Sewage Activist Wiped Off Ballot

(From The Toronto Star -- By Daniel Girard)

When you're a two-metre tall human turd, who talks with a falsetto voice and wears a slightly tilted sailor's cap, you're used to turning heads, as well as stomachs.

So JAMES SKWAROK, better known by the name of his character, MR. FLOATIE, was certainly expecting to draw attention when he threw that cap into the ring in a bid to be mayor of Victoria, British Columbia. In fact, as leader of the campaign to get sewage treatment here, he counts on it to tell all who will listen that the City of Gardens uses the Pacific Ocean as its toilet.

But when earlier this month a stink was raised about Mr. Floatie's candidacy, it proved too much.

City officials, correctly noting he's "a costume character," not a real person, and thereby ineligible, took him to court to get him off the ballot for the November 19th election.

It worked.

Neither Skwarok, 35, a university student trying to become a teacher, nor Mr. Floatie, a character with no pockets, let alone deep ones, could afford the legal fees.

While he admits to being "really bummed out" over abandoning the bid to run City Hall, Mr. Floatie vows to continue to fight it, pushing for sewage treatment by 2010.

Sewage Activist Wiped Off Ballot

[Hidee-Ho! A turd runs for Mayor in Canada! I thought that only happened in Bristol. Ahh, those wacky Canadians.
Maybe MR. HANKEY is next?]

Scott O'Leary, thanks for the post.