BC United (BCU), known from 1903 until 2023 as the British Columbia Liberal Party or BC Liberals, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party has been described as conservative, neoliberal, and occupying a centre-right position on the left–right political spectrum. The party commonly describes itself as a "free enterprise coalition" and draws support from members of both the federal Liberal and Conservative parties. From the 1990s to 2024, BC United was the main centre-right opposition to the centre-left New Democratic Party (NDP). Once affiliated with the Liberal Party of Canada, the British Columbia Liberal Party became independent in 1987. The party changed its name to BC United on April 12, 2023.
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum and is one of the two major parties in British Columbia; since the 1990s, its rival was the business-oriented BC United until the Conservative Party of British Columbia reconstituted itself for the 2024 British Columbia general election, with BC United withdrawing its candidates and endorsing the Conservatives. The party is currently formally affiliated with the federal New Democratic Party and serves as its provincial branch.
William Nicholas Vander Zalm is a Dutch-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the 28th premier of British Columbia and leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party from 1986 to 1991. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Surrey from 1975 to 1983, and the riding of Richmond from 1986 to 1991.
Rita Margaret Johnston is a Canadian politician in British Columbia. Johnston became the first female premier in Canadian history when she succeeded Bill Vander Zalm in 1991 to become the 29th premier of British Columbia, serving for seven months.
William Andrew Cecil Bennett was a Canadian politician who served as the 25th premier of British Columbia from 1952 to 1972. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett remains the longest-serving premier in British Columbia history. He was a member of the Social Credit Party (Socreds).
The British Columbia Social Credit Party was a conservative political party in British Columbia, Canada. It was the governing party of British Columbia for all but three years between the 1952 provincial election and the 1991 election. For four decades, the party dominated the British Columbian political scene, with the only break occurring between the 1972 and 1975 elections when the British Columbia New Democratic Party governed. Party members were known as Socreds.
The Canadian social credit movement is a political movement originally based on the Social Credit theory of Major C. H. Douglas. Its supporters were colloquially known as Socreds in English and créditistes in French. It gained popularity and its own political party in the 1930s, as a result of the Great Depression.
Grace Mary McCarthy, OC, OBC, LLD, DTech, FRAIC (Hon.) was a Canadian politician and florist in British Columbia. A high-ranking member of the Social Credit Party of British Columbia, she was largely responsible for rebuilding that party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial election.
The Reform Party of British Columbia is an unregistered right-wing populist 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 it. Their peak of support came in 1996 when they elected two members to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
The 1991 British Columbia general election 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 incumbent Social Credit Party of British Columbia, which had been beset by scandals during Bill Vander Zalm's only term as premier, was defeated by the New Democratic Party of Mike Harcourt. Liberal Party leader Gordon Wilson surprised observers by leading his party to winning one-third of the votes cast, and forming the official opposition in the legislature after having held no seats at all since 1979. The new legislature met for the first time on March 17, 1992.
The British Columbia Social Credit Party was a conservative political party in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The provincial Social Credit movement was divided in its early years and was largely under the influence of the Alberta Social Credit League; it did not have a functional leadership before 1952.
The 1983 British Columbia general election was the 33rd provincial election for the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 7, 1983. The election was held on May 5, 1983. The new legislature that resulted from this election met for the first time on June 23, 1983.
The 1979 British Columbia general election was the 32nd 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 April 3, 1979. The election was held on May 10, 1979, and the new legislature met for the first time on June 6, 1979.
The 1975 British Columbia general election 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. The new legislature met for the first time on March 17, 1976.
The 1952 British Columbia general election was the 23rd general election in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, alongside a plebiscite on daylight saving time and liquor. The election was called on April 10, 1952, and held on June 12, 1952. The new legislature met for the first time on February 3, 1953.
The Politics of British Columbia involve not only the governance of British Columbia, Canada, and the various political factions that have held or vied for legislative power, but also a number of experiments or attempts at political and electoral reform.
Claude Harry Richmond is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the riding of Kamloops from 1981 to 1991 as part of the British Columbia Social Credit Party (Socred), and from 2001 to 2009 as part of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He held various cabinet positions under premiers Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm, Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell, and served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2005.
Brian Ray Douglas Smith is a Canadian politician and business executive. He served for a decade on Oak Bay municipal council and was mayor of Oak Bay from 1974 to 1979. Smith was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1979 election to represent the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head for the Social Credit Party. He was re-elected in the 1983 and 1986 election.
Graham Preston Bruce is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Cowichan-Malahat from 1986 to 1991 as part of the Social Credit Party (Socred), and the district of Cowichan-Ladysmith from 2001 to 2005 as a BC Liberal. He was a cabinet minister under premiers Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell.
The 34th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia sat from 1987 to 1991. The members were elected in the British Columbia general election held in October 1986. The Social Credit Party led by Bill Vander Zalm formed the government. Vander Zalm resigned in 1991 after he was found to have put himself into a conflict of interest; Rita Johnston then became Premier. The New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Bob Skelly formed the official opposition.
4.7 pp 1,366,193 voted. (The number of votes recorded exceeds the number of voters who voted due to the block voting system in use in BC's multi-member constituencies.)
