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An anti-SOGI candidates withdraws from the school board election race mid-debate

Plus: B.C. wildfires from Ontario, superpark, and why the city's comm team wins award

June 09, 2023

Greetings from Toronto where it is smoky, but not as smoky as I expected it to be based on all the headlines. I will admit that my first instinct was to play the western alienation card: Oh, now that wildfires are impacting Ontario, the issue of smoke is getting attention. But then I put it into perspective: A decade ago, the nuances of air quality ratings and what health precauations to take as a result was not something that had even crossed my mind, and now I’m completely versed in it — which I shouldn’t be. None of us should. I’ll direct you back to Dezene Huber’s guest post on this newsletter titled “Shifting Baselines” which explores the concept of how quickly things that were once extraoridinary become considered normal, numbing us to the climate crisis and it’s very real impacts. Seeing this through fresh eyes is, I think, important for this reason because it wasn’t long ago that smoke season wasn’t a thing and we really should not consider it something to just put into the background. On that note, I am really pulling for Tumbler Ridge to stay safe — it is possibly one of the most underrated gems in the world and really should be an international tourist destination and I hope the wildfire that has prompted an evacuation of the entire community does not spread much further than it already has. Be safe, everyone.

Josh Silva says he’s out of the school board race

Sounds like I missed a pretty eventful school board trustee forum but fortunately Will Peters of My Prince George Now was there:

The question, posed by the Prince George District Teachers’ Association (PGDTA), was: “SOGI programs are for everyone. What does SOGI inclusion in schools look like to you?”

“SOGI is the most divisive aspect in our education system,” Silva said, accusing the PGDTA of “imposing their will on all of our teachers.”

He continued by saying “this state has no business grooming our children for sexualization.”

This is when the first of many outbursts from the audience occurred, people in the crowd who were not pleased with the accusation followed by people in the crowd who were in support of what Silva said.

After control of the crowd was regained Silva finished his thought and the forum moved forward as planned.

…

In the final question of the night (related to the board’s budget), Silva decided to stand up and continue where he left off.

Immediately, members of the audience started to yell out “answer the question,” “we get it,” and “stop spreading lies.”

Silva responded to the crowd, saying “I just want to let everyone know I just had an appointment with my business partners today and I am not running anyhow. That is why I have been a little more abrasive here. I wouldn’t be playing this game like this, you can’t act like this. Let’s get real.”

That was the final thing Silva said on stage, which was met with a round of applause from some.

Silva, as you may know if you’ve read my previous posts on the issues at school board, was the catalyst for the current division between the teacher’s union and the school board when he made less direct criticisms of SOGI and was thanked by the board chair, prompting the union to criticize the chair for encouraging that sort of language and again you can read about all of this here. He also came pretty close to being elected last October and was likely to be the candidate the anti-SOGI crowd would mobilize around so his decision to withdraw is consequential, as a result (though I think given the way these things work his name will probably still be on the ballot). It’s also notable that he essentially said he was only fully honest about his opinions on SOGI last night because he was withdrawing:

“I just want to let everyone know I just had an appointment with my business partners today and I am not running anyhow. That is why I have been a little more abrasive here. I wouldn’t be playing this game like this, you can’t act like this. Let’s get real.”

Anyways. Election is still June 17. Here’s part two of My PG Now’s candidate questions.

And here’s why the city’s comm team wins awards:

A brown bear laying on a rock in a grassy field. Its mouth is open, almost like it's laughing. Graphic text reads, when you shame me in a local Facebook group for eating your garbage but you're the one that left it unsecured.

I’m being sincere. This is a great way of communicating seasonal information in a way that prompts shares and engagement. Also based on these two posts it seems they have aquired a drone and are putting it to good use.

Quick news:

I’m traveling Sunday so likely won’t have a newsletter Monday. Be well this weekend.

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