Vaughn Palmer: Horgan's mask slips after Furstenau letter challenges premier's flip

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“Over the past few months, British Columbians have seen their elected representatives work together and focus on getting things done for people,” Horgan proclaimed.

“CASA is the foundation of a strong working relationship between the government, the B.C. Green party caucus and independent MLA Andrew Weaver,” the premier continued. “COVID-19 has challenged all of us in ways we could not have imagined when we formed government … but our principles remain the same.”

His principles remained that way until, inspired by favourable opinion polls, he found other principles that allowed him to repudiate CASA and his signature along with it.

To hear Horgan tell it this week, the turning point came during the summer session of the legislature when the government had to pull back a bill that would have allowed the authorities to briefly detain young victims of drug overdoses.

The measure, Bill 22 on the order paper, drew criticism from civil libertarians, Indigenous leaders, the child and youth representative, the chief coroner as well as the Greens. In putting the bill on hold in late July, the lead minister, Judy Darcy, conceded a need for further consultations with stakeholders on the legislation.

“We have engaged with many partners on the legislation,” she said via a statement from her office. “We’ll take this time to talk to more people about the work that we were already thinking about doing with our partners on safeguards in regulation to protect young people’s rights.”