1 day Ago By Tchadas Leo
File photo of Gord Johns during the election campaign." data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.
com/cheknews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/29-LEO-ISLAND-NDP-PKG-1003_03074.jpg?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.
wp.com/cheknews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/29-LEO-ISLAND-NDP-PKG-1003_03074.
jpg?fit=780%2C439&ssl=1" />Most of Vancouver Island has been an NDP stronghold for decades, but in Monday’s election it has shifted to other parties, with the exception of the Courtenay-Alberni riding.MP Gord Johns managed to hold his riding in the federal election, garnering almost 40 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Conservatives and the Liberals.Johns told CHEK News he thinks his track record and what he stands for with the NDP ultimately set him apart from his colleagues who lost their seats.
“My track record speaks for itself, and people knew that work that was there. Voters want us to continue that we get our share from Ottawa and that we are not forgotten,” said Johns. While Johns kept the middle of Vancouver Island orange, incumbent and two-time MP Laurel Collins from Victoria was defeated by Liberal candidate Will Greaves.
Collins told CHEK News on election night that many of her loyal NDP voters told her that they needed to vote strategically just this one time. “It’s been a hard night for New Democrats. So many people on the doorstep told me they wanted to vote NDP but they felt scared .
.. of Donald Trump and they were scared of Pierre Poilievre,” said Collins.
All three of Johns’ neighbouring ridings turned blue, including one held by Alistair MacGregor since 2015, Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. Jeff Kibble won the seat with 37.2 per cent of the vote.
Sooke mayor and the NDP candidate for the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding also lost to Liberal candidate Stephanie McLean. This riding has been a strong NDP holding since 2015 when former MP Randall Garrison was elected.North Island-Powell River and Nanaimo-Ladysmith were also won by Conservative candidates.
North Island-Powell River had been held by Rachel Blaney since 2015. Nanaimo-Ladysmith had been won by the NDP’s Lisa Marie Barron in the last election, and before that had been held by the Greens’ Paul Manly since 2019.Johns wouldn’t comment on what the party future may look like.
He also said he would not put his name in the hat to become the interim leader of the NDP.Click here for all the election results for Vancouver Island.NDP seats across B.
C. turn to other partiesThe story of the NDP losing seats was not unique to Vancouver Island.In 2021, the NDP won 13 seats in the province, and is now walking away with only three.
Jenny Kwan in Vancouver East and Don Davies in Vancouver Kingsway both held onto their seats amid the wave of change.Kwan said the party isn’t worried about its long-term survival, citing her previous experience as a Vancouver councillor and a provincial legislator under the B.C.
New Democrats.“I’ve been down that road before,” she said to the Canadian Press. “When I first got elected, I was a party of one in opposition to 10 at city hall .
.. And then provincially, I’ve also experienced having lost official Opposition status, and I was one of two New Democrats returning to the provincial legislature.
So I know what that journey is like.”“One thing I know for sure, regardless, is that New Democrats will be fighting hard for everyday people in the House of Commons. We will make our voice heard and we will make sure that they are not silenced and ignored.
”Davies hasn’t returned a call from the Canadian Press requesting comment on the election.With files from Chuck Chiang with the Canadian PressThe post MP Gord Johns hangs on to the Courtenay-Alberni riding while neighbours turn blue appeared first on CHEK..
