When former B.C. premier John Horgan was asked by staff whether he wanted a formal state funeral, he was quick to respond with a quip: “Do I have to be there?”
That was just one of the stories Horgan’s long-time friend and former B.C. NDP leader Carole James told at Horgan’s memorial service on Sunday, which drew about 3,000 people to Colwood’s Q Centre arena.
Horgan’s son Evan told the crowd that during his final weeks at Royal Jubilee Hospital, the ex-premier mused that his memorial service would at most draw in 80, maybe 100 attendees.
“We can find a small chapel somewhere — it shouldn’t be hard to do,” he recalled his father saying. “I don’t think he imagined anything like this.”
The ice arena where Horgan, who died Nov. 12 after battling cancer, and his wife Ellie spent many hours cheering on his favourite local sports teams was filled with people who came from near and far to pay tribute.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, B.C. Premier David Eby, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and John Rustad, leader of B.C.’s Official Opposition Conservatives, were among the attendees at the three-hour service.
Three former B.C. NDP premiers — Mike Harcourt, Dan Miller and Glen Clark — also attended.
Trudeau called Horgan “quick-witted, brilliant and unflinching in his values and beliefs.”
The prime minister said he and Horgan were able to put together a $200-billion health-care deal that became the future of federal health-care funding in B.C. in just one night over pizzas and beer. “It’s an honour to call you my friend.”
Eby marvelled at the fact that Horgan was able to leave office “more popular than [when] he entered,” attributing his predecessor’s effectiveness in politics to his ability to work with a team.
“If you were on Team Horgan, you knew it,” Eby said. “He was always welcoming, he was always willing to work with people.”
NDP Energy Minister Adrian Dix paid tribute to Horgan on his way into the arena, saying the two were great friends, with Horgan serving as MC at Dix’s wedding. “We love the guy. It’s a hard day.”
Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin said Horgan remained “remarkably without ego” despite his contributions and accomplishments.
“He was a fine man. He loved his province and everyone in it,” she said. “John was an exemplar of authentic leadership. He dedicated his life and his heart to the people of B.C.”
Horgan served as B.C.’s New Democrat premier for five years before stepping down in March 2022. He was also a five-term member of the legislature, representing the West Shore, before resigning his seat in March 2023 for health reasons.
In November 2023, he was appointed ambassador to Germany.
Evelyn Coulombe, Canada’s deputy ambassador to Germany, who flew in from Berlin on her own time to speak at the memorial, said Horgan was a remarkably effective ambassador who managed to leave a positive impression with everyone he met.
The embassy was flooded with fellow ambassadors and other people paying respects to Horgan, despite his short time in Germany, she said.
During the memorial, Horgan’s son Nate gave an emotional performance of a song he wrote for his father that won a standing ovation from the audience.
Evan Horgan said the last months of his father’s life weren’t easy. Medical professionals did everything they could to treat him, and when that turned out not to be possible anymore, they did everything they could to make him comfortable, Evan said.
Evan said while Horgan may have held high office, he would always just be Dad to his two sons.
Horgan would take his sons camping in the summer, have snowball fights with them in the winter, and always make sure they got ice cream on the way home from a trip to the Sooke Potholes, he said.
Evan, who was the last person to be with his father before his death, said they had spent the day chatting for hours on all manner of topics — how the Vancouver Canucks were doing this season, his disappointment with the ending of the TV series Game of Thrones, advice for Evan, who was about to become a father, as well as Horgan’s own triumphs and regrets in life.
That day, Evan had asked his father what he should say at his memorial service should that day ever come.
Horgan’s reply: “Just tell everyone I did my level best.”
— with a file from Canadian Press
