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...

Bill and Etta Marr. Bill Marr took his final journey from the confines of Earth on Feb. 23. The Langley pioneer and longtime pilot died at age 100 at Langley Lodge. His memorial service on Friday had many wonderful touches - most of which involved the theme of flight. The Fraser Blues aircraft formation team, based at Langley Airport, flew over St. Andrew's Anglican Church, where the service was held. The flypast took place after the service, so that all in attendance could come out and see it. The blue sky and puffy white clouds made a wonderful backdrop. The four planes flew low over the church twice. Then on the third pass, one plane went upwards from the other three, and off into a different direction. This is known as the "missing man" formation, and is a common and memorable salute to a fellow pilot who has died. Bill was born in Bramshott, England on July 5, 1917, the most difficult and challenging year of the First World War. His father, well-loved pioneer...

The new Pattullo Bridge will be built by the provincial government, at a cost of $1.377 billion. Premier John Horgan made that announcement Friday morning in New Westminster. It is set to open in 2023. Premier John Horgan was in New Westminster Friday morning to announce the replacement of the Pattullo Bridge. The province has finally broken the lengthy and frustrating logjam over financing of a new bridge. It has taken over the project in its entirety, and will pay the $1.377 billion to build the new bridge and demolish the old one when the new bridge opens in 2023. Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2019. The Pattullo Bridge was originally built by the provincial government in the days when T.D. Pattullo was premier. It opened in 1937 during his second term as premier and has borne his name since it opened. It was a major and much-needed public works project in the midst of the Great Depression, at a time when all governments, including the province, had very ...

One of these six individuals will be the new BC Liberal party leader, as of Saturday night. From left to right, (top) are Dianne Watts, Andrew Wilkinson and Michael Lee; (bottom) Sam Sullivan, Todd Stone, Mike de Jong. (Montage by CBC) Members of the BC Liberal party are casting their ballots over the next few days to choose a new leader of the opposition. That very phrase must gall many of them, after the party enjoyed 16 straight years in power under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark. However, that’s where they find themselves right now, and based on the most recent public opinion poll which came out Jan. 19, they could be there after the next election as well. The NDP were well ahead of them in that poll, 40 per cent to 31 per cent (the Green Party came in at 19 per cent) conducted by Insights West. The new Liberal leader will be determined by a ranked ballot, and membership sign-ups actually will play a diminished role in the final selection of the leader. Eac...