Wednesday October 26, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated October 27, 2022]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today it was announced by Government House that the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, has met with Premier John Horgan, and has accepted his advice that David Eby become the next premier of British Columbia.
The Lieutenant Governor has also accepted the resignation of John Horgan as premier of British Columbia, effective on the date the next premier is sworn in.
Austin met with premier-designate Eby yesterday and looks forward to administering his oath of office in the near future.
[UPDATE October 27: The swearing-in date for David Eby as BC’s 37th premier will be on Friday November 18, 2022. That ceremony will take place at Government House. The November break of the fall legislative session will be extended leading up to the swearing-in ceremony. Eby will first meet the legislative assembly as premier during the week of November 21.]
Gratitude to Horgan:
The Lieutenant Governor extends her sincere gratitude to Premier Horgan for his many years of service to the Province, and his leadership throughout the global pandemic and the many challenges that British Columbia has confronted in recent years.
The Lieutenant Governor also thanks him for his continued service as a member of the legislative assembly, and wishes him health and happiness in the years to come.
Applause in the room:
On Monday of this week, Eby took the podium in the NDP Caucus room at the BC Legislature, and thanked John Horgan for his many years of service to British Columbians and the party. There was jubilant and heartfelt applause from the many cabinet members and others in the room.
Horgan led the party through the worst of BC’s wildfire seasons, the start and worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and into the phases of economic recovery. His government lowered ICBC and eliminated Medical Service Plan premiums. Schools across BC have seen development of new playgrounds without parents having to do the fund raising. This fall a special affordability fund was made available to all school districts in BC. Horgan’s government has advanced the Indigenous and anti-racism files.
Horgan’s government has initiated a review of the police act. Horgan himself held gender equity as a high priority from day one of his premiership in 2017, ushering in a cabinet that was comprised half of women.
Under Horgan’s leadership, money laundering got cleaned up in BC (one of Eby’s high-profile files).
In the past year in particular, Horgan got the ball rolling on organizing Canada’s Premiers toward seeking an increase in the Canada Health Transfer from the federal government. Horgan hosted the Council of the Federation in Victoria in July 2022.
[Premier Horgan on 5 years of delivering for people in BC – July 18, 2022]
Locally on the west shore, Horgan’s home riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca finally got the long-awaited Highway 14 upgrades done (and improvements on Otter Point Road), helping his beloved Sooke to be better connected to the rest of Greater Victoria. In June he attended the opening of a long-awaited outdoor lacrosse box in Sooke.
Eby ramping up:
Horgan and Eby had walked into the room together on October 24, and when Eby left the podium he was in charge of his first in-person caucus meeting, so that government keeps on rolling.
Eby will have been reading many of ministry reports this week — lengthy documents outlining where each ministry and mandate presently stands.
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Editor Mary P Brooke has been covering the west shore since 2008 and more broadly the south Vancouver Island region since 2014. Island Social Trends emerged in mid-2020 (after print editions MapleLine Magazine 2008-2010, Sooke Voice News 2011-2013, and West Shore Voice News 2014-2020) when it was clear that people want their news online.
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===== RELATED:
Incoming Eby and NDP caucus salute outgoing Horgan (October 24, 2022)
Eby addresses supporters upon becoming BC NDP leader (October 21, 2022)
Horgan meets with Trudeau during last days as premier (October 21, 2022)
Horgan addresses media after Eby declared new Premier (October 20, 2022)
Premier Horgan on 5 years of delivering results for people (July 18, 2022)
Canada’s premiers: priorities for economic recovery & health care (July 13, 2022)
Looking back at Horgan on the west shore (June 28, 2022)
Premier Horgan not seeking reelection in 2024 (June 28, 2022)