Johan Boyden

Riding: Outremont
Contact: johan@votecommunist.ca
Info: Johan is the General Secretary of the Young Communist League of Canada

Read Johan’s main page here.

Johan answer’s a local communities group’s questions:

1-Do you do any volunteer work? If so, what?

I volunteer on a wide number of campaigns, from eliminating tuition to raising the minimum wage.

2-What is something people don’t know about you?

I am a Communist because I believe in democracy — the people should run the country not the corporations.

3-What’s the last thing you watched on YouTube?

We’re just uploading a campaign video! Before that, students protesting a visit of Harper. Youth want to dump the Tories!

4-Name one piece of legislation you would like to change and how?

Change the rules around employment insurance — extend the time you recieve EI and set it at 90% previous wages; no evictions or utility cut-offs when you loose your job.

5-What is the craziest moment you’ve experienced on the campaign trail?

Honking car horns and cheers while putting up campaign signs saying Canada Out of Afghanistan.

6-Describe Canada in one word:

Unequal

7-Have you ever run/worked for another political party? And if so, which one?

As a student I worked with both the NDP and Greens, but the more I grasped about the everyday struggles of the people and the systemic causes, as well as their approaches, the more I realized we needed to make a sharp break with the current direction.

8-How do you find out about what’s happening in your community?

I am active in my housing coop, the daily life of my young son brings me in contact with many people, and we have a large number of family and friends who live in the area. Their struggles to make a living in system where we are ripped off by the boss, the landlord, the hydro company, and struggle with school fees, tuition, childcare, low wages, high prices, pensions, etc., are not unique. My work doing youth organizing, and my wife who is a past executive member of the Quebec Solidaire riding association — all these things keep us in touch.

9-How do you get to work?

Public transit or occasionally car pool. And soon by bike!

10-Where do you eat in your riding?

Well, at the famous bagel places ofcourse!