Premier Horgan off to a good start on his first day

Jul 19, 2017 | 5:00 AM

KAMLOOPS — Considering all the doomsday prophecies and predictions of instant failure for the NDP-Green alliance, Premier John Horgan got off to a good start yesterday.

His cabinet is roughly the same size as Christy Clark’s was, but he took a page from Justin Trudeau’s book on gender and ethnic equity, appointing 11 men and 11 women, including several visible minorities and B.C. ‘s first female First Nations cabinet minister.

The main downside of the cabinet is a lack of representation from the Interior, but then, the NDP didn’t elect many MLAs here.

However, in his brief speech after the swearing-in, the first thing out of Horgan’s mouth was acknowledgement of the wildfire crisis, and assurance that the new government will do everything it can to help.

That was another good move, and a civil service experienced in wildfire emergencies will, no doubt, ensure continuation of an efficient response.

Horgan wasn’t at all reluctant to make expansive promises, touching on health care, education, the fentanyl crisis, softwood lumber and other big issues. And, there was the usual blah blah about governing for everybody not just a few, working together, building a strong economy, making life more affordable — the mandatory feel-good homilies of every politician.

There will, no doubt, be a long line-up of lobby groups and local governments at the door with their hands out, and Kamloops should be no exception. City council, being now officially opposed to Ajax, needs to press the point home with both the provincial and federal governments.

With a new environment minister, and a new way of looking at things in Victoria, now is an opportune time to get the ear of Horgan’s New Democrats and Andrew Weaver’s Greens.

It’s just one issue needing attention at the provincial level but it’s a good place to start. And Horgan has made it clear he’s in a mood to listen.