Barrett left long-lasting legacy, former MLAs say
Former B.C. Premier Dave Barrett is being remembered as a leader with a common touch whose legacy continues to ring in Prince George along with the rest of the province.
“What always, always impressed me with Dave Barrett was his ability to interact with people and to almost have an inner-ability to connect with what their concerns were,” said Lois Boone.
She recalled casting her ballot for the New Democrats under Barrett when she was old enough to vote and how he left a lasting impression on her over the three years he was premier.
Created during the time Barrett’s NDP held power from 1972 to 1975, measures like the Agricultural Land Reserve and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia are still in place, Boone noted.
“There are so many things that he did,” Boone said.
By the time she became an MLA for Prince George in 1986, his government had been out of power for more than 10 years. Although well out of the fray by that time, Boone said Barrett remained something of an elder statesman for the NDP.
“It’s a sad day for British Columbia because we’ve lost someone who was a strong advocate for social justice in the province,” Boone said.
Alf Nunweiler, who was an MLA and cabinet minister under Barrett, credited him with getting the ball rolling on amalgamating the city to its current proportions, bringing in the Hart area to the north, Pineview to the south and the old town of South Fort George to the east.
Barrett’s outsized personality was not lost on Nunweiler.
“He was rambunctious, you know, robust, shall we say, very energetic,” Nunweiler said. “He was easy to get along with but he was really quite sharp when it came to making decisions. He didn’t waste any time making up his mind on things.”