Harman Bhangu speaks about natural resources with a sense of familiarity, not distance. Bhangu, MLA for Langley–Abbotsford and transportation critic for the Conservative caucus, traces that perspective to his upbringing.
Roots in work and movement
His father worked across the backbone of B.C.’s economy—mills, trucking, and industrial sites. Bhangu remembers visiting job sites as a child.
“My dad worked in mills, he worked as a trucker… going in there, sitting in that truck, watching all the jobsites. It really left a lasting impact.”
That early exposure informs how he frames today’s policy debates. For Bhangu, resource industries are lived experience, tied to livelihoods and community stability, rather than abstract.
Jobs, youth, and a warning signal
Bhangu’s top issue this year centres on a concern he sees as both economic and social.
“So far this year my number one issue was the BC Ferries… we’ve gotten really complacent; we’re sending jobs overseas, our dollars overseas.”
He connects that trend to a broader worry about young people leaving the province.
“The youth looks at that—there is no future, no jobs—they’re hopping on a plane… That needs to stop.”
When major contracts and opportunities leave B.C., so do long-term career paths. In his view, that erosion affects not only industry, but also housing affordability, family formation, and community continuity.
Reframing resource industries
Speaking from the British Columbia Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, Bhangu positions natural resources as foundational to the province’s development.
“British Columbia was built by the dollars of the natural resources… forestry, mining… that extra money is what built BC.”
Instead of seeingthese sectors as outdated, he sees a growing recognition, even among urban and younger audiences, that resource development remains central to economic health.
“People are starting to realize we need to invest in oil, gas, forestry, mining… this is how we’re going to create revenue.”
However, the challenge continues to be communication. Politicians, he says, must better explain how these industries translate into public benefits, from lower taxes to improved affordability.
Certainty, policy, and reconciliation
Bhangu’s sharpest critique is directed at what he calls policy uncertainty under the provincial government. He points specifically to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).
“The number one issue that right now I oppose is the secrecy… the uncertainty that it’s hit the natural resource industries.”
That uncertainty has spread across sectors, from real estate to mining. His party’s position, he says, is to restore predictability while still advancing reconciliation.
Rather than a one-size approach, Bhangu points to project-level partnerships. He cites examples like AltaGas as models of collaboration between companies and Indigenous communities.
“Work with the companies, work with the local communities, Indigenous bands… let’s get our products to a global market.”
He also emphasizes regional flexibility. Each community, he says, requires its own model, shaped by local conditions and relationships.
A politics of responsibility
Bhangu frames his broader political outlook in terms of accountability.
“We need to bring the power back to the people… we have a responsibility to the people, not authority over them.”
That philosophy ties together his views on jobs, resources, and governance. Economic growth is not an end in itself. It’s a means to restore affordability and opportunity to people living and working across the province.
Looking ahead, he expects political shifts. But his core message remains grounded in the present: keep investment in B.C., strengthen key industries, and ensure that prosperity is built close to home.
Ian Biana writes for the Resource Works Accelerate team and can be reached at [email protected].
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