John Horgan is a candidate for the provincial NDP leadership. I will admit, before I met Mr. Horgan it might have been hard for me to pick him out of a crowd. I knew who he was and had heard good things about him and about the time he has spent with the government’s official opposition. I did not expect, however, to be pulling for him in a leadership race. What struck me the most about John Horgan was not that he is a New Democrat or that he is for protecting the environment, or that he wants to enforce class sizes and restore services in schools such as librarians. These are ideas I support, but what candidate isn’t promising the same things right now? What Horgan said that made him stand out above all others from both sides of the isle is that he wants to, and is willing to, work with everyone involved in an issue to come up with the best solution. Imagine that: a politician who wants to work with people who are affected by an issue to come up with the best solution to the problem, or one who is willing to reach out to the people on the other side of the legislature and do what is in the best interest of the province. In today’s partisan political world it is a novel idea to work with one’s opponents to solve problems facing British Columbians.
I am pulling for John Horgan. I think he is the best choice for leader of the BC NDP, but more importantly, I think he may be the best choice for the next premier of British Columbia. BC has had some tough times. Under Gordon Campbell our province has become very polarized. We need a leader who will look past the party membership card in your wallet and see you as a British Columbian and I believe that Horgan is that guy.
We need a new direction, both provincially and nationally. We need civil discourse. For far too long we have seen our politicians attack each other rather than work together. They forget that they were elected in a riding to represent that riding and not a party agenda. When we send politicians to Ottawa or Victoria it is for the purpose of representing us. Instead, they do everything they can to oppose each other and drive home partisan politics. If Horgan does what he promises, and works with all stake holders, it will represent a big step up in BC politics and a step in the right direction for the province and people of BC.