B.C. Conservatives drop candidate after racist social media posts surface
Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate Joachim Agou removed from party Thursday after tweets encouraging violence and mocking Pakistan.
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B.C. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson removed Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate Joachim Agou from the party Thursday afternoon, less than two hours after the NDP flagged three social media posts as racist.
Agou had posted a tweet on September 7, 2025, responding to a video of a car running into pro-Palestinian protesters in Lausanne, Switzerland, writing in French: "Il aurait du faire une marche arrière aussi" ("He should have reversed too"). On June 26, 2025, Agou shared a meme of U.S. President Donald Trump on an airplane with text saying "Trump: My God, Pakistan looks like a shithole!" followed by "That's London Mr. President." On November 6, 2024, Agou reposted content called "Make the West Great Again" featuring Trump, Elon Musk, and far-right politicians from the Netherlands, France, Hungary, Portugal and Spain.
In a statement, Doerkson said: "There is no excuse for this. I will not tolerate it. The candidate in Victoria-Beacon Hill is no longer a Conservative candidate. If elected, he will not serve in the Caucus." Agou's biography and name were removed from the B.C. Conservatives' website.
At a Surrey news conference Thursday morning, Doerkson was first asked about the posts and said he had not seen them. "The reality is I have not seen these posts or these allegations and trust me when I say this, I'll be looking at them the second I leave this podium," he said. When a reporter described the posts, Doerkson responded: "I of course would never support that."
Amna Shah, NDP candidate and incumbent MLA in Surrey City Centre, called Agou's posts "absolutely horrific racism" and pressed Doerkson on the vetting process: "Why was this individual allowed to run for the BC Conservatives? Why was he not vetted? Why did they allow this individual to have such hateful views to thrive in their party?"
Agou did not immediately respond to requests for comment. He was intercepted by CTV News and other journalists on Thursday as he walked toward a scheduled meeting with residents at a café in Victoria-Beacon Hill but walked past the venue to his car without answering questions beyond a brief "look into it."
Agou has not said whether he will continue to run as an independent in the riding. The B.C. provincial election is scheduled for October 24.
Did Agou author the posts himself, or was the account compromised?
Will Agou run as an independent in Victoria-Beacon Hill on October 24?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When was Joachim Agou removed as the B.C. Conservatives' Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate?
Joachim Agou was removed on Thursday, October 8, 2026, less than two hours after the NDP flagged three racist social media posts.
What did Agou post on September 7, 2025?
Agou posted a tweet in French responding to a video of a car running into pro-Palestinian protesters in Lausanne, Switzerland, writing 'Il aurait du faire une marche arrière aussi' ('He should have reversed too').
When is the B.C. provincial election?
The B.C. provincial election is scheduled for October 24, 2026.
