Former B.C. premier John Horgan dead at 65

Former British Columbia premier and ambassador to Germany John Horgan has died at the age of 65, after his third battle with cancer.

According to a statement posted to social media by Horgan’s former press secretary, the Horgan family says their “hearts are broken to announce the passing of our beloved Husband, Father, and Friend, John Horgan.”

“John passed away peacefully this morning at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria,” the family explained.

“The wellbeing of British Columbia and everyone in it was everything to him. He was surrounded by family, friends and love in his final days. Ellie and the rest of John’s family ask for privacy during this time,” they said.

“‘Live Long and Prosper.'”

Horgan served as B.C.’s New Democrat premier for five years before stepping down in 2022, then was appointed ambassador last year.

In June, Horgan announced he was on leave after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Horgan remembered for his service to and love of B.C.

Horgan was remembered by those across the aisle, and from around the country on Tuesday. Social media lit up with stories about Horgan and condolences to his family.

In a statement, current Premier David Eby shared that the news of Horgan’s passing “leaves us with heavy hearts.”

“John loved this province and its people. He sought to address injustice wherever he saw it – using his time in office to help build a better, stronger British Columbia for everyone,” Eby shared.

“His many accomplishments as premier will be felt for years and generations to come. His achievements are too numerous to mention, but he was a consequential premier at a critical time in our history. He encouraged all of us to strive to be our better selves,” he continued.

“We share our sadness and grief with his beloved wife, Ellie, with whom he shared 45 years of adventure. It was not time enough. Ellie is in our thoughts and prayers, as are his sons Evan and Nate, the rest of his family, and his many, many friends.

“The flag at the Parliament Buildings will be lowered to half-mast in honour of John Horgan, and opportunities for British Columbians to offer their condolences will be shared with the public. We will be working with John’s family and the office of protocol to announce the timing of services to mark the passing of John Horgan.”

Eby spoke to  media in the legislature building Tuesday afternoon, repeating his sentiments and calling Horgan a “coach and mentor.”

“He was accessible; he was fun and funny, and he was called ‘premier dad’ — and rightly so for myself,” said Eby.

“He was an inspiration to me. He had advice when I needed it. He conducted himself with the utmost integrity, and he brought a spirit of fun to his work that was infectious. And many of you will remember too, he had a bit of a temper from time to time. And if you hadn’t been yelled at by John Horgan, then you hadn’t truly worked with him. I truly worked with John Horgan.”

Speaking at an unrelated news conference on Tuesday morning, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the news of Horgan’s passing “breaks my heart.”

“I don’t know what to say. I’m just grateful that he was able to make it home. I’ve been in touch with him on and off over the last little while … My thoughts are will Ellie and his sons and his family right now,” she shared.

Leader of the Opposition and BC Conservatives John Rustad shared that he is “deeply saddened” by the news of Horgan’s death.

“John was not just a colleague in public service but a man of genuine warmth and integrity. Despite our political differences, I always held a deep respect for him as a person,” Rustad explained.

“Throughout the years, I had the opportunity to interact with John on numerous occasions. His approachable nature and willingness to engage in open dialogue were qualities that I admired greatly. He had a way of making everyone feel heard, regardless of their stance or background,” he continued.

“John’s dedication to his family and friends was evident to all who knew him. He carried himself with a humility and kindness that transcended the political arena. His sense of humor and affable personality made conversations with him enjoyable, even when we stood on opposite sides of an issue.

On behalf of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, I extend my heartfelt condolences to John’s family, friends, and all who were touched by his life. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. John will be remembered not just for his role in politics, but for the genuine and compassionate man he was.

“He will be greatly missed, and his legacy as a good man who cared deeply for others will live on.”

Horgan succeeded because he didn’t seek premiership like other career politicians: expert

UBC political scientist Stewart Prest told 1130 NewsRadio that Horgan’s tenure is marked by both his contributions to B.C. and the province’s NDP.

“His time in office really represented a space for the province to move forward in an incremental way on a number of issues,” Preset explained.

“Looking from the perspective of 2024, he represented a kind of style of politics which I think we see less of, in a polarized environment, where he presented himself as just an authentic person that people resonated with from across the political spectrum,” he explained.

“I think his place in politics, in no small measure, was to provide that kind of bonding glue between what we now see as increasingly polarized sides of a political spectrum.”

While Horgan unconventionally came to power with a confidence and supply agreement in 2017, he became the province’s longest-serving NDP leader.

“There is a sense that he really succeeded in the job because he didn’t really seek out the job in the way that many career politicians do,” Prest explained.

“In the mid-2010s, after the NDP had suffered a series of losses, including the heartbreaking lesson in 2013, [he put] himself forward. He wasn’t doing so as part of some kind of calculated political play, it was just doing what needed to be done when no one else was willing to step forward for the party,” he continued.

“That sense of doing the job because it was the job in front of him, not because it was part of some sort of career ambition, I think that really came through and it shone through in a number of the choices he made when he did come into the leadership — looking for ways to work with the Greens on that confidence and supply agreement and, of course, playing politics.”

While there are frustrations about how the province and government of the time handled the COVID-19 pandemic, Prest says it’s easy to lose sight of how much worse it could have been.

“I think looking back, we will remember that as a period of good governance,” Prest said.

“He was able to find common cause with the then opposition, the BC Liberals, so that they endorsed many of the steps that the province was taking. He found a way to demonstrate that there was political oversight, but also a great deal of trust in the role of the experts that the government put in place to manage their response.

“Again, not doing something out of a strong ideological stance, but because this is simply what was needed to be done.”

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–With files from John Ackermann and The Canadian Press.