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 Ser;vice, 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. Appoin;tment 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 in;quiry 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 w;as 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 great;er detail on the concept and funding of the BCHIS at the time of the 1952 provincial election. (End of interview);