John Horgan leaves a lasting legacy

Message from President Hall

BC lost a legend today. John Horgan was born and raised in Victoria and never lost his down-to-earth ability to connect with people, even as he led the Province as Premier.

I had the pleasure of meeting with John a few times over the past several years and was always struck by his sense of humour, his approachability and his deep dedication to the people in BC and here in our region. His leadership on Indigenous reconciliation and work with local nations on the BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and commitments to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action continue to have deep impacts on our province and how we at UVic approach our work with Indigenous partners every day.

His commitment to community is present through many initiatives in the Victoria region, including his support of the West Shore Campus, a partnership between UVic, Royal Roads and Camosun College, with the goal of expanding post-secondary education options to more students, closer to where they live.

On behalf of the University of Victoria, I am sending thoughts and best wishes to his wife, Ellie, to his children, loved ones, friends and all those who had the pleasure of knowing him personally or working with him throughout his long political career. Our campus flags stand at half-mast in his honour. His loss is felt deeply and his legacy will shine on.

Kevin Hall
President & Vice-Chancellor