Fighting For You

Fighting for You

Since Gord got first elected in 2015, he has worked relentlessly to build healthy, thriving communities in Courtenay-Alberni and a cleaner, brighter future for all Canadians. Here are some highlights of what Gord has achieved as part of the NDP team.

Fighting for head-to-toe health care. The NDP fought for, and won, the greatest enhancements to our public healthcare system in more than sixty years, including:

• The creation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan which is helping make the cost of dental care more affordable for seniors, children under 18, and Canadians living with disabilities.
• The passage of the Pharmacare Act, bringing Canada one step closer to a universal public drug plan with immediate coverage for insulin and other diabetes medications and contraceptives.
• Increased transfers to provinces and territories for mental health, primary care, long term care, and hiring more healthcare professionals.

Breaking down barriers to mental health care. When Gord was the NDP Critic for Mental Health and Substance Use Health, Gord has pushed to make mental health a federal priority. His advocacy has led to increased investment and attention to the mental health needs of Canadians, including:

• The launch of the Youth Mental Health Fund which will provide $500 billion to help younger Canadians access mental health supports in their communities.
• The creation of the Emergency Treatment Fund which will provide $150 million in funding for municipalities and Indigenous communities to respond to the toxic drug crisis.
• The campaign for Bill C-216, the Health-Based Approach to Substance Use Act, generated a national conversation about the need for a compassionate approach to the toxic drug crisis.
• Gord’s latest Private Member’s Bill C-414 is drawing attention to the disparity between mental and physical health in Canada’s universal public healthcare system. It is the first bill to propose extending coverage to community-based mental health, addictions, and substance use care.

Delivering relief for Canadians. The NDP has helped Canadians get relief from the rising cost of living by securing a doubling of the GST tax credit, a $500 top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit, and a GST holiday on essentials of living.

Building affordable early learning and childcare. The NDP pushed for the federal government to follow British Columbia’s leadership on childcare and implement a national $10 a day plan by 2026. Families across Canada are already benefitting from fee reductions of at least 50% for licensed childcare.

Standing with workers. Workers are the backbone of our economy and Gord has fought for their interests alongside the NDP team, including:

• Fought for financial supports for workers displaced from their employment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Stood up for temporary foreign workers facing exploitation and helping them access supports.
• Secured 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers.
• Forced the passage of anti-scab legislation.
• Secured passage of the Sustainable Jobs Act to support workers in the transition to a net zero economy.

Listening to the needs of young Canadians. Today’s children and youth are growing up in a time of significant uncertainty. Gord and the NDP are listening to their voices and fighting to get them a good start in life, including:

• Established the Courtenay-Alberni Member of Parliament Youth Council to get feedback and advice on issues of interest to youth.
• Got interest permanently removed from federal student loans and a 40% increase to student grants.
• Secured national school food program.

Demanding respect for veterans. As former NDP Critic for Veterans, Gord has fought to ensure veterans have the supports they deserve, including:

• Pushed to clear backlogs for benefit applications and increase funding for veterans needing assistance.
• Received unanimous consent for a motion to allow unspent funding for veterans to carry over from one fiscal year to the next.
• Helped to secure funding for a pilot project for injured veterans at Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences.
• Fought for financial support for Legions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting seniors and people with disabilities. Gord believes all Canadians deserve to live in dignity and has fought with the NDP to get seniors and people with disabilities the supports they need, including:

• Hosted workshops on the Disability Tax Credit that have helped constituents save thousands of dollars.
• Introduced motion in Parliament that resulted in the first ever national disability management strategy being led by Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences.
• Supported New Horizons funding for seniors programming.

Valuing volunteer firefighters. Gord has fought for recognition of the valuable contributions volunteer firefighters provide for communities. After Gord tabled a Private Member’s Bill proposing to increase the Volunteer Firefighters Tax Credit, the government doubled the credit.

Delivering concrete action on housing. Gord grew up in co-op housing and is a constant advocate in Ottawa for increasing Canada’s supply of non-market housing. Gord and the NDP have fought to get more affordable housing built and provide relief for renters, including:

• Secured the extension of the Rapid Housing Initiative and $8.3 billion in funding to help Indigenous people find safe, affordable housing
• Forced the government to focus the Rental Construction Financing Initiative on affordable units.
• Got a $500 top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit.
• Helped communities and First Nations in Courtenay-Alberni access federal funding for housing projects. Since 2016, over $87 million in federal funding has flowed into the riding for housing compared to $9.7 million for the decade prior to Gord’s election.

Securing investment in community infrastructure. Coming from municipal politics, Gord has always fought for communities in Courtenay-Alberni to receive their fair share of federal funding. Since 2016, our communities have received more than $162.2 million in infrastructure investment compared to $16.5 million over the previous 10 years with Conservative MPs representing the riding. This increased investment has resulted in job creation and property tax relief for residents.

Bolstering arts and culture. Courtenay-Alberni is the best place to live in Canada and Gord has worked to make it even better by helping to secure investments in community spaces like the Hornby Arts Centre, the Clayoquot Sound Theatre, Parksville Outdoor Theatre, and Amphitrite House.

Supporting small business. Before his election as MP, Gord was a small business owner and Executive Director of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. As former NDP Critic for Tourism and Small Business, Gord has been a strong voice in Ottawa for small businesses and fought for policy changes to help them thrive, including:

• Leading the charge to cap credit card merchant fees by 27% which will save businesses an estimated $1 billion over 5 years.
• Helping secure the reduction of small business taxes from 11% to 9%.
• Fighting for financial supports to off-set revenue loss for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Raising small business issues in the House of Commons more than any other MP during the pandemic and founding the All-Party Entrepreneur Caucus.

 

Building the local economy. Gord has worked collaboratively with community leaders to communities to build a strong local economy in Courtenay-Alberni, including advocating for federal investments in the aerospace, agricultural, forestry, and higher learning sectors.

Protecting vital industries. Gord has fought to protect good jobs in Courtenay-Alberni, including:

• Fighting for federal support for local mill retooling to reduce raw log exports.
• Helping protect the prawn fishery from unreasonable regulations.
• Supporting owner-operator commercial fishing and advocating for a ban on foreign ownership of fishing licenses or quotas.

Protecting our oceans. As former NDP Critic for Fisheries and Oceans, Gord has successfully championed many initiatives to address ocean pollution and protect aquatic species, including:

• Gaining unanimous support in Parliament for a motion to create a national ocean plastics strategy leading to a ban on single use plastics and annual funding for clean-up and education campaigns.
• Partnering with regional and First Nations governments and local seafood producers to push for the removal of abandoned vessels that threatened local jobs.
• Advocating for the creation of a new federal policy on derelict vessels.
• Working with the shellfish industry and local environmental organizations to create a marking program for fishing gear.
• Advocating for rapid response planning for marine spills to proactively prepare for emergencies.
• Pressuring the Government to support a moratorium on deep sea mining in international waters.
• Helping secure record federal investment in Pacific wild salmon protection and habitat restoration and speaking more on this issue in Parliament than any MP in Canadian history.
• Leading efforts to secure reductions of the commercial herring fishery by 50%.
• Helping facilitate the passage of the “Free Willy Bill” (Bill S-203), which banned the captivity of cetaceans, like whales and dolphins.
• Pressuring Canada to stop shipping plastic waste to developing countries.

Conserving wild spaces. Gord has worked to preserve valuable ecosystems in Courtenay-Alberni, including:

• Helping secure federal funding to support Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas in Clayoquot Sound and the upper Comox Valley watershed, as well as the restoration of Kuuskuusum.
• Helping secure funding for a new UNESCO Biosphere Centre in Tofino.
• Hosting Biosphere Day on the Hill and helping secure long-term annual funding for designated Canadian UNESCO Biosphere Regions.
• Advocating for conservation financing to create new protected and conserved areas.

Acting on climate. Gord and the NDP have pushed for action on the climate crisis and a just transition to a net-zero future, including:

• Tabling a Private Member’s Bill calling for a national cycling strategy which led to the creation of a $400 million federal Active Transportation Fund
• Assisting Hesquiaht First Nation secure federal funding to transition from diesel to clean energy.
• Serving as Co-Chair of the All-Party Climate Caucus since 2019.

Investing in reconciliation. Addressing the chronic underinvestment in Indigenous communities is critical to advancing reconciliation, and Gord has fought alongside the NDP to secure funding for urgent needs, including:

• Securing $8.3 billion in funding to address the housing needs of Indigenous people living in urban, rural, and northern areas.
• Helping secure a record amount of federal infrastructure funding for roads, sewers, water treatment facilities, and other community needs.
• Helping secure federal funding to support Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas in Clayoquot Sound and the upper Comox Valley watershed, as well as the restoration of Kuuskuusum.
• Assisting Hesquiaht First Nation to obtain federal funding to transition from diesel to clean energy.
• Assisting the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Society obtain federal funding through the Youth Substance Use Prevention Program.
• Advocating for funding for the Huu-ay-aht First Nation’s plan to keep children out of foster care.
• Helping the Nuuchanulth Nations access emergency funding and advocating for support for Indigenous businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Tabling a motion advocating for training and equipment for volunteer first responders in remote coastal communities and supporting the creation of the Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Advocating for truth and justice. Gord has worked with First Nations to ensure their voices are heard in Ottawa and consistently called on the federal government to address past and ongoing wrongs, including:

• Securing an emergency debate in the House of Commons after escalating violence against Mi’kmaq fishers to address inequities in federal fisheries policies for Indigenous people.
• Securing meetings for Indigenous leaders and Elders on Vancouver Island with senior government officials including the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers.
• Amplifying the calls of Indigenous leaders to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People to study systemic racism in Canada.
• Calling for a formal apology from the Roman Catholic Church to address the trauma of Indian residential schools.
• Championing the Moose Hide Campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and children.
• Calling on the government to provide resources to the Tseshaht First Nation to investigate deaths at the Alberni Indian Residential School. 

Respecting Indigenous rights. Gord has pushed for the federal government to act honourably and take action to build true nation-to-nation relationships with First Nations, including:

• Calling on the government to stop litigating against the Huu-ay-aht Nation and provide compensation for logging on their lands.
• Calling on the government to respect the fishing rights of the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations.
• Applying pressure on the government to forgive land claims negotiation loans.
• Speaking more on Indigenous issues in the House of Commons than any other central Vancouver Island MP and the 8th most in Canadian history

Gord’s job is not done. He continues to work hard every day on the issues that matter to the people of Courtenay-Alberni. Gord is in the top 5% of all 338 MPs for rising in the House of Commons, compared to the bottom 5% for the Conservative MPs who previously represented the riding. Gord has proven that if they don’t know what we need from Ottawa, they can’t help us.

For more information on Gord’s record, visit openparliament.ca, an independent website that helps you “Keep tabs on Parliament”.