Age, Biography and Wiki

Bill Vander Zalm (Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm) was born on 29 May, 1934 in Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands, is a Premier of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991. Discover Bill Vander Zalm's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 89 years old?

Popular As Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm
Occupation N/A
Age 89 years old
Zodiac Sign Gemini
Born 29 May 1934
Birthday 29 May
Birthplace Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands
Nationality Canada

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 29 May. He is a member of famous with the age 89 years old group.

Bill Vander Zalm Height, Weight & Measurements

At 89 years old, Bill Vander Zalm height not available right now. We will update Bill Vander Zalm's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
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Who Is Bill Vander Zalm's Wife?

His wife is Lillian Vander Zalm

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Lillian Vander Zalm
Sibling Not Available
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Bill Vander Zalm Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Bill Vander Zalm worth at the age of 89 years old? Bill Vander Zalm’s income source is mostly from being a successful . He is from Canada. We have estimated Bill Vander Zalm's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income

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Timeline

1934

William Nicholas Vander Zalm (born Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm; May 29, 1934) is a Dutch-born Canadian entrepreneur and politician.

1947

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.

1965

Vander Zalm was elected an alderman of Surrey in 1965 and served as the city's mayor from 1969 to 1975.

1968

He sought election to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 federal election as a Liberal in Surrey.

He lost by 4,445 votes.

1970

His tenure was marked by his crackdown on welfare "deadbeats" (until 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.

1972

He was also a candidate at the 1972 provincial Liberal leadership convention, where he lost to David Anderson.

1974

He joined the BC Social Credit Party in 1974.

1975

Vander Zalm 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).

The Socreds won back power after a three-year hiatus.

He served in the cabinet of Premier Bill Bennett as minister of human resources from 1975 to 1978, where he continued his crusade against welfare fraud.

1978

On June 22, 1978, the Victoria Daily Times published a political cartoon by Bob Bierman that portrayed the Minister of Human Resources as a grinning sadist, deliberately pulling the wings off flies.

Vander Zalm launched legal action for libel, Vander Zalm v. Times Publishers.

Justice Craig Munroe of the BC Supreme Court awarded Vander Zalm $3,500 in damages.

Vander Zalm also served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Transit from 1978 to 1981 and as Minister of Education from 1981 to 1983.

1980

The decision was overturned by the BC Court of Appeal in 1980, which was praised by journalists as a victory for free speech.

The original cartoon was purchased by the National Archives of Canada for $350.

1983

In 1983, Vander Zalm, as minister of education, personally intervened in the Smithers school board to suspend Madeleine Sauve without pay.

Madeleine Sauve distributed, without the permission of either parents or the local school board, a questionnaire concerning "mutual masturbation, oral sex, use of pornography and prostitution" to a class of Grade 8 students in Smithers.

1984

In 1984, he bought Fantasy Garden World, a theme park.

The same year, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Vancouver for the candidate for the Non-Partisan Association.

He lost to Mike Harcourt, who was later the provincial NDP leader during most of Vander Zalm's tenure as premier.

1986

He served as the 28th premier of British Columbia from 1986 to 1991.

Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm was born and raised in Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands.

In 1986, Premier Bennett announced he was retiring.

Vander Zalm attracted considerable attention as he considered whether he would run for the leadership of the Social Credit Party.

He generated more press from the race than the other candidates did.

At the party's convention in Whistler, British Columbia, he prevailed over 11 other candidates by winning on the fourth ballot.

He was sworn in as premier just a month before the 1986 election.

During the subsequent provincial election campaign, "Vandermania" swept BC, and the Socreds easily won another term over the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).

Vander Zalm promised a fresh start after the confrontational Bennett years.

Once gaining a seat in the legislature, Vander Zalm filled most of the cabinet slots with MLAs who had languished on the backbench under Bennett.

Vander Zalm decided to release the normally-secret list of cabinet appointments to two Vancouver Sun reporters hours before the official announcement was to be made.

Under his watch, the Socred government took a more social conservative hue.

This didn’t sit well with more moderate Socreds, who began drifting to the previously moribund Liberals-a trend that would haunt Vander Zalm's successors later.

1987

On July 7, 1987, during the first session of the 34th Parliament, Vander Zalm's health minister Peter Dueck introduced the Health Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 34).

This bill specified quarantine procedures for individuals with “serious reportable communicable disease." The bill was met with serious backlash and protest from HIV/AIDS activism groups like ACT UP, the Vancouver Lesbian Connection, and the Vancouver Persons With AIDS Coalition. The mobilization by activists in protest of the bill led to the formation of the Coalition for Responsible Health Legislation (CRHL) by Vancouver-based AIDS activists that led several actions for protest, but also education like safer sex workshops focused on preventing HIV transmission. The bill received Royal Assent on December 17, 1987, and was passed into law. The protests continued, but effort from the BC Civil Liberties Association shifted to the modification of the bill, rather than discarding it completely.

1990

The government of Premier Bill Vander Zalm refused to fund the 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver and cited inappropriate usage of public resources.