Panorama

While researching the public takeover of the privately owned BC Electric Company Ltd. in order to create BC Hydro, I discovered a biography of British Columbia’s 25th and longest serving Premier, W.A.C. Bennett.

The biography is titled W.A.C. Bennett and the Rise of British Columbia written by David Mitchell, published 1983. David was residing in Regina at the time, working as clerk assistant of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Between 1991 and 1996 he was MLA for the riding of West Vancouver-Garibaldi. Currently he is Vice-President, University Relations at the University of Ottawa.

The book is a great read and offers some interesting history of our dynamic province from the 1930’s through to the early 70’s. After reading the book I come to the conclusion that our 25th Premier was an honest, hardworking and dedicated man who loved his adopted province and transformed BC into much of what this province is today. Mr. Bennett was also a sneaky man who should have probably paid more attention to some of the activities a few of his MLA’s were up to over the years.

Observations after reading the book:

– The British Columbia Mr Bennett created through public institutions and infrastructure throughout the Fifties and Sixties is still very much the British Columbia we live in today.

– Mr Bennett introduced our BC Flag.

– Bennett’s Social Credit view: “ That which is physically possible, desirable, and morally right, must be made financially possible.“ should always be our motto.

– Bennett’s Social Credit government did not shrink from taking direct government action if private industry would not act. However, even when they did, if it was for the greater good of British Columbia, Bennett didn’t hesitate to step in to take provincial control anyway (like creating BC Hydro and BC Ferries from private companies).

– In the late 1960’s hospitals were over crowded and the environment was a big concern. Industrial pollution controls were established, provincial parks created and tourism was promoted as the eco industry of the 1970’s. Our problems today are not new.

– For a real life, grown in BC look at how the Single Transferable Vote (BC-STV) system works and what we are going to be voting on in 2009 in an Electoral Reform Referendum you can learn how it all worked during the provincial election of 1952 when that is exactly how the election was conducted. After reading how the results turned out after the STV provincial vote then, its clear to me that compromise candidates won quite a few seats. After the election of 1952 and a by-election in 1953 the Single Transferable Vote was abandoned.

– As BC prospered, grew and developed throughout the Fifties so did the unions and the CCF (Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, forerunner to the NDP)

– Question Period and Hansard Services did not exist during Bennett’s reign as Premier. He felt that it was better for the all MLA’s to be able to question the government and debate legislation for as long as they wished to speak. Without Hansard MLA’s were forced to attend the Legislature or miss out on what was happening because they couldn’t catch up on it later. I think Hansard Services are important today but, like most, agree that Question Period is a waste of time. Bennett said “ The best parliament is the debating parliament, where everyone’s in their chairs wondering what the next guy’s going to say, making notes.“ and “This was a great avenue for new ideas into the legislature forum.“ and “When I was there, the opposition would quiz me back and forth; they could get up and speak twenty times, not just ask one question but ask a hundred questions, pointed questions, which are the best.“

– Premier Bennett was also BC’s Finance Minister throughout his government’s 20 year term.

W.A.C. Bennett: “ I made it a rule of my life never to fight people, only to fight principals and policies, and to advocate principals and policies, but never to get tied up to any hatred of any individual.“ – words to live by I think.

There’s more I could write, more about the beliefs, attitudes and style of government of that period, under Bennett’s leadership, that I really enjoyed learning about and I think needs to be apart of all our levels of government today.

The book is no longer in print. After I borrowed and read a copy from the library I found several used ones for sale from amazon.ca The copy I bought there from a fellow in Richmond, Bill Keates, is in excellent shape and looks almost brand new and has some photo’s also.