Newly minted North Island-Powell River MP Aaron Gunn was in Powell River on May 14, looking for a constituency office to serve his constituents in this community.
Gunn, taking a break from his office hunting, said that stepping into his new position has been a fire hose of information, but it’s much more orderly and relaxing when compared to the craziness of the election campaign.
“So, it’s been good, the House of Commons staff has been fantastic, and the party has been great,” said Gunn. “There is lots to learn so that I can go to work for the people of this riding.”
In terms of establishing a constituency office in the qathet region, Gunn said he is researching three locations. He said there are pros and cons to some of the places and he is just awaiting pricing.
“I decided, as I promised during the campaign, that we are going to keep an office here in Powell River, and we’re also going to look at the prospect of extending office hours a bit to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have their concerns heard,” said Gunn.
What works in downtown Toronto or downtown Vancouver doesn’t necessarily work for a riding like North Island-Powell River that has distinct communities spread over a large geographic area, said Gunn.
“I’m going to be a loud voice for the people of this riding,” said Gunn. “I’m going to try as much as possible, within our current system, to be an independent voice that is always putting the concerns and priorities of constituents first.
“I’m going to make sure that I’m back here frequently. It’s a gruelling travel schedule, but I am committed to being back in the riding for every second that I can be, placing a very important emphasis on Powell River.”
Gunn said he has received the poll-by-poll election results and the strongest election increase by far was in this community.
“I feel that I definitely spent the most time in Powell River of all the candidates during the past year and I’m determined not to let people down,” he added. “The amount of doors that we knocked on, and the quality and work ethic of our volunteers in this community, was humbling.”
Gunn said an important feature of the lead-up to the election was one of the largest, if not the largest, political rallies in the city’s history when Pierre Poilievre came to town.
“I’m really thankful for Pierre for taking an entire day out of a very crazy schedule in a country of 40 million people to come and spend it with the people of Powell River,” said Gunn.
He said when he meets and chats with Poilievre, including just before the election and again last week, the number one item he asks all MPs and candidates is, “what are you hearing at the doors?”
“He wants to know the priorities of hard-working men and women, and the taxpayers of Powell River, Campbell River, and right across the country,” said Gunn. “He doesn’t care so much about what the elites and the big urban centres are talking about. He wants to know the bread and butter issues of the people who he is trying to represent, and I echo that, and try to mirror that approach to politics.
“I can tell you that when we were knocking on doors, people wanted to talk about the cost of living, the cost of housing, public safety concerns, the explosion of the opioid epidemic and the open-air drug use that we have seen in Powell River that didn’t exist before. Those are the issues that people are talking about.”
Other concerns include the disappearance of stable jobs, like those in the now-closed Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill, he added.
Gunn said he supports Poilievre 100 per cent and wants him to remain the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, and to lead the party into the next election.
Gunn is looking forward to his swearing in ceremony in Ottawa, which will be on May 22.
“It’s going to get a lot more real after the swearing in,” said Gunn. “The House of Commons comes back the following week. King Charles is actually going to be there to read the speech from the throne.
“For the past week, it has all about been orientation, finding out about budgets, setting up constituency offices and hiring people.”
Gunn said the caucus has also had its first meeting with Poilievre and he has been meeting and getting to know his colleagues in the Conservative party caucus.
“It’s been a whirlwind experience,” said Gunn. “However, I’m excited. I was a candidate for quite a while and we had a very gruelling five-week campaign. This is why I put my name forward, though, and now I will represent the people of this riding and I’m going to work in Ottawa, making sure my constituents’ voices and concerns are being heard. That’s exactly what I plan to do.
“It’s important to be the voice of everybody in the riding, not just those who voted for you.”
Gunn said he is looking forward to working with his provincial counterparts. He said has reached out on Vancouver Island and is looking forward to conversing with Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Randene Neill.
“It’s important to work in unison to deliver results for people,” said Gunn.
He has also had conversations with the mayors of Powell River, Campbell River and Port McNeill, and is looking forward to working with all the leaders of the communities that he serves.
Gunn said he thinks the people of Powell River will become tired of seeing him so much, because he will be here frequently.
“However, that is our commitment and our determination,” he added.
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