April 18 - Family events this Easter weekend

Good morning !

Welcome to another beautiful day in the city. Today we’ve got a roundup of Easter events for the whole family to enjoy and a look at the federal party leader debate last night—en anglais this time

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 15 / 9

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 10 / 8

Day after: 🌦️ 11 / 7

7-day forecast

NEWS

Federal election debate night:
Clashes between leaders—and clashes with the debate commission itself

You can watch the English-language debate (the second of two debate nights this week) via the embed above; it begins approx 2 hours and 30 minutes into this stream.

The debate last night

Canada’s major political party leaders entered the final week and a half ahead of the April 28 vote with Liberal Mark Carney slightly ahead of Conservative Pierre Poilievre in national popular-vote polls, and the other parties trailing well back.

It's unclear whether last night's English-language debate will do much to change that; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh pushed to insert himself, at times talking over other leaders, while Bloc Québécois gérant Yves-François Blanchet came across as engaging and Canada-interested but remains a one-province player facing potential seat losses in that province.

Those two leaders argued that Carney—who as frontrunner and incumbent was the most frequent target overall last night—didn't do enough to financially assist Canadians and provinces before calling a snap election. Singh also cut in on Poilievre several times, to spar on issues including housing, borders, and pollution.

Some key moments were clashes between the two frontrunners, including one where Poilievre tried to paint Carney as Trudeau Light. “Justin Trudeau isn’t here,” Carney told him.

Major topics of the night included the US trade war and the cost of living. Also discussed were guns and public safety; pipelines, carbon, and pollution; and international relations including Canada's response to Ukraine and Gaza.

Greens say disinvitation hurt party, & seek commission's resignation

For the second straight night, neither were the Greens, disinvited only hours before Wed’s French debate because the party ended up not fielding candidates in the requisite 90% of the country’s 343 ridings.

The Greens yesterday became the first party to officially reveal a fully costed platform—they pledge to build 1.2 million affordable homes and make Canada a leader in clean energy—but made news by calling for the Leaders Debate Commission to “do the honourable thing” and resign.

“Our MPs' offices are fielding questions from voters who wonder if they can still vote for Green Party candidates due to the last-minute reversal of the Commission's earlier rulings,” Elizabeth May’s party said in a release.

Commission also under fire over media availabilities 

The Commission, formed in 2015 to safeguard these affairs after then-Conservative leader Stephen Harper refused to take part in a consortium debate, abruptly cancelled Q&A media availabilities with each leader following last night’s debate, saying it “couldn’t guarantee a proper environment for this activity.”

The surprise announcement followed what Canadian Press described as “heated exchanges” between some journalists and right-wing media members, particularly Rebel News. The commission allowed Rebel to send five representatives to the French debate’s Q&A after initially giving all outlets just one rep. The Commission said it was concerned that Rebel News would sue and win if denied, but its chief admitted he was unaware that Rebel had registered as an official third-party political advertiser in this election.

What to know about voting & local candidates

Find what you need for the federal vote here on our 2025 Election Hub.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Juan de Fuca Trail to remain closed for the entire summer. More info to come. [BC Parks]

Expect busy ferries this long weekend: BC Ferries recommends reserving in advance or walking on, and aiming to travel at off-peak times (e.g. Saturday and Tuesday).

Free parking downtown today and Easter Sun.

Federal election advance voting today-Mon. in person, or by mail by registering for a ballot before April 22.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Easter weekend events in Greater Victoria

The Easter long weekend kicks off for many today and it brings with it a forecast of sunny weather. 

If you’re looking to get out for some for some family-friendly fun in the next four days or want to enjoy a special brunch with loved ones, there are plenty of options to choose from. Bring your kiddos to Butchart Gardens or the Malahat Skywalk for a self-guided egg and Easter Bunny scavenger hunt, head to Sooke for a hunt based on age group, or explore the orchards and treats at Bilston Creek Farm. 

From the Westshore to the Peninsula, check out the full list of events in Greater Victoria.

SPONSORED BY BELFRY THEATRE

New Lightfoot experience held over to May 25

The Belfry's premiere production of If You Could Read My Mind: The Songs of Gordon Lightfoot is set to open next week. With multiple performances sold out, the run has been extended to May 25.

Pay-what-you-want tickets are available for all performances.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏛️ New RBCM exhibit: Odysseys and Migration explores 250 years of Chinese migration to BC and beyond, on now until May 3. [Details]

✍🏽 The Victoria Foundation is celebrating 20 years of the Victoria’s Vital Signs program this year. Take part in the region’s annual checkup and enter the draw to win a $100 gift card to Country Grocer. Read the full article here.*

🏒 Victoria Grizzlies visit Cowichan Valley Capitals in Game 1 of BCHL Coastal Conference semifinal.

Enjoying our newsletter? Help us make it even better! Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Capital Region. You'll also get access to the full text of tomorrow's edition.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Island Health plans to move youth mental-health & addictions patients at Royal Jubilee to the adult wing
They would go from Queen Alexandra Centre’s Ledger House to the Eric Martin Pavilion, a dedicated wing at the Jubilee for withdrawal treatment and care for adults with severe and complex mental illness. The Ledger is designed for youth aged 6-16, and advocates say it’s more suited to serving the needs of patients. Youth wouldn’t be mixed into the same unit as adults, says Island Health. Critics also worry the new unit in Eric Martin will upend plans for a youth mental-health facility at Vic Gen. [Times Colonist]

VicPD to ‘drone on’ in monitoring public events from the sky
This spring, the police force plans to launch the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)—an advanced drone that VicPD says will allow officers to monitor public events and to quickly respond to public safety incidents. The mini-planes will be operated by certified Transport Canada pilots from VicPD. Police say the drones won't be automatically recording and that if they do hit record to gather evidence, they will let the public know, and the data will be stored for 30+ days. No info is collected during an event unless a criminal investigation or incident occurs, police said. [VicPD]

Bare-faced bear spotted in Port Renfrew
A photo of a black bear with a fur-less face was uploaded this week on Facebook, to the popular Field Naturalists of Vancouver Island page. Jennifer Heinrichs, who snapped the shot from her car, told Sooke News Mirror that “it looked like it was wearing a mask like the Phantom of the Opera” but was otherwise fat and healthy. Experts say skin mites may be the culprit.

🗓️ Things to do

🛍️ Granville Flea: The pop-up vintage market will be at the Victoria Public Market today. 10am-5pm. [Info]

🎧 Biscits: The DJ will bring his UK tech-house sound to Upstairs Cabaret tonight. 10pm. [Info]

🏒 Victoria Royals host Spokane Chiefs in Game 4 of WHL Western Conference semifinal tonight and Game 5 tomorrow. Royals lead 2-1. [Tickets]

💃 Victoria Kizomba Fest: Join this social and multicultural dance weekend at the Victoria Convention Centre. Today-Sun. [Info]

🤝 Meet a Stranger: Make a new friend at this meetup, which pairs people at random to spark a conversation, at the Gonzales Fairfield Community Centre tomorrow. 2:15-3:45pm. [Info]

🎶 SpringFest: Head to Whistle Buoy Brewery in Market Square for an evening of live DJs and beer tomorrow. 7-10pm. [Info]

📚 TC Book Drive: Drop off books at the Victoria Curling Club this weekend for the popular sale in May. [Info]

🌏 Saanich Earth Day Fest: Celebrate our planet at this family-friendly event that encourages sustainability. Expect crafts, a bike skills course, and live music at Saanich Municipal Hall tomorrow. 11am -3pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: Capital Daily opens election hub; Expect BC Ferries to be busy; Vic masseur gets 2 years less a day for sexual assaults on the job. [April 17]

James Bay residents to rally against proposed Vic OCP. [Capital Daily]

Rifflandia to be a four-day fest this year—lineup coming soon. [Rifflandia]

Cheating Keating: misspelled the new street sign. [CHEK] 

Graduated licensing program puts brakes on one test. [Global News]

Flight delays in Vancouver: staff shortages. [YVR Updates]

Mt. Baker + Esquimalt = a stunning view. [Doug Clement]