Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
In office October 1, 2019 – November 14, 2023
Preceded by	Cory Vanthuyne
Succeeded by	Shauna Morgan
Constituency	Yellowknife North
Personal details
Born	Summerland, British Columbia
Political party	Green (federal)[1]
Residence(s)	Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Occupation	Lawyer

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. 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.