A behind-the-scenes look at a controversial premier and the political making of British ColumbiaW.A.C. Bennett and the Rise of British Columbia is both a biography of the controversial premier and a history of formative political events in the province. In a substantial new afterword, David Mitchell assesses Bennett's continuing impact on B.C. politics from the unique perspective of a keen observer and active participant.After joining the fledgling B.C. Social Credit movement in 1951, W.A.C. Bennett transformed it into a strident political force. Inside a year he became premier of the province and was in power for seven terms. The book goes behind the scenes to cabinet meetings and the backrooms of power brokers, introduces the colourful personalities in Bennett's administration and describes the premier's fierce confrontations with political rivals. Bennett's various legacies continue to be debated and fought over, with both friends and foes claiming to be his political heirs.This is a new release of the book published in April 1995.