Bunch of storms out there

The sub tropical latitudes of our ocean are currently home to a bunch of hurricanes.

The weather is just pleasant here...a lot hot and breezy during the day.

At the end of the day.

Five o clock. Time to shoot the breeze with the regulars over a pint of Red Racer at the pub.

At the end of the day.

Five o clock. Time to shoot the breeze with the regulars over a pint of Red Racer at the pub.

Strong wind warning on the sea

So where does one paddle when there is a strong wind warning up for the waters around Bowen? Flat water and silence on Killarney Lake.

Garlic Harvest

Doing whatever you want

Our Council has engaged in a major revision of the official community plan for Bowen Island. The problems is that with the exception of the Economic Development Committee they never asked anyone about it.

And this wouldn't be such a big deal except that prior to the last election there was legal action taken against the sitting Council for not following good process despite the fact that the previous OCP process had more than a year if consultation and co-creation.

In small communities and large sometimes people just do what they want for all kinds of reasons sometimes good and sometimes nefarious. But the thing that I get upset about is the hubris of demanding one set of rules for myself and another set for everyone else. It is not the mark of a good neighbour. And, where power is used to creat that uneven playing field, it is fundamentally undemocratic.

The island has been consumed this past year with fallout around a ferry consultation process that was a sham. We have been demanding better of the province.

So why, when it comes to our own OCP, do we not live up to the standards that we expect from others?

The substance of the changes is just as important as the process in a democracy. Good or bad, you have to do things right.

Re-industrializing Howe Sound

Now that the dolphins and whales have returned, the herring are healthy and the Britannia Mine site is clean, it's time to think about what to do with Howe Sound.  Of course being a beautiful and partially pristine fjord near to one of Canada's largest cities makes it a natural to turn the whole thing into a park to super charge tourism and protect the gains, right?

Oh, except Bowen Islanders voted down that idea, and the federal and provincial levels of government figure that liquid natural gas, logs, gravel, real estate development and hydro electric power are all good uses for a clean and healthy inlet.  Here is a map of the proposals being considered:

Yay for industrial development!  We will have another 2 dozen jobs in the inlet without any environmental degradation at all!

/cynical filter off.