1984 People’s Commission and Report

Ken Novakowski (Bargaining Staff, BC Teachers’ Federation)[00:00:00] Yes, it became clear, of course, that the government had no intention of consulting with Solidarity Coalition or anybody else in terms of their agenda. Once the strike was over, the protest was over. It was all, all done. But as you indicate, the Coalition continued to operate. And in 1984 they, we, a group of us who were primarily involved in the Coalition, with the leadership, came up with the idea that we should travel the province and hear from people about the kind of society that they want. And the result was the People’s Commission and I can remember personally recommending Ray Haynes and Mel Watkins for the commission, and they ended up being on the commission. Ray was a former president of the B.C. Federation of Labour. I didn’t know him well, but by reputation, I knew that he was a very strong advocate for, for labour and social rights. And Mel Watkins was an economist, actually, from Toronto, who I worked with in the Waffle movement and I knew had a good understanding and grasp of political economy, and that’s what we would need as well. And then Margaret Marquardt was a, a, an Anglican priest actually, was recruited from the faith organizations to, to take part and she ended up chairing the People’s Commission. Jane Evans, a woman activist from from the Okanagan, also participated. It was good to have somebody from another part of B.C. involved.

 [00:01:47] And the four of them with Cliff Stainsby, who was a full time staff person with the Coalition, he was hired by the Coalition, travelled around the province and held hearings in community after community to hear what people wanted in the way of a health care system and education systems, social services. What kind of society did they want. What, what, what. And what kind of an economy they want to support that society. And the result was they, they came out with a fairly significant report.