could bring another motion out outside of uh of that vote so it'd be i guess it would

[3:21:09] Trustee Patrick: be under new business okay

[3:21:12] Voice 21: so long as that's accepted and there's no debate about that when

[3:21:16] Voice 21: we restart yeah

[3:21:19] Trustee Patrick: i i said you're welcome to bring that motion that's correct okay thank you let's

[3:21:23] Trustee Patrick: let's take a short lunch break i think our emphasis here we'll come back how long should we

[3:21:32] Trustee Patrick: We take half an hour, 30 minutes.

[3:55:17] Trustee Patrick: Get back to the table. All right, trustees, let's get back to the table here, please.

[3:57:10] Trustee Patrick: Trustees, we still have a second item here, 14.1.1.2, which is the revenue anticipation

[3:57:23] Trustee Patrick: borrowing bylaw number 205, request for decision. It's on page 496 of the agenda package. And I'm

[3:57:30] Trustee Patrick: going to turn the floor back over to Director Mobs.

[3:57:34] Voice 18: Thank you, Chair. So this bylaw is before

[3:57:36] Voice 18: for you, same as it is every year at budget time.

[3:57:39] Voice 18: It is a revenue anticipation borrowing bylaw

[3:57:42] Voice 18: that would allow us to borrow on short notice in the year

[3:57:45] Voice 18: should we need to do so.

[3:57:46] Voice 18: In Islands Trust history, I understand there's only been

[3:57:49] Voice 18: one time that a borrowing was needed.

[3:57:52] Voice 18: We've not had to make use of this bylaw in any other years.

[3:57:56] Voice 18: The bylaw does specify borrowing limits.

[3:57:58] Voice 18: So it limits the borrowing to $2.2 million

[3:58:01] Voice 18: at rates not to exceed prime plus 2%.

[3:58:06] Voice 18: and i don't know that there's much else i need to say related to this given it comes before you

[3:58:10] Voice 18: annually but happy to take questions if there are any any

[3:58:15] Trustee Patrick: questions for the director if not i guess

[3:58:21] Trustee Patrick: i'd look to the chair of financial planning committee to proceed with the motions on page

[3:58:26] Trustee Patrick: 696

[3:58:26] Voice 15: thank you yeah we looked at this financial planning committee forwarded it to trust council

[3:58:31] Voice 15: council happy to move that trust council uh islands trust council bylaw 205 cited as islands

[3:58:37] Voice 15: trust council revenue anticipation borrowing bylaw to 2026 27 be read a first time is there a second

[3:58:45] Voice 15: seconded by trustee yates any

[3:58:48] Trustee Patrick: discussion going to call a vote then all those in favor please

[3:58:53] Trustee Patrick: raise your hands 18

[3:59:06] Voice 9: in favor okay

[3:59:06] Trustee Patrick: lower your hands any opposed one opposed oh two two opposed

[3:59:18] Trustee Patrick: Oh, sorry.

[3:59:18] Trustee Patrick: Two opposed.

[3:59:20] Voice 9: Three.

[3:59:20] Trustee Patrick: Three.

[3:59:21] Voice 9: Two opposed.

[3:59:22] Trustee Patrick: Okay.

[3:59:23] Trustee Patrick: That carries.

[3:59:25] Trustee Patrick: Go ahead, Trustee Best.

[3:59:27] Voice 15: I move that Islands Trust Council Bylaw 205,

[3:59:30] Voice 15: cited as Islands Trust Council Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw 2627,

[3:59:34] Voice 15: be read a second time.

[3:59:35] Voice 15: Is there a second to the motion?

[3:59:37] Voice 15: Trustee Yates?

[3:59:38] Trustee Patrick: Any discussion?

[3:59:41] Trustee Patrick: I'm going to call the vote.

[3:59:42] Trustee Patrick: All those in favour, raise your hands.

[3:59:51] Trustee Patrick: 18 in favour.

[3:59:53] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[3:59:57] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed, raise your hands.

[3:59:59] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[4:00:03] Voice 9: 3 opposed.

[4:00:04] Trustee Patrick: 18 to 3. That carries.

[4:00:06] Voice 15: Carry on. Trustee Faust.

[4:00:08] Voice 15: I move that Islands Trust Council By-law 205, stated as Islands Trust Council Revenue Anticipation Borrowing By-law 2627, be read a third time.

[4:00:16] Voice 15: Is there a second? Trustee Yates.

[4:00:20] Trustee Patrick: Any discussion? I'm going to call the vote. All those in favour, raise your hands.

[4:00:33] Voice 9: 18 in favour.

[4:00:34] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands. All those opposed, raise your hands.

[4:00:42] Voice 9: 3 opposed. 18

[4:00:44] Voice 15: to 3. That carries.

[4:00:45] Voice 15: Go ahead.

[4:00:46] Voice 15: I move that Islands Trust Council Bylaw 205, cited as Islands Trust Council Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw 2026-27, be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs for approval consideration.

[4:01:01] Voice 15: Is there a second?

[4:01:02] Voice 15: Trustee Yates?

[4:01:03] Trustee Patrick: Any discussion?

[4:01:05] Trustee Patrick: I'm going to call the vote.

[4:01:06] Trustee Patrick: All those in favor, raise your hands.

[4:01:15] Voice 9: 18 in favor.

[4:01:16] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[4:01:19] Trustee Patrick: Any opposed, raise your hands.

[4:01:24] Voice 9: 3 opposed.

[4:01:25] Voice 9: 18

[4:01:25] Trustee Patrick: to 3, that carries.

[4:01:27] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees.

[4:01:31] Trustee Patrick: Just trying to go backwards in my notes here to go back to where we had left off.

[4:01:45] Trustee Patrick: We're going to defer some of those items.

[4:01:47] Trustee Patrick: Yep, we agreed to defer those earlier.

[4:01:54] Trustee Patrick: So I guess look to staff where we're going to do 13.2.3.

[4:01:57] Trustee Patrick: Yes.

[4:01:57] Trustee Patrick: So 13.2.3, we're going to go back to there.

[4:02:00] Trustee Patrick: that's on page 200

[4:02:02] Voice 21: may i say something um can we not move to new business now in the natural order

[4:02:10] Voice 21: and then go back because the motion i wanted to make with respect to the budget that's outstanding

[4:02:18] Voice 21: and i have sent it to motion i

[4:02:21] Trustee Patrick: i am going to come back to new business i'm going to go back and then

[4:02:24] Trustee Patrick: we're going to recapture and step on so the new business is coming i'm aware your motion's coming

[4:02:29] Trustee Patrick: So we'll get there. So we're on page 641 of the agenda package. This is the pre-budget public engagement request for decision. Director Frater.

[4:02:43] Voice 20: Thank you. Yes, this is coming to you for a decision about whether, just one moment please, about whether you'd like to undertake pre-budget engagement again this year as was undertaken last year.

[4:02:55] Voice 20: You'll note this is a recommendation from the Financial Planning Committee,

[4:02:59] Voice 20: and we need a decision at this time if we're to undertake it in the recommended time frame,

[4:03:03] Voice 20: which is to sort of kick it off through May and June.

[4:03:06] Voice 20: So we're here for your recommendation about whether you'd like to undertake this again this year.

[4:03:11] Voice 20: You'll note later in the agenda is a decision for you about whether to change policy

[4:03:15] Voice 20: to make this a standing annual event.

[4:03:18] Voice 20: Trustees, any questions on this?

[4:03:21] Voice 20: Trustee Evans.

[4:03:24] Voice 19: Thank you.

[4:03:24] Voice 19: I do believe that a pre-budget public engagement is useful.

[4:03:30] Voice 19: However, if it's going to be the same questions that we've been asking in the past, I can't support this.

[4:03:37] Voice 19: The only reason why I would support it is if the questions and the information being requested changed.

[4:03:44] Voice 19: Like we've said a number of times, asking should the budget be increased or decreased, I think we know the answer.

[4:03:51] Voice 19: What we don't know is how do people feel about the monies being spent on projects in how they're being delivered, how like getting getting different types of information back.

[4:04:06] Voice 19: I don't have the right suggestions at this time, but I think a committee needs to work

[4:04:14] Voice 19: on what information is needed that is going to actually benefit this table and bring new

[4:04:19] Voice 19: information that we can work with and actually have an effect on our decisions versus is

[4:04:26] Voice 19: the budget too high or too low?

[4:04:30] Voice 20: Certainly, yes.

[4:04:31] Voice 20: This recommendation is for executive committee to undertake the work.

[4:04:35] Voice 20: So certainly they can hear your feedback and then guide staff as to what they want the content of that engagement to look like.

[4:04:40] Voice 20: I would reflect that the information that you get from that engagement would then naturally affect your decisions around assumptions and principles that go into developing the budget development.

[4:04:52] Voice 20: And then if you choose to do it at a later time, you could then engage on the proposed activities in the budget through the engagement on the draft budget after it's considered in December.

[4:05:01] Voice 20: That's sort of the order in which you could consider things, but certainly executive committee could consider what kind of detailed questions they might like to pose to the public as part of the pre-budget engagement, which would naturally feed into assumptions and principles.

[4:05:15] Voice 20: Trustee Middleton, then Bolin.

[4:05:18] Trustee Middleton: Thank you. Yes, I think following up on Trustee Evans, I think it is an interesting question.

[4:05:23] Trustee Middleton: And if we could, just stepping back, I think that a technique or a trick for having increased services in larger budgets would be making the value proposition to the constituents of the trust area rather than the little bit of a trap we may have all done ourselves into, which is referencing the number.

[4:05:43] Trustee Middleton: And so I'm wondering if the pre-budget consultation could dispense with any attempt to pre-sell the budget and actually be an attempt to figure out what constituents value in the expenditure that the budget represents of the range of services that the trust provides, conservancy, the whole spectrum.

[4:06:03] Trustee Middleton: spectrum I think that would be very telling um and and potentially quite useful um so if we could

[4:06:13] Trustee Middleton: as per trustee Evans not have do you want the budget to increase data I mean that's I don't

[4:06:18] Trustee Middleton: know what that's telling us um but if you actually ask people what of what the budget currently pays

[4:06:24] Trustee Middleton: for and what that gives what that looks like on the ground on the islands how they value it what

[4:06:31] Trustee Middleton: what their thoughts are, what they'd like to see more of, less of.

[4:06:33] Trustee Middleton: I think that would be quite useful.

[4:06:35] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[4:06:36] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Boland, then Stanford.

[4:06:40] Voice 21: Unless this has changed substantially, I see absolutely no value.

[4:06:45] Voice 21: Year after year, I personally dug into the budget survey results

[4:06:52] Voice 21: and made presentations to Trust Council on the basis of the results

[4:06:56] Voice 21: because the results were never discussed at Trust Council.

[4:06:59] Voice 21: Some of that was a timing issue.

[4:07:02] Voice 21: So radically, we eventually managed to change the timing to early in the budget year.

[4:07:08] Voice 21: However, we're then presented with, well, the results have no consequence because not enough people or because it was voluntary.

[4:07:18] Voice 21: So the goalposts are shifted.

[4:07:21] Voice 21: And so I would recommend, A, that the content, the questions asked are changed substantially per the discussion we just heard.

[4:07:30] Voice 21: and secondly that the rules of engagement are established up front in advance and that you

[4:07:37] Voice 21: even advertise that as part of the online survey you know we require x number of respondents

[4:07:44] Voice 21: it's y type of survey and therefore because that happened after the fact last year thank you

[4:07:51] Voice 21: thank you trustee stanford i

[4:07:56] Voice 17: don't think i'm going to vote for this because i think this should not

[4:08:00] Voice 17: be connected to the budget. We should be connecting our strategic priorities. And that's what the

[4:08:06] Voice 17: survey should be about. And we should start, we should be doing this all the time, not just

[4:08:12] Voice 17: budget season. I want to see a different form of engagement based on what we're doing. And then

[4:08:21] Voice 17: the budget flows from those priorities that we have engaged the community on and recognize whether

[4:08:28] Voice 17: or not they're a priority um it i just never find a value in this particular process so i think i'll

[4:08:38] Voice 17: vote against it

[4:08:40] Trustee Patrick: trustee bernardo and trustee evans my

[4:08:44] Voice 10: colleague from gambier is exactly right on this

[4:08:46] Voice 10: point um not every point on this point uh uh i i i've really never understood the utility of going

[4:08:57] Voice 10: to the public with a pre-budget survey anybody who's going to bother to respond or whatever

[4:09:03] Voice 10: they call it engagement we know what the answer is going to be i want to pay less taxes you guys

[4:09:08] Voice 10: are useless blah blah blah the people who think that we're being helpful and useful aren't likely

[4:09:13] Voice 10: to respond but more fundamentally um if that's to help us develop budget assumptions and guidelines

[4:09:21] Voice 10: i think trustee stanford's right i mean it's our job to do that that's what we got hired to do

[4:09:27] Voice 10: That's what we got elected to do.

[4:09:30] Voice 10: What we can learn from the public that should inform assumptions and guidelines for budgeting is the strategic directions the public wants to go into.

[4:09:41] Voice 10: And then we shape the process to facilitate that.

[4:09:48] Voice 10: That's how you get to the budgets and guidelines and assumptions.

[4:09:51] Voice 10: assumptions. But asking for input on a technical thing like the budget from the public,

[4:09:57] Voice 10: frankly, it's kind of nuts. I mean, I don't think we should be doing it at all.

[4:10:04] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Getty and then Maberly.

[4:10:07] Voice 3: Yeah, I like the conversation around developing strategic

[4:10:13] Voice 3: concepts for the public to interact with us and give us feedback on. And that can drive some of

[4:10:19] Voice 3: the um the budget decisions i think but um i i'm not sure i think on bowen what happens is that

[4:10:28] Voice 3: if there's people that respond to this and i don't think there's very many i think it's pretty

[4:10:32] Voice 3: high level and very polite at the early stages and certainly it's a different conversation once

[4:10:38] Voice 3: the number comes in in that first draft of the budget that was 35 percent um you know and even

[4:10:44] Voice 3: though we tell them it's a first draft and it's a wish list and it's everything the sun the moon

[4:10:48] Voice 3: and the stars they still have lots and lots of feedback at that stage so um and i'm not sure that

[4:10:54] Voice 3: it's a really good process in terms of trying to work through um that first draft of the budget

[4:11:01] Voice 3: and the reactions of people so i don't find the pre-budget survey to be particularly on point

[4:11:08] Voice 3: and um i'm not sure that the the discussions that we have at the first draft are particularly

[4:11:15] Voice 3: helpful but i would like to link it more with strategic initiatives and priorities and you know

[4:11:23] Voice 3: whether that's the corporate planning i think that would be quite helpful to hear from people what

[4:11:28] Voice 3: they'd like us to be doing because

[4:11:31] Trustee Patrick: i just want to check with staff again that the intent of this

[4:11:36] Trustee Patrick: survey this is this we've only done it once last year is to do it in the spring and the intent was

[4:11:43] Trustee Patrick: was to help shape the budget.

[4:11:44] Trustee Patrick: So I'm not sure if I think that that's the timing.

[4:11:48] Trustee Patrick: There should be no numbers in it,

[4:11:51] Trustee Patrick: but I think it's some content questions.

[4:11:53] Trustee Patrick: If you do it in the spring, what are you asking the public?

[4:11:56] Trustee Patrick: But we have Trustee Maberly and then Luckham.

[4:12:00] Voice 28: Thank you, Chair.

[4:12:01] Voice 28: I was sitting here trying to think of what I was gonna say

[4:12:04] Voice 28: and then Trustee Stamford said it.

[4:12:05] Voice 28: That is exactly the direction this could go.

[4:12:10] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[4:12:11] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckham, then Fast.

[4:12:16] Voice 6: Thank you, Chair.

[4:12:19] Voice 6: And given the, well, I guess I'm not in support of some kind of pre-budget consultation as it's been done.

[4:12:32] Voice 6: However, I'm torn by the fact that we change our mind every year about what we're going to do.

[4:12:39] Voice 6: And if we don't have a kind of a pattern or a rhythm, we don't really have any qualitative data to analyze to determine what the outcomes are.

[4:12:46] Voice 6: But that said, not necessarily keen on that.

[4:12:51] Voice 6: But given the conversation that we've just had about the budget, and given that eight members of council didn't want to support the budget for various flaws in process methodology, and there's more to it, obviously, but just characterize it.

[4:13:11] Voice 6: There was eight individuals that were not happy with the process and were content with the budget process and the individuals that were involved in it, but not with the supporting premise.

[4:13:25] Voice 6: So it strikes me that if we need some kind of change that ultimately changes a budget, then maybe that survey should go to trustees and get that feedback.

[4:13:44] Voice 6: Because the other thing is a number, I don't know the exact number, but let's just say a few are a number of those opposing votes, are not sitting on committees or on the financial planning committee particularly where those decisions are being made.

[4:13:58] Voice 6: So perhaps a survey of trustees would be more beneficial.

[4:14:03] Voice 6: And trustees could actually poll or survey their own communities in their own way in order to provide some positive contribution to the process so that we can be in a better place when we get to March 2027.

[4:14:22] Voice 6: There's a variation on the theme for you.

[4:14:25] Trustee Patrick: Thank

[4:14:26] Voice 15: you, Trustee Fasten Yates.

[4:14:29] Voice 15: Thank you.

[4:14:30] Voice 15: I joined the Financial Planning Committee about a year ago, a year and a month ago, and this pre-budget survey project was sort of underway.

[4:14:43] Voice 15: It was an idea to move it to a better time of the year.

[4:14:47] Voice 15: We might get better info.

[4:14:48] Voice 15: However, we did get lots of input, which surprised me that many people did respond.

[4:14:56] Voice 15: bond. But I'm looking, and the survey was called something about values and something survey. It

[4:15:04] Voice 15: wasn't really called a budget survey, but it wasn't designed to inform the budget. However,

[4:15:12] Voice 15: nobody, as far as I can see from my notes of the trustees on the financial planning committee, or

[4:15:20] Voice 15: I'm looking at the September, my notes from the September Trust Council when we reported on the

[4:15:26] Voice 15: public feedback on the budget priorities. The only comments I've got down are negative. So I

[4:15:33] Voice 15: wonder how useful it is. And I wonder if we might be better to move to a more strategic planning or

[4:15:42] Voice 15: corporate planning or something else. But I don't know. I just haven't found this new approach

[4:15:51] Voice 15: with the new timing and the new questions,

[4:15:55] Voice 15: some of which were recycled questions, of course,

[4:15:58] Voice 15: because you want the continuity of the qualitative data.

[4:16:01] Voice 15: I don't know how useful it is,

[4:16:03] Voice 15: so I'd be happy if people don't want to support this.

[4:16:07] Voice 15: That's fine.

[4:16:08] Voice 15: Let's come up with something better.

[4:16:11] Voice 15: Trustee Yates, then Paul.

[4:16:14] Voice 5: Thank you.

[4:16:15] Voice 5: Two things.

[4:16:16] Voice 5: I do not think this is useful.

[4:16:19] Voice 5: and in the past I've had comments from my constituents that said well how do we know

[4:16:25] Voice 5: what you guys are going to be spending your money on anyway and why are you asking us

[4:16:29] Voice 5: about whether we should approve your budget you guys are supposed to decide that so and in a way

[4:16:35] Voice 5: I agree that's our job our job is to figure out how to spend the money that we have and do all

[4:16:43] Voice 5: the planning that that we do to get to our budget um but the other thing is i do think that the

[4:16:50] Voice 5: public does want to be surveyed and does want to be asked about a lot of things about the islands

[4:16:56] Voice 5: trust but not necessarily this um so i really like trustee stamford's idea about asking the public

[4:17:04] Voice 5: about other things that are important to everyone thank you trustee paul um

[4:17:11] Voice 7: i think i've lost track

[4:17:12] Voice 7: In fact, has a motion been made?

[4:17:14] Trustee Patrick: No, there's no motion on the floor.

[4:17:16] Trustee Patrick: There may not be one.

[4:17:17] Trustee Patrick: I'm not sure.

[4:17:18] Voice 7: Okay.

[4:17:19] Voice 7: Well, I just wanted to say that I'm all for meaningful consultation, but this doesn't

[4:17:23] Voice 7: sound like meaningful consultation to me.

[4:17:25] Voice 7: So if there was a motion, I would vote against it.

[4:17:30] Trustee Patrick: So we're at second time speakers.

[4:17:33] Trustee Patrick: Is there, if there's no interest, if we don't put a motion on the floor, that we don't have

[4:17:37] Trustee Patrick: to vote on it if there's no interest or trustee Evans?

[4:17:40] Trustee Patrick: I

[4:17:42] Voice 19: would like to make a motion, but I'm going to adjust it a little bit and see how it flies.

[4:17:47] Voice 19: I move that Trust Council Direct Executive Committee to undertake a strategic planning

[4:17:54] Voice 19: public engagement prior to the development of draft 2027-28 budget.

[4:18:01] Trustee Patrick: I'll just look to staff and is that understanding? Not hearing any objections to that. Here we have

[4:18:14] Trustee Patrick: it up on the floor make sure it's clear and if i can quickly speak to it let me get a second

[4:18:24] Trustee Patrick: first if it's uh i'm sorry uh yes alexandra yeah

[4:18:34] Voice 19: it was it was the same wording as before

[4:18:37] Trustee Patrick: i think prior it was the other same prior to the development of the draft 20 27 28 budget

[4:18:43] Trustee Patrick: i was just changing those words all right is there a second to this motion second by trustee yates

[4:19:01] Trustee Patrick: trustee evans you want to speak to your motion i

[4:19:04] Voice 19: do um so what i'm what i'm hearing around the

[4:19:08] Voice 19: room is that there is um an understanding that the strategic planning process which will be

[4:19:15] Voice 19: coming to trust council next year as well as having this on a continuing basis so if this

[4:19:22] Voice 19: happened the last year of each term that these the strategic planning uh projects uh went to

[4:19:31] Voice 19: public engagement to find out what they were interested in having on the strategic plan

[4:19:36] Voice 19: that way the incoming council would have that information when they got here which would make

[4:19:40] Voice 19: the process a little bit more timely um and then we would have this on an ongoing basis

[4:19:45] Voice 19: this. And then I'll leave it there because I have something else for suggestions on conversation

[4:19:52] Voice 19: afterward.

[4:19:54] Voice 5: Any discussion on this, Trustee Yates? The communication and engagement lead

[4:20:01] Voice 5: position that we just approved, that starts in July, right? Okay, maybe a bit too late to help

[4:20:07] Voice 5: out with this but so ronnie uh

[4:20:14] Voice 4: yeah if we're if we're able to to fill that position um by july

[4:20:18] Voice 4: certainly that would be helpful uh we'll have to think about the timing but yeah i think if it's if

[4:20:22] Voice 4: the intent is for it to inform budget planning it would likely have to be done probably over

[4:20:29] Voice 4: at some point during the summer which is not always the ideal time to be surveying but um

[4:20:35] Voice 4: nevertheless i think that would be the time frame that we're looking at i think

[4:20:38] Voice 4: to trustee evans point though i think it can help inform the budget process but likely would be most

[4:20:45] Voice 4: useful for informing the corporate planning process for the new council and as she referenced

[4:20:51] Voice 4: i'm still aiming to bring that revised process to this council for june meeting for your

[4:20:56] Voice 4: consideration and approval of that process so that we can apply it with the new council so i'll look

[4:21:00] Voice 4: to factor this into what that process would look like all

[4:21:06] Trustee Patrick: right trustees any further discussion on

[4:21:08] Trustee Patrick: this motion i'm not seeing any this is a motion for the executive committee to undertake a strategic

[4:21:16] Trustee Patrick: planning public engagement prior to the development of the 27 28 budget all those in favor please

[4:21:23] Trustee Patrick: raise your hands uh

[4:21:36] Voice 9: 12 in favor okay

[4:21:37] Trustee Patrick: lower your hands all those opposed or

[4:21:49] Voice 9: opposed 12

[4:21:50] Trustee Patrick: to 4 that

[4:21:51] Trustee Patrick: carries all right trustees uh go ahead director brader thank

[4:21:56] Voice 20: you council i would invite trustees

[4:21:58] Voice 20: trustees who have ideas of what they might like to have asked in their communities to send that

[4:22:02] Voice 20: into myself or Morgana, because that will help us provide advice to executive committee. And we'd

[4:22:07] Voice 20: really welcome your ideas around what it is you'd like us to ask your constituents. Thank you.

[4:22:11] Trustee Patrick: All right. Thank you. So trust, not trustee, director Freider. See, I'm going to call you

[4:22:16] Trustee Patrick: a trustee now. So we could defer the next two items, 13.2.4 and 13.2.5 for, go ahead,

[4:22:26] Trustee Patrick: good, Director Prater?

[4:22:28] Voice 20: I think given the conversation you've just had, rather than

[4:22:31] Voice 20: defer this item, it might be good to, the item of 13.2.4 about whether to embed the concept that

[4:22:37] Voice 20: you've just decided to not proceed with in policy. If you could address that today, it might be

[4:22:42] Voice 20: helpful because then we wouldn't have to bring it back to you at the next meeting. Because what I'm

[4:22:45] Voice 20: reading from the room here is you don't have an interest in doing that.

[4:22:48] Trustee Patrick: Okay, so you, so we'll

[4:22:49] Trustee Patrick: then address then item 12.13.2.4, the budget process policy amendment request for decision

[4:22:56] Trustee Patrick: decision on page 643 of the agenda package if you want to introduce that and then we can get a read

[4:23:03] Trustee Patrick: uh

[4:23:04] Voice 20: certainly it's simply to embed in policy the concept that you've just discussed which is to

[4:23:08] Voice 20: have an annual pre-budget engagement so I'll just leave it there um

[4:23:14] Trustee Patrick: so trustee go ahead trustee

[4:23:17] Trustee Patrick: Elliott I

[4:23:20] Voice 12: support updating the policy um and in particular um I'd ask staff to add in um an action

[4:23:27] Voice 12: to prepare communication materials about the draft budget

[4:23:29] Voice 12: and speaking notes for trustees.

[4:23:31] Voice 12: You'll see that on page 648.

[4:23:35] Voice 12: I think that was really helpful.

[4:23:37] Voice 12: We had a very good communications tool on the website.

[4:23:40] Voice 12: So this alone, I would support amending the policy.

[4:23:45] Voice 12: Thank you.

[4:23:47] Trustee Patrick: All right.

[4:23:48] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Faust?

[4:23:49] Voice 15: I just note that in this policy,

[4:23:55] Voice 15: it says that we're going to seek info from the public

[4:23:58] Voice 15: early enough through a pre-budget survey which we just voted not to do so I'm not sure

[4:24:06] Voice 15: whether we might want to see whether strategic planning works or but I think we just decided

[4:24:17] Voice 15: not to do a pre-budget survey which this enables to happen automatically every year is that not

[4:24:25] Voice 15: that true well

[4:24:27] Voice 20: yeah this would embed a pre-budget survey i also reflect it does also include some

[4:24:30] Voice 20: additional language around the december so maybe if you do want to defer it we can amend it to

[4:24:35] Voice 20: take out if i'm hearing the consent of council that you're not wanting to do an annual pre-budget

[4:24:38] Voice 20: survey we can bring it back to you revised to just simply include the changes around the december

[4:24:42] Voice 20: to january piece that sound acceptable

[4:24:44] Trustee Patrick: it looks like what we'll do so we'll defer item uh 13.2.4

[4:24:49] Trustee Patrick: to be updated so we'll also defer 13.2.5 doesn't have to sure i'm

[4:24:58] Voice 8: just curious um why we're

[4:25:00] Voice 8: deferring 13.2.5 and are you also intending to defer 13.2.6 no

[4:25:07] Trustee Patrick: we're going to do 13.2.6

[4:25:08] Trustee Patrick: because we have budget for that but go ahead um director freighter regarding 13.2.5 um i think

[4:25:16] Voice 20: you were just planning to defer it for the interest of time you may wish to you know seek

[4:25:21] Voice 20: whether you think it would be a long discussion or not well just I guess I'll

[4:25:27] Trustee Patrick: look to trustees we can defer item 13.2 point 5 which is the natural area

[4:25:32] Trustee Patrick: protection tax exemption program hypothetical tax shift analysis request

[4:25:37] Trustee Patrick: for decision would you like to defer this today to our next meeting okay

[4:25:44] Voice 8: unless I'm reading this wrong the request for decision is to refer this to

[4:25:49] Voice 8: the Conservancy Board to consider recommendations not for us to do work

[4:25:52] Voice 8: It's just to refer to the, is that not right?

[4:25:55] Trustee Patrick: Sure. If you feel it's going to be a low light item, then we can proceed with it.

[4:25:59] Trustee Patrick: So go ahead, Director Drusty Evans.

[4:26:03] Trustee Patrick: Well, I'll let Director Frater introduce the item then.

[4:26:07] Trustee Patrick: The Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program, page 656 of the agenda.

[4:26:15] Voice 20: Thank you, Tara. I'll keep it light.

[4:26:16] Voice 20: Essentially, we're following the direction as per your strategic plan.

[4:26:19] Voice 20: in. We've sought and procured a report on the implications of changing the tax exemption amount

[4:26:26] Voice 20: for the natural area tax exemption program. And we've got the report here for you. And the

[4:26:32] Voice 20: recommendation is that you forward it to the Conservancy Board, which helps you implement

[4:26:35] Voice 20: that program to seek their views on the report and the implications it might have. So we can

[4:26:40] Voice 20: bring that back to you. Once it's brought back to you and council indicates whether I'd like to

[4:26:45] Voice 20: to consider moving forward with those changes at that time, we would then recommend that you

[4:26:49] Voice 20: forward it on to Bowen and Municipality to seek their views as well.

[4:26:53] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees, are

[4:26:54] Trustee Patrick: there any questions on this report? Otherwise, Trustee Evans, if you wanted to make the motion,

[4:27:00] Trustee Patrick: please do.

[4:27:02] Voice 19: I move that Islands Trust Council refer the report Hypothetical Tax Shift Analysis,

[4:27:08] Voice 19: Projected Impacts of an Increased Property Tax Exemption through the Natural Area Protection

[4:27:12] Voice 19: Tax Exemption Program, open bracket, NAPTEC, close brackets, to the Islands Trust Conservancy

[4:27:18] Voice 19: Board to consider recommendations to Trust Council.

[4:27:21] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second? Seconded by Trustee

[4:27:22] Trustee Patrick: Borthwick.

[4:27:23] Voice 19: Any discussion?

[4:27:26] Trustee Patrick: I'll call the vote. All those in favor, please raise your hands.

[4:27:40] Voice 9: 18 in favor. Lower

[4:27:41] Trustee Patrick: your hands. Any opposed? One opposed. That carries. All right. Thank you. So

[4:27:56] Trustee Patrick: Did you have a question?

[4:27:58] Voice 19: All right.

[4:27:58] Voice 19: To go in there, could we do 7.2.4, which is moving the Secretariat services under you?

[4:28:12] Trustee Patrick: The Secretariat policy, we were deferring that one for today to June.

[4:28:17] Trustee Patrick: So we've already discussed deferring that item to June.

[4:28:22] Trustee Patrick: It doesn't affect this one.

[4:28:26] Trustee Patrick: So we're going to move ahead with item 13.2.6, which is the Secretariat Service Coordination Groups in the Trust Area Request for Decision on page 685.

[4:28:36] Trustee Patrick: Go ahead, Director Freider.

[4:28:38] Voice 20: Thank you.

[4:28:38] Voice 20: This is the item at which it would be your decision as to how you'd like to allocate the funding for Secretariat Services support for this year to enable coordination amongst your different partners.

[4:28:49] Voice 20: I think the conversation that was had as a reminder yesterday was the proposal that was put forward by Trustee Stanford for funding for this item was based on, I think, the notion that perhaps $3,000 would go to the Southern Gulf Islands Forum, $4,000 to Howe Sound Forum, and I'm forgetting the other amount, $125 or $150, I think, to the Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Climate Action.

[4:29:18] Voice 20: Action. No, Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Climate Leadership Steering Committee or something to that effect.

[4:29:26] Voice 20: Yeah.

[4:29:29] Trustee Patrick: Yes. The motion, the budget motion we passed had those three organizations named in it.

[4:29:35] Trustee Patrick: So did we essentially already make that decision? And this is just to confirm those dollar values and to award that.

[4:29:41] Voice 20: That's correct, because that motion was to add it to the draft budget.

[4:29:43] Voice 20: This would now be your formal decision to allocate that funding to these groups.

[4:29:46] Trustee Patrick: Correct.

[4:29:47] Voice 20: Trustee Evans, go ahead.

[4:29:49] Voice 20: head

[4:29:51] Voice 19: okay i move just get my things here i move that trust council allocate for fiscal year 2026

[4:30:00] Voice 19: $4,000 to support the coordination of the Alkeston House Sound Community Forum, $3,000

[4:30:07] Voice 19: to support the coordination of the Southern Gulf Islands Forum, and $125 to support Vancouver

[4:30:14] Voice 19: Island Coastal Communities Climate Action Leadership Plan Steering Committee.

[4:30:19] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second to this motion, Trustee Yates?

[4:30:22] Trustee Patrick: Any discussion?

[4:30:23] Trustee Patrick: I'm going to call the vote.

[4:30:28] Trustee Patrick: All those in favor, raise your hands.

[4:30:41] Voice 9: 17 in favor.

[4:30:43] Voice 9: All right.

[4:30:45] Trustee Patrick: Right. Thank you, trustees. That's awesome. I should not. I was trying to get my second page for the agenda.

[4:30:52] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed, please raise your hands.

[4:31:00] Voice 9: Two opposed.

[4:31:01] Trustee Patrick: That's two opposed. That carries.

[4:31:03] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees. Thank you. I think we're caught up with what we were doing earlier.

[4:31:10] Trustee Patrick: We're now going to move forward and back into the agenda.

[4:31:13] Trustee Patrick: Brenda, we are at new business for item 15.

[4:31:21] Trustee Patrick: I know we might have two items here.

[4:31:23] Trustee Patrick: One is the part of the motions, that motion been submitted to.

[4:31:29] Trustee Patrick: Okay.

[4:31:29] Trustee Patrick: So I guess I'll look to Alexandra, which one's up first there?

[4:31:35] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Boland.

[4:31:36] Trustee Patrick: All right, Trustee Boland.

[4:31:38] Voice 21: Sure.

[4:31:39] Voice 21: Thank you.

[4:31:40] Voice 21: um i think it would be helpful to um forward this information with the approved budget

[4:31:47] Voice 21: there were a lot of challenges and quite a lot of discussion um which i think it's valid to

[4:31:54] Voice 21: try and represent may fall on deaf ears but i think it's valid and i would recommend that the

[4:32:02] Voice 21: The news flash release that goes out with the budget contains this information as well.

[4:32:11] Voice 21: I expect it will.

[4:32:13] Voice 21: So what I'm moving is, in light of the challenges to the 2026-2027 budget at Trust Council in March 2026,

[4:32:23] Voice 21: that the roll call vote, listing names and affiliations,

[4:32:28] Voice 21: and the numbers of votes in favor and opposed to the budget

[4:32:32] Voice 21: are both sent to the minister with the budget.

[4:32:36] Voice 21: Thank you.

[4:32:37] Trustee Patrick: Is this motion understood what's being asked?

[4:32:42] Trustee Patrick: All right.

[4:32:43] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second to this motion?

[4:32:44] Trustee Patrick: Second by Trustee Campbell.

[4:32:46] Trustee Patrick: Is there any discussion?

[4:32:50] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Elliott.

[4:32:53] Voice 12: I think it's a poor idea.

[4:32:55] Voice 12: Generally, you want to communicate successes of your council,

[4:32:58] Voice 12: not dissension and disunity.

[4:33:02] Voice 12: once a decision is made by council it is a decision of trust council and by separating

[4:33:07] Voice 12: out members who dissented with the budget i think would cast a poor light on this

[4:33:12] Voice 12: organization and institution and not send a good message to the province

[4:33:17] Voice 12: for future advocacy efforts so i will not be supporting the motion thank you thank you trustee

[4:33:23] Voice 12: harris

[4:33:24] Voice 30: dissension you want to silence people that are against something that's like way off base

[4:33:31] Voice 30: completely.

[4:33:35] Trustee Patrick: Any further discussion? Trustee Falk? Trustee Falk is speaking. Okay, I'll just

[4:33:50] Voice 7: question Trustee Boland for your, like what's the motivation for this? What's the outcome that

[4:34:00] Voice 7: you're seeking from it? I think that'll help, if we understand that better, it'll help us to

[4:34:05] Voice 7: to make a decision on how to vote well

[4:34:08] Trustee Patrick: trustee boland's next

[4:34:09] Voice 21: go ahead trustee boland okay okay

[4:34:11] Voice 21: my goal would be to indicate to the province who require us to pass a budget that it was not a

[4:34:20] Voice 21: unanimous vote it's very frequently noted when a budget or when any vote is not unanimous that it

[4:34:28] Voice 21: It has, you know, it's heading towards a split vote to indicate a degree of unease.

[4:34:34] Voice 21: The decision has been reached and, you know, we have to live with it.

[4:34:40] Voice 21: But it is a way to register the fact that we are uncomfortable with this particular number and this budget.

[4:34:49] Voice 21: So that would be my goal. And I think several people spoke to more or less that goal.

[4:34:56] Voice 21: I mean, my goal would have been anyway, I'm not going to go back over everything I said.

[4:35:01] Voice 21: I think it's a reasonable thing to do. And I really don't think that, you know, putting on the table that there are other opinions is necessarily a negative thing.

[4:35:18] Voice 21: We're not getting a report card based on deportment and, you know, behavior.

[4:35:25] Voice 21: So I really do think that if it's done in a respectful way by vote of this trust council, then it's perfectly reasonable to do this. Thank you.

[4:35:36] Voice 21: Thank you. Did you have a follow up?

[4:35:41] Voice 7: Just, yeah, I'm not sure about the purpose. By the minister having that information, is there some action that we are hoping to get out of that?

[4:36:00] Voice 7: And I guess between the budgeting process was difficult because some were unhappy with the process is that that wouldn't that information wouldn't be going with with with a simple summary of the votes.

[4:36:17] Voice 7: Do we need more funding from from the province that will that information wouldn't be coming coming with it.

[4:36:25] Voice 7: So I'm not sure what, I'm not sure if the information or the purpose is going to be fulfilled by just sending the vote.

[4:36:32] Voice 7: I wonder if having just, I mean, our minutes will contain that information.

[4:36:39] Voice 7: If there ever was a question, then that could be confirmed through our minutes.

[4:36:44] Voice 7: And maybe that would be a better way.

[4:36:48] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[4:36:49] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Evans, then passed.

[4:36:52] Voice 19: Thank you.

[4:36:53] Voice 19: Trustee Falk just expressed what I was going to be saying.

[4:36:57] Voice 19: that the roll call is contained within the minutes of this meeting. And I just also wanted to say

[4:37:04] Voice 19: that it was a two-thirds majority, 16 to 8. So it's not a split decision, as was indicated that

[4:37:15] Voice 19: it may be felt around the room. So again, I'm not going to support this. I don't, just by sending

[4:37:22] Voice 19: the roll call, I don't feel that that is sending the right message to the minister. It is in the

[4:37:27] Voice 19: the minutes if that wanted to be seen, along with a conversation that was had. So I won't support.

[4:37:34] Voice 19: Thank you, Trustee Fast.

[4:37:36] Voice 15: Thank you. I won't be supporting this, partly because if we want to invite the minister to

[4:37:45] Voice 15: have confidence in our work so that we can step forward with the Indigenous Relations Action Plan,

[4:37:55] Voice 15: We've expressed interest in whether our staff can talk to their staff.

[4:38:00] Voice 15: I wouldn't want to erode those possibilities of working together with provincial staff.

[4:38:05] Voice 15: And I wouldn't want to have the minister looking carefully at whether they want to increase our budget in the future or any of the things that we put in front of them for approval.

[4:38:22] Voice 15: they might be wondering, why aren't they doing this?

[4:38:26] Voice 15: And because in my experience on Bowen Island Council

[4:38:30] Voice 15: and the other boards and things,

[4:38:35] Voice 15: the information just goes with past or carried.

[4:38:39] Voice 15: Thank you.

[4:38:41] Voice 15: All

[4:38:42] Trustee Patrick: right, trustees, one more, the first speaker, Trustee Luckham.

[4:38:47] Voice 6: Well, no, it might come as a surprise to you.

[4:38:50] Voice 6: The ministry staff do listen and they do watch.

[4:38:54] Voice 6: That's all.

[4:38:57] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Middleton.

[4:39:00] Trustee Middleton: Thank you.

[4:39:01] Trustee Middleton: That does come as a surprise to me, actually.

[4:39:05] Trustee Middleton: I would have thought the Minister of Municipal Affairs would have a lot better things to do

[4:39:08] Trustee Middleton: than read the attachments to a summative budget.

[4:39:12] Trustee Middleton: But hey, who am I to comment on his or her work plan?

[4:39:16] Trustee Middleton: I think, you know, one of the things that we do need to get better at, this is not a

[4:39:22] Trustee Middleton: a criticism is is having coming from opposite or different positions um not necessarily always

[4:39:33] Trustee Middleton: come to consensus being okay with the fact that we don't necessarily agree but we then move forward

[4:39:39] Trustee Middleton: and i do agree with trustee elliot that the tools provided to us are the form for having those

[4:39:46] Trustee Middleton: disagreeing we just need to you know realize they're not quite as fraught as we might think

[4:39:50] Trustee Middleton: and actually trust the process.

[4:39:54] Trustee Middleton: And I think the process ends up communicating decisions.

[4:39:58] Trustee Middleton: And, you know, I hear, Trustee Boland, where you're coming from,

[4:40:01] Trustee Middleton: but I just don't know that it's...

[4:40:06] Trustee Middleton: We had our chance to make our case.

[4:40:09] Trustee Middleton: Our case was made, a vote was taken,

[4:40:11] Trustee Middleton: and I think we need to respect that and move on.

[4:40:15] Trustee Middleton: Thank you.

[4:40:18] Trustee Patrick: All right, we've reached the end of our first-time speakers.

[4:40:21] Trustee Patrick: workers list i'll give trustee boland final word and then we'll call

[4:40:25] Voice 21: the vote i just smiled to

[4:40:27] Voice 21: myself when trustee fast said i wouldn't like to think that the ministry was looking very carefully

[4:40:32] Voice 21: at the budget and i thought i would like to think that the ministry was looking very carefully at

[4:40:38] Voice 21: the budget so um okay i uh respect the process and uh thank you all for contributing and let's

[4:40:47] Voice 21: just call the vote and let it be done with all right well

[4:40:51] Trustee Patrick: thank you on that note i am going to

[4:40:54] Trustee Patrick: call the vote uh the vote that we have is that the roll call vote listing names affiliations and the

[4:41:00] Trustee Patrick: numbers of votes in favor or opposed to the budget are both sent to the minister with the budget

[4:41:06] Trustee Patrick: all those in favor raise your hands three

[4:41:17] Voice 9: in favor all

[4:41:19] Trustee Patrick: right lower your hands all those opposed

[4:41:25] Trustee Patrick: Opposed, raise your hands.

[4:41:33] Voice 9: 18 opposed.

[4:41:35] Trustee Patrick: So that's defeated.

[4:41:38] Trustee Patrick: Do we have a second motion under new business?

[4:41:42] Trustee Patrick: Go ahead, Trustee Elliott.

[4:41:52] Voice 12: Apologies, so many buttons to click.

[4:41:55] Voice 12: So this is related tangentially to many things.

[4:42:01] Voice 12: And it's regarding the potential partnership

[4:42:04] Voice 12: or to reinvigorate an agreement

[4:42:07] Voice 12: that I think was started to be drafted

[4:42:10] Voice 12: with the Conservancy Board with the UBC Conservation Decisions Lab.

[4:42:14] Voice 12: This is headed up by Dr. Tara Martin, resident of Salt Spring Island.

[4:42:21] Voice 12: They have done extensive research on hyperabundant deer, most notably,

[4:42:26] Voice 12: but also wildfire interface regions.

[4:42:30] Voice 12: And so Chair Patrick initiated a conversation a few days ago.

[4:42:36] Voice 12: Trustee Yates and I participated.

[4:42:38] Voice 12: anticipated and so we just wanted to put this forward as a potential way to leverage existing

[4:42:45] Voice 12: resources as in research that's being done on the ground access to student researchers

[4:42:51] Voice 12: who are doing land-based analysis especially in regards to ecological functions in the trust area

[4:43:00] Voice 12: and how that could be incorporated into decision making it doesn't replace having a biologist on

[4:43:06] Voice 12: and staff at all. But I think this is one way that we can explore some future partnerships at

[4:43:13] Voice 12: very little cost and potentially a lot of benefit to the Trust Council. So I could make the motion,

[4:43:20] Voice 12: we could debate it. I move that Trust Council request staff to establish a partnership

[4:43:26] Voice 12: with UBC's Conservation Decisions Lab and explore opportunities for addressing priority needs

[4:43:32] Voice 12: in incorporating biology into decision-making in land-use planning and with a conservancy.

[4:43:38] Voice 12: Is

[4:43:38] Trustee Patrick: there a second? Seconded by Trustee Yates. Is there any discussion? Trustee Evans and then

[4:43:43] Trustee Patrick: Stanford and then Getty.

[4:43:46] Voice 19: I just have a quick question. I support this in its concept. My

[4:43:54] Voice 19: question is, we're asking staff to establish the partnership. What does that look like with regards

[4:44:01] Voice 19: to hours and resources in order to create this

[4:44:06] Voice 19: and how does this fit in with the overall workload

[4:44:08] Voice 19: that they currently have?

[4:44:10] Voice 19: I'd like to have that answered before I vote in support,

[4:44:13] Voice 19: even though in concept I do.

[4:44:16] Voice 19: I actually say

[4:44:17] Trustee Patrick: that this motion was made last term

[4:44:18] Trustee Patrick: and a draft MOU has been drafted and has been initiated.

[4:44:23] Trustee Patrick: So there's been work initiated.

[4:44:25] Trustee Patrick: It just didn't get closed,

[4:44:26] Trustee Patrick: but I'll look to CAO Bruni to answer generally.

[4:44:30] Voice 4: Thank you.

[4:44:31] Voice 4: Yeah, I'd actually like to invite Director Cermak and Director Freider to comment.

[4:44:36] Voice 4: I appreciate that some work was initiated on this, but my understanding is that that work had lapsed to some extent.

[4:44:44] Voice 4: And so whether or not it is considered current and ongoing work or a new piece of work, I think is an important consideration and hinges to a large degree on whether or not those two directors feel that they have the staff capacity to actually undertake it.

[4:44:59] Voice 4: I

[4:45:07] Voice 20: think it's a maybe. I think we need to learn more about what would be required to undertake this and explore exactly how it might fit into the work we're trying to do around for the conservancy.

[4:45:18] Voice 20: It would potentially inform development of the regional conservation plan, and I think it could potentially play a role in implementation of the new policy statement.

[4:45:26] Voice 20: but without having had more you know involvement in it to this date it's really hard to answer

[4:45:31] Voice 20: that question we potentially can take this on but i certainly can't suggest that we can in a

[4:45:37] Voice 20: fulsome way without knowing more about what would be required certainly we've got between the policy

[4:45:42] Voice 20: statement and the conservancy five-year plan work we've got some ambitious work in trust area

[4:45:46] Voice 20: services already through

[4:45:50] Voice 11: the chair that's i got great mic today i'm sorry the i'll just back off

[4:45:55] Voice 11: For the planning services, I certainly know that this would be new work for us.

[4:46:00] Voice 11: It's not on any of our work plans.

[4:46:02] Voice 11: We have had meetings with Ms. Martin in the past, and we weren't able to sort of advance it at that time.

[4:46:08] Voice 11: She's a very busy person.

[4:46:11] Voice 11: So from planning, it would be new work.

[4:46:12] Voice 11: I'm happy to do the work.

[4:46:13] Voice 11: I think it's part of the policy statement and other work, and I would be happy to take that direction.

[4:46:18] Voice 11: But to answer the question, it would be new work.

[4:46:22] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Stamford, then Getty.

[4:46:26] Voice 17: Somewhat similar to the comments made by Trustee Evans.

[4:46:31] Voice 17: I love the idea.

[4:46:33] Voice 17: This is potentially very exciting,

[4:46:37] Voice 17: but I don't want to flip-flop on my direction on strategic plan and priorities.

[4:46:44] Voice 17: When we come up with these kinds of motions,

[4:46:47] Voice 17: it would always be good to reference a part of the priority or the strategic plan

[4:46:53] Voice 17: that you're advancing by this action.

[4:46:57] Voice 17: I am a little nervous at how much time this could potentially take,

[4:47:03] Voice 17: but we won't know until we make those initial connections

[4:47:06] Voice 17: and get a sense of where the lanes are on this.

[4:47:11] Voice 17: So cautiously voting in support.

[4:47:16] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Getty, then Harris.

[4:47:19] Voice 3: I will end up making a suggestion that we change this

[4:47:23] Voice 3: is to explore the establishment of a partnership

[4:47:26] Voice 3: so that it's not too established.

[4:47:28] Voice 3: And I highly recommend to everybody

[4:47:32] Voice 3: that you figure out a link to Bowen's Committee of the Whole meeting

[4:47:36] Voice 3: this coming Monday.

[4:47:38] Voice 3: We've got a professor from biology in Simon Fraser,

[4:47:42] Voice 3: and she's worked with some of her students and a couple of locals,

[4:47:46] Voice 3: one who's a mapping geek

[4:47:49] Voice 3: and another one who's doing some other promotional stuff,

[4:47:54] Voice 3: and we've had photo contests,

[4:47:56] Voice 3: and we've got an absolutely outstandingly beautiful biodiversity plan

[4:48:00] Voice 3: that they have written that the Conservancy Working Group,

[4:48:06] Voice 3: Caring for Nature, is endorsing.

[4:48:08] Voice 3: It's their publication.

[4:48:10] Voice 3: They're going to get publication credit for it,

[4:48:12] Voice 3: and they've put together an outstanding report

[4:48:16] Voice 3: that everybody's going to drool over and I think if you can watch any part of the

[4:48:24] Voice 3: community of the whole in their delegation you're going to see the

[4:48:27] Voice 3: possibility of what university professors and students can do if you

[4:48:31] Voice 3: give them a little bit of an idea of what it is that you want they can glom

[4:48:35] Voice 3: on to that and help you establish it so it can be very very productive

[4:48:39] Trustee Patrick: trustee

[4:48:41] Trustee Patrick: harris then luckham thanks

[4:48:45] Voice 30: i'm definitely not in favor i question you know how much conservation

[4:48:51] Voice 30: do we need do we not already have enough people are already being forced off the islands

[4:48:56] Voice 30: um salt spring island is a huge example of that do we want to uh how much more

[4:49:05] Voice 30: you know pain do we want to inflict on people that are just trying to put food on their family's

[4:49:10] Voice 30: tables um working out um you know on the land to me this is just it's it's gone way too far and i

[4:49:18] Voice 30: don't see how much more we want to pile on and pile on um to the already suffering communities

[4:49:23] Voice 30: um i'm more than opposed to this there

[4:49:27] Trustee Patrick: christy luckham limbo land i don't

[4:49:35] Voice 6: know why the button

[4:49:35] Voice 6: doesn't work all the time anyway um i would like to propose an amendment and i'll maybe just look

[4:49:40] Voice 6: for a nod from the movers and seconders and others to see if that's acceptable but and i apologize

[4:49:46] Voice 6: in advance for not submitting it by email but this is all kind of happening on the fly but i'm going

[4:49:52] Voice 6: to go really slowly and carefully here i would suggest i i would uh move that the motion be

[4:49:59] Voice 6: amended by removing the words and explore opportunities in the second line and add the

[4:50:11] Voice 6: the words on the first line following the word staff, explore opportunities too. So the motion

[4:50:22] Voice 6: would read, and you're doing a great job there, that the trust council requests staff to explore

[4:50:29] Voice 6: opportunities to establish a partnership with UBC's conservation decision lab for addressing

[4:50:36] Voice 6: priority needs in incorporating biology into decision making and land use planning with the

[4:50:42] Voice 6: conservancy this might help alleviate some of the concerns around the table because this is a good

[4:50:49] Voice 6: idea um and i would like to explore what the potential opportunity potential value is and

[4:51:00] Voice 6: then what the potential impact is right

[4:51:02] Trustee Patrick: is there a second to the motion no do you have a question

[4:51:05] Trustee Patrick: on wording trustee evans

[4:51:10] Trustee Patrick: um

[4:51:11] Voice 19: i just wanted to add in sorry

[4:51:15] Voice 23: i

[4:51:16] Voice 19: just wanted to add in um

[4:51:21] Voice 19: where you've added the words on the second line staff to explore opportunities to establish i'd

[4:51:28] Voice 19: like to edit that um to say staff to explore opportunities and to report back to trust council

[4:51:35] Voice 19: council on right so so so for staff to explore opportunities to it to for staff to explore

[4:51:45] Voice 19: and report back on or and report back to trust council on opportunities

[4:51:53] Voice 19: now the one above where we're making the amendment

[4:51:59] Voice 19: yeah

[4:52:00] Trustee Patrick: no i think uh i'm i'm just editing i i know it hasn't been seconded so um i i know this is a

[4:52:09] Trustee Patrick: a bit we always end up on thursday afternoons doing this we have to have it at every trust

[4:52:13] Trustee Patrick: council meeting so that's where we are um it's the it's the paragraph about work why don't we

[4:52:23] Trustee Patrick: do that as a second amendment if we could just stick with this first amendment and we'll do it

[4:52:27] Trustee Patrick: as a second amendment trustee evans i think that would be for everyone's everyone's getting a

[4:52:31] Trustee Patrick: little tired so we will keep things simple so the amendment on the floor right now is that

[4:52:37] Trustee Patrick: that had been read, I was about to say ask for a second.

[4:52:43] Trustee Patrick: So I just want to be very clear what the motion was

[4:52:47] Trustee Patrick: that hasn't been changed.

[4:52:49] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second to the motion trustee Gavreau?

[4:52:54] Trustee Patrick: Is

[4:52:55] Voice 21: there any-

[4:52:55] Voice 21: I'm still discussing the first one.

[4:52:57] Trustee Patrick: Now we have an amendment on the first motion.

[4:53:01] Trustee Patrick: So now the discussion is on the amendment

[4:53:04] Trustee Patrick: to change these words.

[4:53:05] Trustee Patrick: Is there any discussion on this amendment?

[4:53:13] Trustee Patrick: I would prefer not to.

[4:53:16] Trustee Patrick: Okay, go ahead, Trustee Bowman.

[4:53:20] Voice 21: I was going to make a general point about the whole thing,

[4:53:23] Voice 21: and it applies to the amendment as well.

[4:53:26] Voice 21: In view of the fact that we have an extensive write-up

[4:53:29] Voice 21: on the roles and responsibilities of a biologist,

[4:53:34] Voice 21: it exists, work has been put into it,

[4:53:37] Voice 21: and we have reports from a biologist who is here

[4:53:40] Voice 21: on the work that and that um she was recommending um and was probably proposing for the next year

[4:53:50] Voice 21: we have quite a good work scope without putting an enormous amount of work into it new work so i

[4:53:57] Voice 21: would recommend if need be but maybe staff can just take this informally that that material that

[4:54:03] Voice 21: was prepared is used in this opportunity to explore options. I support this. I think for a

[4:54:13] Voice 21: lot of expertise, we should go outside and have, I would call it a call-off contract, which was very

[4:54:21] Voice 21: common where you don't want to have one person and you want to choose different types of expertise

[4:54:28] Voice 21: in different circumstances.

[4:54:30] Voice 21: So I would recommend and I would suggest that we have a lot of material

[4:54:34] Voice 21: that lays out the scope of work already, informally perhaps,

[4:54:39] Voice 21: but it could be used.

[4:54:41] Voice 21: Thank you.

[4:54:44] Voice 21: It's been a second.

[4:54:50] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Evans on the amendment.

[4:54:55] Voice 19: So again, another question to staff.

[4:54:57] Voice 19: staff, about how much time would this take to explore opportunities and to do this work?

[4:55:06] Voice 19: Sometimes the exploration is the big chunk of the work, so I'm just curious about that

[4:55:12] Voice 19: as well.

[4:55:14] Voice 4: I'm going to look to see you, Ronnie.

[4:55:16] Voice 4: Thank you, Chair.

[4:55:17] Voice 4: I think really what you're getting to with this amended version is, and you'll recall

[4:55:23] Voice 4: all under the operational review, we agreed that when it came to adding new work, we would ask staff

[4:55:28] Voice 4: to undertake a feasibility study and report back a feasibility assessment and report back to council

[4:55:33] Voice 4: before advancing work. I think what you're getting to with this amendment here is asking staff to do

[4:55:39] Voice 4: that feasibility assessment. And so I think that that's the intent there is it's a fairly

[4:55:44] Voice 4: high level assessment of what would it take for us to do this and what would the resourcing impacts

[4:55:49] Voice 4: HACS and Options B. And so I think that's the new practice that we're trying to adopt. And so I

[4:55:55] Voice 4: think, you know, the intent there is that feasibility assessment is a relatively light

[4:55:59] Voice 4: effort. So we should be able to, I think it should be doable to Trustee Evans' question.

[4:56:05] Trustee Patrick: Thank you. Any other debate on the amendment? So just as adding the words, Trustee Yates?

[4:56:12] Voice 5: Yes, on this amendment, is it not possible just to add at the very end of the last sentence there

[4:56:17] Voice 5: and report back to Trust Council?

[4:56:19] Trustee Patrick: Well, it'll be at this point,

[4:56:22] Trustee Patrick: we're not having any further.

[4:56:24] Trustee Patrick: I think that's understood generally.

[4:56:26] Trustee Patrick: And I'm seeing nods from the CAO.

[4:56:29] Trustee Patrick: So, all right.

[4:56:30] Trustee Patrick: There's no further debate on the amendment.

[4:56:32] Trustee Patrick: We're voting on the amendment to change the words

[4:56:34] Trustee Patrick: and explore opportunities

[4:56:36] Trustee Patrick: and move it around in that sentence.

[4:56:38] Trustee Patrick: So all those in favor, raise your hands.

[4:56:53] Voice 9: 15 in favor.

[4:56:54] Voice 9: Lower your hands.

[4:57:02] Trustee Patrick: Okay.

[4:57:02] Trustee Patrick: Okay, all those opposed, raise your hands.

[4:57:11] Trustee Patrick: Four opposed.

[4:57:12] Trustee Patrick: All right, lower your hands.

[4:57:13] Trustee Patrick: So now we're back to the main motion as amended.

[4:57:15] Trustee Patrick: Is there any further debate on the main motion as amended?

[4:57:20] Trustee Patrick: Not seeing any, I'm going to call the vote on the motion as amended.

[4:57:25] Trustee Patrick: All those in favor, raise your hands.

[4:57:38] Voice 9: 13 in favor.

[4:57:39] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[4:57:40] Trustee Patrick: All those opposed, raise your hands.

[4:57:54] Voice 9: Five opposed.

[4:57:55] Voice 9: So that carries.

[4:57:56] Trustee Patrick: Is there any other motions under new business?

[4:57:59] Trustee Patrick: otherwise we move on to the next item which oh yeah uh trustee peterson yeah it's under 16 i

[4:58:09] Trustee Patrick: think so that we're moving into the disposition of uh delegations public comments and correspondence

[4:58:17] Trustee Patrick: i'll join the call oh sorry yep we'll get that one all right go ahead trustee peterson

[4:58:25] Voice 8: Thank you, Chair. This is pretty straightforward, led by West Coast Environmental Law, also endorsed by Hospital Union, QP, BCGEU, Professional Employees Association, Federation of Labour, Teachers Federation, Health Sciences, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

[4:58:48] Voice 8: I think it's appropriate, given our reconciliation commitments and in terms of timing, I think

[4:58:58] Voice 8: sooner the better we decide.

[4:59:00] Trustee Patrick: Let's go ahead and make the motion.

[4:59:04] Voice 8: I move that trust council request the chair to sign the joint call BC must recommit to

[4:59:09] Voice 8: meaningful implementation of the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Declaration

[4:59:13] Voice 8: of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act led by West Coast Environmental Law on behalf

[4:59:17] Voice 8: of Islands Trust Council.

[4:59:19] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckham beat you.

[4:59:20] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Luckham seconded.

[4:59:21] Trustee Patrick: Is there any discussion?

[4:59:24] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Evans?

[4:59:26] Voice 19: I'm just, I'm not familiar with this.

[4:59:29] Voice 19: I don't have information on it.

[4:59:32] Voice 19: So I'm uncomfortable voting at this point in either direction.

[4:59:38] Voice 19: Right.

[4:59:38] Voice 19: Trustee Middleton?

[4:59:41] Trustee Middleton: I mean, certainly in noble intent,

[4:59:44] Trustee Middleton: but I think we're going to give the government a break here right now.

[4:59:47] Trustee Middleton: Like they're navigating some very choppy waters in terms of where they've

[4:59:51] Trustee Middleton: move with reconciliation they're not signaled that they're abandoning i mean

[4:59:56] Trustee Middleton: any government in canada i would say they're probably

[5:00:00] Trustee Middleton: uh ahead of the pack in terms of actually uh working with the declaration i think rather than

[5:00:06] Trustee Middleton: sort of i don't know this this i just don't see as being helpful in terms of um uh creating space

[5:00:13] Trustee Middleton: to kind of figure out a way forward in records with reconciliation right now um it's kind of like

[5:00:20] Trustee Middleton: you know they they've affirmed the commitment they they access so i don't really see the purpose of

[5:00:27] Trustee Middleton: of this, to be honest with you.

[5:00:29] Trustee Middleton: I don't think it's helpful.

[5:00:32] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Boland, you lowered your hand, so that's correct.

[5:00:38] Trustee Patrick: Okay, Trustee Luckham, then Trustee Elliott.

[5:00:46] Voice 6: So certainly this is a potentially deep and interesting conversation to have.

[5:00:50] Voice 6: However, the provincial government is under a lot of pressure to reconsider its previous

[5:00:58] Voice 6: commitments.

[5:00:59] Voice 6: And I think there's no harm in Islands Trust Council supporting ongoing work with respect to the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

[5:01:13] Voice 6: And we would be remiss to not support that work. Thank you.

[5:01:18] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Elliott.

[5:01:19] Trustee Patrick: Thank

[5:01:25] Voice 12: you. I support the motion. I think our own commitment to reconciliation and the fact that we have 30, not we have, we are working and operating in the territories of 30 nations within the province of British Columbia.

[5:01:41] Voice 12: without direction from the province we are struggling and we would struggle to continue

[5:01:49] Voice 12: to advance our own commitments to reconciliation and so just adding our voices to say that we

[5:01:55] Voice 12: support the province in continually and to continually revise our legislation which this

[5:02:01] Voice 12: council has twice asked the province to do amend our legislation so that we can do meaningful

[5:02:07] Voice 12: full reconciliation work with First Nations. And so we need a structure and a framework to move

[5:02:12] Voice 12: through that. DRIPA is a framework to work through the different parts of legislation that we have

[5:02:22] Voice 12: been asking to see amended and to see that paused because there is, as Trustee Luckham said,

[5:02:28] Voice 12: immense pressure from business interests who just want certainty. I recognize that,

[5:02:32] Voice 12: but we need to add our voices on the other side, that we need certainty that statutory

[5:02:36] Voice 12: statutory amendments will be made and are needed in the work that we do. So I totally support this.

[5:02:43] Voice 12: Thank you, Trustee Peterson, for bringing it forward. Trustee Harris,

[5:02:48] Trustee Patrick: then Trustee Bowen.

[5:02:49] Voice 30: Thank you. Yeah, I'm all for real, true reconciliation, whatever that word means.

[5:02:55] Voice 30: Again, truth is one of the big factors in whatever we want to call reconciliation

[5:03:01] Voice 30: affiliation um to be able to happen to any real degree um but i will be voting against this um

[5:03:09] Voice 30: the united nations i don't trust i don't trust the united nations honestly and what they have

[5:03:15] Voice 30: in mind for canada so i'll be voting against this thank you trustee

[5:03:21] Voice 21: bollen i don't think it's really

[5:03:24] Voice 21: appropriate for us to vote on this um for instance the um the implementation in british columbia

[5:03:34] Voice 21: of the UN declaration is the one that the premier is having to rewrite the instructions on how to

[5:03:42] Voice 21: interpret it because right now it has acted as not just a framework for working through

[5:03:49] Voice 21: it's acted as something which guided um you know um court decisions which have caused turmoil

[5:03:58] Voice 21: oil so to say that they must recommit and i i just don't think it's appropriate right now i think

[5:04:07] Voice 21: there are too many unanswered questions i also think that it's too late on day three of trust

[5:04:12] Voice 21: council to drop this which has significance is an emotive topic and people have strong opinions on

[5:04:20] Voice 21: to just drop it on the table at the end when people are tired people have left is really not

[5:04:26] Voice 21: reasonable i think if it wants if if we are to discuss it it should come to the next trust council

[5:04:33] Voice 21: or to the committee of the whole or convene a special meeting to talk about it but i don't

[5:04:39] Voice 21: think it's fair to people here to just drop this on the table as we head out the door and i do think

[5:04:46] Voice 21: that there are question marks i mean i have a lot of questions about what exactly does this mean

[5:04:52] Voice 21: what is the intent. And I don't think it's fair to ask me or other people here to vote on this

[5:04:59] Voice 21: right now. Thanks. Trustee

[5:05:03] Trustee Patrick: Fast. Thank you.

[5:05:09] Voice 15: Thank you for bringing this. I think this is important

[5:05:12] Voice 15: based on all the discussion we've been having about the importance of this work

[5:05:16] Voice 15: and building healthy, good relationships

[5:05:21] Voice 15: that help us all move forward

[5:05:25] Voice 15: in a good way towards healthy ecosystems

[5:05:28] Voice 15: and the beauty of this place

[5:05:31] Voice 15: and preserving and protecting the islands.

[5:05:34] Voice 15: I'm looking at it on the website.

[5:05:36] Voice 15: There's lots of people and groups who have signed it,

[5:05:40] Voice 15: including other elected folks from big cities and other places.

[5:05:46] Voice 15: um uh and um councillors and councillor city of kimberly there's lots of them there

[5:05:52] Voice 15: uh it's uh seems to me we do a lot of advocacy around uh or we have done around oil spills and

[5:06:00] Voice 15: different kinds of things uh to me this is another one that will help um uh the province

[5:06:08] Voice 15: understand that we're in favor of reconciliation and human rights and

[5:06:18] Voice 15: avoiding costly legal battles thank you right trustee Getty um

[5:06:26] Voice 3: part of the

[5:06:27] Voice 3: draft indigenous action plan that we just passed earlier talked about

[5:06:34] Voice 3: out engaging with the province to further analyze what's available under Section 7 of this.

[5:06:44] Voice 3: So in terms of the pressure that's on the province, I think there's the Cowichan tribes

[5:06:50] Voice 3: decision around territory in Richmond and what's happened recently with Musqueam. I think that

[5:06:56] Voice 3: there's a great deal of misinformation that's out in the community that's getting

[5:07:01] Voice 3: fired up and putting pressure on the premier and the minister and this government to

[5:07:12] Voice 3: backtrack on some of these declarations, these higher level decisions. And I think that that's

[5:07:19] Voice 3: a step in the wrong direction. And I think that the premier and the government needs

[5:07:24] Voice 3: support and what we've been talking about is the direction that we want to take the support

[5:07:31] Voice 3: of the UN declarations and I think that that's what this we did get notice of this in our emails

[5:07:37] Voice 3: on Tuesday afternoon and it's definitely worth reading and we would be in very good company in

[5:07:43] Voice 3: terms of the people that have already signed this and I don't see any downside I think that this is

[5:07:48] Voice 3: a positive step in the right direction and supporting this government in terms of

[5:07:53] Voice 3: making what appears to be a difficult decision and that's unfortunate the difficult part of it

[5:07:59] Voice 3: is unfortunate and

[5:08:01] Trustee Patrick: trustees we've gotten through our first speakers list and i am cognizant of the

[5:08:04] Trustee Patrick: time of the day here we can keep going through the list or we can call the vote call the vote

[5:08:10] Trustee Patrick: i'm hearing so trustee evans did you have well

[5:08:15] Voice 19: i appreciate that this got sent out via email on

[5:08:18] Voice 19: you can't hear me i can't get any closer can you hear me now uh well i appreciate that this got

[5:08:25] Voice 19: sent out via email on tuesday night i didn't have my laptop with me i am uncomfortable signing

[5:08:31] Voice 19: something that i haven't seen i i never signed something without reading it so i am put in a

[5:08:38] Voice 19: very awkward position while conceptually i can agree with what i think i'm hearing around the

[5:08:47] Voice 19: the table but without reading it i'm put in a very awkward position of being asked to vote

[5:08:52] Voice 19: and put my name against something i've not seen or read and i don't understand the implications

[5:08:59] Voice 19: um and i really don't want to vote against so i would have appreciated this coming on the agenda

[5:09:05] Voice 19: rather than um like it isn't and i don't know how timely it is so again i don't want to hold it up

[5:09:12] Voice 19: but i'm feeling in a really bad position here my

[5:09:16] Trustee Patrick: understanding the motion is as it it's it's right

[5:09:20] Trustee Patrick: there that the motion that we're being asked is that to call for me the chair to sign the joint

[5:09:28] Trustee Patrick: call that bc must recommit to meaningful implementation of the un declaration of the

[5:09:34] Trustee Patrick: rights of indigenous peoples and the declaration of the rights of the indigenous peoples act

[5:09:39] Trustee Patrick: and this would be on the

[5:09:42] Trustee Patrick: West Coast environmental law

[5:09:43] Trustee Patrick: it's got this joint action

[5:09:46] Trustee Patrick: alright

[5:09:48] Trustee Patrick: I'm going to call the vote then

[5:09:49] Trustee Patrick: all those in favor please raise your hands

[5:10:00] Voice 9: 15 in favor

[5:10:01] Voice 9: lower your hands

[5:10:05] Trustee Patrick: any opposed

[5:10:12] Trustee Patrick: 5 opposed

[5:10:13] Trustee Patrick: thank you that carries

[5:10:15] Trustee Patrick: alright trustees I'm going to keep on moving

[5:10:19] Trustee Patrick: we're in disposition

[5:10:20] Trustee Patrick: Disposition of Delegations in Public Comment and Correspondence.

[5:10:23] Trustee Patrick: I think, Trustee Peterson, you had one?

[5:10:34] Voice 8: Yeah, I sent it in.

[5:10:38] Voice 8: It's regarding Section 16, Disposition of Correspondence.

[5:10:49] Voice 8: Oh, yeah, I sent it at 10.28 a.m. yesterday.

[5:10:56] Voice 8: It's very straightforward.

[5:10:58] Voice 8: I could read the motion, and if I read it slowly, that might work.

[5:11:04] Voice 8: It's the one 5.7 on the addendum.

[5:11:08] Voice 8: Yep.

[5:11:11] Voice 8: Shall we just go ahead, Chair?

[5:11:14] Voice 8: Okay.

[5:11:14] Voice 8: I move that Trust Council approve reimbursement of application fees associated with PLRZ20260039

[5:11:30] Voice 8: for registered charity, Saltsburg Island Farmland Trust Society.

[5:11:42] Trustee Patrick: just uh for people's attention that is uh that was item 5.7 in the addendum package also a speaker

[5:11:49] Trustee Patrick: during the town hall um i'll i'll have a ask for a second then i'll let staff talk to talk to this

[5:11:59] Trustee Patrick: oh that should there be a oh i think it's in the it's in the letter

[5:12:05] Trustee Patrick: i don't think we do we need a dollar amount in the motion but we should have the dollar amount

[5:12:14] Voice 11: To the chair, yes, then that number would be $4,882.

[5:12:21] Trustee Patrick: And that's this year's budget, this current budget.

[5:12:25] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second to the motion?

[5:12:26] Trustee Patrick: Seconded by Trustee Borthwick.

[5:12:28] Trustee Patrick: I will turn to Director Cermak for discussion on what...

[5:12:36] Voice 11: Okay, thank you, Chair.

[5:12:37] Voice 11: Sure.

[5:12:38] Voice 11: So this came to...

[5:12:40] Voice 11: Okay, I'll start at the beginning.

[5:12:42] Voice 11: The applicant applied for this temporary use permit last week.

[5:12:45] Voice 11: But this operation has been in work for quite some time.

[5:13:06] Voice 11: It took him a lot of effort to even get that composter on the island.

[5:13:10] Voice 11: I've worked with it personally as a planner and as a manager.

[5:13:13] Voice 11: Very familiar with this property and this application.

[5:13:15] Voice 11: application. Regardless, this particular application, I did have a chance to review in the files.

[5:13:21] Voice 11: They have submitted a request for this, so it's not just correspondence. They've done

[5:13:26] Voice 11: the proper paperwork. It was just done last week, so wasn't enough time to get it to you.

[5:13:30] Voice 11: Did review the application itself, whether it meets the Trust Council policies, and it

[5:13:34] Voice 11: does. So staff are confident with that. And then staff's recommendation would be if we

[5:13:40] Voice 11: had the paperwork before you to support this application.

[5:13:43] Voice 11: thank you

[5:13:44] Trustee Patrick: is there any further discussion trustee fast um

[5:13:48] Voice 15: i think i'm confused it it talks about it

[5:13:52] Voice 15: as a tup no

[5:13:54] Voice 8: no it's a different piece oh

[5:13:57] Voice 15: excuse me what page of the this is uh

[5:14:00] Trustee Patrick: 5.7 in the addendum

[5:14:02] Trustee Patrick: page 7 oh

[5:14:05] Voice 15: i'm on page 17 thank you any

[5:14:09] Trustee Patrick: further discussion not i'll call the vote all those in

[5:14:15] Trustee Patrick: favor oh sorry trustee boland did you have a discussion item i saw you waving at me frantically

[5:14:20] Trustee Patrick: thank

[5:14:21] Voice 21: you i'd just like to point out that although it is in this year's budget and there appears to

[5:14:26] Voice 21: be money it will reduce the surplus which we have assigned to next year's budget to reduce next

[5:14:33] Voice 21: year's budget so uh yeah there's no such thing as a free lunch thanks um alexandra it was trustee

[5:14:43] Trustee Patrick: Borthwick. Any further discussion? I'm going to call

[5:14:48] Trustee Patrick: Trustee Peterson.

[5:14:50] Voice 8: Yeah, just in

[5:14:52] Voice 8: response, this is, it is a registered

[5:14:58] Voice 8: charity and it is

[5:15:00] Voice 8: for the benefit of the entire community and it fits well

[5:15:04] Voice 8: within, as a community composter, it fits well within

[5:15:07] Voice 8: I think our mandate and environmental and

[5:15:12] Voice 8: all those checks off boxes, in my view. Thank you.

[5:15:16] Trustee Patrick: Any further discussion? Not, I'm going to call the vote. All those in favor,

[5:15:20] Trustee Patrick: raise your hands.

[5:15:31] Voice 9: 19 in favor. Lower your hands.

[5:15:35] Trustee Patrick: Any opposed? That carries, and I can tell you the

[5:15:40] Trustee Patrick: Farmland Trust will be greatly appreciated.

[5:15:44] Trustee Patrick: Okay, any other dispositions? Trustee Elliott?

[5:15:50] Voice 12: So this is in response to 5.6

[5:15:53] Voice 12: in the addendum the wallinger correspondence a science-based call for decisive deer population

[5:15:58] Voice 12: reduction to restore island ecosystems um this is again going back to the research of dr tara

[5:16:05] Voice 12: martin which he references quite a bit in the correspondence this is the very latest research

[5:16:11] Voice 12: which the conservation decisions lab has indicated that um um the most effective way of controlling

[5:16:19] Voice 12: controlling hyperabundant deer is actually through indigenous hunting. So that's one of the key

[5:16:25] Voice 12: pieces. They've done a lot of work on Galliano Island. I know Food for the People program is

[5:16:31] Voice 12: incredibly popular. I've been wanting to have Dr. Tara Martin present in some way. So this is

[5:16:37] Voice 12: a potential resolution, well, a resolution to support some education in this area and respond

[5:16:44] Voice 12: to our community's requests for, you know,

[5:16:47] Voice 12: are we going to engage with this issue

[5:16:49] Voice 12: of hyperabundant deer?

[5:16:51] Voice 12: So if you're ready.

[5:16:53] Voice 12: Go ahead and make the motion.

[5:16:55] Voice 12: I move that Trust Council request,

[5:16:58] Voice 12: slightly different request,

[5:17:01] Voice 12: staff to invite Dr. Tara Martin, sure,

[5:17:04] Voice 12: to attend a future Trust Council

[5:17:06] Voice 12: or Conservancy Board meeting

[5:17:07] Voice 12: to present research on the impacts

[5:17:09] Voice 12: of hyperabundant deer

[5:17:10] Voice 12: and strategies for managing hyperabundant deer

[5:17:13] Voice 12: year to restore keystone places in the Gulf Islands and then just cut the last part of the

[5:17:17] Voice 12: section. I had sent an updated one. I apologize in my previous motion.

[5:17:24] Trustee Patrick: Is there a second? Seconded

[5:17:25] Trustee Patrick: by Trustee Borthwick. Is there any discussion? Trustee Stamford then fast.

[5:17:34] Voice 17: I support it but I

[5:17:36] Voice 17: feel like she's talking to the converted here. I mean I'm trying to figure out how we can get her

[5:17:41] Voice 17: to some other groups that are fighting this whole process they

[5:17:46] Trustee Patrick: are doing uh they're they're traveling

[5:17:48] Trustee Patrick: to every island and doing community events this this program trustee fast thank

[5:17:56] Voice 15: you um does this

[5:17:57] Voice 15: mean that this is only the southern gulf which islands are these does this include the house

[5:18:03] Voice 15: islands i

[5:18:07] Voice 12: believe their research paper covers the gulf islands i'm not sure if every single one but

[5:18:13] Voice 12: is specifically on the black-tailed native deer, not the fallow deer, and the impacts on the

[5:18:19] Voice 12: ecosystem, particularly songbirds. She's been doing that research for a number of times,

[5:18:24] Voice 12: but the latest research is on the efficacy of control methods and indigenous hunting methods

[5:18:29] Voice 12: are found to be the most effective. So yeah, I'm just wanting to bring awareness to the research

[5:18:35] Voice 12: in response. But sounds

[5:18:37] Voice 15: great, but does that include the Gulf? Yeah, you don't know. Thank

[5:18:41] Voice 15: you that's fine i'm i'm fine

[5:18:43] Voice 25: trustee maude thank you chair i'll just note that it's been 18 years

[5:18:49] Voice 25: since i brought this issue to trust council i wholeheartedly support this thank you thank you

[5:18:55] Trustee Patrick: main island there we go trustee yates right there are two

[5:19:00] Voice 5: l's in the name wallinger

[5:19:04] Voice 5: okay uh trustee berthwick yeah

[5:19:08] Voice 1: i just wanted to take this moment to remind council of the advice

[5:19:11] Voice 1: that we received from Jared Williams

[5:19:14] Voice 1: at Trust Council on Salt Spring,

[5:19:18] Voice 1: which is that the answer to this problem

[5:19:21] Voice 1: is to have a feast.

[5:19:24] Trustee Patrick: All right.

[5:19:25] Trustee Patrick: Not seeing any further speakers of Trustee Falk, sorry.

[5:19:29] Voice 7: Yeah, I just wanted to express my deep support

[5:19:32] Voice 7: for this issue.

[5:19:32] Voice 7: I think this is the biggest opportunity

[5:19:35] Voice 7: for us to protect the environment.

[5:19:36] Voice 7: Of all the things we can do,

[5:19:38] Voice 7: this is the most important.

[5:19:40] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[5:19:41] Trustee Patrick: I think that's the point is to bring lots more attention to this, to move things forward.

[5:19:46] Trustee Patrick: So without seeing anyone else, I'm going to call the vote.

[5:19:48] Trustee Patrick: All those in favor, raise your hands.

[5:19:58] Voice 9: 17 in favor.

[5:20:00] Trustee Patrick: Lower your hands.

[5:20:03] Trustee Patrick: Any opposed?

[5:20:07] Trustee Patrick: Two.

[5:20:08] Trustee Patrick: So that carries.

[5:20:09] Voice 9: Two.

[5:20:10] Trustee Patrick: All right, trustees, are there any other dispositions?

[5:20:14] Trustee Patrick: One opposed.

[5:20:15] Trustee Patrick: I didn't get my hand right down quickly.

[5:20:18] Trustee Patrick: Okay, sorry.

[5:20:18] Trustee Patrick: Thank you.

[5:20:23] Trustee Patrick: No further there. So, trustees, I see that we're coming in on 2.30, getting close here. Do I have your permission to skip the Trust Council roundtable? All right. Please reach out and share. I'm sorry. Trustee

[5:20:38] Trustee Patrick: Evans?

[5:20:39] Voice 19: Sorry, I wasn't quite able to get your attention. I just had a question on the disposition of delegations. There was some discussion around a letter when I was just curious if we were going to deal with that now or at a later date. I just wasn't sure.

[5:20:54] Voice 19: Thank you.

[5:20:55] Trustee Patrick: I did speak with staff earlier about that. Maybe, CAO Brony, can you talk about the Lidstone letter and what staff can do for us without having to even make a motion?

[5:21:03] Trustee Patrick: yeah

[5:21:04] Voice 4: thank you chair we can certainly provide you um with with uh some communications support

[5:21:10] Voice 4: to address questions if if you need that in your communities and we'll circulate that to trustees

[5:21:15] Voice 4: and i think um beyond that trust council can acknowledge receipt of of the letter as

[5:21:20] Voice 4: correspondence related to the policy statement that

[5:21:25] Trustee Patrick: is okay with everyone thank you for reminding

[5:21:28] Trustee Patrick: reminding us. Okay, where is my agenda? Too many pieces of paper. Getting so close to the end here

[5:21:36] Trustee Patrick: then, trustees. So if we are passing up on the roundtable, the follow-up action list is always

[5:21:42] Trustee Patrick: just stuck at the end here so that we will consider any rearrangement of priorities if we

[5:21:47] Trustee Patrick: change them to address staff's clearness for what we're asking them to do. On the updates here,

[5:21:55] Trustee Patrick: they're all here for your information. Is there anyone that wants to bring attention? Yes,

[5:21:58] Trustee Patrick: trustee peterson uh

[5:22:00] Voice 8: super briefly i sent around a uh an email to everyone on the ocean protection

[5:22:04] Voice 8: plan you can sign up for free there every thursday for about an hour and a half quite interesting

[5:22:10] Voice 8: when you have time all

[5:22:13] Trustee Patrick: right any other pieces otherwise all these items through here are here

[5:22:18] Trustee Patrick: for your information that takes us to the next meeting item 20 in the agenda so the next meeting

[5:22:25] Trustee Patrick: is going to be in June 16th to 18th.

[5:22:28] Trustee Patrick: It's going to be electronic

[5:22:30] Trustee Patrick: because of the budget we just passed.

[5:22:32] Trustee Patrick: No travel.

[5:22:34] Trustee Patrick: You'll have to provide your own food.

[5:22:37] Trustee Patrick: And then we have the program here

[5:22:41] Trustee Patrick: on page 726

[5:22:43] Trustee Patrick: is kind of a beginning of the program.

[5:22:47] Trustee Patrick: We want to hear from you

[5:22:48] Trustee Patrick: if you have specific interests

[5:22:50] Trustee Patrick: for that meeting.

[5:22:51] Trustee Patrick: Please reach out to the executive committee.

[5:22:53] Trustee Patrick: We do try to plan these meetings

[5:22:54] Trustee Patrick: to be helpful.

[5:22:56] Trustee Patrick: helpful, so we need to hear from you on your suggestions. With that, I need a motion to

[5:23:02] Trustee Patrick: adjourn. Oh, we have so many hands up here. I'm going to go with Trustee Getty, and Trustee

[5:23:07] Trustee Patrick: Borthwick is seconding. Did you have a point, something to add, Trustee Frater?

[5:23:17] Voice 20: Yes, thank you, Trust Council. I just wanted to remind you about the Community Stewardship Awards

[5:23:20] Voice 20: and encourage you to spread the word in your communities and help us celebrate all the great

[5:23:25] Voice 20: work that's happening out there in the trust area thank you we look forward to getting nominations

[5:23:28] Voice 20: from your communities thank you i'm

[5:23:31] Trustee Patrick: going to declare the meeting adjourned and thank you so

[5:23:33] Trustee Patrick: much for gathering this beautiful space and for the wonderful welcome we had from chief daniels

[5:23:39] Trustee Patrick: and it was wonderful to meet here on cowichan lands