Skip to content

B.C. ELECTION: NDP leader juggling MLA duties with Opposition role

John Horgan is finding ‘dedicated people’ to help with local campaign
web1_170419-SNM-T-BCElection

As both the NDP candidate for Langford-Juan De Fuca and leader of the opposition, MLA John Horgan has an interesting road ahead this election.

Part of juggling both ends however is about finding dedicated people, as Horgan refers to his campaign team to keep the momentum going in his riding by being “deeply connected” to the community. Through their eyes so to speak, Horgan is playing the game on both ends from across the province.

“I’m in touch with them as much as I can be during the campaign and making sure to keep my eye on what’s happening in the riding while I’m travelling around working with the rest of my team to build a better B.C.,” Horgan wrote in an email to the Sooke News Mirror on Monday.

It still comes at a price however, as Horgan added that one of the hardest things about leading the NDP is that he can’t spend as much time as he used to in Sooke, especially during the election campaign. Same goes for attending local all candidate debates, one of which is in Sooke on April 25.

“I wish I could, but campaigning to be premier means I’m not going to be able to make it to all candidate debates in the riding this time around. I’ll be able to do so much more for Sooke, and for all of B.C. as premier. I think the people of Sooke understand that,” he said.

Horgan said the difference in this election is that as leader, he’s crisscrossing the province talking to voters about affordability, services they can count on and a sustainable economy with good jobs and better wages. All good things for everyone, though he said he won’t lose focus on his responsibilities to Sooke as well.

“It’s tough to be living out of your own suitcase rather than from your own bed, but it’s a small sacrifice for me for the enormous benefit that will come to B.C. if we’ve got a government that will deliver on the things that I heard about, not just in Sooke, but in Langford and across the province,” Horgan said.