Mentor, friend, one-of-a-kind and quite simply ‘John from Langford’, are some of the many words used to describe former B.C. premier John Horgan, who died on Tuesday (Nov. 12) in Victoria after his third bout with cancer.
Since news of his death broke, tributes have poured in from across Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier David Eby just some of the many people who have taken the time to stop and reflect on Horgan's contribution to politics.
But back in his home town of Langford, locals are hoping a more permanent tribute can be made for the man who they credit with helping to build their city. A simple idea from former Langford mayor Stew Young has snowballed into an online campaign to name the new university, currently under construction, the 'John Horgan University of Langford'.
"Without his support we wouldn't have that university here," said Young. "It's going to be such a huge benefit to our community. I think that it would be an excellent legacy for a man that did so much for our community."
As well as the university honour, other ideas for how to celebrate and remember the local hero have begun to emerge across the community.
MLA for Langford-Highlands Ravi Parmar has plans to open up his office in Langford as a space for residents to come and share their memories of the former premier and sign a book of condolence. While the Victoria Shamrocks, Horgan’s favourite lacrosse team, have said they will at some point in the future consider how they might honour his memory.
From childhood inspiration to mentor
When the B.C. NDP’s 47 MLAs were officially sworn in at a ceremony at the B.C. legislature on Nov. 13, Parmar could think of no better tribute to his friend and mentor than wearing a Victoria Shamrocks jersey, for a moment he describes as “bittersweet.”
“It felt like the best way to honour him, but also hold him close to my heart,” said Parmar. “I wish he could have been there.
“He is the most remarkable individual I've ever met my entire life, one of a kind.”
Elected as MLA for the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding in June 2023, replacing Horgan who had stepped away from the role earlier that year, Parmar cites Horgan as one of the biggest influences in his political career, dating all the way back to his childhood.
In Grade 5, working on a project about elections, a young Parmar met Horgan for the first time.
“Little did I know how much that interaction at a young age for me would have on my future,” he said.
About Horgan’s legacy in Langford, Parmar reels off an impressively long list, but the MLA says it’s the “little things” he will miss most about his friend.
“Seeing his smiling face at the Shamrocks game, hearing the stories about his short trips to the grocery store that turn into a two-hour experience because of all the people he met along the way,” said Parmar. “All those connections that he built with people, those are going to be the things that I miss most."
Parmar says he hopes to carry on Horgan's legacy as someone who focused every single day on delivering for the community, inspired by words shared by Horgan with the MLA days before his death.
“He said, ‘It's not about me, Parmar, it's about the people of B.C., it's about the people in your community, never forget them, take care of them, because if you take care of them, they will take care of you,’” he remembers.
Working together for Langford
“He's just a good Langford guy,” says Young when asked to describe Horgan. “He’s ‘John from Langford’, that really says it all.”
During his 29 years as Langford’s mayor, Young remembers multiple conversations with Horgan about the future of the city.
“Over 20 years ago, Langford was known as a ‘dog patch’," he says. “There were no jobs out here, people were raising their families out here and leaving. John and I talked about that all the time, and said, ‘We got to make Langford stand alone, its own city.'”
“Langford came a long way because of his support. Working with him was great, we were able to get a lot of stuff done for the city."
Describing him as an all-round good and honourable person, Young says the community was always at the heart of Horgan’s work.
“Whether you agreed with him or not, he always put what he thought was his best foot forward,” said Young. “You could see the passion he had for Langford, the passion for the province. He was just really a servant to the people, and those will be hard shoes to fill."
The 'little lacrosse team' with the biggest of fans
According to Chris Welch, general manager of the Victoria Shamrocks, besides politics and working for the community, there was nothing Horgan loved more than cheering on his favourite lacrosse team.
Horgan and his wife Ellie were both season ticket holders for the club, right up until they moved to Berlin, when he was appointed as ambassador to Germany in November 2023.
“He very reluctantly had to give up his seats,” said Welch.
But prior to the move, Welch says Horgan was a regular fixture at the Q Centre, even turning up to Shamrocks’ away games on the Lower Mainland.
“He was just a regular fan, he was John,” said Welch. “There were no airs and graces. All the way through his career, he remained a loyal and true fan, and he was always John.”
Welch describes Horgan as “down to earth” and “very humble”, who would always make time for anybody that approached him at a Shamrocks game.
“He would make everybody feel like they were his friend and they were important,” he says. “He had an amazing way of connecting with people.”
And Horgan’s passion for the club knew no borders, says Welch, explaining the avid lacrosse fan would often send photos to the team of him wearing his Shamrocks cap in some of the most iconic of locations.
“Everything from the Great Wall of China to the even the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea,” said Welch. “He was always saying, ‘See, I support you wherever I go.’”
Horgan’s support meant everything to the club, says Welch, support they will truly miss.
“For a little lacrosse team like us, to have a high-profile public figure like that, who was so passionate about our team, it was a real gift to us, and one that we really, really treasured.”
