Robert (Bob) Skelly was a Canadian politician from British Columbia. He served in the BC Legislature from 1972 to 1987. The longest serving member for Alberni constituency in history, he was elected five times. He was elected leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party in 1984 and was Opposition Leader in the BC Legislature until 1987. He resigned as MLA in early 1988 and was elected to the the Canadian House of Commons representing the Federal riding of Comox-Alberni from 1988 to 1993. A politician is an individual involved in politics. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th) • Land 925,186 km² • Water 19,549 km² (2. ... The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. ... This page is about the year 1984. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

His campaign in the 1986 election was plagued with image problems. Unlike British Columbia Social Credit Party leader and incumbent premier William Vander Zalm, who was praised by BC Media for his looks, style, and charisma, Skelly was criticized as being dull and cold. He made a nervous speech at the beginning of the campaign which was replayed over and over by the media as the election progressed. A number of reporters challenged the provincial media bias against Skelly but their complaints were suppressed. The 34th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada, was called on September 24, 1986. ... The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing political party of British Columbia for more than 30 years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election. ... Bill Vander Zalm (center) inspects construction at Whistler Village Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie Vander Zalm, commonly known as Bill Vander Zalm (born 1934) became 28th premier of British Columbia, Canada in 1986. ...

While the NDP failed to gain any seats under his leadership, neither did they lose any. The party received the highest popular vote in its history and - in key constituencies - came within 8000 votes of winning enough seats to form government. Following the election, the distribution of electoral districts in the province was declared to be biased in favour Social Credit and the courts ordered a fair redistribution. In 1986 Skelly resigned as NDP leader and in the following year, a party convention acclaimed Michael Harcourt as his successor. Michael Harcourt (born 1943) served as the 30th Premier of the province of British Columbia in Canada from 1991 to 1996, and before that as mayor of BCs major city, Vancouver from 1980 to 1986. ...