On the manicured lawns and pathways of the B.C. legislature, a small, determined presence has for years greeted residents, tourists and staff alike. Leo, a 13-year-old dog who moved to Greater Victoria with his owner in 2021, has become a local fixture — a quiet, consistent presence that has drawn attention from legislative protective services officers, politicians, reporters and cruise ship visitors.
From private routine to public presence
Leo’s routine began as a private response to an intimate loss. His owner, Raechel Tupman, moved to Saanich to assist her ageing father during the pandemic. Their daily walks to the legislature grounds became a way to connect across generations and break the isolation imposed by public-health restrictions. After Tupman’s father died in December 2022, she continued those walks with Leo as a way of staying close to his memory.
“I kept walking here with Leo because I felt close to him. Dad and I were 20 years apart, so we were friends. It was a terrible loss.”
The routine evolved into a public ritual. Leo’s friendly demeanour — punctuated by enthusiastic tail wags — turned him into an unofficial ambassador for the site, attracting people who often offered a biscuit from a jar kept for his visits. Over time, he developed a broad base of admirers among those who work at the legislature as well as visitors who encounter him while touring the grounds.
Connections across borders and offices
Tupman says Leo has drawn people from well beyond Saanich. She has recorded meetings with visitors from 39 U.S. states and 11 countries, and described memorable encounters that included politicians and newcomers. One particularly striking meeting occurred by chance: a federal leader exited the building, noticed Leo and made a point of approaching him.
| Statistic | Number |
|---|---|
| U.S. states represented among visitors who met Leo | 39 |
| Countries represented among visitors who met Leo | 11 |
Those encounters underline how public spaces in Saanich and Victoria function as sites of informal diplomacy and social cohesion. For many cruise-ship tourists who have left pets at home, meeting Leo provided a moment of connection and comfort. For staff and officials, his visits offered brief relief from the routines of governance and security.
Public space, private grief, civic life
The story of Leo is at once personal and civic. It demonstrates how recurring presence in a public space can knit together disparate groups: mourners, routine walkers, tourists, security personnel and elected officials. In that role, Leo has become part of the legislature grounds’ social fabric — a reminder that accessibility and human-scale interactions remain important features of civic life in Saanich and the capital region.
- Continuity: Leo’s daily walks helped his owner maintain a link to her late father’s routines.
- Community: The dog attracted a wide range of people, from local staff to international visitors.
- Well-being: Encounters with Leo offered emotional comforts to passersby and workers alike.
While the attention lavished on Leo is light-hearted, it points to the civic value of well-used public spaces and the small rituals that give them meaning. For Saanich residents and the many visitors who pass through the legislature grounds, the presence of a familiar canine face has become part of the experience of the place.
