Columbia Shuswap Regional District directors were brought up to speed on the various activities the chair and board chair undertake at the Oct. 17 board meeting.
Chair Kevin Flynn reported on his participation earlier in the week in a blanket exercise with CSRD staff.
The goal of the exercise is to build understanding about the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later M茅tis peoples. By engaging on an emotional and intellectual level, the blanket exercise is intended to educate and increase empathy.
91裸聊视频淚t was amazingly impactful; one of the most educational things I91裸聊视频檝e ever done, and I wish it was in the schools at a certain level, and in other businesses,91裸聊视频� said Flynn.
Flynn spoke with pride about CSRD being invited to the first Secw茅pemc four-band meeting that included Adams Lake, Skwl氓x te Secwpemc眉lecw, Neskonlith and Splatsin.
91裸聊视频淚t is the first step in physically meeting with all four bands.91裸聊视频�
Flynn and chief administrative officer John MacLean recently presented to more than a dozen Shuswap realtors, who subsequently requested a meeting with CSRD planning staff. On a far less pleasant note, Flynn also attended a Silver Creek community meeting in order to hear residents91裸聊视频� concerns regarding dangerous dogs in the area.
During the past few months, Flynn also attended several other meetings and, in July, met with Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness to reiterate CSRD input into the provincial task force following last year91裸聊视频檚 wildfire in the North and South Shuswap.
At UBCM, Flynn again met with Minister Ma to discuss concerns regional board chairs have about the new emergency management act that doesn91裸聊视频檛 take in the rural nature of regional areas.
When asked for comment, MacLean said regional district CAOs have had several conversations about the new emergency management act. One of the issues raised was regarding the mental health of those working in the emergency operations centres (EOC) and the need for more program funding as opposed to authorized expenditure funding.
91裸聊视频淐urrently, according to emergency management, we have to apply for provincial funding through expense authorization forms,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频漈here are some things that should just be in program funding rather than discretionary funding.91裸聊视频�
Another major concern is the growing need to establish EOCs due to wildfires, as happened within the CSRD and several other regional districts that had long activations in 2024.
91裸聊视频淭his ongoing, long-term exposure to disaster management and disaster response affects staff teams, elected teams and communities, and represents a threat to our business continuity, something we experienced last year particularly,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 have the resources to be doing it over and over and over again, but we all seem to be doing it over and over again.91裸聊视频�
Vice-Chair Natalya Melnychuk reported on recent activities, beginning with the Hullcar Wildfire.
91裸聊视频淭hankfully it was a less severe fire than previous years and managed by BC Wildfire,91裸聊视频� she said, acknowledging Area D director Dean Trumbley91裸聊视频檚 community meeting place established in the Silver Creek Community Hall during the fire. 91裸聊视频淚t was well-received, so hopefully it will be become a model for when we have more fire-based emergencies with a more on-the-ground response to answer questions.91裸聊视频�
Given the opportunity to speak to the meeting place, Trumbley said the big benefit was it gave people an immediate place to get accurate information.
Melnychuk meanwhile attended three minister-level meetings at UBCM, accompanied by Area F director Jay Simpson.
Conversation with the Minister of Water Land and Resource Stewardship focused on small water systems and included a request for a grant program.
91裸聊视频淲e got no promises but staff is committed to bringing it to government after the election,91裸聊视频� she said.
A three-pronged approach was taken with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, focusing on a request for an update on where CSRD91裸聊视频檚 liquid waste management plan is in the provincial approval process. As well, a request was made for a cross-ministry working group to explore community sewer options, particularly for area G, and reconsideration of a provincial regulatory review for sewage.
Melnychuk91裸聊视频檚 third meeting was with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness concerning recently installed early warning weather stations to support emergency preparedness in North and South Shuswap, which are at risk of landslides following last year91裸聊视频檚 wildfire.
The vice-chair, along with reps from the Regional District of North Okanagan and Thompson Nicola Regional District, met with staff from the Ministry of Water land and Resource Stewardship to discuss options for improvement of invasive mussels monitoring and to request improved communication regarding provincial and federal efforts involving whirling disease and the prevention and movement of contaminated fish and products.
