Johnson was educated at Loyalist College and the Labour College of Canada, receiving an Instructor's Certificate from the latter institution. He served as president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 448 from 1986 to 1989, and was first vice-president of the Quinte Labour Council in 1988-89. He also co-chaired the Quinte Environmental Resources Alliance, and was president of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Prince Edward, Ontario.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election, and Johnson finished third against Progressive Conservative candidate Gary Fox in his bid for re-election.[5] He was later elected as a councillor in Prince Edward County, and served until an unsuccessful bid for mayor of the county in 2003.
Johnson remains active in the NDP, and helped with the party's Prince Edward—Hastings campaign in the 2004 federal election.
References
^"Results from individual ridings". The Windsor Star. September 11, 1987. p. F2.
^"Complete area municipal results". The Whig - Standard. Kingston, Ont. November 15, 1988. p. 1.
^"Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results". The Globe and Mail. September 7, 1990. p. A12.
^Capon, Alan (Oct 9, 1990). "Paul Johnson is made a parliamentary assistant". The Whig - Standard. Kingston, Ont. p. 1.