“It’s taken me years to understand the depth of care and attention that the First Nations have brought to this landscape that we live in.” — Maureen Fraser 

In the heart of Načiks (Tofino), a small bakery is much more than a place for bread and pastries, it’s a community hub where activism, education, and connection come together. For nearly 50 years, the Common Loaf Bake Shop has been a gathering place for social action, driven by owner Maureen Fraser’s commitment to conservation, climate action, and allyship with Indigenous communities.

Maureen’s early support for the area’s Tribal Parks and her role in helping to secure a UNESCO designation for Clayoquot Sound reflected the Common Loaf’s role as a meeting and organizing place during protests against logging old-growth forests in the 80s and 90s. “There was always posters up, […] a big sign in the window that said, this business supports the preservation of Clayoquot Sound,” she recalls. This made it an ideal place for visitors to learn about the movement to protect the sound, including  nearby Meares Island. “I made no bones about the fact that that’s what this business supported,” she explains. Maureen made it the bakery’s mission to protect the region as best as it could. 

She remembers a defining moment that came from Moses Martin, a former Chief of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, who described the forest as a garden in the Tribal Park declaration. He explained that a garden requires care, respect, and an understanding of how to behave within it—an idea rooted in thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship. This concept shaped Maureen’s own perspective. Today she remains focused on finding new ways to protect what exists, strengthen conservation efforts, and make sure more people can participate in and benefit from this shared vision.

You’ll also learn about:

• What it means to treat the Tofino area and forests as a shared garden.
• How businesses can support education, advocacy, and community well-being.
• Food’s role in connecting people.
• The need to create diverse economic opportunities around Tofino. 
• Why community decisions must include all beings—human and non-human.

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Show notes

?iisaak Pledge —A commitment to practicing respect for the land, culture, and people of Tofino, inspired by the Nuu-chah-nulth teaching. 

Clayoquot Sound — An ecologically rich region covering 350,000 hectares of ancient temperate rainforest, ocean inlets, and coastal marine life.

Tourism Tofino — Tofino’s official not-for-profit destination marketing and management organization.

Tribal Park Allies — A certification program collecting a stewardship fee.