John Horgan's political legacy looms as large as his personal one

Even among his opponents, former B.C. premier John Horgan drew praise for his ability to build bridges.

"We did have spirited debates. There's no doubt about that. He and I disagreed on tons of things. But he was a really dedicated public servant," said Christy Clark, the former B.C. Liberal premier who often butted heads with Horgan when he was leader of the Opposition.

Clark was among a range of leaders who praised Horgan's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, while he also guidedthe province through unprecedented wildfire and flooding disasters.

There's no doubt that Horgan, who died Tuesday at the age of 65, secured a strong interpersonal legacy during his premiership between 2017 and 2022.

WATCH | John Horgan dead at age 65:

UBC political scientist remembers former B.C. premier John Horgans legacy

2 days ago

Duration 2:31

Political scientist and UBC lecturer Stewart Prest joins us to talk about former B.C. premier John Horgans life and legacy.

"He left office incredibly popular right across the political spectrum, respected by his colleagues, his fellow premiers and right across the country," said longtime MLA Mike Farnworth, who knew Horgan for nearly four decades.

Politically, his legacy will be defined by bringing the B.C. NDP two terms in power, and passing a range of affordability policies amid a spiking cost of living and international crises.

Range of affordability measures

One of Horgan's most lasting policies might be the removal of big-money union and corporate donations from elections, according to former NDP premier Glen Clark.

"No party now has a huge competitive advantage because [of] the wealthy people buying votes," he said. "And I think that's something that hopefully is a long-term legacy."

Horgan's government also saw a long-term freeze of ICBC ratesand a switch to a no-fault insurance model which the NDP has continued to toutit as a money-saver for British Columbians, though it has drawn criticism from crash victims and their lawyers.

He also oversaw the elimination of premiums for the Medical Services Plan, which Horgan said at the time was "one of the largest middle-class tax cuts in B.C.'s history."

The NDP government under Horgan also increased disability and welfare rates, while adding taxes on most businesses and people with multiple homes at a time when the housing crisis started becoming more acute.

"Our attempt to address that has caused the status quo to be unearthed or upended but that is often what has to happen to see the change that will correct what has been a runaway housing market," Horgan told CBC News at the time.

Indigenous rights laws

One of the other major policies that Horgan oversaw was the passing of the province's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, in which B.C. became the first province to enshrine the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into law.

The act allows for First Nations to gain more control over their resources, according to one chief.

"Everything changed after the passing of the legislation where we were really, as First Nations people, asserting our rights, our ability for sovereignty and self-determination," said Terry Teegee, elected regional chief of the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations.

Teegee called the act a "massive step for reconciliation,"and said it spoke to Horgan's leadership and his ability to listen to First Nations.

Tsartlip First Nation Chief Don Tom said that the act provided a consent-based framework for modernizing forestry policyand deferring logging on old-growth forests.

"He brought in the first consent-based decision-making with the Broughton Archipelago, which marked a breakthrough for First Nations governance and co-management of natural resources," Tom said.

Environmental legacy criticized

But others disagree with Horgan's legacy on the environment, asliquefied natural gas projects continued apace under his watch, and his government was roundly criticized for allowing old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek watershed.

Despite years of fervent criticism of the Site C hydroelectric dam project in northeast B.C. when he was in Opposition, Horgan approved the project's continuation after he came to power.

"John Horgan was no environmentalist and his environmental legacy is just [an] absolute rampage of destruction," said Ingmar Lee, a longtime tree planter and activist.

Lee told CBC News that Horgan, who took up work for a coal company after he stepped down as premier, was very much "business as usual" and bowed to the logging industry.

Others, however, say Horgan's legacy on the environment will stand the test of time, with the Canadian Labour Congress praising his "forward-thinking climate strategy."

WATCH | Glen Clark remembers John Horgan:

Former B.C. premier Glen Clark reflects on John Horgan's political career

2 days ago

Duration 13:15

John Horgan, who served as B.C.'s New Democrat premier for five years before stepping down in 2022, has died at the age of 65. Former B.C. premier Glen Clark describes Horgan as genuine and callers to BC Today express gratitude for Horgan's leadership during his time in government.

"[Site C] was an important piece of infrastructure that had to go ahead. So [Horgan] had to navigate how to change positions, really, on a big issue," said Glen Clark.

"And I think he did it beautifully, he did it well, and I think people related to it and understood it."

That reputation of building bridges certainly saw Horgan build a substantial legacy in his role as NDP leader.

His successor, David Eby, acknowledged as much on Tuesday.

"Politically for the NDP, [he]brought us from 16 years in Opposition and the political wilderness into the government benches for the first time in a generation," Eby said.

"And I think for many British Columbians, he made them think differently about politics and about politicians."