TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2020 VOLUME 62, #11 19 WING COMOX TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 Volume 61, #22 LS Lisa Wallace LS Lisa K’omoks provides inspiration the very important work for all of us Canadians. Huy chq u, gila kasla, thank you, merci beau- Richard Stewart Hardy This very important work also includes over coup. |K’OMOKS FIRST NATION | 1,000 military personnel that have stepped up Op INSPIRATION to the plate and assisted Canadian elders in On May 2 our Canadian Armed Forces and Uy skweyul, Uy kwunus ‘I lumnamu. long-term care facilities and medical institutions. the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds com- Uy skweyul to the women and men that serve But I would be remiss if I did not also men- menced Operation INSPIRATION as a means at CFB Comox. tion all of the behind the scenes work that our of uplifting the spirits of Canadians during this Uy skweyul to the women and men that serve armed forces have done for our communities, global pandemic, to pay tribute to the eff orts at Canadian Forces Bases across Canada and from coast to coast to coast, whether they are of our healthcare workers, our front-line work- around the globe. transporting medical supplies, distributing food, ers and our fi rst responders, who have, and My K’omoks name is Namugwis and K’omoks hunting, fi shing and cutting fi re wood for people continue to put themselves at risk to serve Ca- would like to say huy ch qa - thank you - to our that are unable to do it themselves. nadians, and to give hope to Canadians that health care workers. Our front-line workers and Our troops have silently been taking care of better times are ahead. our fi rst responders that are in the trenches doing Canadians. Continued on page 2. Notice to readers: Newsprint is a porous material: there are no known cases of transmis- sion of COVID-19 through paper products. Be reassured, all of us involved in getting the To- tem Times to you are taking the recommended physical distancing and handling precautions. If you are staying close to home, read the Totem Times online at CAFconnection.ca/Comox/TotemTimes. Approved Service Provider to the DND Integrated Relocation Program Royal LePage In the Comox Valley 2181 STIRLING CRES., COURTENAY #121-750 Comox Road, VERY DESIRABLE EAST COURTENAY 12-1957 GUTHRIE AVE., COMOX Angus Wood RANCHER on quiet, no through street. Open Courtenay, B.C. V9N 3P6 Tracy Hopkins Bus: 250-334-3124 BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED TOWN HOME. concept living/dining and kitchen. Features in- Upgraded kitchen, fl ooring, bathrooms, doors, Toll Free: 1-800-638-4226 250-897-2776 250-334-7858 clude gas fi replace, beech hardwood fl ooring, hardware and more. The oversized patio door shaker maple cabinets, heated fl oors in bath- Fax: 250-334-1901 brings in natural light and outside you will fi nd rooms, fully insulated garage plus beautiful, fully www.royallepagecomoxvalley.com a fully fenced back patio. Pets are allowed as landscaped yard with pond. Email: [email protected] is renting out. $584,900 www.royallepage.ca/id/468502 $319,900 www.royallepage.ca/id/467233 2 | JUNE 2, 2020 | TOTEM TIMES K’omoks provides inspiration Continued from page 1 This operation was put into place just after six military members had tragically perished in a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crash during a mili- tary exercise off the coast of Greece on April 29. And this just shortly after the horrifi c mass shootings that took place in Nova Scotia on April 19, which also claimed the life of RCMP Consta- ble Helen Stevenson. Unfortunately, on May 17, in Kamloops British Columbia, Operation INSPIRATION was put on operational pause due to the crash of a Snowbird CT-114 Tutor aircraft, which claimed the life of Capt Jennifer Casey, and severely injured Capt Richard MacDougall. Over the period of just a few weeks a number of tragic events have not only impacted Cana- dians, but also our military brothers and sis- ters, and although our troops are professionals who continue to strap their boots on and go to work for us every day, they too are struggling with, or trying to decompress from these tur- bulent times. Being good neighbours Last week K’omoks reached out to CFB Co- people who can physically attend the event here mox to see if we could somehow provide some at 19 Wing, but rest assured that all of our mili- comfort to our military brothers and sisters dur- tary brothers and sisters at CFB Comox, at bas- ing these diffi cult times, to lift up their spirits, es across Canada and around the globe, you are to reach out to them, like good neighbours do. all in hearts and we hold our hands up to you. Today, K’omoks comes to Air Force Beach at 19 We know that Operation INSPIRATION is on a Wing Comox armed with our drums, our songs and hiatus, and at the appropriate time, the mis- our dances, and like so many Indigenous commu- sion will be completed. In the meantime, we nities across Canada, our drums, our songs and would like to show our gratitude and appre- our dances are an extension of our hearts. ciation to you all with some of our songs and Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, preventive dances. We are hopeful that we are able to lift measures are in place that limit the amount of up your spirits. Indigenous Awareness Week an opportunity to “open and learn” to increase their knowledge of Indigenous Peoples. Steven Fouchard Civilian Co-Chair Lisa deWit, from Wet’suwet’en |ARMY PUBLIC AFFAIRS | First Nation in British Columbia, joined the Nation- Indigenous Awareness Week (IAW) al DAAG in 2018. Including her time as a member is a national celebration that pro- The Canadian Armed Forces marked Indigenous of the local DAAG at Canadian Force Base Esqui- vides Canadians with the opportunity Awareness Week (IAW) and the 2020 edition ar- malt in British Columbia, she has been involved to learn about the history of Canada rived along with a milestone: the 25th anniver- in CAF Indigenous matters for nearly 10 years. sary of the CAF’s Defence Aboriginal Advisory “Over the last nine years I have seen growth s Indigenous Peoples and to partic- Group (DAAG). in a willingness to understand our cultures, our ipate in activities that highlight the DAAG is a national body, and part of a wider net- ways of knowledge and how Indigenous people rich diversity of the cultures, tradi- work of advisory groups at the local and region- hold constitutionally protected rights and title,” tions and values of the First Nations, al levels, off ering guidance to CAF leadership on she said. “The improvement in engagement has Inuit and Metis peoples. matters relating to Indigenous members, civilian now birthed a new challenge in capacity. Will the and military. DAAG continue as a volunteer network? Will po- Between May 15 and 22, the 19 Each group has military and civilian co-chairs sitions be embedded in the organization? What Wing Defence Team joined with the who volunteer their time along with members- a great challenge to have, as we are in a new Government of Canada to celebrate at-large. The Canadian Army Commander, LGen phase of growth, and seeing how the institution under the theme The Enduring Spir- Wayne Eyre, also holds the title of Defence Team will respond.” it of Indigenous Peoples: Honouring Champion for Indigenous Peoples. Military co-chair WO Simon Linklater is Anishi- IAW was observed virtually due to the COVID-19 naabe Ojibwe, from Couchiching First Nation in 25 years of DAAG. pandemic, and the DAAG national co-chairs urged Northwestern Ontario. their colleagues, and all Canadians, to make time Continued on page 3 A Division of Personnel Support Programs 19 Wing Comox, PO Box 1000 Stn. Main,Lazo, BC V0R 2K0 [email protected] 250-339-8211, ext 8752 MANAGING EDITOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDITORIAL ADVISOR 19 WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS Camille Douglas Gillian Ottaway Capt Brad Little Lt Alexandra Hejduk [email protected] The Totem Times is an unoffi cial publication of 19 Wing Comox, BC. The Editor reserves the right to edit copy and reject advertisements to suit the needs of the publication. Views expressed are those of the contributor unless expressly attributed to DND, CAF, or other agencies. In case of typographical errors, no goods may be sold and the diff erence claimed against this paper. The paper’s liability is limited to a refund of the space charged for the erroneous item. Material may be reprinted with attribution. Published 22 times a year, every second Tuesday, with permission of Col Dany Poitras, 19 Wing Commander. Publications Mail Registration No.4098. Printed by Ladysmith Press, Ladysmith, BC. Circulation: 1800. Note to readers: Volume 62, Number 10 was not published on May 19, 2020 due to Coronavirus. JUNE 2, 2020 | TOTEM TIMES | 3 Indigenous Awareness Week Continued from page 2 He has followed a similar trajectory, taking on the role in 2017 after gaining experience at the local and regional levels. “It was a wonderful experience working with dif- ferent people, getting diff erent exposures and seeing change come in,” he recalled. “We’ve had a lot of diff erent interactions with people in the chain of command over diff erent issues. Seeing we now have an Indigenous advisor to the Chap- lain General is fantastic. More and more people are reaching out for answers, information, and consultation.” Ms. deWit said the 25th anniversary is a good re- minder of the considerable work of her predeces- A traditional hoop dance is performed dur- sors in moving CAF forward on Indigenous issues ing a past Indigenous Awareness Week event and a refl ection of the resilience that has defi ned held at National Defence Headquarters in Ot- the Indigenous experience throughout history.