Congratulations to the successful candidates in the October 2024 Provincial Election! In the West Shore, we are looking forward to working with Ravi Parmar (Langford Highlands), Darlene Rotchford (Esquimalt Colwood) and Dana Lajeunesse (Juan de Fuca Malahat). We asked the West Shore candidates to provide us with a short summary of why they support the arts, and this proposed facility in particular. Responses are below.
| Riding: Langford – Highlands | |
| NDP: Ravi Parmar | Throughout my adult life, I have been dedicated to building strong communities, and I quickly learned that supporting vibrant arts and culture is essential in achieving that. As the former Chair of the Sooke School District, I successfully brought together various community members to expand arts and culture offerings in the Westshore and Sooke region.
As an MLA, I have had the pleasure of meeting with the Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Society, where I’ve been a strong advocate for their efforts to build a vibrant, multi-functional arts and culture center. I believe that fostering arts and culture not only enriches our community but also strengthens our sense of identity and belonging. |
| Conservative: Mike Harris | No response received. |
| Green: Erin Cassels | No response received. |
| Riding: Esquimalt-Colwood | |
| Green: Camille Currie | Art and culture centers are needed now more than ever, especially with arts programs often being cut from public school curriculums. If elected as MLA, I will advocate for investment in arts and cultural centers, as they play a vital role in fostering community well-being, cultural expression, and economic growth. Moreover, I will support measures to ensure these centers are accessible and provide equitable opportunities for all. The arts and music stimulate parts of the brain that help unlock potential we might otherwise never tap into, and investing in them is an investment in our collective future. |
| NDP: Darlene Rotchford | Thank you for reaching out and sharing these updates about your exciting initiative. I’m encouraged to hear about the progress you’ve been making with municipal partners.
Arts and culture are the beating heart of vibrant local communities across our province – but I know this sector was especially hard-hit by COVID and, more recently, by global inflation. That’s why David Eby and the BC NDP have been taking action to support resiliency and economic recovery for people working in the arts sector, including by providing additional funding for the BC Arts Council and the popular BC Fairs, Festivals, and Events program. I know more needs to be done to help arts and culture flourish in BC communities, including here in Esquimalt-Colwood, and we’re ready to do that work – whereas John Rustad’s plan for massive budget cuts would send us all backwards. If elected, I will be a strong and determined advocate for the needs of all the people of Esquimalt-Colwood, and I look forward to learning more about the support your project requires to continue moving forward. |
| Conservative: John Wilson | No response received. |
| Riding: Juan de Fuca – Malahat | |
| Conservative: Marina Sapozhnikov | No response received. |
| Green: David Evans | I fully support the development of an Arts and Culture Centre on the West Shore! Long have I been a supporter of theatre, live music and the visual arts. My hope is that the development of a multi-functional arts and cultural centre comes to fruition quickly to serve and strengthen the West Shore community and beyond. The Arts are a powerful builder of community, bringing people together to share experiences. |
| NDP: Dana Lajeunesse | As a city councillor, it’s been an honour to help relaunch the Sooke Program of Arts Committee. We have amazing local artists, and it’s something that makes our communities so special here. I believe in supporting projects that not only highlight our amazing artists, but also reflect the diversity of our communities. A tremendous amount of work has been done by the Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society to make sure that their proposal for a new facility is accessible, and the best fit for people here. As MLA, I’ll be happy to support this project moving forward and help it come alive. |
