Haven’t decided what to do with your LWSA?

Only 30% of those eligible for the Lifestyle and Wellness Spending Account have claimed their benefit.

Submitted by Seb Bonet

Last month we got the reminder that thanks to our latest collective agreement we can claim up to $375 for lifestyle and wellness through our union. The reminder came in the lead-up to Truth and Reconciliation Day and got me to thinking about the forever lesson from Indigenous friends that wellness begins from the land.

Last month also marked the return of land defense camps on Gitanyow and Gitxsan territories as the PRGT pipeline began construction. As I type, Indigenous people are heading in to a Fall and Winter on new frontlines in defense of the land against another colonial megaproject.

With these two things in mind, I am writing to request that if you haven’t submitted a claim for Lifestyle and Wellness that you consider buying camping gear to send to Indigenous land defenders. If this is something you would consider, please reach out. My name’s Seb, I’m a term sessional in Sociology, and my email is: ac.nusomac@StenoB.

I would like to coordinate a bulk purchase to send up North from a local business to keep the people who are doing the work to protect all of our wellness warm and dry. Or, just reach out if you are wanting to be involved in ongoing solidarity efforts around Indigenous resurgence and decolonization. I would love to chat. In solidarity, Seb

Seb Bonet

Term Faculty Member, Sociology

Seb has been doing grassroots community organizing here on Lkwungen and WSANEC territory for the last 15 years and has been working as a sessional, mostly at UVic, for that period as well. He has loved teaching here at Camosun for the last three semesters, is sad all his courses were cancelled for January, and hopes to be back!