Bill Vander Zalm
Encyclopedia
Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie "Bill" Vander Zalm (born May 29, 1934) is a politician and entrepreneur in British Columbia
, Canada
. He was the 28th Premier of British Columbia
from 1986 to 1991.
, Netherlands
. He immigrated to Canada after World War II
, settling in the Fraser Valley
in 1947. After completing high school, he sold tulip
bulbs and ultimately established himself in the nursery and gardening business.
of Surrey
in 1965, and served as the city's mayor
from 1969 to 1975. His tenure was marked by his crackdown on welfare "deadbeats" (up to the early 1970s, welfare in BC was a municipal responsibility).
Vander Zalm was originally a supporter of both the Liberal Party of Canada
and the BC Liberal Party
. He sought election to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1968 federal election
as a Liberal in Surrey. He lost by 5,000 votes. He was also a candidate at the 1972 provincial Liberal leadership convention, where he lost to David Anderson. He joined the BC Social Credit Party
in 1974.
in the 1975 election
, in which Social Credit won back power after a three-year hiatus.
He immediately served in the cabinet of Premier Bill Bennett as Minister of Human Resources from 1975 to 1978, where he continued his crusade against welfare fraud
. After the swearing in ceremony, the media asked him to comment on what the public could expect from him regarding welfare people to which Vander Zalm replied "If people are truly in need, they can expect and will be treated fairly and compassionately. If people are elderly we will treat them with respect and when in need reward them for their lifelong contributions. If people are handicapped they will be treated generously, hopefully even more so than in the past. But if someone is able to work and refuses to do so, they had best pick up a shovel or I'll give them a shovel." He became widely known overnight when the media reported his last off the cuff remark with the following day headlines reading: "Vander Zalm Says Give Them a Shovel".
On June 22, 1978, the Victoria Daily Times published a political cartoon by cartoonist Bob Bierman that portrayed the then-Minister of Human Resources as a grinning sadist
deliberately snapping the wings off five helpless flies. Vander Zalm launched legal action for libel, Vander Zalm v. Times Publishers. Justice Craig Munroe of the B.C. Supreme Court awarded Vander Zalm $3,500 in damages. The decision was later overturned by the BC Court of Appeal in 1980, a decision praised by journalists as a victory for free speech. The original cartoon was purchased by the National Archives of Canada for $350.
He also served as Minister of Municipal Affairs & Transit from 1978 to 1981 and as Minister of Education from 1981 to 1983.
In 1984, he bought Fantasy Garden World, a theme park. The same year, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Vancouver
, as the candidate for the Non-Partisan Association
. He lost to Mike Harcourt
, who was later the provincial NDP leader during most of Vander Zalm's tenure as premier.
, he prevailed over 11 other candidates by winning on the fourth ballot.
He was sworn in as premier just a month before the 1986 election
.
During the subsequent provincial election campaign, "Vandermania" swept BC, and the Socreds easily won another term over the opposition New Democratic Party
(NDP). Bill and his wife, Lillian, attracted public adoration with their high-voltage smiles, positivity and charisma.
The party and its leader had no public plan for when they were elected for the long term. However, the main clear goal was to have a "fresh start" after the confrontational Bennett years.
Once elected with a majority, Vander Zalm selected his cabinet, mostly backbenchers who had languished under Bill Bennett. Oddly, Vander Zalm decided to release the normally secret list of cabinet appointments to two Vancouver Sun reporters hours before the official announcement was to be made.
The Social Credit Party had been a tenuous alliance between urban fiscal conservatives and Christian conservatives in the province's Bible Belt. Fiscal conservatives had dominated the party for over a decade, but under Vander Zalm social conservatives took control. Vander Zalm himself was a social conservative, and his government once tried to cut public funding for abortion
s that were not medically necessary. The resulting uproar forced Vander Zalm to drop the program. His government also had a confrontational relationship with labour unions.
As well, he appointed David Poole, a close friend, to be his "Principal Secretary". Before resigning in 1989, Poole had allegedly become the second most powerful person in the province despite never having been elected. This naturally attracted the anger of numerous cabinet ministers, such as Grace McCarthy
, an influential Socred MLA who resigned in protest from Vander Zalm's cabinet in 1988.
Vander Zalm became embroiled in a conflict of interest controversy over the sale of his Fantasy Gardens
flower garden and theme park. The conflict of interest arose because the Taiwanese buyer, Tan Yu
, was provided VIP treatment and lunch with the Lieutenant-Governor prior to the sale. Vander Zalm claimed that control over the theme park was his wife's responsibility. Adding fuel to the fire, Faye Leung, a colourful Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and the woman who brokered the deal, thought that Vander Zalm was a "bad man" since the day she first met him and secretly recorded conversations she had with him, and was happily willing to speak to the media and provide copies of her audio tapes.
Vander Zalm resigned as premier in 1991 when a provincial conflict of interest report by Ted Hughes
found he had mixed private business with his public office in the sale of the gardens. He was charged with criminal breach of trust, but found not guilty in B.C. Supreme Court in 1992. The court ruled that while Vander Zalm had put himself in a conflict of interest, he had not done anything illegal. He was succeeded as Premier of BC by Rita Johnston
. In the 1991 provincial election
, the Social Credit Party was reduced to seven seats, and has not won a seat in any election since.
in a by-election in 1999 for the Reform Party of British Columbia
. This by-election was notable for many reasons, including the incredibly low support the governing NDP received (coming in fourth), and marking the absolute low point for the NDP's electoral support. NDP candidate Richard Tones received just 2.44% of the vote. Vander Zalm finished second with 32.91% of the vote to Liberal Val Roddick
who received 59.63%. Vander Zalm retired from politics and now resides in Ladner
.
(HST). A series of populist rallies led to him becoming the official proponent, in accordance with the Recall and Initiative Act, of a petition seeking a referendum to cancel the HST. Vander Zalm established a website, FightHST, to promote the initiative. The provincial Liberal government has countered Vander Zalm's campaign and devoted a section of their website to the positive aspects of the HST.
For the petition to be certified, there is a requirement to secure the signatures of a minimum of 10% of all registered voters on the provincial voters list in each riding in the province, no later than June 30, 2010.
On June 30, 2010, Vander Zalm delivered 85 boxes containing 705,643 signatures from voters in every riding across the province. Those signatures represent some 45% of those who voted in the 2009 provincial election.
On August 11, 2010, Elections BC verified the official anti-HST petition submitted by the province's Fight HST campaign. According to former premier Bill Vander Zalm, the province's chief electoral officer has decided not to act on the petition pending the outcome of a case before the courts.
Vander Zalm said he was pleased with the result, but "very disappointed" to learn the province's chief electoral officer will not act on the petition until all court proceedings involving the tax are complete—a process which could take two or three years. That means beginning in November, the anti-HST campaign will turn its attention to a recall campaign for Liberal MLAs, Vander Zalm told reporters. "We will recall every Liberal MLA in the province, if that's what it takes," he said. Fellow Fight HST organizer Bill Tieleman says they will seek a court injunction to force Elections BC to comply with the rules. He says it's shameful they have decided to wait until after the court proceedings have been settled.
On August 20, 2010, Chief Justice Robert J. Bauman
ruled a petition opposing British Columbia's controversial harmonized sales tax was valid. This decision could result in sending the issue back to the provincial legislature or to a public referendum. Bauman said Elections BC was correct when it approved the petition on August 11.
On September 14, 2010, it was announced a referendum
would be held September 24, 2011 on repealing the HST. Premier Gordon Campbell stated a simple majority (50%+1) of those eligible and casting ballots would be sufficient for the government to cancel the HST if the referendum went against the government. “If people decide they want to get rid of the HST next September, then I guess we’re going to get rid of the HST next September,” Campbell stated. “There’s no point in going to the people if you’re not going to listen to them.”
and "Way to Grow" garden supplements.
Vander Zalm is Dutch
for "of the salmon".
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was the 28th Premier of British Columbia
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
from 1986 to 1991.
Early life
Vander Zalm was born and raised in NoordwijkerhoutNoordwijkerhout
Noordwijkerhout is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 23.40 km² and had a population of 15,121 in May 2006...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He immigrated to Canada after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, settling in the Fraser Valley
Fraser Valley
The Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. The term is sometimes used to refer to the Fraser Canyon and stretches upstream from there, but in general British Columbian usage of the term refers to the stretch of the...
in 1947. After completing high school, he sold tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
bulbs and ultimately established himself in the nursery and gardening business.
Early political career
Vander Zalm was elected aldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Surrey
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
in 1965, and served as the city's mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from 1969 to 1975. His tenure was marked by his crackdown on welfare "deadbeats" (up to the early 1970s, welfare in BC was a municipal responsibility).
Vander Zalm was originally a supporter of both the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and the BC Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
. He sought election to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1968 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1968
The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...
as a Liberal in Surrey. He lost by 5,000 votes. He was also a candidate at the 1972 provincial Liberal leadership convention, where he lost to David Anderson. He joined the BC Social Credit Party
British Columbia Social Credit Party
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...
in 1974.
Social Credit MLA
He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British ColumbiaLegislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
in the 1975 election
British Columbia general election, 1975
The British Columbia general election of 1975 was the 31st general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on November 3, 1975, and held on December 11, 1975...
, in which Social Credit won back power after a three-year hiatus.
He immediately served in the cabinet of Premier Bill Bennett as Minister of Human Resources from 1975 to 1978, where he continued his crusade against welfare fraud
Welfare fraud
Welfare fraud refers to various intentional misuses of state welfare systems by withholding information or giving false or inaccurate information. This may be done in small, uncoordinated efforts, or in larger, organized criminal rings...
. After the swearing in ceremony, the media asked him to comment on what the public could expect from him regarding welfare people to which Vander Zalm replied "If people are truly in need, they can expect and will be treated fairly and compassionately. If people are elderly we will treat them with respect and when in need reward them for their lifelong contributions. If people are handicapped they will be treated generously, hopefully even more so than in the past. But if someone is able to work and refuses to do so, they had best pick up a shovel or I'll give them a shovel." He became widely known overnight when the media reported his last off the cuff remark with the following day headlines reading: "Vander Zalm Says Give Them a Shovel".
On June 22, 1978, the Victoria Daily Times published a political cartoon by cartoonist Bob Bierman that portrayed the then-Minister of Human Resources as a grinning sadist
Sadism and masochism as medical terms
In psychiatry, the terms sadism and masochism describe a personality type characterized by the actor or actrix deriving pleasure and gratification from inflicting physical pain and humiliation ; and from suffering pain and humiliation upon the self ; such pleasure often is sexual, but not...
deliberately snapping the wings off five helpless flies. Vander Zalm launched legal action for libel, Vander Zalm v. Times Publishers. Justice Craig Munroe of the B.C. Supreme Court awarded Vander Zalm $3,500 in damages. The decision was later overturned by the BC Court of Appeal in 1980, a decision praised by journalists as a victory for free speech. The original cartoon was purchased by the National Archives of Canada for $350.
He also served as Minister of Municipal Affairs & Transit from 1978 to 1981 and as Minister of Education from 1981 to 1983.
In 1984, he bought Fantasy Garden World, a theme park. The same year, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, as the candidate for the Non-Partisan Association
Non-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
. He lost to Mike Harcourt
Mike Harcourt
Michael Franklin Harcourt served as the 30th Premier of the province of British Columbia in Canada from 1991 to 1996, and before that as the 34th mayor of BC's major city, Vancouver from 1980 to 1986....
, who was later the provincial NDP leader during most of Vander Zalm's tenure as premier.
Provincial Premier
In 1986, Premier Bennett announced he was retiring. Vander Zalm attracted considerable attention as he considered whether he would run for the leadership of the Social Credit Party. He generated more press out of the race than the other candidates did in it. At the party's convention in Whistler, British ColumbiaWhistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, he prevailed over 11 other candidates by winning on the fourth ballot.
He was sworn in as premier just a month before the 1986 election
British Columbia general election, 1986
The British Columbia general election of 1986 was the 34th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 24, 1986...
.
During the subsequent provincial election campaign, "Vandermania" swept BC, and the Socreds easily won another term over the opposition New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
(NDP). Bill and his wife, Lillian, attracted public adoration with their high-voltage smiles, positivity and charisma.
The party and its leader had no public plan for when they were elected for the long term. However, the main clear goal was to have a "fresh start" after the confrontational Bennett years.
Once elected with a majority, Vander Zalm selected his cabinet, mostly backbenchers who had languished under Bill Bennett. Oddly, Vander Zalm decided to release the normally secret list of cabinet appointments to two Vancouver Sun reporters hours before the official announcement was to be made.
The Social Credit Party had been a tenuous alliance between urban fiscal conservatives and Christian conservatives in the province's Bible Belt. Fiscal conservatives had dominated the party for over a decade, but under Vander Zalm social conservatives took control. Vander Zalm himself was a social conservative, and his government once tried to cut public funding for abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s that were not medically necessary. The resulting uproar forced Vander Zalm to drop the program. His government also had a confrontational relationship with labour unions.
As well, he appointed David Poole, a close friend, to be his "Principal Secretary". Before resigning in 1989, Poole had allegedly become the second most powerful person in the province despite never having been elected. This naturally attracted the anger of numerous cabinet ministers, such as Grace McCarthy
Grace McCarthy
Grace Mary McCarthy, OC, OBC is a former Canadian politician and florist in British Columbia. Nicknamed Amazing Grace by members of her longtime political party, the Social Credit Party of B.C, she was largely responsible for rebuilding the party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial...
, an influential Socred MLA who resigned in protest from Vander Zalm's cabinet in 1988.
Vander Zalm became embroiled in a conflict of interest controversy over the sale of his Fantasy Gardens
Fantasy Gardens
Fantasy Gardens, also known as Fantasy Garden World, was a former amusement park in Richmond, British Columbia that was located at the corner of Steveston Highway and No. 5 Road. The park was called Fantasy Gardens because it was surrounded by a series of stone buildings that were designed to...
flower garden and theme park. The conflict of interest arose because the Taiwanese buyer, Tan Yu
Tan Yu
Tan Yu was a Chinese Filipino philanthropist and real estate entrepreneur who was once the richest man in the Philippines. In 1997, Forbes ranked him among the 20 wealthiest men on the planet where he had a net worth of about $7 Billion...
, was provided VIP treatment and lunch with the Lieutenant-Governor prior to the sale. Vander Zalm claimed that control over the theme park was his wife's responsibility. Adding fuel to the fire, Faye Leung, a colourful Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and the woman who brokered the deal, thought that Vander Zalm was a "bad man" since the day she first met him and secretly recorded conversations she had with him, and was happily willing to speak to the media and provide copies of her audio tapes.
Vander Zalm resigned as premier in 1991 when a provincial conflict of interest report by Ted Hughes
Ted Hughes (judge)
Edward N. "Ted" Hughes is a retired Canadian judge. He is best known for overseeing prominent investigations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, one of which led to the resignation of Premier Bill Vander Zalm....
found he had mixed private business with his public office in the sale of the gardens. He was charged with criminal breach of trust, but found not guilty in B.C. Supreme Court in 1992. The court ruled that while Vander Zalm had put himself in a conflict of interest, he had not done anything illegal. He was succeeded as Premier of BC by Rita Johnston
Rita Johnston
Rita Margaret Johnston was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded William Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th Premier of British Columbia.Much of her early life was spent running a successful trailer park in the...
. In the 1991 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 1991
The British Columbia general election of 1991 was the 35th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on September 19, 1991, and held on October 17, 1991...
, the Social Credit Party was reduced to seven seats, and has not won a seat in any election since.
1999 Delta South byelection
After many years out of the spotlight, Vander Zalm again took a stab at office by running in Delta SouthDelta South
Delta South is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Member of Legislative Assembly :The current MLA for this riding is Vicki Huntington, the only Independent elected to the Assembly in the 2009 election....
in a by-election in 1999 for the Reform Party of British Columbia
Reform Party of British Columbia
The Reform Party of British Columbia is a populist right wing political party in British Columbia, Canada. Although its name is similar to the defunct Reform Party of Canada, the provincial party was founded before the federal party was and it did not have any formal association with...
. This by-election was notable for many reasons, including the incredibly low support the governing NDP received (coming in fourth), and marking the absolute low point for the NDP's electoral support. NDP candidate Richard Tones received just 2.44% of the vote. Vander Zalm finished second with 32.91% of the vote to Liberal Val Roddick
Val Roddick
Val Roddick is a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. She represented the riding of Delta South from 1999, when she won a by-election to succeed Fred Gingell, until 2009....
who received 59.63%. Vander Zalm retired from politics and now resides in Ladner
Ladner, British Columbia
Ladner was created as a fishing village on the banks of the Fraser River. It is a part of the Municipality of Delta, British Columbia, Canada, and a suburb of Vancouver....
.
HST Initiative Petition
Vander Zalm returned to the political spotlight in 2009 as a recurring critic of the provincial government's conversion of the Provincial Sales Tax to the Harmonized Sales TaxHarmonized Sales Tax
The Harmonized Sales Tax is the name used in Canada to describe the combination of the federal Goods and Services Tax and the regional Provincial Sales Tax into a single value added sales tax in five of the ten Canadian provinces: Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, British...
(HST). A series of populist rallies led to him becoming the official proponent, in accordance with the Recall and Initiative Act, of a petition seeking a referendum to cancel the HST. Vander Zalm established a website, FightHST, to promote the initiative. The provincial Liberal government has countered Vander Zalm's campaign and devoted a section of their website to the positive aspects of the HST.
For the petition to be certified, there is a requirement to secure the signatures of a minimum of 10% of all registered voters on the provincial voters list in each riding in the province, no later than June 30, 2010.
On June 30, 2010, Vander Zalm delivered 85 boxes containing 705,643 signatures from voters in every riding across the province. Those signatures represent some 45% of those who voted in the 2009 provincial election.
On August 11, 2010, Elections BC verified the official anti-HST petition submitted by the province's Fight HST campaign. According to former premier Bill Vander Zalm, the province's chief electoral officer has decided not to act on the petition pending the outcome of a case before the courts.
Vander Zalm said he was pleased with the result, but "very disappointed" to learn the province's chief electoral officer will not act on the petition until all court proceedings involving the tax are complete—a process which could take two or three years. That means beginning in November, the anti-HST campaign will turn its attention to a recall campaign for Liberal MLAs, Vander Zalm told reporters. "We will recall every Liberal MLA in the province, if that's what it takes," he said. Fellow Fight HST organizer Bill Tieleman says they will seek a court injunction to force Elections BC to comply with the rules. He says it's shameful they have decided to wait until after the court proceedings have been settled.
On August 20, 2010, Chief Justice Robert J. Bauman
Robert J. Bauman
Robert J. Bauman is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, appointed on September 9, 2009.-References:...
ruled a petition opposing British Columbia's controversial harmonized sales tax was valid. This decision could result in sending the issue back to the provincial legislature or to a public referendum. Bauman said Elections BC was correct when it approved the petition on August 11.
On September 14, 2010, it was announced a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
would be held September 24, 2011 on repealing the HST. Premier Gordon Campbell stated a simple majority (50%+1) of those eligible and casting ballots would be sufficient for the government to cancel the HST if the referendum went against the government. “If people decide they want to get rid of the HST next September, then I guess we’re going to get rid of the HST next September,” Campbell stated. “There’s no point in going to the people if you’re not going to listen to them.”
Personal life
Since his retirement, he has appeared in advertisements, including TV spots for Insurance Corporation of British ColumbiaInsurance Corporation of British Columbia
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is a provincial crown corporation in British Columbia created in 1973 by the NDP government of British Columbia. The original purpose of ICBC was to provide universal public auto insurance in British Columbia...
and "Way to Grow" garden supplements.
Vander Zalm is Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for "of the salmon".
Further reading
- Gary Mason and Keith Baldrey (1989). Fantasyland: Inside the reign of Bill Vander Zalm. McGraw-Hill Ryerson. ISBN 0-07-549868-5