Premier John Horgan and his wife Ellie sat down with the Gazette to discuss how their lives have changed.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a long journey for the pair to get here, one that Horgan said was shaped by the West Shore community. As MLA for the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding since 2005, he noted itB次元官网网址檚 come a long way since the days when Langford was referred to as the dog patch. B次元官网网址淎nd now,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渢hey call it one of the most dynamic cities in British Columbia and the physical transformation is one thing but itB次元官网网址檚 the sense of that excitement B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 proud to be the first premier from Langford.B次元官网网址�
Twenty-five years ago, living in his momB次元官网网址檚 basement in Saanich, the pair was looking for a home in which to raise their two babies. B次元官网网址淭he day before St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day, we went to a house in Langford and the realtor said B次元官网网址榶ou can move in tomorrowB次元官网网址� and we said B次元官网网址榩erfect, weB次元官网网址檒l take it.B次元官网网址� The truck with all of our goods came over on the ferry and dropped them off the next day and weB次元官网网址檝e been in Langford ever since,B次元官网网址� he said.
And a lot has changed since then. B次元官网网址淚 definitely see far less of John than I would like,B次元官网网址� Ellie said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 away a heck of a lot or even if he is in town, he comes home quite late B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 been the biggest change.B次元官网网址� She joked she also can no longer send him out for groceries as it takes him about four hours to get a jug of milk.
But the family will be together for Christmas, as their oldest son who lives in England is coming home for the holidays. ItB次元官网网址檚 the first time theyB次元官网网址檝e been together since Horgan was sworn in as premier.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really excited about that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l have an opportunity to take stock over the past year and what the next few years will hold.B次元官网网址�
Looking back, he noted it hasnB次元官网网址檛 always been easy.
B次元官网网址淲e made a very difficult choice in proceeding with the Site C dam,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淢any people were profoundly unhappy with that decision.B次元官网网址�
But after carefully weighing the options, Horgan noted with $2 billion already spent and another $2 billion needed just to fill in the hole if the project were to stop, it would be best to carry on. While he acknowledge the $10-billion price tag is not a small one, he said B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檇 at least have a dam at the end of the day that would be able to generate electricity, clean electricity, for the next 70 years.B次元官网网址�
The decision to halt the project would have also meant HorganB次元官网网址檚 government would have to absorb that $4 billion in its first six months on the job. B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 prepared to do that, I want to make sure that weB次元官网网址檙e delivering on childcare, weB次元官网网址檙e delivering on seniorsB次元官网网址� care, and in order to do that we need to have fiscal flexibility B次元官网网址� Making a decision on Site C to stop the Liberal project would have maybe felt good for a day but then everyday after that it would have been a challenge to meet the needs of British Columbians.B次元官网网址�
Fortunately a decision like that doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to be made every day and Horgan noted there have been several projects passed by his government that will benefit the West Shore community and the province.
But the one heB次元官网网址檚 most proud of is eliminating tuition fees on adult basic education, which means thereB次元官网网址檚 one less barrier for residents.
B次元官网网址淭o be able to go back to school at no cost is something that I think thatB次元官网网址檚 really important. Education shaped me and public education made me who I am and I believe that if people get an opportunity to upgrade their skills, theyB次元官网网址檒l be better people and theyB次元官网网址檒l realize their full potential.B次元官网网址�
Ellie noted that initiative is the one sheB次元官网网址檚 received the most feedback on from residents. B次元官网网址淚 was hurt and I had a steady stream of home support workers coming in and helping me and a lot of them were from elsewhere and they said that would just improve their lives immensely.B次元官网网址�
Another new program the pair is very proud of is waving post-secondary tuition fees for kids that were in the care of the government. B次元官网网址淎s parents, Ellie and I didnB次元官网网址檛 say when our kids turned 19, B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檙e out, sorry, donB次元官网网址檛 come backB次元官网网址� but thatB次元官网网址檚 in essence what happens to kids that are in care and weB次元官网网址檝e heard tragic story after tragic story.B次元官网网址�
While he noted itB次元官网网址檒l cost the government very little, itB次元官网网址檚 hugely symbolic as many of the youth are aging out of the system and taking their own lives. B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 see a bright future, they see a bleak future B次元官网网址� Whatever the government can do to make people feel better about their prospects and then their ability to succeed, I think allows them to succeed.B次元官网网址�
While a lot has changed in the past months, Horgan noted they still made it out to watch the Victoria Shamrocks play whenever they could during the season.
B次元官网网址淪hamrock fans treat us pretty well, even people that didnB次元官网网址檛 vote for me,B次元官网网址� he joked.
In fact, he said heB次元官网网址檚 often approached by residents that didnB次元官网网址檛 vote for him. He was recently getting his hair cut B次元官网网址渁nd there were four guys in a very small area thatB次元官网网址檚 DebB次元官网网址檚 Barbershop, and one of them said B次元官网网址榳ell I didnB次元官网网址檛 vote for you but I think youB次元官网网址檙e doing okay.B次元官网网址� And I hear that a lot from people as I travel around the province,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 been very encouraging for me and it helps me get going everyday. Knowing that IB次元官网网址檓 going to run into people that may not have put an x beside my name but they also want the same things I do and I think if I can continue on that road weB次元官网网址檒l all be fine.B次元官网网址�
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