Rylund Johnson
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
In office
October 1, 2019 – November 14, 2023
Preceded byCory Vanthuyne
Succeeded byShauna Morgan
ConstituencyYellowknife North
Personal details
BornSummerland, British Columbia
Political partyGreen (federal)[1]
Residence(s)Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
OccupationLawyer

Rylund Johnson is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in the 2019 election.[2] He represented the electoral district of Yellowknife North.[3][4]

Political positions

Johnson is a member of the federal Green Party, describing himself as a part of the "millenial green wave addressing political apathy."[1] He proposed that the Northwest Territories Power Corporation bring in revenue through district heating, which would therefore reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[5]

Johnson is an advocate for drug decriminalization following similar actions in the city of Vancouver.[6] Johnson also supports a system of guaranteed basic income and advocated for the implementation of such a system with fellow Frame Lake MLA Kevin O'Reilly.[7]

Personal life

Johnson worked as a lawyer and as a co-founder of Makerspace YK, a nonprofit.[8] He was formerly an admin for the BDSM workshop group Northern Bound.[9]

Johnson was the target of parody in a YouTube video titled "The Greatest Speech Never Heard in the NWT Legislative Assembly," which was originally shared on the Dehcho First Nations Facebook page and subsequently acknowledged by him.[10]

When he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, he lived on a houseboat named the Scandimaniac, which also is the name of his podcast.[11] Johnson moved to the Northwest Territories in 2015.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Peacock, Emelie (3 July 2019). "28-year-old Yk lawyer announces bid for Yellowknife North seat". My True North Now. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  2. ^ Ollie Williams, "Only Nahendeh left to elect MLA, 18 others are elected", Cabin Radio, October 1, 2019.
  3. ^ Minogue, Sara (August 25, 2020). "Should the Yellowknife fire department still respond to fires along the Ingraham Trail?". CBC News. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  4. ^ Last, John (August 28, 2020). "Ousted minister, and other N.W.T. MLAs, not attending 'relationship building' retreat". CBC News. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  5. ^ Minogue, Sara. "MLA says N.W.T. power corporation should get into district heating business | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  6. ^ Blackenbury, Meaghan (7 December 2020). "Yellowknife MLA pushes for drug decriminalization – Cabin Radio". cabinradio.ca. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Is now the time for guaranteed basic income in the NWT? – Cabin Radio". cabinradio.ca. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  8. ^ "NWT Election 2019: Rylund Johnson's Yellowknife North interview – Cabin Radio". cabinradio.ca. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  9. ^ Jessica Davey-Quantick, "What It’s Like Being in a Sex Club in Canada’s Far North", Vice Sex, January 22, 2019.
  10. ^ Whitehouse, Simon (5 March 2020). "Satirized Rylund Johnson video remains a mystery". NNSL MEDIA. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Dispatches from the Scandimaniac". Listen Notes. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Rylund Johnson | Legislative Assembly of The Northwest Territories". www.ntassembly.ca.


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