You can thank Dave Barrett for B.C. Day holiday

by Charlie Smith on August 3rd, 2015 at 1:52 PM

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There's a W.A.C. Bennett Dam named after one premier.

There's a William R. Bennett Bridge named after another.

There are the Pattullo Bridge, Pattullo Glaciers, Pattullo Park, and Mount Pattullo named after Duff Pattullo, who was premier from 1933 to 1941.

But there's still nothing like this for Dave Barrett, who brought B.C. into the modern political era with some long-lasting reforms introduced during his term as premier from 1972 to 1975.

Sure, there's a Barrett's View Lookout on the road to Cypress Provincial Park, which his government created. But that's hardly the equivalent of a bridge or a dam or a mountain.

Today is B.C. Day, which is another Barrett creation.

While everyone is enjoying the sunshine and a day off work, perhaps the premier might want to set her mind to correcting this inequity.

After all, Barrett's government created the Agricultural Land Reserve, ICBC, and the B.C. Ambulance Service. He's responsible for the introduction of question period and Hansard transcripts of legislative proceedings.

Barrett also outlawed charging people to go to the bathroom. He banned corporal punishment in schools. And he created the Labour Relations Board.

Some would argue that Barrett was B.C.'s greatest premier, even though he didn't spend a great deal of time in power.

He's 84 years old and has not been in the public eye for a few years now. But his legacy will remain with British Columbia long after he's passed from the scene.

Comments

9 Comments

avery klen

Aug 3, 2015 at 3:40pm

B.C. day; even federal passport office was closed forottawa's clown parade?

I remember

Aug 3, 2015 at 4:35pm

Charlie's right on this one. Mr. Barrett was a great premier and it is only fitting that his name is honoured publicly.

Jenna LaFrance

Aug 3, 2015 at 5:06pm

Thank you, Dave Barrett,
You are a stellar NDP politician and were an effective and focused on improving the lives of BC citizens. Hats off to you.
All good memories about your time in public life.

No Names

Aug 3, 2015 at 8:21pm

There ought to be a law and/or something in our constitution that prevents the naming of anything public like a Ship, Bridge or public buildings after Politicians of any stripe.

That would save us some dollars in the long run and pay for more Canadians Health Care and Education long term.

Instead of monuments for Politicians, yuk yuk,

cathy

Aug 3, 2015 at 10:32pm

The best way to honour Dave Barrett is to kick Christy and her gang out of office next election.
The new Gov't can then decide what a fitting tribute will be.
Hopefully it will be a lot more than a lookout-Dave Barrett deserves a lot more.

@cathy

Aug 4, 2015 at 10:59am

Good luck with that. Thanks to BC's shifting demographics, we enjoy a third-world style banana republic. The only way the NDP could compete is with federal money for a bigger public service, healthcare industry, etc. Those aren't happening, so corporate graft is the name of the game. Only stupid natives vote for the "common good," everyone coming here by the planeload understands that a vote is something you use to buy stuff for your tribe.

O'Brien

Aug 4, 2015 at 1:28pm

Replace the Patullo with the Barrett Bridge.

Gilbert

Aug 4, 2015 at 3:21pm

To B.C.'s Greatest Premier name the New Port Mann Bridge after Dave Barrett. It lands in his old riding of Coquitlam. Lets honour him while he is still living.