Affordability
Fuel and transportation costs
PC's promises
"Eliminating tolls on Macdonald and MacKay Bridges to improve the flow of traffic in the HRM." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
"Removing tolls on the MacKay and Macdonald bridges is expected to cost $40 - $50 million and will be implemented by April 1, 2025." — pcpartyns.ca, retrieved 2024-11-10
"A feasibility study to build light rail for commuters that will give Nova Scotians more of the most precious asset: time. Less time in traffic, less time commuting means more time for what matters most: family and community. Rail routes to be explored will begin with Windsor to Mill Cove, Bedford and in CBRM." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Minimum wage
PC's promise
Public transit
PC's promise
"A feasibility study to build light rail for commuters that will give Nova Scotians more of the most precious asset: time. Less time in traffic, less time commuting means more time for what matters most: family and community. Rail routes to be explored will begin with Windsor to Mill Cove, Bedford and in CBRM." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Tax measures and rebates
PC's promises
Climate Change & the Environment
Oil and gas development
PC's promise
"Focus on the smart development of our energy and natural resources sectors through Nova Scotia's Clean Energy Plan, which will in turn provide more opportunities for families and result in fewer of our children going 'out west' for work. It will make Nova Scotia a world class energy producer in hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel.
The construction of these two industries will provide a decade of new construction jobs, along with new high paying long-term jobs that will benefit the entire economy and Province."
— Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Public transit
PC's promise
"A feasibility study to build light rail for commuters that will give Nova Scotians more of the most precious asset: time. Less time in traffic, less time commuting means more time for what matters most: family and community. Rail routes to be explored will begin with Windsor to Mill Cove, Bedford and in CBRM." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Education
School safety
PC's promises
"Ensure the new Code of Conduct gives school administrators the power they deserve, including the power to suspend students and address problem behaviours. It will give administrators the ability to use their professional judgement to find the balance between an individual students' right to education with the broader student bodies' right to learn in a safe environment." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
"Hire two police officers to work within the Department of Education and focus exclusively on supporting school teams across the Province with security protocols, incident prevention and incident response." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Health & Healthcare
Health staffing
PC's promise
"The new internal nursing team will employ nurses out of the Nova Scotia Health Authority. A pilot program focussed on Emergency Department nurses will launch by the end of 2024. The estimate for the 30-nurse pilot travel nurse team is approximately $5.3 million. If the Province were to hire 30 private agency nurses, the cost would be $8.2 million, resulting in savings of $2.9 million under the PC plan." — pcpartyns.ca, retrieved 2024-11-10
Hospitals
PC's promise
Seniors
PC's promise
"Implement a universal (no cost) shingles program for all Nova Scotians 65 and older, giving free access to the vaccine to everyone." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Women's health
PC's promises
"Support women's health and create Canada's first Menopause Centre of Excellence." — Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
"In addition, the re-elected PC Government will also explore adding new MSI billing codes for menopause counselling to support family doctors as they in turn support women." — pcpartyns.ca, retrieved 2024-11-10
Housing & Homelessness
Home purchases and ownership
PC's promise
"A re-elected PC Government will enter into a new agreement with participating credit unions to expand this program to first-time home buyers purchasing a home up to $500,000 in value. Whereas today these prospective homebuyers must provide a 5% down payment, they would only have to pay a 2% down payment under the PC Plan. Participating credit unions would assess the applicants to ensure their income is satisfactory to support the mortgage they want, and the provincial government would provide a loan guarantee to participating credit unions for any deficiencies in the event of a default." — pcpartyns.ca, retrieved 2024-11-10
Public and affordable housing
PC's promise
Jobs, Businesses, & Labour
Minimum wage
PC's promise
Oil and gas development
PC's promise
"Focus on the smart development of our energy and natural resources sectors through Nova Scotia's Clean Energy Plan, which will in turn provide more opportunities for families and result in fewer of our children going 'out west' for work. It will make Nova Scotia a world class energy producer in hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel.
The construction of these two industries will provide a decade of new construction jobs, along with new high paying long-term jobs that will benefit the entire economy and Province."
— Make It Happen, retrieved 2024-11-10
Startups and small businesses
PC's promises
They may still in the future!
Biography
John is a lifetime Kings County resident, farmer and successful agri-business entrepreneur. John's parents immigrated from Holland to Canada through Pier 21 in 1958. After working two years on a farm, they purchased their own farm, in Canning, in 1960. John was born in 1962 and would eventually buy his father's farm in 1987. He developed the farm into a successful, multi-faceted agri-business which grew potatoes, onions, cabbage, bunch onions, carrots, dill, parsley, leeks, garlic, beets, wheat, soybeans and summer savory. He purchased and rebranded a spice processing company, Farmer John's Herbs, in 1999. In 2017 John sold the farm and the spice company to his two oldest sons who continue to operate both businesses.
After attending elementary and high school in Canning, John graduated with honours from Nova Scotia Agricultural College, where he also won the basketball all-Canadian award. He then attended the University of Guelph, where he completed a BSc (Honours) in plant protection from the department of environmental biology. In 1997John was awarded the Nuffield International Agricultural Scholarship for a three month study period in England. John served on many boards and committees including the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Council of Leaders, the Canadian Nuffield Agricultural International Scholarship, Horticulture Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Vegetable and Potato Producers Association, the Crop Development Institute, the Kings County Innovation Committee, and the Kings Mutual Insurance Company. John also worked in Kenya in 2013 with Farmers Helping Farmers (farmershelpingfarmers.ca). John served three years as the moderator of New Minas Baptist Church. He was a co-chair of a capital campaign which successfully raised 1.2 million dollars for NMBC. John has held various church positions including Sunday School teacher, deacon and Boys and Girls Club leader. Raising his sons led John to coach both minor hockey and soccer for many years, as well as coach the Northeast Kings Education Centre senior boys basketball team for two years.
John is a founding director and currently serves on the Annapolis Valley 100 Men Who Give a Damn. He also is currently on the Kentville Relay for Life Committee.
In addition to his widespread community, sport, church and agriculture involvement, John has co-owned and operated multiple businesses with his wife, Heather. These include The Jelly Cupboard, The Tin Candle, Sweet Jennie's and a scrapbooking shop. John believes in hard work, completing the task he is on, fair and equal playing time, doing what he is asked to do, listening to advice and meeting his commitments.