The NDP's Gord Johns returns to Ottawa for a fourth time, but will be the only NDP MP from Vancouver Island in a slimmed down caucus. (Submitted photo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

fourth term

NDP’s Gord Johns retains Courtenay-Alberni ahead of close Conservative challenge

Apr 28, 2025 | 11:42 PM

PARKSVILLE — Gord Johns is heading back to Ottawa for a fourth term as Member of Parliament.

In his closest race to date, Johns held off Conservative challenger Kris McNichol by around five per cent of the vote, or 3,000 votes, with a handful of polls still to count as of the end of counting on Monday, April 28.

Johns had previously won the riding by eight, 11 and 12 per cent of the vote, but maintained an NDP presence on Vancouver Island and will be the lone Island representative in Ottawa this session, a fact he felt “humbled” by.

“We had a team that was determined, they were committed to standing up for progressive values, on environmental, economic, social justice and for reconciliation. The message was clear that people wanted to make sure that we had a seat at the table in the House of Commons and that we were standing up for people, and not big corporations.”

Before the election, the NDP represented six of seven Island ridings.

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Johns said he’ll spend the next few days processing the win, spending time in community and with his family, and thanking the volunteers who devoted so much time to his campaign.

Afterwards, the real work begins.

“As we went door to door, people want to see unity, and they want to see us standing in solidarity together, working across political lines, standing up for Canada against Donald Trump, and that was something that was loud and clear. They also want to see us working collectively to take on the big issues of today.”

Housing, cost of living, healthcare and mental health supports were all top of mind.

Johns will be a political endangered species in Ottawa, with the NDP caucus going from 25 members to around seven.

As of Monday night, five were elected and another two were leading in their ridings.

Not returning to Ottawa is party leader Jagmeet Singh, who lost his Burnaby-area riding and promptly stepped down as party leader.

Johns said he’s got nothing but gratitude for Singh.

“Jagmeet gave it everything he had to make sure that he can improve the lives of Canadians. The greatest expansion in healthcare in over 50 years, just 25 MPs working collectively under Jagmeet’s leadership and the…creation of a national dental care plan and pharmacare and increased childcare spaces.”

Johns added the NDP leadership was “the last thing I’m thinking about right now”

“The will of the people”
Conservative Kris McNichol fell just short in his first foray into politics, but came closer than any Conservative candidate has against Johns.

He told NanaimoNewsNOW he respects the result, the process and will move forward.

“I’ve always said it’s the will of the people, and if the will of the people would like to see Gord Johns still being where he sat, that’s exactly how it is turned out. We gave it a go and I thought that people needed change but apparently they want the same old, same old. So, the last 10 years, they want another four years, potentially, of the same. So, yeah, we’ll see how this thing shakes out.”

McNichol said he “respects the heck out of Gord” and wished him well in his continued role.

He believes the collapse of the federal NDP nationally was a huge factor in the Conservatives failing to secure government, despite leading by 25 points in the polls at the start of the year.

“The NDP absolutely collapsed, that went to the Liberals that propped them up to give them some minority government. I don’t understand it, I don’t understand what Canadians think. The problem isn’t Donald Trump, it’s the Liberal coalition with the NDP and yet they want to do it again.”

Brian Cameron placed third with roughly 22.5 per cent of the vote, 12 points back of McNichol.

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