British Columbia Social Credit Party
Active Provincial Party
Founded	1935
Leader	(vacant)
President	Carrol Woolsey
Headquarters	#101 - 8091 Granville Avenue, Richmond, BC, V6Y 1P5
Political ideology	Conservatism/Populism/Social credit
International alignment	none
Colours	Blue and Red
Website	http://www.bcsocialcredit.bc.ca

The British Columbia Social Credit Party, whose members are known as Socreds, was the governing political party of British Columbia, Canada, for more than 30 years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election. For three decades, the party dominated the British Columbian political scene, with the only break occurring between the 1972 and 1975 elections when the New Democratic Party of British Columbia was in power. Image File history File links Bcsocialcredit. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Social Credit is an economic ideology and a social movement which started in the early 1920s. ... For other uses, see Blue (disambiguation) Blue is one of the three primary additive colors; blue light has the shortest wavelength range (about 420–490 nanometers) of the three additive primary colors. ... Red is a color at the lowest frequencies of light discernible by the human eye. ... A political party is an organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 2. ... The 23rd general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 10, 1952, and held on June 12, 1952. ... The 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991. ... The 30th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The British Columbia general election of 1975 was the 31st general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. ...

Although founded to promote social credit policies of monetary reform, the Social Credit Party became a political vehicle for fiscal conservatives and later social conservatives in BC, who discarded the social credit ideology. Social Credit is an economic ideology and a social movement which started in the early 1920s. ...

History

Pre-1952

Prior to 1952, the social credit movement in British Columbia was divided between various factions. The British Columbia Social Credit League nominated candidates for the first time in the 1937 election, but did not do so in the 1941 election. The British Columbia general election of 1937 was the nineteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The British Columbia general election, 1941 was the twentieth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ...

In the 1945 election, these factions formed an alliance to field 16 candidates, who won a total of 6,627 votes (1.42% of the provincial total.) The 21st general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on August 31, 1945, and held on October 25, 1945. ...

This alliance broke down before the 1949 election, and three separate groups nominated candidates: The 22nd general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 16, 1949, and held on June 15, 1949. ...

• the Social Credit Party,
• the Social Credit League, and
• the Union of Electors.

Collectively, they nominated 28 candidates, who won a total of 14,326 votes, 2.05% of the popular vote in that election.

W.A.C. Bennett era

Running under the name British Columbia Social Credit League, the party won the largest number of seats in the 1952 provincial election under the interim leadership of a Reverend Haskell, who was brought in from Alberta to lead the party. The 19 newly elected Social Credit Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) chose former BC Conservative MLA W.A.C. Bennett to lead the new government over Philip Gagliardi. The 23rd general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 10, 1952, and held on June 12, 1952. ... Motto: Fortis et Liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 28 6 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 6th 661,848 km² 2. ... A Member of the Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the Legislature or legislative assembly of a subnational jurisdiction. ... The British Columbia Conservative Party (also known as the Tories) is a conservative political party in British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ...

Although the party was ostensibly the British Columbia wing of the Canadian social credit movement, Bennett cast aside the party's social credit ideology in favour of a mixture of populism and conservatism. It became a political vehicle to unite opponents of the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, and to keep the CCF and its successor, the New Democratic Party (NDP), out of power. Bennett's Socreds took power in 1952, forming a minority government and, after changing the electoral system, swept to a majority the next year, staying in power until 1972. Bennett's party encouraged development of the economy through megaprojects and highway construction. The Canadian social credit movement was a Canadian political movement originally based on the Social Credit theory of Major C. H. Douglas. ... Social Credit is an economic ideology and a social movement which started in the early 1920s. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed by the leading political party when it has won a plurality but not a majority of seats in the parliament. ...

Despite being a free enterprise party, the Bennett government formed BC Hydro in 1961 by nationalizing the province's largest private hydroelectric concern to make sure that it could not oppose the government's hydroelectric dam construction program. It also formed the BC Ferries in 1958 (which is interesting to note that it grew to be the second largest ferry operation in the world), and established the Bank of British Columbia, which was 25% owned by the provincial government. Free Enterprise is am economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control; and determined in a free market. ... Nationalization or Nationalisation is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. ... There have been two banks with the name Bank of British Columbia. ...

Bill Bennett era

Following the party's defeat in the 1972 election by the NDP, "Wacky" Bennett's son, William R. Bennett, took over the leadership of the party, and modernized it, putting populism behind and becoming an uneasy coalition of federal Liberals, Christian conservatives from the province's Bible Belt, and fiscal conservatives from the corporate sector with the latter firmly in control. On its return to power in the 1975 election, the party, for the most part, eschewed the megaprojects of the elder Bennett (with the exception of Expo 86 and the Coquihalla Highway), and embraced a fiscally conservative program. The 30th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... William Richards Bennett, or simply Bill Bennett (born August 18, 1932) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia (1975-1986). ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada), coloquially known as Grits (originally Clear Grits) is a Canadian federal political party, positioned around center of the political spectrum, combining a generally progressive social policy with moderate economics. ... The British Columbia general election of 1975 was the 31st general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... British Columbia provincial highway 5, known locally as the Southern Yellowhead Highway, is a north-south route in the southern part of the province. ...

As a result, the party built up a small political engine that managed to win the 1983 election, in spite of Bennett's controversial "Restraint" program. This was nicknamed the "Baby Blue Machine", and consisted of political advisors primarily imported from the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. It never became a major political apparatus like the Big Blue Machine in Ontario did, as Bennett decided to retire in 1986. The British Columbia general election of 1983 was the 33rd provincial election for the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party of Ontario, also known as Tories) is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. ... Big Blue Machine can refer to: Big Blue Machine (Ontario) - the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party political machine This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

All Socred governments attempted to curb the power of trade unions and also limited social welfare spending. A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... ...

Bill Vander Zalm era

Under Bennett's successor, Bill Vander Zalm, control of the party shifted from urban fiscal conservatives to social conservatives, causing the coalition to unravel. This process was exacerbated by Vander Zalm's eccentricity, and the constant scandals that plagued his government. As well, Vander Zalm allowed his principal secretary, David Poole, to amass a substantial amount of power, despite being unelected. 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. ...

Decline

Vander Zalm was forced to resign in a conflict of interest scandal, and was succeeded as party leader and premier by longtime associate Rita Johnston, who became the first female head of government at any level in Canada. Johnston was unable to make up any ground, and Social Credit was defeated in the 1991 election by the NDP. Johnston lost her own seat. To add insult to injury, many moderate Socred supporters switched their support to the British Columbia Liberal Party, relegating the Socreds to third place, with only seven seats. More party infighting occurred as Grace McCarthy, a cabinet member under both Bill Bennett and Vander Zalm, was elected to replace Johnston. A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional and/or personal interests. ... Rita Johnston (born April 22, 1935) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. ... The 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991. ... The British Columbia Liberal Party (usually called the BC Liberal Party) is a right-of-centre provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada, differing from some other right-of-centre parties in being fiscally conservative and socially moderate to liberal (or neoliberal), although some social conservatives do exist in the... Grace Mary McCarthy (born October 14, 1927) was a Canadian politician in British Columbia, nicknamed Amazing Grace by members of her party, and a longtime member of the Social Credit Party of B.C. She was largely responsible for rebuilding the party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial election. ...

The party rapidly sank into obscurity as most of its remaining members joined the socially conservative Reform Party or Unity Party. The Social Credit Party helped found the Unity Party, but left due to dissatisfaction with the way the party was run. The Reform Party of British Columbia (Reform BC) was a populist political party in British Columbia, Canada, which for much of its history was associated with the right wing. ... The British Columbia Unity Party is a right wing political party in British Columbia, Canada. ...

1994 was a key year in the decline of Social Credit. In February, newly-elected leader Grace McCarthy lost a by-election for a BC Legislature seat in the once safe riding of Matsqui (Liberal Mike de Jong won the seat by less than 100 votes). After that defeat, four of the six remaining Social Credit MLAs elected in 1991 left the party to join the BC Reform Party, leaving Social Credit without official party status in the BC Legislature. McCarthy resigned as leader shortly thereafter.

In the 1996 provincial election, Social Credit lost all of its remaining seats in the legislature, and received only 0.4% of the vote. At this point, the party was largely considered a dead force in BC politics. The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the 36th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ...

The party continues to exist, but is essentially a fringe party, similar in status to the Marijuana Party. It is not taken seriously by voters at large, the media, or even most past Socred members or politicians. A poster in Valencia, Spain, urges a vote for the Cannabis Party in Spains March 2004 general election Marijuana Parties are formal political parties set up specifically to legalize cannabis. ...

In the 2001 provincial election, what remained of the party ran only two candidates. Grant Mitton achieved some success in Peace River South, placing second with 1,726 votes (17.4%). He subsequently left to become leader of the British Columbia Party. The other candidate, Carrol Barbara Woolsey, in Vancouver-Hastings, placed 5th of 6 candidates with 222 votes (1.15% of the total). British Columbia riding map showing the winning parties and their vote percentage of each riding. ... The British Columbia Party is a right-wing political party in British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1998 as a populist party by John Motiuk, a North Vancouver lawyer. ...

In the 2005 election, the party nominated two candidates: Woolsey, who won 254 votes (1.28% of the total in Vancouver-Hastings, and Anthony Yao, who won 225 votes (0.95% of the total) in Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. Popular vote map by riding Popular vote map by riding (four-colour version) The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia (BC), Canada. ...

As of 2005, the Social Credit Party does not have an official leader, though party president Carrol Barbara Woolsey acts as its de facto leader. 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Party leaders

• Reverend Haskell (1951 - 1952 ?)
• W. A. C. Bennett (July 15, 1952-November 24, 1973) *
  
• William R. Bennett (November 24, 1973-July 30, 1986) *
• William Vander Zalm (July 30, 1986-April 1, 1991) *
• Rita Johnston (April 2, 1991-March 7, 1992) *
• Jack Weisgerber (interim) (March 7, 1992-November 6, 1993)
• Grace McCarthy (November 6, 1993-1994)
• Cliff Serwa (interim) (1994)
• Larry Gillanders (November 4, 1994-May 24, 1996)
• Ken Endean (interim) (1996)
• Eric Buckley (1996-October 2000)

Eric Buckley left Social Credit in October 2000 to join the British Columbia Party. The position of party leader has been vacant since that time. William Andrew Cecil Bennett (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a [[leap year starting on Tueday] (link will take you to calendar). ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... William Richards Bennett, or simply Bill Bennett (born August 18, 1932) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia (1975-1986). ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rita Johnston (born April 22, 1935) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. ... 2 April is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Grace Mary McCarthy (born October 14, 1927) was a Canadian politician in British Columbia, nicknamed Amazing Grace by members of her party, and a longtime member of the Social Credit Party of B.C. She was largely responsible for rebuilding the party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial election. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The British Columbia Party is a right-wing political party in British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1998 as a populist party by John Motiuk, a North Vancouver lawyer. ...

* = also served as Premier of British Columbia Categories: Stub | British Columbia premiers ...

Other prominent Socred politicians

• Garde Gardom
• Rafe Mair

The Honourable Garde Basil Gardom, QC, OBC, LL.B., BA (born July 17, 1924) is a former Canadian politician, lawyer, and Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. ... Rafe Mair is a former Canadian politician and a current radio personality in British Columbia, Canada. ...

Electoral results

In the 1937 election, the British Columbia Social Credit League endorsed candidates, but none were elected.

In the 1941 election, no candidates ran under the social credit banner. The British Columbia general election of 1937 was the nineteenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The British Columbia general election, 1941 was the twentieth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ...

In the 1945 election, an alliance of social credit groups nominated candidates. None were elected.

In the 1949 election, three different social credit groups nominated candidates. None were successful. The 21st general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on August 31, 1945, and held on October 25, 1945. ...

In subsequent elections, only the Social Credit Party of British Columbia emerged as the only social credit party, although it quickly abandoned social credit theories. The 22nd general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 16, 1949, and held on June 15, 1949. ...

The 23rd general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 10, 1952, and held on June 12, 1952. ... The 24th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada was called on April 10, 1953, and held on June 9, 1953. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1956 was the 25th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1960 was the 26th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1963 was the 27th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1966 was the 28th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1969 was the 29th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The 30th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Honourable William Andrew Cecil Bennett, PC , OC (September 6, 1900 - February 23, 1979) was a Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The British Columbia general election of 1975 was the 31st general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... William Richards Bennett, or simply Bill Bennett (born August 18, 1932) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia (1975-1986). ... The British Columbia general election of 1979 was the 32nd general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... William Richards Bennett, or simply Bill Bennett (born August 18, 1932) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia (1975-1986). ... The British Columbia general election of 1983 was the 33rd provincial election for the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... William Richards Bennett, or simply Bill Bennett (born August 18, 1932) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia (1975-1986). ... The 34th general election for the Province of British Columbia, Canada, was called on September 24, 1986. ... William Nicholas Vander Zalm (b. ... The 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991. ... Rita Johnston (born April 22, 1935) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. ... The British Columbia general election of 1996 was the 36th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. ... British Columbia riding map showing the winning parties and their vote percentage of each riding. ... Popular vote map by riding Popular vote map by riding (four-colour version) The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia (BC), Canada. ...

External links

• BC Social Credit Party

See also

• List of British Columbia general elections
• List of British Columbia political parties
• British Columbia Social Credit Party leadership conventions
• British Columbia Conservative Party
• British Columbia Liberal Party
• Social Credit
• Canadian social credit movement