Latest News

MP Gord Johns Statement for Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the atrocities committed against Jewish people during the Second World War. More than six million Jews were systematically killed by Nazis and their allies between 1933 and 1945. Today, as our world experiences a rise in antisemitism, let’s strengthen our resolve never to be silent in the face of hate against others because of who they are or what they believe. In 2012, I travelled to Auschwitz to share in the truth of what happened. I would like to share some of the photos from my visit there.

MP Johns' Inaugural Youth Advisory Council meeting

The first meeting of the Courtenay-Alberni MP Youth Advisory Council (YAC) occurred via Zoom on Monday, January 15th, 2023. The purpose of the YAC is give an opportunity to youth who live in Courtenay-Alberni, to raise concerns and issues to MP Johns with a view on making an impact in the community. 

Thank you to the YAC members; Janel, Teegan, Tasha, Lorna, Lara, Charlotte, and Ildiko for giving their time to identify and discuss issues important to youths in Courtenay-Alberni. As well as my staff, Cameron Leckenby and Minolli Thabo for helping to organize the council. 

During the first meeting, the council identified environment and climate concerns, improving infrastructure, and easier youth access to healthcare and mental health services as the first few issues to discuss. I look forward to bringing this Advisory Council's collective voice to Parliament. 

In The News- Global Call Parliamentarians for Ceasefire

IN THE NEWS- I am proud to be included with parliamentarians from around the world in calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine: 

"We join together to call for an immediate, multilateral ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, the release of all the remaining Israeli and international hostages, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza. We further urge our own respective governments and the international community to uphold international law and seek accountability for grave violations of human rights" 

To read more, Click Here 

MP Gord Johns Signed letter for Reconciliation and protection of Indigenous

There is nothing more important to reconciliation than the revival and protection of Indigenous languages, I know this from many discussions with First Nations Elders and leaders over the past eight years. This has to be a priority for this Parliament. I promise to bring the Indigenous voices from Courtney-Alberni to the House of Commons on protecting Indigenous languages and other critical issues in 2024. 

Read the signed letter below for supporting the First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)'S recommendation for a funding agreement. 

IN THE NEWS — PQB — Courtenay-Alberni MP Johns says volunteer firefighters deserve tax break

December 18th, 2023

B.C. member of Parliament Gord Johns has been working with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to try to boost the credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to $10,000.

A petition to the House of Commons got more than 16,000 signatures in support of the increase, and Johns’ bill to make the change passed its first reading in the house this month.

Johns said emergency services volunteers deserve a break from inflation and rising living costs.

“They’re taking on more paid work to keep up with rising costs and they just can’t keep volunteering at this scale,” he said.

“We rely on them. They save taxpayers money. Retaining volunteer firefighters is a huge challenge with the increase in inflation and there’s been a huge decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters in the country.”

He said there are 20 volunteer fire departments and search and rescue teams in his own riding of Courtenay-Alberni on Vancouver Island, and raising the tax credit would be “low-hanging fruit” at little cost to public coffers.

“It’s certainly going to let them know that Canadians actually care and value them and that they’re appreciated because they’re saving all local governments across the country money and provincial governments money,” he said.

”Government needs to seize this moment. It’s actually a very inexpensive way to support recruitment and show value to those firefighters and search and rescue personnel, and they deserve it. They’re putting their lives on the line for us.”

IN THE NEWS — Globe and Mail — MP Gord Johns working to try to boost the credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to $10,000

December 18th, 2023

B.C. member of Parliament Gord Johns has been working with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to try to boost the credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to $10,000.

A petition to the House of Commons got more than 16,000 signatures in support of the increase, and Johns’ bill to make the change passed its first reading in the house this month.

Johns said emergency services volunteers deserve a break from inflation and rising living costs.

“They’re taking on more paid work to keep up with rising costs and they just can’t keep volunteering at this scale,” he said.

“We rely on them. They save taxpayers money. Retaining volunteer firefighters is a huge challenge with the increase in inflation and there’s been a huge decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters in the country.”

He said there are 20 volunteer fire departments and search and rescue teams in his own riding of Courtenay-Alberni on Vancouver Island, and raising the tax credit would be “low-hanging fruit” at little cost to public coffers.

“It’s certainly going to let them know that Canadians actually care and value them and that they’re appreciated because they’re saving all local governments across the country money and provincial governments money,” he said.

“Government needs to seize this moment. It’s actually a very inexpensive way to support recruitment and show value to those firefighters and search and rescue personnel, and they deserve it. They’re putting their lives on the line for us.”

Co-signed letters by MP Johns calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

On October 20th, MP Johns was among eight NDP MPs to sign a letter to the Prime Minister calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A total of 33 MPs signed the letter.

Additionally, on November 1st, MP Johns and his colleagues in the NDP caucus signed their own letter to the Prime Minister calling again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Most recently, on December 4th, MP Johns and all of his colleagues in the NDP caucus signed another letter to the Prime Minister calling yet again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as well as special immigration measures to reunite family members of those in Canada who have been directly affected by the conflict.

IN THE NEWS - MP Johns among 33 MPs that signed letter to PM calling for ceasefire in Gaza

October 20th, 2023

MP Johns among the eight NDP MPs to sign a letter to the Minister calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A total of 33 MPs signed the letter.

The letter can be found down below. 

IN THE NEWS - NDP calls for special immigration measures to evacuate family members of Canadians and permanent residents in Gaza

December 4th, 2023

I have once again joined my NDP caucus colleagues in signing a letter to the Prime Minister that calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as special immigration measures to reunite family members of those in Canada who have been directly affected by the conflict.

The letter can be found down below. 

MP Gord Johns Calls for signatures for support of Bill C-58

Statement by MP Gord Johns of support for Bill C-58: 

"For your weekend consideration as workers struggle for fair wages to support their families and safe working conditions, please sign on to this message of support for Bill C-58 to ban the use of replacement workers. 

The thing is, I believe that Canadian workers deserve respect, better wages and working conditions. But right now, while CEOs and bosses are getting record compensation, workers' wages aren't rising at the same rate as those at the very top. It's because establishment Liberals and corporate controlled Conservatives designed a system that favours CEOs over workers. They allowed CEOs to ignore workers' rights by using replacement workers. We introduced anti-scab bills eight times in the past 15 years and, the last time is was brought to a vote in 2016, Liberals ad Conservatives teamed up to defeat our attempt to make things better for workers.

But we haven't given up and now we've forced the government to move forward with legislation that gives workers a better chance at a fairer deal while they're fighting for better work conditions. We will keep fighting to make this legislation better, notably by making those important changes coming into effect sooner because right now Liberals want the measures to only come into effect after Royal Ascent, but we will also have to fight back against Pierre Poilievre's Corporate Conservatives that will try everything to stop this. If Pierre Poilievre rejects this bill, he'll prove again that he is no friends of workers and that he is on the side of CEOs and the big bosses"

The Link to support anti-scab legislation will be down below. Add your name below to put the pressure on!