In one of the last speeches of John Horgan’s political career, the premier of British Columbia extolled the benefits of collaboration and unity to get results just before attacking critics of the forest policy he called the benefactors.
Horgan told municipal politicians Friday at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities annual convention that working together at all levels of government is the best way to address and solve the most pressing issues in British Columbia. British, including health care, public safety and housing.
The prime minister announced his retirement earlier this year for health reasons after battling cancer, saying he would quit his job when the New Democrats elect a new leader in December.
Horgan emphasized that he was not at the convention to make big funding announcements, but rather to launch or continue collaborative initiatives aimed at delivering results.
“UBCM has often been characterized as the place where you give out lollipops,” Horgan said, using a British slang term for money. “We are waiting to get to UBCM to announce the programs. Instead of coming to UBCM and saying ‘something for you, something for you’, we came to say what we can do together during next year.”
Health Minister Adrian Dix told convention delegates earlier this week that the province has been in a health care crisis since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but made no further announcements or commitment.
The mayors of Port McNeill and Clearwater followed Dix’s speech, saying their communities are facing critical staffing shortages, hospital emergency rooms closing and unsafe conditions.
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“We all know we struggle in those areas,” Horgan said, mentioning health care, mental health and housing.
The Prime Minister has acknowledged that he is delivering the last of his eight annual speeches to convention delegates, including three as Leader of the New Democratic Opposition and five as Prime Minister.
The last five years in British Columbia, with droughts, floods, mudslides, wildfires, heat dome, the opioid overdose crisis and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have been challenging for the province and the government, Horgan said.
Premier @jjhorgan tells BC municipal leaders not to expect ‘lollipop’, insists on collaboration. #BCPoli #UBCM
“The only way we’ve gotten through the last five years, the only way we’ve been able to give confidence to the people we represent, is through collaboration, by working together,” he said.
Horgan congratulated municipal politicians who complete their four-year terms next month in local elections.
“In dog years, the time spent is really 28 years, not four,” he said.
While Horgan said he remained optimistic about his elected quality, at a later press conference he criticized opponents of ancient logging who continue to reject government forestry policies, including Aboriginal-led forest enterprise initiatives.
“Some benefactors come in with a Tilley hat and say, ‘You’re all bad people. Government has to do this, government has to do that,'” Horgan said.
“People need to stand up and support each other, and to critics, I say, put your name on a ballot and see how much support you have,” he said.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on September 16, 2022.
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