Diplomacy works better than bluster, as John Hart knew well. Hart, an Irish immigrant with a talent for compromise and a famously winning smile, was at the heart of BC politics for much of the first half of the twentieth century. Drawing on government records, politicians' papers, and newspaper reports, John Hart illuminates his achievements as finance minister and premier.
A businessman and Liberal, Hart managed British Columbia's finances during both world wars and the Depression. As premier during much of the Second World War, he led a coalition with the Conservatives that provided businesslike governance and established the persistent BC political theme of free enterprise versus socialism.
This lively account helps fill a significant gap in the political and economic history of British Columbia.
Table of Contents:
Foreword / Bob Bothwell and John English
Preface
Introduction
1 "A Young Irish Businessman," 1879–1917
2 The New Minister of Finance, 1917–20
3 Taxing Times, 1920–24
4 A Business Sojourn in Vancouver and Back to Victoria, 1924–33
5 Another Financial Rescue, 1933–37
6 Seeking Better Terms, 1937–41
7 Free Enterprise versus Socialism and Coalition Politics, 1941–47
8 Postwar Planning and Power, 1942–49
9 Northern Opportunities, 1941–49
10 Dealing with Ottawa, 1941–47
11 The Business of Government in War and Peace, 1941–47
12 Citizenship and Minorities, 1941–49
13 Into Retirement, 1947–57
Conclusion
Notes; Index
