Natasha Simpson on Muck Rack

Natasha Simpson

Victoria
As seen in: The Globe and Mail, The Tyee, The Martlet
Covers:  Features, Investigations, Opinion and Editorial, Health, Military, News
Thrillingly witty wearer of many hats, including freelance writer and journalist, and investigator with Firefly Consulting. She/her.
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Articles by Natasha Simpson

Hunger Strike Ends, but Old Growth Battle Just Beginning, Say Protesters

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Tyee Verified
News | Municipal Politics | Environment Lack of response from government led Nanaimo duo to give up fast after two weeks. Natasha Simpson 11 Aug 2020 | TheTyee.ca Natasha Simpson is a freelance journalist in Victoria, B.C. She shares everything she publishes on Twitter @_tashasimpson. When she’s not writing, she works as an investigator for Firefly Consulting. Robert Fuller and James Darling ended their hunger strike at a Nanaimo rally. Photo supplied.
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Starving for Old Growth Forests

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Tyee Verified
News | Environment Two Nanaimo men have launched a hunger strike to halt ‘incredibly shortsighted and stupid’ logging of ancient giants. Natasha Simpson Today | TheTyee.ca Natasha Simpson is a freelance journalist in Victoria, B.C. She shares everything she publishes on Twitter @_tashasimpson. When she’s not writing, she works as an investigator for Firefly Consulting. On July 27, James Darling and Robert Fuller stopped eating.
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Starving for Old Growth Forests

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Tyee Verified
Analysis | Environment Two Nanaimo men have launched a hunger strike to halt ‘incredibly shortsighted and stupid’ logging of ancient giants. Natasha Simpson 5 Aug 2020 | TheTyee.ca Natasha Simpson is a freelance journalist in Victoria, B.C. She shares everything she publishes on Twitter @_tashasimpson. When she’s not writing, she works as an investigator for Firefly Consulting. On July 27, James Darling and Robert Fuller stopped eating.
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Starving for Old Growth Forests

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Tyee Verified
News | Environment Two Nanaimo men have launched a hunger strike to halt ‘incredibly shortsighted and stupid’ logging of ancient giants. Natasha Simpson Yesterday | TheTyee.ca Natasha Simpson is a freelance journalist in Victoria, B.C. She shares everything she publishes on Twitter @_tashasimpson. When she’s not writing, she works as an investigator for Firefly Consulting. On July 27, James Darling and Robert Fuller stopped eating.
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The Pandemic Has Been Terrible for People, but Great for Orcas - The Capital

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By Tristin Hopper Verified, Natasha Simpson
| capnews.ca
COVID-19 According to experts, BC’s embattled killer whales are now enjoying quieter seas and increased fish A young resident killer whale chases a chinook salmon in the Salish Sea near San Juan Island, Washington, in September 2017 (Oregon State University) The near-unprecedented slowdown of marine traffic brought about by COVID-19 may have devastated the Vancouver Island economy, but it has almost certainly resulted in happier killer whales.
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Canada Has Race-Based Police Violence Too. We Don’t Know How Much

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Tyee Verified
Analysis | Rights + Justice It’s not just a US problem. Canada needs a national database for police use of force and deaths. Natasha Simpson 2 Jun 2020 | TheTyee.ca Natasha Simpson is a freelance journalist in Victoria, B.C. She shares everything she publishes on Twitter @_tashasimpson. When she's not writing, she hosts a podcast about women war reporters during the Second World War.
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Low Domestic Assault Numbers Not Reflective of Reality: Former VicPD Chief - The Capital

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By Natasha Simpson
| capnews.ca
COVID-19 Almost all of the usual drivers of domestic assault have gone up during the pandemic Graphic released by the Province of BC urging those facing partner violence through the pandemic to seek help (Province of BC). Despite only a minor reported increase in Victoria’s domestic assault calls throughout the length of pandemic lockdowns, a former Victoria Police interim chief says that the reality is quite likely much worse.
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Much of Canada’s Pacific Fleet Now Circling the Waters off Vancouver Island to Avoid Coronavirus - The Capital

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By Natasha Simpson
| capnews.ca
COVID-19 Sailors describe frustration with training amid marine quarantine odyssey HMCS Calgary leads a column of vessels past Cordova Bay in mid-April. CFB Esquimalt is in the midst of a massive deployment with the sole purpose of keeping sailors quarantine at sea (Photo by Royal Canadian Navy).
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Despite moving towards gender equality, look how far we haven’t come

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
As X-Site’s disturbing “Greta” decal demonstrates, misogyny is still latent in Canada Photo by Darian Lee Picture this: a naked girl, seen from behind, her long braids pulled back by two hands. Other than the hands, the girl’s sexual partner is not visible, but she is presumably being penetrated from behind. It’s a graphic image. However, some modifications have been made to the original sketch that change the meaning entirely.
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African and Caribbean Students’ Association showcases students’ talent in an art show

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
You could hear the art show before you could see it. Music bumped from the Michele Pujol room in the Student Union Building, beckoning viewers out of their post-reading break funk and towards the African and Caribbean Students’ Association’s (ACSA) Black History Month art show. The room was alive with enthusiasm as artists and their friends mingled, voices and laughter rising above the beat.
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Awareness and art on display at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
To Joanne Orr — Deputy CEO and Vice-President of Collections, Research, and International Programs at the Royal B.C. Museum — the 55th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is about more than simply showcasing stunning photography. “This exhibition focuses on the beauty of nature as our life support system and highlights the interdependence of people, plants, and animals in the natural world,” said Orr.
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UVic Women’s Rowing team deletes Instagram comments, shares photos of former rower critical of athletes who spoke out against head coach

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Athletes deleted comments criticizing Vikes Women’s Rowing and shared photos of athletes posing with a former rower who called abuse claimants “soft as play doh” Photo from Vikes Womens Rowing on Instagram In honour of 2020’s Bell Let’s Talk Day, the UVic women’s rowing team joined countless teams, businesses, and individuals in advocating for healthy mental health practices on Instagram.
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The language of identity: Pronouns, politics, and best practices

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Transgender UVic students share their experiences with coming out and using their chosen pronouns Photo by Darian Lee, Design Director “Hi, I’m so-and-so, and I use such-and-such pronouns.” To the average cisgender person, this might seem like an odd way to introduce oneself; however, according to third-year sociology student and peer leader with QVic Life Hanna Jacobsen, it’s a respectful way to make transgender people — anyone whose gender identity is not solely what they were assigned at...
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Scott Morrison’s leadership is a death sentence for Australia

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s refusal to accept the realities of climate change is putting his entire country at risk Illustration by Alessandra Azouri Depending on one’s political bent, there is a host of reasons to dislike the current Australian prime minister.
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Aftermath of Vikes Rowing investigation brings new policy and initiatives to Vikes athletics

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Vikes initiatives focused on supporting student-athletes, but administration still short on answers about oversight and prevention of abuse Photo by Joshua Ngenda, Photo Editor In October 2019, the Martlet reported on allegations of abuse and harassment made against Vikes Women’s Rowing Head Coach Barney Williams and the resulting investigation by UVic.
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The unfair public image costs of “policing poverty”

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Victoria’s housing and drug crises put police officers in a controversial position Image via the Victoria Police Department It’s always been normal to see people living on the street in Victoria. Like Vancouver, Victoria is one of the few urban centres in Canada where temperatures remain relatively livable year-round. The city is used to having a homeless population, so panhandling and sleeping rough is generally accepted as a regular sight in the downtown core.
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From service to the streets: veterans and Victoria’s housing crisis

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
The percentage of veterans among Victoria’s homeless exceeds both Vancouver and the national average There are currently 658 000 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veterans in Canada. These are men and women who completed their basic training and who were honourably discharged from either the Regular or Reserve Forces — and who, as a group, are considered an at-risk population by the National Housing Strategy.
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30 years after the Montreal Massacre, UVic’s memorial event acknowledges all forms of gender-based violence

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
UVic’s inclusive Walk of Silence Image via UVic, by Kim Dias On Dec. 6, 1989, 25-year-old Marc Lépine entered a classroom at École Polytechnique in Montreal with a hunting rifle. He ordered the male engineering students from the room, gathered the women together, and opened fire. After leaving that classroom, he roamed through the halls, the cafeteria, and another classroom, separating female students from their male colleagues and shooting to kill.
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For British Columbians feeling threatened by UNDRIP - don’t worry, there’s an escape clause!

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Although B.C. has voted UNDRIP into law, Indigenous nations will still not have veto power over projects involving their lands People assembled across Canada to protest the RCMP’s raid on Wet’suwet’en territory. File photo by Anna Dodd. The B.C. government stated its intention to write the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into B.C. law in a throne speech on Feb. 12, 2019. On Oct. 24, the declaration was introduced to the B.C. legislature in the form of Bill 41.
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“Plow ahead”: Vikes eager to move forward following Martlet investigation into allegations against head coach Barney Williams

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Williams apologizes to current rowers in closed-door meeting On Oct. 16, the Martlet reported on allegations of harassment and abuse by Barney Williams, Vikes Women’s Rowing Head Coach, who is allegedly under investigation by both UVic and Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA). That same day, the women’s rowing team was gathered by Director of Vikes Athletics and Recreation Clint Hamilton and Associate Director of Sport James Keogh for an emotional meeting. Williams, who returned to coaching on Oct.
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Put down the Christmas list - it’s poppy season first

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Christmas commercialism has gotten out of hand, and it’s making us forget about honour Image via Pixabay The holiday season is a time of many wonderful traditions: gingerbread cookies, family meals, presents, and ridiculous debates about the social acceptability of various pleasantries.
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Photojournalist Farah Nosh talks trauma and healing as 2019’s Harvey Southam lecturer

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
“Iraq and Haida Gwaii — that can only be one person” Farah Nosh, this year’s Harvey Southam lecturer. All photos by Leon Fei Nosh and Deborah Campbell, a professor at UVic. Farah Nosh started journalism school on September 11, 2001. In retrospect, she says this foreshadowed a lot of what was to come for her. She skipped writing classes to watch coverage of the war in Afghanistan, becoming ever more engaged with the post-9/11 narrative.
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Celebrated Vikes Women’s Rowing Head Coach under investigation for abuse and harassment

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Photo by Natasha Simpson, Senior Staff Writer In July 2018, the University of Victoria hired Barney Williams, former Vikes athlete and Olympic silver medalist, as head coach of the Vikes Women’s Rowing Team. By early September 2018, Assistant Director of Sports James Keogh had begun to receive complaints from athletes about their new coach’s conduct. In December, a female assistant coach brought her own allegations of abuse and harassment to Keogh.
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What if there really was a major spill?

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
The planned Trans Mountain Pipeline and Westridge Marine Terminal Expansion come with a 58-98 per cent chance of a spill within 50 years Photo via Pixabay The Salish Sea, comprised of the Strait of Georgia, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound, is one of the most biodiverse inland seas in the world.462 species of mammals, birds, and fish, and 3 000 species of invertebrates rely on this unique marine ecosystem.
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Little Big House to be a base for environmentalist, anti-colonialist movement

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Photo by Joshua Ngenda, Photo Editor On Sep. 23, the Little Big House Build began in the pouring rain. Inside a fenced construction area beside the Student Union Building, supporters and volunteers huddled under hoods and umbrellas, straining to hear Tiffany Joseph’s opening speech over the deluge. But Joseph wasn’t speaking English — at least not at first.
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Canada lacks clout

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
In 2015, Justin Trudeau — the man, the brand, the legacy — became Prime Minister of Canada. He was the darling of the Liberal party who promised to do politics differently. Nearly four years, many unmet expectations, one ethics scandal, and a pipeline saga later, many Canadians are past the honeymoon phase and are well aware of their prime minister’s notable flaws.
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Why the Southern Resident Killer Whales are Dying - The Capital

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By Natasha Simpson
| capnews.ca
The Royal B.C. Museum just announced that starting May 15, they are launching a major eight month exhibition on orcas. On the West Coast, the orcas that typically get the most attention are the Southern Resident Killer Whales, who are arguably among the world’s most famous marine mammals. Photographed almost every day from ferries and whale watching craft, they are the royal family of the Salish Sea; complete with front page headlines announcing births and deaths.
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The blue bin charade: what really happens to Canadian recycling

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Before you recycle those unwashed takeout containers, consider where your blue bin recyclables actually end up Graphic by Natalie Inez, Design Director Since Canada’s first implementation of curbside recycling programs in the 1980s, Canadians have dutifully filled our blue bins believing that we’re doing a good thing for the planet. And we are, but only to a limited degree. Much of what we put into our bins has never been recycled, and instead ends up in landfills around the world or burned.
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Blood and bruises: inclusive classrooms gone wrong

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
Teachers and students are increasingly at risk of attack in a system that cannot support traumatized and violent children in regular classrooms Illustration by Austin Willis, Design Director. VICTORIA B.C. – In Emily’s* primary school classroom, a student is triggered. Several people are attacked. Emily, the educational assistant (EA), and the other students are all at risk. The bad knee of the EA is a particular target. “Most of the time it seems like they go for your weak points,” Emily says.
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The slow death of the duct tape military

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By Natasha Simpson
| The Martlet Verified
The Canadian Armed Forces have become second hand and second rate. Here’s why you should care. Stock image accessed via Pixabay.com. In 1918, Canadian units were some of the British Expeditionary Force’s most effective fighters, with reputations as elite sharpshooters, night raiders, and shock troops. In 1945, Canada boasted the world’s third largest navy, fourth largest air force, and a six-division army.
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