Sept 18 - Island MLA booted from party after misconduct investigation

Good morning !

News from around the Island and multiple levels of government today, ranging from an MLA’s removal to new plans to boost Victoria’s childcare spaces and BC firefighters’ pay.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 17 / 10

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 18 / 9

Wednesday: ☀️ 20 / 11

7-day forecast

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

🚘️ Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Island MLA booted from BC NDP after misconduct investigation

Parksville-Qualicum’s Adam Walker has been removed from caucus. Premier David Eby announced the removal on Sunday, saying a “thorough investigation found misconduct” after a human resources complaint. The nature of the complaint was not explained.

Walker, who was the party’s parliamentary secretary for the sustainable economy, has not yet issued a public response to the party’s decision or the allegations. He had just been in the news last week for wrestling a deer that attacked his dog.

After a short stint as Qualicum Beach councillor (2018-20), Walker—who owns a tech business and runs a small farm with his wife—was elected with 42% of the vote during the NDP’s 2020 landslide. The incumbent BC Liberals had held the seat, and its predecessors, since 1996 when Nanaimo’s current mayor Leonard Krog was its NDP MLA.

WIth Walker’s ouster, BC’s Parliament has 56 BC NDP MLAs, 26 BC United, 2 BC Greens, 2 BC Conservatives (following Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman’s defection last week), and now 1 independent.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Weather this week: Mostly sunny and highs near 20, but some clouds and overnight lows down to single digits.

Overnight delays on Malahat Monday-Thursday due to construction. [Details]

407 wildfires burning in BC, including 24 on Island. [Map]

NEWS

Island proposal would increase tax credit for volunteer firefighters

The Union of BC Municipalities meets this week, bringing together local governments from across the province. One of the resolutions to be heard is from the Regional District of Nanaimo. It would have UBCM advocate to raise the BC tax credit and federal tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue personnel from $3,000 to $10,000.

The district decided in May to send the resolutions to UBCM and to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Most Canadian firefighters are volunteers, and the resolution argues that letting them keep more money from their main jobs helps allow them to fight fire for their communities.

Read more on the resolutions here.

In Canada, some volunteer firefighters work for free while others are paid with wages or honoraria. Firefighting pay, for both full-timers and volunteers, has been a hot topic for years, even before the record-setting 2023 fire season that has helped fuel burnout in the industry.

Recent proposals to bolster firefighting capacity have included a national firefighting force and allowing new volunteers from the affected area to join wildfire-suppression efforts.

NEWS

Victoria loosens restrictions on opening new childcare spaces

With the ongoing crisis in childcare leaving parents to scramble for care, Victoria council has approved changes that could ease restrictions that may be keeping operators from opening.

City staff recommended that council change the definition of childcare to match Island Health’s description and permit childcare facilities in all zones except for industrial.

But the biggest change would see the strict house conversion regulations change. Currently buildings can only be converted to childcare facilities for homes built before 1931, with further limitations preventing operators from living on the business premises and limiting care to those under five years old.

Operators will still need to be approved for a license in order to run these facilities, but these changes would expand locations and reduce time for approval.

By Robyn Bell

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🗞️ In Other News

Two stabbed in Sooke
The victims were given first aid onsite, and taken to hospital for serious injuries, after an altercation around 6pm Saturday on Sooke Road near Church/Goodmere. Sooke RCMP said a man, 21, was arrested nearby and that the investigation continues.

“Swarm” of earthquakes north of Island
Earthquakes Canada reports 30 events since Thursday, including a trio of quakes (magnitudes 5.0, 5.9, and 4.3) about 200km west of Port Hardy on Sunday morning.

BC paying big markups for nurses from private temp agencies
For-profit companies, including one in Comox, are at times charging nearly double the standard hourly unionized rates when they provide extra health-care staff. [CTV]

Westshore Rebels put up nearly 100 points in Island football battle
The rebels move to 7-0 after beating the Nanaimo-based Vancouver Island Raiders 97-14 at home in Langford in Saturday’s “Battle of the Rock.”

Pacific FC keeps second place with 4-1 win
The Langford soccer team blew out York United FC in Ontario on Sunday. PFC (40 points/2nd in the Canadian Premier League) neither gained nor lost any ground versus main rivals Cavalry FC of Calgary (46 points/1st) and Forge FC (39 points/3rd). Watch the highlights below:

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🗓️ Things to do

🎨 Help create a community mural with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. Dahlila Charlie is leading the creation of mosaic tiles inspired by the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. 11am-1pm at the VNFC amphitheatre.

🌎 One Planet, One People Chorus open house: This chorus sings songs of hope and healing for the planet and its people. 7-8:30pm tomorrow at Pearkes rec.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Huge sunfish in Island waters: Molas seen in the Pacific Northwest were long thought to be all one species, but now turn out to be two. [Capital Daily / LJI]

1,000 attendees and $52K raised: The Terry Fox Run came to Beacon Hill on Sunday. [CHEK]

Fall drinks to try at local coffee shops, with flavours from apple butter to pumpkin pie. [Tasting Victoria]

Mansion sold after 14 years, settling at $7.5M after once asking as much as $13.5M. [Oak Bay News]

Saturday headlines: Ship Point revamp restarted. Rifflandia returns. Strange lights in sky. Rocks thrown at cars. [Sept. 16]

Two local restaurants make the top 30 best-in-Canada list of new eateries. [Tasting Victoria]

Sunshine Coast wildfire near Clowhom Lake causes state of local emergency for regional district’s Area B.

Friday’s headlines: Saanich pauses dog-leashing bylaw for now. Island Health issues drug risk advisory. [Sept. 15]

Sidney gets a new logo and commits $550K to fast-track pier restoration, going over budget but avoiding some costs. [Sept. 14]

That’s it!

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