The Other Pc | Other Vancouver (CUP) - The Globe and Mail once described him as “one quote away from political disaster.” _ But now, journalists are calling B.C.’s new premier, Bill Vander Zalm a “teflon politician”, a comparison with Ronald Reagan’s ability to get away with outrageous comments and slips of the tongue. . In the past, Vander Zalm_ referred to former Quebec premier Rene Levesque as a “frog”, and during the recent election campaign, suggested students lacking — regional - post-secondary facilities } should continue ___ their studies in “basements and warehouses.” The day after being swept back to power in the Oct. 22 provincial el- - ection, Vander Zalm commented on the sparse Memories— history of contentious comments, Brian Webs- ter, a staff member of the University of Victoria’s campus radio station CFUV, compiled a list of “Van Der Quotes” from the leader’s previous forays into politics. With some more recent ones, here, now, is the “best” of Bill Vander Zalm: April, 1972: On success in B.C. politics - “If know- ledge, experience and_ in- tellect were the only prerequisites. for the job, controversial former post-secondary education minister Pat McGeer should have been premier 20 years ago. I don’t think people are _ necessarily looking for all those quali- ties.” May, 1972: Expressing his worst fear - “The con- tinued use of the band-aid approach society’s to problems solving will My credentials are that Thave been involved in the public eye for eighteen years. ‘representation of women in the new Socred caucus ~.- four of 49 - and said that a greater number, “would certainly dress - up ~ the -cabinet room. and make _for better decor.” He also said . women would add to the deci- sion-making process . as they are “very. percept- ive.’ _ While other politicians might fear being raked over the media’s — agoniz- ‘ing coals for such. sexist remarks, the. normally - good-humoured and confident Vander Zalm evades most criticism. Given the. premier’s destroy us morally, so- cially, physically, mental- ly, economically, and lead us to certain rebellion or Communism.” January, 1975: . Assess- ing his own -political na- ture. - “I guess I am a bit. of an. egoist and maybe a little power-hungry.” May, 1975 : On sex edu- cation - “We should keep this... propoganda of the provincial. _Department of Education out of the schools. Teach numbers, not sex. Better to take a child out of school rather than to let them see this. I'd rather have a_ child with no education than a about $1.30 - we Nov. 10, 1986 Page It DIRECT ACTION NUMBER THREE | WAYS TO ASSASINATE YOUR EDUCATION MINISTER — is oe tension ie ee vlog ‘0 i - While scuba diving in the gulf islands. 2 AYER) 7 $F 39 ay A 7 PAS LEE ers DES Bs ee SEEDS LIAS ee eal ELLOS DI KRI TG PP RTL ACH Ie ec RS We ran this cartoon in 1983: he didn’t like it then... child with no morals.” December, 1975: On welfare recipients “Tf anybody is able to work, but refuses to pick up a shovel, we will find ways of dealing with him.” November, 1976: One the election of the Parti Quebecois “Certainly I wouldn’t lose any sleep if Quebec seperates. I doubt frankly, if there are too many people who will lose very much sleep if they were to seperate. I don’t think it matters much.” November, 1976: On the protection of minority rights - “Do we have to support a minority group when that minority is wrong? It’s fine to be tolerant, but do we have to tolerate the wrongs? Tolerence is for excep- tions, but exceptions tend to become rules.” March, 1980: On_ the B.C. Resources _Invest- ment Corporation, whose shares. originally sold for $5.00 but are now worth “Don’t you think,. Mr. Speaker, it’s leadership when we can introduce a great program BCRIC, which is an ex- ample for the whole of the free enterprise world...a program which is now giving every British Columbian. a chance to in- vest in the future of this province and_ get back some of it’s wealth?” August, 1986: On_ his first weeks as premier - “So far it’s a piece of cake...I have to attribute much of that to my own attitude, and I think I came into this thing really believing that I’m _ not going to care much about what the opposition says, I’m not going to care much about what the various pressure groups say, I'll just go by what I think is right and treat them all as friends.” September, 1986: On the free enterpriser’s right to buy South African Wine -- “Pretty soon the gov- ernment will be telling you when to go to bed and where to eat.” September, 1986: On the importance of style vs. issues “Style — should mean a lot in any — campaign — because’ it’s what the people see when they come to _ British Columbia. It’s not only the style of the premier, it’s the style of govern- ment, it’s the style of the legislature, it’s the style of the people in the province.” September, 1986: While singing at a community dinner, Kingcome Island, B.C. “On top. of spaghetti, all covered in cheese, I lost my poor meatballs when somebody sneezed.” Tl be Education Minister for the duration, and after, who’s to say? aha