John Horgan

For other people named John Horgan, see John Horgan (disambiguation).

John Horgan
Horgan in 2017
36th Premier of British Columbia
In office
July 18, 2017 – November 18, 2022
Monarchs
Lieutenant Governor
Deputy
Preceded byChristy Clark
Succeeded byDavid Eby
Ambassador of Canada to Germany
In office
December 8, 2023 – November 12, 2024
Appointed byMary Simon
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byIsabelle Poupart (acting)
Succeeded by
Other positions held
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
In office
May 17, 2005 – March 31, 2023
Preceded byBrian Kerr
Succeeded byRavi Parmar
Constituency
Leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party
In office
May 4, 2014 – October 21, 2022
Preceded byAdrian Dix
Succeeded byDavid Eby
Leader of the Opposition of British Columbia
In office
May 4, 2014 – July 18, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byAdrian Dix
Succeeded byChristy Clark
Personal details
Born
John Joseph Horgan

(1959-08-07)August 7, 1959
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
DiedNovember 12, 2024(2024-11-12) (aged 65)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Citizenship
  • Canada
  • Ireland[1]
Political partyNew Democratic
Spouse
Ellie Horgan
​
(m. 1984)​
Children2
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Diplomat
  • politician
  • consultant

John Joseph Horgan (August 7, 1959 – November 12, 2024) was a Canadian politician and diplomat who served as the 36th premier of British Columbia (BC) from 2017 to 2022 and the Canadian ambassador to Germany from 2023 to 2024. He was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 2005, representing Langford-Juan de Fuca and its predecessors until 2023. Horgan served as leader of the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2014 to 2022.

Horgan was born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia.[2] He attended Reynolds Secondary School in Saanich, before moving to Peterborough, Ontario, to attend Trent University, where he met his wife, Ellie, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1983. Horgan studied in Australia at the University of Sydney, earning a master's in history in 1986 before he returned to Canada to work in politics and public policy.[3] Horgan was elected to the BC Legislative Assembly in 2005.[4]

In June 2006, he was appointed the opposition critic for the energy and mines in NDP leader Carole James' shadow cabinet, having previously served as the opposition critic for education. In January 2011, he announced his candidacy for leadership of the BC NDP in the 2011 leadership election, finishing third. Following the leadership election, he was appointed the Official Opposition critic for Energy, and Opposition house leader.[5]

On March 17, 2014, he announced his candidacy in the 2014 leadership election,[6] with the slogan "Real Leadership. For All BC".[7] During the campaign he talked at length about the necessity of balancing the need for jobs and resource development, while protecting BC's natural environment.[8] Horgan was acclaimed to the position on May 1, 2014, and was officially inaugurated as party leader on May 5, 2014.[9]

In the 2017 provincial election held on May 9, 2017, Premier Christy Clark's BC Liberal government was reduced to 43 seats, one seat short of a majority. On May 29, 2017, it was announced that the NDP and Green Party of British Columbia had reached a confidence and supply agreement in which the Greens would support an NDP minority government for four years.[10] After the legislature was recalled, Clark sought its confidence in the Liberal government. Following a non-confidence motion on June 29, 2017, which was won (44–42) by the combined votes of the NDP and Green members, Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon turned down Clark's request for a snap election and invited the NDP to form a minority government.[11] Subsequently, Horgan succeeded Clark as the premier of British Columbia. Horgan was BC's first NDP premier since Ujjal Dosanjh in 2001.

On September 21, 2020, Horgan called a snap election that was held on October 24. On November 8, with the final vote count completed, the NDP won a record 57 seats with the highest share of the popular vote in the party's history and formed a majority government for the first time since the 1996 general election.[12] The election result made Horgan British Columbia's first two-term NDP premier.[13] During his second term, Horgan became the longest serving BC NDP premier in the province's history.[14]

On June 28, 2022, Horgan announced that he would be stepping down as premier and NDP leader once a new leader had been chosen.[15] Horgan was succeeded by David Eby on November 18, 2022. On November 1, 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Horgan would be appointed Canada's ambassador to Germany.[16] Horgan presented his credentials to the German president on December 8.[17] He served in the position until his death in November 2024.

  1. ^ "John Horgan on Instagram: "My father was born in Ireland and I still have an Irish passport, so I've marked the occasion for as long as I can remember. I'll be..."". March 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ "Juan de Fuca candidates and riding profile". Times Colonist. April 30, 2013. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  3. ^ MacLeod, Andrew (November 13, 2024). "Everyone Has a John Horgan Story". The Tyee.
  4. ^ Mackie, John (November 12, 2024). "'John from Langford' was one of the most popular premiers in B.C. history". The Vancouver Sun.
  5. ^ MacLeod, Andrew (April 26, 2011). "Dix announces BC NDP shadow cabinet". The Tyee. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "John Horgan enters B.C. NDP leadership race with support of former leader". The Globe and Mail. March 17, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  7. ^ http://www.teamhorgan.ca Archived March 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Shaw, Rob (April 8, 2014). "NDP's Farnworth abandons leadership run to back Horgan (updated)". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  9. ^ "John Horgan acclaimed new leader of B.C. NDP". CBC News. May 3, 2014. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  10. ^ McElroy, Justin (May 29, 2017). "B.C. Green Party agrees to support NDP in the legislature". CBC News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  11. ^ McElroy, Justin; Zussman, Richard (June 30, 2017). "Showdown at Government House: the meeting that ended 16 years of B.C. Liberal rule". CBC News. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Andrew, Weichel (November 8, 2020). "NDP winds 57 seats in final vote count of B.C. election". The Globe and Mail. CTV News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  13. ^ Schmunk, Rhianna (October 24, 2020). "B.C. NDP will form decisive majority government, CBC News projects". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Baldrey, Keith (November 8, 2021). "Opinion: Amid cancer diagnosis, Premier John Horgan hits a BC NDP milestone". Burnaby Now. Glacier Media Group. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  15. ^ "John Horgan to announce he will step down as B.C. premier". Global News. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "Former B.C. premier John Horgan named Canada's next ambassador to Germany | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  17. ^ John Horgan [@jjhorgan] (December 8, 2023). "It was a great honour to meet Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier today and begin my assignment as Canada's Ambassador to Germany. I very much look forward to working with our German friends and partners to further strengthen the ties between our two countries 🇨🇦 🇩🇪" (Tweet) – via Twitter.