By Hope Lompe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Family and friends are continuing the search for a missing 34-year-old Ma’amtagila First Nation man and father of two on northern Vancouver Island as the RCMP suspends its search. James “Dakota” Smith, whose traditional name is X̱a’nalasis, was reported missing on Nov. 6 near Sayward. He took his canoe into the Johnstone Strait around noon to dispose of elk bones, a Ma’amtagila cultural practice. Smith left that afternoon from his village of Hiladi, where he lived and had been part of rebuilding for the past several years. “Dakota is a leader, someone who has been on the cutting edge of advocacy supporting the rebuilding of Hiladi,” said Smith’s cousin Andrew Ambers. After Smith failed to return a few hours later,…
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