Podcasts about saanich peninsula

Send us a Text Message.The BC Nurses' Union protects and advances the health, safety, social and economic well-being of their members, the profession, and communities (BCNU, 2024). Listen as BCNU President, Adriane Gear discusses the recently negotiated minimum nurse-patient ratios, led by BC, as well as how she sees nursing as "ready for takeoff", with all the current synergies of collaboration. Adriane Gear was elected president of BCNU in 2023. As union president, Gear is committed to ensuring that health employers treat BC's nurses with respect and provide patients with the care they deserve.Adriane has been an RN since 1993. She has worked in long-term care at Saanich Peninsula and general surgery at Royal Jubilee and Victoria General (VGH) hospitals. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked in case contact management and surveillance for Island Health.Adriane first became active in BCNU in 2004, when she felt her employer had not taken her health and safety seriously after she received a needle stick injury while pregnant with her second child. She became a steward at VGH and was elected as the South Islands region occupational health and safety (OHS) representative in 2010. She later served as one of the region's council members.In 2015 members elected Adriane as the union's executive councillor for OHS and mental health. One of her proudest moments occurred in 2019 when, after an extended BCNU campaign, the province amended the Workers' Compensation Act to make it easier for nurses diagnosed with a mental injury to access WorkSafeBC compensation.Adriane served as acting vice president from 2018 to 2019 and in 2022 was elected vice president following a special election. In that role, she served as BCNU's provincial lobby coordinator, where she led campaigns to raise awareness of the province's critical nursing shortage and pressure all levels of government to address nurses' issues. More recently, she chaired the union's Human Rights and Equity Committee and fostered BCNU's renewed a relationship with other provincial nurses' union and membership in the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions.Adriane is committed to championing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the union and the health-care system. She is dedicated to upholding the Nurses' Bargaining Association provincial collective agreement and ensuring that the province implements nurse-patient ratios, which will improve the staffing and practice conditions needed to keep nurses in the profession and improve patient care. She also wants to encourage more nurses to get involved with the union by continuing to share the importance of nurses' collective power.Adriane is a mother to two young adults, both attending post-secondary school. She lives with her husband and boxer Phoebe.  Adriane is grateful for the opportunity to live on the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ people which includes W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip) and SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation.Instagram: @calling.all.nursesComments and feedback can be sent to our email: callingallnurses.podcast@gmail.com

Environment Canada has issued warnings about heavy rainfall and high ocean levels have been issued for the Saanich Peninsula, the Southern Gulf Islands and parts of Metro Vancouver. We check in on the risks and storm advice with Fraser Valley Current's managing editor Tyler Olsen and with CBC's Climate and Science Specialist Darius Mahdavi. In our second half, our topic is coping with death and grief during the holiday season. We're joined by Margaret Flectcher, registered clinical counsellor with Lumara Counselling and Lisa Hartley, ceremony officiant.

As the world has changed over the past few years, so has our island. Many people have decided to make a big move in their lives and relocate to our little paradise. This series is a chance to meet some of our new residents, get to know them a bit better, find out why they chose Pender, how they would like to participate in the community and ultimately, welcome them to their new home. This series begins with Alexandra Harrison. In 2021, she and her partner, Joe, had been living in Brentwood Bay on the Saanich Peninsula. That spring, they decided that they would begin to look for a house to purchase. Through a combination of the impactful experiences she had in her youth at her grandfather's home on Galiano Island and Joe's deep involvement in disc golf, Pender seemed like a dream if they could make it happen.  Alexandra will explain how things unfolded for them along the way, describe the fascinating story of how she started her own business as a proposal writing consultant, how that work allows her to work from home and the positive experiences she has had living here. All that and more, in great little interview with a fantastic person. Enjoy.    

This time around, I speak with the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saanich North and the Gulf Islands, Adam Olsen. Having grown up on the Saanich Peninsula as a member of Tsartlip First Nation (W̱JOȽEȽP), Adam will speak at length about many of the unique experiences he and his family had during those early years. This will include the story of how his parents developed a business involving Cowichan sweaters. Adam will also describe the lessons he learned from a previous job as a server at Butchart Gardens and his pursuit of becoming a hockey play-by-play announcer. He will give thanks to the person who first encouraged him to become involved in local politics. He will also speak about the commonality of substance abuse in our society and how important it is to acknowledge the damaging effects of stigmatization.  All this and much more, in a very wide ranging interview with a very interesting person from our community. Enjoy.

Welcome Adam Olsen to ONL! Adam Olsen (SȾHENEP) is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saanich North and the Islands and member of the B.C. Green Caucus. Born in Victoria, BC, Adam has lived, worked and played his entire life on the Saanich Peninsula. He is a member of Tsartlip First Nation (W̱JOȽEȽP)

This week we sat down with Heather Gartshore, Councillor with the District of North Saanich to talk about accessibility on the Saanich Peninsula, and what sparked the new Saanich Peninsula Accessibility Advisory Committee. Previous to the pandemic, there had been an annual Access Awareness Day held in Sidney. Last year, Councillor Terri O'Keeffe from the Town of Sidney, reached out to others on ways to move forward. The group that formed, Councillor O'Keeffe, Councillor Gartshore, Councillor Gord Newton from the Municipality of Central Saanich, North Saanich resident Charlene Froom, Central Saanich resident Dave Willows, and Jennifer Van Es from Beacon Community Services, met informally. Recognising that people with disabilities experience barriers that limit their participation in our communities, and that their needs are not always understood by local governments, the group hammered out a framework on how to work together to improve conditions for people on the Peninsula. In October of last year, the three Councillors involved, took a Notice of Motion forward to their respective Councils. All three Councils supported the initiative, staff reports were prepared, Terms of Reference were written, and staff reported back in March of this year, with applications now open for this tri-municipal advisory committee. The focus for SPAAC will be on improving livability, accessibility, and inclusion; with the purpose of providing comments and recommendations on policies, infrastructure, programmes, services, built environments, and outdoor spaces. As Heather points out, it's about ongoing awareness of people with disabilities in our communities, and “changing the culture”. The provincial Accessible BC Act was brought in, June 2021. This new Act establishes a legal framework to identify, remove, and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. (plain language version) Heather notes that although the regulatory piece of legislation is not yet in place, it appears the regulations will require municipalities to do this work, so then the 3 Peninsula local governments are actually ahead of the curve. This, combined with the co-operation between 3 government bodies, is pretty amazing in itself! The Advisory Committee citizen representative positions are open to those living with a disability or supporting someone with a disability. The deadline is April 9th, at 4pm. Applications can be found on the individual municipal websites. We met on a gloriously sunny day, on a gravel patio at a busy local cafe in North Saanich near the airport - hence the background noise from happy customers, birds, planes, crunchy footfalls on gravel, etc. It didn't seem noisy to us at the time, but apparently our super-mics picked up everything. We hope it doesn't distract you too much, but you can check out Fickle Fig for yourself! Thanks for listening.

International Women's Day will take place on March 8 as every year, and we're excited to dedicate an episode of the Podcow to celebrating women in dairy.We have two guests today, Becky Perry from Perryhill Farms in Havelock, New Brunswick and Mickey Aylard, from Brackenhurst Farm on the Saanich Peninsula.

A charitable non-profit primary care network on The Saanich Peninsula is working to fix the doctor shortage in their area. By focusing on what works for doctors, they've gone from five doctors to twenty-five in just five years. For Good News Friday, we learn more about who they are, and how they're doing it.   Today's episode is sponsored by Island Savings and United Way Southern Vancouver Island.   Get more stories like this in your inbox every morning by subscribing to our daily newsletter at CapitalDaily.ca   Check our membership opportunity at CapitalDaily.ca/Member  And subscribe to us on our socials!  Twitter @CapitalDailyVic    Instagram @CapitalDaily    Facebook @CapitalDailyVic  

A blustery run up at the tip of the Saanich Peninsula with a good old buddy....(always fun)

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Two days into BC's new restart plan, the BC Centre for Disease control has released a new chart which shows that the daily rate of infection rate throughout most of Vancouver Island is less than 1 per 100,000 during the week ending on Monday, May 24th. The only places with a greater than 1 per 100,000 rate of infection are: Greater Nanaimo and the Comox Valley, where the rate is 3, and Langford/Highlands were it is 2. There were 15 active cases in the Comox Valley during the week ending on Monday, as opposed to 18 the previous week. This is the only Local Health Area in Northern Vancouver Island currently listed on Island Health's school exposure. There is a cluster in Highland Secondary school in Comox, and potential exposures listed on eleven days between May 3rd and 17th. The trend, everywhere on Vancouver Island except Greater Nanaimo and the Saanich Peninsula, is that numbers are now falling. For the first time in months, the number of active cases on Vancouver Island has been under 100 so far this week. Half of Vancouver island, especially in the North and West, appeared to be COVID free during the week ending Monday, May 24th. The daily infection rate was less than 1 per 100,000 in Greater Campbell River, where the number of active cases dropped to 2 during this period, from four the week before. Both Vancouver Island North and West appear to be clear of COVID 19. In Greater Victoria, the numbers have fallen from 16 to 11 and the daily infection rate 1 per 100,000 We are now in phase one of of the restart plan. Personal gatherings of up to 5 people, or another household, are now permitted indoors. Up to ten people can meet outdoors and, if they have a COVID Safety plan, there can be more organized meetings of up to 50. Recreational travel is permitted throughout Vancouver Island, but only essential traffic can cross to the Mainland. If the number of case counts and hospitalizations continues to fall, BC will move to phase two of the restart plan once the 65% receives its first vaccination. Province wide travel will be permitted and outdoor personal gathers of up to 50 people. This is expected to take place in June, the earliest possible date being the15th. Assuming that everything goes well, we could be back to something resembling a pre-COVID normal by September.

This week on ITW, we get a masterclass on cidermaking from Kristen Needham. She is the founder, president  and cidermaster at Sea Cider, located on the Saanich Peninsula here on Vancouver Island. We take a deep dive into what it takes to build, farm and bottle world class cider (and a pre-COVID events space). We aren't talking 2L Mountain Berry "Alco-pops" either.  We learn all about different apple varieties, the difference between beer brewing and cider making and how Covid has fucked things up yet again for us folks in F&B. Enjoy the show!

Rathjen Cellars. Jim Cuddy Wines. Moon Curser, The  Best Small Winery in Canada   THE SHOW In addition to planting their own vineyard in 2016, Mike Rathjen leases five other established vineyards on the Saanich Peninsula, all of which provided grapes to former wineries in the area. Mike is honoured to work with some of...

In week four of the podcast Nick Gilchrist and Adam Olsen cover quite a bit of ground. They open the episode with a potential new theme song for the series and discuss a possible name other than just the current week. Listeners are encouraged to provide their ideas of possible names for the podcast. The labour disruption in School District #63 was finally sorted out last weekend and the kids are back in school. Adam provides a little context to the work that is still needed to ensure the district can compete to recruit and retain support staff. Both Nick and Adam went to the Barney Bentall & the Cariboo Express show at the Mary Winspear Centre. They discuss the quality of the music and the fundraising efforts. Over $45,000 was raised over three nights for the Saanich Peninsula Food Bank. In the 14 years the Cariboo Express has been doing the fundraising concerts they have raised over $2 million. Check out Matt Masters, Ridley Bent, Daniel Lapp, Dustin Bentall and Lorna Crozier. The conversation then turns to what a day, or week, is like in the legislature. Nick and Adam chat about question period and how partisan it is. In the end it's a long and winding conversation about the quality of our democracy and some ideas on how we can improve it. It is followed by a more brief discussion about the role of the Whip, how the BC Greens manage their workflow and keep everybody organized. This week the SENĆOŦEN word of the week is SĆÁÁNEW̱ (salmon). Adam and Nick also talk about the pronunciation of W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich). Finally, Nick challenges Adam to name his top three favourite places to visit with his family in Saanich North and the Islands. They are SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet), ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱/John Dean Provincial Park and Helen Point on Mayne Island. This podcast is fueled by coffee. This week Adam opened a brand new bag of Winter beans from Level Ground Trading. Level Ground is a fair trade roasting company based in Central Saanich on the Saanich Peninsula. You can reach Nick Gilchrist by emailing him here. You connect with Adam Olsen by emailing him here. Please rate our podcast! Thank you!

In Week 3, Nick Gilchrist and Adam Olsen discuss the past week in Saanich North and the Islands and British Columbia politics. The conversation covers a range of topics starting with the brand new opening music sequence that Nick created and that he really does not like. For the past three weeks the Saanich School district has been locked in a labour dispute with its support staff represented by CUPE 441. Nick and Adam discuss the impact of the labour disruption on families on the Saanich Peninsula. The episode was recorded on Friday November 16, 2019 and on Saturday the two sides announced a tentative deal. It is excellent news that school will be back in session on Monday! However, by the time the episode is published this bit is outdated. Adam talks about attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in Sidney this year and notes the growing ceremony in Central Saanich at the new cenotaph in Brentwood Park. Nick highlights conversations with his grandfather who is a veteran of World War 2. Nick rolls out an ill-fated segment where he tries to get Adam to name his three favourite Central Saanich Councillors. Instead of answering the question Adam highlights aspects of his relationships with all the Councillors in Central Saanich as well as his effort to strengthen networks between the W̱SÁNEĆ Chiefs and Saanich Peninsula Mayors. At this point they pause to highlight the incredible Indian cuisine in Sidney, BC. Adam mistakenly calls the restaurant Tandoori Flame, it is actually called Tandoori Flavour. Nick and Adam discuss another local business Mid Knife Crisis. Nick introduces another potential weekly segment by asking Adam to tap into his extremely limited knowledge of SENĆOŦEN, the language of the W̱SÁNEĆ people. The word of the week is HÍSW̱ḴE, meaning "thank you." They barely make it through the segment :) Nick then plugs a show he is playing in with Madison Olsen and Dam Andrew at the Brentwood Bay Village Empourium on November 29, 2019. If you would like to contact the Empourium to reserve a seat, you can call them at 778-351-0178 or send them a message on their Facebook page. Nick also plugs Dam Andrew's website Pet Anthems. Check it out if you want to get a custom song about your pet! Before shutting down for the week Adam and Nick finally get to Adam's community meetings that he hosted on Pender Island and Brentwood Bay. They chat about emergency preparedness in light of the disastrous windstorm that hit the Southern Gulf Islands in December 2018. Adam highlights the resources offered by the CRD who is responsible for managing the emergency response program on behalf of the provincial government. They also discuss the need for everyone to be as prepared as possible. Adam will be continue his community meeting tour of the riding. You can see the list of events here. You can connect with Nick Gilchrist by email or through his Facebook page for Sonick Studio. Contact Adam Olsen, MLA by email, visit his blog or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the 18th episode of The Public Circle Podcast I chat with David Smith. David is a fisherman and owner of Professional Components Ltd., located in the Sidney/North Saanich Industrial Park. His company makes Scoremaster soccer goals and Shockwave, shock-mitigating seats. He has been building things on the Saanich Peninsula since 1981. I toured Dave's business as part of my ongoing tour of local businesses and we had a great conversation. When I invited him to join me on the podcast I had it in mind that I would ask him about what it was like to do business on the Saanich Peninsula and British Columbia or maybe even about the Trans-Am race cars that sat in a spotless garage next to a table with a high-powered go-kart sitting on it. Dave is a fascinating person who builds and races cars, operates a business with 60+ employees and is a passionate fisherman. My hour long tour wrapped up more than two hours later. When Dave showed up to my office to record a conversation it turns out that it's my work on the Pacific salmon that caught his attention. Over the past 60 years living and fishing on the coast, he has seen a lot and this podcast gave him a welcoming platform to share his experience. This story he tells is consistent with so many other stories I have heard over the past 18 months since I have really been leaning into the salmon file and the ongoing history of the British Columbia coastline. Each time the levels of frustration, disappointment and outright anger peak. Coastal communities and the surrounding ecosystems have been mismanaged. This discussion has some heat. Dave shares his experience on the commercial fishing boats in the salmon and herring heyday to the sights he has seen of clearcut logging and the poor habitat, resource and harvest management of the federal and provincial governments. In British Columbia, our story of salmon is fiery and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dave Smith. If you would like to connect with Dave Smith visit his website https://shockwaveseats.com/meet-david-smith/. You can find more information about his company Professional Components Ltd. at http://professionalcomponents.com/

In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I connect with Dr. Ambrose Marsh. Dr. Marsh is a primary care physician in Sidney, B.C. He has worked on the Saanich Peninsula since 1985 and is the former Chief of Staff at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. There is a growing crisis in primary care in Saanich North and the Islands and across British Columbia. Approximately half of the people who live on the peninsula do not have a family doctor. We begin to work through the issues leading up to and surrounding the healthcare crisis in this episode. We discuss how he got into medicine 40 years ago, and the relationship between the Ministry of Health, Health Authority and family doctors. In addition we cover gaps in civic education and the how the public and health practitioners use the medical system properly, and the need for a more thorough conversation about aging and preparing for the next stages of life. Finally we address aspects of well-being such as diet, recreation and healthy living. This is one of the most obvious areas of focus. Increasing well-being can help us relieve pressure on an over-stressed, under-resourced healthcare system. It's a solemn reminder that more money is not necessarily the fix. The system is already oppressively expensive at $19 billion and more than 40% of the provincial budget. Healthcare is a critical conversation happening in all corners of the province. The Ministry of Health is beginning to transform primary care. They are establishing primary care networks of health practitioners sharing the load by working in a team environment. This is a critical transition, and we highlight the incredible work of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation and Shoreline Medical Clinics as important community leaders on the peninsula. If you would like to contact me, or share your story, please visit our constituency office website at http://www.saanichnorthandtheislands.com/, email our office at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca, call 250-655-5600 or visit us at #215-2506 Beacon Avenue in Sidney, BC. Also check out my daily blog at http://adamolsenmla.ca/ I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Ambrose Marsh.

In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I meet up with Denny Warner. Denny is the Executive Director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (SPCC). She has led the Chamber for the past four years. Over the first few episodes of this podcast I have met with business leaders in our community and in this episode Denny and I continue the discussion about the business climate on the Saanich Peninsula. The SPCC started in 1912. In the 1980's Central Saanich joined North Saanich and Sidney providing full coverage of the peninsula. In the beginning it was primarily a lobby group for local business. Over the years the Chamber has also become a force for marketing, promotion, networking and advocacy. I have canvassed in some detail the strengths of business on the peninsula and the challenges that entrepreneurs face. In this episode Denny and I discuss the changing demographics of the Chamber, the local labour market, how the SPCC works with the five other Chambers in the region, their relationship with the Sidney BIA and the South Island Prosperity Partnership, their annual events, and some of the projects that the SPCC has on the go. If you want to contact the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce: Phone: 250-656-3616 Email: info@peninsulachamber.ca Website: http://www.peninsulachamber.ca Address: 10382 Pat Bay Highway, North Saanich, British Columbia, V8L 5S8 I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Denny Warner.

Janine Fernandes-Hayden is one member of the original organizing team of 100+ Women Who Care Salt Spring Island. We connect on this episode of The Public Circle Podcast to discuss the impact of their fundraising for non-profit organizations on Salt Spring. Originally from Victoria, Janine is now an established 15-year resident of the Island and is the acting Executive Director of Salt Spring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse (SWOVA). 100+ Women organizations bring like-minded women together to raise funds for their communities. In this podcast, we chat about how the fundraising model works and how the work of these women benefits the community, creates connections and strengthens networks. The Salt Spring chapter is one of more than a dozen chapters on Vancouver Island including one on the Saanich Peninsula. They raised $17,000 for the Salt Spring Therapeutic Riding Association in March 2019 and $12,900 for the Salt Spring Seniors Service Society in November 2018. Their next meeting is on May 5, 2019 at ArtSpring. Reception and orientation start at 6:00pm and the meeting is from 7:00pm-8:00pm. Visit their website for information.

In the eighth episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Stasia Hartley, Area Director for Bayshore Home Health. A lifelong member of the Saanich Peninsula community, Stasia has worked in leadership roles in healthcare for 29 years. She has a Master's of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University and manages the home health operations in Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach and Comox. Bayshore provide their clients a full spectrum of private home care services. Their clients are primarily seniors but also include injured workers and people with life-limiting diseases or disabilities. The relationship usually begins with a basic level of care but, depending on the needs of the client, they can also assist people who require complex care such as palliative, dementia and full 24 hour live-in service. Hartley distinguishes private home care from publicly funded services like this. "Government provides the care people need, we provide the care people want." If you are interested in learning more about Bayshore Home Health, visit their website. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Stasia Hartley. View post.

In the fifth episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Donna Petrie, Executive Director and Event Liaison with the Sidney Business Improvement Area Society (BIA). Donna has led the BIA for the past 5 years. Established in 2013, the BIA is now in the second year of its renewed 5-year mandate. It began through a concerted effort from local business owners. They felt that the Sidney core was suffering and lacking vibrancy. So, they got together and laid the groundwork for a business improvement area. As Donna relates, the priority for the BIA is "to increase footsteps in Sidney." With a background in tourism, primarily hotel marketing and management, Donna also is on the board of directors of the Greater Victoria Film Commission and has worked as a location scout. Donna and I share a similar feeling about the potential of Sidney and the Saanich Peninsula. She calls it the "best untold story," and she works to position Sidney as a great place for locals and tourists alike. View the whole story here.

In the fourth episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I reconnect with my friend John Juricic. John characterizes himself as a serial entrepreneur. He's been active in numerous businesses since graduating from UVic in the early 1980's. He is most recently worked in labour market consulting and his extensive involvement in the local business community includes leadership roles in the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. His work with the Sidney/North Saanich Industrial Group is well known. The advocacy drew attention to the impact of the innovators and job creators and has shone a light on our strong manufacturing sector on the Saanich Peninsula. In all, those businesses generate approximately a billion dollars of economic activity in the Capital Region each year. Check out the full episode details here.

Ryan Price, Corey Polkinghorne, and James Ball discuss news and life from Victoria, B.C. Canada. This week we cover the province's study into an detour route for the Malahat, the metal piling for Ogden Point that fell into the ocean after a barge trip from China, and the story of how the windstorm caused a new beer. Also, there's a chicken mystery on the Saanich Peninsula.  

Episode #20 Fun Things To Do in Victoria, British Columbia   Welcome to the Travel Gluten Free Podcast, where you, my friend, listen in on how to lead a gluten-free lifestyle with more fun and ease! Why Victoria?   Do you love small towns that are walkable and easy to get around with a charming Main Street with more stories and tales than you can listen to in a week? Do you love boating, being near the water and harbors? How about museums which celebrate native culture, a town with inspiring stories from amazing people and the best "running of the goats"? All of this and more can be found in Victoria, British Columbia.   How to Get to Victoria   Have you been to SEA-TAC - the Seattle airport? Let me be the first to tell you its a zoo. Planning to fly into SEA TAC give yourself a good 2 hours between getting off the plane, renting your car and getting anywhere in Seattle. If you are within driving distance, I would suggest doing the drive. Beautiful scenery, great places to stop along the way - I've got to tell you I took the most stunning rest stop photos on this trip during a rainstorm - and then take your car on the ferry across from the US to Victoria. Ferry rides are so relaxing and fun. Families putting together puzzles, people playing games or just sitting back with food from the concession on the ferry or the lunch they've brought, and enjoying the scenery. My favorite activity to do on the ferry - sleep! I'm like a baby in a car when it comes to ferries.   And if you've never ridden a ferry, check out my Instagram pictures and here's a tip - make sure that as soon as you park and you are able to move, grab a seat by the window! This is prime real estate on a ferry and if you don't move fast, you will be resolved to sit in a seat away from a window without a table. While still a good view (and you can always go out on the deck during the ride, which is a real treat and gives you amazing photo ops) its definitely harder to sleep in a single seat than in a booth next to a window.   Victoria, the town with a history of history Have you seen the movie Inception - the movie with Leonardo Di Caprio plays Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable.  One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be a perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.   This is Victoria, except take out stealing out secrets and insert history. Starting over 4000 years ago with the nations of the First People, Canadians Native Americans, the Royal BC Museum contains an exquisite language exhibit featuring native speakers welcoming you to the museum in over 2 dozen languages! Being an anthropology major and having a keen interest in Native American culture, this exhibit alone held my attention for a good 2 hours. Walking in, there are posts with the native language scribed on the pole, then you push the button to learn how to say welcome in their language. Just in British Columbia's native peoples alone, you can say welcome so many different ways, from Hello and Good Morning to How are you and your family? The language symbols used by native peoples of Canada are extraordinary - I've not seen these in other cultures. Most of these languages have only been spoken - writing them down is a recent phenomenon. Although many First Peoples do not speak their native language, the First Peoples' Cultural Council now provides community-based immersion programs for the next generation to learn to speak their native language - which was, for many years, illegal to speak. In addition to language, the cultural council also supports aboriginal artists. Look for the link to this great organization in the show notes below!   As you continue to walk through the Royal BC Museum, the local history unfolds of the white settlers taking over the region, the industrial era and the types of issues the white settlers brought onto the natives of the area. To this day, only one Native tribe in British Columbia has the right to own the right to their land. Walk through totems of more recent eras, with the large, bold carved faces and bodies of the local natives standing tall and prominent on the main floor. The Natural History Gallery gives you a feel for walking back into pre-history with a selfie-spot in front of the megafauna wooly mammoth, hallways of local and current flora and fauna and the diverse deltas and forests which are a part of BC's coast and interior.   The Royal BC Museum is a must-see on your stop to Victoria!   Walking Tour anyone?   Speaking of history, the walking tour is amazing! So many different little cultural hubs in Victoria including a China Town, where of course, you can purchase bubble tea! Fan Tan Alley, part of China Town, with Canton Cafe, calling the bubble tea lover with their picture sign, a woman happily walks out of the restaurant with her cup full of bubble tea, being sipped down until it eventually is transformed into the look of bliss on her face. The China Town Arch, which by the old tradition, should only be walked around and not directly under, because it is bad luck (or so our tour guide tells us ). Walking along the Main Street of Fan Tan, there's a vendor selling fresh produce, including fresh lychee fruit - a real delight when sweetened well. I find out that the Chinese immigrants who first came to this town were not treated well and were not allowed in the public school system, so the immigrants created their own Chinese school. Towards the middle of china town, Victoria decided to build an office complex in the 1960's AKA bomb shelter - which is a stark cultural black hole in the middle of rows of beautiful antique buildings with Chinese art influences.   There's also Bastion Square where you can find buildings made with beams from the Union Iron Works in San Francisco California circa 1861, modern art in the square and many historical buildings which now house offices, stores and apartments - each of them with their own unique story to tell.   Market Square in Victoria holds true to its name with a local outdoor market, an alleyway with history and unique feel when you walk between the red brick buildings, where you can almost hear the history if you can imagine the stories the brick and painted doorways tell when you walk by them. Their secrets are hidden under many layers of paint and story.   Downtown Victoria Trounce Alley - one of the main alleyways of downtown Victoria, is an interesting mix of modern and antique architecture, however, unlike the central bomb shelter of office buildings built in the '60s, these are tastefully created to blend in with the historical facades surrounding Victoria. Many upscale, gluten-free and fun eateries and shops abound in the downtown area. The Tobacconist, an original shop from the mid 1800s that has only known purveying of tobacco products since its inception, lies in the middle of Main Street in Downtown with a half-dome of hand-blown glass and metal welcoming you to the entrance to the store. There's Munro Books, where I picked up the Gluten is My by April Pevetaux, conversed with some locals, then moved on to Roger's Chocolates, established in 1885 and teeming with gluten-free truffles (of which I ate a FEW) chocolates and other delectable delights. Speaking of delightful, you must check out Chocolats Favoris, where the celiac-friendly ice cream shop will take your ice cream and dip it in one of three dips of your choice in the back separate from the gluten-infested dips in the front of the store! I must say this is NOT the choice of those who are faint-hearted when it comes to eating chocolate! My cup was SO full of delicious dark chocolate ice cream shell I wasn't able to finish the delectable fountain of goodness lying there, begging me to eat it - even when I saved the remainder in the hotel fridge overnight.     Jump out of Downtown into nature!   A short and beautiful drive from downtown, visit the Butchart Gardens. Started in the late 1800s by the wife of a prominent mining company, when the home they built was adjacent to the land they mined. Being that the land wasn't, let's say, easy on the eyes, the Jennie Buchart decided enough was enough and pulled workers from the mines to start to move dirt, plant and cultivate the area. The result is a magnificent garden, with over 100 years in bloom which include waterfalls, themed areas including a Japanese garden with a small creek meandering through the many plant residents and a rose garden. During holidays, the gardens put on holiday displays in different areas. One of my favorites in the garden was the cafe, with all of the gf choices labeled, including an incredible dessert, which I will talk about on the next episode: Gluten-Free Victoria with Ellen from the Celiac Scene. The gardens host a carousel, which, for $2 admission, you can be a kid again (I didn't bring any kids with me, I just love carousels, then stroll through the gardens and visit the dragon water fountain!   After the gardens, I headed over to Victoria Butterfly Gardens "a vibrant jungle experience" reads on their brochure. While I've been to a real jungle AKA rainforest, I can say that this is a sample of a jungle experience, but, an amazing butterfly experience to be had by all! There are a dozen species of butterflies, tropical birds and an insectarium where you can see bugs from the rainforest like the golden scarab beetle. They also have a small herbarium to check out poison dart frogs and the like.     Empress Hotel and the Running of the Goats Among the many historical buildings, the Empress Hotel is one of the most impressive. Recently having a multi-million dollar renovation, this hotel stands tall and proud facing the waterfront and beaming in the rays of the sun setting on the horizon. There is a history behind this building -  a mix of marriage, divorce, an affair with an 18-year-old chauffeur and a battle for inheritance. Typical typhoon story of the late 1800s. The Empress is still up and running today, if you are looking for a luxury stay in Victoria, this is the place you want to be.   speaking of the waterfront, I took strolls down here almost every night, the weather in Victoria picking up the Japanese current, is very mild. Only freezes twice a year and the high temp runs around 75-80. There are 1500 palm trees in Victoria, I didn't see any, but they are apparently there somewhere. The harbor is always teaming with artists, tours, activities and just as you start the climb to Main Street, you can visit the tourism center to book tours, get local information and maps to guide you through Victoria.   The location on the southern end of the Saanich Peninsula gives Victoria such an abundance of outdoor activities. One of my favorites was the walking path called the Harbour Walkway. From here, you can walk several miles around the harbor and take in the views, sit on a park bench and watch wildlife and the cruise ships docking in the harbor. For nature lovers and those who love to walk and enjoy the outdoors, Beacon Hill Park is the perfect spot to ride a bike, walk and especially enjoy the goats at the petting zoo.   Yes, petting zoo. I will totally own being the only person in the petting zoo sans small children. I can't help myself - I am a baby goat addict. When I found out there were baby goats nearby our hotel I was there. This is what I wanted to do for my birthday! Of course, being a baby goat addict, I had to be there as soon as the petting zoo opened. Then, I found everyone asking if we were in line. In what line? I watched as the sea of people who walked in after giving their donation parted like Moses himself had walked down the middle of the crowd. Then, they announced: The running of the goats was here!   Looking for a beautiful place to go, that's gluten-friendly and fun for all ages and interests, I would highly recommend Victoria. There's so much to see and do. After 7 days, I wasn't ready to leave for home and would have loved to spend another 2 weeks exploring the streets by foot.   Listener Shout-Out! Gluten-free blogger who navigates gluten-free travel like a boss! She has recently been in Thailand and tagged Travel Gluten Free in several of her photos! Carrie @forglutensake, thanks for tagging Travel Gluten Free on Instagram, this shout-out is for you!

In George Mercer's mystery novels predators can be both human and animal. George seems to be the quintessential Canadian author; he worked as a Park Warden for Canada's national parks system and now he writes about the fictional mysteries that take place in those parks. George and I live on the same island off British Columbia's coast and it was great to chat with him about his career, his books, and his inspiration for more stories about the wild, sometimes forgotten places, in Canada's wilderness. In the introduction I mention that this is the final episode of It's a Mystery Podcast for a while. I have enjoyed myself enormously in the last two years interviewing nearly 70 authors from around the globe. When I had the idea for show in late 2015 it seemed like it would be a win for everyone: for you, the listeners, who would learn about new books and authors; for the authors themselves who would have an opportunity to shine a light on their books; and not least of all for me. My intention was to meet other authors and create a community of people I knew who are as passionate about writing as I am. I'm happy to say, that's what happened. I keep in touch with many of the authors I've interviewed over these last two years. It has been a joy getting to know a bit about all of them through our interview together. There is a wealth of creative talent and energy in the world, and I'm so grateful, as I'm sure you are, that these writers take the time, effort and energy to bring us stories that touch our lives. Thank you for being a part of this adventure for the past couple of years. It has been tremendous fun for me. I hope you enjoyed the interviews as much as I did. ;-) All the episodes from It's a Mystery Podcast will remain available from the podcast page, and also on iTunes and YouTube, so if you happen to find the show after we've gone off the air, never fear! You can still learn more about the authors I've interviewed, and about their books of course. This episode of It's a Mystery Podcast is sponsored by the brand new Town Called Horse short mystery, Water Horse. The Town Called Horse is reeling when its connection to the outside world is cut off. Arthur ‘Sully’ Sullivan’s passenger and freight ship has burned in the night. There are no witnesses, no clues, and any evidence that might have existed has been swallowed by the lake. You can find out more about today's guest, George Mercer, and all his books on his website GeorgeMercer.com. You can also find him on Twitter @egeorgemercer. Links and resources mentioned in this episode Click on any of the book covers to go to George's books on Amazon We mention Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series and also Paul Doiron's Maine game warden series George mentions some of the parks he's worked in, including Cape Breton Highlands, and Wood Buffalo. You can read the prologue of George's next book, Fat Cats, here, and also Chapter One here. Geroge's site about nature, WriteNature.com Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher. You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube. Transcription of Interview with George Mercer Alexandra: Hi, Mystery readers. I'm Alexandra Amor. This is "It's a Mystery" podcast, and I'm here today with George Mercer. Hi, George. George: Hi. How are you doing, Alexandra? Alexandra: Very well. How are you today? George: Great. Alexandra: You've got a gorgeous background there. You're in British Columbia as well, aren't you, like I am? George: Yeah, just outside of Sidney, on the Saanich Peninsula. So, looking out at the stormy southeast winds blowing in on town. Alexandra: It has been quite a stormy time, hasn't it, lately on the west coast? George: Yeah, and I was just sort of getting updated on the earthquake last night. I don't think we felt it here, although I think I woke up and walked around the ho...