BCBusiness

July 2015 Top 100 Issue

With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.

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138 BCBusiness july 2015 public adamantly opposed. And he turned B.C. into a really confrontational place. That's why he was hated." In broad circles, in the days leading up to Expo, he was hated. But in hind- sight, Bennett almost seems to have planned it that way. As Bob Plecas tells it in his biography, Bill Bennett: A Mandarin's View, Bennett—who had previously been happy to let cabinet ministers take the lead on many files— stepped to the fore during the most difficult restraint years, saying that he wanted to relieve others of the burden of defending an incredibly unpopular program. According to Bud Smith, Bennett stumped his way through the 1983 election saying, "We'll do it together. We'll come out of it together. And together we will reap the benefit." And yet when Expo came—when it was time to "reap the benefit"—the man who had taken the risk, and the flak, slipped quietly out the side door. "The fact that he didn't build a legacy, as many politicians do, perfectly reflects one of his fundamental tenets of governance," says Smith. "He always said, 'If you want to make money or live in fame, don't get involved in politics.' He saw politics as public service—in which a job well done is its own reward. He lived that." ■ According to Bud Smith, Bennett Stumped hiS wAy through the 1983 election SAying, "we'll do it together. we'll come out of it together. And together we will reAp the Benefit." And yet when expo cAme—when it wAS time to "reAp the Benefit"—the mAn who hAd tAken the riSk, And the flAk, Slipped quietly out the Side door

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