Information sessions the province promised on updates to the shíshálh Nation Foundation agreement, the swiya-wide Dock Management Plan (DMP), and what those mean for local residents are to get started this week. Those unable to make the March 20 online event, can access the next one on the 31st. The province and ministers responsible (aka our MLA) commit to making outreach an “ongoing” thing, so stay tuned.
Concerns come to mind with this rollout. With decisions reached months and an election ago, there are questions about why the delay in release of the details and community engagement.
Then there’s the virtual element. Hosting engagement virtually has advantages. Presenters and audience members can attend anywhere with adequate service. Less travel, no need to secure a venue or wonder if there are enough parking spaces or seating; organizers just need to have tech staff ensure all is in order. Virtual events can be easier to manage. DMP concepts and realities have been advanced in Pender Harbour at well-attended in-person gatherings, with more than one exchange becoming heated. The dock resources under consideration are a critical part of life and livelihoods in an oceanfront community. While impassioned expressions are possible in Zoom gatherings, there is less opportunity for impromptu applause or other audience support, which drive home the depth of local views.
As a veteran of countless virtual meetings, hearings, debates, etc., in more than seven years as a local reporter, it is obvious to me the control available in Zoom meetings is far superior to that which even the most skilled in-person meeting facilitator can exert. One also wonders how much discussion can fit into the allotted 90-minute timeframe, considering land acknowledgement, introductions, rules and procedures and the thank you's and wrap-up.
Another worry (for me) popped up on my Facebook feed a couple of weeks ago. It was a Pender Harbour and Areas Residents Association (PHARA) post, seeking contributions to help fund its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act legal challenge. When I watched the linked video of a woman in her 20s or 30s delivering the message, the cadence and movements of the speaker seemed “off” to me. Knowing my editor has superior “tech skills,” I sent her the link for assessment. Her response, “Whoa, is that AI?” Well, I was certainly the wrong person to ask, but it got me wondering.
Days later I was speaking with a PHARA rep about their views on the province’s info-sharing record. I asked and he confirmed that the video was indeed AI-generated. He also indicated the group was having difficulties getting supporters of their cause willing to publicly voice their convictions.
So now we have virtual meetings and virtual messaging on a subject with real-world impacts. While virtual tools can help us connect, they shouldn’t dominate how we move forward. Let’s use technology to enhance how we share information, but let’s not replace the human element.
The information sessions are March 20 and 31 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting link will be available at gov.bc.ca/shishalhFoundationAgreement.
