Alberta’s NDP has announced its candidate in the Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills constituency for the impending provincial election.
Phil Johnson, 30, was raised in Lac La Biche and says he has many fond memories of the area, including St. Paul. While in high school, Johnson played soccer and football and travelled to St. Paul often. He graduated from J.A. Williams High School and moved on to the University of Toronto where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in International Development Studies.
He has spent time abroad in places such as Sri Lanka, Kenya, Lebanon, and Belize. Johnson’s work mostly surrounds “poverty alleviation” with a focus on international work, he says. Through travelling, Johnson says he has seen what can happen when a government is disconnected from its people.
Growing up, Johnson says he “always wondered why some people were rich and some were poor.”
But, he also sees the importance natural resources play in Alberta’s economy. Johnson worked in the oil field while completing his post-secondary education, which helped pay for his schooling.
As a constituency, the Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills area is very “interesting” and “diverse,” says Johnson. With his rural background, he feels connected to the area, he adds
His grandfather was Ed Nelson, who served as president of the Farmers’ Union of Alberta and ran for the Alberta NDP too, says Johnson. Socialist ideals have been instilled in Johnson from a very young age. His parents, Linda and Charlie Johnson, have been involved in the Scouts movement for many years.
With a provincial election looming, Johnson feels there are many issues on Albertans’ minds. These issues include health care, the cost of electricity, land rights, the economy and education.
Johnson believes there needs to be a “serious conversation” about increasing royalties on oil production and saving money the province receives from non-renewable resources instead of using it for day-to-day spending. Although he doesn’t support raising taxes for Albertans making less than $200,000, he does support a tax increase above that marker.
Overall, Johnson believes in a “strong social safety net” and along with protecting what Albertans already have, he would also like to “make society more equitable.” He supports a free market, but when it comes to things like water, health care and education, “those things should be universally accessible.”
