Ted Musson is finally completing the long walk that he began on B.C.’s border with Alberta several months ago.
The 74-year-old passed through the Cowichan Valley last week and he hopes to be in Victoria to make a doctor’s appointment.
Musson, who has toiled in many occupations during his working career, from musician to carpenter, has walked across large sections of the province to protest the government’s treatment of children under their care.
He claims more than 120 have died in the government’s care since Christy Clark’s government came to power for a variety of reasons, including suicides.
“They died during a time when the government was clawing money back from programs intended to help them,” he said while walking along Herd Road with his protest sign.
“I needed to find a way to draw attention to this before the provincial election in May, and decided this was the best way.”
This is not Musson’s first time to walk to protest against a government.
Four years ago he walked all the way across Canada in protest of Stephen Harper and his Conservatives’ policies.
The trip took him more than two years to complete.
On this walking protest, Musson had walked to Hope from the Alberta border before he had trouble with one of his legs and had to temporarily abandon the trek.
He started again in Campbell River in February and has been making steady progress towards Victoria ever since.
Because he was doing the trip alone, Musson said he would drive ahead at the beginning of every day, park his RV camper, hitchhike back to where he left and start walking toward his camper.
‘“I’ve met some fascinating and engaging people along the way,” he said. “I just hope I had an impact on their political views.”