Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996. Marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate, you'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Rockin' Rhonda: Here comes Peter. Here comes Dave. Oh, listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missing, spinning tales in the hot podcast cave. So laughs and insights everywhere. What a treat.

Dave Graham: Welcome back to the Pulse Community Podcast. I'm Dave Graham and we are tracking the pulse of life here on mid-Vancouver Island where the buds and blossoms are showing. Days are getting longer and spring is very much in the air.

Peter McCully: And I'm Peter McCully. Yes. We welcome the sense of renewal that comes with this time of year, and we hope everyone remembered to spring the clocks ahead over the weekend. After years of debate, the BC government decided that we're done with time changes.

Dave Graham: Yes, no more having to refer to the car manual twice a year to figure out how to set that darn clock. At least for those of us with cars old enough to not be part of the worldwide net.

Peter McCully: No more losing an hour of sleep in the spring. No more gaining it back in the fall.

Dave Graham: No more forgetting to change the time and no more having to remember — now, is it spring back and fall forward, or the other way around? Fall forward and spring back. Oh, no, wait.

Peter McCully: Well, the point is now moot.

Dave Graham: No more having to coordinate resetting the stove and the microwave so the clocks are in sync. I guess some people might care about things like that. Oh, and then the coffee maker. Can't forget the coffee maker.

Peter McCully: Yes, Dave. All world problems. Okay, we've got a great show today for you, with award-winning blues-rock guitarist Colin James joining the Pulse Community Podcast. Colin's Chasing the Sun Tour includes stops on Vancouver Island in May — in Sidney, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni, and Campbell River.

Colin James: I listen to a lot of music and everyone's hope is that you write songs and you write with a band such that if it's a pop song, finish a pop song. If it's a blues song, finish the blues song. Don't get stuck in a box. I think that's the hardest thing for anyone to do — just don't let it become rules. Allow yourself to write a pop song once in a while. Allow yourself to go down those roads. Make a record. Make a record that you've never made before.

Dave Graham: So does Colin have a shelf for his eight Juno Awards or does he keep them in a display case or maybe in a box in the attic? So many questions, and I'm still waiting to hear back from him about listening to my guitar playing. You know, I have been working pretty hard on playing his debut hit "Voodoo Thing." Gosh, I must have the first 10 or 12 notes pretty much down. Any tips he could offer would be great — or maybe he thinks I'm just about ready to join his band. No pressure.

Peter McCully: Well, good luck with that, Dave. Also joining us today is Dr. Omar Karim. This man is a professor, a global leadership architect, and now he's at the helm of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce. As interim executive director, he brings renewal to the Chamber.

Dr. Omar Karim: We have been listening to our members. Members want the dinners. They want the networking opportunities. So you'll notice we had a welcome back event at the Bradley Centre, even showcasing community spaces. We had over 160 folks attend this event. We have our Business Awards Gala coming up, our golf tournament at the end of May, and further dinners and networking opportunities.

Dave Graham: On a future edition of the podcast, we'll chat with Peter "PD" Ducommon of Skull Skates in Qualicum Beach, the oldest skateboard brand in Canada. Wait — Qualicum Beach is demographically one of the oldest towns in the country, and now we have the oldest skateboard brand. Well, isn't that something?

Peter McCully: We'll also be previewing The Art of Adventure, a heart-stirring documentary following legendary adventurers Bristol Foster and Robert Bateman as they traverse continents in a Land Rover. We'll hear about their 1957 journey. The documentary will be showing in Parksville in April.

Dave Graham: Bristol Foster is a naturalist, a conservation biologist, and a filmmaker. And Robert Bateman — well, he's a Canadian icon, a man as dedicated to the wellbeing of this planet as anyone. Together they covered over 60,000 kilometres over 14 months on a journey that makes for one heck of a story. And that's what we're all about here at the Pulse Community Podcast.

Peter McCully: Also coming up on a future episode, we'll learn about the Access Oceanside Association. It's a non-profit working to raise awareness and break down barriers for residents and visitors alike.

Thrifty Foods Parksville: At Thrifty Foods, we love to help non-profits, charities, and schools. Our Thrifty Foods Smile Card bulk program allows organization to immediately save up to 6% on the purchase of Smile Cards in bulk, allowing you to keep more money in your organizations pockets. Ask for details at Thrifty Foods in Parksville.

Fireside Books: There's exciting news for book lovers — Fireside Books in Parksville now has a second location in Port Alberni. The Bookwyrm — used books are just $5 or less. The Bookworm on the corner of Redford and Anderson opens seven days a week from 10 to 5. Building your personal library for less, Fireside Books at 464 Island Highway East in Parksville is a book dragon's dream come true. Browse their extensive collections seven days a week. Both locations make growing your personal library easier than ever — new and used books and so much more. Order online at firesidebooks.ca and pick up at either location. Details available online. Ask about returning books for a book credit. Fireside Books and the Bookworm — two locations, one amazing adventure in browsing.

Joelle Rabu: Hi there, Joelle Rabu here, letting you know that my good friend Buwa and I are coming to Shores Landing on April 9th with our fabulous concert — just the two of us. Buwa and I come from different worlds and different generations, but music erases those lines. In our show, you really get a feeling of who we are in the banter, the songs, and the places the music takes us. We are joined by Nico Rhodes, Alexandra Lee, and Brad Shipley on this musical journey where our friendship is right at the heart of it. See you at Shores Landing, April 9th.

Dave Graham: Thanks to all who entered our Super Bowl sweater contest. Oh, we had a great response. And we hope John and Kim Hoffman of Port Alberni are enjoying that commemorative sweater. Well, from the sound of it, they're claiming joint custody — and we wish them long and happy lives together. And from that bit of contesting magnificence, we leap to still another wonder in the world of giveaways. Tell the good people what they could win, Peter.

Peter McCully: Our next contest is a four-day general admission pass for two to Sun Fest. This year's Sun Fest has another great lineup, including Jon Pardi, Tyler Hubbard, Riley Green, and Hannah McFarland.

Dave Graham: Sun Fest happens at the fabulous Laketown Amphitheatre in Lake Cowichan, and again, it's four days of country music and good times. Enter via our Facebook or Instagram pages — the Pulse Community — or head to our website, thepulsecommunity.ca, for details.

Peter McCully: Good luck to everyone. Now, to introduce our first guest, here's Marilyn.

Marilyn: Dr. Omar Karim is a professor, global leadership architect, and the man now steering the ship at the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce. As interim executive director, Dr. Karim brings a remarkable blend of academic expertise, international experience, and deep community commitment to one of the area's most vital business organisations.

Dave Graham: Welcome to the Pulse Podcast, Dr. Karim. It is a pleasure to meet you and I thank you for your time today.

Dr. Omar Karim: I'm really grateful for your time and really happy to be here with you. Usually when I meet someone for the first time, I greet them in my traditional language — I'd say "Kem Cho," "Jambo," and "Alima" — and I do that by honouring my ancestry. I'm the son of Diamond and Cshi Karim. My dad is from Uganda and my mom's from Nairobi, Kenya — Indian descent. Hence, I greet you by saying "Kem Cho," which is in Gujarati; "Jambo" is in Swahili; and "Ya" is a traditional greeting. I grew up here as a proud, smiling Canadian, and I'm really grateful to be here.

Dave Graham: Since I've been reading about you, I've been quite eager to meet this man who wears so many hats. You are a professor at VIU, founder of Global Youth Leadership Programs, and now interim executive director of the Parksville Chamber — which just begs the question, what brought you here?

Dr. Omar Karim: It was actually Vancouver Island University that brought me to the Chamber. I hold the seat for VIU and I was actually recommended by our Dean and Associate Dean to be on the Chamber. Our previous Associate Dean was holding that spot prior to my arrival. I came to this because I'm a community builder. I'm all about building relationships, understanding community needs, and how do we grow together. When Dr. Ferguson invited me to participate, and the previous board members, they had the whole nomination process and interview process prior to myself coming onto the board of directors. I just thought this was a really good opportunity to connect with the Parksville district and community. I used to be really actively engaged with Parksville and Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach about 10 years ago, so this was a full circle moment for me — coming back in terms of seeing how we can help the community grow and support the Chamber of Commerce, and connect the institution of VIU even closer to the Chamber of Commerce in a meaningful and intentional way.

How I ended up in the interim executive director position is a very interesting story. I started my time at the Chamber around May, after a general meeting, and then we had our meeting where we had the process for executive positions. I came to a point where I was appointed or elected into the vice president position — so I was the vice president of the board at that time. And then, as part of our bylaws, we had an executive director at the time. Her name was Elitte. She did a fantastic job during that time, but she got recruited by the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. So, as part of our bylaws, one of the executives needed to step in, and I got the lucky draw. I got the lucky hat, and I started this opportunity. And I have to say, I'm so grateful to be here with the Chamber of Commerce.

Dave Graham: Your academic background is impressive — an MBA, a Master's in international business, and a doctorate in higher education. How does that work for you in leading a community-based organisation such as the Chamber?

Dr. Omar Karim: What I am able to bring is a different lens — and maybe to build upon the amazing experience of the predecessors who have been in this role — but in particular, I think looking from a financial perspective. How can we support our businesses to excel, to grow? How can we think about looking at things in a little bit of a different way than we have in the past? A lot of the hats I wear are all connected to different relationships and opportunities for connection. So I think what I can bring to this Chamber, from an academic lens, is looking from a strategic perspective at how we can grow the opportunities for grant funding and research funding that we can connect — not only to Vancouver Island University, but to other institutions all across Canada. In addition to that, my MBA background and my Master of Science in international business provides a really interesting opportunity. I feel that when you have these academic credentials, they really help you build these skills. And so I don't want to focus on the academic credentials — I want to focus on the skills that I can bring to the table, really helping rebuild the Chamber in a meaningful way that supports our members, taking that financial lens, and making the programs that we do in the Chamber sustainable and successful.

Dave Graham: You've worked with youth and emerging leaders from over 25 countries through your Global Emerging Leadership Program. Can you put a spin on the Parksville Chamber of Commerce from a global perspective?

Dr. Omar Karim: It's so interesting you say that. I was invited to speak at the United Nations for some of the work that I've done through the Global Emerging Leadership Programs. There's a lot of work we've done in different countries. We've brought in academic leadership, industry leaders, indigenous leadership, and we've done these multi-city tours. I've been to India — we did 18 days, nine cities, 13 leadership conferences. One was at the Mumbai World Trade Centre, their skills development centre. We've worked with organizations in Dubai, and I have so many stories and learnings — relearning and unlearning. I could share and talk all day, but I think I'll just focus on the lens that I can bring to the Chamber from a global perspective. Sometimes I feel like I've grown up with this level of privilege and I understand that this is my lived experience. But when I've travelled to different countries, you're learning about other people's lived experiences. You learn about best practices. So when I was coming back to early in this story, I was talking about the opportunity I had to present at the United Nations. At this time, I was actually just starting with the Chamber. And I actually met different representatives of Chambers of Commerce from different countries. One of the contacts I actually met — his name is Dr. Josh Ramos. He's the CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. So we're in talks about how we can do some partnership work with Parksville, how we can take Parksville to a different level.

I think we are so blessed to have a beautiful beach and a beautiful community. We have best practices that folks in different countries can learn from, but we can also adopt best practices from other countries — what other chambers are doing, what other businesses are doing — and taking that knowledge and sharing it to develop together. So I think that's the lens I would bring, and how I can bring that full circle.

Dave Graham: As you mentioned, you spoke at the United Nations International Diplomats Conference in Thailand on global leadership. What's an idea that you can speak of from that world stage that could be applied right here in Parksville?

Dr. Omar Karim: I have to say — a focus on youth entrepreneurship. That is a big thing that I think a lot of us assume is implied and is happening. But how do we actually take the leadership to lead that level of work? What I'm really excited to mention is that at the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce, we've launched a youth membership pass. This is for ages 13 up to 30. And I want to be clear — I am not a youth member. I'm above the age of 30, just to be clear. But between the ages of 13 and 30, we have opportunities for young folks to engage in leadership development and build their entrepreneurial skills. We have a leadership program happening in April.

Every member that has access to the pass can also attend the Global Summit, which happens in June. We're looking at other professional development, volunteer, and service learning opportunities that students can engage in with the Chamber throughout the year, to inspire that entrepreneurial spirit that actually serves what we stand for as a Chamber — and that's really about accelerating and growing business. Our new tagline is actually "Building a thriving business community together."

Dave Graham: I'd like to back up just a smidge — for those unfamiliar with Chamber of Commerce operations, can you briefly describe what you do here on a daily basis?

Dr. Omar Karim: It's a wide question because there are so many components. From an operations perspective, we have so many new members that are now signing up to become a part of the Chamber of Commerce. I would split it up into a few components. Component number one is community engagement — really representing and advocating for the rights of our businesses. There are a few things that we're actually working on right now to advocate with the City of Parksville. In addition to advocacy work, it's also about membership benefits and helping accelerate the work of businesses. One of the new initiatives that we've started here at the Chamber of Commerce is a pilot program we've launched called an Entrepreneur Hub.

Essentially, it's an opportunity where businesses can have a place for shared services to support and accelerate some of the work that they're trying to do in the community. We've partnered with universities and colleges. Right now we're partnering with Vancouver Island University and some other programs that are in the works, to support entrepreneurship, to support talent retention, but also to support that small and medium-sized business that may not have that $4,000 or $5,000 to hire a marketing firm to do their social media campaigns. Maybe they have a smaller budget that may not fit for a large firm, but could fit for an entrepreneur. How can we help them get a kickstart — get started where we can help develop systems to support those businesses?

So for me, it's not only about the community engagement piece and the business advocacy piece, but it's really about understanding the needs of our members and how we can help them take the next step and level in their business operations. The other main component is obviously our benefits and the networking opportunities.

We have been listening to our members. Members want the dinners; they want the networking opportunities. So you'll notice we had a welcome back event at the Bradley Centre, even showcasing community spaces. We had over 160 folks attend this event. We have our Business Awards Gala coming up, our golf tournament at the end of May, and further dinners and networking opportunities. One of the highlights, I would say, is the Business After Business events that happen monthly, and our monthly lunch and learns.

Dave Graham: The Chamber represents hundreds of member businesses. When you first stepped into this role, were you at all surprised by the breadth of the membership?

Dr. Omar Karim: 100%. I am really grateful to be in a place where I can take a moment, take a step back, and then learn, understand, and participate. And I think sometimes we just jump to participate. I think just taking a step back to look at the diverse portfolio of our membership — and the amazing services that our membership can offer to collaborate with one another, connect with one another — I see the opportunity of learning about our members.

As I continue in this role, I would love to meet with each and every one of our members, even just a phone call, to understand their needs, to understand how the Chamber can come in to support who they are. Even if we had members who were members before and are not currently members, I would love to learn what we could have done better.

Dave Graham: One of the conversations that's been very public lately is the Chamber's request for increased funding from the City of Parksville to help sustain the Visitor Centre. So here's your chance to walk listeners through why the centre matters — not only economically, but in terms of the community's identity.

Dr. Omar Karim: The Visitor Centre is the first welcoming space before you enter the beauty of Parksville. We have a whole list and track record of how many visitors come to the centre, learning about the many amazing businesses and organizations that we have here, learning about where to go for dining, where to stay, and what types of activities are available.

The importance of the Visitor Centre — it's been a hub of the Chamber. It's been a hub of learning about Parksville, our community, and what we stand for. I've been here for a short time and I'm still learning and relearning. In this context, I would have to say that the Visitor Centre has existed for a long period of time. We have public washrooms available. We have events that are held around this space. We have a beautiful museum that's walking distance from right here. It's a place for our community. And when I look at community spaces and places, one of the reasons why we have in the past requested an increase in the fee for the Visitor Centre is that the last time there was a significant increase — I think it was in the 1990s — the Visitor Centre was funded at around $50,000. It has only nominally increased to a point where we need to look at opportunities around how we sustain ourselves. So when thinking about the increase in service, we want to make sure that we have a place that's welcoming for all visitors who are coming to Parksville, where we are a tourism town as well.

A place where people can learn about different opportunities, and for us to maintain the space — the building, maintenance, even things like the flagpoles outside. There are costs involved in maintaining that. And so one of the reasons we were speaking to the City of Parksville about this was that we want to continue the service. We want to uplift the service, but to do so, we just want to make sure we're in line with what other visitor centres are also receiving, and also in line with the increase in inflation costs of what it is to run a space like this. So we need to catch up to what the true costs are to hold a space like this.

Dave Graham: You've said your focus is on strengthening relationships with local businesses and supporting inclusive economic growth. I'm wondering if you could expand on the inclusive concept.

Dr. Omar Karim: So when we talk about inclusive economic growth, I think we're thinking about different demographics of folks. We're talking about, for example, the youth membership pass that we've just launched — talking about entrepreneurship at a young age. But there's also the notion of lifelong learning, from 13 years old to when I'm 90 or 90 plus. There's this notion of lifelong learning in this process.

So when we think about inclusivity, I think about diversity of people, culture, and backgrounds — diversity in types of businesses. That is a reflection of what we've seen in Parksville. You see different ethnic businesses, different cultural locations and spaces that are offered here in Parksville.

For me, when we think about that, it's really about understanding who we are as a community. There are a lot of people looking to come to Parksville. How can I settle here? How can I start my business here? How do we reach out to those communities? Sometimes, knowing that existing communities exist in Parksville might actually be an attractive factor for a lot of people to move here. So I'm looking at it from an economic development perspective — bringing in new types of businesses that maybe we don't yet have here, representing a demographic of people that could be really exciting to have in Parksville. Maybe there's a group we have in Parksville that we want to expand or connect to other regions of Vancouver Island.

When we think about inclusion, there are so many lenses of inclusion. But I think coming back to that — to learning, understanding, and participating — so learning about our community, understanding the demographics of our community, understanding the needs of our community, understanding what our community has to offer to the global world, to our provincial world, to our national world across Canada. And then to be able to see what we can do as a Chamber to position ourselves to showcase the beauty of Parksville and why you should be here.

Dave Graham: The Chamber hosts a number of events annually, including favorites like the Summer by the Sea Street Market — which I can't believe is heading into its 22nd year already. Are there any new events or initiatives coming this year that you can talk about?

Dr. Omar Karim: We at the Chamber have launched lunch and learns — monthly lunch and learns where we showcase a member, we showcase a story, the first Thursday of each month. You can find all of this on our website. We actually have something new with the Chamber — we have a newly revamped website. You'll be able to see all the benefits of the Chamber. You'll also be able to look at upcoming events, and you'll be able to filter events based on networking events, gala events, festival events, workshops, and professional development opportunities. You'll also be able to go on the website to see when the Visitor Centre is open and learn about the services of the Visitor Centre.

In addition to that, we actually have this economic insight platform embedded in the website that gives you an up-to-date insight about the community of Parksville and some of the data of folks that are here as well. And we talked about that a little bit earlier. So the website is something new that has come out for us.

We've had new events. We'll be doing an annual welcome back event — we just did our annual event at the end of January. A lot of the new things you'll see at Parksville is that we are coming to a place of improving our digital literacy. What I mean by that is you'll now notice all our membership is digitized. I know in the past, members would have to call in during a certain period of time — I think it was Tuesday to Thursday when our member was in the office — to pay for your membership. Now you can go online, choose the membership option that you like best, and pay directly online. You'll get an invoice that you can pay online. You can pay by cheque. If you prefer to come in person or if you prefer to call in to pay, you're welcome to do that as well. So we're trying to create accessible options for our members.

What we're really excited to announce is we're bringing back the Business Excellence Awards. It's been about two to three years since it's happened in this community. Our board has been so fantastic in bringing back these initiatives that were traditions and legacies for this Chamber. So the Business Awards will be happening on April 9th. We have 16 awards — it's going to be amazing. We'll see our golf tournament at the end of May. And you also mentioned the Summer by the Sea Market. And then there'll be other events to follow. If there are any members who are listening to this podcast who have ideas, have innovations, or there are things they'd like us to do — come and talk to us. Our doors are fully open. We want to think about how we can take what we do to the next level.

Dave Graham: You are also a board member representing Vancouver Island University, and I'm wondering how you see the relationship between post-secondary education and business development locally, and how it is evolving here.

Dr. Omar Karim: That's a great question. I think that in terms of post-secondary education, post-secondary education is changing. What does it mean to get your degree? What is your return on investment for your degree, and how do you apply that degree in different industries and spaces? A new concept that people are probably familiar with is work-integrated learning — this is work practical skills that can come in the form of internships, co-op work, and practical experiences.

There's a bit of a knowledge gap in terms of understanding how businesses can access talent, and that talent is being recruited by institutions like Vancouver Island University. There's North Island College, there are other institutions on Vancouver Island and across British Columbia. How do we help support businesses to access talent? Then also, access grants to cover or subsidize the cost of some of that talent, which at the end of the day will help us grow and accelerate our business community.

Dave Graham: The last question — and this is for small business owners or entrepreneurs out there who are listening and haven't yet connected with the Chamber — this is your chance to do the pitch. Why should I become a member?

Dr. Omar Karim: You should become a member because what we're trying to do is innovate and help you take your business to the next level. What that means is, if you're looking for support services, if you're looking for benefits — whether it's our Chamber insurance plan or other benefits — and in addition to that, if you're looking for ideation, thoughts on how to take your business to the next level, let's have a conversation. I think it's really important to have an open door policy. Come and visit us. We'd love to see how we can support you in growing your business, accelerating your business, expanding your business.

One thing I want to add is that we actually have a new boardroom that all our members get free access to. So if you're a remote business and you think, "Oh, where do I fit?" — you do fit here as well. If you ever want to meet your client in person, or take a meeting in a place that's different from your home, come and talk to us. We have a space for you as well. What we're trying to do is create a platform that is welcoming, inclusive, and provides accessibility and opportunities for learning and professional development for our membership. And I think these are all really strong reasons why you should join the Chamber.

Peter McCully: For more information about the Parksville Chamber of Commerce and the upcoming Business Awards, visit parksvillechamber.com.

Dave Graham: If you have someone in mind that you think we should be talking to, then please reach out to us. You can leave a voice or text message. Head to our website and click on the contact link. You'll find us at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Peter McCully: And we've added Vancouver Island webcam links to the thepulsecommunity.ca website. Not only will you find links to all our podcasts, but events and contests as well.

Dave Graham: A reminder that you can also find us on Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. We're also on Facebook and Instagram.

Ian Lindsay: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX — Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network — since 1996. Marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Elbow Up VanIsle: Hi, Dave and Peter. Elbows Up Van Isle is calling on Vancouver Island residents to stand with us in solidarity for our No Tyrants rally, held in conjunction with the No Kings movement taking place in the US and internationally. Join us on Saturday, March 28th from noon to 2:00 PM along the highway at Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo, at the intersection of Terminal Avenue and Comox Road. The rights and freedoms we cherish don't protect themselves — people do. We're watching cruelty, corruption, and chaos unfold in the US, and we're hearing echoes of the same kind of rhetoric here at home. Some Canadian political voices are trying to divide us and pull our country in the same dangerous direction. So join us on March 28th. Bring your friends, your family, your energy, and your signs. Find updates on our Elbows Up Van Isle Facebook group. If you're not on Facebook, go to our website, elbowsupvanisle.ca. Thank you.

Dave Graham: Peter, I've been thinking more about the time change. Personally, I liked having that little shake-up every six months — it kept me on my toes. The twice-yearly time change kept me on my toes. I don't actually like being on my toes that much, so twice a year was a good fit. But the part about keeping track — all that springing back and falling ahead business — I have to admit, it pushed my coping skills quite a bit. You know what though? I just realized I'm not really going to miss the time change after all. That's a bit of a relief. And here is Marilyn to introduce our next guest.

Marilyn: Award-winning blues-rock guitarist Colin James brings his acclaimed Chasing the Sun Tour to Vancouver Island this spring, with shows scheduled across the island. The eight-time Juno winner has deep family roots on Vancouver Island.

Peter McCully: Thanks for making time for us today, Colin.

Colin James: Of course.

Peter McCully: We've caught you when you're at home, which is unusual these days. Really?

Colin James: Yes, fairly unusual. We went through a kind of a big round of touring recently. I've been off for a little bit now. At this point, I'm off all the way until April. So right now is a time to gather, work on some music, be at home. Enjoy this kind of early spring that we seem to be getting here in Vancouver. It's — boy, what a beautiful day today. We went through a pretty intense little tour. We went over to Europe for three weeks, came straight back and went on two separate acoustic tours in Canada — the East Coast, the Maritimes, and then BC. So we worked a lot, and we just finished a couple of little big band shows at the Commodore, which were intense.

Peter McCully: You're going to be out on a US tour in April before you head to Vancouver Island, which is what we want to talk about as well. You're heading out with Terra Lightfoot, whom you've shared the stage with before.

Colin James: That's right. Terra opened my whole last Canadian tour. She also wrote, by the way, two songs on my last record with me and a couple of other people. She's a very talented, fantastic person — enjoyable to be around. We did a show in Europe just a couple of months ago, which was really odd, being with a fellow Canadian in the middle of Denmark at this really cool venue, and it was super fun. This American tour is going to be pretty intense — lots of drives, lots of long drives — but I'm looking forward to it. Playing some cities I've never been to before — Salt Lake City, I don't think I've ever played Salt Lake City, and Kansas City, I don't think I've played Kansas City since 1989. It's about time.

Peter McCully: We were chatting just after you released the album Open Road, and since then you've released the album Chasing the Sun. And except for that little blip called COVID — where the touring schedules were ruined for everyone — you really haven't taken your foot off the gas in probably 45 years, ever since you played with Sow Hot and Buffalo Chips.

Colin James: Oh no. That name plagues me. I used to say, "Why did you have to name the band that?" Really. You know, I guess when you're a working musician — especially a self-employed, working musician — you've got to keep it going. And as you mentioned, the pandemic put everyone on the back foot. Man, that thing echoed for a while with us because of course you couldn't work. All the stuff we did to keep ourselves busy and sane was not revenue-making. You've got to work. And I've always felt the need to — whether I like it or not — put a record out every two years. That's been my MO over the years. And of course with Spotify, that has all changed in the way people get paid. And what it means to make a record — some people suggest you shouldn't even make records anymore. You should just put out singles. But I've always had this need to have a body of work that I can look at — as a marker of history for those two years. I like to put in a concerted effort, and some people say that you don't really need to do that anymore. But this is the way I've always done it, and old habits die hard, I guess.

Peter McCully: When I mentioned Sod Hut and Buffalo Chips, that was one of the bands you were in as a teenager.

Colin James: I was 13 — or even 12 — when I joined that band. And it was basically a collective of folk musicians. It was autoharps and acoustic guitars and fiddles and banjos and mandolins. And from the age of about 12 or 13 to 16, I mostly played mandolin. I put down the guitar for a while. I was going to become a roots Celtic bluegrass player. That was my intention. Until I saw James Cotton at the Winnipeg Folk Festival and it blew my mind and changed my whole course.

Peter McCully: Well, there'll be stories about that in your new book, which we're looking forward to in the next number of months or so.

Colin James: Yes, there will be. Writing a book was something I never really aspired to. The offer came up and a couple of my friends — like Tom Wilson — have written a book. I wasn't sure how it would be, but I ended up really enjoying the process of looking at your whole life and figuring out how it all happened. And you know, when you're in your early twenties and late teens, things happen so fast. The hardest thing about writing this memoir — which is what it is, a memoir — was just trying to remember when things happened. And you can't just say it happened; you have to corroborate it with evidence and go down the trail — checking out newspaper articles and going way back into it. My older brother read the book and said, "Man, I didn't know that happened. I was in Vancouver when you were still in Saskatchewan. How did that happen?" He filled some holes for my family as well, trying to figure out how it all happened.

Peter McCully: And is this the whole story or is this a few chapters of your story?

Colin James: It really takes me all the way until I got signed by Virgin Records America — to the point where I played a showcase for them at the Town Pump in Vancouver, and they signed me to a multi-record deal, and flying to LA and flying to Miami and starting my record with Tom Dowd. That's where it pretty much ends — at the end of my first record. You always have to leave some room for a second book, in case people find the first interesting enough.

Peter McCully: I'll be back.

Colin James: Yes, exactly. And just going back through the timeline — I had a very good co-writer working with me. I really wanted to make sure there was humour in the book, and that it wasn't just a dry read — just some humanity in it. As they always say, you want the blood on the paper — that's the old writing phrase. But it was actually cathartic and I'm glad I did it. I enjoyed it. In writing songs, in writing set lists, or even in anything, you don't realize you're editing your whole life. So going over it with people and getting rid of extraneous stuff and trying to keep it pertinent and flowing — it was a great experience. I have to say.

Peter McCully: I'm not sure a lot of folks know this, but you are an avid cyclist, and the title of the album, Chasing the Sun, has a very specific meaning for you.

Colin James: I live in North Vancouver. I bike ride every single day just about, unless it's really raining. I'm always heading out towards Horseshoe Bay. That's my long ride from North Van to Horseshoe, and I'm always chasing the sun. I usually ride around one or two, to be done by three or four. And I always find myself watching the sun slowly go down to the west by the end of my ride. So it just became a metaphor for other things as well — looking for the bright side, however you want to put it. But yes, it spoke to me as a rider, for sure.

Peter McCully: And you've got a number of family connections on Vancouver Island?

Colin James: I do. My brother lives there. I have some other family on my wife's side over there. My mother sadly passed last fall. She was in Duncan. So now I get over there a couple of times a year to go visit my mom's grave site. I've always loved the island. I went there the first time with my mom when I was about 10 years old with the family. I've always loved the feel over there — when I still lived in Saskatchewan, going to Victoria and going, "My God, look at this springtime here." And of course my wife was from Victoria when we met, so it's always had a special place for me.

I just had everyone here from the Little Big Band, so I had all of these Torontonians and Hamiltonians and Rhode Islanders here, and the weather we had last weekend was insanely beautiful and they all had to fly back to Toronto to minus 18 degrees. And it's hard not to be a little smug — although I know a lot of people don't love the rain. My God, I don't love the rain. But I'll tell you what, I know what I'd take first.

Peter McCully: So Colin, when you head to Vancouver Island, you're literally going to be playing for family and friends in communities where you've got some connections — not just another tour stop. Sounds like a bit of a homecoming, actually.

Colin James: We've had a lot of shows over there. I've been playing the Royal Theatre in Victoria — must be 15 times now. And then between all the other stops, whether it's Parksville or Campbell River or Duncan, I've done them for a long time and I always have a great time. Yes.

Peter McCully: You've got dates up and down the island — Nanaimo, Sidney, Campbell River, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni. Folks can check the show notes for dates and venues. A lot of good cycling on the island, Colin.

Colin James: Yes, it's hard on the road sometimes to make that happen. I've done it, but you're just constantly bringing the bike back and forth from the car to the venue, and I don't know. I'm not sure if it's in the cards, because touring's intense and we often do four to five shows in a row. We try to take a break one day every four or five just to give the pipes a chance to rest. But I find once you get into road mode, you always have the best intentions — I'm going to write songs on the road this time, I'm going to do this. And really, it's survival of the fittest, man. It's like you're going from one Starbucks to the Tim Hortons to the venue to the hotel, waking up early, and doing it again. It's busy and usually pretty all-encompassing.

Peter McCully: Did I read somewhere that you're playing on a cruise? I think perhaps somewhere around Portugal.

Colin James: I'm doing that this year. The last time I was supposed to play a cruise was in France, and I got hit by a car in Albany, New York, and that put me out for a number of months. This year in September, we are playing the Douro — a riverboat on the Douro River in Portugal — for 10 days, which should be fantastic. And around that time we're also touring back to Denmark and Germany and Sweden, and I think we're playing a bit in France in September or October. I have an agency over in Europe now. We're starting to try to get that to work better. One of the club owners from Denmark actually flew all the way from Denmark to see the Little Big Band show last weekend. It was fun to see him. I'm playing his club for two solid days coming up next fall.

Peter McCully: These cruises for musicians and tours are really becoming a thing. I chatted with Natalie MacMaster, who was doing a riverboat cruise — I think it was on the Rhine. I see Stephen Fearing is doing a Scottish tour. Randy Bachman seems to like these classic rock cruises out of Florida.

Colin James: And I do the blues cruises every two years that go down through the Caribbean. And those are often super fun. There's always a few friends of mine, whether it's Ronnie Baker Brooks out of Chicago. It's a community that I know quite well now, so it's always a bit of a homecoming.

Peter McCully: Colin, I wanted to go back to something you mentioned, which was the car accident. I understand you fractured your wrist in that accident. Has it healed up okay? You're playing guitar?

Colin James: Yes, I had to have surgery on it. There were a couple of bones broken deep inside the wrist and they had to put a screw in to hold them together so they don't break apart. That put me out for a while. It took me a while to grab a guitar. I was scared to play at first. I started out on the mandolin because the stretch was a little more doable. So thank God for the mandolin — it got me back in the swing of things, and now I barely know I did it. That's the thing with surgery — it just takes time. You can't really push the river; you've got to just lay back and realize it's going to take time. But I've done a fair amount of touring since then. There's a little residual numbness I can feel, but generally I'm back completely and I don't even notice it anymore. And that's where I hope to stay — to the point where I'm not thinking about it. And that's definitely happened. It was actually my foot that took the worst of it all and it had to have multiple surgeries.

Peter McCully: So everything's good now.

Colin James: Yes. Oh yes. It didn't take me too long to get back on the bike, but it was a three or four month recovery. And the first thing I did was go do a blues cruise. I remember my first show was in Florida at a little club. That was the first time I had to stand up for an hour and a half with a guitar in my hands, and it was nerve-wracking, but doable. Had a bit of a limp for a while, but that eventually went away.

Peter McCully: Tell us about the song "Just a Little Love," Colin. It's one that you're playing with the trio while you're on tour on the island.

Colin James: It's one of 45-odd songs I've written with my longtime co-writer Tom Wilson, and we've just over the years written so many songs, and it was one I've always loved. It's still in my set. You write songs and you hope they stay. Some of them will find a place in your set and some live on. This is one that's lived on. It's just a friend maker. It's got a great little train beat. I just always enjoy it.

Peter McCully: Well, it might seem like a strange question, Colin, but I was wondering how you're sleeping these days. Because I recall a conversation we had a few years back where you told me that after a concert or a gig, you were pretty much wide awake until breakfast time and then you wandered off for some sleep.

Colin James: I do suffer from insomnia on a large tour fairly often, and I just find you have to make it work. It sounds lazy, saying I sleep till two or three, but I stay up until eight. I know. Usually I don't go to bed until we get to the next city. That's how it usually works. The bus comes and gets everybody at 1:00 AM from the hotel after the show. You pack up your room, you get on the bus, it takes a couple of hours to wind down — if you wind down enough to get to the point where you're sleeping — and we're arriving at six in the morning. So do I go to sleep in my bunk and wake up in the bunk, or do I stay up, hit my hotel so I'm comfortably in bed, and sleep until two or three? Often I'll do that, because it just seems to work out better. You're not woken up at some ungodly hour and have to wake up enough to get your stuff to the room, which wakes you up so you can't go back to sleep again. Everyone's different, but it's definitely a challenge.

Peter McCully: Stevie Ray Vaughan changed your life when he invited you to tour with him — and that's a while ago, 1984. It's probably just like yesterday for you. One of those "don't blink or you'll miss it" moments. But I'm wondering if there are still lessons that Stevie Ray taught you, or that you've learned from Stevie Ray, that still guide you today?

Colin James: If it guides me in any way at all, it guides me in the sense that I remain truly appreciative of being able to play to this day — after 21 records, being able to continue what I do and what I love. Stevie got cut short and didn't have that opportunity to become maybe the jazz musician he could have become, and all the stuff he loved. He was just so smoking good. The sky was the limit. Who knows what would have happened. So just remaining grateful for being able to do what I love for a living. You know, he was just so ridiculously good. There's not been, in my opinion, anyone close to that kind of connectivity that he had with the fretboard and with the soul of it. A lot of people can do speed, but Stevie could do speed and feeling, and that's magic.

Peter McCully: What's still left on your musical bucket list, Colin?

Colin James: What is left, man? A lot. I listen to a lot of music and everyone's hope is that you write songs — you write with a band such that if it's a pop song, finish a pop song. If it's a blues song, finish the blues song. Don't get stuck in a box. I think that's the hardest thing for anyone to do — just don't let it become rules. Allow yourself to write a pop song once in a while. Allow yourself to go down those roads. Make a record. Make a record that you've never made before. Do another acoustic record. Maybe make another Little Big Band record when you're ready, when you feel like it, and keep your mind open. I guess that's it.

Dave Graham: Colin James and his Chasing the Sun Tour coming to the island in May, with stops in Sidney, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni, and Campbell River. We'll have the links and ticket info on our story notes at thepulsecommunity.ca. Now, I remember bringing Colin onto the stage for a show at Mount Washington — oh, I guess this would have been sometime around 1998. I'm sure he'll remember. Hey Colin, it's me, David. You remember me, right? So, you know, call me when you can. I want you to hear me play your song "Voodoo Thing." I have most of the first few notes down, and they're pretty much in the right order, I think. Call me.

Peter McCully: The Pulse Community now includes Cindy Thompson of Parksville with The Resilience Project. Through guest stories, listeners will hear how to go from surviving to thriving.

Dave Graham: Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood — the Non-Partisan Hacks — take listeners behind the scenes of municipal advocacy work that directly impacts Vancouver Island taxpayers.

Peter McCully: And our Skookum Kid Stories feature Captain Dave and the crew of the Mellow Submarine, and Peter and Gracie, the sled dog. Our kid stories now offer colouring pages to go along with each new episode.

Dave Graham: And our Radio Archeology classic radio series features original episodes of Dragnet, featuring Sergeant Joe Friday, and Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.

Peter McCully: You'll find these podcasts and more at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Dave Graham: And while you're on the website, sign up for our weekly newsletter. It'll keep you up to date on the latest podcast guests and contests.

Peter McCully: A reminder of our new contest for tickets to Sun Fest. Details coming soon.

Dave Graham: And get out there and enjoy spring in one of the best places on earth. By that I mean here on Vancouver Island. I've been hearing more birdsong lately — oh, especially the robin. You know how it's one of my favourite sounds of all time. Now, with the time change — what is it now? Do we have more daylight in the morning? Now you see, I'm confused again. So if you fall forward, you get more darkness and more — nah, I don't know.

Peter McCully: It's all over now, Dave. You don't have to worry about it anymore.

Dave Graham: The time change is over. Yes.

Peter McCully: But the podcast is also over, so it's time to go. I think you could use a nap, my friend.

Dave Graham: This podcast is over and the time change is over, but I've got to get this time change thing straight. So it means what now? Spring is coming sooner? No, I'm confused again. Does that make the afternoon shorter or do the evenings now start later? Oh, what did the groundhog say?

Rockin' Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter, here comes Dave — oh, listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missin'. Spinning tales in the podcast cave. So to speak. Laughs and insights everywhere. What a treat. Peter and Dave, they're on the mics — all right. Join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.