Dropped BC Conservative candidate Joachim Agou apologizes but rejects racism accusation
Agou said on social media he takes responsibility for the posts but denies the accusation of racism, adding that protests should not stop a city or put lives at risk.
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The BC Conservative candidate removed from the Victoria-Beacon Hill race the day before has issued a public statement. Global News reported on October 9, 2026, citing The Canadian Press, that Joachim Agou posted on social media that he takes responsibility for his words but rejects any accusation of racism.
Agou was removed by interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson on October 8 after posts came to light. One post said a car that drove through a pro-Palestine protest "should have reversed" over demonstrators. Another showed him sharing a meme that used an expletive to describe Pakistan.
What Agou said on October 9
In his statement, Agou said he should have expressed himself "more clearly and calmly." He also said that demonstrations "should not bring a city to a standstill or put lives at risk." He rejected the accusation of racism.
The statement does not address the specific posts directly, according to Global News. Global News had reported the previous day that Agou deleted his social media account at the time the Conservative Party removed him. His statement on October 9 was posted to social media.
What changes and what stays the same
Nothing in Agou's statement changes his status on the ballot. Ballots for Victoria-Beacon Hill were printed before the removal, and his name stays on them. A candidate cannot be removed from a ballot once it has been printed, so voters in the district will see his name on October 24.
Doerkson confirmed on October 8 that if Agou is elected on October 24, he will not serve in the Conservative caucus. Agou's statement does not dispute this.
What voters in Victoria-Beacon Hill can do
If you are a voter in the district and you are deciding how to vote, the full candidate list for Victoria-Beacon Hill is at Elections BC, electionsbc.ca. You can confirm your registration and find your voting place there. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Voting day is October 24. Other candidates in the district are listed at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp and at the other party pages on this site.
Questions this story answers
What did Joachim Agou say in his public statement?
According to Global News, which reported the statement on October 9, 2026, Agou said on social media that he takes responsibility for his words but rejects any accusation of racism. He also said he should have expressed himself 'more clearly and calmly,' and that demonstrations 'should not bring a city to a standstill or put lives at risk.' Agou had deleted his social media account the night before when the Conservative Party removed him.
Why was Joachim Agou dropped from the BC Conservatives?
The BC Conservatives removed Agou as their Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate on October 8, 2026. Posts came to light showing Agou saying a car that drove through a pro-Palestine protest 'should have reversed' over demonstrators, and another post sharing a meme that used an expletive to describe Pakistan. Interim leader Lorne Doerkson said there was 'no excuse' for the posts and that Agou would not serve in the Conservative caucus even if elected. This site covered the removal at the time it happened.
Is Joachim Agou still on the ballot for the October 24 vote?
Yes. Ballots are printed before voting day and a candidate removed by their party cannot be taken off them. If you are a voter in Victoria-Beacon Hill and you cast a vote for Agou, you would be voting for an unaffiliated candidate with no party support who has stated he would not sit with the Conservative caucus. Voters in Victoria-Beacon Hill can confirm the full candidate list at Elections BC, electionsbc.ca.
Who confirmed that Agou would not be in the Conservative caucus if elected?
Interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson said on October 8 that if Agou is elected on October 24, he will not serve in the Conservative caucus. Agou's own social media statement, reported by Global News on October 9, did not contradict this. Both Doerkson and the party's public communications confirm the position.
What district is Victoria-Beacon Hill?
Victoria-Beacon Hill is one of 93 provincial districts in British Columbia, each electing one MLA on October 24, 2026. The district is in the City of Victoria. Candidates running in the district can be found at the Elections BC website, electionsbc.ca, and the candidate page for this district on this site is at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/joachim-agou.
Who else is running in Victoria-Beacon Hill?
The candidate who brought Agou's posts to public attention on October 8 is Amna Shah, the BC NDP candidate in the district. Other candidates also appear on the ballot. The full list of candidates in the district is at Elections BC, electionsbc.ca. This site has profiles for candidates who have enough public record to review.
What did Agou's original posts say?
The posts came to light on October 8, 2026. One showed Agou writing that a car driving through a pro-Palestine protest 'should have reversed' over demonstrators. Another showed him sharing a meme that used an expletive to describe Pakistan. Global News and other outlets reported the content on October 8 when the Conservatives removed him from the party.
Where can I read the earlier story about Agou being dropped?
This site published a full account of the October 8 removal when it happened. You can find it and other news from this election at /bc/provincial-2026/news. The BC Conservatives' current candidate list is at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc.
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