By Balwant Sanghera
It has taken fairly long time-more than two months-to have a change in government in British Columbia. John Horgan and his New Democrat cabinet colleagues finally took the oath of office at Government House in Victoria on July 18. It was a great honour for this writer, South Asian LINK editor R. Paul Dhillon and a large contingent from our community to be present at the swearing –in ceremony and the reception at Government House and the Parliament Building when Horgan and his cabinet were installed in Victoria. Finally, after 16 years, the BC Liberals were sent to the opposition benches by the people of B.C. and BC NDP led by Horgan were given an opportunity to serve the people of British Columbia
Choosing a suitable cabinet was the first major challenge facing Horgan. In this regard he has done very well. Horgan has chosen his cabinet wisely. The eleven men and eleven women who have been given this honour are very capable, competent and dedicated individuals. So far as our community is concerned, John Horgan’s choice of Harry Bains and Jinny Sims as members of his cabinet and Ravi Kahlon as Parliamentary Secretary for Sports and Multiculturalism is excellent. It is likely that we will have one or two more of elected representativesfrom our community join their ranks later on.
Serving asa member of the cabinet, regardless of the assigned portfolio, is a great honour in itself for anyone. It empowers thatperson to be actively involved in the decision making process at the highest level in this province. Furthermore, usually the premier and his advisors are always on the lookout for talentaround the cabinet table and on the backbench. Sooner or later,a cabinet member or a backbencher with the ability to do a good job is likely to be rewarded.It is natural that every MLA from the ruling party expects to get a cabinet post. However, in view of the constraints imposed upon him, the premier can’t please everyone as there are only so many spots available for this purpose. So, rather than being critical of the choice of the premier and his advisors, we should recognize the reality and move on.
NDP has been out of power for 16 years. As such, it is going to take some time for our premier and cabinet members to learn about their portfolios and their roles rather quickly. As a matter of fact, they have to hit the ground running. Premier John Horgan has already set agood example in this regard. His back to back trips to Ottawa and Washington so soon after being sworn in reflect Horgan’s strong commitment to British Columbia and Canada. The issues of NAFTA and softwood lumber are crucial to our economy. They will have a lasting impact on all of us. On top of that, we have a large portion of our provincethat has been hit with a number ofwild fires. This poses a serious challenge to the new government. Soon after his arrival back in BC, Horgan, along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was in the Williams Lake area which is one of the hardest hit areas by wild fires reassuring and comforting victims of this natural disaster. This is a commendable effort by both Trudeau and Horgan.
Historically, the NDP has stood with our community through thick and thin. It has never turned its back on our community but has always been there when needed. This is a party of and for ordinary British Columbians. Unlike free enterpriser BC Liberals, NDP believes that it also has the social responsibility especially to help the needy and the downtrodden. Naturally, every political party,when in power,makes mistakes. NDP is no exception. Unfortunately, in case of anNDP government, its accomplishments are usually minimized or ignored completely and mistakes are exaggerated. Hopefully, this won’t happen this time around. Yes, media’s and opposition’s role is to keep the government accountable. This is what makes our democratic process strong and an envy of others. However, the criticism, ifany, must be productive, fair and reasonable. So early in its mandate, the John Horgan government needs our best wishes and support. I am confident that the newly installed NDP government under John Horgan will work tirelessly in serving this province to the best of its ability.
Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.
