The PQB News will be running candidate submissions for every candidate running in the Parksville-Qualicum riding. The following is the submission filed by Independent candidate John St John.
John St John has lived in Parksville for 13 years and is currently the owner of the British Bobby Restaurant with his wife Mary; they have four children (all of which have worked there) plus seven grandchildren.
Born into a regular working-class family in England, John’s life has been nothing less than extraordinary.
Right from the get-go he has taken on challenges where angels fear to tread.
In a career spanning over five decades and two continents: from a boutique owner in the swinging sixties in England, country inn/hotel manager, commercial photographer, limousine driver to the “rich and famous” and much more. His life experiences gained not from the education system, but from the school of hard knocks, became one adventure, or misadventure, after another, with John witnessing events and situations that most people could only ever dream about, involving hundreds of celebrities, sports stars, British and Canadian governments, foreign ambassadors, CEOs, corporate executives and royalty.
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After moving with his family to Canada in 1987, John became the fleet manger of a large limousine service in Ottawa.
Now working with government on a regular basis he, like most people, believed in the status quo and that these people had our best interests at heart… but as the years went by, he soon found out that he was 100% wrong.
They say power corrupts and boy, were they right. As a regular family man, he was disgusted by what he saw and prayed that one day the people would find out for themselves and stop this madness.
“Like many Canadians, I have had enough of government lies and corruption,” he said. “I believe our whole governmental system is still run on behaviours and principals from the 19th century and I think it’s high time we upgraded it and brought it into the 21st century where it belongs. There’s a famous saying: ‘the definition of true insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.’
“Well now is the time to change it and do something different, I know that takes courage, but I also know that we are all in this together, and together we can repair the years of damage done by these misguided people.
“So why me? Well, I care about this community, I care about the people and families that built it, I care about the future for our children and I care enough to do something about it. I have always had a passion to help others and a strong belief in the values of integrity, honesty and truth and that is why I have decided to run for MLA in Parksville-Qualicum.
“I chose to run as an independent, because so many times I have met good politicians who became disheartened when they discovered that the party came first, and the people second. I don’t want to be controlled by lawyers on what I can say and do… my intention is to tell the truth no matter what.”