Bill Bennett (politician)

William Richards "Bill" Bennett PC , OBC (born August 18, 1932 in Kelowna , British Columbia , † December 3, 2015 in Kelowna, British Columbia) was a Canadian politician and entrepreneur . He was Prime Minister of the Province of British Columbia from October 22, 1975 to November 6, 1986 and Chairman of the British Columbia Social Credit Party . He is the son of WAC Bennett , who held the same offices from 1952 to 1972, and is distantly related to Richard Bedford Bennett , Prime Minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935.

biography

After graduating from school, Bennett worked as a real estate speculator with his brother Russell for several years. In 1972 his father suffered an electoral defeat and resigned as prime minister after twenty years. On September 7, 1973, Bennett stood in Okanagan South, his father's former constituency, for election and was elected a member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly. Shortly thereafter, the British Columbia Social Credit Party convention elected him new chairman.

In the elections on December 11, 1975, the Socreds were able to increase their share of the vote by over a third and won a majority of the seats. Bennett then assumed the office of Prime Minister on December 22nd. Despite a stagnating economy, he managed to be re-elected as head of government in May 1979 and May 1983. His government then tried to get the economy going again by making extensive investments in infrastructure.

These additional expenditures should be financed with a massive reduction of the state personnel. The government also planned far-reaching restrictions on social benefits, education, minority rights and trade union rights. A wave of strikes that lasted for weeks followed, which almost led to a general strike. After negotiating with union leaders, in November 1983 the government had to abandon many of its proposed changes.

In May 1986, shortly after the opening of the world exhibition Expo 86 in Vancouver , Bennett announced his resignation. He handed over the offices of Prime Minister and Party Chairman to Bill Vander Zalm on August 6, 1986 . Bill Bennett, his brother Russell, and a business associate were accused of insider trading two years later, but were acquitted in May 1989 because it could not be proven beyond doubt that the allegations were true.

literature

• Bob Plecas: Bill Bennett - A Mandarin's View. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver 2006. ISBN 1553651774 .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Bill Bennett, former BC premier, dead at 83
2. ^ Ex-Premier Is Acquitted - New York Times, May 15, 1989

Web links

• William Richards Bennett ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .
• Book review with assessment of Bennett's politics