Gord Johns, Member of Parliament, was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in the 2019 federal election for the riding of Courtenay-Alberni at a meeting of almost 100 supporters on Sunday, Jan. 20 in Qualicum Beach. The election is expected to be called for Oct. 19.
“We have had some enormous successes on important issues but we still have a lot of work to do,” Johns told his supporters. “We don’t have to look far to see how much people are struggling in our country and around the world, the environmental challenges that we are facing are immense and there is inequality in our communities.”
He said that housing, universal pharmacare and dental care, the creation of good paying jobs and climate change are critical priorities.
The motion to acclaim Johns was moved by NDP member, Eva Hilborn, age 94, who urged him to fight for early childhood development in Parliament. The voice vote was unanimous.
Johns told the crowd that he has spoken in Parliament over 500 times in his three years as Courtenay-Alberni MP, bringing the issues faced by the communities of his riding to the attention of law-makers.
Describing his preference for working “across the aisle,” he said local communities in the riding have received far greater federal investment during the first three years of his term than during previous Conservative representation in the area.
In thanking Ms. Hilborn for her nomination, he promised to continue the fight in Parliament for universal child care.
“Gord Johns is the hardest working Member of Parliament in Canada and we need to keep him on the job for the people of Courtenay-Alberni,” said Marlene Dietrich of Port Alberni.
