Conservative candidate and noted businessman John Wilson says someone is stealing his campaign signs and ditching them in the bushes and the garbage.

“It’s very disheartening,” Wilson, who is running in the riding of Esquimalt-Colwood, tells Capital Daily. “All the volunteer hours put in, and people's hard-earned dollars that they've donated to us to buy these signs, yeah, it's sad to see.”

Dion Weisner, Wilson’s campaign manager, estimates that 100 (or about 20% of Wilson’s total signage) lawn signs have been either damaged or destroyed. “Most of which,” Weisner said, “just hours after they went up.” The signs came from the Songhees area, near Tyee and Bay and along Craigflower toward Tillicum, Weisner said. 

“We had one large (4x4 feet) sign sprayed with graffiti, at the intersection of Esquimalt and Harbour Road.”

Weisner said the lawn signs cost roughly $23 each, and $145 for the large one, so he estimates the loss to the campaign in the range of $2,600 after tax.

Wilson’s team informed Elections BC about the thefts, but there’s not much the elections people can do. Elections BC tells Capital Daily the Election Act does not specifically address vandalism to campaign signs or other election advertising, although the cost of restoring vandalized property does not count toward the candidate’s campaign expense limit of $71,700.08.

“During an election, it isn’t uncommon for us to receive complaints about damaged or vandalized election signs, though we don’t collect statistics on how many such complaints we receive,” Elections BC communications advisor Melanie Hull tells Capital Daily.

There was a case of vandalism just days into the current campaign. Cowichan Valley NDP candidate Debra Toporowski was the victim. The likeness of Toporowski’s face was cut out from her election sign.

“Generally, we suggest that concerns about damaged or vandalized signs be reported to local law enforcement,” Hull said, adding that damaging signs can be considered criminal mischief.

It's a whodunnit

As for Wilson, he has no idea why he was targeted or who is responsible.

“I don't have any theories at all, except obviously, people who support the Green or the NDP feel that's the way democratic society works.”

Wilson, president of the Wilson’s Group of Companies, is facing off with two fellow newcomers to provincial politics: Former Esquimalt Coun. Darlene Rotchford, and small business owner Camille Currie.

Each is eyeing the seat currently held by New Democrat Mitzi Dean who is not running. 

Weisner said to his knowledge neither candidate had any of their signs touched. Calls to those candidates weren’t returned in time to confirm that.

Not a way to attract new blood, Wilson says

“This has been an eye-opening experience for the past two and a half weeks,” Wilson tells Capital Daily.

He calls it “incredibly frustrating” to deal with four different municipalities, each with different rules on election signs. 

“Every municipality has different regulations: size of sign; location of sign; whether you're allowed to sign at all. It's just incredibly frustrating.”

Wilson, who was parachuted into the Esquimalt-Colwood race just days before the election campaigns began, said he gets how politics can be a tough sell to people. 

“As you can tell right now, I am not a happy camper, and I can understand why we're not getting more people, good people, running for politics. Because if this is the experience, it's just ridiculous.”