Mick Sweetman

te’tuxwtun lands added to Snuneymuxw First Nation reserve land – The Discourse. Roughly 80 hectares of federal land near Vancouver Island University added to Snuneymuxw’s reserve

“We never surrendered our land. Not one acre.”

fantastic and detailed piece by @micksweetman.bsky.social about the impacts and implications of the government's decision to make prescribed alternatives to the unregulated drug LESS accessible

#SafeSupply

Comox Valley group joins dozens of others in urging province to do more for biodiversity Save Our Forests Comox Valley are not alone in thinking the province should be doing more to protect old-growth forests and biodiversity.

Members from Save Our Forests Comox Valley think the province should be doing more to protect old-growth forests and biodiversity, and they are not alone. Read the full story: thediscourse.ca/comox-valley...

Photo of Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog and city councillors standing in front of the sign at Loudon Park holding a placard that shows the properties the city purchased to add to the park.

This Monday's Nanaimo city council meeting created a friendship city policy, renewed the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Area, expanded two dry recovery houses and defeated a motion to support a community health centre. Read more in Council Corner:
thediscourse.indiegraf.com/index.php?ac...

Loudon Park to expand with purchase of new properties – The Discourse. City of Nanaimo spends $2.2 million to provide more options for future boathouse and activity centre, as well as increase park space.

$2.2 million land purchase to expand Loudon Park was “fair market value,” Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/loud...

Every Child Matters march attracts thousands in Duncan – The Discourse. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation remembers Indigenous children who were sent to Indian Residential “Schools” in Canada

“They thought they were trying to civilize us, which is really ironic. They don't understand the cultural and traditional ways that we live and that we practice daily is our strength.”

Photo of a person wearing and orange shirt with the text “To honour the children who survived Indian Residential Schools and to remember the children who never made it home.”

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. See the events in your community and additional resources in our special newsletter for today.

thediscourse.indiegraf.com/index.php?ac...

How much are Nanaimo councillors spending? – The Discourse. Council expense report shows fewer councillors attending national conferences this year.

“I know that $6,000 more to travel to a conference in Ottawa does seem like a lot of money, and it’s a lot of money to me,” Coun. Hilary Eastmure told The Discourse. “…But I really consider these conferences to be a critical part of my job as a councillor.”

Palestine solidarity in Nanaimo continues as UN commission declares genocide in Gaza Nanaimo councillor sponsors emergency UBCM resolution calling on B.C. to take action against Israel and support Palestinian resettlement.

“Nanaimo activists have been an inspiration to people across the country and across the world.”
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/pale...

Exciting news! The Discourse is a finalist for the 2025 Webster Awards in the Excellence in Community Reporting category for TWO different stories by reporters @juliechadwick.bsky.social and Rowan Flood. 🎉
Find links to the stories in this thread:

It was lovely to chat with Lenae Silva about her experience and upcoming art exhibition at @viuniversity.bsky.social organized by @viuhra.bsky.social.

Thanks Cindy, it does look interesting. However, I cover arts and culture that is happening in Nanaimo so this is a bit out of my area.

Interim VIU president says he wants to ‘turn VIU around’ – The Discourse. Dennis Johnson talks about leadership, international students and finances in a sit-down interview with The Discourse.

Layoffs at VIU not being done “willy nilly,” says interim @viuniversity.bsky.social president Dennis Johnson in sit-down interview with @thediscourse.ca. thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/qa-i...

Blue Sky Jo was a great film to see this afternoon. There are still tickets available for the 7 p.m. showing.

What are forestry companies doing to prevent wildfires? – The Discourse. The Mount Underwood fire near Port Alberni burned over 35 square kilometers of forest and closed the primary road to Bamfield, part of it is private land

Critics say forestry practices must change as wildfire season intensifies

Union Bay locals await next steps after controversial shipbreaking lease cancelled Deep Water Recovery, the company that has received local opposition for dismantling ships on a beach in Union Bay, has had its land lease cancelled by the province. Community members say this is a goo...

Deep Water Recovery, the company that has received local opposition for dismantling ships on a beach in Union Bay, has had its land lease cancelled by the province. Community members say this is a good first step, but argue for more robust regulations in Canada.

Parksville to Ladysmith is forecast to get some heavy smoke from the Mount Underwood wildfire tonight. Screenshot of the forecast for 9 p.m from firesmoke.ca/forecasts/cu...

Nanaimo Fringe Festival highlights trans and non-binary artists – The Discourse. Percolate and Theoxenia explore issues around gender, relationships and belonging in the Nanaimo Fringe Festival

Percolate and Theoxenia explore issues around gender, relationships and belonging in the Nanaimo Fringe Festival.

Meet Robyn Radcliffe, director of The Raptors, and Kessy the kestral! This week, our reporter Eric headed out to The Raptors in North Cowichan to learn more about what pressures birds of prey are facing in the Cowichan Valley.

Makerspace Nanaimo is ‘more than a toolshop’ – The Discourse. Community workshop a space where people can learn from one another

How Makerspace Nanaimo grew from a small group with hand tools to a fully stocked shop with almost 100 members.

Q&A: MJ McGregor speaks their TRUTH – The Discourse. Raised in a secretive religion, local artist MJ McGregor uses music to find and form a new identity, they explain in this Q&A.

This evening at 6 p.m. TRUTH will play a free concert in the Bowen Park Amphitheatre as part of the @nanaimo.ca's free Concerts in the Park series. Read our Q&A with MJ McGregor about how they use music to “talk back” to the environment in which they were raised.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/qa-m...

Thank you April, I would definitely encourage you to go next year, I had a great time.

I had an awesome time in Snuneymuxw this past weekend. Check out my story and photos from Snuneymuxw Days below.

Addressing Nanaimo's patchwork of bike lanes – The Discourse. Nanaimo’s ‘bike lane Barbie’ says the city is working to make cycling more accessible for everyone.

Nanaimo’s ‘bike lane Barbie’ says the city is working to make cycling more accessible for everyone.

thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/how-...

According to the 2024 point in time count for Nanaimo it did.

Not writing a story on this, but both the violent and non-violent crime severity index for Nanaimo dropped in 2024. Here's an updated chart of it that shows the trends over time. datawrapper.dwcdn.net/kL0me/3/

The Silly Boat Regatta is one of my favourite events of the summer. Read my story and check out my photos of it below.

bailey macabre, Indigenous engagement coordinator for the @nanaimoartgallery.bsky.social, is organizing a monthly Indigenous film series. You can watch a free screening of Rocks at Whiskey Trench by Alanis Obomsawin tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Read the full story: thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/indi...

There are so many good films in the lineup for this new series. Go see Rocks at Whiskey Trench tonight and save the dates for each monthly screening.

It was great to meet the next generation of broadcasters and podcasters at @chly.ca. Everyone I spoke with loved attending the radio camp.