British Columbia Premier John Horgan announced on Tuesday that he would step down in the fall after a New Democratic Party leadership convention was held because a second bout with cancer left him little energy to continue this “exhilarating” work.
“I wish I had the energy to do more, but I don’t,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Mr Horgan, who turns 63 in August, announced last November that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. He had also battled bladder cancer when he was in his 40s.
The Prime Minister declared Tuesday in a press conference that this function had been the great happiness of his life. But although he is now cured of cancer after 35 radiation treatments, he has decided not to run again.
The next general election in British Columbia is due in 2024. Mr. Horgan explains that he is not in a position to commit for another six years.
Mr. Horgan said he and his wife, Ellie, “the love of his life”, recently spent about ten days in his constituency on the west coast of Vancouver Island, reflecting on what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives.
He said he pondered that question before asking his cabinet colleagues at a retreat last week, and he concluded he could not continue as leader of the NDP.
“There has been endless speculation following my recent battle with cancer as to what my plans would be. I want to end the speculation so we can get back to what really matters, and those are the issues that affect British Columbia,” Horgan said.
Premier says he will continue to represent British Columbians in coming months, including as rotating chair of the Council of the Federation — he’ll be hosting the premiers when they meet next month in Victoria.
He said Tuesday that the top priority on the table is getting a commitment from the federal government to work with the provinces to solve the health care crisis.
“I fully intend to continue this battle for the federal government to honor the commitments it made to all of us and call a meeting so that we can fix the most important social program – in fact, the most important program. more important in Canada. »
The date for the NDP leadership convention has yet to be set.