John Horgan reflects on highs, lows of time as B.C. premier

One-on-one with outgoing premier John Horgan reflected on the highs and lows of his tenure as he gets ready to retire and hand the reins to his successor.

Outgoing B.C. Premier John Horgan says the transition to his successor is underway and he'll speak with David Eby Monday evening to find a timeline that makes sense.

Horgan said the transition involves a large number of files and information that the premier-designate needs to get a handle on. He made the comments during a sit-down interview with CTV News Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan.

Eby is now leader of the NDP and the premier in waiting, after a messy leadership campaign that saw his opponent, climate activist Anjali Appadurai, ousted over alleged rule-breaking.

Despite the criticisms from those disappointed with the Horgan government's approval of Liquefied Natural Gas, the Site C hydroelectric dam and an old-growth forest protection strategy they say doesn't go far enough, Horgan said the Clean BC plan, meant to tackle climate change, is one of the high points of his administration.

"It's always not enough for some, but too fast for others. So finding that balance is what we've tried to do and what I've tried to do since I was given the honour of taking on this job," Horgan said.

Horgan also listed passing of the Declaration Act, which enshrined the rights of Indigenous people, as a moment he won't forget.

"We've made extraordinary progress on reconciliation with First Nations and that – the Declaration Act – is the symbol of that, but there's so much more work to do in that area. It's a case of unfinished business but a good start on addressing inequalities and social intolerance within communities. All of that is kind of wrapped together," he added.

An area the 63-year-old also hoped to make more progress on is health-care. He and other premiers got together to urge the federal government to increase the amount it chips in to run the system.

"I'm most disappointed that we were not able I was not able to convince him to bring premiers together to resolve the challenges in public health care." Horgan said. "It wasn't about partisanship. It was about what can we practically do to improve outcomes for Canadians and the prime minister was there, and then a year went by and we didn't make progress and I'm disappointed in that."

Horgan says he's hopeful a meeting of federal and provincial health officials in November in Vancouver will yield better results.

Another issue facing both levels of government is public safety. There have been concerns that changes to federal Bill C-75 have resulted in more offenders being released on bail, and crime was a major focus during the province’s recent municipal elections.

"I think that the initiatives by the incoming council in Vancouver are positive, I think what happens in Surrey will remain to be seen," said Horgan who added defunding the police wasn't the answer. "Quite frankly, that's the last thing we should do. We need to fund public safety to make sure that the right people are doing the right jobs."

Horgan added the tragic death of Const. Shaelyn Yang reflected the need to look at mental health and addictions supports.

"The investigation will carry on of course, but we have too many people who should not be living in encampments, should not be incarcerated. They should be in a medical facility. And that's why a continuing care structure needs to be built up,” Horgan said, pointing to the need for facilities that can provide 24-hour care. “That's one significant component, and the other is more boots on the ground, more people – not just those with public safety backgrounds, but with social working backgrounds with addiction understanding."

As Horgan looks to his time beyond being responsible for these files, he said his family was at peace with the decision, even though it was a difficult one.

"I'll miss a great deal. It's been the honour of my life to have this job but… I know in my heart it's the right thing to do, and I'm ready for whatever the future holds,” he said.

Public opinion polls suggest Horgan is leaving on a high note, with those from all political backgrounds giving him high approval ratings.

"My advice to David and to all politicians, quite frankly, is stop just talking about politics and start talking always about people. That's why we're here."