Story Pole Doc Drops: Honoring Indigenous Veterans, No Cap 💯

The Deets

Yo, fam! There's a new doc in town called "Story Pole: Indigenous Veterans and the Tallest Totem in the World," and it's hitting different. It's all about those Indigenous veterans who served in the world wars and that massive totem pole in Victoria's Beacon Hill Park. The film's diving deep into their stories and sacrifices, plus that war memorial plaque at the base of the pole.

Geoff Bird directed the whole thing – it's his 35th film, BTW – and the City of Victoria threw some serious cash at it. But the real MVPs? Hereditary Chief David Mungo Knox, Lekwungen Elder Butch Dick, and all the First Nations peeps who helped make it happen. They're tackling themes like remembrance, sacrifice, truth and reconciliation, and the whole history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Like, this is more than just a film; it's a whole vibe.

You can catch "Story Pole" on CHEK TV. Plus, it's getting screened internationally in the Netherlands. And for all you K-12 educators out there, peep storypole.ca for an Indigenous war remembrance education toolkit. Knowledge is power, fam!

Victoria Police's New Drone

But that's not all! Victoria Police Department (VicPD) just leveled up their game with a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), aka a drone. They're saying it's all about keeping the community safe, especially during public events like protests and rallies. The drone's gonna give officers a bird's-eye view, helping them make quick decisions and allocate resources like a boss.

But don't stress about privacy, tho. They're keeping it 100 with B.C. and national privacy laws. The camera doesn't record unless it's necessary, and they'll give everyone a heads-up if they need to record something. All the data gets locked away for at least 30 days. So, VicPD's rolling out the RPAS to support community safety, prevent crime, and keep Victoria vibing.