B.C. Conservative candidate apologizes after party removes him over social media posts

The B.C. Conservatives dropped Joachim Agou as their candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill after controversial social media posts surfaced. Agou refused to answer reporter questions on Thursday at a scheduled meet-and-greet at a Fort Street café in Victoria, instead walking several blocks to his car and driving away.

That evening, Agou posted an apology on Instagram. "I categorically reject accusations of racism. My comment on the Lausanne protest video was not about anyone's nationality or faith. I reacted emotionally to the chaos and blocked streets around a protest. That explains my reaction; it does not excuse it," Agou said.

The controversy centres on posts Agou made on social media over the past year. On September 7, 2025, he commented on a video of a car ramming pro-Palestinian protesters in Switzerland: "He should have reversed too!!!" In November 2024, he shared a meme showing Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and right-wing European leaders captioned "Make the west great again." On June 26, 2025, he shared another meme depicting Trump at an Air Force One window with a caption about confusing London with a profanity-laced description of Pakistan. Those posts have since been deleted. Agou's X account disappeared after the posts began circulating, though it has since returned with tweets now protected.

David Eby called on interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson to remove Agou on October 8, tweeting: "The current conservative leader should immediately remove this candidate and all others who spread hate – no matter which group of people is targeted."

In his apology, Agou wrote: "I take responsibility for my words, and I am sorry to everyone I hurt. I am truly sorry!" He also stated: "I condemn political violence and racism" and "Some older reposts no longer reflect my views." He said in the apology he respects people from every background, of all faiths and none, and LGBTQ+ people.

Agou plans to continue campaigning for "faster health care, affordable housing, lower everyday costs, and safer streets" without Conservative support. The B.C. provincial election is October 24. The Conservative Party is currently leading the B.C. NDP in recent polls, with 15 days remaining until the vote.