A First Nations chief in southern British Columbia says there are mixed feelings in his community after a Catholic church burned to the ground — one of two destroyed in the area in suspicious blazes the same night. Chief Greg Gabriel of the Penticton Indian Band says many people feel pain due to the Roman Catholic Church’s role operating residential schools but the Sacred Heart Church was also a community fixture that hosted weddings, funerals and baptisms. He says community members are reeling alongside other First Nations following last month’s announcement of what are believed to be 215 unmarked children’s graves at a residential school in Kamloops, B-C. Police say the fire at Sacred Heart, as well as at a church on the Osoyoos Indian Band reserve lands are under investigation but they have not commented on a motive.
Health officials are encouraging more people to get vaccinated as COVID-19 cases continue to decline but haven’t stopped circulating in the province. British Columbia recorded a one-day total yesterday not seen since last August. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a statement that 45 cases were recorded on Monday, part of the 229 cases B-C had over a three-day period. They say 75.8 per cent of residents ages 12 and up have received their first dose of vaccine and an increasing number of second doses are being administered.
Environment Canada says a heat wave will continue over British Columbia’s south coast this week, resulting in temperatures five to 10 degrees above seasonal for much of the area. The weather service issued special weather statements Monday morning for Greater Victoria, the Gulf Islands, Metro Vancouver and Sunshine Coast. Environment Canada says a ridge of warm temperatures will shift inland, providing slightly cooler midweek temperatures. However it says, the ridge will rebuild starting Thursday, bringing with it more hot and dry weather.
Murray Rankin says not every First Nation is going to take the same approach to search their grounds as the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc (teh-KUM’-loops sue-WET’-muck). However, he says the final report, expected June 30th, could also serve as a guiding document for other nations to follow if they choose to do so. Last month, the band announced it had discovered what are believed to be the remains of 215 children buried on the site of the former residential school.
A Surrey mom says she waited more than half an hour for an ambulance after calling 911, ultimately driving her eight-year-old daughter to the hospital herself because paramedics never arrived. Sadaf Khan says her daughter fell in the bathroom on Friday, and was knocked unconscious. No one was in the bathroom when the girl fell, and her mom says she only knew something was wrong when she heard the screams. Khan rushed upstairs, and found her daughter lying on the floor. Khan says after the 911 operator assessed whether or not her daughter was conscious and breathing, she was told an ambulance would be dispatched. When 30 minutes had passed, and her daughter was still crying and unable to communicate exactly what was wrong, Khan called 911 again. When asked what time they were coming, they said, ‘We don’t have any ambulances available, your area is really busy,’”. Which led Khan to drive her daughter herself. The union representing ambulance paramedics in B.C. has been raising the alarm about longer wait times for months, blaming the province for mismanaging resources. BC EHS has said the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid overdose crisis have put a strain on the system, with calls for service due to the toxic drug supply continuing to break records in May–
And in case on your commute this morning you say a car dangling from a helicopter iver English Bay this morning. Don’t Panick It has now been confirmed with Talon Helicopters that the stunt was part of a commercial shoot. The vehicle was seen dangling at the end of a long line from one aircraft, as another followed. People were calling news rooms all morning to report hearing loud chopper sounds before 6 a.m. One person said the vehicle appeared to be “very close” to the buildings in Vancouver’s West End. Talon says its helicopter, which is bright yellow, was equipped with a camera to shoot the video. It’s unclear what exactly that footage will be used for, but it was not related to any sort of emergency