NDP energy critic John Horgan blamed BC Hydro CEO Dave Cobb's departure on government interference in the publicly-owned electricity utility.

"For Mr. Cobb to leave speaks to me of blatant interference by the minister, by the premier, and by the government," said Horgan.

The government has told Cobb to fire 1,000 people, he said. "It's my view Mr. Cobb said, 'Look, I'm not doing that anymore, there are other things I can do.' And that's why he left BC Hydro."

Cobb has said he is leaving to take a job with the Jim Pattison Group.

"I had inclings this was possible," said Rich Coleman, the energy and mines minister. Cobb had a substantial offer from Pattison that the government would never be in a position to match, he said.

"This is the opportunity for him of a life time," said Coleman.

Horgan said Cobb was very capable and the corporation benefitted from his leadership. "He worked very hard. He was very good coming through this review process and starting to make some of the changes at Hydro."

The decision to leave is best for Cobb and his family, Coleman said.

"I think it's a great loss to the corporation," said Horgan.

He repeated a joke NDP Leader Adrian Dix made, noting that former NDP Premier Glen Clark is a Pattison Group executive. "Adrian said that Dave Cobb finally found a Premier Clark he could work for and that's why he's going to Pattison industries," he said.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.