Victoria police are currently at Johnson Street bridge for a report of a person in the water.

A VicPD officer who was in the water searching for the person for a significant amount of time is now being treated by paramedics for exposure to the cold.

According to police, they’re continuing to search for the person in the water.

The bridge is still open to traffic and pedestrians at this time.

More to come.

The BC Green Party announced their full election platform on Wednesday, becoming the last of the three major parties to do so.

Fresh off a debate performance that was widely praised by commentators across BC media, leader Sonia Furstenau announced the platform at a campaign stop in New Westminster.

“The pandemic has hurt young people, service and hospitality industry workers, as well as small business and the tourism sector,” Furstenau said.

“COVID-19 has also disproportionately affected women…and it has come at a heartbreaking cost to seniors.”

She added that a promise to shift money from for-profit long-term care and to reform the system had already been announced.

Other promises announced earlier by the Green Party in the campaign include:

• A pledge to fund free early childhood education programs for 3 and 4-year-olds
• $300 million for rent subsidies to small businesses
• Establishing a $1 billion mental health fund
• Re-working transit strategy by eliminating PST on e-bikes, supporting active infrastructure like bike lanes, promoting neighbourhood car co-ops, and reworking local government finances to be less reliant on property taxes
• Establishing a repayable loan program for tourism operators

One of the biggest highlights of the full Green platform is a pledge to “integrate the principles of basic income.”

While the platform doesn’t offer a fully universal income, the Green Party promised they would begin a transition towards basic income by making $300 crisis supplements through income and disability assistance permanent.

They would also index assistance to inflation, and eliminate asset tests.

The party also pledged to reduce clawbacks on earned income to reduce the disincentive to work and would establish a 12-month period where those who qualify for income assistance can earn extra income without clawbacks.

The BC Green Party also said they would eliminate loopholes on the speculation tax, while promising to create a task force on employment standards that would “ensure that multinational companies are paying their fair share of taxes in BC.”

Additional promises include:

• Introducing equal pay legislation
• Offering free prescription contraception for people under 25, and removing PST on all prescription contraceptive products
• Bringing back BC Ferries as a crown corporation
• Establishing a $500 million fund to support sustainable jobs

The full platform is available on the BC Green Party website.

The search is on for a family who may be missing some precious family mementos!

Victoria police have released three of 30 photos found in a parking lot in the 800-block of Bay Street on October 12th.

They released the photos with the hopes of reuniting them with the family.

The photographs include images of a young family and VicPD believe these may be valued family possessions.

https://twitter.com/vicpdcanada/status/1316464131990458368?s=20

If you recognize the people in these photographs or have information about who they may be, call the VicPD non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654.

To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

From October 10 to 16, Victoria Buzz will be profiling the seven ridings in the Greater Victoria area.

We reached out to candidates to provide information on what they think the most important issues are in this election.

Today we’re looking at the riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca.

This riding is relatively new, being first created in a redrawing of boundaries in 2015, and contested only once in its current form, in 2017.

Here are the candidates running for the riding:

Green Party – Gord Baird

Age: 51
Background: Business owner, Councillor

Key issues:
“This election has me focused on three main issues, all of which are interconnected.

The climate and ecological crisis – unrealistic plans continue to be guided not by science, but instead what is palatable politically.

Community resilience and well-being is another issue close to home as I witness antiquated legislation tear communities apart and divert their attention from being able to focus on responding to the climate crisis.

The issue that triggered my decision and made me commit was the abuse of democracy from the premeditated ‘snap’ election – let alone using the pandemic as the rationale. I can’t look away.”

Communist Party of BC – Tyson Riel Strandlund

Age: 28
Background: Socialist, Métis activist & history graduate student

Key issues:
“There are many serious crises facing the people of this province, all symptomatic of an increasingly unstable and decaying capitalism.

These include the prioritization of profits over people and inadequate management of the pandemic; the climate emergency; the violent incursions on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory by the racist, corporate attack dogs, the RCMP; increasing poverty, inequality, and homelessness; and the unchecked opioid crisis.

Working people need support, including an immediate ban on ‘renovictions,’ ‘demovictions,’ and all evictions during the pandemic, a $20 minimum wage, and protections for those out of work due to COVID-19. It’s time we made the rich pay!”

BC Liberal Party – Kelly Darwin

Age: 45
Background: Government relations consultant, Ministerial Chief of Staff, radio/tv reporter and talk show host

Key issues:
“At this point in the pandemic I believe the economy is key to getting people back to work, helping put food on the table. I believe that the government should support small businesses in the reopening of the province.

It is the government’s job to create the environment to stimulate the economy. A government that hires people to create jobs only creates future liabilities.

Providing PPE, tax incentives and other support will help businesses hire back staff, ensure everyone is safe so people can have access to products and services they need as we adapt to life in the pandemic.”

BC NDP – John Horgan (incumbent)

Age: 61
Background: Leader of the BC New Democratic Party, Premier of BC

Key issues:
“People are worried about their future and their health. The BC NDP has a plan to lead us through the pandemic and build an economic recovery that works for everyone.

We will continue to make investments in healthcare and seniors care. We’ll support the conditions to create good paying jobs and provide relief for small businesses. We’ll make life more affordable with a Recovery Benefit of up to $1,000 for families and by continuing with our historic investments in affordable child care and housing.

And we’ll continue with our climate action plan, because we need to protect this beautiful place.”

The first, and likely only, BC Leaders Debate of the 2020 election has come and gone, but the 90 minute conversation Tuesday night has given voters a lot to think about as they look to general voting day on October 24.

We here at Victoria Buzz tuned in like so many of you, offering live commentary and an ongoing highlight reel. Here are five moments that stood out to us in particular:

1. An expertly moderated panel kept the debate on track

The debate was moderated by Shachi Kurl, President of polling firm Angus Reid. Kurl started things off by clearly laying out the evening’s proceedings, which were agreed upon by all leaders prior to the debate, with topics selected by the province’s Broadcast Consortium.

Topics were broken down with some questions directed from the moderator to leaders, and some “head-to-head” portions where leaders were allowed to question each other.

It meant that the debate ran like a swiss watch, with precise allocations of time and limited moments of cross talk.

Kurl was widely lauded on social media for keeping leaders on time, asking pointed questions, and observing when they dodged answers.

Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson was notably called out by Kurl on a question about carbon taxes and the environment.

“It wasn’t a clear answer to the question,” Kurl said. “Would you like 10 seconds to answer it again?”

If there was one flaw in the evening’s structured proceedings, it was that there were so many topics to cover, and a limited amount of time to do so.

Early in the election Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson called for three debates, and judging by the slightly rushed proceedings on Tuesday he might have had a point.

That said, the recent circus sideshow in the United States has soured many on debates, even if millions of eyes were glued to Trump and Biden like a crowd watching a trainwreck.

Did the consortium’s format make the B.C. debate less entertaining? Perhaps. But what voters sacrificed in reality-tv style meltdowns was more than made up for in a tone of civility, professionalism, and clarity.

2. “Dad” vs. “Doctor” – Horgan and Wilkinson trade barbs and labels

Even with a strictly choreographed format, NDP Leader John Horgan’s “Premier Dad” persona was on display as he needled Wilkinson with some barbs.

“You gotta get out of your neighbourhood,” Horgan said in an exchange on housing. The NDP leader also referred to Wilkinson as “man” on more than one occasion.

“You sold the land, man,” Horgan said in a back-and-forth with Wilkinson on hospital construction in Surrey.

Wilkinson observed, perhaps correctly, that Horgan was leaning into an “us vs. them” approach, portraying the BC Liberals as a party of elites.

But if the Liberal leader was truly offended by that approach, he didn’t seem to mind promoting himself as a doctor.

“My medical background is very helpful in this,” Wilkinson said about 15 minutes into the 90-minute debate.

That title-drop kicked off a series of soundbites throughout the event, with the Liberal leader reminding voters time and time again of his credentials as a physician.

With polls showing the NDP in a wide lead and the Liberals trailing distantly behind by double-digits, it seems that both leaders felt the wisest move was to play to their bases.

3. Three white people talked on stage about racism. One did okay.

If there was one moment that truly exposed the flaws in pre-canned, playing-to-personality messaging though, it had to be the exchange on diversity and racism.

“How have you personally reckoned with your own privilege and unconscious bias as a white political leader?” Kurl asked, leading into the biggest moment of the evening.

Wilkinson stuck to his doctor message, then bizarrely pivoted to an anecdote about how an indigenous patient (maybe?) named her son after him.

“I believe there’s a young man in Lillooet now who’s named after me when I delivered that baby from his mother,” said Wilkinson. “That’s the kind of experience that makes you feel like we’re all equal.”

But if Wilkinson’s response was somewhat tone-deaf, it was quickly overshadowed by Horgan’s.

“I grew up in Southern Vancouver Island, I was a lacrosse player, I played with indigenous friends, I played with South Asian friends,” the NDP leader began, sending off alarm bells somewhere.

“For me, I did not see colour.”

Oof.

The moment was widely seen by commentators as the one true slip-up of the evening, as two practiced personas — doctor and dad — came up against the reality of racism.

Yet one leader confronted the question with a degree of humanity.

When it came time for Sonia Furstenau’s turn at the topic, the Green Leader quietly bowed her head and paused for three seconds before answering.

“I think the moment for me that really hit it home was imagining being a mother and saying to my child: if you’re approached by a policeman, don’t do anything, just put your hands up.”

It was a human beat in a debate that was lacking in them, and Horgan’s loss turned into Furstenau’s gain.

4. “Unnecessary Election” may not have traction with voters, but it still makes for a great one-liner

If the polls are to be believed, the Greens are not just in danger of losing their voice in a minority government, but potentially may lose their legislative caucus altogether.

Furstenau has struggled in the early stages of the campaign to move beyond a rote message that this is an “unnecessary election” brought on by Horgan and the NDP.

Voters may have expressed a reluctance to punch the ballot box in the first days of the election, but polls show they aren’t alienated from supporting the NDP.

That said, while there was no single “knock-out punch” in the evening’s proceedings, Furstenau may have scored the one-liner of the night in an exchange with Horgan.

When asked — inevitably, perhaps — by Furstenau why he had called the election, Horgan brought out an oft-repeated line.

“I did so because I believe we need to put the politics behind us,” the NDP leader said.

“It’s astonishing to hear you say that you needed to put politics behind us by putting politics front and centre in a campaign election,” Furstenau shot back.

It was a solid hit in a night mostly filled with whiffs, and it came from a leader who has only had her job for a month.

5. Two men entered, one woman won.

Yet ultimately, while Furstenau may have been the leader with the least to lose, she came out with the most gains.

A quick Twitter poll held by our own Brishti Basu found the Green Leader in a relatively close second behind Horgan.

It may seem odd to proclaim her a debate winner based on coming in second in a poll, until we consider that result against an earlier poll from Victoria Buzz that placed the Greens in a far distant third.

In Tuesday’s debate, Furstenau evoked a sincerity that distanced her from the more pre-programmed responses of her NDP and LIberal counterparts.

If the Green Party’s goal is to retain their existing seats and to position themselves as a left-wing alternative in a future election, Furstenau’s debate performance has teed them up nicely.

Heading into the debates, a poll from Leger found that roughly half of their respondents (47 per cent) intended to watch the event.

It remains to be seen if that half-portion of the electorate will be moved significantly by Tuesday night’s conversation, but we can bet on the Greens hoping for an uptick in support.

Who do you think won last night’s debate? Let us know in the comment section below!

From October 10 to 16, Victoria Buzz will be profiling the seven ridings in the Greater Victoria area.

We reached out to candidates to provide information on what they think the most important issues are in this election.

Today we’re looking at the riding of Esquimalt-Metchosin.

The Esquimalt-Metchosin riding actually covers four municipalities: Esquimalt, Metchosin, Colwood and View Royal.

Here are the candidates running for the riding:

Independent – Desta McPherson

No information received prior to publication.

BC NDP – Mitzi Dean (incumbent)

Age: not specified
Background: Social worker, community builder

Key issues:
“Affordability, need for housing, ensuring a robust pandemic response, strengthening child care and health and wellness services.

I am proud to be running for a party that is working to build a B.C. where strong public services are always there when people need them.

We’re focused on better health care, building more affordable housing, expanding child care, and good jobs and livelihoods in a clean-energy future.

Our proposal to freeze rents until 2021 will help, as will expanding $10 a day child care, and making transit free for kids under 12 years old.”

BC Liberal Party – RJ Senko

Age: 56
Background: Government relations consultant, Ministerial Chief of Staff, radio/tv reporter and talk show host

Key issues:
“Rebuild our economy so we can create an inclusive and equal society that addresses local needs such as: access to primary health care; commuter rail and ferry between the Westshore and Victoria; affordable housing; seniors’ care; homelessness; opioid crisis; reconciliation and economic opportunity for indigenous peoples; and the environment.

Finally we need to break through our antiquated system of “left vs right” partisan politics so we can work together to build a prosperous and just society of which we can all be proud participants.”

BC Green Party – Andy MacKinnon

Age: 64
Background: Forest ecologist, Metchosin Councillor.

Key issues:
“Our riding is a collection of vibrant human communities set in an area with a significant natural presence.

With your help, I hope to represent the needs of the people of this riding–especially in the pressing issues of healthcare, childcare, transportation, housing, and how we can build communities that relate to their natural environments in healthy and sustainable ways.

Additionally, I’m a retired Professional Forester and Professional Biologist, I believe that we need better leadership than has been supplied by BC Liberals or NDP on important provincial issues such as land use planning, old-growth forests, and threatened and endangered species.“

Welcome to Victoria Buzz’s LIVE blog on the 2020 BC Leaders Debate. We’ll be posting updates to this page throughout the evening.

Tonight’s debate will air live from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Each leader will also be scrumming remotely with media afterwards, beginning with John Horgan at 8:10 p.m., then Sonia Furstenau at 8:25 p.m., then Andrew Wilkinson at 8:40 p.m.

A live stream of the debate will be embedded below, starting at 6:30 p.m.

You can also follow Victoria Buzz on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for live updates and more coverage.

Let us know what you think of tonight’s debate in the comments section below!

The latest polls show the BC NDP continuing to hold a wide lead over their rivals as the election heads into its final two weeks.

Ipsos and Leger polls released on Tuesday show John Horgan’s party in a commanding position, with 52 per cent of Ipsos respondents and 50 per cent of Leger respondents supporting the NDP.

The BC Liberals are trailing in the double-digits, with 34 per cent of Ipsos respondents and 35 per cent of Leger respondents saying they will vote for the party.

Sonia Furstenau’s BC Green Party continues to lag in a distant third, with 11 per cent of Ipsos respondents and 12 per cent of Leger respondents expressing their support for the Greens.

The results are largely unchanged from previous polls done by each firm.

From the previous BC election poll by Ipsos, released on September 29, the NDP and Liberals have each gained a single point, while the Greens dropped 1 per cent.

At Leger, the difference was only slightly larger from their last poll, conducted from September 24 to 28. The NDP gained three points, the Liberals gained four, and the Greens gained one point.

(Decided voters, Leger)

Among leadership, the results were even more stark, with NDP leader John Horgan rated by 45 per cent of Ipsos respondents as the best choice for premier, while Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson was selected by 16 per cent and Green Leader Sonia Furstenau was chosen by 6 per cent.

Leger found similar results with a more personal question, asking who voters would most like to have over for dinner and a casual conversation.

40 per cent said they’d host Horgan for dinner, compared to 19 per cent for Wilkinson and 11 per cent for Furstenau.

Ipsos reported a high number of undecided voters, with 27 per cent of respondents saying they were either exploring options or had no preference.

Leger on the other hand found only 7 per cent of those they surveyed were still unsure who they would vote for, and another 4 per cent who said they wouldn’t vote at all.

With the polls coming out just ahead of the BC Leaders Debate on Tuesday, the opposition parties are poised to seize any advantage they can to cause a shift in voting intentions.

The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,000 British Columbians from October 8 to 11, 2020. The overall poll is accurate to within +/ – 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Leger poll surveyed 1,100 British Columbian residents, 18 years of age or older, who have the right to vote in British Columbia, randomly recruited from either LEO’s online panel or telephone interviewing, from October 6 to 9, 2020. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of 1,100 respondents would have a margin of error of ± 3.0%, 19 times out of 20.

A privately-owned collector plane was forced to perform an emergency landing at Victoria International Airport on Saturday, according to airport and emergency officials.

The plane, a 1960’s era Nanchang CJ-6, was unable to deploy its landing gear due to a malfunction.

The pilot performed a belly landing, skidding along the surface of a closed runway and coming to a stop in the grass just past the concrete.

John Trelford, Fire Chief at North Saanich Fire Department, said that they were called to the scene at 11:53 a.m., but were informed prior to their arrival shortly after noon that their services were not needed.

“We basically got called out, and between the call coming and us responding the aircraft had come down without the landing gear out and done a belly landing,” said Threlford in an interview with Victoria Buzz.

“When we came on, they said we weren’t required.”

A spokesperson for the Victoria Airport said the plane suffered only minor damage, and very little debris was scattered on the runway.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This Nanchang CJ-6 made a gear up forced landing at @yyjairport after the pilot reported the gear would not extend. The pilot is ok and was walking around after. • • • • #avgeek #aviation #instawarbird #aviationphotography #airshow #airplane #aircraft #instaaircraft #formation #military #cj6 #instagramaviation #canada #china #radial #trainer #instaaviation #pistonengine #aviators #militaryaviation #airport #flying #nanchang #NikonCA #instaplane #warbirds #warplaneofinsta

A post shared by Aaron Burton (@burtonader) on Oct 10, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT

Cleanup crews responded and swept the runway clean as a precaution, but no fluids had spilled and the plane was relatively intact.

Ambulance crews also arrived but the pilot suffered no injuries in the incident.

The aircraft was loaded onto a maintenance vehicle and transported to a hangar for further inspection and repairs.

The spokesperson was unable to confirm if the pilot houses the plane at the airport, and couldn’t comment on whether regular air traffic was affected.

The BC Liberal party announced their election platform on Tuesday, hours ahead of a televised leaders debate with leader Andrew Wilkinson, NDP leader John Horgan, and Green leader Sonia Furstenau.

The announcement comes a week after the BC NDP launched their own platform, and 11 days before general voting day on October 24.

Most of the Liberal platform details were revealed at earlier campaign stops and announcements, including a widely touted pledge to cut PST to zero for one year, and then to three per cent for the year after.

Other promises that had been announced earlier include:

• A pledge to open auto insurance in the province to privatization, moving away from ICBC’s monopoly
• $58 million to hire an additional 200 police officers, 100 more psychiatric social workers and nurses, and 40 more prosecutors
• $8 billion allocated for infrastructure spending, including $4.5 billion towards transportation projects like replacing the George Massey Tunnel
• $1 billion spent on long-term care homes with the goal of providing each senior with a private room
• Eliminating the 2 per cent small business income tax

Among the new pledges that were added in the platform on Tuesday was a promise to appoint a Fair Tax Commission to review all provincial taxes. The Liberals say the Commission would specifically “reduce or eliminate” taxes to spur COVID-19 recovery.

The party also renewed their criticism against John Horgan’s NDP government for calling a snap election, pledging to ban early elections during provincial emergencies.

Additional new promises include:

• Appointing a new Minister of Fisheries and Coastlines
• Constructing 10,000 new child care spaces across the provinces
• Establishing an all-party Pandemic Response Committee with the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry
• Implementing a “Trespass Act” to “protect the properties and livelihoods of farmers”

Weekend Controversy Lingers

The platform announcement was overshadowed by a controversial incident from the weekend, when Liberal candidate Jane Thornthwaite directed sexist comments against NDP candidate Bowinn Ma in an online roast.

Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson ended his prepared remarks on the platform announcement by saying the comments were “inappropriate.”

“There’s no place for those kinds of sexist remarks in our society, period,” said Wilkinson.

“I want to apologize to Bowinn Ma and commit that we will all work very hard to do better.”

The Liberal leader also said that Thornthwaite had reached out to Ma to apologize directly and to offer further conversation.

The majority of questions during Tuesday’s announcement also focussed on the incident, while only a handful were directed to the platform itself.

When asked why Wilkinson, who was participating in the online roast when the remarks were made, did nothing to stop the incident, the Liberal leader said he struggled in the moment.

“I think we’ve all been in those scenarios where someone is saying something inappropriate,” he said.

“It’s hard to stop the train in a social event when you don’t know what the next words will be…what’s done is done.”

The full BC Liberal platform is available to read online.

We’ve heard promises and platform proposals, commentary and backlash, and more from the leaders of B.C.’s three main political parties.

Now, provincial NDP leader John Horgan, Liberal Party leader Andrew Wilkinson, and Green Party Sonia Furstenau will face each other in the only televised debate scheduled ahead of General Voting Day on October 24.

The 90-minute debate will be televised on all major broadcast networks, and Victoria Buzz will carry a live feed of the event on our Facebook page through the British Columbia Broadcast Consortium.

We will also be live tweeting highlights from the debate on our Twitter account.

The three politicians will begin their discussion at 6:30 p.m. PST, moderated by Shachi Kurl, President of the non-profit Angus Reid Institute.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no in-person audience, and reporters will also be watching the debate remotely.

Earlier in the campaign, BC Liberal Party leader Andrew Wilkinson advocated for three televised debates ahead of the snap election.

It is unclear if this is still his goal, as the party has recently taken heavy fire for sexist remarks made during a Zoom call, the footage of which was leaked online.

That incident is expected to feature heavily during the debate, alongside issues of taxation, homelessness, economic recovery, and pandemic response.

October long weekend dealt a heavy blow to the BC Liberal Party’s election campaign after a leaked video showed candidates making and laughing at sexist comments about a female NDP candidate.

The video, posted on Twitter Saturday evening by Vancouver-based podcast host Mo Amir, shows a group of BC Liberal MLAs on a Zoom call in which they meant to ‘roast’ former West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan.

In it BC Liberals’ North Vancouver-Seymour candidate Jane Thornthwaite is seen commenting on interactions between Sultan and the NDP’s North Vancouver-Lonsdale candidate Bowinn Ma.

“Bowinn, as you know, very pretty lady, and she knows she’s got ‘it,’ and she knows how to get Ralph going,” Thornthwaite says in the video.

She goes on to discuss how the two were seated “very, very close together for almost the entire time,” at an event at Capilano University, alleging that “Bowinn knows how to get you.”

“Bowinn would be right up, right next to him, cuddling, cuddling, a little bit of cleavage there and Ralph would be enthralled with her,” Thornthwaite goes on.

Thornthwaite’s largely male audience of BC Liberal candidates, including Sultan himself and party leader Andrew Wilkinson, can be seen laughing at these remarks.

The video went viral on Twitter, garnering accusations of sexism, solidarity with Bowinn Ma, and calls for apologies from the Liberal Party candidates.

“Today is the #DayOfTheGirl; I’m furious this is what they see political ‘leaders’ doing to female colleagues,” tweeted Victoria MP Laurel Collins.

“Bowinn Ma is a phenomenal MLA. She deserves an apology. But the BC Liberals should also apologize to all young girls who want to see a place for themselves in politics.”

BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau also weighed in, along with other Green and BC NDP candidates.

“This is appalling. If women are not warm in the workplace, we are castigated as rude. If we are friendly, we get this,” said Furstenau.

“This clip reveals common racist & sexist dynamics in politics/work: A White woman (with dyed blonde hair, like the other woman in the clip) gains points with a group of White men by sexualizing and belittling a successful and outspoken young woman of colour,” writes UBC Sociology professor Dr. Jennifer Berdahl.

Mere hours before Amir shared the explosive video, Thornthwaite shared one of herself discussing the need to reduce stigma surrounding mental illnesses.

Within minutes of her sexist comments going viral, the comment section under that video was flooded with posts accusing Thornthwaite of hypocrisy and further calling for an apology.

Apologies?

The next day, Jane Thornthwaite took to Twitter to share a post that was largely decried as a non-apology, drawing attention to herself as a woman who had to “push through glass ceilings.”

“This is not adequate. This is not an apology. You can’t explain away something like this,” wrote Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone.

“You’re only making it worse by trying to minimize the impact of your words. The laughter of your colleagues when they should have interjected demands more from all of you.”

About two hours later, Thornthwaite appeared to realize her mistake, issuing a second tweet with a full apology.

“The comments I made at the roast for my colleague Ralph Sultan fell flat and were inappropriate. I unreservedly apologize for making these comments. I have reached out to Bowinn Ma to apologize to her directly as well,” she wrote.

Twitter also did not fail to note a pointed silence from party leader Andrew Wilkinson who held no media availabilities on Sunday or Monday, instead choosing to share the following tweet in response to the controversy:

The BC Liberal Party leader’s first live comments on the subject were issued on Tuesday morning in the aftermath of a full platform reveal.

On October 13, the day of the first all-party leaders’ debate in this election, Wilkinson told media that he has issued an invitation to Bowinn Ma to speak further on this issue.

When asked why he did not stop the roast when it was happening, Wilkinson said he was embarrassed but “it’s hard to stop the train in a social event.”

Ma responds

On October 11, the wronged NDP candidate Bowinn Ma issued a response to Thornthwaite’s misogynistic remarks, stating that she is no stranger to casual sexism having worked in male-dominated industries her entire life.

“Like many women in these situations, I found myself making choices about the way that I act, dress, or carry myself to avoid having sexist interpretations read into my interactions — interactions such as, for instance, deliberately speaking closely with an elder who is very hard of hearing,” wrote Ma.

“The video of BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson watching on as a multi-term BC Liberal North Shore MLA sexualized my interactions with another multi-term BC Liberal North Shore MLA is a deeply uncomfortable characterization of my efforts to extend kindness across partisan lines.”

She went on to add that politicians must work harder to create an environment void of sexism if they want more young women and people of colour to enter politics in B.C.

Multiple NDP candidates, including party leader John Horgan came to Ma’s defence in the aftermath of the video.

Winds reaching speeds up to 100 km/h across Vancouver Island forced cancellations of regular ferry crossings and knocked out power to thousands Tuesday morning.

Environment Canada issued a warning for the high wind speeds at 5:06 a.m., saying damage to buildings, including roof shingles and windows, could occur.

They also added that people should avoid wooded areas due to the risk of flying debris, and that campers should seek shelter.

Dozens of power outages were reported across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

As of 9 a.m. BC Hydro reported around 1,300 homes were without power on Gabriola Island, with about 500 more each on Denman and Galiano Islands.

An earlier outage on Galiano also knocked out power to over 2,500 households at 3:38 a.m. and was restored by 8:30 a.m.

BC Ferries cancelled two sailings along the Tsawwassen – Duke Point route due to adverse weather conditions, at 5:15 a.m. from Tsawwassen and 7:45 a.m. from Duke Point.

Wind gusts up to 90 km/h are expected to continue throughout the day, calming to 50 km/h later in the evening.

From October 10 to 16, Victoria Buzz will be profiling the seven ridings in the Greater Victoria area.

We reached out to candidates to provide information on what they think the most important issues are in this election.

Today we’re looking at the riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill.

This riding encompasses the City of Victoria proper, all the way from the south and west coasts up to Bay and Haultain Streets.

Here are the candidates running for the riding:

BC NDP – Grace Lore

Age: 35
Background: UVic lecturer and researcher.

Key issues:
“People tell me the most important issue to them is still Covid-19 and the recovery.

People know John Horgan and the BC NDP are taking us through the pandemic safely and trust we will build a recovery that works for everyone.

Housing is also a major issue. The BC Liberals neglected housing except to side with speculators, leaving us with a housing crisis.

I’m proud of John Horgan’s record-level investments in housing and work to take on speculators, but there is more to do. People know the stakes are too high to go back. We need to move forward, together.”

BC Green Party – Jenn Neilson

Age: 39
Background: PhD in Philosophy, Community Organizer

Key issues:
“As an experienced community organizer (Save 950 Kings/Blanshard Elementary and Victoria Needs a Hillside Library campaigns), I am now turning to provincial politics to build resilient communities in the face of the climate crisis.

• The key issues that I think the province needs to address are:
• Investing in affordable and emergency housing.
• Taking immediate climate action.
• Protecting old-growth forests and stopping the extraction of non-renewable resources.
• Respecting Indigenous rights and advocating for Indigenous self-determination.
• Providing lifelong access to trauma-informed mental health supports and compassionate harm reduction services.
• Reducing class sizes to promote physical distancing.”

BC Liberal Party – Karen Bill

Age: 51
Background: Policy analyst

Key issues:
“The most important issue in Victoria Beacon Hill is the rapidly increasing levels of homelessness and crime in our neighbourhoods and parks.  Everyone should feel safe using our parks and living near them.

Mental health and addictions funding must be increased, giving police, courts, and outreach workers tools they need to transition people from tents to housing.  Integrated, on-site supports to assist homeless individuals and protect our communities are crucial.

Neighbourhoods and local businesses are being devastated by warehousing people in tents and hotels.  The balance is off and our communities are suffering.

Addressing these problems is my first priority.”

Independent – Jordan Reichert

Age: 38
Background: Mental health/addictions worker, animal/environmental advocate

Key issues:
“I believe the biggest issues facing people in Victoria are addictions and homelessness, housing affordability, lack of mental health services, and cost of living.

Protecting the environment and fighting for climate action are priorities for people of all ages. Improving our relationship with Indigenous communities is also front of mind, as well as confronting systemic racism in our past and present.

It is inspiring to live in a community where we have strong opposition to hate, discrimination, and social stigma. These are the issues that affect everyone in our community, no matter what walk of life you are from.  “

The suspected driver in a fatal hit-and-run near Parksville Saturday morning (October 10) has turned himself in, police say.

In a media release, Oceanside RCMP says a woman in her 20s was found dead on the median of Highway 19 near Parksville.

Highway 19 was closed in both directions for hours Saturday as police investigated.

Officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances around the woman’s death but believe she was the victim of a hit-and-run.

On Sunday, police identified a vehicle of interest and released a photo to media in an effort to locate it and the driver.

The photo which was taken on the 5:15 p.m. ferry from Duke Point to Tsawassen Saturday showed a brown 1991 Chevrolet Suburban with damage to the driver’s side headlight and bug screen.

The owner of the vehicle, a 55-year-old man from Woss, BC turned himself into the Kelowna RCMP last night after seeing his truck on the news.

The investigation into the fatal hit and run is continuing, and no charges have been laid yet.

“It has really been because of tips from the public received as a result of the media coverage that we have been able to locate this vehicle so quickly,” states Cst. Jeff Pelat, the lead investigator in the case.

“Our focus now will be on preparing the investigation for charge assessment by the BC Prosecution Service, a process which could take many months to complete.”

From October 10 to 16, Victoria Buzz will be profiling the seven ridings in the Greater Victoria area.

We reached out to candidates to provide information on what they think the most important issues are in this election.

Today we’re looking at the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

As its name implies, this riding encompasses all of Oak Bay, as well as the neighbourhood of Gordon Head. It also includes portions of Victoria, including Jubilee and Gonzales east of Richmond Road.

The University of Victoria and the Jubilee Hospital are within the riding’s boundaries.

Here are the candidates running for the riding:

BC Liberal Party – Roxanne Helme

Age: 58
Background: Courtroom lawyer, community volunteer, mother and environmentalist

Key issues:
“It is clear that the three key issues in this Election are:

• integrity – people are furious about the opportunistic election call, they see that the NDP would rather be judged on Dr. Henry’s work than their own
• economic recovery – people are concerned with respect to how our next government will be able to jump start the economy and in particular the private sector
• homelessness/mental health/addictions/public safety – there is no shortage of compassion in our community for those who are struggling and the feeling is that everyone is being put in harms way with the current government’s ‘response’ “

BC NDP – Murray Rankin

Age: 70
Background: Environmental lawyer, treaty negotiator, former MP

Key issues:
“As your MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, I’ll advocate for accessible healthcare, affordable housing and childcare, strong environmental protection and climate action, and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

A re-elected BC NDP government will expand $10-a-day childcare to more families and open a new medical school to train more doctors, nurses and health care professionals.

These are challenging times for so many of us. We need a government that is going to continue to effectively navigate us through this pandemic and put people at the centre of our economic recovery. Let’s keep moving forward, together.”

BC Green Party – Nicole Duncan

Age: not specified
Background: School board trustee, student and parent advocate

Key issues:
“I’m Nicole Duncan, your Green Party candidate for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. I am running with the BC Greens because I believe our elected representatives must be accountable to the people they serve.

The Green Party is the only party that allows Green MLAs to exercise their independent judgement and vote their conscience.

As your Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA, I will work for you. I will collaborate across party lines to prioritize education and health care.

I will support progressive economic policies that meaningfully address climate change while supporting the innovation needed to make our communities stronger and more resilient.”

Communist Party of BC – Florian Castle

Age: 19
Background: Student, activist, socialist

Key issues:
“Key issues for me this election include the pandemic, the climate emergency, the NDP government’s criminal invasion of Wet’suwet’en land, the opioid crisis, the housing crisis, and the ongoing crisis of Capitalism (triggered by but not caused by the pandemic).

These issues are not isolated from one another, however. They are all, in one way or another, symptoms of Capitalism and Colonialism.

Broadly, I believe that socialist and anti-colonial leadership will be necessary to address the many issues that face this province.”

From October 10 to 16, Victoria Buzz will be profiling the seven ridings in the Greater Victoria area.

We reached out to candidates to provide information on what they think the most important issues are in this election.

Today we’re looking at the riding of Saanich North and the Islands.

This riding encompasses North Saanich, Sidney, Central Saanich and the Southern Gulf Islands, including Galiano, Pender, Salt Spring, and Saturna.

Here are the candidates running for the riding:

BC Green Party – Adam Olsen (incumbent)

Age: 44
Background: Central Saanich Councillor, small business person

Key issues:
“While there are a range of opinions of what the main issues are, there are common themes. A major issue is primary healthcare.  There are over ten thousand people on the Saanich Peninsula without a primary care physician.

Another very visible issue for us is transportation.  Residents of the Gulf Islands are familiar with the challenges of the ferry system and public transit.

Education is also a concern in our riding.  Whether it’s our kids or grandkids, a complete education sets a person up for success in life.  This requires a well funded and well supported school system.”

BC NDP – Zeb King

Age: not specified
Background: Councillor, Central Saanich

Key issues:
“COVID-19 is the biggest challenge facing our communities—here in Saanich North and the Islands and indeed right across our province. People are worried about their loved ones and uncertain about the future.

A lot of progress has been made over the pass three and a half years to improve health care, create jobs and opportunities, and make life more affordable. Now more than ever we need to invest in people and keep moving our province forward.

On October 24th, I ask for your support to serve as MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.”

BC Liberal Party – Stephen Roberts

Age: 55
Background: Former Banking COO

Key issues:
“The key issue in this election for Saanich North and the Islands is recovery from the many impacts of the global pandemic.

Our seniors are worried about their future and parents are concerned about education, while all of us are stressed dealing with restrictions on our social activities.

Economy has been hit badly, from tourism-based small business and farmers to manufacturers on the Saanich peninsula.

This riding needs a plan that will get people back to work and provide training opportunities where needed. I have the economic and financial background needed to help guide the much-needed recovery.”

Sooke RCMP have confirmed they’ve located the body 45-year-old Raymona Peter who was last seen at the end of September.

In a media release Friday, police say criminality is not suspected in her death and no further information will be released

Raymona was last seen on September 30, at around 10:00 a.m. walking west from the Sc’ianew First Nation in the Beecher Bay area of East Sooke.

A large search was conducted but got called off on Saturday after RCMP received tips that Raymona might be in downtown Victoria.

No details of where her body was found were released.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested following an arson fire and theft at a Walmart in Campbell River last week.

The theft occurred around 10 p.m. on October 1. A video circulating online shows a fire burning in the toilet paper aisle as smoke fills the store.

It was determined the fire was intentionally set as a diversion tactic to enable a very significant theft from the store.

Thousands of dollars worth of electronics, including phones and iPads, were stolen as the store was being evacuated.

RCMP are warning the public to avoid any “too good to be true” prices for electronics.

“It’s very buyer beware, as items that are stolen can be disabled by the manufacturer when they are brought online,” reads a statement released by RCMP on Friday.

The small blaze which ended up causing damage in the millions of dollars temporarily shuttered one of the largest retailers in Campbell River for the Thanksgiving long weekend, with no reopening date set at this time.

“We’re doing everything we can to re-open the store… We need to ensure the store is safe and up to the standards Campbell River customers expect,” a spokesperson for Walmart told the Campbell River RCMP in a statement.

The suspect from Campbell River is facing recommended charges of arson with a disregard for human life, theft over $5,000 and mischief over $5,000.

“This was and continues to be a group effort for our detachment,” said Inspector Jeff Preston. “The professionalism and skill with which our officers have conducted this investigation has provided the opportunity to hold the correct person accountable.”

The maximum sentence for arson is life in prison, and the maximum sentence for theft and mischief is 10 years each.

There were no injuries caused by the fire.

Royal Roads University says they will honour BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at their virtual convocation ceremony on November 6.

The University plans to grant Dr. Henry an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of her work informing the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dr. Henry’s tireless courage in leading us on this often-challenging journey, for the good of each of us and our greater community, is inspiring to us all,” said Royal Roads President Dr. Philip Steenkamp.

“Her leadership, built on decades of experience and rooted in compassion, has positively affected countless lives and helped direct the very path our province is now on.”

Dr. Henry will also be featured as a speaker for the university’s Changemakers Speaker Series in spring 2021.

“The power of community; supporting each other through adversity, working together with a common purpose, and inspiring to do and be better,” said Dr. Henry.

“This is what has given us the resilience to see this pandemic through. This same sense of community is reflected in Royal Roads University and its graduates, and I am humbled to receive this honour.”

The virtual ceremony will be streamed on the Royal Roads University website and social media accounts.

For a long time, the board game cafe business has been a Monopoly in Victoria, but on Friday a new company will take a Risk and they’re not at all Sorry.

Local couple Alyssa Chow and Nicholas Switzer are opening Board with Friends board game cafe on Friday, after dreaming of the opportunity for years.

“Both of us are big board game fans,” Chow said in an interview with Victoria Buzz.

“Nick is the board game guru, he knows every game inside and out. It’s incredible how much information he can hold.”

She says they have played games in cafes all over Canada, including at InterActivity Board Game Cafe on Yates Street.

Until now, InterActivity has been the only game in town. Chow says that seeing the Yates Street cafe frequently packed with patrons inspired her and Switzer to pursue the business as well.

“There was such high demand, and we both love it, so we thought why not try it?”

Chow says there’s a large market craving board game entertainment, and plenty of business to go around between the two cafes.

Board with Friends is holding their grand opening on Friday, after two years of work to secure permits and rezoning for the heritage building at 705 Johnson Street.

The process proved to be a bit challenging and delayed their planned opening in May 2020. Chow says the building had been zoned for retail under thrift store Vintage Funk and it was tricky to retrieve the right permits.

“The City has been really great for the majority of the process,” she said.

“But dealing with the heritage building, and rezoning it for food service was hard. We didn’t realize how much we would have to jump through hoops.”

On top of navigating the chutes and ladders of municipal zoning, Chow and Switzer also had to plan for the delicate operation of COVID-19.

“One really awesome thing we did pre-COVID was we decided to do table service,” said Chow.

“Customers order food or drink on an iPad. We can reduce the times that a customer has to get out of their seat, we can bring food to them with a mask.”

The partners also made the decision to widely space their tables apart, both for COVID-19 safety and to give the cafe a homier environment.

Chow says they are working to appeal to the local crowd by partnering with local suppliers for ingredients and products, including Cafe Fantastico for coffee and Parachute Ice Cream for milkshakes.

She adds that although the pandemic will make their initial start-up challenging, they feel there’s never been a better time for people to play board games.

“We want to bring the social culture of game night,” said Chow.

“Space is limited, but we can provide new board games that people may have always wanted to try. And you bring people together in a nice safe bubble.”

Board with Friends

• Address: 705 Johnson Street
• Social: Facebook | Instagram

Streaming on Netflix became more expensive this week after the subscription service upped their prices on Premium and Standard plans.

Standard prices rose to $14.99 (up from $13.99) and Premium prices rose to $18.99 (up from $16.99) on Thursday for Canadian subscribers.

Basic plans remained the same at $9.99.

New members will already see the new price scheme while existing members will see updated pricing in the coming weeks.

The exact timing for when the price hike will kick in depends on a member’s billing cycle.

In an emailed statement Netflix said that the price update is necessary for the company to put more money into shows and films.

“Canadians have never had more choices when it comes to entertainment and we’re more committed than ever to delivering an experience that exceeds their expectations,” a Netflix spokesperson stated.

“As always we will continue to offer a range of plans so that people can pick a price that works for their budget.”

Currently, Amazon Prime subscriptions are $7.99 a month or $79.00 a year, while Disney Plus subscriptions are $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year.

One man was arrested after police seized a large number of illegal drugs and weapons from a temporary multi-unit residential facility in downtown Victoria.

On Monday, Victoria Police Department says officers arrested the man in the lobby of a multi-unit temporary housing facility in the 3000-block of Blanshard Street. According to police, he was in possession of drugs — including cocaine and methamphetamine — for the purpose of trafficking.

VicPD locked down the man’s suite in the building and applied for a search warrant which was executed the following day on Tuesday, October 6.

During the raid, officers located a large number of drugs and weapons inside the unit.

Items seized from the suite include:

• several hundred prescriptions including narcotics,
• methadone and other drugs belonging to people other than the unit occupant
• a significant amount of psilocybin, methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl
• a highly realistic replica M4 assault rifle and several realistic replica handguns
• officers also seized several expandable batons, a machete, and a conductive energy weapon

Police said the case remains under investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WubTv0Ks1M&feature=youtu.be

A popular downtown cafe has reopened in Victoria after implementing a precautionary closure following a worker testing positive for COVID-19.

Bear & Joey resumed service on October 7 after closing on September 25, 2020.

At the time of the closure they were advised by the BC Health Authority (BCHA) that the risk of transmission from an infected staff member was “extremely low.”

They said that the cafe had been strictly adhering to protocols including physical distancing, stringent cleaning, mask-wearing and providing hand sanitizer.

The infected staff member did not interact with customers, had no symptoms while at work and was wearing a mask and practicing strict hand hygiene while on shift.

Bear & Joey representatives said in a post on social media that the BCHA did not require them to close, but they took the step out of an abundance of caution.

In an update on October 3 on the cafe’s Facebook page, Bear & Joey staff thanked the local community for their support during the closure.

“The love and support that you have all provided has been amazing, we honestly cannot thank you enough,” they stated. “It is an absolute honour and pleasure to be a part of your community.”

Nearly 3,000 BC Hydro customer are without power in Langford Thursday afternoon as firefighters battle a structure fire on Goldstream Avenue.

Langford Fire crews responded to a report of a major structural fire at a mixed-use commercial and residential building located at 844 Goldstream Avenue.

At 1:23 p.m., Westshore RCMP tweeted that they had temporarily shut down streets in the area, including Jacklin and Peatt Roads, while fire crews battled the blaze.

“Emergency crews are currently in the area working to put out the fire. Goldstream Ave between Jacklin Rd and Peatt Rd has been shut down to allow for emergency crews to work,” RCMP said in a media release.

Eyewitness photos and video from the scene showed flames and plumes of thick black smoke coming out of an upper floor apartment at the scene.

Curious Comics is also located at the base of the property at 844 Goldstream Avenue.

There have been no reports of injuries as of this publication. It is unknown when the roads in the area will open back up.

The cause of the fire is unknown but is not considered suspicious at this time.

Residents of the building can attend Langford Legion located at 761 Station Avenue to connect and access emergency city services.

According to BC Hydro, around 2,700 customers in the area are without power due to the fire. No estimated time on when the power would be restored was provided.

More to come.