Good afternoon, Langley friends! We're in for a sunny one today with a high near 26°C, so enjoy it while it lasts because the forecast cools down sharply tomorrow into the high teens. Plenty going on in today's roundup.
With civic elections coming this October, I've got a short piece on how to spot bot and alt accounts on social media after a Reddit post took a portion of yesterday's roundup out of context. On the Township side, two councillors have dropped out of Mayor Eric Woodward's libel lawsuit, though Woodward himself is pressing on.
Over in the City, the code of conduct dispute between Councillors Mack and James has already run up $328,000 in legal bills, with costs ballooning largely due to Mack's decision to sue the City over the process. Council has now approved an additional $500,000 in legal budget to cover the fallout, and a public input session on that amendment is coming up on June 15.
There's also good news: a new partnership with the Red Cross to strengthen emergency support, a new TransLink summer bus route to Campbell Valley Park, and Michael Bublé and Drew Scott bringing the Vancouver Giants to Prime Video this fall.
Watch Out for Bot and Alt Accounts Ahead of Langley's Fall Elections
With Langley's municipal election coming up this October, a recent Reddit thread is a good reminder that not every voice online is what it seems.
A post in the r/Langley subreddit last night used a screenshot from The Langley Union's daily roundup as a feature image for a thread full of unsubstantiated attacks against local political figures.
The post took our reporting out of context entirely.
The OP behind it was a brand-new account with almost no post history outside of defending Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward and attacking his critics. That kind of account pattern is worth paying attention to.
The anonymity of the internet often inspires people to behave poorly.
Many of these people act on behalf of public figures who do not support their shady behaviour.
The Reddit user who flagged this issue noted that the r/Langley sub has seen a notable increase in new, low-karma accounts posting pro-Woodward content in recent months.
Two accounts active in the thread in question were both created roughly two months ago and had almost no karma to speak of. That is not proof of anything on its own, but it is a pattern worth noticing. Inauthentic accounts are a real and well-documented feature of municipal politics online, and with October approaching, it is reasonable to expect more of this activity.
I want to be clear about something: The Langley Union is not a so-called "unbiased" outlet, and it will not pretend to be so.
The idea that journalism can be fully neutral is a myth that often does more harm than good, because it pressures reporters to treat all sides as equally credible even when the facts do not support that.
What we are is fair. We are transparent about our values and guiding principles. We verify information before we publish it, and when we cannot verify something, we say so clearly. When we get things wrong, we publish corrections. Our content speaks for itself, and we do not appreciate it being taken out of context to serve someone else's agenda, whatever that agenda may be.
Here are a few tips to help you navigate social media more critically, especially as election season heats up:
Check the account's history. Before accepting a post or comment as credible, click the profile. How old is the account? How much activity does it have? Is the content almost entirely focused on one political figure or issue? A pattern of one-sided, low-history posting is a red flag.
Look at the source before you share. If a post includes a screenshot of a news article, find the original article and read it yourself. Screenshots can be cropped, edited, or taken wildly out of context. If the claim seems surprising, go find the primary source.
Be skeptical of conveniently timed anecdotes. Anonymous accounts claiming to have "overheard" things or to have inside knowledge right when a political attack is being made should be treated with serious skepticism.
Notice coordinated patterns. A sudden flood of similar comments or posts from new accounts can be a sign of a coordinated campaign. It does not have to be robots doing the posting. Real people can run multiple accounts or organize to push a message at the same time.
Ask who benefits. When you see a piece of content attacking someone, ask yourself who stands to gain from that attack. That does not make the content wrong, but it is a useful lens.
The Langley Union will keep covering local politics the way we always have: fairly, transparently, and with our values on the table for anyone to read. There is a reader survey at the bottom of every article, and you are highly encouraged to use it.
We encourage you to hold us to that standard, and to hold every other source you consume to one too.
Mayor Woodward Keeps Suing as Councillors Drop Libel Case
Two Langley Township councillors have quietly walked away from a libel lawsuit that Mayor Eric Woodward is still pushing forward.
Councillors Rob Rindt and Tim Baillie filed a notice of discontinuance in Vancouver Supreme Court, with Baillie saying the point had been made.
Woodward, however, says the case "will and must continue" against Councillor Kim Richter, former MLA Rich Coleman, and others he alleges were behind articles and videos claiming a political insider got a sweetheart deal on Township fire truck purchases.
None of the allegations in the case or its counterclaim have been tested in court, and with October's civic elections approaching, the lawsuit now hangs over a council already divided between Woodward's Progress for Langley slate and the rival Langley Strong slate that Richter recently joined.
Code of Conduct Fight Has Already Cost Langley City $328,000
A dispute between two Langley City councillors over a code of conduct complaint has run up $328,000 in legal bills, with costs driven largely by Councillor Delaney Mack's decision to sue the City over the process.
The conflict supposedly began when Councillor Teri James filed a complaint against Mack in 2025, alleging she made negative and inaccurate public comments about council decisions in violation of the City's conduct rules.
Mack responded in May by launching a lawsuit claiming the complaint violates her Charter right to free speech, and City CAO Francis Cheung confirmed that defending that suit is a major driver of a new $500,000 legal budget.
None of the allegations in Mack's court petition have been tested in court, and the City had not yet filed a formal response as of Wednesday.
Public Input Opportunity Coming June 15 on Langley City's $2.5M Budget Amendment
Langley City residents will have a chance to weigh in on a major amendment to the 2026-2030 Financial Plan at a public input session on Monday, June 15 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.
The proposed Bylaw 3340 covers roughly $2.5 million in new and expanded spending, including $900,000 for policing arbitration and mediation, $600,000 for workforce succession and temporary staffing, $500,000 in unanticipated legal fees tied largely to Councillor Delaney Mack's judicial review of the City's code of conduct process, and $180,000 for new fire department turnout gear.
The legal line item has driven recent coverage of the dispute between Mack and Councillor Teri James (see above), with the City confirming that defending against Mack's court petition is a major contributor to the rising costs.
A separate amendment to the 2025-2029 plan (Bylaw 3339, amending Bylaw 3308) was handled at the May 25 meeting.
Written submissions for the June 15 session can be sent to councilmeetings@langleycity.ca by noon on the day of the meeting, or dropped off at City Hall.
Langley City Teams Up with Red Cross for Emergency Support
Langley City has partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to beef up its Emergency Support Services for residents displaced by fires, floods, and other disasters.
The Red Cross will provide trained responders around the clock to help people access immediate basics like food, shelter, clothing, and transportation for up to 72 hours after an emergency.
The City's own emergency program remains in charge of local response, with the Red Cross adding extra capacity and volunteer coordination.
Residents interested in becoming ESS volunteer responders can sign up at LangleyCity.ca/ESS.
New Bus Route Connects Langley City to Campbell Valley Park This Summer
Starting June 8, TransLink's new Route 566 will run from Langley Centre to Campbell Valley Regional Park on weekends and holidays, giving residents a car-free way to reach one of the largest parks south of the Fraser River.
The shuttle will run hourly from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., dropping passengers at the South Valley Entrance off 200 Street and 8 Avenue.
Campbell Valley spans more than 1,350 acres and features hiking and horse trails, a restored heritage farm, and a newly rebuilt boardwalk over the Little Campbell River wetlands.
TransLink says the route will return every summer, joining similar seasonal services to Golden Ears Provincial Park and Belcarra.
Canada Shuts Out USA 4-0 to Reach World Championship Semifinals
Canada took down the United States 4-0 in the quarter-final at the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland on Thursday, knocking the Americans out of the tournament.
North Vancouver's Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring, with Dylan Holloway adding another before Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby sealed the win with empty-net goals.
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves made 25 saves for the shutout and was named Canada's player of the game.
Canada heads into Saturday's semifinal with a perfect 8-0 record, still awaiting its next opponent.
Bublé and Scott to Spotlight Vancouver Giants in New Prime Video Series
Celebrity co-owners Michael Bublé and Drew Scott are bringing the Vancouver Giants to a global audience with a new six-episode series called "Hometown Giants," coming to Prime Video this fall.
The show follows the Langley-based WHL team's teenage players as they chase NHL dreams, with Bublé and Scott stepping into the spotlight alongside them.
Bublé has been a minority owner of the Giants since 2008 and brought in his longtime friend Scott in 2023.
The series was produced by Scott Brothers Entertainment and is part of a new slate of Canadian originals from Amazon MGM Studios.
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