Events Calendar

Event type: Virtual

Speakers: Christine Dickinson and Deborah Griffiths

Cost: Free Event

Want to learn more about Comox Valley history?

Join authors Christine Dickinson and Deb Griffiths on Thursday, October 21 at 7 pm for a lively virtual presentation of stories and images from the Courtenay and District Museum’s 2015 book Watershed Moments-A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District published with Harbour Publishing.

This first in a two-part virtual series, will touch on agriculture, dairy industry, logging, infrastructure, social life and more, providing some back stories to today’s community and a closer look at the photographers, images and archival material that inspired the book. Attendance is free.

Zoom Link to Copy:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83969878240

Greg N. Fraser, photo by HA Photography

Event type: In-person

Time and Date: 7 pm, Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Location: Rotary Gallery of the Courtenay and District Museum

Speakers: Greg N. Fraser

Tickets: $5 for Historical Society members; $6 for general public. Advance tickets recommended. Tickets can be purchased over the phone by calling 250-334-0686 ext 2.

Public health measures in effect and reduced seating capacity in place.

When examining the history of British Columbia, one would be hard-pressed to find an Indigenous person who so successfully navigated the echelons of colonial power as did Joseph William McKay (1829–1900).

Join author and educator Greg N. Fraser for an in-person talk based on his new book Joseph William McKay: A Métis Business Leader in Colonial British Columbia 7pm, Tuesday, November 9th at the Courtenay and District Museum.

Fraser’s book provides an intriguing look at the accomplishments and contradictions of Joseph William McKay, best known as the founder of Nanaimo, BC, and one of the most successful Métis men to rise through the ranks of the Hudson’s Bay Company in the late nineteenth century.

After leaving the HBC in 1878, McKay began a second career in the Department of Indian Affairs. He was a federal Indian Agent and later the Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs for British Columbia. A product of his time who had found personal success working within the colonial system, McKay is a complicated figure when viewed through a twenty-first-century lens.

Copies of Joseph William McKay will be available for purchase ($22.95 plus tax, Heritage House Publishing) and signing after the talk.

Greg N. Fraser taught Canadian, BC and Indigenous history for 33 years in Vernon and Nanaimo school districts. Since retiring from full-time teaching, he has continued his career with VIU Elder College.

Event type: Virtual

Speakers: Christine Dickinson and Deborah Griffiths

Cost: Free Event

Authors Christine Dickinson and Deb Griffiths discuss Comox Valley history on Tuesday, November 23 at 7 pm. Known for their enthusiastic virtual presentations, the pair will present stories and images from the Courtenay and District Museum’s 2020 book Step Into Wilderness-A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration published with Harbour Publishing.

This final instalment in the two-part virtual series will include some local hiking expeditions, early exploration, outdoor activity clubs and more along with a few profiles of area achievers.

Dickinson and Griffiths are accomplished presenters, writers, and interpreters. Christine Dickinson is an educator with a passion for regional history. Deb Griffiths is the Executive Director of the Courtenay and District Museum and has been involved in curatorship in BC for over forty years.

Zoom Link to Copy:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84372215248