A smiling woman faces the camera. The text says 'Tanille Johnston candidate for North Island-Powell River'
Politics

Q&A With NDP Candidate Tanille Johnston

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Cortes Currents asked all three candidates in North Island-Powell River (NIPR) for an interview. Jessica Wegg, of the Green Party, was the first to respond. Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn, who 338Canada currently projects as leading in our riding, has yet to acknowledge the invitation. NDP candidate Tanille Johnston, whose party is trailing in the projections, intends to visit Cortes Island soon and emailed her answers to my questions.

As with my previous interview with Jessica Wegg, this is a discussion of Johnston’s beliefs, not a debate on policy. There is some fact checking on her remarks about the Conservatives negativity (by comparing the name calling and negative imaging in the headlines of Conservative, NDP and Green press releases) and whether they do represent the rich (by looking at the cost to attend a party event and a report from the National Post).

Tanille Johnston and her baby – submitted photo

Cortes Currents: What prompted your decision to run?

Tanille Johnston: “I am born and raised in this community, as a Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ member, a Campbell River resident and the first First Nation member to ever take a seat on Campbell River Council, I am deeply committed to the success of the people who live here. I knew I had to step up when Rachel Blaney announced her retirement.”

 “Hearing the division and negativity of the Poilievre Conservatives, I felt compelled to do everything I could to stand up for the people of North Island-Powell River, to protect our public health care system, and to make our lives more affordable, and ensure that billionaires and corporations pay their fair share.”

Cortes Currents: What do you see as the most important issues of this upcoming election?

Tanille Johnston:

  1. “Making life more affordable, especially by lowering the price of essential grocery items.
  2. Building more affordable housing.
  3. Protecting our public health care system from Poilievre Conservative privatization and cuts, and ensuring our communities have access to the care we deserve.”
Tanille Johnston – submitted photo

Cortes Currents: Do you have any comments about the Conservative surge in the polls?

Tanille Johnston: “The Poilievre Conservatives have used simplistic slogans and algorithms to harness the fear and division already thriving within voters. They push messages that amplify hate and force assimilation to ‘their Canada’. They don’t have any concrete solutions to address the real issues we face here in our communities. They are focused on currying favour with the millionaires who are a root cause of the current cost of living crisis. North Island-Powell River needs solutions, not slogans.”

Suggestion: that the Conservatives use ‘simplistic slogans and algorithms to harness the fear and division already thriving within voters.’ Fact check: compare the headlines of all three parties.

Cortes Currents: What have you learned from your term as a city councillor?  

Tanille Johnston: “Well, I continue to believe that good governance requires a diversity of voices. I’ve learned that without a balance of power, decisions can be made that truly don’t align with what’s best for a population. I’ve learned that many folks in politics aren’t interested in learning from other perspectives to better themselves and their decision making. I’ve learned that our community charter does not enable politicians to ensure they are able to uncover misuses of in-camera privileges.”

Cortes Currents: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Tanille Johnston: “Aaron Gunn, who isn’t even from here – and Pierre Poilievre – want to destroy public health care, privilege the 1% further, attack our environment, and help the rich get even richer while the rest of us lose our access to health care, watch our climate deteriorate further, and for some of us, have to access food banks for the first time to feed our families. They want to privatize our healthcare, our dental care, our child care. They want to gut our democracy. We can not let that happen! Vote Local, Vote Tanille.”

Suggestion: that the Conservatives ‘are focused on currying favour with the millionaires,’ the top 1%. Fact Check: what does it cost to attend a Conservative event? Have there been reports that Canada’s rich power brokers are supporting the Conservatives?

See: Conservatives are reportedly crushing Trudeau at the money game – National Post (May 14, 2025)

Links of Interest:

Top image credit: Tanille Johnston – campaign photo

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One thought on “Q&A With NDP Candidate Tanille Johnston”

  1. Toxic politics.
    No issues debated making sense of anything.
    Surge in the polls for the Conservatives show the deep disconnect with governance.
    Why isn’t this an issue for debate?

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