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Hello there!

We finally have an election result, both for the extremely close Westshore riding of Juan de Fuca – Malahat and for the BC election as a whole. Read about the outcomes of those races—and the way that racism, unfortunately, came into play—below.

— Cam

BC ELECTION

NDP prevails in Juan de Fuca – Malahat, sealing BC win and likely majority

Sooke councillor Dana Lajeunesse has won the new Westshore riding. He defeated Conservative Marina Sapozhnikov by 141 votes.

With wins in Juan de Fuca and the also-recounted Surrey City Centre, the NDP will have at least 46 of BC's 93 seats and will form the next government. Right now they are at 47 after flipping another Surrey riding, which along with Kelowna Centre will go to a judicial recount by the BC Supreme Court.

Tight local race took on key role in deciding BC's future

JDF–Malahat had BC's narrowest margin after initial vote counts on Oct. 19—meaning that its final tally could decide the government in a nearly tied race. It ended up being key to what appears to be a narrow NDP majority.

The close race was somewhat unexpected in a new riding whose main predecessor had long voted heavily for the NDP. Green David Evans did relatively well, but the race could have been even more hotly contested and unpredictable if party leader Sonia Furstenau had run there—as had been originally planned after her Shawnigan Lake home was redistricted into this Westshore riding rather than her usual Cowichan Valley one.

Lajeunesse elected, prompting Sooke byelection

Lajeunesse was a forestry worker until a major injury; he then began using a wheelchair and became a mechanical engineering technologist and worked at Camosun. He was elected in Sooke's 2019 byelection, and won kept his council seat in 2022.

Sooke will now need a new byelection to find a replacement councillor, as will Esquimalt after Darlene Rotchford was also elected as an NDP candidate.

See the Langford – Highlands and Esquimalt – Colwood election results here.

Losing candidate under fire for multiple anti-Indigenous comments on election night

The local riding drew an even hotter provincial spotlight after a recording emerged in which Sapozhnikov repeatedly denigrated Indigenous Peoples, history, and studies. This drew condemnation from First Nations groups, opposing politicians, and Sapozhnikov's own party leader. She made these comments, unprompted, on election night when a VIU journalism student was interviewing her for a course project.

The interview recording by Alyona Latsinnik was first shared with the Vancouver Sun. During a long conversation, Sapozhnikov learned Latsinnik was majoring in Indigenous Studies and said that the field was “all a lie" to present historical Indigenous Peoples as “some enlightened people.” She insisted they were instead “very simple," didn't have “any sophisticated laws,” and—using a term now usually seen as a slur—called them “savages [who] fought each other all the time.” Latsinnik did push back, pointing out that warring was frequent in Europe at the same time.

Sapozhnikov later walked back to only “90% savages,” and later she told Postmedia that she didn't think current-day Indigenous residents were savages but doubled down on insisting Indigenous courses had a misleading agenda. She also claimed to the Sun that as a doctor she “wasn't able to talk to” Indigenous patients, “[b]ecause they don't talk.”

Indigenous groups speak against candidate; party leader condemns

The Okanagan Nation Alliance said Sapozhnikov's comments “constitute a form of hate speech" and that First Nations have long “survived the racist and colonial views and actions of people like Ms. Sapozhnikov.” The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs called her words “unacceptable at every level.”

In email statements to media, party leader John Rustad said that the words were “inaccurate,” “profoundly harmful,” painted a “distorted picture,” and did not reflect the party. But, as it has been with other recent racism scandals in the party, he did not indicate they would be penalized. Kamloops Centre MLA-elect Peter Milobar, who has an Indigenous wife, also spoke against Sapozhnikov.

Read the full story here.

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NEWS

More driftwood delinquency in Colwood: Beach bird staues stolen

Last week RCMP announced that someone took a trio of animal art statues that have adorned Ocean Blvd, near Esquimalt Lagoon, but two were returned. The driftwood art by Paul Lewis included a kingfisher, squirrel, and hummingbird, while an owl was damaged. The kingfisher and squirrel were recovered on Oct. 25, RCMP said; they're still seeking tips.

This isn't the first incident of its kind in the Westshore. In 2018, statues at Esquimalt Lagoon were vandalized, and a year later, someone walked away with Eddie the Eagle–another Lewis creation. Lewis told CHEK at the time that “there's a lot of idiots out there,” pointing to the fruitlessness of a thief trying to sell of display such a recognizable piece.

This July, someone set fire to a statue of a mammoth at Royal Bay Beach and the Beachlands sign and a staircase also were damaged.

Most recently, a dinosaur was taken from Liquor Planet in Langford and later recovered.

Around the 'Shore

🥒 6 new pickleball courts to be built near Q Centre: In response to what it calls an overwhelming community interest and demand, West Shore Parks & Rec plans to build the courts on the Island Highway. WSPR has sent out a request for proposals to find a builder, and says the money will come from within the existing budget. The location, replacing existing beach volleyball courts, was chosen because it’s close to parking and washrooms but far from homes—which has been a courtside conundrum in the CRD. WSPR has also expanded its existing pickleball offerings this fall.

🚧 Lagoon Bridge partly closed today and tomorrow, 7am-3pm, with traffic control directing single-lane traffic. Meanwhile, there will be water main works for the next month on Metchosin Road between Royal Commons and Ryder Hesjedal Way. 

🚒 No injuries after Langford apartment fire: Langford Fire Rescue says that what initially sounded like an explosion to some residents turned out to only be a small fire in one unit, and the sprinklers’ reaction. The building on Hockley has water damage, but it is intact and residents are unharmed. [CHEK]

Community Events

⛸ Halloween Youth Skate: A Spooky Skate at JDF Arena tomorrow at 6:30pm. Wear a fun costume and enjoy family-friendly fun. $2 for 18 and under. Plus: More skating courses, starting tomorrow, have been added by West Shore Parks & Rec.

🧙‍♀️ Trick or Treat at Westshore Town Centre: A fa-boo-lous time with candy for costumed kids and glassed of Witches Brew. [Oct. 31]

🍬 Treat Street at Langford Station on Halloween. Hot dogs, candy, chocolate, music. [Info]

🎆 Camp Bernard's annual Halloween night event in Sooke. A community bonfire, hot dogs and hot chocolate, and a fireworks display over the lake. [Info]

🎻 Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra's fall concert is this Sunday.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 The YM Mutuality is a container ship built in 2011 and sailing under the flag of Liberia, from 🇺🇸 Tacoma, USA ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver.

🚢 The PVT Flora is a chemical/oil products tanker built in 2010 and sailing under the flag of Panama, from 🇺🇸 Rodeo, USA ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver.

⛴ Victoria-based coast guard ship (CCGS) Sir Wilfrid Laurier got back in port in Esquimalt yesterday, after a North Pacific trip that Fisheries & Oceans says caught improper shark fin fishing, unreported catches, and “dark vessels" that had their monitoring systems switched off.

Westshore Snaps

“Black Bear feeding away. Appearing in certain areas of Colwood with its 3 cubs.” – Gary Woodburn

This bear quartet has been the talk of Colwood for much of the month, appearing around Triangle Mountain, Royal Bay, and Esquimalt Lagoon. Conservation officers have been monitoring them and wildlife experts advise to not allow any accessible outdoor food sources. 

My, what big teeth you have: Last week a mysterious dead fish on a Metchosin beach looked like it was almost all teeth. The Marine Detective explained why—and it involves the fish having a second set of teeth in its throat!

That’s it!

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