Friday June 27, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
First-time Member of Parliament Will Greaves (Victoria) took part in his first public announcement this week.
He was one of four VIPs who delivered remarks from the podium at the BC Transit electric bus announcement on June 25 given the substantial federal funding support for the shift to electric.
Greaves was elected as the MP for Victoria in the 45th federal general election on April 28, 2025.
Prime Minister Mark Carney (then as Liberal Party Leader during the campaign) visited Victoria three times during the 35-day campaign. His April 6 rally attracted well over 1,500 people who wove their way around the streets of James Bay on a rainy Sunday evening, with a few hundred finally allowed into the venue.
Liberals heard people priorities “loud and clear” during the campaign, said Greaves this week. He has been the MP for two months.
Greaves outlined those priorities as housing, clean energy, climate change adaptation and emission reduction, and mental health and addictions.
“These are the priority issues that we take with us to Ottawa,” said Greaves, who has already spent several weeks in Ottawa to participate in the first Carney-led House of Commons for a short spring session (May 26 to June 20.)
“We continue to have conversations with our municipal partners, the province, as well as course with federal government departments,” said Greaves at the podium during the BC Transit announcement this week.
“Those are all the issues that me and my team have prioritized and that we’ll continue to focus on going forward,” said Greaves in response to a media question during the BC Transit electric bus announcement.
Greaves is comfortable at the podium. He has been a political science at the University of Victoria for several years. His academic profile includes global security, international relations, Arctic politics, Canadian foreign policy, and environmental politics.
Academics and politics:
Greaves has written more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and three books: One Arctic: The Arctic Council and Circumpolar Governance (2017), Breaking Through: Understanding Sovereignty and Security in the Circumpolar Arctic (2021), and Canadian Ecopolitics (2025).
Greaves leads the climate and security activities of three national research networks on Canadian security and defence, is a co-founder of the Climate Security Association of Canada, and has served on the Defence Advisory Board to Canada’s Department of National Defence.
The academic and organizational expertise that Greaves brings to the Liberal caucus aligns with many of Canada’s current challenges including Canada’s political strategy in the north and with the United States, climate impacts that impact the military and environmental concerns of a warming Arctic, and Arctic security for Canada after relying on the United States for military might in the north.
There is already a new Ministry of Northern and Arctic Affairs in the Carney Liberal cabinet. The Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs is Rebecca Chartrand (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski).
Victoria constituency office:
The location of the Will Greaves MP constituency office in Victoria is still being sorted out.
All MPs will be back in the House for the Fall 2025 sitting starting September 15.
Vancouver Island federal glance:
For six years, Victoria voters were represented by Laurel Collins (NDP) as their member of parliament (2019 to 2025).
The 45th general election results on April 28, 2025 saw the stronghold of six NDP MPs on Vancouver Island reduced to one; only NDP Gord Johns (first elected in Courtenay-Alberni in 2015, re-elected 2019, 2021 and 2025) held onto his seat.
The Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (ESS) riding — held by the NDP during 2011 to 2024 — was left wide open when long-time MP Randall Garrison retired ahead of the 2025 election call. ESS was won in April 2025 by Stephanie McLean who has landed in the Liberal cabinet as the Secretary of State for Seniors.
===== RELATED:
- BC Transit announces 125 electric buses with 62 destined for Victoria (June 26, 2025)
- Federal Election 2025 Results – leaders, parties & BC (April 28, 2025)
- It’s time for Liberals on Vancouver Island says Victoria candidate Will Greaves (April 11, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA | POLITICS | CANADA-NATIONAL | FEDERAL ELECTION 2025 | 45th PARLIAMENT of CANADA