VIU News & Experts: October 15, 2026

From VIU Fest, to a new, exciting foodie event, to a discussion on witches just in time for Halloween, read on to learn more.

Does running for office a second time make you a better candidate?

VIU’s new democracy expert, Dr. Daniel Westlake, has data going back to 1993 that shows this gives you an edge.

Daniel is VIU’s new Senior Research Fellow with the Network of Jarislowsky Chairs in Trust and Political Leadership.

At VIU, he’s working with Dr. Michael MacKenzie, VIU's Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership, on three research projects about political leadership and representation in Canada. Together, the researchers will examine representation and political leadership in Canadian democracy, as well as political leadership education.

Read his expert commentary to see why he thinks parties should pay more attention to keeping good candidates

Read more about Daniel's research

BC voters are having a busy month, with both municipal and provincial elections taking place. Michael MacKenzie, VIU’s Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership, is available to share his thoughts on candidates, voter fatigue and all things election related. Email communications@viu.ca with your request!

BC adopted permanent daylight time earlier this year. But what does ending the seasonal time change mean for people’s sleep, health and daily routines?

Dr. Elliott Marchant, a VIU Psychology Professor, says ending the seasonal time change has benefits because people struggle to adjust to the hour difference. The change can increase accident rates, cognitive difficulties and sleep problems. However, Marchant says the switch should have been made to permanent standard time.

The change to permanent daylight time will compromise health, sleep entrainment (sticking to a regular schedule) and mental health, says Marchant. Children and seniors are the most vulnerable to a lack of morning light.

Marchant says regular exposure to early morning full-spectrum light helps reset our internal clocks, which run slightly slower than 24 hours. Without early morning light, people naturally drift toward staying up later (making it harder to fall asleep) and it's harder to get out of bed in the morning.

To combat this, Marchant suggests exposing oneself to a full-spectrum light bulb as early as possible (the earlier, the better). A regular schedule, morning exercise and good nutrition can all help.

The European Union has proposed making Canada its first “associate member,” opening the door to closer cooperation on trade, technology, energy, defence and critical minerals. The proposed status would be new for the EU, and details about what it would mean for Canada are still being worked out.

VIU Economics Professor Dr. Charles Schell is available to speak with media about the potential economic implications of closer Canada-EU ties. Two of his students, Emma Roth and Victoria Laukamp, both German exchange students, are also available to share their thoughts on the relationship between Canada and the EU.

VIU is helping residents in the qathet region build practical skills and explore new career paths through a free course that teaches how to reuse building materials so they don’t end up in the landfill. Offered in partnership with the Synergy Foundation, learners will gain hands-on experience and four industry certifications, no previous construction experience required.

Read this Q&A with program coordinator Elyse Freeborn to learn more:

Vancouver Island University’s largest annual community event is back for a fourth year of free, fall-themed fun.

VIU Fest takes place on Saturday, October 24 from 12 to 4 pm at the Nanaimo campus. Spend an afternoon at the Nanaimo campus and learn more about what VIU students and faculty are working on. Stroll the Indigenous artists’ market, take part in hands-on activities and science demos, grab a Halloween pumpkin for just $2 and enjoy delicious food options.

The Nanaimo campus is also hosting a polling station in the Trades Discovery Centre (Building 108) that day. Come vote in the provincial election, then stay for some festival fun!

There will also be lots of prizes such as tuition giveaways, a fun zone with kid-friendly activities and a community corner featuring a variety of local organizations. The grand prize is a full year (up to $7,500) in tuition credits as well as $2,500 credits for VIU Food Services. Considering taking a program at VIU? Take a pop-up class. Designed for youth ages 15 to 25, pop-up classroom experiences are taught by VIU faculty and give attendees the chance to experience for themselves what hands-on learning is like at VIU.

Celebrated poet Stephen Collis is giving the 2026 VIU Gustafson lecture on October 22. Stephen Collis is the author of 15 books of poetry and prose, including A History of the Theories of Rain, which was a finalist for the 2021 Governor General’s Award for poetry.

Collis will also perform two poetry readings. A reading and Q&A for students and a community reading that night at Windowseat Books are both on October 21. Creative Writing student poet Lee Groen will open for Collis and there will be music.

Rising Tides, Rising Chefs is coming to VIU on October 28. VIU is partnering with Culinary Team Canada and some of BC’s most celebrated chefs, restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries to create an extraordinary tasting experience. The night includes more than 25 interactive culinary stations, curated beverage tastings and the chance to support the next generation of culinary leaders.

The VIU Theatre program is marking its 50th anniversary with a live production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at the Malaspina Theatre from October 29 to November 7.

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Elaborate dance numbers and rock songs reveal Frank-N-Furter’s latest creation, a new man named Rocky.

The production brings together students, artists and theatre alumni for a live version of the the Malaspina Theatre’s long-running Rocky Horror Night tradition. Shows are at 7:30 pm, with matinees on Oct. 31 and Nov. 5. Tickets are $15 and available through Showpass or at the door.