Politics gets dirty in British Columbia

Mudslinging is the very least we can expect in Victoria, British Columbia, now that Mr. Floatie is running for mayor. Floatie is the 2-meter-tall turd and mascot for People Opposed to Outfall Pollution (POOP)—we’ve written about him before in the context of gross ad icons. It’s believed to the first time a piece of excrement has run for public office in Canada. Hasn’t happened in the U.S. either, although a number of people who are full of crap have run. Some have even won. But getting back to Victoria, the turd-cum-candidate basically has one issue, albeit a worthy one: the dumping of untreated sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Victoria officials say the sewage is so diluted that it’s not worth building the $400 million-plus plant needed to treat it. But Floatie spokesman and POOP member James Skwarok says, “Because we don’t know for sure, it only makes sense to play it safe.” The current mayor of Victoria, Alan Lowe, sounded dismissive of his would-be rival this week. “I think it stinks,” he said of Floatie’s candidacy. “But I think I’ll beat the crap out of him.”

—Posted by Steve McClellan

October 19, 2005 | Permalink