CJOR Host/BC Premier Dave Barrett has died

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CJOR Host/BC Premier Dave Barrett has died

Postby jon » Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:29 am

SIGN-OFFS:

Dave Barrett, 87, on Feb. 2, in Victoria, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Barrett is best known for leading British Columbia’s first NDP government from Sept. 1972 to Dec. 1975. Under Barrett, the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve, public auto insurer ICBC, a provincial ambulance system, Pharmacare, and French immersion in B.C. schools were all instituted. After just three years forming government, Barrett called a snap election and the Social Credit party swept back into power. The flamboyant and wise-cracking Barrett went on to take a turn as host of the CJOR-AM Vancouver morning talk show from 1984-87, before re-entering politics as the MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca in 1988. He held the riding until 1993, then took up leadership of the commission investigating Vancouver’s leaky condo issue. Barrett was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and a member of the Order of B.C. in 2012.
(Broadcast Dialogue)
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Re: CJOR Host/BC Premier Dave Barrett has died

Postby Richard Skelly » Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:25 am

Close is for playing horseshoes. But I always remember Dave Barrett almost becoming federal NDP leader in 1989, losing by a nose—on the fourth ballot—to Audrey McLaughlin. Wee Dave, probably bolstered by listener feedback in his four years behind a CJOR mic, knew that alienated Western voters could just as easily turn to the NDP as the Tories for making Confederation less Eastern-centric. A real opportunity lost by the New Democrats and all Canadians.

I haven’t scanned all the tributes to Dave Barrett. Wonder if any illustrated his fiery temper as Premier by recalling his legendary (and profane) rant against Vancouver Sun columnist Marjorie Nicholls. The press of the early ‘70s seemed to lean far more centre/centre right than In the more progressive 1980s.

I was a few months shy of legal voting age in 1972, but would have voted NDP because my elemtary science teacher Harold Steves ran and won in Richmond. By ‘75, I had become a connoisseur of lost causes, joining the provincial Liberals. I had hoped Barrett would win a minority and turn to the plucky Grits for support. ‘Twas not to be.
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Re: CJOR Host/BC Premier Dave Barrett has died

Postby jon » Thu Feb 08, 2018 5:55 pm

Over the years, I've kind of forgotten that his quadrupling of Stumpage Fees came at the same time as the quadrupling of oil prices. I've also come to see the lack of jobs for new grads in 1974 in Vancouver was actually a blessing in disguise, as I doubt I would have had the guts to move away from Vancouver otherwise, despite summer jobs in Ottawa, Prince Rupert and Trail the two previous years. My parents had even offered me use of their South Burnaby house as long as I paid the taxes and utilities, when they moved to Ontario at the same time as I finished school.
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