British Columbia’s former Prime Minister and Canadian Ambassador to Germany, John Horgan, has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time.
British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the news on Tuesday.
“My dear longtime friend and former Premier of British Columbia, John Horgan, has been diagnosed with cancer again,” Dix said during a press conference.
In a statement to CBC News on Wednesday, Horgan said that after a routine examination in Berlin for his previous throat cancer, “another cancer was discovered that proved to be complicated.”
“I am on leave from my position at the embassy and am in the hospital receiving immunotherapy to treat this new thyroid cancer,” Horgan said.
“This is the third case of cancer I have had, but I remain confident and hope that I will live a long and successful life again.”
Premier David Eby expressed his support for Horgan in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“I know two things: John is a fighter and all of British Columbia’s people are rooting for him to make a speedy recovery,” he said.
Opposition leader Kevin Falcon also wished Horgan a “speedy and full recovery” on social media.
The former prime minister was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2008. After surgery and treatment, he was declared cancer-free.
In late 2021, Horgan was diagnosed with cancer again when a tumor in his throat was discovered to be cancerous.
He resigned as premier of British Columbia in 2022, saying he could not continue as provincial leader after “rigorous” cancer treatment, even though he was cancer-free at the time.
“Travel aficionado. Twitter scholar. Writer. Extreme coffee guru. Evil pop culture fanatic.”