Yearly Archives: 2011

On December 21, 2011, I helped commemorate a forgotten mutiny of French-Canadian soldiers that occurred 93 years ago at the corner of Fort and Quadra streets in downtown Victoria, as the 259th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (Siberia) embarked for the port of Vladivostok and service in the Russian Civil War. I first discovered … Continue reading »

Here is my position with regards to the Northern Junk proposal for city lands and private lands at the foot of Johnson Street: The previous council erred in providing the opportunity to a single developer to envision possibilities for this prime downtown real estate; In light of the Johnson Street Bridge project, the first step … Continue reading »

Listen to this CFAX 1070 interview from December 12th, 2011, where I discuss public office, regional services and the oath to the Queen: Link to CFAX 1070 Interview, December 12, 2011 Download Podcast Tweetgovernment,politics news,politics news,politics

Letter to the Editor of the Victoria News, 10 December 2011 A letter writer suggests that rail service along the Esquimalt and Nanaimo (E&N) corridor “doesn’t seem to fit Via Rail’s mandate” (“E&N track is dead thanks to inaction,” Dec. 9). But what then is Via Rail’s mandate? Is it to focus exclusively on inter-city rail service in vote-rich Ontario and an over-priced, … Continue reading »

Thank you for helping elect me to Victoria City Council and the CRD Board. We captured more than 8,400 votes for council and nearly topped the poll for CRD. Our “ground team” of dedicated door-to-door volunteers was the heart of the campaign, covering the city nearly two times over. We were backed by generous financial … Continue reading »

Link to CBC Interview on Election Night     Listen to the CBC interview I gave with fellow councillor-elect Lisa Helps on election night, Saturday, November 19. Download Podcast Tweetgovernment,politics news,politics news,politics

As a parent, I am endorsing the following eight progressive candidates for Trustee for the School District 61 Board of Education. Each of these candidates brings distinct skills to the table and diverse points of view. However, they share a common concern for protecting and enhancing our system of public education, which provides an essential … Continue reading »

I’ve issued a challenge to fellow municipal candidates, urging them to avoid “a garbage war” of campaign signs on public property. I’m proposing that we raise the bar of political discourse by confining our election signs to the vicinity of supporters’ residences and business establishments. While I respect the right of candidates to express themselves … Continue reading »

Victoria, like cities across Canada, North America and the globe, has become a site of contestation, where young and old people have drawn a line in the sand against a system they believe is built upon inequality and exploitation. These visionaries offer the brightest beacon in a generation of the possibility for a better world. The … Continue reading »

By Katie Derosa, Victoria Times Colonist, October 7, 2011 A Victoria-based historian and council hopeful has bought what was once a house known for drugs and prostitution on Prior Street and is turning it into a home for him and his five-year-old daughter. As Ben Isitt, 33, stands in the two-and-a-half storey 100-year-old home at … Continue reading »

I will be meeting with local residents at neighbourhood coffee shops to hear ideas for making Victoria a fair, safe and green place for everyone. Please drop by to share your ideas for improving our city and region: OAKLANDS Monday, September 12 @ 5pm Koffi, 1441 Haultain St at Belmont FAIRFIELD Tuesday, September 13 @ … Continue reading »

I was interviewed by CKNW Radio the day after Federal New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jack Layton passed away. In this audio clip, I comment on the political significance of Layton’s career and death, after he led his party to a historic 103 seats in Canada’s House of Commons — its best showing ever, which … Continue reading »

The man knew how to eat pizza. With the same seriousness of purpose and concentration that drove his political life, Jack Layton devoured two loaded slices of pizza pie at a hole-in-the-wall place on Rue St-Denis in bohemian Montreal. Jack stacked the slices one on top of the other, face in. I was captivated by the … Continue reading »

I attended the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival on August 14, 2011, supporting an event that combines sport and culture, while raising funds for cancer research. As I say in the video, “I support festivals and the arts, because I believe we need to bring people closer together, as part of our project of building a … Continue reading »