Barrett governed British Columbia from 1972 to 1975; created ALR, ICBC
By Deborah Wilson, CBC News Posted: Feb 02, 2018
Dave Barrett was elected British Columbia’s first NDP premier in September 1972. (CHEK News)
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Former B.C. premier Dave Barrett, who led the province’s first New Democratic Party government, died Friday at the age of 87 in Victoria, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
His short-lived government from September 1972 to December 1975 carried out reforms at a blistering pace including the creation of the Agricultural Land Reserve, the public auto insurance corporation ICBC, a provincial ambulance system and Pharmacare. It also brought in full Hansard transcripts of proceedings in the legislature.
After just three years in government, Barrett called a snap election and the Social Credit party swept back into power.
Government in a hurry
In their recent book, The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power 1972-1975, authors Rod Mickleburgh and Geoff Meggs, recounted the story of how Barrett asked his ministers at their first cabinet meeting: “Are you here for a good time or a long time?”
“They were hoping to get a second term of course,” Mickleburgh said in an interview. “But they said that is not our goal. Our goal is to change British Columbia and do what has to be done.
“The result was the most incredible government in the history of Canada based on how short a time they were in office and what they accomplished,” he said.
Lots of gaffes
MIckleburgh said the 97 accomplishments listed in his book included the strongest labour code, consumer protections and human rights legislation in North America. Barrett’s government also started the Seabus program, though it was his Social Credit successor Bill Bennett who completed it.
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Ah those were the days. 1972 just out of high school and voting for the first time. The NDP and Dave Barrett looked pretty good at the time. Mr Barrett was the NDP before they lost focus.
RIP and thanks for all the work you did.
Would not have agreed with much of what Premier DAVE Legislated but I saw enough of him over the years that I am quite sure he was a Good Man!
It seems like he would have been an interesting person to sit around a table with, have a Drink or two and Debate Politics.
It always helps to have a good sense of Humour in life and it appears he had a good one.
R.I.P.
List some of his 90+ accomplishments on the legislative front…
Hansard … there was no written record of the BC legislature before Barrett came along.
Agricultural Land Reserve… controversial but no gov’t since has dared take it away
… what do you remember?
I recall one day we got a tip in the newsroom he was coming into the airport-before he was preem mind-you. We were the only news outfit in town to know this and I got an exclusive 40 odd minutes with him. Very smart and charming man. Too bad he was NDP.