1940: British Columbia

The Liberal Party of Mackenzie King swept British Columbia in the Dominion elections of March 26, 1940. Pensions Minister Ian Mackenzie, leader of the British Columbia Liberals, retained his Vancouver seat without serious difficulty. The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation lost one of its two seats when Grant MacNeil, one of the outstanding members of the party, was defeated.

In terms of popular vote, the election was much closer in British Columbia than the Liberals' overwhelming victory would suggest. Approximately 362,000 voters, or only one-quarter of the electorate, went to the polls. The Liberals polled approximately 136,000 votes, the Conservatives, 111,000, and the C.C.F., 102,000. In only one constituency in which there were more than two candidates was the successful candidate elected with a clear majority. The Conservatives did somewhat better than in 1935, while the C.C.F. managed to hold its own. Despite the relatively poor showing made by the C.C.F. when national issues were at stake, many observers feel that this party stands an excellent chance of winning control of the provincial legislature in the next election in a campaign fought strictly on local issues.

T. D. Pattullo, Premier of British Columbia, announced late in November that for the first time in years the province had completely balanced its budget. A surplus of $6,000,000 has been accrued which will be used to cover unemployment relief costs and provide the full allotment to the sinking fund. The budget for 1941 provides for revenues totaling $35,000,000 and expenditures of $29,947,000. This involves a rise in expenditures of $678,416 over 1940, an increase which has been severely criticized by the press and opposition in view of the Dominion Government's appeal for a reduction in provincial spending during the war. The province expects to retire $25,000,000 of indebtedness during 1941 out of its sinking fund.

Concern over a possible threat from Japan has led to the establishment of seven air bases on the Pacific coast. The Canadian-American Joint Defense Commission paid a visit to British Columbia in October and made detailed plans for joint defense against an attack from Japan. In June, an investigation was made of Japanese fishing practices in British Columbia. It was charged that each year many hundred Japanese visit Canada briefly, obtain a local fishing license, and exploit local fishing facilities. Since commercial fishing licenses are issued only to British subjects, many Japanese have been found to be using false passports and faked birth certificates said to be bought in Japan.

Despite the general feeling of anxiety with regard to Japan, the Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting, and Power Company, of Princeton, B.C., entered into an arrangement in September for the sale of all its copper to Japan. The occurrence prompted debate in the Canadian House of Commons and was even taken up in the British Parliament. No steps were taken, however, to stop this type of aid to Japan.

An elaborate program of controlled prices and production in the apple industry has been worked out in the province under the Dominion War Measures Act. A committee of three men have been given absolute control of the fruit industry in the Okonagan Valley, the British Empire's largest source of apples. Every apple sold must move through the machinery set up and authorized by this committee. The income from all sources is pooled and distributed in accordance with the amount and grade of apples delivered. In order to save the apple industry from destruction as a result of the loss of British markets during the war, the government agreed to underwrite 1,750,000 boxes. Total production in the Okonagan Valley in 1940 was approximately 6,000,000 bushels — the peak for all time. Further increases are not expected, however, owing to the lack of irrigation water.