It only took Premier John Horgan two and a half years to finally make his way up to northern B.C to visit a region he has failed to tour since first taking office in 2017. Mind you, this didn’t include the Northeast!
There was hope his visit would bring some good news for a region struggling from the forestry crisis, months of dwindling job numbers, delayed major pipeline projects and a sham-filled caribou consultation, where even his own hand pick caribou problem solver Blair Lekstrom, who saw through the government, quit. However, hope never seemed to materialize and the Premier only served to double down on his disconnect through missed opportunities and tone-deaf comments.
In comments made at the Northern Mayors Roundtable meeting, John Horgan insinuated that northern B.C. issues just simply weren’t heard often in Victoria, and that “quite frankly we don’t hear from [Opposition MLAs] about the positive initiatives that are happening in the community.” I take enormous pride in my communities and am honoured to advocate on behalf of my constituents at the Legislature, day-in and day-out. Whether that be my weekly column here, or during Question Period, the triumphs and trials of our community are shared with all who listen.
At the end of the day, northern B.C. needs real action from the Premier, not a series of photo opportunities. Why is the Premier not meeting with disenfranchised forestry workers, or consulting with concerned citizens on the caribou file, or comforting one of the hundreds of workers in limbo as he waffles on pipeline positions?
As I have mentioned before — people in our region are being pushed to the brink. Many have lost their jobs, while others working on major infrastructure projects are worried for what the future might hold.
Actions speak louder than words, or in this case, photo ops. I am proud to raise my voice for my communities — I suppose John Horgan just isn’t listening.
