Breaking news: **Sooke & beyond**
May 20. Is anyone surprised that
gasoline prices went up (to almost the highest level in 5 years) for the
first long-weekend of the summer season?
On May 16 prices edged up a full 5-cents per litre -- from $1.369 to
$1.419 per litre -- in Sooke (and the Greater Victoria area),
where they have been for the entire holiday weekend (May 18-20).
Sooke Voice News has been tracking gasoline prices each week
since the start of 2013 (see back page of each weekly edition).
May 20. Bustling in Sooke town centre
today this holiday Monday, Victoria Day
... weekend not long enough?! People looking for things to do.
Most of the cafes are open, and some of the small shops, and definitely
all the big stores.
May 19. A single vehicle went off
road and rolled onto its side (Sooke Rd at Gillespie) around
3:15 pm this sunny Sunday afternoon. One lane was closed but caused
major traffic slow downs until reopened at 4:30 pm. The driver had only minor injuries according
to Sooke Fire Rescue Service who determined that the driver may have
fallen asleep at the wheel.
 May
19. If you think you're the only one
concerned that the global financial system keeps people in strife and
poverty, not so!
Pope Francis lamented that investment losses by banks trigger more alarm
in the economic crisis than the struggle of people to feed their
families, as he led a huge rally Saturday to invigorate the church's
moral conscience, hours after he held talks at the Vatican about the
economic crisis with Germany's leader Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Some 200,000 people, from Europe, Asia and the pope's native South
America, filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets to join Francis in
hours of prayer, music and speeches aimed at encouraging Catholics to
strengthen their faith and making morality play a greater role in
everyday life. [Photo by Associated Press]
May 19. Tonight the
entertainment at The Mix restaurant
(Prestige Hotel in Sooke) will be by guitarist Jean Bedard, 6:00 to 8:30
pm. The restaurant' special menu will include with Alaskan King Crab dinner,
Peppered Chicken bowl, Sterling Silver Sirloin Neptune, and Honey Glaze Port
Loin. Reservations: 778-425-2529 or drop in.
May 19. Inconvenienced or economically
impacted by the no-left-turn at Townsend & Sooke Rd?
Send comments by June 10 to
info@maplelinebusinesscentre.com
(for inclusion in a public report on June 17 to
the District of Sooke Land Use & Environment Committee). To date, about
60 comments have been received, as the issue is significant.
Apparently the boulevard and turning signage was insisted upon by ICBC
when a local developer wanted to put an office building on Townsend,
which later did not materialize; this leaves everyone else in the lurch.
May 19. Odds of winning were 1
in 175 million in the Powerball lottery in the United
States yesterday -- someone in Florida has won the top prize of $600
million!
May 19. A sunny day in Sooke with a
light breeze. Not much action in town. Lots of people away
for one thing or another (see item below), or just taking it easy or
catching up on gardening.
May 18. Sooke became pretty quiet by
mid to late afternoon, as people headed out of town or home
to relax for the Victoria Day long weekend (the 'first official day of
summer' in Canada, it seems). Some small businesses closed up early.
Activities capturing attention away from Sooke included the 150th
Victoria Highland Games in Victoria (May18-19) and the Luxton Fair in Langford
(May 18-20), as
well as the usual camping, fishing and hiking.
May 18. Following Tuesday's powerful election experience,
Christy Clark has plans for the first 100 days in office
including hardening up plans for a critical trade mission to Asia,
beginning a conversation with the province’s labour leaders
aimed at creating a new era of co-operation, refreshing her jobs plan,
swearing in a cabinet and tabling a budget. Prior to that she will need
to find a way into the legislature. She told the Globe and Mail: “I’ve
had a number of offers already from caucus members all over the province
(saying they are prepared to step down),” referring to her loss of the
seat in her own riding of Vancouver-Point Grey on election night.
 May 17.
There's a blue
glow around the moon tonight (11 pm) over Sooke. Apparently
it's a phenomenon having to do with the refraction and reflection of ice crystals
(relative to the position of the viewer) within cirrus clouds at a
high altitude (about 20,000 ft), but it looks rather magical nonetheless.
May 17. Around 2 pm this afternoon, Sooke RCMP
exercised a search warrant to look for firearms held in a home at 7049
Maple Park Terrace. The warrant was acted upon after a period
of "information gathering over a while" said Cst. Jamie Robinson. TV
news was also at the scene on the street far up and away from the rest
of town, where a secluded lifestyle is possible. More information to
come.
 May
16.
The May 17th "Horgan Wins Again" election-followup edition of
Sooke Voice News is now online. Print copies are in coffee shops for
Friday morning customers.
Election coverage includes an after-May 14 look at each
candidate, the fiasco with the pre-election polls that everyone got
wrong, some election stats, and an interesting Twitter conversation that
took place this morning among @SVNLocalNews, @sooketvvitter and @thesticksooke
.
On page 5 is an announcement that AOE Accumulated Ocean Energy
Inc. (a Sooke-based company) has been nominated for a VIATeC award.
May 16. For the second year in a row, the gravel access
road from Hwy#14 to the parking lot at the Sombrio Beach trailhead
will be temporarily closed to help prevent unauthorized activities like
large parties and vandalism, over the Victoria Day long weekend (from 6
pm Friday, May 17 to 6 am Monday, May 20). The announcement was released
by BC Ministry of the Environment.
May 16. Tonight at 7 pm is the next
meeting of the Mayor's Panel on Economic Development
(District of Sooke) in the boardroom at the Prestige Hotel. Open
to the public. The panel has been running online surveys -- the first
with inquiries to local businesses about the local economy, and the
current one seeking input from residents about the local economy.
May 15. "Charisma can be a
replacement for nastiness," says Carlos Serra (BC-Green) who
ran in the west coast island riding of Juan de Fuca, in his
analysis of why the NDP did not win enough seats under Adrian Dix to
form a majority government in BC last night.
May 15. 'From the mouths of
babes' (as the saying goes, to indicate the real truth)...
one of the Grade 10 career planning classes at Edward Milne
highschool in Sooke yesterday, there was a mock BC-provincial election
vote. The NDP won.
May 15. At 10 minutes past midnight,
there was a 4.3 magnitude quake in the northern Yukon Territory.
No damage reported or expected.
May 15.
John Horgan, Energy Critic in Juan de Fuca has won his third
election since 2005, with almost the exact same number of votes as in
2009. Ballots cast for Horgan last night tallied 11,272 in this 2013
election compared to 11,520 in 2009 (and more ballots are yet to be
counted -- from advance polls and voting done elsewhere by Juan de Fuca
residents who are presently living or working elsewhere).
Specifically,
last night Horgan garnered 53.38% of the votes cast in this west
coast island riding,
compared to newcomer Kerrie Reay for the BC Liberals who grabbed
6,513 of the votes cast (30.96%) and first-time political candidate
Carlos Serra, Green with 3,253 votes (15.46%).
After it was obvious that the Liberals had won a majority of the seats
for the next four years in the BC Legislature,
Horgan spoke to a packed room of loyal supporters on Tuesday
evening: "It's a sad day for the party and a sad day for BC," John
Horgan said, even though his seat was securely won and he will head back
to the BC Legislature as a seasoned career politician.
"Something happened over the past week," Horgan said, pointing
out that negative attacks from the Liberals must have worked against the
NDP. "We are decent people and we would not succumb to the
mudslinging," he said to his supporters, and resurrected the memory of
Jack Layton as a way to encourage his party faithful to stay true to the
cause of positivism in politics.
 May 15.
At this time, Premier Christy Clark
has not won the seat in her own riding of Vancouver-Point Grey.
With 8,049 votes at midnight May 14, she is trailing 2.5 percentage
points behind the NDP's David Eby who has 8,501 votes.
As leader of her
party, she can still be premier.
May 14. In a victorious landslide
return not predicted by any of the pundits or political experts, the BC
Liberals returned to power with a stronger majority
government than before, now with 50 seats in the 85-seat BC Legislature,
after results were tallied tonight in BC's 40th General election.
The common sway was that the BC-NDP party under Adrian Dix would win an
majority for his party; instead, the number of seats subsided by three
to 33. Dix and most of his party stronghold held onto their seats,
including John Horgan, Energy Critic in Juan de Fuca (his third win
since 2005).
Province-wide, the final party standing (at 11:59 pm on May 14 election
night) was: Liberal 50, NDP 33, Green 1, Independent 1, Conservative
nil.
 May 14. 9:30 am. Voting has been steady in Sooke at
Sooke Community Hall this morning. Every minute or two,
another two or three people arrive with what seems like an impassioned
intention to vote, their voter cards in hand. Bright skies and little
chance of rain will likely help with voter turnout.
May 14. 8 am. The polls are
now open from 8 am to 8 pm for registered voters to take part in the
40th BC General Election. Of the 3,116,626 registered
voters in BC, 380,741 or 12.2% have already cast their ballots during
the advance voting period (May8-11).
In Juan de Fuca, where the candidates are John Horgan (NDP
incumbent), Kerrie Reay (BC Liberal), and Carlos Serra (Green), there
was a 14.7% advance-voter turnout.
Tonight's active election
coverage will be
posted on Twitter @sookevoicenews
which is also
posted in real time on the main
page of
this website. Final election results will be posted on our
BC
Election results page later tonight.
May 14. The
Sooke Voice News editorial (of May
10 edition) has made a strong endorsement for John Horgan, NDP
incumbent, in Juan de Fuca and predicts a majority
achievement by the BC-NDP (i.e. possibly narrow at 43 to 45 seats, but
momentum of recent days could see it go higher).
Today's Vancouver Province
editorial carries a strong endorsement of Premier Christy Clark as a
suitable leader, but also feels the NDP will win a majority of the 85
seats.
Voting
in the 40th BC General Election starts at 8 am today May 14 (voting stations
will be open to 8 pm
Pacific Time); registered voters can vote at any voting station in BC.
May 13 (11:59 pm). Results of the
pre-election anonymous survey for voters in Juan de Fuca (as posted by
Sooke Voice News) collected data up to 11:59 pm May 13.
About 66% of the respondents said they either had or would be voting for
John Horgan, NDP.
Of all the respondents, 59% said they had voted in advance of today's
general election voting day.
Of the respondents, 74% said they had already decided which party they
would vote for before the 28-day election period commenced in April.
 May 13.
After an absence for health reasons, Mayor Wendal
Milne is back in the Mayor's seat at Council tonight. The meeting is
being webcasted live as of 7 pm tonight.
www.sooke.ca
May 13. Of the 39,270
registered voters in Juan de Fuca, 5,770 have already voted in advance
of tomorrow's 40th General BC Election, it was reported today
by Elections BC. That's about 14.7% of Juan de Fuca voters taking
advantage of early voting.
That's higher than the 12.2% average BC advance voter turnout
across the province.
Advance voting took place May 8 through 11 in all of the 85 electoral
districts.
May 13. The BC-NDP are still
appealing to their base this afternoon: "1 day to share our
positive message,
1 day to convince undecided voters, 1 day to bring change for the better
to British Columbia... we're going to give it all we've got – that's why
Adrian set off early this morning on a Countdown to Change tour spanning
14 communities and 1,700 km. We won't stop until the job is done."
May 13. In a news release this
afternoon, BC Liberals are calling this "the most important election in
BC history", adding: "Tomorrow, we need each and every
one of you to vote and also help get as many supporters out to vote as
possible," with an invitation to join Christy Clark online tonight
at 8:45 pm, when she speaks live to all supporters around BC in a
'special webcast' at
www.bcliberals.com/livestream .
May 13. So far, the survey of Juan de
Fuca voters shows that 25% of voter-respondents were still undecided
about who to vote for before the 28-day campaign began.
Today the candidates are busy tracking down those last voters, hoping
for a good impression and an increased voter turnout.
The
survey is open to 11:59 pm tonight at
Voters in Juan de Fuca riding: anonymous Sooke Voice News
pre-election survey.
May 13. On the last day of the BC election
campaign, incumbent John Horgan, NDP is extremely busy, working to bring
in the vote. Early this morning the campaign team
caught the attention of commuters at busy intersections, waving and
holding signs as one means of encouraging folks to vote for Horgan,
and will do it again later this afternoon.
In between he'll be out and about in busy places like malls, and in the
office called 'undecided' voters.
Says Horgan's campaign manager: "At this point the main message is
'please exercise your responsibility to vote'....a healthy democracy
requires that people vote."
"As you can imagine.....it's a pretty nerve-wracking 30 hours waiting to
see the provincial results Tuesday night," says the Horgan team.
May 13. Construction work
continues on the Mahalat section of Hwy 1 between Aspen Rd and 2.5 km
north of Shawnigan Lake Rd. Motorists are advised to allow
for additional travel time, as traffic volumes and lane closures will
result in some delays. This week, construction will take place from
Mon., May 13 through Wed., May 15, from 6 am to 3
pm. There will be no construction from Thurs., May 16 to Tues., May
21, for the Victoria Day long weekend (but permanent lane closures will
remain in place over the long weekend period). Work will resume on Wed.,
May 22. With higher traffic volumes anticipated,
motorists can expect delays. During construction, traffic won't be
stopped after 3 pm. However, work continues adjacent to the highway
until 7 pm. Lane closures will remain in effect 24 hrs/day and delays
will be dependent on traffic volume. For current highway
conditions, delays and travel advisories, check DriveBC at:
www.drivebc.ca
May 13. Tonight there will be a
Regular Meeting of District of Sooke Council at 7 pm in Council
chambers. Agenda/webcasting at
www.sooke.ca. Includes draft Audited 2012 Financial Statements;
Zoning Amendment Bylaw (600-1) – 6535 Grant Rd East; Staff Report on
Development Variance Permit for 7109 & 7111 West Coast Rd; Development
Variance Permit – Silver Spray Destination Resort – Phase I; Sooke Core
Sewer Specified Area Cost Recovery Amendment Bylaw; adoption of Five
Year Financial Plan Bylaw, 2013 and Property Tax Rate Bylaw, 2013;
Zoning Amendment Bylaw - 2083 Anna Marie Rd (motion and waiver of public
hearing); Mayor’s “Promote Sooke” Task Force; Report on Boat Launch
Expenditures; and more.
 May 13. Last day of the BC election
campaign -- in Juan de Fuca, BC Liberal candidate Kerrie Reay
has been busy since this morning- she was in Langford by 6:45 am
to do a 'burma shave' (sign-waving at the roadside) at Veterans
Memorial, chatting with transit riders and putting up signs. "This
afternoon I will be in Sooke campaigning as I have a council meeting
that starts at 5pm tonight," says Reay.
May 12. Advance voting in the
BC election got a strong turnout in Juan de Fuca, where 11.1% of
registered voters had already cast their ballot by 8 pm on May 11.
The total advance turnout saw 4,378 people in Juan de Fuca
riding (out of the total 39,270 registered voters - count as of
Apr.23) come out strong on the first day of advance voting on May 8
(1,705 ballots issued), and continue at a steady pace on the last two
days of the work week (May 9 - 1,363 ballots issued; May 10 - 1,310
ballots issued).
The advance voting tally from Saturday May 11 will be available on
Monday, May 13.
Voters
in Juan de Fuca riding may take part in the Sooke Voice News
pre-election survey
(open to midnight on May 13).
In 2009, there was a 59.8% total voter turnout in Juan de Fuca,
with only a 51% showing province-wide (the lowest ever BC voter
turnout).
May 12. Google could be getting ready to
unleash a massive redesign for one of its most beloved products – Google
Maps. According to
WebProNews.com: "While reports are
unconfirmed, it’s looking like the company may soon implement some major
changes."
May
12. Get ready to follow
BC ELECTION
RESULTS online at Sooke Voice News. Sign up for our
free
e-news bulletins
that are sent by email. Follow local results in Juan de Fuca
on Twitter @SVNLocalNews and BC
results with regional spin @sookevoicenews .
Voters in Juan de Fuca are invited to take part in a pre-election
survey up to midnight, May 13:
Voters
in Juan de Fuca riding click here to take part in 1-minute pre-election survey
 May 12. Mother's Day in Sooke on
Sunday, May 12 includes the Prestige Spring Craft Fair and
also a buffet brunch at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort, a special menu
at Mom's Cafe, and reservations for lunch and dinner at Sooke Harbour
House. It is also commences the remaining 48-hour period of election
campaigning in the Juan de Fuca riding of BC.
May 11. There's a quick 3-question
anonymous BC pre-election survey online today (through to
midnight Monday, May 13) for voters in the Juan de Fuca riding on
Vancouver Island, posted by Sooke Voice News: Voters
in Juan de Fuca riding click here to take part in survey
 May 11. About 60 south-island
firefighters are in Sooke today for the Firefighters Fitness
Challenge -- the first held in Sooke since 2008. It's a fundraiser for
Muscular Dystrophy Canada (admission is free, but you can buy hot dogs
and hamburgers) at the Sooke main fire hall, 2225 Otter Point Road, 9:30
am to about 3 pm.
May 11.
The Province newspaper reported on May 7
that John Horgan, NDP incumbent in Juan de Fuca in this BC election (he
has been the Opposition energy critic since 2006) said: "The Liberal
election machine is conducting another smear campaign by claiming he had
a secret meeting with the head of Kinder Morgan Canada.
Horgan said he did call the company president the day after NDP leader
Adrian Dix announced he wouldn’t support Kinder Morgan’s pipeline
expansion through BC, but that it was a courtesy call to advise the
company executive of the party’s position, and there was nothing secret
about it, nor was he issuing any plans for the day after the election.
Letter
about Kinder Morgan from BC-Green Juan de Fuca candidate Carlos Serra.
 May 10.
The flow of voters into the Voting Place at Sooke
Community Hall was steady today and early this evening,
says one of the officials there. Advance-vote tonight to 8pm, or
tomorrow May 11 (8 am to 8 pm), and get your "I VOTED" sticker!
May 10. Tomorrow a Firefighters Fitness Challenge
will be hosted by the Sooke Fire Rescue Service at the main
fire hall, 2225 Otter Point Road. The public is welcome to come watch
40 or more firefighters from all over southern Vancouver Island compete
in the challenge from 9:30 am to about 3 pm. Free to attend.
Proceeds from refreshments (hot dogs and
hamburgers) will go to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
May 10. Randall Garrison, MP,
Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca has succeeded in making it possible for
83-year-old Surjit Bhandal of Victoria to not be deported, it
was announced today. Garrison waded through the political
complexities, the red tape of Citizenship & Immigration Canada, and
garnered public pressure to make possible her permanent residency
status.
May 10.
Predictions are starting to emerge for the outcome
of the 40th general BC Election, with only days to go until
the May 14 election day.
Many political pundits are saying it will be very close between the BC
Liberals and BC-NDP for who claims the top spot and sends their leader
into the Premier's office.
Of the 85 seats, 43 would need to be filled by one party or another in
order to form a majority government in the BC Legislature after May 14.
To do that, the Liberals would need to show strength in the north and in
the Lower Mainland; for the NDP to achieve that feat they'd need most if
not all the seats on Vancouver Island.
The focus in Sooke ... here at
Sooke Voice News we see
indications of an NDP majority (hard won by a thin margin -- say, 43
or 44 NDP seats); if what we're hearing around town is strong everywhere,
i.e. disdain for the HST mess and a minimum wage that went up too fast
for small businesses to endure during a recession -- then an NDP
majority it shall be. In the Juan de Fuca riding we have endorsed John Horgan, NDP (see pg.2 in
SVN May 10th edition) with all due
respect to the other two candidates who are representing their parties
well.
The
dig-deep political newspaper
The Tyee is saying this Juan de
Fuca riding will be won by the NDP: "Definitely BC New Democratic Party.
The NDP's John Horgan won handily in 2009 and is a high profile party
member sure to keep his seat. "
Sooke's other local newspaper (published by Black Press) is calling for "a
minority Liberal government with a strong showing for the NDP and a
sprinkling of seats for the Green Party".
May 10. Preliminary voting results for BC’s 40th
Provincial General Election will be posted on Elections BC’s website as
details become available after 8 pm (Pacific) on Tuesday, May 14,
General Voting Day.
Results will be updated regularly on a web page linked directly to
www.elections.bc.ca while
initial count takes place at over 10,000 voting locations throughout BC.
Preliminary voting results will include: number of votes cast for each
candidate; number of ballot boxes reported; total number of ballot
boxes; percentage of popular vote. General voting locations are open
from 8 am to 8 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
 May 9.
The
May 10th edition of Sooke Voice News is now online featuring Mother's Day and more pre-election coverage of the candidates
in Juan de Fuca. Front page coverage of this year's 23rd annual
Sooke Rotary Fair and that one of Sooke's darling businesses -- The
Bee's Knees -- is up for sale. Read the Valdy concert review and Sooke's
version of "May the 4th be with you". The editorial page comes
out to endorse one of the provincial candidates and takes a shot at
predicting the election outcome. There is so much news this week
that the May 10th edition is a 6-pager! (PDF is 4.6 MB). Purchase
the colour print edition at Shoppers Drug Mart (Sooke) and MapleLine
Business Centre.
 May 9.
This is the second day of Advance Voting in the 40th BC
election. In Sooke, there are two voting places -- SEAPARC, and
Sooke Community Hall -- both stations are open 8 am to 8 pm today May 9
as well as on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. Bring your
voter registration card or ID.
May 8. A utility pole on West Coast Road outside the main
Sooke post office is about to be replaced. Yesterday the post office
parking lot was overcome with a large truck bearing a horizontal wooden
pole -- and taking up about 6 parking spots -- which is apparently to
replace the concrete one.
May 8. What are the Juan de Fuca candidates are doing today?
John Horgan (NDP, incumbent) is
working the phones this morning then going to Belmont Secondary School's
All Candidate Forum this afternoon; then back on the door steps later on
and perhaps drop into a voting place to
advance vote.
Kerrie Reay (BC Liberal) started her
day at the McHappy Day event in support of Ronald McDonald House, at the
McDonald's restaurant in Sooke town center, then went out for more
door-knocking. Carlos Serra (Green)
took a walk in the morning and did some media interviews; in the
afternoon he will be back to teaching at his ESL school in Victoria.
May 8. A CFAX-radio poll reported yesterday that 75% of
Greater-Victoria area residents say 'no' to automatically starting
seasonal water use restrictions on May 1st each year.
 May 8. Voting places for advance voting in
the 40th BC general election are open 8 am to 8 pm today in
Sooke at SEAPARC Leisure Complex and Sooke Community Hall. The same
locations will also be open at those times (8-8) on May 9, 10 and 11.
May 7. The NDP is encouraging their
supporters to vote early: "Head to
www.vote.bcndp.ca
and create your plan. Pick your day, your time, how
you'll get there and we'll help you make it happen. Make a plan to vote
for change," says BC-NDP communications rep Michael Roy.
May 7. Advance voting for the 40th
Provincial General Election begins Wednesday, May 8 and is
available through Saturday, May 11, 2013.
All
BC voters can vote at any advance voting place between 8 am and 8 pm
(local time). Advance voting turnout statistics will be published on the
Elections BC website at in the afternoon on the day after advance
voting has taken place.
Statistics for Saturday, May 11 will be published on Monday, May 13,
2013. Turnout will be listed by electoral district and will
include provincial totals.
There are 85 electoral districts in the province.
Advance voting ballots are counted after the close of voting at 8 pm on
May 14, General Voting Day.
May 7. West Vancouver-Capilano BC Liberal
candidate Ralph Sultan has described child poverty as a “single mom”
issue and made it clear that there was little in the BC
Liberal platform to tackle the issue, says the BC-NDP in a release
today. As quoted in the Vancouver Sun on May 6, 2013: “We are not
going to rewrite the platform. It ain’t happening…” (BC Liberal
Candidate, Ralph Sultan).
May 7. On Sunday May 5 at 11:00 am, West
Shore RCMP were called to the parking lot outside Tim Horton's
at 845 Goldstream Avenue in Langford where a vehicle had hit several
other vehicles, nearly running over a group of people. Police were on
scene within minutes, says Westshore RCMP. The driver Sherwin
Batley had driven a Chrysler Sebring car into the parking lot, went up
on the sidewalk, and struck a bystander who had been sitting on his
walker against the side of the building (a large cement garbage can
stopped that man from being crushed). Batley appeared in court on May 6
and has been charged with: • Dangerous Operation of a
Motor Vehicle • Mischief to Property over $5000 • Theft of a Motor
Vehicle • Obstruction of a Peace Officer • Drive While Suspended
May 7. In the last election, the BC Liberals
said they wouldn’t bring in the HST. After the election, they brought in
the HST. How did BC voters in BC respond? The NDP is
pushing for the northern vote today... "Let’s review how they voted in
the referendum on the BC Liberals’ signature accomplishment since the
last election – the HST."
RIDING / Vote against HST %:
Peace River North - 50%
Stikine - 54%
Cariboo Chilcotin - 57%
Prince George-Mackenzie - 57%
Peace River South - 58%
Prince George-Valemount - 59%
Cariboo North - 59%
Skeena - 67%
North Coast - 67%
May 7. At a community park in Sidney this
morning, NDP leader Adrian Dix said change for the better means a
reduction of childcare costs by up to $2,000 per year for
each child in licensed infant and toddler daycare.
“More of the same from the BC Liberals means making life less
affordable and ignoring the most pressing needs of parents of young
children,” said Dix. “More of the same means doing nothing to expand
childcare options, while parents struggle to find licensed care.”
Dix said that an NDP government would reduce fees for licensed
infant and toddler care by 20 per cent, or up to $2,000 a year, for the
parents of 12,000 children.
“Change for the better means supporting women, especially single
mothers, who want to return to the workforce,” said Dix. “Childcare is
the second highest family expense after housing, putting it out of reach
for lower-income parents and keeping them out of the workforce.
“In many cases, this means trapping young families in poverty, with
no way out. More affordable childcare helps families to help
themselves.”
The BC NDP’s childcare plan has been widely praised. The Coalition
of Childcare Advocates of BC said NDP initiatives “recognize and address
the high cost of parent fees for families with very young children and
the need for more quality spaces.”
Childcare advocates also found that the BC NDP was the only party to
make meaningful commitments to infant and toddler care.
May 7. At 8:05 am this morning, BC-NDP
leader Adrian Dix will make a campaign announcement
at Tulista Park in Sidney, with Candidates Lana Popham,
Saanich South; Rob Fleming, Victoria-Swan Lake; Carole James,
Victoria-Beacon Hill; Maurine Karagianis, Esquimalt-Royal Roads;
Gary
Holman, Saanich North and the Islands'; Jessica Van der Veen, Oak
Bay-Gordon Head; and John Horgan, Juan De Fuca.
May 6. Sooke firefighters were
understandably a bit miffed that they were not included in the
preparation of an extensive document that reviewed firefighting bylaws
and guidelines in depth, as prepared and presented by private
citizen Derek Lewers to the Finance & Administration Committee (F&A)
tonight in Council chambers.
Apparently, going forward, discussion of the first draft will include
input from both career and volunteer firefighters.
Lewers does have 13 years of previous experience as a volunteer
firefighter; he was asked directly by Mayor Wendal Milne to prepare the
report.
Attending the F&A meeting tonight were Sooke Fire Rescue Chief Steve
Sorensen, Deputy Fire Chief Rick McLeod, and about seven volunteer
firefighters -- several of whom addressed the committee with their
concerns.
May 6. The Sooke Philharmonic Society was
fast-tracked to receiving a $2,000 grant tonight from the
District of Sooke Finance & Administration Committee (F&A), following
the failure to achieve sponsorship funding from long-time donor Butler
Brothers for the Fling! concert (who gave generously for many years).
The Fling! concert is held as a public event in Ed Macgregor Park every
July. Councillor Kerrie Reay said she hoped the organization would
approach the Community Grant Review Committee in future, as all the
other organizations do. The F&A motion still requires Council approval.
May 6. Elections BC is offering drive-thru
voting at the district electoral office in Comox, located in
a former car dealership with drive-thru bays where local election
officials will be administering curbside voting. “Ensuring British
Columbians have access to voting is of utmost importance,” says Chief
Electoral Officer Keith Archer. “This innovative approach to
assisting voters is another way Elections BC makes the provincial
electoral process effective, efficient and accessible.” Comox Valley
District Electoral Officer Hildy Richardson suggested this approach as a
solution for voters unable to leave their car or for voters who are pet
owners and do not want to leave their animals unattended. The drive-thru
opportunity is available 12 noon to 4pm on Saturday, May 11 and Monday,
May 13 at 150 Mansfield Drive, Courtenay, BC.
May 6.
A recent poll (reported on CKNW this morning) shows 91% of voters have decided who they are going to
vote for in the BC provincial election on May 14. Advance polls open May
8-11. Many voters follow party lines. John Horgan, NDP incumbent (Juan
de Fuca) says he hopes BC voters will be thoughtful about who ends up
representing them in the Legislature.
 May 6.
What has John Horgan heard while door-knocking in
Sooke for re-election (as the MLA for Juan de Fuca) the past three
weeks?
"Commuters complain about the commute (transportation issues) and those
who stay in-town say there is an absence of choices in Sooke in a whole
range of things," Horgan said yesterday at a Sooke Transition Town
discussion about BC election issues.
May 6.
BC Election 2013 - quote of the day:
"In election campaigns, second place doesn’t count. Not even when
it’s a photo finish." ~ David Eby, BC-NDP candidate for
Vancouver-Point Grey
May 6. The Sooke River Bluegrass Festival Society
is asking for sponsorship and funding tonight May 6
at the District of Sooke Finance & Administration Committee meeting at
council chambers. The 2013 festival will be held June 14-16 at the Sooke
River Campground.
Also on the 7 pm agenda (which will be web-casted at
www.sooke.ca ) is a request from the
Arts & Beautification advisory panel (chaired by Brenda Parkinson) for $8,036 to put some images onto
hydro boxes -- considered to be a modern form of urban art. Other
projects put forward for funding include signs on the boardwalk in Ed
Macgregor Park; installation of a hand-carved bench at the tourism
kiosk; renewal of the Communities in Bloom membership; sponsorship of
the Sooke Dance Studio for their contribution of performances to public
events; $5000 to the Sooke Philharmonic for their 2013 annual summer
outdoor Fling concert; a 2-sided digital "wecloem to Sooke / events"
sign as proposed by Ellen Lewers.
Presumably as a cost-saving measure, the Sooke Fire Rescue Service will
be proposing that "low risk businesses would do their own fire safety
inspection and submit an online form to the Fire Department".
 May 5.
What a truly wonderful summer-weather day in Sooke!
At 7:30 pm it's still a balmy 21°C, clear skies, no breeze. Earlier in
the day it reached 28.1°C which was a record-setting temperature for May
5 in the Greater Victoria area! As dawn breaks tomorrow morning, the Weather Network prediction
is for a temperature already at 15°C.
May 5. "The Liberals have an overwhelming
desire to cling to power," says John Horgan, NDP incumbent, Juan de
Fuca.
"I've waited four years
for these 28 (BC election) days," he said today at a small gathering of
the Sooke Transition town group that meets to discuss community
sustainability.
Horgan hopes that this election will result
in an NDP majority in the BC Legislature on election day, May 14.
Of
his party's leader, Adrian Dix:
"Adrian's going to be an outstanding premier. He is serious and
hardworking, just the sort of person you would want as your neighbour --
thoughtful, kind and empathetic."
 May 5. Friends of
Canadian Broadcasting is an independent watchdog for Canadian
programming, not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party.
They are asking Canadians to sign a petition to "free the CBC from
political interference", saying that the federal government’s "latest
Omnibus Budget Bill is an insidious plan to take control of the lion’s
share of CBC spending, a move that will undermine the CBC’s editorial
independence....This is a move that could turn our national public
broadcaster into a politically controlled propaganda machine."
May 5. John Horgan
says the number of people who voted for him increased 11% between the
2005 election and the one in 2009.
"People had decided they were more comfortable with me (over those four
years)," he said today after the Sooke Transition town pre-election
discussion in Sooke.
"I
just keep doing what I'm doing (to earn people's trust)," he said. "If
people want change in the way BC is run, they have to get out and vote," Horgan said today.
Horgan says that since the recent poll that showed a narrowing margin
between Liberals and NDPs, more people are dropping by to his
campaign office in Langford to help turn out the vote. Many voters
follow party lines. But @jjhorgan is hoping BC voters will be thoughtful
about who ends up representing them in the Legislature.
May 5. John Horgan
(BC-NDP incumbent, Juan de Fuca) and his campaign team
will be out and about in Sooke this afternoon for some mid-campaign
door-knocking.
Horgan has served as the MLA for Juan de Fuca for eight years
(including as Energy Critic).
May 5. Bee's Knees
consignment store which is a fixture of the Sooke retail community is up
for sale.
Today store owner Judi Trudel announced that after five years (overall
the store is 15 years old, under various owners), the business is up for
sale and listed with local Royal LePage Realtor Tim Ayres.
Over 2,000 consignors are on the roster, and many family accounts at the
store will be affected: Effective Monday April 29th 2013, all cash and
cheque pay-outs are temporarily suspended.
Existing consignors will still be able to redeem their accounts for full
in-store credit - plus a special loyalty bonus of an extra 25% off all
consigned (used) items.
New consignors will also be able to redeem their accounts for full
in-store credit, as usual.
www.beesknees.ca
May 5. When it is important to spend money on
families? For now or for later?
The BC Liberals are not coming out clearly enough to explain about the
RESP monies they are allotting to families. Those funds would not
available to youth until they go into post-secondary studies.
The Liberals say: "Adrian Dix says he will take back this $300
million to help pay for his $3 billion in proposed NDP spending
increases – and that’s just so far." Of course they are not explaining
that the NDP (if elected to form a government) would put those same
earmarked funds into family and child-care needs that help right now (BC
has the highest or 2nd highest rate of child poverty in Canada), not for
use a decade or more down the road. Higher education is extremely
important, but families are struggling right now to raise healthy young
families and have enough funds for child care.
Under the Liberal plan (says a Liberal news release today): "Children
born on or after January 1, 2007 are eligible for one-time BC government
grants of $1,200 to go into their RESPs. The program was initiated in
2007 by the BC Liberals. To date, $300 million has been set aside for
these RESPs."
It's interesting how such issues are left to the media to sort this out
so that the public to really see what is going on.
Parents would need to contribute monthly to an RESP in order to
realize the benefit of the government's one-time $1,200 contribution,
which would only kick in once a child is accepted into post-secondary
training. "It's a gimmick," says John Horgan, who is running as the NDP
candidate in Juan de Fuca. "The Liberals say that the NDP are
"pandering to the few" when we say we (NDP) "want to get people out of
child poverty".
 May
5. Last night's concert by Valdy was received
at the end with a standing
ovation by the nearly 90 people who attended to hear the
67-year-old icon of folk music. It was a Sooke Folk Music Society
(SFMS) concert, and according to SFMS president Dave Gallant there has been no
better turnout except for a Sue Medley concert last year. A super-slick
performance
from start to finish, the crowd from young to quite old appreciated the
well-oiled combination of old-time folk favourites (Valdy's own and
others'), new Valdy pieces, and one antiquated song (1926 tune "the red
red robin comes bop bop boppin' a long..." that as the encore piece
stuck out like a sore thumb and was a bit of a cocky, meaningless choice considering
the devotion of the crowd). Valdy has a Sooke 'past' (chummin' around
with Sooke historian Elida Peers at the intermission), and bragged as
part of the show that he's been married four times, but was only wrong
twice (which elicited some mutterings from the audience). All in all, it
was a
night that die-hard folk music fans will long-remember.
May 4. Mexico comes north! Enjoy
some special Mexican-style tapas at The Mix by Ric's Restaurant (at the
Prestige Hotel) in Sooke, this weekend May 4-5, in the spirit of
Mexico's Cinco de Mayo May 5th holiday.
 May
4. Today is the big day! A
big crowd is expected to turn out to the annual Sooke Rotary Auction &
Spring Fair, held in the arena at the SEAPARC Leisure Complex, with
booths and displays by about 65 businesses and organizations. There's
also an outdoor plant sale, the sale of used bicycles, refreshments
(cafe is run by EMCS culinary arts students), and a silent auction. The
live auction is in the evening, also dinner. Free
admission, but of course Rotary hopes people will part with lots of
money for the auctions, as a way of supporting their causes.
May 4. Love books? The 16th
annual Times Colonist Book Sale in support of literacy is on today May 4
and also tomorrow May 5, in Victoria at the Victoria Curling Club,
9 to 5 each day.
 May
3. About 50 tickets have been sold so far
for the Valdy concert for Saturday night, May 4 (that's a
good ticket count for a small town on a night when other events are
going on). The concert has been organized by the Sooke Folk Music
Society and will be held at Holy Trinity Church at 1962 Murray Road in
Sooke town center. Tickets $15 at Shoppers Drug Mart (Sooke), or at the
door. www.valdy.com |
www.sookefolkmusic.com
May 3. The Sooke Community Choir Spring Concert
"Come To The Music" will be held tomorrow afternoon -- a Saturday matinee
-- on May 4
from 2-4 pm at Sooke Baptist Church, 7110 West Coast Rd. Tickets
$10 at Peoples Drug Mart and Shoppers Drug Mart, or at the door.
May 3.
 The current May 3 edition of Sooke Voice News
is now available in print around Sooke in coffee shops and community
areas, and online. This week read about the May 1 All Candidates
meeting (Juan de Fuca electoral district) that was held in Sooke. Find
out about the Emergency Support Services booth on May 5 at Juan de Fuca
Rec. There are two surveys for Sooke residents -- one on the local
economy (District of Sooke) and the other on recreation (SEAPARC). The
Sooke Rotary Auction & Spring Fair is on Sat. May 4.
May 2. Many businesses and organizations are
gearing up for one of the most dynamic Saturdays all year in on spot in
Sooke ... the Sooke Rotary Auction & Spring Fair at SEAPARC
Leisure Complex coming up this weekend on Sat. May 4. From 10 am to 10
pm the festivities will unfold, with the displays by businesses and
organizations primarily from 10 to 5, then dinner and the live auction
after that. Unclaimed bicycles are up for sale, as are plants. The
culinary arts highschool students from EMCS run the cafe. Free
admission.
May 1. Tonight's All Candidates meeting
in Sooke (for the Juan de Fuca riding)
saw a turnout of almost 200 people who were keenly attentive to the
issues brought forward in 24 questions from the audience and answered by
each of the candidates: incumbent
John Horgan (BC-NDP)
- Twitter @jjhorgan ,
Kerrie Reay (BC Liberal) -
Twitter @KerrieReay , and
Carlos Serra (Green). The
level of experience that John Horgan brings as the 8-year incumbent (NDP)
was in sharp contrast to the new playing field that this campaign is for
Kerrie Reay (BC Liberal) and Carlos Serra (Green).
Overall provincial issues touched on the environment, the
economy and jobs, education, resource industries (particularly forestry
and LNG), protecting salmon, and style of government.
The moderator for the evening was David Stocks, as
introduced by Michael Nyikes as vice-chair of the Sooke Region Chamber
of Commerce.
The event was co-sponsored and coordinated by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce and Sooke Voice News, with the
donated support
of the Prestige Ocean front Resort (room), The Mix Restaurant (room
setup), MapleLine Business Centre (printing), and Sooke Folk Music Society (audio).
May 1. Tonight
is the All Candidates meeting for the
Juan de Fuca riding in Sooke. Wed.
May 1 from 7 to
9 pm at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in at 6929 West Coast Road in
Sooke. Everyone welcome.
Candidates running in the Juan de Fuca riding are incumbent
John Horgan (BC-NDP)
- Twitter @jjhorgan ,
Kerrie Reay (BC Liberal) -
Twitter @KerrieReay , and
Carlos Serra (Green).
So that the community has an opportunity to meet their
candidates, the event has been co-sponsored by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce and Sooke Voice News, with the support
of the Prestige Ocean front Resort (room), The Mix Restaurant (room
setup), and Sooke Folk Music Society (audio).
May 1. In Sooke, 18 houses sold in April
2013 at an average sale price of $415,086 compared to the
overall Greater Victoria average MLS house sale price of $652,611.
May 1. Emergency Preparedness Week is May 5 to 11
in BC.
Emergencies include heavy wind storms, wildbrush fires, an earthquake or
a tsunami.
Deputy Fire Rescue Chief and Emergency Support Services (ESS)
coordinator for Sooke, Rick McLeod says "it's not a matter of if, but when" a
major natural emergency such as an earthquake happens in the Sooke
region (due to our location near the Cascadia fault lines).
McLeod says that people in the Sooke area should be prepared for 5 to 10 days of
self-sufficiency following an emergency.
 May
1. The candidate nomination
period for BC’s 40th General Election closed at 1 pm (Pacific time) on
Friday, April 26, 2013.
There are 376 candidates representing 19 political parties, as well as
independents and individuals not affiliated with a registered party.
Voting is available at district electoral offices, by mail, at any
advance voting place May 8-11, and at any general voting place Tuesday,
May 14, 2013.
Of the 376 candidates, the NDP (NDP
candidate profiles) and Liberals each have a full slate
of 85 candidates running (BC
Liberal candidate profiles); the Green Party has 61 candidates
(GreenParty
candidate profiles) and the BC
Conservative Party has 56 candidates (BC
Conservative Party candidates).
There are 35 independent candidates.
The election period for British Columbia’s 40th Provincial General
Election began April 16 with the dissolution of the Legislature and the
issuance of a writ of election to each of the 85 District Electoral
Officers throughout the province.
 April
30. Looks like 11 is a 'lucky number' for
incumbent John Horgan in the Juan de Fuca riding at election time in BC.
When first elected in 2005 he earned 11,936 votes (46.12% of the total
votes cast in Malahat-Juan de Fuca) and in 2009 he also topped 11,000 to
win the riding with a total vote count of 11,008 (57.11% of the votes
cast in Juan de Fuca). The 40th general election is just two weeks away,
on Tuesday, May 14.
|
A
view to the world, from Sooke 
