Latest news with #Esquimalt
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Daughter of First Nations woman missing 20 years remembers her mother's 'warm hands'
Stephanie Cameron-Johnson was 11 and in foster care when she learned her mother had gone missing on Vancouver Island, after a friend showed her a photo in a newspaper. What followed would be two decades of challenging racial stereotypes surrounding her mom, undoing shame, and repairing identity disconnection caused by the child welfare system, Cameron-Johnson says. "The narrative that's been spoken about missing, murdered Indigenous women and two-spirit folks… I really feel like it's my responsibility to change that," said Cameron-Johnson. Her mother Belinda Cameron, a Sixties Scoop survivor from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, was 42 when she was last seen at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Esquimalt, B.C., on Esquimalt Rd near Head St., on May 11, 2005. She suffered from a mental illness and was prescribed medication, to be picked up at Shoppers daily, but failed to attend the pharmacy in the days following. She wasn't reported missing until June 4. Police consider disappearance suspicious Det. Colin Hanninen of the Victoria Police Department said Cameron was a person of routine and a fixture in Esquimalt in 2005. She was considered a vulnerable person by police due to addiction and mental health issues, said Hanninen, and her disappearance is considered suspicious. Cameron was initially reported missing by a man who she'd been involved with, but the man told Victoria Police he had not seen her in over a month. Police used a polygraph test to question if the man had harmed Cameron; he denied doing so and passed the test. "At the time there was a robust investigation involving this person, and a polygraph was part of that," said Hanninen. Investigators conducted over 100 interviews and an extensive forensic examination of Cameron's Cairn Road apartment near Old Esquimalt Road, said Hanninen, as well as canine and helicopter searches. "Unfortunately, you know, it had been potentially three to four weeks from the time we can confirm she was last seen to her being reported, which puts you at a disadvantage," said Hanninen. "In 2005, it would have been a lot more challenging than it would be today to find clues of where she could have gone or, you know, if she was with anybody." A 2010 report from the Native Women's Association of Canada said British Columbia had the highest number of cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in the country, according to its database. B.C. also had the highest percentage of suspicious death cases: nine per cent of the cases in its database from B.C. fell under the category of suspicious deaths, compared to four per cent nationally, the report said. 'Ripple effect' Cameron-Johnson said police and media reports her mother used drugs or may be doing sex work don't fit with the way she remembers her mother. "It's a stereotype… that's not all who she was," said Cameron-Johnson. "I remember speaking to some social workers, and they said that she was just always so sweet and kind but that could also kind of get taken advantage of." Cameron-Johnson and her younger sister Zoe were living in foster care at the time of their mother's disappearance. Social workers told the sisters their mother voluntarily put them into care, said Cameron-Johnson, but she remembers being abruptly removed by ministry workers from her Grade 1 classroom in 1999. 'When she went missing, my foster mom told me that it was essentially, like, her fault," Cameron-Johnson said. "They really did make her look like she was in the wrong." She and her sister being put in care was the beginning of her mother's downward spiral, Cameron-Johnson said. "I feel like that really kind of did have that ripple effect on my mom's self worth, and going missing," said Cameron-Johnson. "I don't think she was surrounded with care and love and support. I feel that someone did, like, harm her in a terrible way, and I think that people knew her... know things." Kirsten Barnes, director of clinical legal services at the B.C. First Nations Justice Council, said women like Cameron faced less access to legal recourse and understanding around systemic barriers in the '90s and early 2000s than today, with improvements still needed. "Indigenous women, a lot of them would have felt incredibly alone. They would have felt incredible power imbalance… she probably felt a great deal of pressure," said Barnes. Federal and provincial sanctioned policies such as residential schools and the Sixties Scoop were "created deliberately to destroy the family unit," said Barnes, and have led to the ongoing overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care, known as the Millennial Scoop. As of January 2024, 68 per cent of the 4,835 children and youth in care in B.C. were Indigenous, according to the province. "In this case with Belinda, had she had those [family] connections her whole entire life, things may have been different, right? She may have had all of the support that she would have needed," Barnes said. "No parent wants to ever voluntarily give their children up… and that may not have happened if she had not been taken as a child herself. It wasn't really voluntary if you think about the circumstances that she was probably dealing with at the time." Cameron-Johnson said she and her sister are still looking for answers on what happened to their mother, and can feel their mom guiding them. Belinda Cameron was a mother, a homemaker, a baker, enjoyed beading group nights at the Victoria Friendship Centre, and was a skilled thrifter with incredible style, said Cameron-Johnson. "I just remember her warm hands. She just had a really lovely, warm presence," Cameron-Johnson said. "She was there. She was present. I can't really ask more for that, as a parent, to have in your life." Belinda Cameron is described as a five feet, eight inches tall with a medium to large build, long, dark brown hair at the time of her disappearance, and dark brown eyes. She is also known as Belinda Ann Engen.
Global News
13-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Mark Carney's cabinet: 5 B.C. MPs given positions
Two Liberal MPs from British Columbia will be part of Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet, while three will be secretaries of state. Gregor Robertson, the former Vancouver mayor and the new MP for Vancouver Fraserview-South Burnaby, will be the housing and infrastructure minister. Jill McKnight, the rookie MP for Delta, will be the minister for veterans affairs and the associate minister for national defence. Longtime Surrey Centre MP Randeep Sarai will be secretary of state for international development. Stephanie McLean, the new MP for Esquimalt Saanich Sooke will be the secretary of state for seniors. Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr will be secretary of state for defence procurement. 1:57 Carney cabinet shuffle: Anand replaces Joly as foreign affairs minister Meanwhile, Canada has a new foreign affairs minister in Carney's cabinet as relations with the U.S. remain tense. Story continues below advertisement Joly was among those who joined Carney on his recent trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump. She's been shifted to the role of minister of industry and minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, as well as registrar general. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne was also on that trip but remains in his role, while adding the role of minister of national revenue to his responsibilities. The other member of that trip, Dominic LeBlanc, keeps his role as intergovernmental affairs minister but is also listed as the minister responsible for 'One Canadian economy' and will be responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, likely taking a key role in negotiations with the Trump administration. He will also serve as president of the King's Privy Council for Canada. — with files from Sean Previl
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Vancouer Island is Canada's coolest and easier to visit than you might think
Hearing of Brits taking short breaks in the US is not that unusual – but a long weekend in Canada? Yet, flight times and costs are not so different and, for those with a sense of curiosity and adventure, Vancouver Island on the west coast is one destination not to be missed. A short four-night five-day stay in British Columbia's historic capital city Victoria is definitely doable, highly enjoyable and surprisingly affordable. Victoria is beautiful, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island between the Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits, and with its seascapes and pristine coastline it offers visitors plenty to see and do with fabulous places to eat and stay. Destination Greater Victoria, the official not-for-profit marketing group partnered with more than 900 local businesses, is helping drive sustainable growth in the area, and it highlights the city's 'unique' blend of old-world charm and new-world experiences. It says visitors can look forward to a delightful, small and friendly city where they can enjoy heritage architecture, colourful gardens and a variety of activities such as whale watching, kayaking, hiking, cycling and golf. It is also known for its culinary excellence and award-winning beverages. Quite the line-up, then. Victoria also boasts Canada's mildest climate, year-round greenery and natural beauty and is recognised for its sustainability efforts with a Responsible Tourism Institute's Biosphere certification. Set beside the Salish Sea, Victoria lies on the ancestral lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. Deeply rooted in its indigenous culture, the area is also proud of its British and royal connections and Asian traditions, all elements reflected in the city's architecture, galleries, cultural events, artworks and celebrations. Indigenous people lived in the harbour area long before British colonists arrived in earnest in the 19th century, pushing the original residents out when they built a fort and other buildings. Today's Victoria took its shape from the fur trading post of the Hudson Bay Company and the city would develop to protect British interests on Vancouver Island. The harbour area is still significant to the indigenous people, now a place to see their artworks as part of the Placemaking Project aimed at connecting residents and visitors to the First Nations' culture. New gates and umbrellas installed at the harbour feature images of whales, birds and sea creatures helping to keep the ancient stories. Esquimalt Nation Hereditary Chief Ed Thomas greets visitors in Lekwungen, the traditional language in southeastern Vancouver Island, and shares stories of the whales and wolves central to his people's story of origin. The history of the indigenous people and the colonisation is also featured among a raft of exhibits and stories told at the Royal BC Museum. You could easily lose yourself for hours taking in the exhibits or an IMAX film. Near the museum is Thunderbird Park, home to colourful hand-carved indigenous totems (or story or knowledge poles). For those seeking excitement, the Malahat SkyWalk attraction is a short bus ride from Victoria. It offers an accessible 650-yard tree walk through a forest leading to a spectacular spiral ramp that sedately takes walkers 105ft up to see breathtaking views. The more intrepid come back down via a spiral slide, which takes about 10 seconds. For those seeking less adrenalin, the 100-year-old Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of glorious floral displays, fountains and fairground carousel, makes for a pleasant afternoon. Alternatively, you can hop on an electric bike, or ordinary bike, from Pedaler, for a tour – this proved to be a great way to take in the city and its peaceful suburbs. The route took us via British Columbia's Legislative Assembly, colourful Chinatown, Bastion Square, Craigdarroch Castle (built by a wealthy Scottish coal baron), dramatic Oak Bay and Ross Bay Cemetery, where squirrels played and lone deer, unfazed by humans whizzing by, nibbled at the grass. Back in the city, its colonial past dominated the landscape with landmark buildings including the BC Parliament Building with its domed copper roof. The allure of gold also attracted Chinese migrants to the city who would later work on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The city has the oldest Chinatown in Canada and is notable for its historic buildings, lanterns and animal statues. It also has the narrowest commercial street in North America, Fan Tan Alley, once a hub for gambling and opium, now a popular destination for tourists exploring its quirky shops and a popularbakery. The city also offers a host of accommodation to meet all purses, from budget hotels, B&Bs and inns, to some of the most impressive luxury places to rest your head. No visit to Victoria is complete without a visit to the Fairmont Empress hotel, which has a selection of packages and promotions whether you are planning a quick weekend getaway or longer trip of a lifetime The award-winning five-star property, known as Canada's 'Castle on the Coast', sits beside the Inner Harbour. Dating back to 1908, the National Historic Site was named for Queen Victoria and is proud of its British connections and royal associations. With 431 rooms and suites, it also includes a hotel-within-a-hotel – the Fairmont Gold experience, with its gorgeous rooms, fine dining and elegant terrace to sip cocktails or enjoy breakfast from its lavish buffet. It has been serving traditional English afternoon tea for well over a century and the menus showcase lavender from the hotel rooftop garden, honey from its own hives and fresh, local produce and exquisitely decorated handmade chocolates. Dainty finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with strawberry jam and tempting pastries are served on exquisite china. Carefully selected loose-leaf teas are ethically sourced from leading suppliers and include an intriguing and popular brew coloured blue and aptly named Blue Suede Shoes. You can get a selection of the most interesting, important and fun travel stories sent to your inbox every week by subscribing to the Mirror Travel newsletter. It's completely free and takes minutes to do. The hotel is just a stone's throw from downtown Victoria with its many shops, bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes. At the modern Inn at Laurel Point, my luxurious room was light and spacious with a large balcony boasting expansive harbour views, a sumptuous king-size bed and sofa area, as well as a palatial bathroom with a walk-in shower and a deep soak tub to die for. The hotel also has the fabulous Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio where chefs combine regional, farm-direct ingredients and use herbs grown in the hotel garden. There is also a curated wine, craft beer and cocktail list to pair with the quality local ingredients. Just around the corner, passing a young seal playing in the sea, was another treasure waiting to be discovered – Fisherman's Wharf. Its a unique destination with its colourful floating buildings, kiosks and ice cream and seafood vendors and is where you can hop on one of the iconic yellow water taxis. A hop over the water and it was a short walk to Phillips Brewing & Malting Co, a quirky and friendly micro-brewery to sample a heady selection of beers before heading off to Eva Schnitzel restaurant to tuck into a German-inspired supper. So much variety and enjoyment in one city. What a place!
CTV News
07-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘I'm seeing stability': Vancouver Island seeing a ‘balanced' real estate market
Paula Smith and her family own a home in Esquimalt. It's currently getting a makeover with a decluttering and a new paint job.
