In The Community

Parksville's Ballenas Secondary School- Politics 12 Class Visit

Thanks to Parksville’s Ballenas Secondary teacher Jessylee Spence for inviting me to meet with her Politics 12 class about my role as a Member of Parliament. Ms. Spence told me that "meeting real life politicians and asking questions is one of the two things EVERY student mentions in their final conference as a highlight of their learning.” It is certainly a highlight for me too. One of the best parts of my job has always been hearing from young people about their issues and passing on my experiences about how they can get involved. I never fail to come away from these encounters feeling optimistic about the future of our communities, our country and our planet.

MP Johns calls on the government to finally provide friendship centers with long-term funding

I was up in Question Period again on Thursday asking the government to get serious about its funding allocation for Friendship Centres which are essential in the lives of thousands of Indigenous residents of both urban and rural communities. For many, they are a home-away-from home, providing culturally safe programs and services for Elders, children and families. Governments at all levels are increasingly reliant on Friendship Centres to deliver services, most recently as they relate to mental health and the toxic drug overdose crisis and the impact of catastrophic climate events such as wildfires and floods which have driven many people from their home communities into cities. The National Association of Friendship Centres is proposing a national budget of $63 million with inflationary increases over a ten year period. I support this sensible proposal which will provide sustainability and financial stability for these amazing organizations across Canada. I will continue to fight for Friendship Centres!

Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society- Annual General Meeting

Thank you to Alex Glassey, president of the Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society for inviting me to speak at this year’s Annual general Meeting. As I told members of the Society, restorative justice is such an important force for good in the community and certainly over the past year, I have been very impressed with their collaborative work with First Nations, schools, social service groups, the RCMP and the federal and provincial judicial systems. Significantly, they have created awareness with both municipal and regional governments and applied for almost $2 million in federal grants to extend their reach in the Valley. The momentum that is being created by this initiative is truly inspiring, particularly as it shifts justice towards healing as an outcome for so many.

16th Annual Toy Drive in Parksville Tigh Mara Resort

Thanks to Parksville’s Tigh Na Mara Resort for hosting the 16th Annual Toy Drive last week and to all those who dropped by with toys or cash donations to SOS and food donations for the Salvation Army food bank. Great to see Chief Michael Recalma, unshaved and in a beautiful red suit and hat! Even though you will have to wait until next year for another wonderful buffet breakfast, donations are still being accepted by the SOS and Salvation Army.

Port Alberni Freidnship Centre

Thank you to the Board of Directors of the Port Alberni Friendship Centre for taking time last month to bring me up to date on its work and challenges faced by this important institution in our community. Friendship Centres are home-away-from-home for many Indigenous people who have settled in urban areas to go to school or work or because there isn’t sufficient housing in their home communities.

Governments rely on Friendship Centres to provide important social services which, in the case of Port Alberni, includes a childcare centre, tiny homes, a shelter and recreational and social services for families and Elders, all of which are culturally-based.

In spite of this reliance on Friendship Centres to provide these services, they have always been chronically underfunded by the federal government. Operational and program funding is provided through contribution agreements which are often renewed just weeks before their expiry—sometimes, many weeks following their expiry. Although the Port Alberni Friendship Centre has an exemplary record of responsible fiscal management, it struggles to provide assurance of continued employment to its staff because of the government’s refusal to enter into longer term agreements.

In the coming weeks, I will work with Jagmeet Singh and the NDP critic on Indigenous Crown Relations, MP Lori Idlout, to advance the objectives of the National Association of Friendship Centres to secure funding that addresses rising costs and addresses the restrictive terms and conditions of funding agreements with the government along with the need for flexibility to address the needs of individual Friendship Centres.

Alberni Valley Business Excellence Awards Gala

A wonderful time was had by all Saturday night’s Alberni Valley Business Excellence Awards Gala, an incredible evening dedicated to recognizing the hardworking individuals, businesses and organizations that drive our local economy and strengthen our community.

Thanks to Joleen Dick, Chris Washington, Colin Minions and the Board of the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce for organizing this wonderful event along with their partners, the City of Port Alberni and Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners! The community is the big winner, of course, with so many passionate and community-minded individuals working to build a stronger, more prosperous future for everyone. Let’s show them our support by shopping local this holiday season!

"Stuff The Bus" Campaign in Port Alberni

Great turnout for the fourth annual “Stuff The Bus” campaign in Port Alberni on Saturday--organized by the Amalgamated Transportation Union Local 1724 and supported by the Salvation Army, the Lions Club, 93.3 The Peak, BC Transit and PW Transit. Thanks especially to local bus driver and bus-stuffing-champion Collette Harding! If you "missed the bus”, take a toy over to the Salvation Army or stuff some cash into a Kettle near you! Most of all, thanks to each and every person who came down to bus with a gift or donation, your generosity and kindness will be reflected in the joy and laughter of many children this season!

Supporting Canada Post Workers

I stopped by the picket line in Port Alberni to support striking Canada Post workers fighting to protect pensions, improve working conditions and push for higher wages that keep pace with inflation. Too many postal workers have to work more than one job just to make ends meet. As full-time workers, they should be able to afford their rent and groceries without having to moonlight. Thanks to striking workers who have gone out of their way to make sure social assistance cheques are delivered to those who depend on them, leaving the pickets to volunteer to deliver the cheques on their own time. We owe so much to our postal workers. It was their union that organized and secured 17 weeks of maternity leave in 1981, creating a precedent that would spread across Canada. Now, we will stand with them in their fight for safe working conditions and a long-term sustainable Canada Post. Love and courage to our posties everywhere!

Mighty Community of Port Alberni

Thank you to the ”mighty community of CAT” for welcoming me to your AGM in Port Alberni. I continue to be in awe of your peer-driven focus of creating action identified by people of lived and living experience in response to the toxic drug crisis in our community. Best wishes for another productive year and thanks to all those working so hard on the Community Action Teams in our riding (Port Alberni, Oceanside and Comox Valley).

Qualicum Beach Volunteer Appreciation Reception

It’s always a pleasure to attend the annual Qualicum Beach Volunteer Appreciation Reception. This year, Tom Whitfield, president of the Brown Property Preservation Society, was honoured with the 2024 “Above and Beyond Award” in celebration of his long history of volunteer service in Qualicum Beach toward the preservation of the Town’s wonderful Heritage Forest. Len and Marie Mustard were also recognized for their volunteer work over the years, Len as the Town Crier for more than two decades and Marie as “Mrs Town Crier”, always at his side.

The Town invites more than seventy-five community-based organizations to send members to this special event each year, representing more than two thousand volunteers serving their community, including almost forty volunteer search & rescue responders and volunteer firefighters.

Thank you to Mayor Westbroek and the entire Town Council, staff and volunteers for such a warm welcome and congratulations for making Qualicum Beach the special community that it is through fostering a culture of volunteerism that is unparalleled on Vancouver Island. Seasons greetings to all!