Tell us a bit about yourself.
Before being elected, I served as executive director of a social enterprise, where we received back-to-back Canadian Consumers’ Choice Awards for Business Excellence. I also helped establish the BC Disability Employment Network, advocating for inclusive and accessible workplaces. Since being elected, I’ve served as NDP House Leader for over a decade, as well as critic for finance and health. I’m proud to have been named the New Westminster Record's "A-List Most Popular Local Politician" for six consecutive years—a reflection of my ongoing commitment to our community.
Do you live in New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville? If not, where do you live?
Yes, I was born and raised in New Westminster, where my family has lived for four generations. I’ve been living in the Glenbrook area for many years and have deep roots in the community. New Westminster isn’t just where I live—it’s home. This community has shaped who I am, and it continues to inspire my work every day.
What makes you the best candidate for New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville?
As a lifelong resident of New Westminster, I understand the unique challenges our community faces. I have a proven track record of delivering results—advocating for infrastructure funding, accessible health care, public safety, and more. My team and I have helped over 22,000 people with federal government matters. I represent working Canadians and their families—not billionaires or ultra-rich corporations. I’m deeply rooted in this community and committed to fighting for fairness, affordability, and a better future for everyone, where no one is left behind.
What are the Top 3 issues in this federal election?
- Trump’s Trade War: Canadians are rightfully concerned about Trump’s threats. We’ll strengthen our trade approach to support Canadian workers, ensure fair competition, and invest in local industries. We’ll promote Canadian-made goods and support growing sectors to create good jobs.
- Housing Crisis: The housing crisis is out of hand. Our plan promises three million new homes, including non-market and affordable housing. We’ll introduce stronger rent protections to stop renovictions and price gouging, while accelerating construction using Canadian-made materials and modern methods—creating good jobs along the way.
- Affordability: The rising cost of living is hurting families—rents, groceries, and medications are skyrocketing. The NDP will take on corporate greed, which is driving inflation.
Many Canadians are deeply concerned about the ongoing threats of annexation and tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump. How would you and your party deal with this situation?
We believe in standing firm on our sovereignty and protecting Canadian workers and middle-class families from unfair trade practices.
Trump’s tariffs are an attack on our economy and hard working Canadians. That’s why we will renegotiate trade deals to prioritize Canadian workers, ensuring that any agreements benefit our people and industries. We’ll impose dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on unfair imports to defend our economy.
The NDP is committed to investing in domestic manufacturing, strengthening Canadian industries, and creating good jobs. By expanding Buy Canadian policies and supporting emerging sectors like clean energy, we’ll create stable, unionized jobs that ensure long-term economic security for Canadians.
We won’t let foreign threats undermine Canadian values. The NDP is dedicated to building a strong, resilient economy for all Canadians.
What would your party do to address housing affordability for residents in New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville?
We’ll set aside 100 per cent of suitable federal Crown land to build over 100,000 rent-controlled and affordable homes nationwide, implement national rent control, and crack down on real estate speculation. The NDP will ban rent price-fixing and corporate landlords, including the use of shared data platforms and coordinated pricing tools; and recognize the right of tenant unions to negotiate with landlords.
With the ongoing tariff concerns, what would you and your government do to protect Canadian jobs and ease the financial burden on consumers?
The NDP is committed to protecting Canadian jobs and easing the financial burden on consumers through a fair, worker-focused approach.
We’ll launch a “Build Canadian, Buy Canadian” strategy to prioritize domestic industries in federal procurement. This means using Canadian-made materials and supporting unionized jobs to strengthen our economy.
In trade disputes, we’ll stand up for Canadian workers by pushing back against unfair tariffs. When conflicts arise—such as those impacting steel and aluminum—we’ll ensure immediate support for affected workers and industries. To provide more stability, especially during economic disruptions, we’ll strengthen Employment Insurance (EI) so more Canadians—including gig and contract workers—have access to support when they need it.
We also recognize that many families are struggling with the rising cost of living. That’s why we’ll remove the GST from essentials like groceries, over-the-counter medications, and home heating. These steps will help lower monthly costs and reduce financial pressure on households.
Through these practical measures, the NDP will protect good jobs, defend Canadian industries, and make life more affordable.
The New West Record, Burnaby NOW, and Tri-City News will soon be closing. How will you and your party work to strengthen or change the Online News Act to ensure Canadians in communities of all sizes continue to have access to independent, trustworthy local information?
The NDP supports the Online News Act (Bill C-18) while advocating for safeguards to protect freedom of expression and ensure fairness between tech giants and Canadian media. We’ll ensure tech giants pay their fair share to local news outlets, including independent media. I condemned Meta’s decision to block news access in Canada as completely unacceptable, arguing the law is vital to protect reliable journalism in an era of misinformation, while the Conservatives continue to prioritize “super-rich web giants” over local media. The NDP will create a dedicated fund for community journalism and enforce strict penalties for platforms that undermine Canadian content.
Where can voters contact you?
- Campaign office: 518 Agnes St., New Westminster
- Phone: 604-245-3304
- Email: [email protected].
- Bluesky: mpjulian.bsky.social
- Facebook: Peter Julian
- Instagram & Threads: peterjulian_
- TikTok: peter.julian_
- X: MPJulian
Editor's note: The Record/Burnaby NOW/Tri-City News sent this questionnaire to all candidates in New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville. Candidates were given an April 14 submission deadline.
