StormRyderNews

With the full accommodation of the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, BC Vancouver Island Speaks: Pushing Pride: When Activism Conflicts with Women's Rights, Gay Rights and The Safeguarding of Kids Presenting Speakers: Meghan Murphy - Writer and Podcaster Bryony Dixon - Artist, Researcher and Advocate Trish Oliver - Activist and Teacher This video includes Bryony Dixon's Slide and Video Presentation. Thanks to Travis at notTV for production work behind the scenes. Much appreciation for all the volunteers and courageous attendees who passed through the protest outside the venue to get to their seats! The letter sent by the legal team from The Democracy Fund to the Cowichan Community Centre regarding the October Cancellation: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/.../Letter_to_CCC_Nov_1... Also here is the published letter written by the legal team of The Democracy Fund detailing the situation: https://www.thedemocracyfund.ca/meghan_murphy_tdf_fight... Download the slides from Bryony Dixon's presentation here: https://drive.google.com/.../1WkDQSHT9UBcllOwjvo1.../view... Also download the clips and slides from the Q&A portion here: https://drive.google.com/.../1VXsm60QN5.../view

In October of 2023, Vancouver Island Speaks booked an event at the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan BC. At the last minute the CCCentre cancelled the event citing the BC Human Rights Code and suggested that the event was likely to violate the HRC. The organizers of the event got in touch with The Democracy Fund who provided legal support and the event was re-booked by the CCCentre in Duncan. The video you will see here is the pre-event protest against the event. The protest was organized by a Cowichan group that goes by the name of Revolve Cowichan. The protest was attended by what looked to be a hundred or so people. I had some real audio issues with this one. I was using new streaming software and didn't find the controls for audio-gain-levels until later so everything is distorted and the volume levels vary greatly. I've decided to put this video up anyway for posterity because the behavior of the attendees of the protest is worth noting. Interviews or conversations were really not possible. Nearly the whole time I was in the crowd either just filming or attempting to engage with some of the participants to get their views or understand why they were attending, I was followed by two or three particular individuals (if you watch you'll see) who made a point of getting between me and anyone I was attempting to interview and putting their signs in front of the camera as well as screaming non-stop. I think a main part of the story of this day is the fact that Duncan, BC got to have the event. Sure the protestors came and made it challenging for attendees to get to the door without feeling somewhat intimidated (at least that's what I've heard from multiple people, some who did attend and some who chose not to because of this) but people did come and the event went well with no interruptions and the discourse between the panelists and attendees got to happen unlike last fall. Its a challenging topic. I don't know why interviews were being blocked. It occurs to me that to find resolution and get over the polarization there will need to be dialogue however that wasn't being allowed. I also don't understand the use of the term "hate speech" in all the signage. I attended the indoor event and I don't think I heard anything that would qualify as hate speech. I know its not proper for a reporter to give opinions so I'll qualify what I've said here as being editorial commentary. I encourage you to do some research about the issue and come to your own conclusions.

Meghan and I got to talk at the Victoria BC, Vancouver Island Speaks event on May 30, 2024. We touch on the Online Harms Act - Bill C-63 and how it may affect the conversation that Meghan speaks on publicly, we also discuss the potential of an upcoming event that now has been accepted by the Cowichan Community Centre on Saturday June 8th.

Duncan BC, Town Hall to discuss recent Provincial Legislation affecting Healthcare, Housing, Emergency and Disaster Management and more. Event brought to us by BCTownHalls2024.ca Sponsored by COAP.ca Event run by Local Cowichan Volunteers Presentations by: - Retired Doctor and Provincial Conservative Candidate: Marina Sapozhnikov - Fired Nurse (refused Covid injection) - Jan Webb - Local Businessman - David Pink - Co-Founder of COAP.ca & The Westward Independent - Adrienne Richards - Founder of https://lifeonwheelsduncan.ca/ - Cheryl Howard Thanks to all the volunteers and special thanks to Moderator Kelly McLoughlin

Duncan, BC Town Hall Hosted by BCTownHalls2024.ca Event Funded by COAP.ca and put together and run by local volunteers from the Cowichan Valley. In this excerpt we have: Cheryl Howard of Life On Wheels, a local grassroots initiative that helps people with addiction to detox and get rehabilitated back into their families and community. Life On Wheels operates without government funding and at their own personal cost. Life On Wheels: https://www.lifeonwheelsduncan.ca/ Cheryl Howard 250-706-2428 cheryllynnehoward@gmail.com

A fair use edit of Patrick Wood of PatrickWood.Substack.com presenting to the American Freedom Alliance Educational Purposes Only Original Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv9gOtypApg

Full length video of Town Hall brought to us by BCTownHalls2024. Presentations are regarding recent Provincial Legislation in British Columbia pertaining to Healthcare, Housing, Land Use, Emergency and Disaster Management. Q&A at the end. Presenters: Dr. Stephen Malthouse - Healthcare & Emergency Management Ruth Magnusson - Legal Viewpoint Jan Webb - Nursing Kevin Murdoch - Mayor of Oak Bay (virtual presentation) Sasha Izard - CRD Watch Nathalie Chambers - Saanich Councilor Sid Tobias - Mayor of View Royal

In this excerpt from an evening packed with many presenters and questions from the attendees, we have Dr. Stephen Malthouse presenting information about the recently passed Provincial Emergency and Disaster Management Act here in British Columbia. BCTownHalls2024 is hosting Town Halls across BC. Watch for the QR code at the end or goto BCTownHalls2024.ca to get the latest calendar update listing a Town Hall in your area.

The CVRD is proposing another property tax increase. Last year it increased 11%, this year they propose an additional 19.33%. That is a more than 30% increase in two years! Storm Ryder News brings you to the people on the street to get their take on this situation. You can find COAP (Citizens Oversight and Accountability Project presents at TIMESTAMP 16:30 minutes) as well as concerned citizens holding the CVRD to account for this on the livestream recording of the CVRD meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbbXSSeKxEM For more information also please go to the Westward Independent's February issue here: https://wwind.ca/edition-009-february/

Landkeepers Society is receiving support from Cowichan Farmers who "Slow Roll" a Convoy of Tractors by the offices of the Cowichan Valley Regional District in protest. Nature Trust is requesting the CVRD to forward their application to the Agricultural Land Commission for a change of use of the land in the Cowichan Estuary currently being farmed to produce livestock feed. The Landkeepers Society https://www.landkeeperssociety.com/, COAP (Citizens Oversight and Accountability Project https://coap.ca/ ), and concerned farmers and citizens attended the meeting and provided feedback to the CVRD as to the discoveries they've made during the process that has ensued since the project proposal was revealed June 8th 2023 in the Citizen (local paper) as to why this project should not proceed. There were also some present who spoke in support of the project but predominantly the attendees were speaking against it. The Nature Trust proposed project lacked in consultation with the public and adjacent landowners. If the project is approved, approximately 170 acres of uniquely productive farmland will be flooded because of the removal of dykes that Nature Trust is currently responsible for maintaining (a financial commitment they will be relieved of if the project is approved... which they will be funded for...hmm!) resulting in the flooding of the farmland with salt waters contaminated with the unaddressed sewage outflow from the municipality which could affect local freshwater wells and aquifers as indicated by the independent hydrology report paid for by the Landkeepers Society. A question I ask folks interviewing is whether there are direct linkages already discovered between this seemingly local and singular issue ...and the worldwide phenomenon of Farmer Protest. The details of those linkages don't become crystal clear but there do seem to be obvious connections such as ballooning general inflation, fuel prices, Canada's carbon tax, proposed fertilizer restrictions, increased property tax, registering of private wells and increased regulations across the board. So while this particular issue appears somewhat unique to the Cowichan Estuary, the parallels across the world are obvious. The United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Twenty-First Century is getting people's attention and Tractors have started rolling here. (As a side note, a recent poster has been anonymously revealed indicating Feb. 24th to be a nation-wide tractor protest in Canada naming multiple major cities) So...the tractors rolled in support of the Landkeepers Society ...AND... they have other reasons for showing up as well. For more information please go to the Landkeepers website (above), subscribe to COAP's Substack (above) and check out COAP's new local hardcopy and online newspaper The Westward Independent at https://wwind.ca/

Flag waving for honks of support, interviews with local folks remembering the hope it brought so many when the truckers rolled across the country Jan 27th, 2022!