While Barrett lost his seat in 1975, Bob Williams – one of two NDP MLAs for Vancouver East – offered to resign, allowing the former premier to win a by-election. In the late 70s, the party rebuilt and was ready to fight for a return to government in the 1979 election. It was a well-organized campaign led by Provincial Secretary Yvonne Cocke. Since 1961 unions had played an increasingly important role in supporting NDP campaigns. Unions were the organizations that local NDP campaigns turned to for meeting halls, printing support and of course volunteers. And once the Social Credit law banning union political donations had been repealed by the Barrett government, financial help was also offered. Unions like the International Woodworkers (IWA), Steelworkers (USWA), Canadian Union of Public Employees and many others went all-out to assist the NDP campaign. Still, even with union help, NDP campaign budgets were small in comparison to Social Credit campaigns financed by corporate donations. The partnership envisaged in 1961 was working well. It continues to be a mainstay in the NDP today, though changes in election financing legislation introduced by the John Horgan government now ban both union and corporate political contributions.
The late 70s rebuild
