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Victoria (B.C.) Politicians--British Columbia
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15th Parliament, 2nd session

Item is a photographic print showing the 15th parliament, 2nd session, of British Columbia Legislative Assembly sitting in the legislative chamber between October 30th and December 16th, 1922.

Finance Minister John Hart sits at the bottom left in a light gray suit with then Premier John Oliver behind him. William Bowser, leader of the opposition, is visible near the back of the right bench. At the central table are the Officers of the House, including Clerk of the House Major William Langley, and the Sergeant at Arms; possibly Frederick Mellor or Harry Hearns. Speaker of the house is Frederick Arthur Pauline.

[B.C. Legislature]

News item. Footage shows B.C. Legislature in full session. Sound is poor (except for the desk slapping by the MLAs), photography is on the dark side but still acceptable for available light situation.

[Bennett -- #1]

News item. Bill Bennett speaks: "Governments should be elected to do things for people, not to them. And yet in British Columbia, we have a growing civil service that brings in more restrictions, a bureaucracy that's greater in British Columbia than the sum total of the numbers of people in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined, and government costs in British Columbia have gone to just over $300 per person in 1967 to over $1,300 per person in 1975. What we need is a government that serves people, not restricts peple as they have in British Columbia."

[Bennett -- #2]

News item. Bill Bennett says that people between 25 and 64 are a "forgotten group". These people are the ones who pay for all the "costs and funds of government", but they do not get that much in return. They especially need help to build or buy homes.

[Bennett -- the Kelly affair]

News item. The Premier says he cannot have allegations made against his party such as those on Mr. Kelly's tapes. He tries to evade questions from the media.

[CHEK-TV news film -- Bennett, hospital]

Stock shots. 1. Jean Chretien and other politicians make speeches. 2. Unidentified interview. 3. Construction project. 4. Royal Jubilee Hospital -- nurses, exteriors. 5. Victoria General Hospital, Northern Component -- drawings and models. 6. Dr. D.R. Carlow -- Medical Director. 7. [Jim Nielsen?] 8. Construction site prior to start. 9. Ribbon cutting ceremony. 10. Mount Tolmie Hospital. 11. Juan de Fuca Hospital. 12. Labour unrest. 13. Premier W.R. Bennett -- cabinet swearing-in ceremony. 14. Dave Barrett. 15. W.R. Bennett in track suit, jogging at a school. 16. W.R. Bennett in office. 17. Provincial government newsletter. 18. Different shots of W.R. Bennett -- indoors and outdoors.

[CHEK-TV news film -- political people, reel 1]

Stock shots. Footage of political personalities from Victoria and Vancouver Island. 1. Robin Blencoe - NDP MLA, re: use of pesticide. 2. Gretchen Brewin - Mayor of Victoria. 3. Brian Smith - Social Credit MLA & cabinet minister. 4. [Unidentified - scratched?]. 5. Ron Cheffins - University of Victoria law professor. 6. Allan McKinnon - federal Conservative MP for Victoria. 7. Scott Wallace - former Conservative & Social Credit MLA (Oak Bay). 8. William Vander Zalm - probably when he was Minister of Municipal Affairs. 9. Charles Barber - NDP MLA (Victoria), re: convention centre. 10. Mike Young - Mayor of Victoria, re: convention centre. 11. John Cooper - Victoria alderman. 12. Bob McClelland - Social Credit MLA & cabinet minister, re: energy. 13. Vic Stephens (sp?) - former provincial Progressive Conservative leader resigns leadership. 14. Robin Blencoe - NDP MLA (Victoria), re: transit. 15. Bill Tindall - Mayor of Victoria, re: public hearings. 16. Mel Couvelier - Social Credit MLA & cabinet minister. 17. Mel Couvelier - Social Credit MLA & cabinet minister. 18. Scott Wallace - MLA (Oak Bay) & Progressive Conservative leader. 19. Evan Wolfe - Social Credit MLA & cabinet minister. 20. Vic Stephens (sp?) - Progressive Conservative leader. 21. Bill Tindall - Victoria mayor. 22. Larry Ryan - Victoria alderman. 23. Mike Young - Victoria mayor. 24. Murray Glazier - Victoria alderman. 25. Bill Tindall - Victoria mayor. 26. Frank Ney - Social Credit MLA and Mayor of Nanaimo. 27. Scott Wallace - Social Credit/Conservative MLA (Oak Bay). 28. Donald Munro - Progressive Conservative MP (Esquimalt-Saanich), re: international fisheries. 29. Frank Mitchell - NDP MLA for (Esquimalt).

[CHEK-TV news film -- political people, reel 2]

Stock shots. Footage of political personalities from Victoria and Vancouver Island. 1. Vic Stephens - BC Progressive Conservative leader, re: Conservative party. 2. Same as above - in a garden. 3. Dave Barrett - NDP Leader of Opposition. 4. Chief Dan George - re: young people and acting. 5. Jack Davis - federal Minister of Fisheries. 6. Catholic bishop (Remi De Roo?) - outdoors. 7. Same as above - indoors, ca. 1978. 8. John Diefenbaker - former Prime Minister makes dinner speech. 9. Don Munro - Conservative MP (Saanich-Esquimalt). 10. [Unknown federal politician] - probably a cabinet minister. 11. Eric Simmons - Victoria alderman, re: Fire Department. 12. Bill Tindall - Victoria mayor, re: tunnel inside. 13. Same as above - outside City Hall. 14. Same as above - inside. 15. Mike Young - Victoria Mayor, in office. 16. Same as above. 17. Scott Wallace - outdoors, re: health care costs. 18. Same as above.

[CHEK-TV news film -- political people, reel 3]

Stock shots. Footage of political personalities from Victoria and Vancouver Island. 1. Lieutenant-governor & Premier W.R. Bennett at Legislature opening. 2. [Lord Mountbatten?] 3. Lieutenant-Governor Walter Owen. 4. Sam Bawlf - Social Credit cabinet minister) and Victoria MLA. 5. [Unity Task Force Member?] 6. Charles Barber - NDP MLA (Victoria). 7. Same as above - outside Legislature. 8. Joe Clark - leader of Conservative party, with local MPs Don Munro and Alex MacKinnon. 9. Bill Vander Zalm - Social Credit Minister of Municipal Affairs. 10. Dave Barrett - NDP Leader of Opposition. 11. Pat McGeer - Social Credit Minister of Education, re: tunnel. 12. [Federal Minister of Small Business?] 13. [Political pollster?] 14. Dave Barrett - NDP Leader of Opposition - bashing Socreds, calls for election. 15. Same as #13 above. 16. Governor-General Ed Schreyer. 17. Ed Broadbent - federal NDP leader. 18. Jean Chretien - Liberal MP and cabinet minister. 19. Pierre Trudeau - Prime Minister (1978 election?). 20. Joe Clark - at Victoria Airport.

[Constituency office]

News item. Charles Barber explains the value of his constituency office. He is a liaison between the NDP and the voters.

Eye witness no. 21 : excerpt

The item is a copy of part of a National Film Board news reel print of one of the items in Eye Witness no. 21. The Hon. Nancy Hodges is seen at home, at work as a columnist for the Victoria Times newspaper, and in her role as Speaker in the Legislative Assembly of B.C. in Victoria.

Gretchen Brewin fonds

  • PR-2184
  • Fonds
  • 1991-2001

The fonds consists of the records created by Gretchen Brewin in her capacity as MLA including her time as Deputy Speaker, Speaker and Minister for Children and Families. The fonds consists of the following series: political workbooks, 1992-2001; day timers, 1993-2001 and general office files, 1991-2001.

Brewin, Gretchen

Helmcken family papers

Papers of J.S. Helmcken and members of his family, including correspondence, 1848-1920, account books, 1871-1903, deeds, contracts, certificates, 1825-1890, medical notebooks, case books and account books, 1845-1890, notes and papers concerning the Beacon Hill Park Bowling Club, 1898-1914, rough notes and drafts for articles in newspapers, speeches, and reminiscences. Account books pertaining to the estate of Arthur Thomas Bushby, 1875-1901. Papers of Harry Dallas Helmcken, 1866-1894, and William Ralph Higgins, 1890-1903. J.S. Helmcken's confederation diary and reminiscences are also on microfilm. John Sebastian Helmcken was born in Spitalfields, London on 5 June 1824, the fourth child and eldest son of Claus Helmcken and Catherine Mittler. After attending St. George's German and English school from 1828 to 1839 Helmcken apprenticed himself to Dr. W.H. Graves as a chemist and druggist. On 2 October 1844, Helmcken registered as a student at Guy's Hospital, London, and in March 1848 was admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Two months later he was serving as surgeon aboard the Malacca until, on 12 October 1849, he received an appointment from the Hudson's Bay Company as surgeon and clerk for a five year term. Helmcken arrived at Esquimalt on 24 March 1850 and was first posted to Fort Rupert before being ordered to return to Fort Victoria in December 1850. On 27 December 1852 he married Cecilia Douglas, eldest daughter of Governor James Douglas. In 1856 Helmcken was elected to represent Esquimalt and Victoria District in the Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island and served as Speaker of the Assembly until union with British Columbia in 1866. Governor Musgrave appointed Helmcken to the Executive Council of British Columbia in December 1869 while he was also serving as a member of the Legislative Council of B.C., and in the summer of 1870 he travelled to Ottawa as one of three confederation delegates from the colony. With the entry of British Columbia into Confederation in 1871, Helmcken retired from active politics. Helmcken also served as president of the Board of Directors of the Royal Hospital, remained physician to Victoria's jail until 1910, and contributed numerous articles on the early history of Vancouver Island in his later life. Dr. Helmcken died on 1 September 1920. The records include the papers of J.S. Helmcken and members of his family: correspondence, 1848-1920, account books, 1871-1903, deeds, contracts, certificates, 1825-1890, medical notebooks, casebooks and account books, 1845-1890, notes and papers concerning the Beacon Hill Park Bowling Club, 1898-1914, rough notes and drafts for articles in newspapers, speeches and reminiscences. There are also account books pertaining to the estate of Arthur Thomas Bushby, 1875-1901, and papers of Harry Dallas Helmcken, 1866-1894, and William Ralph Higgins, 1890-1903. J.S. Helmcken's Confederation diary and reminiscences are also on microfilm [A00810]. An index to the records is available as part of the hard copy finding aid kept in the reference room.

Herbert Anscomb fonds

  • PR-2329
  • Fonds
  • [ca. 1911-1993; predominant 1924-1972]

The fonds consists of the records of Herbert Anscomb, who had one of the longest and most important political careers in the history of British Columbia. They document his activities as Reeve of Oak Bay, B.C., Mayor of Victoria, opposition member in the B.C. legislative assembly, cabinet minister in the B.C. government in numerous portfolios, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of British Columbia, and member of the federal Royal Commission on Transportation from 1959 to 1962. Predominantly, the records relate to his political career which began with his election to Oak Bay council in 1924 and ended with his defeat in the provincial election of 1952. The fonds also consists of a relatively small number of records concerning his personal life, family, and his involvement in the wine and brewing industry.

The documentary forms most significant in number include correspondence, photographs, and speeches (in public, in the legislature, and for radio broadcast). In smaller numbers the documentary forms include handwritten notes which were passed from MLAs to Anscomb during sittings in the legislature, magazine articles, and political campaign literature such as brochures, posters and pamphlets. The fonds also includes collected editorial cartoons, caricature drawings and other art work, certificates, reports, guest and visitors books, and ephemera.

The records reflect a wide range of subjects; these include: government, politics and economic policy during the depression and World War II, the province’s coalition government, infrastructure building, political competition against the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF party), the single transferable vote electoral system, the process of appointment to government jobs, hospital insurance, and the history of the Conservative Party in B.C. and its relationship with the federal party.

The fonds consists of six series, as follows:
• Provincial political records
• Municipal political records
• Personal records
• Royal Commission on Transportation records
• Photograph album
• Newspaper clippings scrapbooks

Records of particular note include detailed diaries which Anscomb kept as Minister of Mines, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Public Works, and Minister of Municipal Affairs in the early to mid-1940s. The fonds also consists of a rich collection of photographs which document in particular his career as mayor of Victoria and as a B.C. government cabinet minister.

The fonds also consists of a series of 12 volumes of newspaper clippings dating from 1924 to 1978. These scrapbooks cover Anscomb’s entire political career; subjects include all aspects of government and politics in Oak Bay, Victoria and the province of B.C., and not just articles pertaining to Anscomb himself. The fonds includes a manuscript of an unpublished autobiography Anscomb began in 1953.

Where possible the archivist has arranged records chronologically. Where files clearly had been used together as a group by their creator, that order was maintained.

Anscomb, Herbert, 1892-1972

[Jack Kelly]

News item. In an interview, Mr. Kelly says he had always planned to have his own business eventually, but the "events" of last year (his dismissal from the Socred caucus) speeded up his decision. Now he has gone into the brass rubbing business, and he is also preparing a book about his political life. Some of the Socreds he worked for (or with) were "excellent people", he says, and they should not be totally maligned.

[Legislature]

News item. Premier Bill Bennett: "We have a basic economy now that does generate some employment." Chronically ill children are to get a better breakdown on medication costs. It's the philosophy of this government," says Bennett, "to provide some equity to all the citizens, and not just special interest groups." A lengthy discussion of tourism follows, in which Bennett blames the 1975 drop in tourism on the NDP Minister of Highways. Bennett says he will encourage more people to hold their conventions in Victoria. NDP MLA Dave Barrett also has a "philosophy" of government. He chastises the Premier for putting more emphasis on generating tourist traffic in the Okanagan, rather than on Vancouver Island. He comments on the Throne Speech and predicts that government aid for Ocean Falls and Cancel will dry up. Premier Bennett predicts economic growth and a gradual move away from a "boom and bust" economy. Conservation MLA Scott Wallace comments on the Throne Speech. Barrett says that B.C.'s economic problems are "getting worse" and forecasts a threat to crown corporations competing in the forest industry.

Members of the BC Legislative Assembly or the BC Liberal Party

Item consists of a mount of one photograph on card of one unidentified woman [Mary Ellen Smith?] and numerous men posed on the front steps of the B.C. Parliament Buildings.

Smith was a Member of the B.C. Legislative Assembly from 1918-1928 and President of the B.C. Liberal Party from 1928 until her death in 1933. Her likely inclusion within the photograph dates the image from the late 1920s to 1933.

Members of the Legislative Assembly, [15th Parliament, First Session]

Members on the steps of the Parliament Buildings. In the front row are John Hart (2nd from the left), John Wallace de Beque Farris (4th from the left), Premier John Oliver, the Speaker of the House [probably Alexander Malcolm Manson], William John Bowser (Leader of the Opposition], and 9th from the left, William R. Ross. Mary Ellen Smith (first elected in January 2018) is in the second row, behind Oliver and Manson.

Parliament of British Columbia, 1898

Item consists of a mount of one group portrait of men and boys posed on the steps of the newly constructed B.C. Parliament Buildings. "Parliament of British Columbia, 1898. Blackie, Victoria West, B.C." is captioned on the card.

On the verso, a paper has been attached to the card by only its top edge. "P.O. Drawer 279. Angus Campbell & Co. Ltd. The Fashion Centre, 1008-1010 Government St., Victoria, B.C." is printed at the top. Below, the following is typed: "Members of Parliament, Officials, and Page Boys. 1st Row, left to right. Martin. Pooley. Turner. Baker. Semlin. Stoddart. Hume. 2nd [crossed out] Smith. Helmcken. McGregor. Rogers. Braden. Eberts. Mara. Walkem. Rithet. Williams. Kelly. 3rd [crossed out] Hunter. C. Pemberton. Fell. Adams. Higgins. Wolfiden. 4th [crossed out] Cotton. Bryden. Mutter. Huff." Next to the crossed out row numbers "Not in this order" is handwritten in pencil. "S. Scoff" is written below, also in pencil. Beneath the attached sheet, another sheet has been fully adhered to the card and lists the names above, handwritten in pencil.

Pioneer group (men)

Item is a black and white glass plate negative depicting 22 men standing in front of the legislature building in Victoria, 1882. Based on the date of the photograph and the individuals present they are members of the fourth parliament of British Columbia on the back porch of the Provincial Secretary's Office of the old, "birdcage", legislature buildings.

[Premier W.R. Bennett, ca. 1978]

News footage. Miscellaneous footage of Premier W.R. Bennett. On an open-line talk show at the CJVI radio studio, he discusses a study of the proposed fixed link to Vancouver Island. At a press conference, he compares federal subsidies to east and west coast provinces. At the Legislative Buildings, he welcomes Washington Governor Dixy Lee Ray, discusses the sale of gas to the U.S.A., takes part in "The Big Run for Little Brothers", etc.

Robert Strachan : [video interview, 1978]

Interview. A video oral history interview with Robert M. Strachan, former MLA, provincial leader of the CCF/NDP, and NDP cabinet minister. Includes other associated footage also used in the one-hour program, ROBERT STRACHAN: JOURNEYMAN POLITICIAN (V1981:13/007).

[Vander Zalm -- Brown filibuster]

News item. Shots of a nearly empty legislature. Human Resources Minister Bill Vander Zalm comments on Rosemary Brown's filibuster against Bill 65.