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EDITORIAL: Gord Johns raises his riding’s profile despite not being in power

Gord Johns has made good on his election promise…
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Gord Johns has made good on his election promise that every community counts, and that he would show up in every community in his Courtenay-Alberni riding.

Johns stopped in the Alberni Valley on Friday and Saturday before crossing the Hump and heading to Qualicum Beach and north.

Johns is promoting his proposed National Cycling Strategy along with visiting every corner of his new federal riding.

Cycling is not new to Johns, as that is his preferred mode of transportation when he is in the nation’s capital of Ottawa. He can even be seen riding his bicycle in the snow in Ontario’s frigid winters.

He will continue with his ‘Ride the Riding’ event for the rest of August.

Whether you agree with his party’s politics or not, you have to admit, he’s raised the profile of the Alberni Valley on the national front.

It took him two years, but he finally pursuaded Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit the west coast and meet personally with Indigenous leaders. He has advocated for fisheries funding for West Coast Aquatic, and he’s not afraid to stand up in the House of Commons and push for change.

He also has a presence in his riding: we’ve seen him at several Alberni Valley events, and he always arranges time to speak with his constituents.

Johns may be limited in what he can do for his riding, given that his party is not in power, but he has made it clear, he backs his riding.

It’s more than the previous Conservative candidate did in his final term in office.

— Alberni Valley News