Commemorating John Horgan
The board, members, and staff at the BC Council of Forest Industries extend our sincere condolences to the family of former BC Premier John Horgan, who passed away this week.
Over the years, the forest sector in BC engaged in many discussions with Premier Horgan on provincial forest policy. Through these frank and authentic conversations, there was never any doubt that John was a strong believer in our province’s natural resource economy. He fully and deeply understood the importance of sustainable resource development to regional communities and the people who live and work in those communities.
Premier Horgan approved of decisions on natural resource development issues that were controversial at the time, but he never wavered on the outcome of those decisions, or the reasons for his choices. As he said when he retired, “There’s five million people in British Columbia who know that life is about trade-offs and making sure we compromise to get progress.”
John Horgan will be remembered in BC history as the premier who introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), a turning point for the province and its relationship with Indigenous Peoples. From that turning point, a new platform for Indigenous reconciliation has emerged that industries like ours have and will continue to advance through innovative processes, practices, and partnerships.
John Horgan was genuine, passionate, unique, and widely respected. He will be remembered as a leader who made a difference.