At the official launch of the Dave Barrett political biography, The Art of the Impossible, a fellow came up to me and whispered in my ear: This, he said, referring to the mostly grey-headed crowd that had gathered, is a meeting of the was-es. By that he meant people who were somebodies during those tumultuous times between 1972 and 1975 when the reign of Social Credit was temporarily interrupted and Premier W.A.C. (Wacky) Bennett's 20 years in office came to an abrupt end.
On the eve of the election, Wacky warned, the Socialist Hordes were at the gates. For the first time in B.C. history they would finally storm the castle.
Those was-es will confirm considerable time has passed since the province experienced a government that Barrett declared was here for a good time and not for a long time.
And it is the passage of time that has allowed the authors, Globe and Mail reporter Rod Mickleburgh and former journalist/current Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs, to fairly measure the impact of that period. What they have produced is a meticulously researched book and, for the most part, written with all the energy and drama of a piece of fiction.
For those who lived through that period, there is still a degree of amazement when recalling how, by luck and circumstances, Barrett came to power. There is the astounding rush of legislation by thunder bolt by a government the authors describe as raw and untried. And then there is the career-ending train wreck after a short, breathless 39 months.
Yet, in spite of the brevity of Barrett's government, the legacy of his time in power continues to touch every British Columbian.
Included among those accomplishments are: the protection of agricultural land under the Agricultural Land Reserve; the creation of a government automobile insurance called ICBC; the SeaBus; an ambulance service with licensed paramedics and the establishing of air ambulances; implementation of rent controls and a rentalsmans office; full collective bargaining and the right to strike for public servants; a human rights code, a modern labour code and a powerful Labour Relations Board were legislated into existence; extra billing by doctors was banned, as was the strap in public school; pay toilets everywhere were eliminated; Pharmacare; seniors had a Mincome; the B.C. Energy Commission was established to regulate private utilities; the Sexual Sterilization Act was repealed and women's shelters, rape relief and women's health collectives were funded; and to Barrett's great pride, Cypress Bowl was preserved for recreation.
Yet, in the end, many forces were arrayed against Barrett and his crew. The media that at first found him a breath of fresh air for his eloquence, his humour and his passion, found reason to criticize him; Social Credit, which was decimated with Barrett's win, was rebuilding under Wacky's son, Bill, aided and abetted by the newly formed right-wing Fraser Institute; feminists in Barrett's own caucus labelled him a chauvinist pig for refusing to set up a women's ministry.
And the final blow came from the unions.
By the end of Barrett's term, the economy had turned sour and the province was hit by a wave of strikes. Barrett and his Labour Minister Bill King agreed to end it all with unprecedented back-to-work legislation. Members of his own caucus voted against the bill.
And, to this day, trade unionist will jeer when they hear King's name.
In the general election that was soon to follow, the vote splitting that allowed Barrett to win was no longer a factor. Even though he got about the same percentage of the popular vote in defeat as in victory, Barrett himself lost his seat.
Yet no B.C. government has done so much in so little time to benefit so many. It is there to see, warts and all, in The Art of the Impossible.
