Sept 27 - Someone's stealing a Conservative candidate's election signs

Good morning !

We begin with some BC election shenanigans. Someone has it out for candidate John Wilson. Or the Conservatives. Or the colour blue. Or maybe the person just doesn’t like that 1971 song from Five Man Electrical Band, Signs. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign…

Speaking of songs, our second story involves rapper 50 Cent. Kind of. It’s more about a Colwood councillor and a bad decision he made on Halloween, 17 years ago.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today:  🌤️ 16 / 10

Tomorrow: ☁️ 15 / 9

Sunday: 🌤️ 14 / 9

NEWS

Esquimalt-Colwood Conservative candidate says someone is stealing his campaign signs

A huge sports fan, John Wilson likely has an opinion on baseball teams stealing signs—but clearly, he’s “not a happy camper” about someone snatching his.

“It’s very disheartening,” Wilson tells Capital Daily. “All the volunteer hours put in, and people's hard-earned dollars that they've donated to us to buy these signs, yeah, it's sad to see.”

Wilson’s campaign manager Dion Weisner estimates 100 or so blue Wilson lawn signs have been either taken, damaged, or destroyed, mostly in the Songhees area near Tyee and Bay and along Craigflower toward Tillicum, Weisner said. 

Wilson’s team informed Elections BC about the thefts, but there’s not much the elections people can do, it’s a police matter. 

“During an election, it isn’t uncommon for us to receive complaints about damaged or vandalized election signs,” Elections BC communications advisor Melanie Hull tells Capital Daily.

There was a case of vandalism just days into the current campaign. Cowichan Valley NDP candidate Debra Toporowski was the victim. The likeness of Toporowski’s face was cut out from one of her election signs.

Wilson—who is running against former Esquimalt Coun. Darlene Rotchford of the NDP and small business owner Camille Currie of the Greens—said he has no idea why he was targeted or by whom.

Read why Wilson thinks politics isn’t an inviting game these days. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Bitcoin scam going around: don’t fall for it. [Saanich Police]

Wanted man Devon Robert Wayne Woodford, 36, believed to be in Victoria. [VicPD]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Colwood councillor’s blackface photo from 2007 emerges

That’s Ian Ward up there in that photo on the left—taken on Halloween 2007—wearing an afro wig and bathed in brown skin paint. Ward’s Bullets jersey is as outdated—the NBA Bullets still play in DC, but they’re known as the Wizards—as his minstrel blackface.

The Halloween 2007 image was originally posted on his ex-wife’s blog, but was recently deleted after the photo emerged. Lucinda Ward's post described “spending 45 mins that morning turning Ian into a black man with stage paint & dropping him off at work.”

Ward told CTV he is “not a racist” and was dressing as rapper 50 Cent. 50 Cent did not have an afro or gold teeth, nor did he play for the Bullets.

Ward was more muted when addressing the photo Wednesday in statements to Black Press. He said that the costume was “offensive and shameful, and I apologize to those who have been impacted directly and indirectly,” and that he had grown since then as a person and on racial issues. Ward said he “had no malice or overt prejudice in my heart at that time,” but that “it is nonetheless hurtful to many, and I own my mistake.”

The City of Colwood says Ward won’t be sanctioned because his actions took place in a personal capacity before he became a councillor.

For more on this story, read The Westshore.

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🏈 Westshore Rebels vs. VI Raiders. Support the food drive. [Tomorrow at 7pm]

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🗞️ In Other News

Earthquake centred 11km from Sidney, rumbles through CRD
Some people felt it when it shook the land at about 4am yesterday. Victoria author and friend to Capital Daily Jean Paetkau says she felt “one big shake” in James Bay. Earthquakes Canada reported it as magnitude-3.8 and that it happened roughly 55km deep into the Earth. It said it had received reports from people who felt the shaker as far north as Nanaimo and Parksville. There were no reports of damage. [Times Colonist]

2 construction site deaths on the Island within 90 minutes
And both involved young workers. A man in his 20s was killed Wed. afternoon at the Bear Mountain Parkway development in Langford. According to a neighbour, a crane dropped its load—which may not have been tied off properly—on the man. Less than two hours later, a teen worker was found dead at a development in Nanaimo. The Vancouver Island Construction Association says two worksite deaths in one day are rare—and tragic. [CHEK]

Motorists threatened downtown by man with bear spray
The man was seen Sat. on Fort near Pemberton just after 6am carrying bear spray, reportedly approaching vehicles and threatening to spray or stab those inside. When police arrived, the man took off on foot but was quickly caught. He assaulted and threatened two officers, according to VicPD, who said they’d like to speak with the driver—possibly a woman—of a small silver vehicle who they believe also was threatened. [VicPD]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎨 Explorations in Watercolours: Discover the delight of colour mixing in this beginner-friendly class at the Arts & Culture Centre in Colwood. Today. 9am-12pm. [Info]

🌮 Tacos and Tamales Pop-up at Can Canteen: Karina from Food on the Run Mexican Food will be serving authentic Mexican street tacos, tamales, and more. Today. 5pm. [Info]

🕯️ Beeswax Candle Making Workshop: Learn how to make a variety of candles at Starlite Soap Studio. Today. 6pm. [Info]

🎸 The Chuckleberries: Let four of Victoria’s most renowned musicians wrap you in their passion for the swingin’ roots of rock 'n' roll. Hermann’s. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🐶 4 Paws & Critter Carnival: Pet parade, best-dressed contest, a novice agility course, raffles, vendors, and more at Langford Station. Tomorrow. 11am-3pm. [Info]

🇳🇬 Nigerian Independence Gala Night. The 64th Nigerian Independence Day is celebrated. Victoria Edelweiss Club. Tomorrow. 4-11pm. [Info]

🧡 South Island Powwow: Immerse yourself in local Indigenous culture with this powwow in honour of residential school survivors. Wear orange to acknowledge Truth and Reconciliation Day. Royal Athletic Park. Mon. Gates 10am; Grand entry 12pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: North Park residents give mayor earful on homeless hub; VicPD needs help in $200K jewelry heist; Worker dies on Langford construction site; And more. [Sept. 26]

A Vital Signs B for Victoria. [Capital Daily]

Royal Jubilee death ruled accidental; more monitoring deemed to be needed. [Capital Daily]

Man rescued after 5-6 hours in frigid waters near Nanoose Bay. [CHEK]

A northern pintail’s gorgeous wings. [Facebook photo]

That’s it!

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