The Premier of British Columbia is the First Minister for the Canadian province of British Columbia. The province was a British crown colony governed by the Governors of British Columbia[1] before joining Canadian Confederation in 1871.[2] Since then, it has had a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the Premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Premier is British Columbia's head of government, and the Queen of Canada is its head of state and is represented by the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. The Premier picks a cabinet from the elected members to form the Executive Council of British Columbia and presides over that body.[3]
Members are first elected to the legislature during general elections. General elections must be conducted every four years from the date of the last election. An election may also take place if the governing party loses the confidence of the legislature by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion.[3]
Before 1903, British Columbia did not use a party system; instead, Premiers of British Columbia had no official party affiliation and were chosen by elected members of the Legislative Assembly from among themselves. Candidates ran as "Government", "Opposition", "Independent", or in formulations such as "Opposition independent", indicating their respective positions to the incumbent regime.
British Columbia has had 34 individuals serve as premier since joining Confederation, of which 14 individuals had no party affiliation, three were Conservatives, eight were Liberals, four were Socreds, and five were New Democrats. The first Premier was John Foster McCreight, who was inaugurated in 1871. Joseph Martin spent the shortest time in office at 106 days. At over twenty years, W. A. C. Bennett spent the longest time in office, and is the only Premier to serve in more than four Parliaments. The incumbent Premier is Christy Clark, who was designated February 26, 2011.
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No party affiliation British Columbia Conservative Party British Columbia Liberal Party British Columbia Social Credit Party British Columbia New Democratic Party
Premier (party) |
Period | Parliaments | Elections | |||
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1st | John Foster McCreight (no party affiliation) |
November 14, 1871 December 23, 1872 |
– | Designated November 13, 1871 | ||
1st | Elected October to December 1871 Resigned December 23, 1872 |
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2nd | Amor De Cosmos (no party affiliation) |
December 23, 1872 February 9, 1874 |
Designated December 23, 1872 Resigned February 9, 1874 |
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3rd | George Anthony Walkem (no party affiliation) (1st time of 2) |
February 11, 1874 January 27, 1876 |
Designated February 11, 1874 | |||
2nd | Re-elected September to October 1875 Resigned January 27, 1876 |
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4th | Andrew Charles Elliott (no party affiliation) |
February 1, 1876 June 25, 1878 |
Designated February 1, 1876 | |||
5th | George Anthony Walkem (no party affiliation) (2nd time of 2) |
June 25, 1878 June 6, 1882 |
3rd | Elected during 1878 | ||
6th | Robert Beaven (no party affiliation) |
June 13, 1882 January 29, 1883 |
4th | Elected during 1882 Resigned January 29, 1883 |
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7th | William Smithe (no party affiliation) |
January 29, 1883 March 28, 1887 |
Designated January 29, 1883 | |||
5th | Re-elected during 1886 Died in office March 28, 1887 |
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8th | Alexander Edmund Batson Davie (no party affiliation) |
April 1, 1887 August 1, 1889 |
Designated March 29, 1887 Died in office August 1, 1889 |
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9th | John Robson (no party affiliation) |
August 2, 1889 June 29, 1892 |
Designated August 2, 1889 | |||
6th | Re-elected during 1890 Died in office June 29, 1892 |
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10th | Theodore Davie (no party affiliation) |
July 2, 1892 March 2, 1895 |
Designated July 2, 1892 | |||
7th | Re-elected in 1894 Resigned March 2, 1895 |
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11th | John Herbert Turner (no party affiliation) |
March 4, 1895 August 8, 1898 |
Designated March 4, 1895 | |||
12th | Charles Augustus Semlin (no party affiliation) |
August 15, 1898 February 27, 1900 |
8th | Elected during 1989 Resigned February 27, 1900 |
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13th | Joseph Martin (no party affiliation) |
February 28, 1900 June 14, 1900 |
Designated February 28, 1900 | |||
14th | James Dunsmuir (no party affiliation) |
June 15, 1900 November 21, 1902 |
9th | Elected June 9, 1900 Resigned November 21, 1902 |
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15th | Edward Gawler Prior (no party affiliation) |
November 21, 1902 June 1, 1903 |
Designated November 21, 1902 Dismissed June 1, 1903 |
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16th | Richard McBride (Conservative) |
June 1, 1903 December 15, 1915 |
Designated June 1, 1903 | |||
10th | Re-elected October 3, 1903 | |||||
11th | Re-elected February 2, 1907 | |||||
12th | Re-elected November 25, 1909 | |||||
13th | Re-elected March 28, 1912 Resigned December 15, 1915 |
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17th | William John Bowser (Conservative) |
December 15, 1915 November 23, 1916 |
Designated December 15, 1915 | |||
18th | Harlan Carey Brewster (Liberal) |
November 23, 1916 March 1, 1918 |
14th | Elected September 14, 1916 Died in office March 1, 1918 |
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19th | John Oliver (Liberal) |
March 6, 1918 August 17, 1927 |
Designated March 6, 1918 | |||
15th | Re-elected December 1, 1920 | |||||
16th | Re-elected June 20, 1924 to a minority Died in office August 17, 1927 |
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20th | John Duncan MacLean (Liberal) |
August 20, 1927 August 20, 1928 |
Designated August 20, 1927 to a minority | |||
21st | Simon Fraser Tolmie (Conservative) |
August 21, 1928 November 15, 1933 |
17th | Elected July 18, 1928 | ||
22nd | Thomas Dufferin Pattullo (Liberal) |
November 15, 1933 December 9, 1941 |
18th | Elected November 2, 1933 | ||
19th | Re-elected June 1, 1937 | |||||
20th | Re-elected October 21, 1941 to a minority Resigned (protest) December 9, 1941 |
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23rd | John Hart (Liberal)[N 1] |
December 9, 1941 December 29, 1947 |
Designated Premier by a coalition with the Conservatives December 9, 1941 | |||
21st | Re-elected October 25, 1945 to a coalition Resigned December 29, 1947 |
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24th | Byron Ingemar Johnson (Liberal)[N 1] |
December 29, 1947 August 1, 1952 |
Designated Premier by a coalition with the Conservatives December 29, 1947 | |||
22nd | Re-elected June 15, 1949 to a coalition | |||||
25th | William Andrew Cecil Bennett (Social Credit) |
August 1, 1952 September 15, 1972 |
23rd | Elected June 12, 1952 to a minority | ||
24th | Re-elected June 9, 1953 | |||||
25th | Re-elected September 19, 1956 | |||||
26th | Re-elected September 12, 1960 | |||||
27th | Re-elected September 30, 1963 | |||||
28th | Re-elected September 12, 1966 | |||||
29th | Re-elected August 27, 1969 | |||||
26th | David Barrett (NDP) |
September 15, 1972 December 22, 1975 |
30th | Elected August 30, 1972 | ||
27th | William Richards Bennett (Social Credit) |
December 22, 1975 August 6, 1986 |
31st | Elected December 11, 1975 | ||
32nd | Re-elected May 10, 1979 | |||||
33rd | Re-elected May 5, 1983 Resigned August 6, 1986 |
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28th | William N.T.M. Vander Zalm (Social Credit) |
August 6, 1986 April 2, 1991 |
Designated August 6, 1986 | |||
34th | Re-elected October 22, 1986 Resigned April 2, 1991 |
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29th | Rita Margaret Johnston (Social Credit) |
April 2, 1991 November 5, 1991 |
Designated April 2, 1991 | |||
30th | Michael Franklin Harcourt (NDP) |
November 5, 1991 February 22, 1996 |
35th | Elected October 17, 1991 Resigned February 22, 1996 |
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31st | Glen David Clark (NDP) |
February 22, 1996 August 25, 1999 |
Designated February 22, 1996 | |||
36th | Re-elected May 28, 1996 Resigned August 25, 1999 |
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32nd | Arthur Daniel Miller (NDP) |
August 25, 1999 February 24, 2000 |
Designated August 29, 1999 Resigned February 24, 2000 |
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33rd | Ujjal Singh Dosanjh (NDP) |
February 24, 2000 June 5, 2001 |
Designated February 24, 2000 | |||
34th | Gordon Muir Campbell (Liberal) |
June 5, 2001 March 14, 2011 |
37th | Elected May 16, 2001 | ||
38th | Re-elected May 17, 2005 | |||||
39th | Re-elected May 12, 2009 Resigned March 14, 2011 |
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35th | Christina Joan Clark (Liberal) |
March 14, 2011 Incumbent |
Designated March 14, 2011 |
As of March 2011[update], nine former premiers are alive, the oldest being Dave Barrett (1972–1975, born 1930). The most recent former premier to die was W. A. C. Bennett (1952–1972), on February 23, 1979.
Name | Term | Date of birth |
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Dave Barrett | 1972–1975 | October 2, 1930 |
Bill Bennett | 1975–1986 | August 18, 1932 |
Bill Vander Zalm | 1986–1991 | May 29, 1934 |
Rita Johnston | 1991 | April 22, 1935 |
Mike Harcourt | 1991–1996 | January 6, 1943 |
Glen Clark | 1996–1999 | November 22, 1957 |
Dan Miller | 1999–2000 | December 24, 1944 |
Ujjal Dosanjh | 2000–2001 | September 9, 1947 |
Gordon Campbell | 2001–2011 | January 12, 1948 |
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