I want to thank The Times of Canada for the chance to share my thoughts on this happy occasion. I wish everyone a joyous and meaningful Vaisakhi.
The holiday marks a defining moment in Sikh history – the founding of the Khalsa in 1699 – and remains a sacred and joyous day on the calendar. It is a day on which Sikhs reflect on equality, courage and compassion, the values that continue to guide the community for more than three centuries.
We are fortunate in British Columbia to be the home to one of the largest Sikh communities outside India. I am always honoured to take part in the colourful festivities. It is a delight to visit gurdwaras, to join wonderful parades, and to pose for photographs with other families and their children.
The Sikh principle of seva – selfless service to others – is lived every day throughout British Columbia. It contributes to one of the defining characteristics of what it means to be Canadian – we take care of one another.
Like so many of you, my daily life involves finding a balance with family and work. My wife Cailey is a family doctor. We are so blessed. Since I became premier, our son Ezra and daughter Iva have been joined by baby sister Gwen. We’re all looking forward to celebrating her second birthday this summer.
On weekends, I often attend some of the many remarkable community celebrations that make living in the Lower Mainland and elsewhere in British Columbia so rewarding. On the best days, I’m joined by our children. There’s nothing quite like sharing joy and happy times with your family.
Just as my family is growing, so too is the economy of our beautiful province. Next year, we are projected to be the second fastest growing provincial economy in Canada. Every day, my team is hard at work building a better, stronger British Columbia with good jobs, strong services and healthy communities.
We are doing so at a time of great change in the world. Donald Trump has imposed unfair tariffs on Canada, hurting our lumber industry and his Iran war is driving up prices. Our Prime Minister has called this a rupture as rules shift and decisions made beyond our borders have consequences here at home. We know British Columbia is built for this moment. We have the people, the resources and the access to overseas markets to succeed in an uncertain world.
Our government is building an economy that is growing and stable in uncertain times. We are building critical infrastructure, like bridges, transit, tunnels, schools and hospitals, and multibillion-dollar investments are creating thousands of new jobs. We are also making sure training is available for those wanting those high-paying jobs.
We know people want good jobs, affordable homes, and accessible health care close to home.
Taking care of the province can be like maintaining your house. In the short term, you save money by not doing roof repairs. In the long term, you are going to suffer damage that is more costly than earlier repairs.
For almost a generation, growing communities on the south shore of the Fraser River were neglected by the government in Victoria. That’s why we have been building new schools, homes and hospitals so urgently.
The new medical school at the Surrey campus of Simon Fraser University will welcome its first class this fall, the first new medical school in Western Canada in more than 50 years. In the year ahead, we expect to break ground on the school’s permanent home. We will be training the next generation of family doctors right here in British Columbia.
I recently visited a precast facility in Surrey where components for the Surrey to Langley SkyTrain extension are being built. We’re backing the local economy with good-paying jobs, keeping the economic benefits right here in our community. And this 16-kilometre line primarily along the Fraser Highway will provide fast, frequent and reliable transit service.
We are also addressing the extortion crisis caused by criminals demanding money from businesses and shooting up homes. I know as a father that every family needs security at home. We have delivered more police officers and worked with our federal partners to close a loophole being exploited by crime networks, so we can speed up the deportation of those engaged in serious crimes. We are fighting back hard and incident numbers have dropped dramatically. We won’t stop until the job is done. Your safety matters.
On a happier note, I’m looking forward to Vancouver playing host to seven matches in the men’s FIFA World Cup 2026. It is always exciting when we get to share our beautiful province with the world. The World Cup will be watched by millions of people around the world and will contribute over a billion dollars to our provincial economy.
It is going to be a busy summer, where we make happy memories with our friends and families, while working to build the province our children deserve.
