Family, friends and fans gather at memorial for former B.C. premier ...
Horgan died on Nov. 12 at the age of 65.
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Published Dec 15, 2024 • Last updated 14 minutes ago • 1 minute read
COLWOOD — About three thousand people are gathering at an arena today in Colwood to celebrate the life of former British Columbia premier John Horgan.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and B.C. Premier David Eby are attending the ceremony.
NDP Energy Minister Adrian Dix paid tribute to Horgan on his way into the arena.
“We were great friends,” said Dix. “He was the MC at my wedding. It’s a hard day.”
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Former NDP premier Mike Harcourt, who was using the assistance of a walker, is attending the service, along with fellow former New Democrat premier Dan Miller.
Also among the former and current New Democrats lining up to attend the service are: George Heyman, Brenda Bailey, Bruce Ralston, Harry Bains, Rachna Singh, Maurine Karagianis and Raj Chouhan, Speaker of the legislature.
Trudeau, Eby, and Carole James, a former B.C. NDP leader and longtime Horgan friend, are expected to speak at the memorial.
Former NDP premier Glen Clark is also at the memorial.
A woman reaches out to former British Columbia premier John Horgan’s wife Ellie Horgan as she arrives to take her seat for a state memorial for Horgan in Colwood, B.C., on Sunday, December 15, 2024. Horgan, Canada’s ambassador to Germany and a former NDP premier who formed a minority government in 2017, died last month after his third bout with cancer. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSHorgan stepped down in November 2022 after five years as premier, left politics a few months later, then was quickly appointed the ambassador to Germany in November 2023.
But just eight months into his new post, he announced he had cancer for a third time, this time thyroid cancer, after being treated for throat cancer while he was premier and bladder cancer in 2008.
He died on Nov. 12 at the age of 65.
His memorial is being held at the Q Centre, which holds about 4,000 people, with family, friends, co-workers and members of the public attending.
Those who wanted to be at the memorial were asked by the government to reserve free tickets.
Former British Columbia premier John Horgan’s son Evan holds up a stone his father polished and gave him while speaking during a state memorial for Horgan in Colwood, B.C., on Sunday, December 15, 2024. Horgan, Canada’s ambassador to Germany and a former NDP premier who formed a minority government in 2017, died last month after his third bout with cancer. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS Former British Columbia premier John Horgan’s wife Ellie Horgan, left, is comforted by their son Nate during a state memorial for Horgan in Colwood, B.C., on Sunday, December 15, 2024. Horgan, Canada’s ambassador to Germany and a former NDP premier who formed a minority government in 2017, died last month after his third bout with cancer. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS Personal effects are displayed on stage before a state memorial service for former British Columbia premier John Horgan, in Colwood, B.C., on Sunday, December 15, 2024. Horgan, Canada’s ambassador to Germany and a former NDP premier who formed a minority government in 2017, died last month after his third bout with cancer. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESSRecommended from Editorial
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