New St. James MLA sports token of affection from father, former MLA

The newly elected MLA for St. James wears a meaningful keepsake from his father, who previously held a post as an MLA in the area for several years.

Progressive ConservativeScott Johnston was happily thanking his supporters after winning the constituency April 19, when his father approached him in front of the crowd.

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"Lo and behold, my father came to me in the middle of the speech and asked if he could present something to me, and presented it to me in front of our campaign team and family, which was quite special,"said Scott Johnston.

It was a very proud moment for me to be recognized by somebody who I've aspired to all of my life- Scott Johnston

J. Frank Johnston pinned an ID pin to his son's lapel: one with his name, constituency and the provincial emblem. Frank still wears one that is nearly identical to it, one his own constituency presented to him when he won in 1969.

"It was something I wanted to do and in every election you sort of get a feeling towards the end of whether he's going to make it or not and I had a feeling he would,"said Frank Johnston,who served as an alderman and then an MLA for Sturgeon Creek from 1969-1988.

"I was so thrilled, I had no idea he got that made, so I was really quite thrilled to see them both,"said Hazel Johnston, Scott's mother.

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St. Jamesabsorbed what used to be the seat of Sturgeon Creek. Scott Johnston said it's an honour to represent the same neighbourhood his father once did.

"It was humbling and it was a very proud moment for me to be recognized by somebody who I've aspired to all of my life," said Scott Johnston.

"He's certainly set an example for me. I think that's one of the reasons I've pursued the community initiatives that I've pursued."

Community-minded family

Scott Johnston served as a St. James Assiniboia School Division board trustee from 1986 to 2016. After three decades, he has mixed feelings about leaving his post on the school board.

All in all, Scott Johnston says he's happy about his departure, because it will allow him to make an even greater impact on the education system at the provincial level.

When people elect you and give you your vote, it's something you don't take for granted. My father never did- Scott Johnston

In terms of the urge to improve society on a broad scale, that's something he says has been with him since his youth. He says his father Frank's sense of duty and community building was instilled in him at an early age.

"My father's commitment to representing the people who've showed the confidence in him truly inspires me to do the same," he said."The pin that he gave me really represents an accumulation of a lot of commitment to the community and I'm very proud of it."

His father, now 85, helped put up a few signs but was unable to knock on doors in the lead up to election day. Still, Scott Johnston says his parents managed to help out in other ways.

"[He] and my mother were very involved in the campaign. They were phoning members of the community who they knew, saying, 'Come on, you've got to get out and vote for Scott,'"Scott Johnston said.

"When people elect you and give you your vote, it's something you don't take for granted. [My father] never did. It's something I'm honoured by and I'll always do my best in representing the public."