B.C. premier planning to step down, says 'energy flags' since latest cancer bout
The premier of British Columbia has announced plans to step down, but not until the provincial NDP can choose his successor.
John Horgan appeared at a news conference Tuesday, following a two-day cabinet retreat in Vancouver, and confirmed he will not be seeking a third term in office.
The premier said he made the difficult decision during a recent walk on the beach with his wife Ellie, during which they reflected on his latest bout with cancer.
Watching otters splashing offshore, Horgan said he was reminded that "doing a little bit more playing, a little less working is probably not a bad idea."
"I have to now reflect on what to do with the summers ahead of me," he said.
Horgan was diagnosed with cancer last November, months after discovering a lump in his throat, and underwent 35 rounds of radiation before completing his treatment in January.
The 62-year-old, who had a previous battle with bladder cancer in 2008, said he's found himself with less energy since coming back to work.
"My health is good, but my energy flags as the days go by," the premier said.
The B.C. NDP is expected to hold a leadership convention to choose Horgan's successor this fall. The premier stressed that his work will continue until then, but said he can't commit to another six years leading the province.
"This has been the thrill of my life to be the premier of British Columbia, and I will be the premier of British Columbia tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that," Horgan said.
"There has been endless speculation, as a result of my recent battle with cancer, about what my plans would be. I want to put the speculation to rest so we can get back to what really matters."
Heading into Tuesday's announcement, political scientists suggested there has been no outside pressure for Horgan to resign, and that the decision to do so would likely be his alone.
While the provincial government has faced significant challenges, from affordability to the family doctor shortage, a recent Angus Reid Institute poll found Horgan remains one of the most popular premiers in the country – despite his approval rating falling to its lowest level in years.
Last week, Horgan took full responsibility for the controversy surrounding the Royal B.C. Museum replacement, which was met with significant backlash over its estimated $789-million price tag, and announced the government was suspending the project.
Experts speculated the premier's decision might have been designed to spare a hurdle for the NDP's next leader.
"I've talked about the need for generational change in our politics, not just within the NDP but indeed within all our political institutions," Horgan said Tuesday. "We need to make space for the next generation to bring forward their energy and their ideas."
Horgan rose to power in 2017, with the NDP forming the province's first minority government since 1952 thanks to a confidence and supply agreement with the B.C. Green Party.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan and Kendra Mangione
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Michael Cohen: A challenging star witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial
He once said he would take a bullet for Donald Trump. Now Michael Cohen is prosecutors' biggest piece of legal ammunition in the former president's hush money trial.
German men with the strongest fingers compete in Bavaria's 'Fingerhakeln' wrestling championship
Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and strained muscles, over 150 Bavarian men came together Sunday to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln,” or finger wrestling.
Flash floods in northern Afghanistan sweep away livelihoods, leaving hundreds dead and missing
The UN food agency estimated that unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have left more than 300 people dead and thousands of houses destroyed, most of them in the northern province of Baghlan, which bore the brunt of the deluges Friday.
Adopted daughter in the Netherlands reunited with sister in Montreal and mother in Colombia, 40 years later
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
RCMP boss expresses desire for new law to deal with threats against politicians
RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme says he wants the government to look at drafting a new law that would make it easier for police to pursue charges against people who threaten elected officials.