The 1990s were a decade of amazing progress under the leadership of Premier Mike Harcourt and his successor Premier Glen Clark. Although the NDP was careful to present Harcourt as a moderate, mainstream, and definitely not scary leader for the 1990s, when you look at the government’s record during his five years in office it clearly rivals the 1972-75 government for innovation. The NDP reduced provincial debt and turned in some of the best job growth numbers in Canada while restoring the cuts the Socreds had made to health care, education and social services. There were major reforms in forestry management, a new relationship with First Nations, reduced class sizes and tuition fees, and new protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the Human Rights Code. There was the historic doubling of parks and protected areas (for example, the Tatshenshini-Alsek above) was doubled, new protections for workers, and so much more. All these programs and more were continued and expanded in the second half of the decade by Premier Glen Clark’s government.
Getting stuff done
