Audio: Kootenay–Columbia Liberal candidate Don Johnston brings impressive resume

Don Johnston, the Liberal candidate for the Kootenay–Columbia riding in the October 19 federal election, brings serious credentials to the table in his bid to upset a race that’s much closer now that Nelson, Kaslo, Salmo and some surrounding areas have joined the riding.

Johnston was born and still lives in Nelson, and has held leadership positions at major organizations, including as the CEO of the Columbia Basin Trust from 1999–2005.

Johnston is bound to be a factor in the election. Conservative support is down in B.C., and the Liberals are poised to take votes from the Conservatives with their first strong candidate in this riding in two elections.

In an interview with the Revelstoke Mountaineer (which is embedded below this story in our SoundCloud widget), Johnston discussed his views and credentials.

Up against two former mayors (Wilks in Sparwood and Stetski in Cranbrook), Johnston soon pointed out the federal Liberal platform of a two-year deficit spend on infrastructure: “We see the opportunity as now. We can’t ignore the infrastructure issue. We have a huge infrastructure deficit. It’s just going to get worse. And we’re at a point now where we’ve got a stagnant economy and historic low interest rates, so it’s a time to make an investment in the future and respond to that.”

In late August, the Liberal Party promised to run $10-billion per year deficits on infrastructure projects for three years to create economic growth. The deficit move outflanked the NDP to the left and drew you-sees from Conservatives.

Johnston said the infrastructure spend laid out in the Liberal platform gives control to municipalities. “It’s a program that’s about infrastructure, so that whatever the infrastructure needs are deemed to be in Revelstoke by Revelstokians and Revelstoke city government, that’s where the money will go.”

In his campaign literature, he says his “first and foremost role” as MP is to represent the riding in Ottawa.

When talking about what his style will be if elected MP, he reached back into his experience as the chief executive officer of the Columbia Basin Trust from 1999–2005, saying it’s about bringing communities in the riding together. In addition to his six years as CBT CEO, he was the President and CEO of Canada World Youth, and of Canadian Executive Services Organization, two Canadian institutions that send volunteers on international assignments.

Johnston pitched himself as more of a high-level innovator interested in developing and charting the future of the region. For example, he talked of the need to be a “catalyst and convenor” for technological advancement and innovation in the region, to develop new industries.

“I really think technology is going to really be a really key factor here. We already have a lot of people that live here and live in Nelson and live other places that work elsewhere,” Johnston noted.

“I think we need to start to look beyond the resource-based economy in terms of long-term stability, and attracting people to come here for the right reasons and creating the conditions for them to succeed.”

Johnston emphasized the need for economic growth in the region, saying many struggle to make a living through seasonal work and by working away from home.

“Obviously people are really concerned about economic stability, and the ability to live in this paradise we’re all lucky enough to call home,” he said, saying that “creating the conditions for small business to be able to thrive is important.”

Johnston also committed to annual “accountability tours” of the riding, saying he’d schedule a public meeting each year in communities across the riding.

In Kootenay–Columbia, the Liberals have been a near non-entity in the past two elections. Twice, they fielded Betty Aitchison, a riding association president, who ran on shoestring budgets and garnered 7.75% of the vote in 2008, then slid to fourth place behind the Greens at 3.5% in 2011.

At the federal level, new leaders Stéphane Dion and Michael Ignatieff both suffered election defeats and side-stage exits as the party stumbled in the post-Jean Chrétien era, still struggling from the legacy of the sponsorship scandal and the Gomery Commission, whose proceedings and legal aftermath extended into 2008.

“The party itself was a spent force. It was broken and it was broke,” Johnston said of both the local and federal efforts. He said that led to a situation where “there is no ground game. There is no people that are working with the party.”

He said the mood had changed since current Liberal leader, who had unified the party, helped revitalize its base, and build the organization across the country.

On a local note, Revelstoke resident Ian Ward was named the Kootenay–Columbia Liberal riding association president in the past couple of months, and is leading the local election effort here.

To listen to the entire interview with Don Johnston, click the play button on the SoundCloud app below.

All five candidates have committed to attend a Sept. 21 debate in at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre at 7 p.m. The event is being hosted by local media outlets, and the public is invited to send their questions to any outlet by Sept. 17. Here are the email addresses:

[email protected];

[email protected];

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[email protected].