Can Man Dan

Dan Johnstone

Dan Johnstone AKA Can Man Dan poses for a picture at Edmonton's City Hall during the 2013 civic election.
Personal details
Born (1987-07-31) July 31, 1987
Edmonton, Alberta
Residence Edmonton, Alberta
Website www.danjohnstone.com

Dan Johnstone (born July 31, 1987 in Edmonton, Alberta), also known as "Can Man Dan", is a Canadian anti-poverty activist, philanthropist, community organizer and social activist.[1][2][3][4][5] His fundraising group, also called "Can Man Dan", works to alleviate poverty and strengthen communities in Alberta, Canada by working with several non profit groups and charities.[6] Johnstone also hosts many of his own created events, but is perhaps best known for his annual "Moving Hunger Out" campaign, where he camps out multiple times every December in freezing cold temperatures in the back of a tractor-trailer, aiming to fill it with donations for various Food Banks around Alberta.[7] Due to the severity of the winters commonly found in Alberta and the freezing cold temperatures that go along with them, These campouts have become highly publicized and staple events for various food banks around Alberta. Can Man Dan's campouts have proven to be very successful, as Dan has raised several thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food for local food banks every year from these events alone.[8][9] Johnstone also has created and hosted many other events around Alberta aimed to help those less fortunate including his annual "We're Here For Ya Day" event.[10] Can Man Dan, along with a local hair salon offer free hair services, a free BBQ lunch, personal hygiene products and free food hampers to hundreds of men, women and children every year.[11][12][13] In June 2013, Can Man Dan provided immediate assistance to Calgary's Food Bank and those affected by the 2013 Alberta floods in the form of 4000 pounds of food.[14] In December of 2013 and 2014, local Edmonton chain restaurant - Delux Burger Bar featured Can Man Dan as their "Celebrity Chef".[15] Delux Burger Bar locations across Edmonton added the "Can Man Dan burger" to their menus and gave a portion of the burger sales to the Edmonton Food Bank on Dan's behalf. Johnstone made headlines in April 2014 after he announced that he would wrestle in a professional wrestling match with Canadian wrestling promotion, the PWA (The Prairie Wrestling Alliance) to raise money, food and awareness for Edmonton's homeless youth population.[16] Despite suffering a fractured nose during the bout, Johnstone ultimately won his debut wrestling match raising thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food for Edmonton's Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS), an organization that Dan's mother had used when she was a teenager. In June 2015, Johnstone was ranked fourth in "WO Magazine"'s list of the "Top 5 Anti-Poverty Activists".[17] In the summer of 2015, Johnstone was voted in by Edmonton's general public to serve as an honorary parade marshal for their annual K-Days festival parade. Johnstone, along 5 other community heroes and various departments of Edmonton's first responders were made honorary parade marshals and each given $2500 to donate to a charity of their choice.[18][19][20] Johnstone made national headlines in December 2015 as he announced that he would spend the month touring Alberta and camping out in various cities to raise resources for multiple food banks across the Provence who were affected by the economic downturn.[21][22][23][24][25][26] Johnstone's "Tour of Alberta" raised 25 tonnes of food and thousands of dollars for various food banks throughout Alberta to distribute to people in need.[27][28][29][30][31][32]

Johnstone's philanthropy and activist work began in Edmonton, Alberta in the summer of 2011 when he began going door-to-door around various neighborhoods by himself collecting food and clothing donations for various charities, such as the Edmonton Food Bank, the youth shelter, and many homeless shelters/soup kitchens. After growing up in a single mother, low income household, Johnstone was motivated to support the same services that his family had used while he was growing up.[33] Johnstone has stated that his ultimate goal is to spread a positive message about helping people in need, raise awareness for charities in need and ultimately assist in the ending of poverty and homelessness by forming a united community.[34][35]

On top of the major events[36] he hosts, Johnstone is also an motivational speaker that travels to many schools and fundraising events around Alberta to share his story and adventures. Johnstone also leads an inner city feed program where he and his group of volunteers make and distribute lunches, care packages and backpacks filled with different items to the homeless community. In June 2012, Johnstone was named an official ambassador to the Edmonton Food Bank. Johnstone has publicly stated that he "makes zero financial gain" from his work as he believes that helping others and spreading a positive message is more important than making a profit.[37]

Personal life

Daniel Lee Johnstone, was born in Edmonton, Alberta on July 31, 1987 during the notorious Edmonton tornado (also known as "Black Friday") that claimed 27 lives and is the eldest son of Pamela Johnstone. Dan is an avid professional wrestling fan and board game enthusiast. He is also a huge reality television fan and has said that he one day hopes to compete on Big Brother Canada and The Amazing Race Canada. It has been stated in many of his interviews that Johnstone's "dream job" is to be elected to Edmonton's City Council.[38] In the spring of 2015, Johnstone started a new community project aimed to help struggling locally owned businesses attain new customers called "Localive".[39] In November 2015 it was announced that Johnstone was named honorary chair and official ambassador for Edmonton's Adopt-A-Teen program, a social program that Dan and his family used when he was growing up.[40][41][42][43]

Politics

In June 2013, Dan Johnstone announced that he would be running in the Edmonton municipal election, 2013. Johnstone declared that he would be running for the open seat in Edmonton's Ward 10 which was vacated by Mayoral hopeful, Don Iveson.[44] Johnstone, a self declared fiscal conservative was the youngest candidate running for any position in the 2013 Edmonton election, being only 25 years old when he announced his candidacy. Johnstone's platform was largely based on the repair of basic infrastructure, working to pay off the city's deficit, focusing on the revitalization of mature neighborhoods, investing in the building of low income housing, building a stronger public transit system and lowering fares. Johnstone, also pledged to donate $10 000 for each year of his terms salary to various charities and causes around Edmonton citing that "politicians make entirely too much money". Johnstone was ultimately defeated by former Alberta Party candidate, Michael Walters.[45]

On December 27th of 2015, Johnstone announced his candidacy for the Ward 12 by-election race in Edmonton's south-side district to replace Amarjeet Sohi who was elected to Justin Trudeau's Liberal government in October 2015.[46][47] Johnstone, once again labelling himself as a fiscal conservative and socially progressive candidate concentrated on restructuring Edmonton's photo radar system and redirecting a majority of the revenue to Edmonton's Police services, ushering in a more economical public transit system, postponing the building of the Valley Line LRT route, and mandating that a certain percentage of newly developed land must contain low-income and other forms of social housing.[48][49][50][51][52] Johnstone was also openly critical of the record breaking thirty-two candidates citing that it would confuse casual voters and result in a low voter turnout.[53][54] Johnstone was defeated by local Police detective, Moe Banga.[55]

References

  1. ↑ "Local Anti-poverty activist "Can Man Dan" wraps up winter campout". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-21.
  2. ↑ "Can Man Dan takes the show on the road". Edmonton Examiner. 2015-12-02.
  3. ↑ "20 Questions: Dan Johnstone a.k.a "Can Man Dan"". Edmonton Examiner. 2013-05-13.
  4. ↑ "Edmonton K-Days' parade marshals announced". Edmonton Sun. 2015-07-08.
  5. ↑ "Can Man Dan helps families". Edmonton Examiner. 2015-09-09.
  6. ↑ Caley Ramsey. "Can Man Dan launches part two of his campaign to end hunger in Edmonton". Global News.
  7. ↑ "Can Man Dan camps out for Edmonton's Food Bank". Edmonton Examiner. 2012-12-12.
  8. ↑ "Can Man Dan campout nets 20000 pounds for food bank". CBC News. 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
  9. ↑ "The return of Can Man Dan". CBC News. 2012-12-07. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  10. ↑ "Can Man Dan". Global News.
  11. ↑ "Cutting Out Hunger fundraiser featured free hair cuts, hot dogs, ice cream and food donations to the Food Bank". Edmonton Examiner. 2013-05-08.
  12. ↑ "Can Man Dan is here for ya". Edmonton Examiner. 2014-09-04.
  13. ↑ "Can Man Dan helps families". Edmonton Examiner. 2015-09-09.
  14. ↑ "Businesses help". 2012-12-18. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  15. ↑ "20 Can Man Dan at it again!". Edmonton Breakfast Television. 2014-12-04.
  16. ↑ "Can Man Dan fights for youth". Edmonton Examiner. 2014-04-26.
  17. ↑ "Top 5 Anti-Poverty Actvists". WO? Magazine. 2015-06-10.
  18. ↑ "Edmonton K-Days' parade marshals announced". Edmonton Sun. 2015-07-08.
  19. ↑ "Local first responders will lead the way as K-Days parade marshals". Edmonton Journal. 2015-07-08.
  20. ↑ "K-Days' honourary parade marshals". Dinner TV. 2015-07-08.
  21. ↑ "Local Anti-poverty activist "Can Man Dan" wraps up winter campout". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-21.
  22. ↑ "Can Man Dan touring Alberta to help end hunger". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-02.
  23. ↑ "Can Man Dan stops in Lethbridge". Global Lethbridge. 2015-12-18.
  24. ↑ "Can Man Dan takes the show on the road". Edmonton Examiner. 2015-12-02.
  25. ↑ "Can Man Dan comes to Fort McMurray". Fort McMurray Today. 2015-12-07.
  26. ↑ "Can Man Dan takes down campout". 630 CHED. 2015-12-07.
  27. ↑ "Can Man Dan helping Edmonton's Food Bank Again". Global Edmonton. 2015-12-07.
  28. ↑ "Can Man Dan visit spurs donations for Food Bank". Lethbridge Herald. 2015-12-24.
  29. ↑ "Can Man Dan raises money for Food Bank". CBC News. 2015-12-06.
  30. ↑ "'Tis the season to support the Food Bank". Connect. 2015-12-15.
  31. ↑ "Can Man Dan announced Tour of Alberta results". Can Man Dan official Facebook Page. 2015-12-25.
  32. ↑ "The Can Man Can". Lethbridge Herald. 2015-12-20.
  33. ↑ "Can Man Dan success story: Dan Johnstone a.k.a "Can Man Dan"". Edmonton Sun. 2014-12-16.
  34. ↑ "Dan Johnstone's official website". www.danjohnstone.com. 2015-06-17.
  35. ↑ "Can Man Dan is 'Moving Hunger Out'". Edmonton Examiner. 2011-12-23.
  36. ↑ "Dan Johnstone, a.k.a Can Man Dan, hopes to meet his monetary goal for Edmonton’s Food Bank this weekend". Edmonton Examiner. 2012-12-18.
  37. ↑ "Dan Johnstone's official website". danjohnstone.com. 2015-06-17.
  38. ↑ "20 Questions". Edmonton Examiner. 2013-05-13.
  39. ↑ "Localive". CTV Edmonton. 2015-04-30.
  40. ↑ "Can Man Dan shares how Adopt-A-Teen saved Christmas". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-08.
  41. ↑ "Adopt A Teen needs your help". iNews880. 2015-12-15.
  42. ↑ "Thousands of teens have a reason to celebrate". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-25.
  43. ↑ "Can Man Dan wraps up his Feed Alberta Tour". Edmonton Sun. 2015-12-21.
  44. ↑ "Dan Johnstone, a.k.a. Can Man Dan, seeks vacant Ward 10 seat". Edmonton Examiner. 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  45. ↑ "2013 Official Election Results". 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  46. ↑ ""Can Man Dan" runs for Ward 12". Edmonton Examiner. 2016-01-06.
  47. ↑ "Edmonton's Ward 12 set to have crowded field for byelection". Metro Edmonton. 2016-01-04.
  48. ↑ "Ward 12 candidates weigh in on the Valley Line LRT". Metro Edmonton. 2016-02-08.
  49. ↑ "Ward 12 candidates turning against Valley Line LRT". Edmonton Journal. 2016-02-19.
  50. ↑ "Ward 12 candidates weigh in with their opinions". Vue Weekly. 2016-02-17.
  51. ↑ "Where do Ward 12 candidates stand on key issues". Edmonton Journal. 2016-02-19.
  52. ↑ "Meet the 32 candidates of the Ward 12 by-election". Edmonton Journal. 2016-01-26.
  53. ↑ "Ward 12 by-election log-jam getting worse". Edmonton Sun. 2016-01-24.
  54. ↑ ""Can Man Dan" Dan Johnstone talks by-election". Youtube. 2016-01-25.
  55. ↑ "Moe Banga wins historic Ward 12 by-election". CBC. 2016-02-22.

External links

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