Grace McCarthy interview : [Mitchell, 1980]
- AAAB1108
- Item
- 1980 [date recorded]
Part of Provincial Archives of British Columbia audio interviews, 1974-1992
CALL NUMBER: T0995:0006 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Minister without Portfolio, 1966-1972 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Grace McCarthy recalls the first time she met W.A.C. Bennett. Relations with the Premier as a member of the Vancouver Parks Board. General impressions of W.A.C. Bennett as Premier. W.A.C. Ben;nett and Vancouver. Reasons for W.A.C. Bennett's image in the press. Early views of Social Credit. Comments on her husband's involvement in Social Credit politics. Civic politics in Vancouver. Backgro;und to decision to run as a Social Credit candidate in the provincial election of 1966. Recollections of the 1966 election. First impressions as an MLA. Reaction to being appointed a Minister without Portfolio. Frustration of serving in cabinet without a portfolio after the first few years. During the period she served under W.A.C. Bennett he was becoming increasingly shielded from reality. Reasons for the lack of intra-governmental communication during the last years of W.A.C. Bennett's government. TRACK 2: Government and teamwork. Comments on cabinet under W.A.C. Bennett. Comparison between; government during W.A.C. Bennett's tenure as Premier and the government of Bill Bennett. Different attitudes towards development in B.C. W.A.C. Bennett's attitude toward government. Representing British Columbia on behalf of the Premier at the 1968 Premiers' Conference in Saskatchewan. Intuition that she would attend the conference. Comments on the conference. Discussion of remarks made in correspondence found in W.A.C. Bennett's papers concerning the conference. W.A.C. Bennett's attitude toward conferences. Preparation for the conference. Reasons why she was asked to represent the province at the conference. Comments on electioneering. Running a campaign in a dual-member constituency. Recollection of her seat-mate in Vancouver-Little Mountain, Les Peterson. CALL NUMBER: T0995:0007 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Recollections of W.A.C. Bennett and B.C. politics RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Grace McCarthy discusses the changing nature of Social Credit in British Columbia, 1952-72. Social Credit as the party of business. Political parties as coalitions. Comments on the character of the NDP in British Columbia. Objections to socialism. Socialism and communism. Individual freedom versus state control. Government intervention in the economy. Evaluation of different leaders of the NDP in B.C.: Robert Strachan, Thomas Berger, David Barrett. The NDP in opposition. The role of a parliamentary opposition. Polarization in British Columbia politics. The inevitability of the opposition becoming government. TRACK 2: The possibility of W.A.C. Bennett entering federal politics in Canada. The possibility that W.A.C. Bennett intended to retire prior to 1972. W.A.C. Bennett and premonitions. W.A.C. Bennett and the power of positive thinking. W.A.C. Bennett's loyalty to colleagues. Comments on theories of predestination. W.A.C. Bennett's government was not a "one-man-government". Reasons why voters in B.C. would not admit to supporting Social Credit. Loyalty as a political weakness of W.A.C. Bennett. W.A.C. Bennett's strengths and weaknesses as a leader. W.A.C. Bennett as a shy man. His attitude toward women. Reaction to and the effect of Robert Bonner's resignation as Attorney-General, 1968. Recollection of Bonner's victory in the Cariboo by-election in 1966. CALL NUMBER: T0995:0008 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The 1972 provincial election RECORDED: [location unknown], 1980 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Grace McCarthy discusses the Social Credit cabinet's tour of British Columbia in the spring of 1972. Press coverage of the tour. The climax of the tour at a meeting at New Westminster which resulted in a violent demonstration by organized labour. Reasons for the angry demonstration. Press commentary on the event. Reaction to the demonstration. The changing nature of the political climate in B.C. in the early 1970s. Reasons for the decline of Social Credit in the period leading up to the 1972 election. The calling of elections under the leadership of W.A.C. Bennett. As Minister without Portfolio, she assumed responsibility for the provincial Job Opportunities Program. Work in the area of social policy. Personal feelings going into the 1972 election campaign. Recollection of election night, 1972. The fickle loyalties of some Socred supporters. Speaking with Premier Bennett on election night. Reaction to the defeat of the government. General reflections on the election. [TRACK 2:; blank?] (End of interview)