Bill Vander Zalm
| Bill Vander Zalm | |
|---|---|
| 28th Premier of British Columbia | |
|
In office August 6, 1986 – April 2, 1991 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Brian Mulroney |
| Lieutenant Governor |
Robert G. Rogers David Lam |
| Preceded by | Bill Bennett |
| Succeeded by | Rita Johnston |
| 29th Mayor of Surrey | |
|
In office 1969 – December 11, 1975 |
|
| Preceded by | W.E. Stagg |
| Succeeded by | Ed McKitka |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Richmond |
|
|
In office October 22, 1986 – October 17, 1991 Serving with Nick Loenen |
|
| Preceded by | James Arthur Nielsen |
| Succeeded by | Riding Abolished |
| Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Surrey |
|
|
In office December 11, 1975 – May 5, 1983 Serving with Ernest Hall |
|
| Preceded by | Ernest Hall |
| Succeeded by |
Rita Johnston William Earl Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm May 29, 1934 Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands |
| Political party | Social Credit Party |
| Spouse(s) | Lillian Vander Zalm |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
William Nicholas "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.
Vander Zalm was born Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie Van der Zalm and raised in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. He emigrated 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.
Vander Zalm was elected alderman 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.
He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1975 election for the riding of Surrey (he would later represent Richmond after the 1986 election), in which Social Credit won back power after a three-year hiatus.
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