Celebrating 80 years ...

The jubilation of 1972’s new premier of British Columbia, David Barrett, and his wife, Shirley, is obvious from the photo in the Sept. 8, 1972, issue of the Jewish Western Bulletin.

“A landslide election victory last week gave the New Democratic Party 38 of 55 seats in the B.C. Legislature and made its leader, Dave Barrett, the first Jewish provincial premier in the history of Canada,” began the article.

Not surprisingly, the story highlighted Barrett’s involvement in the community, including with B’nai B’rith, the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre, Jewish Family Service Agency and Habonim Dror Camp Miriam. It also noted that Barrett, who, with the win, ended the 20-year reign of Social Credit, had moved the NDP “further away from organized labor ‘in order to leave all options open’” and “has also strongly indicated he is not prepared to be a ‘doctrinaire socialist.’ He says he is aware that government must work within the community.” The article concluded, “Brisk, fresh winds of change blow here for the first time in 20 years.”