David Yorke was born in 1945. A fourth generation Vancouverite; schooled in Vancouver and North Vancouver; growing up in a left–wing family, he knew and worked with a number of Mac–Paps. He earned a degree in Canadian History from SFU in 1970 and finished Legal Training at UBC in 1975. His 30 year legal career has involved representing unions, and in particular the BC Teachers' Federation for which he was staff counsel for twenty years. In retirement David continues to have an interest in labour and left wing history and is currently a Director of the On–To–Ottawa Historical Society and active in labour history projects. He lives with his wife Pat Sexsmith in Burnaby.