January 2023 Newsletter

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Contents

Upcoming Transition Sooke Focus
News from Juan de Fuca Electoral District
News from Zero Waste Sooke
Home Waste Audit
Sooke Region Lifelong Learning Spring Offerings
A Heart for the Earth: Work that Reconnects Workshop
Book Review: Lessons in Legitimacy by Searn Carlton
You are Invited: Transition Sooke Strategic Planning Event
Bike Locker for Rent
Frack Free BC
Coming Events
Opportunities with Transition Sooke

photo by perfectdaytoplay.com

Your January Newsletter

As Earth begins another trip around the sun, we here in Sooke have an opportunity to reflect on the work we have ahead. Transition Sooke is beginning a three-month evaluation of itself as an organization, its role in helping to grow Community Climate Resilience, and what the people of the District of Sooke need us to focus on. For this reason, Transition Sooke is holding three important events over the next three months:

Jan 22 10 am - 1:45 pm Strategic Planning Hybrid/Sooke Library
Feb 26 time/location TBA Public Forum
Mar 22 6:45-8:45 Transition Sooke AGM Hybrid Library/Zoom

Members will use the strategic planning event to focus on building our Transition Sooke's capacity to serve Sooke effectively. February's Public Forum will offer the general public an opportunity to share ideas and generate actions to build a healthy, thriving community, setting priority actions for the coming year. And the AGM will confirm our policies and choose a steering committee to guide the organization's actions over the coming year.

A small ad hoc committee has formed to organize the Public Forum. We would be happy for any help. Contact Susan Clarke to get involved.

While climate positive solutions in economic policy, housing and transportation exist and are beginning to be embraced by communities around the globe, here in the District of Sooke, both master-plans to chart our climate positive path forward are as yet unimplemented. These, of course, are the Climate Action Plan and the Official Community Plan.

And, of course, much of what we consider Sooke, our forested "backyard" is not actually Sooke at all but another entity altogether.

News from Juan de Fuca Electoral District

First of all, congratulations to Anna Russell on her appointment to the Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee. And then a big thank you to Anna for accepting the position.

Next, a short history of that Committee. It is advisory to two voting panels that are subsets of the main CRD Board. According to the Local Government Act, the whole CRD Board would be responsible for land use decisions in the JdF Electoral Area but for an Order in Council relieving the whole Board of that responsibility. The Order created two voting panels, one to make decisions for the two communities that are the remnants of the Langford Electoral Area and one for the four communities that are the remnants of the Sooke Electoral Area. Each of those six communities has an Official Community Plan and associated Land Use Bylaws, or equivalents.

Anna and the other Land Use Committee members will, towards the end of the community consultation for amendments to those bylaws, be asked to review them, review community input, and advise the voting panel members. They will also advise on amendments to certain other bylaws and variances that affect single properties or subdivisions. Anyone interested in all of the responsibilities of this Committee can read CRD Bylaw No. 3166. The Committee was established in 2004 to act as a kind of local council for the electoral area.

Transition Sooke members may be most interested in the point that the Rural Resource Lands, which make up the most of the CRD’s land area, are not well represented on any committee or commission. Al Wickheim, the newly elected CRD Regional Director for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, may be able to sort out some of the ambiguity over the next four years. The area is largely managed by the province and forestry companies and is assessed in the Regional Growth Strategy. There is an Official Community Plan and a Land Use Bylaw for the area. An Advisory Commission that represents all of the Capital Regional District would help with planning for the future of the Rural Resource Lands. It is the Big Backyard of the CRD and we need to manage it better to preserve eco services and all benefits not necessarily considered when the focus is on forestry and mining.

Photo summer zero waste event from by Alan Dolan

News from Zero Waste Sooke

29 January from 11-1pm there will be a fabric and sewing materials swap hosted by Paula Johanson and Zero Waste Sooke in the meeting room of the new library. This will be followed by both a yarn and art supplies swap later in the spring.

19 February is the next Repair Cafe, hosted by Bernie Klassen and Zero Waste Sooke. The Repair Cafe will be joined by people from Recycle BC, who will be there to accept appliances for recycling--no electronics at this time, just appliances. The Repair Cafe is moving from twice to three times a year, meaning the next one should be in June. Bring anything, but you have to be able to carry it through the door unaided. This event will once again be in partnership with the library and will be in their meeting room from 10-2pm.

In addition to these events, Zero Waste Sooke is planning a trip to Hartland landfill in the near future, and is conducting some research about where exactly, our recycling ends up. And the next Zero Waste meeting will be at the library 02 February from 7-8:30pm. Interested persons always welcome Bernie

Home Waste Audit

Photo: Earth 911

Ever find yourself staring at your waste, wondering what goes in what bin? Is it recycling or landfill? Learn how to do your best waste management… at home! University of Toronto Trash Team’s popular Home Waste Audit returns and begins Mon Jan 23 with an introductory webinar. This online event runs Mon, 23 Jan 2023, 7:00 PM to Mon, 6 Mar 2023, 8:00 PM EST

Register today and start the year off with less waste!

NEW days! NEW times! NEW programs!

Making a Free Web Site Movies in the Afternoon Seaweed field trip Art as Therapy Davey the Punk Wild Wise Sooke Meatless Mondays Self-Publishing Projects Einstein and Space Time Stitching for Social Change Intro to Digital Photography Eat Well To Age Well Series Tiny Home Communities The Psychology of Dogs SRLL Book Club World Events

Program Information Online TO REGISTER/Questions

A Heart for the Earth

Sunday February 26, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
an afternoon introduction to the Work That Reconnects
Location on registration

“The Work that Reconnects helps people discover and experience their innate
connections with each other and the self-healing powers of the web of life, transforming
despair and overwhelm into inspired, collaborative action.” ~ Joanna Macy

Allie Picketts is a musician, piano teacher, accompanist and poet with many years of teaching, writing, editing, and performing experience. She and her kids have called Sooke home since 2010. Since spring of 2022, Allie has been working towards becoming a Work That Reconnects facilitator, and she is excited to offer this workshop in Sooke as her practicum.

The workshop will include safe sharing, group, paired, and individual activities, with a mix of learning, discussion, introspection, nature connection, and creativity. Following the Spiral of the Work That Reconnects, we will start with gratitude, honour our pain for the world, practise seeing with new eyes, and resource ourselves to go forth in active hope.

Cost: donations welcome if/as you are able
Click here for more information on the work that connects.
Click here to Register

YOU ARE INVITED TO TRANSITION SOOKE'S STRATEGIC PLANNING EVENT

Sunday January 22, 2023 from 10:00-1:45 Sooke library Meeting Room

What are your concerns, hopes and dreams for Transition Sooke’s future? This will be a long overdue opportunity to discuss these and other issues. Help us define weaknesses that need attention and strengths we can build upon. Is our structure working optimally? How can we maximize our financial health?

The Strategic Planning event will be a hybrid meeting (both in person and via Zoom) but participants are encouraged to attend in person where we will first be meeting in small groups to discuss assets, challenges, shortages and opportunities and then, following a snack break, will be recording our ideas for future plans.

All Transition Sooke Active Members are invited to attend and anyone contemplating becoming more active in Transition Sooke will be welcome as well.

Bring a bag lunch and, if so inspired, a snack to share for the breaks. Coffee and tea will be provided. CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND INDICATE IF YOU WILL ATTEND IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM

Bike Locker for Rent

Transition Sooke manages two bike lockers located at the Park and Ride on the Sooke Rd. at Sooke River Road. If anyone is interested in renting them please email us with your contact info and we will relay it to the keeper of the keys to the locker who will then be in touch. Fees are $10 per month or $100 per year.

Book Review: Lessons in Legitimacy by Sean Carleton

Reading Sean Carleton’s book Lessons in Legitimacy in early 2023 shows that it’s time to pick up the pace of the process of Truth and Reconciliation. During the pandemic the pace slowed, but some people have been sparked into action by revelations of so many little graves at former residential schools. One important action for people in British Columbia is to learn the history of all schools in our province.

Sean Carleton has written an excellent book for learning our history. He describes how schools were set up for children of settlers, and for children of First Nations, to teach not only reading and writing but roles these children should have in the capitalist economy. As Carleton writes: “colonization is not a one-time invasion... Schooling helped to catalyze and legitimize the making of British Columbia.”

Written by a professor of history, this book has many references. It’s thoughtful, but not dry or dull, with useful maps and photos. Footnotes in this book show that each chapter quotes many Indigenous and academic sources. As quoted from the journal of BC Studies: “For most of us, colonialism happened elsewhere, and the recognition of it here, and of ourselves as its agents, suddenly... connect[s] us to a much less comfortable past.” Reading this book can connect us to a future that will be more just for all.

Lessons in Legitimacy:
Colonialism, Capitalism, and the Rise of State Schooling in British Columbia
by Sean Carleton
Vancouver, BC: UBC Press, 2020

Paula Johanson

Frack Free BC, an alliance of Stand.earth, Dogwood, and the Wilderness Committee, is calling on Premier Eby to follow through on his October statement: "BC could not proceed with fossil fuel infrastructure if it wanted to meet its climate goals."

There are five proposed LNG projects on the west coast – will the Eby government green light this expansion and catastrophic increase in gas emissions?

Frack Free’s Campaign demands the BC government halt the build-out of fossil fuel infrastructure, stop issuing permits for fracking, and set a date for phasing out the industry.

Join the organizing meeting January 31, 2023 by registering here . Click here to see video of Frack Free BC's first action.

Upcoming Events

Jan 22 10 am - 1:45 pm Strategic Planning Event Sooke Library/ Zoom
Jan 29 11am - 1pm Zero Waste Sooke fabric swap Sooke Library
Jan 31 5:30 pm Frack Free BC Organizing event Zoom
Feb 2 7 - 8:30 pm Zero Waste Sooke meeting Sooke Library/ Zoom
Feb 11 10 am - 4 pm Sooke Job and Volunteer Fair EMCS
Feb 19 10am - 2pm Zero Waste Sooke Repair Cafe Sooke Library
Feb 26 time TBA Public Forum Details TBA
Feb 26 1 - 4 pm Heart for the Earth Workshop Location TBA
Mar 22 1-5 Transition Sooke AGM Sooke Library/ Zoom

Transition Sooke Monthly Meetings

Wednesday Feb 8 6:45 to 8:45
Wednesday Mar 15 6:45 to 8:45
Wednesday Apr 12 6:45 to 8:45

If you need the Zoom invite, contact Alan Dolan

Opportunities with Transition Sooke

Do you want to contribute to issues of sustainability, environmental protection, climate leadership and just transition in your community? Join us and influence the focus and direction of Transition Sooke by:

Attend the Strategic Planning Event and Public Forum, and join an action team. Groups are active concerning water, transportation, divestment, natural gas, clean energy and much more.
Joining the Council Watchdogs and help keep community members informed about local municipal actions and policies.
Help Transition Sooke reach out to the community by staffing information tables at community events-- first of the year, SRCHNs Volunteer Fair, followed by EMCS' ECO-Fair.
Join the ad hoc Public Forum committee to help organize a public consultation event on Sooke issues to work on this year. Contact us to be involved.
Coming to meetings and taking part in some great discussions!

Your Opinion Matters!

Your letters and articles on climate change, development, and community resilience in the Sooke News Mirror keep important issues in the public eye. If you want to join one of Transition Sooke's Action Groups please contact us. And if you have a photo you'd like to send the newsletter, a letter to the editor, or a piece of news, please forward that to us as well. Thank you!