Gord johns had a great time engaging in insightful discussions in Victoria this week

I was delighted to engage in significant discussions this week in Victoria with provincial ministers Ravi Parmar, Josie Osborne, and Sheila Malcolmson, as well as BC NDP caucus chair Stephanie Higginson, MLA for Ladysmith-Oceanside.


We addressed a wide range of topics, particularly focusing on the support I can offer in Parliament for provincial initiatives that will benefit the residents of Courtenay-Alberni in both economic and social domains. Our discussions encompassed various issues, including but not limited to, strategies to mitigate the impact of the Trump tariffs, such as the federal biomass tax credit, the recruitment of new healthcare professionals through enhanced health transfers, federal funding for conservation and infrastructure, the ongoing expansion of childcare services, funding for employment readiness programs, softwood lumber loan relief, health transfers, affordable and emergency housing, and restorative justice initiatives. The breadth of these topics is too extensive to detail in this post. Additionally, I was pleased to encounter BC Ferries Board Chair Joy MacPhail, and we took the opportunity to discuss the critical need for federal investment in replacing our aging fleet. I remain committed to advocating for the support our region requires and deserves from Ottawa.