In The News

Moose Hide Campaign Day

Yesterday, I was pleased to attend the annual Moose Hide Campaign Day ceremonies in Victoria. The Moose Hide campaign engages men and boys in ending violence towards women and children. One of my first actions when elected in 2015 was to carry moose hide pins to Ottawa for distribution to Parliamentarians on behalf of co-founders, Raven and Paul Lacerte.

Every year there are over 60,000 physical or sexual assaults against women in BC — more than 1,000 per week. One in three women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime (Stats Canada, 2006). Since its inception in 2011, the Moose Hide Campaign has distributed over two million moose hide pins and helped raise millions of dollars to support community awareness programs. I was honoured to join Port Alberni Friendship Centre Executive Director, Cyndi Stevens on this wonderful occasion.

Raven and Paul are loading me down with a new shipment of pins for my trip to Ottawa, where I look forward to distributing them to my colleagues in the House of Commons. For more info about the Moose Hide Campaign and how to support them go here: https://bit.ly/43dw6hj

Regional Tariff Response Meeting

This week I joined MLAs Josie Osborne and Stephanie Higginson, locally elected Chiefs, Mayors, Chambers of Commerce, and economic development leaders for our second regional tariff response meeting since the federal election. A concern highlighted at the meeting was escalating costs for approved infrastructure projects because of the trade war. Open lines of communication between all levels of government will be critical to ensure projects can move forward, create jobs, and grow our economy. We also spoke about some of the trade missions taking place to find new markets for BC products. The response to US trade actions will continue to be a key priority when I return to Ottawa next week and I will be bringing a Vancouver Island perspective with me.

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NDP recognizes Mental Health Week

“During Mental Health Week, the NDP stands with all Canadians dealing with mental illness and struggling to access the support they need.

This year’s theme is “Unmasking Mental Health” in recognition of the stigma that still exists around mental illness. The impact of stigma is wide ranging – from preventing people from reaching out for help to the chronic underfunding of mental healthcare.

We are all touched by mental health issues, either directly or through someone we care about. Yet, our universal healthcare system continues to exclude essential mental health services leaving too many Canadians without the care they need.

In the last Parliament, I introduced the first-ever bill to address the disparity between physical and mental health under the Canada Health Act. When the House of Commons returns this month, the NDP will continue this fight.

Canadians know that mental health is health. It’s time to ensure that’s finally reflected in our public healthcare system.” -- Gord Johns, Courtenay-Alberni

Met with BC Provincial Ministers

I was pleased to have meaningful discussions in Victoria this week with provincial ministers Ravi Parmar, Josie Osborne and Sheila Malcolmson, MLA; and BC NDP caucus chair Stephanie Higginson, MLA for Ladysmith-Oceanside. Needless to say, we covered a lot of ground with a focus on the kind of support that I can provide in Parliament for provincial initiatives that will impact the people of Courtenay-Alberni in both economic and social sectors.

These included--but were not limited to--mitigative measures to combat the Trump tariffs such as the federal biomass tax credit, the recruitment of new doctors and nurses through increased health transfers, federal conservation and infrastructure funding, continuation of childcare expansion, funding for employment readiness, softwood lumber loan relief, health transfers, affordable and emergency housing and restorative justice. The list is too exhaustive to include in this post. I also appreciated running into BC Ferries Board Chair Joy MacPhail, taking the occasion to discuss the importance of federal investment in the replacement of our aging fleet. I will continue pushing to ensure Ottawa delivers the support our region needs and deserves.

May be an image of 2 people May be an image of 2 people, television, the Oval Office and text

Red Dress Day

Today, on Red Dress Day, across Courtenay-Alberni, in the territories of the Nuu-chah-nulth, Qualicum, Snaw-naw-as, and K’ómoks peoples, many formal and informal ceremonies and observances are taking place — each one a powerful act of remembrance, solidarity, and a call for justice.

Each red dress is a powerful symbol — a call for justice, accountability, and action. We must confront the systemic violence that continues to take Indigenous lives, and work alongside Indigenous communities to end this crisis.

As the M.P.-Elect for Courtenay-Alberni, I stand in solidarity with survivors, families, and advocates. I will never stop pushing for the full implementation of the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice. Not just today, but every day.

May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'RED DRESS DAY 2025 May 5 2025 MMIWG2S 1:00pm 4:00pm MMIWG2S+ AWARENESS EVENT AWARENESS EVENT Please join us in wearing red and attending the community event for Red Dress Day 2025 The event will include speakers, walk, community education, and more from 1:00 -4:00p. Everyone is invited to learn about, remember, and honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit+ people and their families. Meet at the Florence Filberg Centre (41 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay) at 1:00 for the opening ceremony, followed by the start of the walk.'

Universal Dental Care- Coverage Extension

Yesterday marked another milestone in the fight for universal dental care. Beginning today, even more Canadians will finally get the dental coverage they deserve — because no one should have to choose between their health and their wallet. I am proud to have helped push for this historic expansion in Parliament, and I will keep fighting for the expansion of our universal healthcare system for everyone. Let’s keep raising the bar for public health!

Until now, seniors aged 65 and over, children under 18 and adults with a Disability Tax Credit certificate have been eligible for the plan. Beginning on May 1st, all remaining eligible Canadians aged 18 to 64 without access to dental insurance will be able to apply, with coverage beginning as early as June 1, 2025. For details about coverage and application procedures, please go to this site: https://bit.ly/4k1g2pR

Leah ProudLakota (she/her) on X: "I'm so proud that today, we forced the government to deliver an NDP dental plan for seniors, people with disabilities and kids under 18. No one should

Thank you Courtenay-Alberni

From Gord Johns

To the people of Courtenay-Alberni: thank you for your trust, your resilience and your belief in a better future. Every conversation at the door, every word of encouragement, every shared concern about our communities has been a reminder of why this work matters so deeply. You inspire me every single day. Representing you is the greatest honour of my life, and I will never take it for granted.

To our incredible campaign team and volunteers: you poured your hearts into this campaign—knocking on doors, organizing events and lifting spirits—and, I am forever grateful to each and every one of you.

To my leader Jagmeet Singh and my former caucus colleagues, including those who lost their seats in this election. Your hard work delivered real results for Canadians — from dental care to the first steps towards universal pharmacare, to standing up for workers, seniors and Indigenous rights. Your leadership made a difference and it will leave a lasting mark on our country.

To my family: thank you for your endless support and strength through every step of this journey, without which my political work between and during elections, would be entirely impossible. I love you all so much.

I also want to extend my gratitude to all the candidates who put their names forward in Courtenay-Alberni. Running for office is never easy, it takes commitment and courage. We may have different visions for the future but we share a common desire to serve.

Looking ahead, I’m more determined than ever to work with the people and communities of Courtenay-Alberni and fight for you — for affordability, health care, climate action and a future where no one is left behind. We have work to do, and I am ready to keep showing up every day for our communities.

Thank you Courtenay-Alberni, we are just getting started. Let’s get to work.

Economic and Environmental benefits of Waste Biomass Conversion for Heat and Energy

The federal government highlighted in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement the opportunity for Canada to leverage the economic and environmental benefits of waste biomass conversion for heat and energy. Extracting more value from forest biomass will offer significant opportunity for forestry workers and communities and is environmentally sustainable and and also in reduces the vulnerability of our forests to devastating fires. We have an outstanding example of this with the Catalyst paper mill in Port Aberni which employs 350 workers and is the only paper mill on the west coast of Canada. Yet the government has dragged its feet so this week I wrote to the Ministers of Finance, Energy and Natural Resources and Innovation, Science and Industry to urge them to get on with it!

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Universal Children's Day

Today is Universal Children's Day. Yesterday, I rose in the House of Commons to recognize and celebrate children's rights in Canada and worldwide. On this day, we recognize the declaration of the rights of the child and the convention of children's rights.

These rights include the right to be protected from violence and discrimination, and the right to life, health and education.

I also took the opportunity to recognize the delegations from UNICEF visiting parliamentarians and to salute the work of UNICEF and all child-focused organizations who take the time to educate Parliamentarians about how to meaningfully improve children's lives.

Over the last several years we have seen absolute devastation for children worldwide in conflicts, including Ukraine, and Palestine, and Sudan, and now in Lebanon. In too many places today children's rights are under attack. International law and human rights are under attack. And children bear the brunt of these conflicts.

New Democrats will always stand for the rights of children, and will make space for children and young people to raise their voices on the issues that matter to them.

Happy Universal Children's day!

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