It’s almost the holidays and COVID-19 season drags on. There won’t be any traveling to visit relatives or sitting down over a ham to debate your extended family over something trivial. Time off with nothing to do is a recipe for boredom.
How to remedy the yawning and dead-eyed stares that are sure to come? One word: Podcasts.
If you’ve ever listened to a good podcast before, you know that just one series can be a wealth of entertainment. You have the potential of dozens of hours of enjoyment at the tap of a finger.
Podcasts, like music, are great because they’re versatile. ...
In this "new normal," it's difficult to imagine a time when a desolate VIU Nanaimo campus was anything but standard. Conversely, a November reading break at VIU is still a fairly new concept.
For those unaware, on November 5, 2018, Spencer Stone Shutes tragically passed away after falling from the fifth floor of VIU’s Nanaimo campus library. To honour the memory of Spencer and his family, The Nav would like to continue the conversation on mental health.
To me, he was just another person who passed by the table I was cramming at on the top floor of the library before my afternoon ...
Do you think all outdoor cats should be spayed or neutered? Or that cats should be banned from entering someone else's property?
The City of Nanaimo is asking residents to provide feedback on a new Animal Responsibility Bylaw so their opinions are heard.
The bylaw was developed from recommendations following an Animal Control Service Review that was conducted at the beginning of the year. The findings recommended an amendment to the already existing animal control bylaws. The new bylaw should focus on “the importance of responsible pet ownership,” the City said in a press ...
BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson is stepping down after a two-year run as the leader of the official opposition.
In a Facebook post published by Wilkinson on November 21, he said he will be stepping down from his role. He congratulated BC NDP leader John Horgan for winning the recent BC election, and said he and his colleagues will serve to hold the government accountable “as the essential function of the Opposition is to pursue and ensure good governance on behalf of all the people of British Columbia.”
“It is now time for me to leave the role of Opposition Leader, as the voters ...
All VIU students, alumni, faculty, and staff have until Saturday at noon to vote for who they would like to sit on The Navigator’s Board of Directors this year.
The Navigator—The Nav for short—was founded in 1969 and ran as a print newspaper until 2017, when its in-print format transitioned into a full colour 40-page magazine. And in 1992, it became an incorporated society under the Society Act of BC.
Up until this year, The Nav had primarily been an in-print publication, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has evolved to an entirely digital platform, with a brand new ...
As I sit in the VIU library—my favourite place to get work done—it is now mandatory to wear a face mask at all times. This is fine by me, as mask-wearing is a critical factor in minimizing the spread of COVID-19, but I can’t help but think should I even be here?
In speaking to people in my bubble about this over the past week, I have found that the majority are favourable to wearing masks, as the most important thing right now is flattening the curve.
Some VIU professors have been examining how mask-wearing changes the way we interact with people in our community. Psychology ...
Shawnda Mouffette of Mouffette Arts is having an original pop-up-shop art sale on November 28 and 29 from 1–4 pm. The Mask and Mingle event will be held at Jonny’s Barber Shop located in downtown Nanaimo at 309B Wesley St.
Mouffette is a contemporary mixed-media artist, poet, and writer who attends Vancouver Island University. She will have many of her works available for purchase, including a new artwork series called “Laundry Stories.”
“'Laundry Stories' sprouted out of my Montreal series. It's drawing and watercolour [in] 8 by 8 pieces. Each piece tells the story of a place and ...
VIU Mariners Athletics and Recreation has cancelled all activities until November 30, including intramurals, Outdoor Recreation, and weight room access.
The decision was a precautionary measure due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in BC, Danielle Hyde, the interim director of athletics and recreation, said in a letter emailed to VIU students on November 17.
“We believe this temporary closure will help us protect the health and safety of participants and minimize risk to those who need to be in the facility (including students who need to complete elements of their programs),” Hyde ...
A month away from Christmas—a holiday celebrated by bringing people together—new restrictions have been rolled out across the province to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced that they will be extending the COVID-19 restrictions that were first placed over the lower mainland to the entire province.
“The coming weeks will be the most difficult in our pandemic, but hope is on the horizon. We can protect the ones we love and keep our hospitals, schools, and workplaces open if we remain focused on reducing ...
Earlier in the year, before the pandemic hit, I was at my friend Sarah’s house and had the best granola I’ve ever had. The crispy oats and pecans had the perfect amount of crunch, and the zesty orange, cinnamon, and cranberries really gave it a unique, delicious taste.
“I made it! It’s so easy,” she said.
She sent me the recipe, and I’ve since made countless batches. It takes less than 40 minutes to make and your house smells amazing afterward.
For those looking for a cheap Christmas present for your loved ones this year, pop the granola into an old glass jar, wrap a red bow ...
As the snow starts to fall on the northern part of Vancouver Island, the City of Nanaimo reminds residents to be prepared for a West Coast winter.
Since winter will bring rain and wet snow to the area, the City of Nanaimo sent out a press release asking residents to clear leaves and debris from catch basins on the storm drains nearest to their properties. This will help avoid flooding during melting snow or heavy rain.
In the case of snowfall, property owners are required to remove snow and ice from sidewalks in front of their properties within 24 hours of snowfall, as stated in ...
If you’re a student looking for meaningful employment during a time when it seems scarce, you are in luck.
Beyond 2020: Vancouver Island Career and Connections Fair is a virtual job fair co-organized by VIU, Royal Roads University, North Island College and Camosun College. The all-day event takes place on November 19 and registration is open now for students and employers.
Vanessa Stratton is a project manager and Work-Integrated Learning faculty member in VIU’s Centre for Experiential Learning. She explained in a VIU media release that Beyond 2020 is a first-of-its-kind virtual ...
Three years ago, the single-use plastic straw became the poster child for the anti-plastic movement after a video of a sea turtle with a straw stuck in his nose went viral. Plastic pollution became a global concern, and the public uproar pressured people in power to implement changes, and straws were an easy target.
One by one, cities and municipalities such as Vancouver, Seattle, and Tofino began to impose the bans. Immediately, the disabled community sounded the alarm, asserting that plastic straws are essential for their health and wellness.
Still, the fight to get rid of ...
Everything is changing and nothing is the same. Restaurant culture might never be what it once was, but that might be for the better.
In BC, we’ve had it good through this whole pandemic, and I can only hope that we’ve begun to realize what a luxury being able to eat out was and still is. Some restaurants quickly closed and others scrambled to make ends meet in March and April. As the months wore on, the food and beverage industry was seriously put to the test, and will be recovering for months and years to come. I had the privilege of speaking with the owner of Gina’s Mexican Cafe ...
The West Coast boasts a year-round exploration season of forested trails and rugged shorelines that seem to never end. The dense-growth temperate rainforests are filled with tall trees covered in mosses and forest floors brimming with lush vegetation. The beaches are fiercely traversed by wild winds and beating waves. This is my home. Many West Coast locals happily spend their afternoons beachcombing with family or friends and exploring freely. As a child, I remember playing with washed-up bull kelp and goofing off with the large alien-like kelp bulbs all over the beaches, never really ...
Ross Rebagliati was a Canadian snowboarder who won Olympic gold in the sport’s first ever appearance in Nagano, Japan in 1998. Maybe you’ve heard his story.
Rebagliati was stripped of his medal when trace amounts of cannabis were found in his drug test, only days after he topped the podium. He was just barely over the ridiculously small threshold of 15 nanograms per milliliter. The positive test was allegedly due to second-hand smoke Rebagliati inhaled at a party prior to the event.
Rebagliati made an appearance on The Tonight Show immediately after the Olympics to share his side ...
The fall semester will soon come to a close as VIU students complete their first full semester of online schooling. Although many students have returned to school, they have not returned to the normalcy of what they expected or what they wanted—they have returned to something many are calling a waste of time, a waste of money, and an abundance of unneeded stress.
Although students do have an understanding of why classes are online—to keep them, their classmates, and their professors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic—they cannot help but feel disconnected and lonely.
First-year ...
From November 2–November 27, VIU is inviting students, staff, and alumni to have a say in the changes they want to see for the university.
Between March and July of this year, over 1000 people shared their thoughts and opinions about VIU and their hopes for the future, which the campus captured in its What We Heard Report. Now, VIU wants to hear feedback on the first draft of its Strategic Plan.
VIU will lead a community-wide planning process called "The Future We Want to See" until 2021. The process will allow the general public to see what VIU stands for and where it's ...
Aries (March 21 to April 19)
Come on Aries! Now is the time to just grab the bull by its horns and do it! Oh wait… your sign is a ram—Taurus is the bull. Nevermind.
Taurus (April 20 to May 20)
Come on Taurus, now is the time to just grab the bull by the horns and do it!
Gemini (May 21 to June 20)
The Nav is looking to hire a new videographer for next semester, and you seem like the type of sign that would know somebody that would know somebody that might be interested. Just wanting to put that out there just in case you know somebody.
Cancer (June 21 to July ...
After having shut its doors for six months, the Port Theatre reopened at the beginning of October.
Because the theatre's usual 800-person audience capacity has been reduced to just 50, the Port Theatre Society understands that many people won’t be able to attend upcoming shows for a variety of reasons, such as quicker ticket sell-outs. So, they've created the online Spotlight Series—a live stream alternative to attending shows in person.
Andrea Noble, Port Theatre’s marketing and community outreach coordinator, says the theatre is extremely proud of the resiliency of Nanaimo’s arts ...
The ballots have been counted, and Sheila Malcolmson is expected to return to her position as the MLA for the Nanaimo district.
Although many mail-in and absentee ballots are still to be counted, Malcolmson finished election night with 52.8 percent of the vote.
Malcolmson was elected as the MLA for the Nanaimo district back in 2019.
In a phone call interview, Malcolmson discussed with what campaigning during a pandemic is like, her plans on working with the Snueymuxw First Nations, staunching the rising homeless rates, and confronting the opioid crisis.
Lauryn Mackenzie (LM): ...
VIU Mariners men’s soccer coach Larry Stefanek is striving to take steps forward this year at a time when progress feels impossible.
The third-year head coach of the men’s team has just completed his Canada Soccer A Licence certification—one of 30 coaches to take the 12 to 18 month program, according to Vancouver Island Free Daily News.
The A Licence is Soccer Canada’s highest-level certificate in the Performance Stream, and is a vital step toward the Canada Soccer Pro Licence.
Stefanek has earned this recognition in his third year as head coach, after leading the Mariners to ...
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to not only be an exemplary citizen in your community, but in school and in your personal life, look no further than VIU student Vantaisha (Taish) Tommy.
Tommy is being recognized for her community service and commitment to her studies after being awarded the Mike Coleman Award for Citizenship. She is currently in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program at VIU’s Cowichan campus and has dreams of becoming a wildlife veterinarian after she graduates. It’s a dream she knows she can achieve, as her passion for protecting the rights and habitats of ...
BC NDP leader John Horgan’s gamble for his provincial power lead him to win the jackpot. His party will be able to form a majority government for the first time in 20 years.
After a six-week long campaign, Horgan will be making history as the first leader of the BC NDP party to win a second consecutive term as premier.
The NDP party is expected to take 55 out of the 87 ridings across the province, which is an increase from the 41 seats the party held before.
At his victory speech on Saturday, Horgan said he will be “going back to work on Monday,” and will continue his focus on ...
