Off The Page

11/18/2022

Calling all soccer and sports fans!

The World Cup is two days away, and our soccer superstars at the Record put together a special Off The Page podcast preview of the once-every-four-year event. How is Team Canada going to do? Which team do they think will take it all? Click the link below to listen to the episode featuring special guest appearances:

The Comox Valley Record recently welcomed guest analyst Markus Ciastkowski for a preview of the 2022 World Cup of Soccer. This year’s tournament host is Qatar. The 32-team competition runs from Nov. 20 — Dec. 18. Markus, 15, is a member of the Comox Valley United Under-16 boys select soccer team...

11/11/2022

Todays Podcast Erin Haluschak and Lewis Bartholomew take a special look back

Lest We Forget

November 11, 2022

11/09/2022

It's Wednesday, so that means a new episode of the Record's podcast, Off The Page. This week - in preparation for Remembrance Day - we chat with Lewis Bartholomew, the executive director of the HMCS Alberni Museum in Courtenay, and what he has planned for the day. Listen below, or wherever you download your podcasts.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/off-the-page/id1603172612?i=1000584760957

11/03/2022

If you’re new here .. first of all HI! Welcome to off the page ! Here’s a little about us.

Exploring new storytelling tools, Off The Page is a weekly podcast with the goal to take a deeper look at the Valley community, and stories spanning the area and Vancouver Island. It is hosted by journalist Erin Haluschak along with special weekly guests, with a focus on going beyond the story on the page to learn more about people, innovators, local matters and more in the Valley.

09/30/2022

Dr. Cindy Blackstock remembers picking pine cones as a child in northern B.C. and hearing racial slurs hurled her way. During games of ‘Cowboys and Indians,’ she always wanted to be a cowboy, “because you live longer in that game.” The advocate and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society has dedicated her working life toward building better protections for Indigenous children and their families through compensation for past discrimination. She will be honoured at an upcoming Campagnolo Dinner at the Sid Williams Theatre on Oct. 12. Below is an excerpt from the Record’s weekly Off The Page podcast, which can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or everywhere podcasts are heard.
Q: Do you remember (racist comments) being directed specifically at yourself?
Blackstock:Yes – they’d call at us other kids would repeat what their parents had said. Like you’re a dirty Indian and all the rest of it. And we would play Cowboys and Indians because that was the game. And everybody, including me, wanted to be a cowboy because you live longer in that game. It was all around us and everything that you did, even opening up books. And you’d only see white kids with a nice dog. And then from what you would see on television, the really stereotypical and aggressive portrayal of then mostly Native Americans. We have generations that had been so hurt by residential schools and had no support, and had a lot of judgment from the rest of Canadians about what they were doing.

Listen to the full podcast:
https://omny.fm/shows/off-the-page/speaking-up-with-cindy-blackstock

Find the full story:
https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/podcasts/off-the-page-speaking-up-with-cindy-blackstock/

09/22/2022

For the next few weeks on Off The Page, we are doing something a little bit different from our usual format. With the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 15, we wanted to take a look at what you – our listeners and readers of the Comox Valley Record have to say, particularly on what you care about in this election.
What is important to you? Are you planning on voting? Why or why not?

With the goal of finding out these answers, we’ve gathered different groups of people together to ask what’s on their minds as they prepare to cast their votes. In this episode, we’re talking with two seniors – Betty Donaldson and Tony Reynolds.

https://omny.fm/shows/off-the-page/looking-at-election-issues-with-valley-seniors

For the next few weeks on Off The Page, we are doing something a little bit different from our usual format. With the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 15, we wanted to take a look at what you - our listeners and readers of the Comox Valley Record have to say, particularly on what you care about i...

07/20/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new edition of the podcast!

This week, we have a conversation with Courtenay-Comox MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard - not about politics, however.

We go skin deep as we talk more about the diagnosis of alopecia and her decision to remove her wig with hopes of opening the conversation around hair loss and normalizing it - particularly for women.

Listen below or wherever you download your podcasts:

I lost my eyebrows and all the hair on my arms and legs … and it was not a good thing”

07/13/2022

It's Wednesday so that means another episode of the Record's podcast, Off The Page.

Looking for a fun summer activity that's free and can be done just about anywhere? How about stargazing?

Listen to some tips and what to keep an eye out for throughout the summer months with Vancouver Island University professor/astronomer Gregory Arkos:

“I think that what we get back … is that we understand the universe and ourselves better”

07/06/2022

It's Wednesday so that means another edition of Off The Page!

Kerri Scott is with Comox Valley Nature and the organization recently announced its Tree of the Year - an annual contest highlighting trees in the Comox Valley, now in its fifth year. Kerri is here to talk about this year’s winning tree - one that is more than 400 years old (before settlers arrived in the Valley!) - and with it comes with some very special and unique stories.

Click on the link below to listen or wherever you download podcasts:
https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/off-the-page-hanging-onto-valley-history-with-the-tree-of-the-year/

06/29/2022

It's Wednesday so that means another edition of Off The Page!

This week, Grade 11 Comox Valley student and finalist of Miss Teenage Canada pageant Irene Bayati joins the pod to talk about her passion for helping youth, advocating for mental health and pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

Click on the link below to listen or wherever you download podcasts:

“(Pageants) really emphasize your own kind of beautiful”

06/22/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new edition of Off The Page.

Long-term care and going viral on social media may not go hand-in-hand but take a listen to a Valley health care aide talk about why it's important to share with the world a deeper look into what he does. Click the link below to take a listen or find it wherever you download podcasts:

https://omny.fm/shows/off-the-page/health-care-meets-tiktok

Stu MacInnis is a registered health care assistant who works in long-term care in the Comox Valley and shares his perspective on health care - and a few other things - on social media, in particular TikTok. A video he created last month received nearly half a million views, while others have receive...

06/15/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of Off The Page! This week, we take a look at a topic that affects all of us: mental health. Did you know that North Island College has specifically developed a plan to help students, staff and faculty? Take a listen here or wherever you download podcasts:

NIC recognizes there’s a part to play in supporting students before they become distressed

06/08/2022

Who doesn't need a laugh these days?

It's Wednesday, so that means a new edition of Off The Page.

This week features Valley resident Laila Trogneux-Goosen, the winner for achievement in - wait for it - snort laughing from 2022 The World Laughing Championship.

Yes - you read that correctly.

To hear her award-winning laugh (and many others!) take a listen here or wherever you download your podcasts.

“… You realize that the more you practice, the more you can do it”

06/01/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of the podcast.

This week features a special ask from a Comox Valley couple - Siobhan and Brent Clayton.

Siobhan was diagnosed with kidney failure and is seeking a living donor to allow her to have the kind of life she had prior to kidney disease - she now relies on dialysis three times a week to keep her alive.

Listen to her story here or wherever you download podcasts:

“…somebody who would be willing to do that for us would be absolutely amazing”

05/25/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of Off The Page!

This week, we are featuring a special episode from our sister Black Press podcast - Today in B.C.

Host Peter McCully chats with Ken Schley, the former CAO of Quality Foods, who is the co-owner of the SS Minnow – the iconic boat from the 1960s TV show Gilligan’s Island (the boat is now based on Vancouver Island).

Listen to the episode below or wherever you download your podcasts.

Ken Schley is the co-owner of the SS Minnow - the iconic boat from Gilligan’s Island

05/18/2022

It's that time of the week - time for another episode of Off The Page. This week, we're looking at a mammal that is both loved (think Batman) and hated - bats!
Conservation biologist Tim Ennis with the Got Bats? BC Community Bat Project talks all things bats in the Comox Valley. Take a listen here or wherever you download your podcasts:

Conservation biologist Tim Ennis talks all things bats

05/11/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of the podcast drops today.

This episode we welcome back Duchess of Dirt and master gardener Leslie Cox, who answers listener questions about in a Q&A style.

Why do tomatoes get cracks in them? Should you add coffee grounds to your garden? What's the best way to protect your plants from another possible heat wave this summer?

Listen to the episode here or wherever you download your podcasts.

A Q&A session with Duchess of Dirt expert gardener Leslie Cox

05/04/2022

It's that time of the week, so that means a new episode of Off The Page.

If you lived in the Comox Valley a decade ago, you might remember the community rallying around the Wood wedding - Emily was given six months to live and for her last wish she and her high school sweetheart Shawn got married.

Shawn has since started the Emily Ann Foundation to honour his late wife and to support and help adults with terminal cancer.
Listen to his story here or wherever you download podcasts:

“If there’s something that I can do, I will bend over backward to do it”

04/27/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of the podcast.

This week, we're talking about the important topic of mental health with Troy Dunham - the new executive director of the Eureka Support Society in downtown Courtenay. Eureka is an organization that is a resource centre for adults with persistent mental health issues.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or wherever you download your podcaasts.

04/22/2022

04/20/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a new episode of the podcast!

Did you know the Comox Valley was home to a world-renowned wildlife biologist and Sasquatch researcher? Take a listen to this week's episode for insight into the life of Dr. John Bindernagel ...

And speaking of Bigfoot.... if you get hungry while listening, don't forget to stop by Bigfoot Donuts for our special podcast collaboration. They created a special donut just for this episode - the Bigfoot Tracks Cruller (we can't wait to dig into one)!

Dr. John Bindernagel was known for his passionate scientific dedication to researching Sasquatch

04/20/2022

Today’s the day!!! 🍩

For all those unable to come for a weekend Cruller special, today is your day! We’ve got our Bigfoot Tracks Crullers ready for y’all! And donut forget to give todays episode, Following the trail of a Sasquatch researcher, a listen!

04/20/2022

Check it out! We are super stoked about this collaboration 😍😍 🍩

04/18/2022

What does Off the Page and Bigfoot Donuts have in common?
THEIR LOVE FOR “BIG FOOT/ SASQUATCH"

On Wednesday April 20th, head over to Bigfoot Donuts and get your collaboration special edition, throw on some headphones and listen to Off the Pages latest podcast about Sasquatch!

Bigfoot Donuts

04/13/2022

It's Wednesday, so that means a new episode! This week, we talk with YANA Comox Valley's Kelly Barnie about the legacy of the organization, how they pushed through the pandemic and much more. Listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you find your podcasts. Check out a preview here:

04/07/2022

Leslie will be back on the Record’s Off The Page podcast answering your questions in April in a Q&A style-format .

Email any gardening-related question to: [email protected]

04/06/2022

It's Wednesday so that means a fresh episode! This week, Capt. Gabriel Ferris of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds team joins us to talk about spring training in and what audiences can expect this year. Listen to a sneak peek here or find the full episode wherever you listen to your podcasts:

04/04/2022

Next on our podcast (airing April 6th) is Capt. Gabriel Ferris - the public affairs officer for the Canadian Forces Snowbirds team joins the podcast to give a preview of what residents can expect when the team returns to the Comox Valley for their annual spring training from April 19 to May 11.
Canadian Forces Snowbirds

03/29/2022

On this week’s podcast we have Hollie Ha is a second-generation Chinese Canadian who is on the journey of learning and connecting more deeply with her heritage and family.

She is the host of the Holding Heritage podcast in the Comox Valley, focusing on refugee stories, family relationships and bridging generational gaps while keeping the understanding and appreciation of Chinese-Vietnamese heritage in North America.

On the podcast Hollie talks about her parent's experience immigrating to Canada, finding a balance between cultures and holding space for storytelling.

You can listen to episodes of her Holding Heritage podcast at: holdingheritage.com