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Behnsen takes herself out of mayor’s race to run for councillor

Plenty of names will be on the ballot in North Cowichan
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Joyce Behnsen at the Drinkwater Road-Trans Canada Highway intersection that she considers even more contentious for accidents than Trunk Road-TCH. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Joyce Behnsen has opted not to run for mayor of North Cowichan as she originally intended, but has filed papers to seek a councillor position instead.

“I declared in the spring running for position of mayor of North Cowichan,” she noted. “Instead, I will now step up for a council position.

“I was a councillor for the 2014-2018 term and was able to help with improvements that citizens had requested for years.”

Behnsen decided making a second bid to become mayor might not be in her best interests. She came third in a three-team race during 2018 behind mayor-elect Al Siebring and Jon Lefebure.

“I would be privileged to again work for the citizens of North Cowichan to make this the best municipality possible to live, work and play in,” said Behnsen. “Listening, understanding and taking responsible action is the role of a good councillor.”

There are now four declared candidates for mayor in the 2022 election: Rob Douglas, John Koury, Peter Morris and Rosalie Sawrie. Douglas and Sawrie are current councillors while Koury also previously served on council and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2014. Morris has not served in office previously.

As of the Friday deadline, 15 people filed papers for the six available councillor positions: Dana Arthurs, Behnsen, Charles Borg, Mike Caljouw, Elizabeth Croft, Joseph Enslow, Bruce Findlay, Chris Istace, Christopher Justice, Tek Manhas, Kate Marsh, Adrienne Richards, Peter W. Rusland, Christopher Shaw and Debra Toporowski.

Justice, Manhas, Marsh and Toporowski are incumbents.


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don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca

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Joyce Behnsen has changed her mind about running for mayor, but instead will be putting her name on the ballot for councillor. (Photo by Don Bodger)


Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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