Aug. 5 - Council will pursue code of conduct

Good morning !

Welcome to the long weekend! Today we have a few news items from the end of the week, and a bevy of long weekend events to add to yesterday’s roundup.

— Cam

Today’s approx read time: 6 minutes

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Monday: ⛅ 24 / 13

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🌫️ Air quality: Low risk today (2/10). Current smoke forecast.

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NEWS

Victoria council adopts conduct code plans, then breaks for summer

Victoria council got busy before its summer hiatus by passing a motion to allow a bar to remain open past the city’s 1am witching hour, booting a Canada Day decision down the road, and agreeing to further examine a code of conduct for everyone sitting around the table.

Council has directed its legal staff to write a bylaw that “allows any council member, member of staff, or city committee member to make a complaint” under that code.

Notice the words “general public” don’t appear. That’s because, following amendments, members of the general public would not be able to directly launch a complaint under the proposed code system.

City staff had recommended (p. 343) a fully open-to-public process like Vancouver’s, acknowledging that this risked receiving bad-faith and frivolous filings but considering the public-trust aspect worthwhile. Council was split on that issue, but the majority favoured a Saanich-style system with public complaints needing to be brought through a councillor.

Council did agree that councillors would be reimbursed for any legal fees should they be exonerated of any wrongdoing.

The BC government has asked municipalities to adopt codes of conduct, and it’s something Mayor Marianne Alto has been pursuing for years.

Council agreed to wait two years before exploring the idea of establishing a regional municipal government ethics commissioner, with the idea of sharing the costs with its peers in the CRD.

Yates hot dog bar gets later hours approved
Council unanimously approved allowing Saint Franks, an in-vogue bar at 727 Yates, to remain open nightly until 2am. Councillors noted local business owners, residents, and VicPD had no concerns about the bar staying open the extra hour.

Canada Day spending decisions deferred to next year
Last month’s Canada Day celebrations returned to the Legislature lawn, but events were truncated when the city couldn’t come up with a main sponsor to help pay for costs such as fireworks.

By Mark Brennae

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Tugwell Creek wildfire under control following suppression efforts.

Royal Roads Gardens closed after two cougar sightings on campus Friday.

Missing person: Jess Armstrong, 37. Last seen driving blue 2006 Audi station wagon. May be near Goldstream Park. Police consider Armstrong high-risk and possibly at risk of harm.

Rugby Olympic qualifiers in Langford: Schedule released for this month’s tourney.

Expect high travel volumes this weekend on BC Ferries (sailing waits for cars without reservations) and on Malahat (delays due to heavy congestion)

NEWS

Bridge blocked by owl statue in newest old-growth blockade

The Fairy Creek area has been largely quiet this year, with more clashes in Island courtrooms than in the woods themselves. But a new demonstration against old-growth logging on Edinburgh Mt. near Port Renfrew has now entered its second week.

Last Saturday activists positioned the large effigy of a screech owl at the foot of a bridge over the Gordon River. Sculpted out of recovered wood, it’s meant to correspond to threatened owl populations in the forest.

This group differs from the primary Fairy Creek group of recent years, though frequent blockade spokesperson Elder Bill Jones has voiced public support. The group involves some other members of the Pacheedaht First Nation (PFN), whose territory the cutting zone lies within and whose official leadership has spoken against blockades.

Blockaders argue BC’s deferrals insufficient 
The group wants to manage the harvesting of trees—some 1,000 years old and 3m in diameter—in the 500km² area.

“We are not anti-logging,” the group said in an email. “We want old-growth protected and better forestry policy in place to protect ecosystems and our BC workers.”

“Because Fairy Creek itself has been deferred, people are under the impression that old-growth logging is simply no longer happening, and that couldn't be further from the truth,” group member Flow said in a news release.

No arrests so far
It remains to be seen whether the police response will be as reminiscent of summer 2021 as this blockade is. So far RCMP have been on site, multiple people told Capital Daily, but have not made arrests.

RCMP enforcement against blockades at Fairy Creek cost $20M+ and led to 1,194 arrests and hundreds of charges. Some charges were dropped this spring over police mishandling of the injunction language, and officer conduct has sparked lawsuits and the current federal investigation into the C-IRG unit.

By Mark Brennae, with Cam Welch

SPONSORED BY VICTORIA FOUNDATION

Creating a food-secure region

In 2013, Victoria’s Vital Signs report asked a key question: “Do you know where your next meal is coming from?”

The results spurred a decade of focus on food security for the Victoria Foundation to build a food-secure region with less reliance on emergency support, and a strong local food economy. Ten years later, the foundation is taking stock of successes, learnings, and looking at what comes next. Read more about the successes, lessons learned, and future plans to ensure everyone in our community knows where their next meal is coming from in this year’s edition of Pulse Magazine.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🎤 Taylor Swift-themed event will have trivia, lip-sync battles, and a menu based around the pop star. Aug. 27 at 229 Gorge Rd. E. [Tickets]

🚲 Capital Bike scavenger hunt: Cycle to 50 locations across the city, collect stickers, and win prizes from Aug. 14-27.

😊 Now hiring: Christmas installers at the Butchart Gardens

🗞️ In Other News

 Giant “Westhills” sign rearranged to spell “heist”
The owners of the white, 3m-tall, concrete-anchored letters, which welcome motorists entering Langford, are fixing the sign after vandals damaged and moved some of them. [CTV]

Former Colwood assistant fire chief sentenced for possessing child pornography
George Wright, now 69 and out of the dept. since 2012, received a year in jail and three years of probation, based on having 1,000+ images across two decades. He told the court he had never had sex, or any intimate relationship, in his life, and claimed he viewed the images out of morbid curiosity. [CHEK]

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Communications & Engagement Officer at COAST

• Digital Marketing Specialist at Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa

• Inclusion Support Worker: School-Age Program at Fernwood NRG

• Community Engagement Manager at Dance Victoria

• Buyer, Seed & Gift Store at Butchart Gardens

Looking for more openings? See 40+ jobs open now on YYJobs.

Hiring? Post your job to have it featured here, and fill your opening fast!

🗓️ Things to do

💃 Viva! Victoria Latin Festival: Events this weekend at Centennial Square will include music, dance, and food. Today and tomorrow. [Details]

👗 The Relove Market: Shop secondhand and vintage clothes and accessories today and tomorrow in Market Square, 12-5pm.

🎻 Symphony and Opera at Cameron Bandshell: The Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria will perform free concerts in Beacon Hill Park starting at 5pm.

🎙️ Groove Kitchen at Butchart Gardens: The band will perform funk and soul music today on the open-air stage, 6:30pm.

👕 Wear2Start pop up clothing sale: The non-profit that supports self-identified women is hosting its first ever pop-up sale today and tomorrow in the backyard of House of Savoy, 11am-4pm.

🎤 Souls of Mischief at Capital Ballroom: The hip hop group will be supported tonight by DJ Degree One. Doors 8pm, show 9pm.

🎙️ Tight Hair at Hermann's Upstairs: The Victoria-based disco band will perform ‘70s tunes tonight. Doors 7:30pm, show 9-11:30pm.

🎸 Don Alder at St Paul's United Church: The award winning acoustic guitarist will perform in Sidney tonight. Doors 6:30pm, show 7-9pm. [Tickets]

🎤 Wonderment: Enjoy ambient electronic and electro-acoustic music all weekend long at locations across the city, until Mon. The concert today at Songhees Park Plaza will include performances by Sabrina, Claire, and No Way Back. 7pm.

🎧 Wonderment at Night: The festival’s nighttime concert at Victoria Event Centre will include performances by Big Body, OKPK, Khotin, and Ænniæ. 9pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Friday’s headlines: Seniors among growing portion of homeless in Greater Victoria, BC Day long weekend events, Oak Bay gets $15K from health ministry for accessibility, and more. [Aug. 4]

Oak Bay death investigation now taken over by Saanich Police, after being previously led by the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU).

HarbourCats set league record: The ‘Cats have the most home wins in WCL history after they defeated the Nanaimo NightOwls 4-1 Thu. night.

Community Food Delivery volunteers needed: Two delivery drivers and two sorters are needed for Tue. afternoons this month.

That’s it!

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