About Bill Vander Zalm
William Nicholas Vander Zalm (born Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm; May 29, 1934) is a Dutch-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the 28th premier of British Columbia and leader of the British Columbia Social Credit Party from 1986 to 1991. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Surrey from 1975 to 1983, and the riding of Richmond from 1986 to 1991. He is also the oldest lived premier in BC history and the first to reach the age of 92. == Early life == Wilhelmus Nicholaas Theodore Marie van der Zalm was born and raised in Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands. 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 gardening business. He moved to Surrey after marrying Lillian Mihalic, and purchased a nursery. == Early political career == Vander Zalm was elected an alderman of Surrey in 1965, and served as the municipality's mayor from 1969 to 1975. His tenure was marked by his crackdown on welfare recipients (until the early 1970s, welfare in BC was a municipal responsibility). He was originally a supporter of both the Liberal Party of Canada and the BC Liberal Party.
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