Why I’m Running – Part 2

I have watched what has happened to Victoria in the last 20 years but Since the previous mayor has come to Victoria and have been very angry of how the city of VICTORIA has become as a person who is born and raised since 1963 and is a 6th generation of Victoria. I bought my home in Victoria and have watched my taxes and Utility bills grow at a rate if allowed to continue at this I may not be able to sustain my taxes alone went from 1700.00 to know almost 6000.00 per house I do understand cost of living. But think Back to when my Dad and Mom who raised 12 children on 365.00 every two weeks we somehow made it we were not rich ,But Dad always took care of us working grave yard shift at Safeway and came home and grew a garden we never had a back yard to play in he also had side jobs and mom always had food on the table for us and a few neighbor kids and late we had hockey players from the Victoria cougars billet and friends and family had time to visit our doors were never locked and everyone was welcome to come and visit never did I hear I’m to busy to talk or visit we took the time and had lots of fun we use to always go out on Sundays and do day picnic’s with family and aunts ,uncles, cousins as like to day I have many relative’s in Victoria I have never met and hear on face book they have passed away lost time a different world we live in. I WAS NEVER TOLD I DON”T HAVE 5 MINUTES TO TALK

In the last 20 Years since a former mayor came to Victoria from Ontario, I have seen things change and not for the better . Her vision to help low to middle income people afford to live in Victoria is a great idea ,but that’s not what happened . Around 2018 to 2019 Victoria changed for the worst and add COVID 19 . All of a sudden we woke up to a war zone of homeless my suspension’s invited here from across Canada to get free, housing, food, drugs and cell phone to further Gain of those in power and Ceos of nonprofits at taxpayers’ expense .All of a sudden Business and employees of many companies had to change on how to survive a pandemic .

I watched this city be destroyed by all the homeless ( NON VICTORIA RESIDENTS) show up here and fill ,streets ,parks ,court houses ,centennial square , Downtown and everywhere in tow was add advocates and BC Housing and a Leader in City hall that could use this to her benefit .All of a sudden our Hotels in our neighborhoods were being bought up our local bars were in them and take away from us and turned into Homeless shelters with no consultation to with us I have no problem helping those who are in need of Victori but this was the cousin who showed up and never left who sat on the couch as I went to work .I think the first 4 year of her term as mayor was with good intention but went wrong due to a lack of leadership .The next term is where it really went south a lot of bad City Counselors except two of them that took the brunt of it Geoff Younge and Charlayne Thornton-Joe who were caught in the middle of Victoria’s frustration and took some un wanted stress . I know myself got really angry and nasty to which for those who know me wasn’t me I lost my staff and 80 % of my business and survived so far never to regain what I had lucky for me my home is paid off and own most of what I own is paid off due to my 16 hour days working in the past

I went through and watched many hard working people not get supports from anywhere the next The last 3 terms of mayor and council have failed the resident’s and taxpayers and Companies and landlords while rich construction companies and CEO’s of nonprofits and the last 2 mayors make profits for their own gain and it got me Mad , So I took on the John Horrigan challenge if you swear at those in office run for Office so in 2022 I ran for mayor thinking it had the most power to fix the mess ,the problem all those who said they had my back and would help disappeared except Jolanda and Clayton. I thought my best way to get the word out was to call the media except CFAX our local media told me I was a nobody and couldn’t spare 5 minutes or an interview ,so I went to every town hall and meeting to let people know who I am and why I was running ,I didn’t win but learned a lot