Outgoing B.C. Premier John Horgan open to facilitating talks on health care deal

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John Horgan is in his last days as British Columbia premier, but says he would be willing to play a role after he leaves his post facilitating talks on a federal-provincial health care deal.

During a visit to Ottawa on Tuesday, Mr. Horgan said he has informed Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders of his availability after David Eby is sworn in as B.C. premier on Friday.

“I’ve already sent a letter off to the premiers with my advice and to the Prime Minister, and I’ve said to the premiers that if I can help, give me a call,” Mr. Horgan said in an interview.

“I have a relationship with all of them. And this is unusual, to have a New Democrat have so many conservative friends. If I can be helpful, I certainly would be more than happy to be that interlocutor,” he said. “If there’s some role I can play, I am happy to do it.”

Mr. Horgan, who has been B.C. Premier since 2017 and announced his retirement from politics this year, was head of the Council of the Federation representing premiers and territorial leaders for several years, but has been succeeded by Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson.

He has been at the forefront of the dispute between Ottawa and the provinces and territories over health care funding.

Last week, the provinces and territories rejected a proposed increase in federal health care funding partly because Ottawa tied the offer to the creation of human resources and data collection programs.

The premiers have argued that health care funding began as a 50-50 split between Ottawa and the provinces and territories, but that Ottawa’s share has dwindled to 22 per cent. They are asking for an unconditional increase to 33 per cent, or an additional $28-billion a year.

The federal government argues that, when the transfer of tax points is taken into account, the share of provincial and territorial spending covered by the Canada Health Transfer averages 33 per cent today, similar to the historical average.

Mr. Horgan said a deal is possible but, without providing details, said both sides will have to give something up.

The departing premier said, in general, that he is planning to adopt a lower profile in B.C. politics after Mr. Eby, the former attorney-general in his cabinet, takes over.

He said he will continue to represent his Victoria-area riding for a while, but likely not through to the next provincial election in 2024. “If David needs me, he knows how to get me and I am going to be at his side whenever he calls, as with my colleagues.”

But he said generational change has come with Mr. Eby, who is 46 compared to Mr. Horgan’s 63. “The right thing for Premier Dad to do is get out of the way, and let a new generation take on the challenges, which are now theirs to solve.”

In the meantime, he said he hopes to connect more with his constituents. Overall, he said, “I’d like to say I have a plan, but I don’t.”

In visiting Ottawa, Mr. Horgan was returning to a city where he worked in the 1980s as a legislative assistant to NDP MPs John Manly and Lynn Hunter, and to where his two sons were born.

After a meeting with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Mr. Horgan’s plan on Tuesday was a keynote speech to the annual gala of the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation, which was founded nearly 50 years ago by Tommy Douglas.

He said his focus, for his remarks, would be on winning power. “My message is going to be quite simple, that moral victories have sustained New Democrats for generations, but what will change people’s lives is forming governments,” he said.

“The worst day in government is better than the best day in opposition. It’s all well and good to yell at the building, to be at the vanguard of the protest movement, but what we really need to do is to be in a position to change people’s lives.”

In his first election campaign as party leader, Mr. Horgan led the BC NDP, in 2017, to near victory in the provincial election, winning 41 seats to 43 for the BC Liberals. With the support of three BC Green members of the legislature, Mr. Horgan formed the first BC NDP government since 2001.

In 2020, he led the party to a majority government, with the BC NDP winning 57 seats to 28 for the BC Liberals and two for the BC Greens. Mr. Horgan became the first B.C. NDP leader to win a second consecutive term as premier.

Mr. Horgan said the key for New Democrats is developing policies that resonate with people, and demonstrating that their partisanship does not supersede their values.

Asked how New Democrats are doing across Canada now, Mr. Horgan said, “We’re not winning elections. And the reason we’re not winning elections is the proposition we’re making to the public is not resonating now.”

“Politicians have to stop talking about what they can do for you, and instead, listen to the public and then do what they have asked for, which is to collaborate, to provide services, to lift people up.”

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