Bill Bennett
A charismatic premier who reshaped British Columbia's economy with mega-projects and a fierce free-enterprise philosophy for over a decade.
1932–2015 (age 83)·Canadian politician·Birthday: April 14·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bill Bennett didn't just enter politics; he was born into it as the son of former Premier W.A.C. Bennett. Yet he carved his own distinct legacy. After a successful business career, he took the helm of the Social Credit Party and led it to victory in 1975, beginning an eleven-year tenure as Premier. Bennett governed with a firm belief in resource development and private enterprise, championing massive infrastructure projects like the BC Place stadium and the Coquihalla Highway. His 'restraint' budget in 1983, which cut public sector spending, sparked the largest protest in the province's history but underscored his unwavering fiscal stance. While his policies polarized opinion, they indelibly shaped modern British Columbia, setting the stage for its economic transformation. He left office on his own terms in 1986, having won three consecutive elections.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bill was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 70
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 80
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Died at 83
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Served as the 27th Premier of British Columbia for eleven consecutive years, from 1975 to 1986.
- Championed and oversaw the construction of major infrastructure projects, including BC Place Stadium and the Coquihalla Highway.
- Hosted the 1986 World's Fair (Expo 86) in Vancouver, a defining event that showcased the province on a global stage.
- Implemented the 'restraint program' in the early 1980s, a series of austerity measures aimed at reducing government spending and debt.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he was a successful businessman, running a chain of hardware stores and a department store in Kelowna.
He was an accomplished amateur hockey player in his youth and turned down a tryout with the Boston Bruins to focus on business.
His father, W.A.C. Bennett, was also Premier of British Columbia, making them one of the few father-son premier duos in Canadian history.
After retiring from politics, he largely avoided the public spotlight, focusing on private life and business interests.
“'We must have the courage to change the things that need changing.'”
