The writer and Globe and Mail writer Rod Mickleburgh discusses the book he’s written with Geoff Meggs, The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power 1972-1975 (Harbour Publishing, 2012), with Joseph Planta.

The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power 1972-1975 by Geoff Meggs and Rod Mickleburgh (Harbour Publishing, 2012). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Art of the Impossible

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

The Globe and Mail’s Rod Mickleburgh joins me now. With Geoff Meggs, he’s written a new book, The Art of the Impossible: Dave Barrett and the NDP in Power 1972-1975. It’s been described as a sympathetic account of the Barrett government, the election of Barrett in 1972 ending 20 years of Social Credit rule led by W.A.C. Bennett. What I think it is, is a history of the times, and the large number of bills that the government put through in its 1200 days in office. That the Barrett government was reforming and modernising is without question, you see that in the number of initiatives that still stand today, the Agricultural Land Reserve, ICBC, the ambulance service, the Seabus, and more. We’ll go through some of the accomplishments of this government, the personalities and more now. Rod Mickleburgh is a senior writer with the Globe and Mail based here in Vancouver. He’s worked at numerous papers including the Penticton Herald, the Prince George Citizen, Vernon News, and the Vancouver Sun and Province, as well as the CBC. He was a co-winner of the Michener Award in 1994, and was nominated for a National Newspaper Award in 1993. His last book was Rare Courage. This new book is from Harbour Publishing. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Rod Mickleburgh; Mr. Mickleburgh, good morning.

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