Background
Johnston was born August 3, 1947 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Johnston was born August 3, 1947 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 1979 he attended the University of New Brunswick before starting a 25 year career with the Calgary Police Service (CPS).
He held the rank of sergeant when he left the Forces 11 years later. In 2003, Johnston retired from the CPS as a patrol sergeant. Johnston first sought public office in the 2001 Calgary municipal election as alderman for Ward 12.
Defeat in the aldermanic race did not deter him from later seeking election provincially in the constituency of Calgary-Hays in 2004.
In that election, he was the successful candidate and received 64% of the vote. Since his election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Johnston has been involved with various committees.
He also helped develop several bills including: Correction Amendment Acting, 2007, Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Acting, Peace Officer Acting, and Traffic Safety Amendment Acting, 2007. In the 2008 provincial election Johnston was reelected with 54% of the vote.
During his first term in office, he held the position of chair for the Social Care Facilities Review Committee, the Special Constable Review Committee, and the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Committee while also sitting as a member on a number of other committees.
He was chair of both the Cabinet Policy Committee on Community Services and the Social Care Facilities Review Committee, and a member of the Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, the Legislative Review Committee, and the Standing Committee on Community Services.