The Strathcona Standard

Campbell River city Councillor Tanille Johnston is taking a formal unpaid leave of absence from March 10 to 30, while she campaigns to lead the federal NDP.

Council approved her request on March 12; she formally asked for the leave on February 26.

Johnston has been busy with the federal campaign this winter, as the Strathcona Standard reported last month. That’s when an event for candidates in New Westminster was disrupted by Yves Engler, a former candidate who was disqualified over his antisemitic and pro-Russia comments.

She has also been deeply involved in Vancouver politics since last fall. On October 30, 2025, she shared a series of pictures from an event she attended for COPE Vancouver, the “Coalition of Progressive Electors,” one of Vancouver’s municipal political parties.

“Thank you so much to @copevancouver for having me at their event last night, I’m so grateful for the work you all put in to keep the progressive movement alive and proud in Vancouver,” she said. “Shout out to councillor @seanorrofficial — we’re all behind you and the rest of COPE to evict Ken Sim in the 2026 municipal elections next October!”

Johnston attended another COPE event last month to support Vancouver city councillor Sean Orr, and again posted about how she’s helping to influence the Vancouver election this fall.

“Was great to be back at @copevancouver’s Left Wings this week,” she posted on February 27. “Amazing to see so many progressives working together to #EvictKenSim.”

On March 10, Orr announced a defamation lawsuit against Sim. It’s unclear if Johnston is involved, despite her posts over the last year proudly proclaiming her support for Orr and COPE’s attempts to “evict” Ken Sim. She has not responded to several requests for information and clarification from the Strathcona Standard.

In her promotional federal leadership campaign material, she says she has a plan to win back NDP seats lost during last year’s election:

“We’ll win back our seats on Vancouver Island by

• Ensuring voting access in our Nations
• Harnessing the energy of the student movement
• Having the back of labour
• Offering free memberships
• Developing an NDP app to streamline events + organizing
• Running hard

At home, Johnston has missed more regular council meetings than any other councillor – 17 in total, nearly 25% of all regular meetings since the 2022 election.

In late 2024, she ran for the chief councillor position with the We Wai Kai First Nation, coming in last.

In 2025, she ran for the federal NDP to try and win the North Island – Powell River seat, but lost to Conservative Aaron Gunn by nearly 5,000 votes. Her performance during the election campaign, marred by a business boycott launched by her most vocal supporters, prompted some locals to launch a recall campaign to get her removed from city council and off the public payroll.

“She shows little interest during city council debates while often just staring at her laptop not even paying any attention to other councillors or presenters, she ran unsuccessfully to be chief of her band, and now she has taken time away from council to run for a Federal Party. It’s very clear from this pattern of behaviour that she is not interested at all in her duties as council, but in seeking positions of power for her individual career,” says the petition calling for her removal.

In Campbell River, city councillors are paid approximately $32,000 annually. They are also entitled to health, dental, and life insurance benefits with 100% of premiums covered by the city.