Sunday April 13, 2025 | SOOKE, BC
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Without the candidates who are running for the Liberals and Conservatives, today’s inaptly named ‘all candidates’ event in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (ESS) was incomplete.
The ideas and remarks put forward by the NDP, Green, Communist and Independent candidates were impassioned, intelligent and informative, the gaping hole — the metaphorical ‘elephant in the room’ — was that the representatives of the surmised ‘two-horse race’ between this country’s two leading political parties were not there.
The absence of Stephanie McLean for the Liberals and Grant Cool for the Conservatives set the tone for the 2-hour afternoon event more than anything that was said on stage at Sooke Community Hall this afternoon.
About 200 people attended the 1 pm event. It was a full house.
Today’s event has come at a point with less than two weeks to go until the April 28 election day. Any undecided voters still have questions, and decided voters want to see their candidates shine.
Candidates:
This is the full list of ESS candidates (from the Elections Canada website, April 13):
- Param Bhatti – Independent
- Grant Cool – Conservative
- Robert Cooks – Communist
- Ben Homer-Dixon – Green
- Stephanie McLean – Liberal
- David Schaafsma – Christian Heritage
- Maja Tait – NDP
Four candidates today:
Seated from left to right (audience view), were Maja Tait (NDP), Robert Crooks (Communist), Ben Homer-Dixon (Green) and Param Bhatti (Independent). Their range of backgrounds is broad in terms of political experience, areas of formal education, work-world experience and age.
- Maja Tait – NDP – has been in elected politics (at the local level) for now about 18 years.
- Robert Crooks – Communist – is new to BC within the past couple of years, with community development experience in Winnipeg behind him.
- Ben Homer-Dixon – Green – is just 20 years old and only just completing first year university but has an academic focus of interest on a key contemporary issue (climate),
- Param Bhatti – Independent – has lived in Sooke and raised a family here and offered articulate ideas but runs without the backing of a party.
The group as a whole was a beautiful mishmash of what makes this country great — that anyone can step forward to run for elected office and offer their contribution to community service.
Organizational:
The event was organized by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce led by their president Deb Schenk, and the Otter Point, Shirley and Jordan River Residents Association (OPSRRA) led by that organization’s president Chris Moss. Questions were provided to the candidates ahead of time, and there was time after an intermission for about three audience questions to a less populous audience.
The format was an attempt at fairness and order, shunting the microphone from candidate to candidate in a rotational way. Moss took advantage as an organizer to deliver his own pitch on political things upon regathering the audience after the intermission. The intermission was an opportunity to lose attendees, of whom only about 60 percent remained to hear audience questions and closing remarks.
Gone are the days when most candidates standing for election were variations on a similar theme. Also evidently of times past is the way All Candidates meetings are organized. Each event nowadays seems custom-tailored to the needs of the organizer more than aiming to achieve the best overview for the voters who attend.
Video recording of the event was done. Two media platforms had representatives there: Sooke News Mirror (Black Press) and Island Social Trends.
It was a come-as you-may event. No refreshments (other than cookies at the Green info table), not even water.
The candidates didn’t have name cards in front of them (a small but important detail). There was no regular format for introducing each candidate again by name and party as they addressed each question (which does help during a long event and especially if people are later watching the video and might fast-forward).
There were info tables for each of the parties (except the Conservatives); the Liberals table was set up with some campaign literature.
People gave up a sunny Sunday afternoon for this. Was it worth it? The audience was attentive and respectful and the candidates were forthcoming with the intention to serve. The dynamic was positive in that regard. There were no protests or difficult moments.
Speech highlights:
Hot topics discussed today including housing, health care and overall aspects of the economy including affordability. Specific questions elicited responses about the environment and Indigenous issues.
Some topics were addressed indirectly, like the need for a baseline assurance of income (addressed within in remarks about Employment Insurance and homelessness). Women taking active part in politics thankfully no longer needs to be specifically highlighted; some progress in the electoral system has been made there.
Each of the four candidates addressed — with favour — the importance of social programs and not letting people fall between the cracks. Had the the two major party candidates been there, the temperament of that section might have sounded different — likely there would have been mention of efficiencies, balanced budgets, and doing what can be done within our means.
Some broader topics never surfaced at all, such as immigration, artificial intelligence, agriculture/food security and forestry.
- NDP: Maja Tait made is clear that she’s after the Sooke-area vote and the women’s vote. She had some prepared notes and pivoted on various topics as required.
- Tait has the momentum of the orange team at her back but might have delivered more of that national strength to her presentation. She noted that the changing climate has an impact on oceans and waterways; she is in favour of Indigenous-led conservation-based initiatives and on other topics also showed a deeper understanding of socioeconomic issues that impact the real lives of Indigenous people in Canada. On the current national movement toward dropping provincial trade barriers she noted the NDP’s platform in support of implementing that. The NDP fights for public health-care as a matter of principle and practice, she pointed out, which includes dental, Pharmacare and having a family doctor. She pointed out on many topics how it takes all levels of government working together to produce results. Tait highlighted the fact that only 40% of Canada’s workers are covered by the Employment Insurance program that has not kept up with today’s reality that there is a wide number of ways that people earn a living (e.g. contract, gig-work, self-employment, etc). Wind, solar and tidal energy sources must be better harnessed, she said in response to the infrastructure question. On interprovincial trade: small and medium-size businesses will benefit; reduce inconsistencies by bolstering entrepreneurs.
- Communist: Robert Crooks used his speaking time to articulate the impacts of a capitalist economic system on the well-being of people and communities in a factual way that would be hard to refute.
- But in our current electoral system it was information largely thrown to the wind. He suggested that Canada “stop building toward war” (including no longer manufacturing weapons of war) which is in stark contrast to the restrengthening of Canada’s military that the Liberals and Conservatives are talking about after the Trudeau period of an attempt to pivot to peacekeeping as the Canadian way. He declared that housing is a human right, much as the NDP say nowadays. On interprovincial trade: making it easier will only benefit Trump and his goals for American economic dominance.
- Green: Ben Homer-Dixon will capture Green votes a he demonstrates himself to be an articulate going-places young man.
- A first-year UVic geography student, Homer-Dixon already articulates nuanced and global views on things like the environment and matters of Indigenous reconciliation. He declared health-care as a fundamental human right including dental and Pharmacare (borrowing from the NDP mantra of this election). He wants to work toward “a better world we believe is possible”. Homer-Dixon includes digital and disaster-mitigation in his list of infrastructure improvements that are needed across the country. He points out that oceans are a carbon sink and that communities should be prevented fro allowing sewage or contaminants into oceans and inland water systems. On interprovincial trade: make best use of available resources, empower Canadian enterprise including small and medium-size businesses.
- Independent: Param Bhatti contributed precise thought on a few issues and concrete suggestions for improving communities that could find room for him in future community engagement.
- Truth bombs from Bhatti like saying that in the current electoral system ‘telling truth is revolutionary’ made his presentation memorable. On the health-care topic Bhatti included vision care as well as dental to be part of universal health-care. He says an ‘explosion of affordable housing’ is what’s needed to help deal with many of today’s social and economic challenges. He says that healthy marine ecosystems are necessary for the well-being of oceans and fisheries. On interprovincial trade: develop a national digital business registry where register-once is the way to go across all provinces.
Voters happy?
Did voters come away with any new information to help them make a choice on election day — or strategically, for next weekend when advance voting runs April 18 to 21?
Due to the lack of a full spectrum of party representation, today’s event came down to an opportunity for intention, character and ideas to shine through.
Did candidates stick to the topic of the question? Did they contribute some insight that might tip the voter’s hand? And what would the Liberals or Conservatives do compared to any of their views?
Sooke-side:
The audience composition tells a story in and of itself. Many long-time Sooke residents were there for the moment that their long-time mayor was now on the stage as a federal candidate.
Strong contingents of people who support the Conservatives and the Greens were there.
For those who know the locals, the audience included (in no particular order): David Merner, Sinclair Philip, Frederique Philip, David Evans, Diane Bernard, Carolyn Bateman, Tony St Pierre, Sid Jorna, Les Haddad, Ellen Lewers, Candice Linde, Tom Myrick, Moonfist, Bob Phillips, Heather Phillips, Levi Megenbir, David and Carol Mallett, Susan Belford, and more.
Large geographical footprint:
But Sooke is only one part of the Esquimnalt-Saanich-Sooke riding that spans Esquimalt, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, Sooke, the Juan de Fuca areas (East Sooke, and west of Sooke to Jordan River), and parts of Saanich as well as several First Nations.
Tomorrow night an ESS all candidates event will be held in Esquimalt at 7 pm at 1575 Lyall Street.
On Tuesday evening, the ESS Conservative candidate will host his own meet-and-greet at Sooke Community Hall.
Campaigning to the end:
The five-week federal election campaign period will run right up to the last minute, until election day on Monday April 28.
Voting on campus runs April 13 to 16. Advance Voting runs April 18 through 21 (over the Easter long weekend).
Visit the Campaign Itinerary page for all parties/candidates info & voting information.
===== RELATED:
- Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke all candidates event happening April 13 (April 13, 2025)
- Coming up April 18 in Langford: coffee chat with NDP incumbent Alistair MacGregor (April 12, 2025)
- Victoria Chamber to host local federal issues session on April 16 (April 11, 2025)
- It’s time for Liberals on Vancouver Island says Victoria candidate Will Greaves (April 11, 2025)
- Seniors make an effort to vote because it matters (April 8, 2025)
- NDP Victoria incumbent Laurel Collins endorsed by former Conservative candidate (April 8, 2025)
- Liberal Leader Mark Carney rallies the party faithful in Victoria (April 6, 2025)
- Second federal campaign visit by NDP Leader on south Vancouver Island (March 31, 2025)
- Tait vs Cool: NDP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke candidate challenges ‘parachute’ choice by Conservatives (March 24, 2025)
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