Item AAAB0315 - Alexander Douglas Turnbull interview

CALL NUMBER: T0270:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Member of the Legislative Assembly PERIOD COVERED: 1945-1950 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-04-03 SUMMARY: Background, education and work for Cominco at Trail, B.C. Discussion of work for Cominco. Political discussion group, Liberal Party. Development of Coalition Government. Running for election in 1948, defeat. Election of 1949 and becoming an MLA. Work to improve conditions in riding. Throne speech, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, 1949. Discussion of British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service, problems of initiating it and administration. Role of George Pearson, Minister of Labour and Minister of Health and Welfare. Discussion of legislation. CALL NUMBER: T0270:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): British Columbia hospital insurance service, early period PERIOD COVERED: 1950-1951 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-04-17 SUMMARY: Discussion of the problem of financing hospital insurance. Reaction of the voters in Trail, B.C. to the Coalition. Affect of road construction in political campaigning. Relationship with C.C.F. Appointment as Minister of Health and Welfare, 1950 and initial approach to the problem of hospital insurance. Role of Herbert Anscomb as Minister of Finance. Problems with: payment of premiums for hospital insurance, setting up program, housing of program's operations, and overall criticisms of program. Expansion of Vancouver General Hospital and the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine at U.B.C. Attempt to put hospital insurance on sound financial basis. Hospital insurance as a political issue. CALL NUMBER: T0270:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Minister of Health and Welfare PERIOD COVERED: 1950-1952 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974-04-19 SUMMARY: The British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service, and the reaction of the medical profession to its establishment. Budgetary control of hospitals under BCHIS. Payment of premiums to BCHIS. Involvement of Byron Johnson and Herbert Anscomb with hospital insurance. Budget Speech, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Byron Johnson and his automobile accident. W.A.C. Bennett crossing the floor and leaving the Conservative Party. Operation of government in the Coalition period. Description of Health and Welfare Department. Increasing costs of BCHIS. CALL NUMBER: T0270:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The hospital insurance issue and the breakup of the Coalition government PERIOD COVERED: 1950-1952 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974 SUMMARY: Creation of Hospital Insurance Inquiry Board to investigate British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service by Legislative Assembly. Attempt to use it as a political issue. Minister's relationship with inquiry board. Directing of inquiry by Sidney Smith, MLA. Problem of morale at BCHIS during inquiry. Mannix Report, Hamilton Report. Preliminary recommendations of inquiry board. Favourable response of hospital administrators to BCHIS. Criticism of inquiry board. Political pressures against Coalition and problems between Herbert Anscomb and Byron Johnson. CALL NUMBER: T0270:0005 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Minister of the Coalition government PERIOD COVERED: 1950-1952 RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1974 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Turnbull discusses in detail the last year of the Coalition government of Boss Johnson in 1951-52. He focuses on the details of the British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service, which he was responsible for. He discusses the impact of the BCHIS on the electorate. He mentions why Premier Johnson called the election. TRACK 2: In the last half of the tape Mr. Turnbull provides even greater detail on the concept and funding of the BCHIS at the time of the 1952 provincial election. (End of interview)