Thurs. April 20 - Federal workers form picket lines in Esquimalt and View Royal

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning !

Timothy Durkin is in the news again. For anyone who doesn’t remember, Durkin is the subject of the award-winning story “The man who stole a hotel,” by our investigative reporter Tori Marlan.

This time Durkin is making headlines for sanctions that have been handed down by the BC Securities Commission. More on that below.

NEWS

Federal workers form picket lines in Esquimalt and View Royal as part of countrywide strike

Federal public servants representing several different unions including the Government Services Union, Treasury Board, and Coast Guard workers formed a picket line at Esquimalt Graving Dock, Naden Base, and near the casino in View Royal Wednesday morning.

The strike is in solidarity with more than 155,000 federal workers for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

“[PSAC] wants equity in the workplace, and fair wages that beat inflation,” said Cory Merritt, a food service worker at the Esquimalt Navy base. According to him, inflation has now put some workers in various departments below the cost of living.

“The cost of living in Victoria is very different from Saskatchewan, but everywhere in the country is struggling [with inflation and cost of living],” he said.

Across the country, workers hit picket lines yesterday after negotiations between Canada’s largest federal public-service union and the government failed to meet the Tuesday deadline.

Traffic along Admirals Road was backed up headed into Victoria throughout yesterday morning, but it had significantly eased by the afternoon. Workers say they will continue to strike for as long as the government remains at the bargaining table. Essential services like firefighting will continue to be staffed.

Joseph Walsh, local vice-president for Government Service Union 20001, told Capital Daily that PSAC has been without a contract for more than two years. Negotiations between PSAC and Treasury Board began in June 2021, but reached an impasse in May 2022.

“The last contract we signed was in 2021, and at that point, we were two years out of a contract,” he said. “What we do is governed by our old contract, but [technically] we’re working without one.”

Walsh is not at the bargaining table, but he hopes PSAC will negotiate for a three- to four-year contract, which includes back pay for the years workers were without a contract. “We are hoping for a swift and agreeable ending—nobody wants this to drag on. We just want a fair contract,” he said.

On a post on its website on April 17, PSAC described the government’s wage offer to the Treasury Board of a 2.06% increase per year from 2021-25 as “insulting” and “out of touch with the soaring cost of living across Canada.”

According to StatCan, the Consumer Price Index (which typically measures inflation) has risen by 4.3% year by year in March. Workers are hoping for wage increases closer to the rate of inflation.

“Nobody wants to be on strike, but we want to do this to get something much better—not just for us, but we’re hoping it raises the bar for everyone else,” Merritt said.

By Ryan Hook

Capital Bulletin

☁️ Today’s weather: Increasing cloudiness in the morning leading to periods of rain in the evening. High 9C / low 5C.

🏞️ Langford park re-opening and dedication: The City of Langford will be announcing the re-opening and dedication of Chief Al LeQuesne Park (formerly Cressida Park) today at 2980 Humpback Rd.

FOOD

Best Chinese, Japanese, and Indian restaurants in Victoria

Victoria has this reputation of being a very British city. I mean, we have double-decker buses, a variety of tea rooms, and horse-drawn carriages; it’s no wonder. But when you pull back the tweed curtain you realize how much diversity there really is, especially when it comes to cuisine.

So, in celebration, here are the winners of some of our favourite cuisines that have crossed the pond and into our hearts.

Best Chinese restaurants
Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada, and therefore we are spoiled with some fantastic Canadian Chinese cuisine. While dishes are often steamed, they can also be fried or baked. But take note of the experience; it’s as much a part of the cuisine as the food. Here’s who made the top three in the 2023 Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards.

Best sushi restaurants
With Victoria being one of the closest North American cities across the North Pacific Ocean, Japanese cuisine thrives here. Coupled with restaurateurs' access to fresh fish and local farms, Victoria is full of restaurants serving expertly-crafted sushi, bringing you as close to an authentic Japanese experience as one can get in BC. See who topped the list here.

Best Indian restaurants
There’s such a vast array of Indian culture being celebrated in Canada, despite the country being so far away. Of course, one of our favourite ways to enjoy Indian culture is through all its different regional cuisines, and there’s no shortage of fantastic Indian restaurants in the city. Here’s who you voted for in the 2023 restaurant awards.

Subscribe to Tasting Victoria to stay on top of the city’s restaurant news.

NEWS

Durkin fined $600,000, barred from investment market for Sooke Harbour House fraud

The BC Securities Commission (BCSC) has permanently barred Timothy Durkin from BC’s investment markets. Durkin has been ordered to pay a $600,000 penalty for lying to an investor about the ownership of Sooke Harbour House as part of sanctions for a case of fraud previously reported by Capital Daily.

Additionally, Durkin’s company SHH Holdings Limited has been ordered to pay $1M to the BCSC. Any amount of damages that SHH pays the investor, Mona Mo, from her successful civil suit against Durkin in the BC Supreme Court would be deducted from the $1M penalty.

Capital Daily’s award-winning investigation into the case can be found here.

TOGETHER WITH UNITED WAY SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND

Let's unite for mental health

United Way Southern Vancouver Island is dedicated to helping those in need, and with the current mental health crisis affecting many young people, your support is more important than ever.

Although many children report struggling with their mental health, only one in five receive appropriate services. This is why programs such as Youthspace, funded by United Way and delivered by Need2 Suicide Prevention Education & Support, are crucial. Last year in just four months, the program received almost 1,000 calls for support, a clear indication of the overwhelming need for accessible, local crisis intervention and emotional support.

UWSVI is passionate about mental health and believe it is an essential component of overall health and well-being and in building stronger communities. Give today and support youth mental health.

Capital Picks

🪴 VIRAGS’ Annual Spring Show: The Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society is hosting its annual show from April 20 to 23 at Lambrick Park Church. The exhibits will feature living plants potted or arranged in troughs and mini gardens. [Details]

💃 Malpaso Dance Company from Cuba: Four dynamic works by international choreographers. Apr. 28-29 | 7:30pm | Royal Theatre. Tickets at 250-386-6121 or DanceVictoria.com.*

🎸 Sharon Bailey Band album release party: Enjoy a night of alt country, folk roots, and rock with the Sharon Bailey Band and opening act Pony Gold at Hermann’s Jazz Club tonight at 7pm. [Details/Tickets]

🤝 Now hiring: Director of Accounting at Butchart Gardens.

*Sponsored Listing

In Other News

⛴Another company takes a stab at fast-ferry service between Vancouver Island and the mainland
Two high-speed catamaran ferries will provide daily service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver starting this summer, according to an announcement by the Vancouver Island Ferry Company. The company said that they will be deploying the new 354-passenger, Vietnam-built catamarans late this summer. The 70-minute trips from the Nanaimo Port Authority and Burrard Landing will have three tiers of pricing, details of which will be announced in June. The downtown-to-downtown ferry service for Victoria and Vancouver by V2V shut down in 2020 after just three years of service. [CTV News]

🐟 Oak Bay fry spotted at Bowker Creek before journey to Salish Sea 
Two locals working with Friends of Bowker Creek salmon recovery project spotted fry pooling in schools before heading down stream to the Salish Sea. The group plants tens of thousands of eggs in late winter in hopes of bringing salmon back to Bowker Creek. The pair spotted the fry while taking temperature and water level readings at an environmentally crucial section of the creek on Tuesday. [Vic News]

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ELIZA AT ROYAL BAY

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In Case You Missed It

🌳 Prosecutors withdraw more charges against Fairy Creek blockaders: Ten charges of contempt of court levied against blockaders in 2021 were withdrawn, and a defense lawyer estimates at least 150 of the remaining 200 charges will be withdrawn. More on the reason the charges aren’t sticking at The Westshore.

🏛️ Murray Rankin, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, offers in-person and virtual support with provincial government services for constituents. Contact his team at [email protected] or 250-472-8528.*

❄️ North Island gets an April snowfall: Parts of North Island were hit by a surprise snowfall on Monday. The snow was spotted in Sayward and on Highway 28 between Campbell River and Gold River. [CHEK]

🇺🇦 A custom-built version of the Uber app is helping Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture as they locate, restore, and protect irreplaceable artworks and artifacts. Learn more.*

*Sponsored Listing

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