Dave Barrett facts for kids

The ribbon for the Order of British Columbia (OBC)

David "Dave" Barrett (October 2, 1930 – February 2, 2018) was an important politician and social worker in British Columbia, Canada. He is best known for being the 26th premier of British Columbia from 1972 to 1975. He was a member of the New Democratic Party.

Dave Barrett's Early Life and Career

Dave Barrett was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. His parents were Rose and Samuel Barrett. His family was Jewish, and his mother came from Odessa. His grandparents on his father's side were immigrants from Russia.

Barrett's father believed in Fabian socialism, which means he supported gradual social change. His mother believed in Communism, a system where everyone is equal and resources are shared.

Education and Family Life

Barrett studied philosophy at Seattle University. After graduating in 1953, he returned to Vancouver. He married Shirley Hackman, and they moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, Barrett earned a master's degree in social work from Saint Louis University.

In 1957, the couple and their two children moved back to British Columbia. Barrett started working at Haney Correctional Institute. He was a personnel and staff training officer there. He was later asked to run for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) party.

Dave Barrett's Political Journey

Becoming a Member of the Legislature

Barrett was first elected to British Columbia's legislature in 1960. He represented the Dewdney area for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). This party soon became the New Democratic Party (NDP).

In 1959, he was fired from his job because he was running for office. At that time, government workers were not allowed to run for political positions. He fought to get his job back.

Barrett was known for his strong public speaking skills. He won his seat in four elections. He tried to become the provincial leader of the NDP but lost. However, the leader who won, Tom Berger, lost the 1969 election. After that, Barrett quickly became the new party leader.

Serving as Premier of British Columbia

In the 1972 election, Barrett led the NDP to its first major victory in British Columbia. They won against the Social Credit government, which had been in power for a long time. Barrett became Premier on September 15, 1972.

Key Changes Under Premier Barrett

Barrett's government made many important changes. They improved the welfare system to help people in need. They also created the Labour Relations Board. This board helps with issues between workers and employers.

One big change was starting the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). This provides public car insurance for everyone in BC. They also created the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). This protects valuable farmland in BC from being developed. These changes were kept by later governments.

His government also made the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia more open. They started "question period," where politicians could ask direct questions. They also made sure all discussions were written down in full Hansard transcripts.

Social Policies and New Programs

In 1973, BC banned corporal punishment (physical discipline) in all schools. They also banned pay toilets, making public restrooms free. The government launched Pharmacare, a program to help people pay for medicines. They also increased the minimum wage.

Barrett's government protected Cypress Bowl for recreation. They started the air ambulance service for medical emergencies. They passed the Human Rights Code to protect people's rights. New consumer protection laws were also introduced. They even brought French immersion programs into schools.

The government also introduced a new tax on mining companies. This tax made some people in the mining industry unhappy. In total, the NDP government passed 367 new laws during their time in power.

Returning to Opposition

In 1975, Barrett called an early election. He was defeated by the Social Credit Party, led by Bill Bennett. Bill Bennett was the son of the former Premier Barrett had defeated. Bennett's campaign focused on criticizing how Barrett's government managed the province's money. Many businesses and supporters of free markets joined forces against the NDP.

Even though the NDP got more votes in total, they lost many seats outside of Vancouver. Barrett himself lost his seat in Coquitlam by only 18 votes. In 1976, he was re-elected in a special election for Vancouver East. He continued to lead the NDP against Bennett's Social Credit party until 1984.

In 1983, Barrett was removed from the legislature during a heated debate. He was not following the Speaker's rules. This was the first time a member had to be removed from the chamber.

Moving to Federal Politics

In 1988, Barrett was elected to the Canadian Parliament. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca area. In 1989, he ran to become the leader of the federal New Democratic Party. He lost by a small number of votes to Audrey McLaughlin.

During his campaign, Barrett argued that the party should pay more attention to concerns from Western Canada. He felt they were focusing too much on Quebec. He lost his seat in the 1993 federal election.

Life After Politics

After leaving politics, Barrett continued to serve the public. From 1998 to 2000, he led two investigations into the "leaky condo crisis" in BC. This was a problem where many condominium buildings had serious water leaks. His investigations looked into why this happened and how to prevent it.

Barrett retired from active politics and public life in 2010 due to health reasons. In 2005, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2012, he became a member of the Order of British Columbia. These are high honours given to Canadians for their achievements.

In 2014, it was announced that Barrett had Alzheimer's disease. He was living in a care facility in Victoria, British Columbia. Dave Barrett passed away on February 2, 2018, at the age of 87. A public memorial service was held for him in Victoria.