Former premier John Horgan dies of cancer at 65

Horgan passed away peacefully at the Royal Jubilee Hospital [yesterday] morning “surrounded by family, friends, and love in his final days,” according to a statement from his family posted on social media X. He was the 36th premier of BC—although many simply identified him as a sports-loving, family-driven man from the Westshore, whose smile effused energy and humour.

John Joseph Horgan, who served five terms as Langford MLA and five+ years as premier, died yesterday after a years-long battle with cancer.

“John was a leader, a dreamer, a spouse, a dad, a friend,” Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said in a statement.

“Whether you knew him for years or met him just once on a chance encounter, his warmth, kindness, and energy were real, and something you’ll remember.”

He is survived by his wife Ellie and sons Evan and Nate.

Horgan passed away peacefully at the Royal Jubilee Hospital [yesterday] morning “surrounded by family, friends, and love in his final days,” according to a statement from his family posted on social media X.

“Our hearts are broken,” the brief statement began. “Live Long and Prosper,” is how it closed, referencing Horgan’s affinity for Star Trek.

Early setbacks

Horgan was born in Victoria and raised by a single mother after his father died when John was 18 months old.

An early turning point he told The Tyee, came in Grade 9 when a high school basketball coach changed his orbit.

“I was failing out in Grade 9, hanging out behind the band room doing things that were illegal then. And my basketball coach said ‘What are you doing?’”

Horgan straightened up and ended up becoming student body president, and later earned degrees from Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., and the University of Sidney in Australia, where he met Ellie.

A rise in politics

Horgan began to represent his Langford-area riding in 2005, and was elected BC NDP leader in 2014. In 2017, he became premier when a confidence-and-supply agreement between the New Democrats and BC Greens unseated the BC Liberals’ Christy Clark.

“John Horgan believed in the power of public service,” began a post on X by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“He saw it as a privilege, as a way to help others and to make our country better.”

Horgan was premier until 2022 when a second cancer diagnosis prompted him to leave politics, which he did as the NDP’s longest-serving premier.

Cancer back on the attack

Earlier this year, during a checkup on his throat cancer, he was again diagnosed with cancer, forcing him to take leave of his position as Canada’s ambassador to Germany, an appointment made by Trudeau last November.

"It didn't matter who you were, what you did, he was able to connect with you, sit down, have a conversation, have a beer, whatever,” longtime NDP cabinet minister Mike Farnworth told CBC.

"Whether you agreed with his politics or you didn't agree with his politics, he just had this ability to connect with people."

Glen Clark was BC premier from 1996 to 1999. Horgan worked for him all three years. Clark says it was Horgan's authenticity that made him a special and successful leader.

“John never talked down to people and was deeply committed to the cause of social justice,” said Clark, now CEO of Capital Daily’s parent company Overstory Media Group (OMG). “He will be missed.”

Fought for the people

Horgan will be remembered for eliminating BC’s medical services plan premium and adopting the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. In 2017, Horgan removed tolls on Vancouver's Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.

He was praised for his leadership during the pandemic and criticized when he concluded the Site C Dam was too far along to turn back, having initially opposed its construction.

Horgan had been among Canada’s most popular premiers in quarterly Angus Reid surveys, although in June 2022, he dropped to 48% approval from 55% due to fallout from the controversial $789M Royal BC Museum rebuild plan he abandoned, saying he made the wrong call.

“The news of John Horgan’s passing this morning in Victoria leaves us with heavy hearts,” Premier David Eby, who succeeded Horgan in 2022, said in a statement.

Service details to come

“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.”

Eby said his office would work with the family and the provincial office of protocol to determine the timing of those public services.

Wrote esteemed political commentator Vaughn Palmer in the Vancouver Sun: “He was unique in generating warm feelings among his critics. Of the 11 premiers I’ve covered, none were held in such high affection as John Horgan.”