The Premier is standing behind his MLA in the riding of North Coast after a bit of a stir over a Facebook post.

Jennifer Rice posted on her MLA Facebook page that “the elected band council system is a colonial construct with the historic intention of annihilating Canada’s First Peoples.”

John Horgan says Rice was just speaking her mind.

“Well certainly everyone, whether you are a member of the legislature or a member of the public, has a right to have an opinion on the consequences of decisions made 150 years ago. I respect all members of the legislature Liberal, NDP, and Green will have their points of view.”

Horgan blamed the Liberals for playing politics with the post.

“My sense is that the BC Liberals want to make a tempest out of teapot on these comments. I just have to look south of the border at the words that stream out of the mouth or out of the telephone of the President of the United States seem to go with a yawn these days but if someone speaks their opinion in Canada all of a sudden it is grounds for a royal commission.”

As for an aboriginal viewpoint on the comment Whispering Pines First Nation Chief Mike LeBourdias says “she is kind of right but a lot wrong.”

Horgan says he is not going to tell his MLAs to stop thinking and rather gives them full marks for trying to grapple with tough issues.