I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of loving the cooler weather fall has brought us here on the Island. It means more indoor time to bake and sit by the fire (or heater, in my case). I recently made these bad boys and needed to share them. They are oh so gooey and delicious! They're a perfect combination of pumpkin and choco... hello, autumn! This recipe is easily turned vegan and is naturally gluten-free.
Wet ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
...
The polls are now open for VIU Students’ Union Fall 2020 General Election! Even though we’re not in typical class settings this year, VIUSU is still working hard to ensure students have the best year possible.
The candidates are from diverse backgrounds and programs, and promise to serve students as best they can both online and on campus.
The voting deadline is this Thursday, October 15 at midnight PST. Students should have received an email with the access key and voting link on Tuesday morning.
Some categories have more than one candidate running, so students will have to ...
As much as we would love it if choosing our MLAs for the upcoming provincial election was as easy as choosing a character for a game of Super Smash Bros., it’s an often confusing process—and some may not even know what an MLA is.
The legislature of British Columbia is made up of the Lieutenant Government and 87 elected members of the Legislative Assembly. The 87 elected members represent each electoral district around the province. The Legislative Assembly is made up of members of the governing party, members of the oppositions, and independent members.
The key role of a member ...
I think we can all agree that staying focused and on-task is a little hard these days. Being alone in a house with no other people is a little eerie at times, but then having the TV, a podcast, or the radio on can be too distracting.
On the other hand, if you live with other people who are also working or learning from home, this can make for an unproductive learning environment. So where’s the happy medium?
Personally, music with very little lyrics and a chill beat really helps to get the creative, productive juices flowing. Here is a playlist that does just that. It features ...
The annual ShakeOut BC will be happening in Nanaimo and across the province on October 15. On October 15 at 10:15 am residents, businesses, and schools are asked to practice safety protocols for a potential earthquake by finding a proper space to ‘drop, cover, and hold on.’
During the drill, people are asked to follow three main steps:
Drop to the ground
Take cover by getting under a sturdy desk or table or dropping to the ground in a corner of the building, and
Hold on to a sturdy fixture until the ground stops shaking
While taking cover, it is important that the person ...
ImagineNATIVE Festival is a film, media and arts festival that is will be fully online this year. It will be available worldwide from October 20–October 25.
ImagineNATIVE is usually held live in Toronto, but not this year, because, well, you know—COVID-19. In this case though, there is a huge silver lining. For the first time, the festival will be accessible to anyone around the world.
Camie Augustus is a Professor of Indigenous/Xwulmuxw Studies at VIU and believes the ImagineNATIVE Festival should not be missed by anyone.
“ImagineNATIVE Film Festival is my favourite film festival for ...
Keeping up with a routine can be difficult in the best of times. So, how in the world is someone supposed to stay on top of their exercise schedule during COVID-19?
Gyms haven’t been open long, and all the convenience of dropping in whenever at the VIU gym to shoot hoops, or do a workout, is gone.
One student mentioned the added effort of having to book a spot in VIU’s weight room in advance and only having a choice of three time slots.
“I was going to work out at the school,” she said, “but their hours are just ridiculous and hard to get in. So, I went and got a gym ...
Boarder X is the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s newest art exhibit highlighting Indigenous artists from across Canada that surf, skate, and snowboard.
The exhibit shows how surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding can be used to challenge the status quo and start conversations around Indigenous issues. The exhibit is originally from Winnipeg and was organized and circulated by the Winnipeg Art Gallery
Each artist reflects on cultural, environmental, political, and social perspectives through paintings, mixed media art, weaving, photography, and film. The artists are from across the country, ...
VIU students have grown accustomed to change over the past six months. Oftentimes, the changes have been unexpected and out of their control.
One particular group of students that has had to face more unexpected challenges than most—ones domestic students may not—are international student athletes.
Student athletes who have arrived in or returned to Canada this year to study and compete at VIU have had to deal with effects of COVID-19 that would frustrate and demoralize anyone.
Cameron Gay, a fifth-year guard on the Mariners men’s basketball team, has experienced the suspicion ...
For centuries, Indigenous nations have had to fight for basic information and resources. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nuu-chah-nulth have had to fight for what they say are basic life-saving needs.
The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC), representative of 14 nations on the Northwest coast of Vancouver Island, is working alongside Heiltsuk First Nation and the Tŝilhqot’in National Government, which represents six nations, to call on the Ministry of Health for what they say is crucial information.
Shortly after the province moved into Phase 3 of the BC Restart ...
Most Vancouver Island residents will remember the War in the Woods some 27 years ago. It was an environmental movement that saw 12,000 people show up to the rugged coast of Vancouver Island in one of the largest acts of civil disobedience Canada has ever seen. Around 1000 people were arrested trying to stop the industrial-scale logging that was set to happen around Clayoquot Sound.
Others, myself included, were either not yet born or too young to experience this act of environmental activism at its most crucial point, however, we’ve grown up seeing natural resources stripped from ...
Street art has always been highly criticized, feared, and polarized by communities around the world. Maybe because it’s “out there” for everyone to see; maybe because it evokes newfound emotion and conversation—who knows? In my mind, it allows a person’s creativity to bring life to a previously mundane wall or building. Street art is instrumental to the culture and well-being of urban areas, such as Nanaimo, and their residents. It keeps people enthused and inspired, especially in times of hardship.
Russ Morland, the local artist known as “Lurk,” has been living in Nanaimo since ...
VIU began offering a chemistry major in September 2018 after construction finished on the four storey Health and Sciences Building. In the pre-COVID-19 era, you probably strolled through the beautiful building even if you didn’t have classes there, and enjoyed the view of the Georgia Strait and the mountains beyond it while you studied.
Despite classes transitioning online until further notice, chemistry students are still managing to have some lab classes in person. Some assignments have been adjusted so students can get creative and fulfil requirements in their own kitchens. Misha ...
Aries (March 21 to April 19)
You need to slow down. Like really, stop whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath. It must be hard juggling six classes, two jobs, 3 clubs, and hiking Mount Benson at 5 am every morning, but you really need to slow down and take some time for yourself this month.
Taurus (April 20 to May 20)
With a new school year underway, now is the time to start working on yourself #newschoolyearnewme. How about we start off by ending that grudge you have against that one professor who gave you a lower mark than what you expected last year. I understand that ...
The start of the COVID-19 pandemic saw job losses, empty food shelves, and a rise in food level insecurities.
A VIU press release stated that since the start of COVID-19, grocery stores ran out of certain products, and there “were interruptions in food supply chains as virus outbreaks affected producers, processors, and transport systems.” COVID-19 became a wake-up call for how precarious the food supply can be.
To help VIU students, the university will be hosting the “Food Security in the Age of COVID-19: Toward More Resilient Regional Food Systems” webinar on October 8, ...
Shawnda Moufette of Moufette Arts is a contemporary mixed media artist, poet, and writer who attends Vancouver Island University. She will be hosting a pop-up-shop sale of her artwork October 9–October 10 from 1–4 pm each day at the Vault Café in Nanaimo.
Her newest work is inspired by Montreal, the city where she grew up. The “Montreal Climb Series 2020” has many scenes of the city, focusing on eye-catching staircases while capturing the animated charm of Montreal.
“I would place myself back in memories and look at photos of my hometown,” Moufette said. “The buildings are so ...
The film Queen & Slim written by Lena Waithe and produced by Melina Matsoukas is a provocative, timely drama of crime pursuit. It is a fearless reflection of the present day issues of race in America.
The movie’s opening scene is at a diner in Ohio where the main characters, Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya), are on a Tinder date that isn’t going well. Their lack of chemistry is apparent, and Slim ends up driving her home. On the way he is pulled over for alleged erratic driving, and the white police officer asks him to get out of the car.
Turbulent events ...
Pump up those tires and clip on that helmet—it's GoByBike Week in BC.
GoByBike BC, formerly known as Bike to Work BC, runs from September 28–October 4. The event calls attention to the importance of healthy transportation for adults and children alike, encouraging people to record their cycling trips online during the week.
It’s been a long time coming for the organization, as they had to call off their spring event because of COVID-19. The fall challenge is going ahead, however, with more focus on a virtual experience. Recreational rides have also been included in this year’s ...
It’s official, the writs have been issued and a BC election will be coming our way on October 24.
No matter if this is your first time voting or your third, we can all agree that registering to vote is confusing. But ultimately, voting is a great way to have a say in the future.
With so many rules and regulations, registering can seem like a spinning vortex of ballot boxes and John Horgan’s white beard. So, here is everything you need to know to be ready to use your fundamental rights.
Voting can be done in two ways: in person or by mail. You can register either online at ...
British Columbians will be heading to the polls a lot sooner than expected as Premier John Horgan calls an election.
After weeks of rumours and gossip, Horgan has asked Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin for approval for the BC Legislature to be dissolved. With approval from Austin, the new election day is October 24, 2020—one year ahead of the previously scheduled election on October 16, 2021.
This will be the first time in history that a BC election will take place during a pandemic, and the second time since World War II that an election will take place during a state of ...
Yes, it’s true that summer is over. Cozy sweaters, colour-changing leaves, and fall cuisine are all positives we can look forward to. I’m reminded of all my favourite fall dishes I like to cook. I’m not much of an inventive chef, but I’m constantly browsing the internet for easy, delicious, and healthy meals. My recent favourite is an Instant Pot lentil curry. It’s the perfect dish to keep in the fridge for the week.
I've modified this recipe from Erin Clarke to bulk it up with tomatoes and it has become a go-to when my brain needs a break. I use an Instant Pot, and although it will ...
The British Columbia Green Party announced their new leader after a three-way race. Sonia Furstenau, the MLA for Cowichan Valley, will be taking on the new role after a tight win.
Furstenau won after gaining 52.4 percent of the votes on the second ballot, beating out Cam Brewer and Kim Darwin. Brewer was close behind her with 45.9 percent.
The party announced that 85 percent of eligible voters took part in the election.
In 2017, Furstenau was elected as the first BC Green MLA for the Cowichan Valley. In her new position she will be replacing Andrew Weaver, who stepped down at ...
Nanaimo has made an important step to becoming a greener, more sustainable city. So, why doesn’t it feel that way?
The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has partnered with the non-profit group Nanaimo Recycling Exchange to assess the waste produced by local businesses and industries. The evaluations by the non-profit will go towards finishing a new bylaw in the wings for the RDN. The bylaw will impose mandatory waste separation for industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors.
It’s all part of the plan for the RDN, who made a commitment two years ago to increase waste ...
Last summer Jenny Dawson began her journey selling self-grown, organic flowers from her farm in Lantzville. Her enthusiasm for finding a balance between business and sustainability was obvious when I spoke with her on her farm.
“It’s a hobby that will take me into retirement,” Dawson said to me as we strolled around the eleven flower beds behind her home. I was blown away. She offers a variety of tulips, dahlias, sunflowers, perennial flowers, roses, lavender, and eucalyptus—just to name a few.
Jenny’s interest in growing flowers blossomed from her career in aquaculture, the ...
