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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.

“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!

Gord Johns Appreciation for Small Business

Statement made by MP Gord Johns:

"Best wishes to our entire small business community on Small Business Saturday in Courtenay-Alberni! Small business owners are your neighbors, fellow parents and grandparents, service club members, church parishioners and sport coaches in our communities. They are major job creators and the fact is, 66 cents of every dollar you spend at a small business in your neighbourhood stays local. Thanks to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Chambers of Commerce and business associations throughout the riding for their advocacy and promotion of shopping local. Get on the small business bandwagon and...shop local this holiday season!

NDP- MP Gord Johns Statement on National Addictions Awareness Week

NDP Mental Health and Harm Reduction critic Gord Johns made the following statement:

"This week is National Addiction Awareness Week, which is an important time for us to all reflect on those who've lost their lives to toxic drug overdoses, and who are struggling with substance use disorder.

With Canada facing a toxic substance crisis that's costs more than 30,000 lives since 2016, it's ever been more critical for the government to make necessary changes to national policy, so that mental health and substance use disorders are a part of Canada's universal health care.

The government need to deliver a coordinated, integrated and compassionate system that meets people where they at, and when they need help.

This week and every week, we're committed to fighting for the inclusion of no-wait, no-cost addiction treatment services as an essential component of Canada's universal healthcare system. New Democrats believe that you should be able to great treatment when you need it, without having to worry about the out-of-pocket costs, and that's what we're fighting for.

MP Gord Johns Visits Parksville’s École Ballenas Secondary

MP Gord Johns stated:

"The best part of my Member of Parliament job description, hands down, is showing up in the schools when invited by students or their teachers. On Friday, I was privileged to meet the students of Parksville's École Ballenas Secondary in the classroom of Ms.Jessylee Spence (Political Science 12) and Deirdre Kennedy (Socials 10). Thanks to grade 11 students Tristan and Wyatt for greeting my assistant Cameron Leckenby and I and escorting us through the halls. Tristan remembered me from an Oceanside Elementary School visit years ago! I have lost count but I told the students this was between my 15th and 20th visit to Ballenas.

I said a few words but the best part was fielding questions in the classroom. Many about the job of being a Member of Parliament and how I go about hearing constituents and representing their interests, they were curious about what it is actually like to do this work and I did my best to share my personal insight with them. Was I friends with opposition Members? What is the most heated debate I have been in? Have I ever had to stop a meeting because others are disrespectful? When I asked what is important to them, the first response was “the cost of housing”. As, always, I left with renewed hope for our future. Thanks to the administration, faculty and students of Bellanas for taking time to meet with me.

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