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B.C. VOTES 2020: West Shore business owner, podcaster running in election under B.C. Liberal flag

Three candidates vying for incumbent John Horgan’s Langford-Juan de Fuca riding
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Kelly Darwin, B.C. Liberal candidate for Langford-Juan de Fuca, says transportation is a growing issue that needs to be addressed across the electoral district. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Kelly Darwin believes he’s an ideal candidate to take over the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding because he’s seen small business owners struggle across the electoral district on the ground level.

As a small business owner, the 45-year-old Langford man is running for the B.C. Liberals in this month’s provincial election.

Darwin co-hosts the Westshore Business Podcast, in which business owners chat about their challenges and successes in the community.

His latest series shared conversations with several mayors on the West Shore, including Colwood’s Rob Martin, Langford’s Stew Young, and View Royal’s David Screech. They discussed how COVID-19 affects their municipalities and what must be done to help them prosper after the pandemic.

The single father of one, who grew up in Langford, believes one of the biggest challenges on the West Shore is transportation and traffic.

“If we don’t adapt with booming development around us, we will end up stuck in gridlock,” said Darwin.

“We have to take a common-sense approach to this growing issue on the West Shore. Campaigns aren’t always about winning or losing. I’m passionate about getting the message out to support small business and mental health and addictions.”

ALSO READ: People ‘disgusted’ by COVID-19 election call, B.C. Liberal leader says

Besides owning and operating Seriously Creative, a marketing and digital development company in Langford, Darwin has been on the West Shore Chamber of Commerce board since 2016.

Darwin had a former life as a Red Seal chef before earning a computer systems Technology certificate from Camosun College.

The B.C. Liberals candidate spent two terms as elected president of the Belmont Parents Association before his son graduated and began attending Vancouver Island University. He helped digitize hundreds of photographs from 150 years of school history and created an online archive.

“There are no frills around Kelly,” said John Juricic, a friend of nearly 10 years and co-host on the West Shore Business Podcast, among other podcasts.

“He genuinely cares about the community, and you can tell when you talk with him. Over our time of podcasting together, I quickly realized that he not only questioned the change, but he wanted to make the change. When you start talking like that, there’s only one place to go.”

A year after Juricic brought up the idea with the B.C. Liberal candidate, that conservation has become a reality.

Darwin will be on the ballot for the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding in the provincial election against incumbent B.C. NDP leader John Horgan, B.C. Green’s Gord Baird and Communist Party’s Tyson Riel Strandlund.

The provincial election takes place on Oct. 24.

READ MORE: B.C. Greens introduce all-women slate for Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay ridings


 

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aaron.guillen@goldstreamgazette.com

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Kelly Darwin, B.C. Liberal candidate for Langford-Juan de Fuca, says transportation is a growing issue that needs to be addressed across the electoral district. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)