The BC NDP is considering setting up a ministry dedicated to seniors if elected next year.

Leader John Horgan made the suggestion during an open forum for seniors in Prince George today at the Library.

“Seniors are a dominant force in communities right across this province, they pay taxes, they built communities, they’ve been the foundation and backbone of towns in every corner of BC and their issues are not being addressed through mainstream ministries.”

“If we can have a ministry that is dealing with the building code… or emergency preparedness, why in the world wouldn’t we be able to have a ministry responsible for seniors.” Horgan added

During the open forum, seniors and their family members told Horgan and the NDP seniors and health spokespeople about the challenges they face with everything from surgery and care home wait times to Medical Service Plan premiums.

Horgan drew approval from the crowd of about 30 when he pledged to scrap MSP premiums, but an even louder cheer came when he called on the BC Liberals to publicly support a national pharmacare program.

Horgan and many in the room praised the work of Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, but blasted the fact that she reports to the Health Minister, not the other way around.

“She’s been given enough rope to put forward some provocative reports, but none of them have been acted upon but our concern and the concern you heard in the room was; she’s there at the whim of the government when she should be there holding the government accountable.” Horgan said

As for wait times for surgery and care homes, Horgan stopped short of promising new funding instead stating that efficiencies could be found in the system to get better value for the government’s dollar. He praised Northern Health’s recent move towards a team based and improved record keeping as one example, saying the health authority has the advantage of being able to experiment with new ideas due to its low population.

The full audio from John Horgan’s scrum with reporters following the open forum can be listened to below.