Even though there is a growing awareness on this, you can still hear people ask, “Does she work, or is she a housewife?” As if being a housewife, or homemaker, is no work. We have come to define work as something only of monetary value. If a type of work cannot be monetised or has no clear monetary value, it is considered no work at all.

It was in October 2014 that I saw bald eagles sitting on trees all over Squamish and I was reminded that the salmon must be spawning. I went for a drive and sat by the Mamquam river and watched the beauty of the salmon spawning dance. I am not sure what was it that evoked and inspired my passion for painting salmon that day.

Most people who volunteer do so because they know this is what it means to be part of a community. So I would like you to look around in your daily busy lives, and notice these community members.

My connection with our environment runs deep. Four generations of my family have depended on the forest for their livelihood and I grew up understanding that we relied on the environment for both work and play. I learned that industry and tourism could co-exist as long as they both were sustainable.

Howe Sound is incredible. The power of North America's southernmost Fjord, lies in all of the unique communities on its shores, and the vibrant people that account for it. YOU are a part of this story.

Every protest spins its own narrative, creates its own rhythms, and sings its own songs. Songs and art of the protest can sometimes be its most powerful symbols. When art for art’s sake becomes difficult to pursue, politics can provide the reason to explore a long-forgotten artistic side.

By Gagandeep GhumanPublished: March 26, 2015   I was talking to a man, vociferously against the Woodfibre LNG plant, while

Consciously or unconsciously, we all look for people in our lives that are a reflection of ourselves. It is how we find validation, camaraderie and a sense of our place in the world. To be able to say, ‘they are just like me!’ brings comfort and connection.

I’m not talking about the daily domestic work here. Mothers are creating the minds of our future generations. They are habit engineers, emotional architects and household lawyers. The early childhood development work they do sets the course for the decades ahead.

District of Squamish and Resort Municipality of Whistler have both signed agreements with the Canadian Red Cross that will enable them to better provide immediate assistance for people impacted by fires, landslides, floods or other emergencies.

City of North Vancouver is teaming up with a local business in that city to create an alternative heat source for residents. The goal? Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build sustainable models for energy consumption.

When Inis Leblanc asked Pete Auld if he could help with a new Squamish ReBuild sign she was planning to install on the Highway, she thought he was going to answer a few questions.

Oceanfront developer Michael Hutchison has put $38 million at stake without any guarantee of reimbursement. Other developers cry foul, saying the district is shiftting the risk to the community with this DCC agreement.

Four community members have joined the Squamish Community Foundation as board of directors. Ron Sanders, Darren Roberts, Deidre Plaatjes, and Larry McLennan joined the Board at a critical time in its development, said foundation's chair, Doug Hackett.

The International Women’s Day Art Show will be open to the public from March 3 to April 6 at the Foyer Gallery, Squamish Public Library.

Will we finally make peace with the fact that we are a suburb of Vancouver or will our entrepreneurial self-image shine through? Will tourism be our only destination? Will we be richer but shorn of our green cover? What kind of future can we imagine for ourselves in 20 years ?

Sitting on top of the Chief in 2035 with eyes wondering over Howe Sound and the Squamish River valley below, not much appears to have changed in the last 20 years at first glance.

Municipalities, unlike provinces, do not have a wide array of taxation powers to rely on to fund their needs. Unless this is changed, and especially if Squamish does not find a way to replace its depleted industrial tax base, we will all feel the squeeze.

What about Woodfibre? If an LNG export terminal is built there, by the year 2035 there easily exist complimentary industries on or related to the site. By this time – who knows? – perhaps there may be plans for biofuels production and shipping there. After all, present business plans are only based on a 25 year horizon.

So what does the future of tourism in 20 years from now look like? Well that depends on many things. Not the least of course is what the community leadership has a vision for. But let’s assume a few things are done over the next two decades.

Within the past twenty years, monolithic and hierarchal employers have been replaced with organizations of highly networked free-agents. Jobs for a lifetime are being replaced with the lifetime of a job. So how will we prepare for working in 2035?

At the time of writing, there is a palpable sense of optimism toward this vision. Partly this may stem from a fresh council with new leadership, but also the visible expansion or recent arrival of some signature businesses that fit the theme: Pink Bike, Anthill, Solterra's new multi-use centre in the business park, Academy of Music, CMA, Quest, etc.

Although people have been coming to Squamish for a long time to recreate, outdoor recreation in Squamish is evolving. For example, mountain bike technology advances have allowed for more challenging trails. Our dedicated volunteer trail builders have created a world class network. Kiteboards have superseded windsurfers on our waterfront.

In order to define the future of the arts in Squamish, it’s important to understand what we have achieved recently in our community and what our goals are as a collective voice.

Opening a business in Squamish a challenge I didn’t expect. My first dealing with the governance of the day was trying to convince planning staff to add professional services to any zoning.