Frankly Speaking

A smiling Dave Barrett is an apt image of the former premier and longtime NDP MLA, and NDP MP for one term. He had a passion for politics, but he also had a wonderful sense of humour and was the most entertaining politician on the stump that I've ever seen in B.C. Dave Barrett was remembered at two public memorial events last weekend, in Victoria and Vancouver. Barrett, who died at the age of 87 in early February, was B.C.’s first NDP premier. He headed a government that was in office for just under three and one-half years, from 1972 to 1975. It was a “government in a hurry,” passing 357 bills in its few years in office and ushering in an era of remarkable change in B.C. Some of its most significant achievements have been commented on extensively, most frequently the establishment of the Agricultural Land Reserve, the creation of ICBC, bringing Hansard and question period to the provincial legislature and one of the first pharmacare programs in Canada. Not much at...

Longtime Delta Mayor Lois Jackson, the first woman ever elected to Delta council, gave BC Liberal leader and current premier Christy Clark an enthusiastic endorsement at a campaign event in North Delta on Monday. What was once the vast riding known as Delta, which included Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock and Langley, has played an very important role in determining the outcome in B.C. elections for many years. Three premiers have come from the area. The area has grown substantially. In 1920, the Delta riding had 4,305 registered voters. The same area, which will elect 17 MLAs this year, now is home to just under one million people. Much has been said in recent weeks about the strategic importance of Surrey and the South Fraser region in this year’s provincial election. It is safe to say that the suburban areas of the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley are perhaps the key battleground ridings in this year's election. The battlegrounds are primarily in North Delta, Surre...

Bill Bennett’s time as premier of B.C. ended almost 30 years ago, in the summer of 1986. The era in which he governed is a distant memory to some. For others, it was long before their time. Bennett died on Dec. 3 at the age of 83. He had been mostly out of the public spotlight since leaving the premier’s office. However, his 10 and one half-years as premier led to B.C. truly entering the modern era that we are part of today. It turned B.C. into much more than a resource-based economy, and the province’s political apparatus also changed dramatically. These changes had a significant effect on Surrey, Delta and White Rock. Decisions made by his government still have a direct effect on this region. The biggest single change came as a result of two related decisions - the decision to host a world’s fair called Expo 86 on former rail yard land in downtown Vancouver, and the decision to build a rapid transit line called SkyTrain. Expo was controversial. A number of politicians an...