Robert Johannson

Robert Johannson is a former politician in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He served on the Winnipeg City Council from 1971 to 1977, and later campaigned for the New Democratic Party (NDP) at the federal and provincial levels.

Political career

Johannson was elected to the Winnipeg City Council in the 1971 municipal election, and was re-elected in 1974. He was a member of the NDP Municipal Caucus and a Spokesperson for the Municipal wing of the NDP. He campaigned for the NDP in the riding of Winnipeg—Assiniboine in the 1984 federal election, and finished third against Progressive Conservative Dan McKenzie. He later ran for the New Democratic Party of Manitoba in the 1988 provincial election, and finished third against Liberal Party candidate Ed Mandrake.

Johannson worked with Parent Empowerment Inc. in the 1990s, providing courses on parenting and communication and assertiveness skills.^[1] He also recommended that the federal government address tax breaks for RRSPs and pensions in its fiscal austerity program, rather than cutting programs that affect the most vulnerable in society.^[2] He expressed disappointment with Paul Martin's 1995 budget.^[3]

He considered campaigning for City Council in 1995 as a candidate of Winnipeg in the '90s, but ultimately decided not to do so.^[4]

Johannson wrote a letter Globe and Mail newspaper in 2001 that was highly critical of the NDP, indicating that the party "has no coherent or consistent policy, and is always behind the curve".^[5]

Theological career

Johannson was ordained to the Ministry of Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care by the Manitoba Conference of the United Church of Canada in 1982.

Literary career

Johannson has written a number of plays, including Charles Wesley, about the early Methodist leader and his more famous brother John Wesley, and Power, about 1926 negotiations between Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and Cooperative Commonwealth Federation leader J.S. Woodsworth.^[6] His play The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, a play about Teresa of Avila was produced at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival in 2003. His play Never Trust a Naked Marriage Counsellor was produced at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival in August 2009.^[7] His most recent production was a one-man version of Power performed at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in 2010.

System Theory

In collaboration with his wife Joan Johannson he wrote Empowerment: A Systems Approach to People and Groups,^[8] He developed the Johannson Model for analysing systems. He is a proponent of the metaphysics of process dualism.^[9] In 2013 he published Process Dualism: Resolving the Mind/Body Problem ^[10]

Family

Robert Johannson is married to Joan Johannson, and is the father of Catharine Johannson, Elizabeth Johannson and Mike Johannson. In recent years, Joan, Catharine and Mike have campaigned for the Green Party of Canada or the Green Party of Manitoba. Elizabeth Johannson was the Evergreen Party candidate for Senate Nominee in the Alberta Election 2012.^[11] Robert Johannson is also a member of the Green Party.

Footnotes

1. Kevin Rollason, "Wayward son exiled by parents, judge", Winnipeg Free Press, 5 February 1994.
2. Paul Samyn, "Advice? We've got plenty for Ottawa", Winnipeg Free Press, 4 November 1994.
3. Gerald Flood, "Hopelessness overwhelms welfare recipient", Winnipeg Free Press, 28 February 1995.
4. Nick Martin, "Can WIN broaden its base?", Winnipeg Free Press, 25 June 1995, A5.
5. Robert Johannson, "Left out" [letter], Globe and Mail, 16 April 2001, A10.
6. Manitoba Association of Playwrights: Robert Johannson, accessed 27 October 2006.
8. ISBN 1-896474-00-4
9. process dualism
10. ISBN 978-1-896474-06-9
11. Elections Alberta: http://results.elections.ab.ca/wtResultsSNE.htm